The Frankenchicken is coming to a village near you
This week, we’re asking some tough questions. Is the EU friends with the Taliban now? Is your 100% cotton shirt actually made of cotton? And, our favourite, “Why Did the Frankenchicken Cross the Road?” We’re taking on a few challenging topics this week, but the Funny Lady from Luxembourg is back in the co-hosting chair, so you know to expect a fair share of laughs, too. (Listen to the end to hear her impression of a Luxembourgish whale.)
Our guest this week is none other than longtime Europeans producer Wojciech Oleksiak, whose yearslong investigative report “Why Did the Frankenchicken Cross the Road?” captured our attention and tugged on our heartstrings when it was published in April. Wojciech tells us about the massive megafarms that produce 14 million birds for slaughter each year(!) and the price that the rural community of Koden, Poland, has to pay to satisfy European appetites.
Inspiration Station:
The phallic arum plant at the botanical garden at the University of Ghent
Follow the Money’s podcast episode “Europe’s second-hand clothing crisis”
Other resources for this episode:
“EU faces fierce criticism over plans to host Taliban in Brussels” – The Guardian, 23 June 2026
“OLAF helps prevent illegal dumping of thousands of tonnes of textile waste” – European Anti-Fraud Office, 25 June 2026
“Like Humans, Mediterranean Sperm Whales Have Their Own Dialects” – Yale Environment 360, 24 June 2026
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Coming soon
Producer
Morgan Childs and Monika Proba
Mixing and mastering
Wojciech Oleksiak
Music
Jim Barne and Mariska Martina
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