Shouldn't Laugh But...Laura Smyth & Carmen Butcher

This week on Shouldn’t Laugh But, Laura and Carmen are diving headfirst into the chaos of Inside the Manosphere. From TikTok “alpha males” and seven-hour livestreams, to dodgy money schemes and wildly confident nonsense about women, they try to make sense of a world that is equal parts terrifying and… deeply embarrassing.
They also get into why Louis Theroux remains the undisputed king of awkward, and how his calm, softly-softly questioning manages to unravel these “high value men” in about 30 seconds flat. It’s fragile egos, accidental self-owns, and one or two moments that genuinely made them laugh out loud… before remembering they probably shouldn’t.
There’s also a chat about rage bait, why being nice is unlikely to make you go viral, and the slightly depressing realisation that the internet rewards whoever shouts the loudest (and worst).
Then it’s onto the Beckham universe, where Harper Beckham’s skincare launch opens up a wider conversation about beauty standards, growing up online, and why 14-year-olds absolutely do not need a collagen routine. From family drama to petty social media moments, they unpack the ongoing Beckham saga and ask the big question: if you’re that rich, why are you still being this messy?
Plus, Mother’s Day politics, the competitive sport of being “so busy and so tired”, and a genuinely lovely story about an old woman in Nottingham that somehow cuts through all the chaos.
Email us your ‘Shouldn’t Laugh But...’ Moments! [email protected]
Follow Shouldn’t Laugh But on all social platforms: @shouldntlaughpod
Laura - @thatlaurasmyth
Carmen - @carmenshouldntlaugh
Listen to Main Episodes every Tuesday, and Watch Main Episodes every Thursday.
Bonus Episodes are available every Friday

Timothée Shalama-lama-ding-dong (Chalamet) is under fire after sharing his thoughts on opera and ballet and sparking a full blown internet pile on. Laura and Carmen unpack the backlash, the memes, and why the internet loves nothing more than uniting against a rogue celebrity opinion.
Plus, The Beckham family saga rumbles on! Laura and Carmen get stuck into the latest birthday post controversy and the internet reaction: should David and Victoria have wished Brooklyn a happy birthday on Instagram or not?
And if that wasn’t enough… a dog sitting job turns into a full scale street crossing disaster involving a giant poo, oncoming traffic, and one unfortunate brother who definitely got far more involved than he planned.
Follow Shouldn’t Laugh But on all social platforms: @shouldntlaughpod
Laura - @thatlaurasmyth Carmen - @carmenshouldntlaugh
Listen to Main Episodes every Tuesday, and Watch Main Episodes every Thursday on Global Player and YouTube.
Bonus Episodes are available every Friday

This week on Shouldn’t Laugh But, Laura and Carmen dive straight into the chaos that is Britney Spears. From the head shaving era to the conservatorship and the recent internet debate of “maybe we shouldn’t have freed Britney”, they try to answer the impossible question: what does actual support for a mega famous pop star even look like?
They also get into Harry Styles’ mysterious ever-changing accent, why British people simply cannot take anything seriously (especially grief), and Raye’s very public “where the hell is my husband?” era which sparks a deep dive into heartbreak, petty revenge and whether men who hurt you ever actually care.
Plus, Lily Allen is turning post break up rage into performance art with a dress covered in receipts and a spotlight for unsuspecting men in the audience.
And finally, personal updates: Laura has been living the celeb adjacent life at Alan Davies’ birthday party, while Carmen returns from a wholesome Canadian ski trip straight into the gritty reality of New York, where the steaks are good, the arguments are loud, and the crackheads are plentiful.
Sleep deprived, slightly feral, and still chasing the dream of becoming podcast millionaires.
Email us your ‘Shouldn’t Laugh But...’ Moments! [email protected]
Follow Shouldn’t Laugh But on all social platforms: @shouldntlaughpod
Laura - @thatlaurasmyth
Carmen - @carmenshouldntlaugh
Listen to Main Episodes every Tuesday, and Watch Main Episodes every Thursday.
Bonus Episodes are available every Friday

This week, Laura and Carmen spiral from ski slopes to strip clubs after a listener confession about a half-dressed skiing disaster that ends with an injured stranger… and a three hour plane journey of silent guilt.
Then there’s the viral chair throwing incident that backfires spectacularly, starting beef with monkeys in Malaysia, rogue sheep standoffs in Wales and the internet’s newest side hustle: becoming a keynote speaker after getting caught on Coldplay’s kiss cam.
But the real cultural debate of the episode? Stand up bum wiping. Send help… or wet wipes.
Follow Shouldn’t Laugh But on all social platforms: @shouldntlaughpod
Laura - @thatlaurasmyth Carmen - @carmenshouldntlaugh
Listen to Main Episodes every Tuesday, and Watch Main Episodes every Thursday on Global Player and YouTube.
Bonus Episodes are available every Friday

This week on Shouldn’t Laugh But, one of us is living her best ski life in Canada while the other is glue gunning her way through World Book Day and awaiting secondary school news like it is the Hunger Games.
There are rogue ski puns, Winter Olympics overshares and listener stories bringing peak slope humiliation: teenage wipeouts, French ski school casualties, dads shouting “get a room” and an apres ski table jump that results in full resort infamy and the nickname “Table Girl”.
Laura and Carmen also cover business class delusions, the healing power of podcast laughter in dark times and why you must always trust your florist.
Helmets on. Drinks upright. And absolutely no table dancing in ski boots *cough cough* Carmen Butcher!
Email us your ‘Shouldn’t Laugh But...’ Moments! [email protected]
Follow Shouldn’t Laugh But on all social platforms: @shouldntlaughpod
Laura - @thatlaurasmyth
Carmen - @carmenshouldntlaugh
Listen to Main Episodes every Tuesday, and Watch Main Episodes every Thursday.
Bonus Episodes are available every Friday