It’s Carmen’s first Friday as a forty year old and the birthday debrief is still in full swing. From candle blowing sabotage and middle child gift politics to traumatic mascot memories and the cultural dominance of Mr Blobby, Laura and Carmen unpack the chaos that seems to follow any celebration.

Plus, a listener’s thirtieth spirals from classy Turkish dinner to violent taxi sickness and a missed surprise party delivered via blank pub screen and disembodied apology. Add in hamster funerals, beer fear, and ski trip anxiety, and it is proof that sometimes the party is not the problem, the morning after is.

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 episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including sexual assault, that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening, and feel free to pause or step away if you need to.

This week on Shouldn’t Laugh But, it’s the aftermath of Carmen’s 40th and the debrief is as chaotic as the dancefloor. There are hotel lobby rolly-polies, luxury Four Seasons cake carnage, fish and chips that looked… anatomically confusing, and an escalating late night chant of “City Lounge” that very nearly derailed the entire evening. Laura arrives already hungover after a boozy appearance on Saturday Kitchen, only to wake up the next morning as a fully fledged tabloid star thanks to some extremely dramatic headline writing.

From there, things take a turn. Off the back of the brand new America’s Next Top Model documentary, the girls dive headfirst into the glossy, deeply unhinged world of the show itself. What starts as nostalgia quickly spirals into discussions about toxic producers, moralising meltdowns, ethically questionable photoshoots, reality TV villains and Tyra Banks’ almost supernatural ability to dodge accountability while delivering a life lesson.

As if that wasn’t enough, it’s Pancake Day, the start of Ramadan, Chinese New Year and we are officially entering the Year of the Fire Horse, which apparently means bold moves, big energy and absolutely no half measures. Goodbye Year of the Snake… shedding old skin, shedding dignity, shedding the booze for Lent. New beginnings all round.

All wrapped up with birthday gratitude and the firm belief that if you show up properly for your childless friend’s 40th, the universe will reward you.

Additional support:

If you've been affected by anything you've heard in this episode, please take a moment to read the resources listed: Rape Crisis, Women's Aid, Victim Support

Email us your ‘Shouldn’t Laugh But...’ Moments! lauraandcarmen@global.com

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

From tooth fairy trauma and Friday the 13th paranoia to valentines gone wrong, Laura and Carmen are riding a romantic rollercoaster with zero brakes. There’s boiling water mishaps, forgotten fairy duties, and a heartfelt email that proves sometimes you just know when you’ve found a good egg.

But don’t worry, it’s not all hearts and flowers. We’ve got a Valentine’s bouquet of listener chaos: a florist working ex who spectacularly fumbled the bag, a bedroom bloodbath that left one flatmate deeply concerned, and a passionate spank that went catastrophically off target. Add in quiet red wine dads, party prep panic, and the looming birthday bash of the century, and you’ve got one very messy love story.

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