on E! in 2014, Heather McDonald, a staff writer and regular panelist on the show, needed a new gig. As a stand-up comedian, her performance schedule wasn't as consistent as a full-time job 鈥� then she heard about a fellow comic who launched a podcast to get his name out there and sell more tickets.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥業f a podcast can help do that, I鈥檓 going to do that,鈥欌�� McDonald says.
She launched 鈥� 鈥� in 2015. Now, nearly 800 episodes later with more than 200 million downloads, it regularly ranks among the top comedy podcasts on Apple's charts.
Twice a week, McDonald releases a free episode sharing the latest celebrity gossip and pop culture headlines, TV recaps, and anecdotes. She bounces topics off guests and interviews people with juicy stories.
McDonald strives to avoid anything truly divisive 鈥� like politics. But despite her best efforts, she found herself in the middle of a debate about the coronavirus vaccine after she collapsed during a 2022 stand-up set in Arizona. Footage of her fainting that peddled misinformation about vaccine side effects.
Before she collapsed, McDonald had joked that she鈥檇 never contracted the virus.
鈥淚 fainted right after that. And I have never fainted before or after,鈥� she says calling the timing 鈥渦nbelievable.鈥� For the record, she says, she still hasn鈥檛 had the coronavirus and is indeed vaccinated.
She鈥檚 still not sure why she fainted and a variety of tests have indicated that there鈥檚 nothing wrong. But despite being debunked, the video of her collapse still goes viral every few months, she says.
鈥淚t has done nothing but hurt my career because the pro-vaccination people think that I am like a puppet for the anti-vaxxers. And the anti-vaxxers call me names for getting vaccinated,鈥� McDonald says. 鈥淚 say everyone make their decisions for themselves and I have no say in the matter.鈥�
What she does have say in is the creative direction of her podcast, a freedom that McDonald says is rare.
鈥淚 love working for myself. I love saying whatever I want to say and knowing that if I never get hired to do another TV job, it doesn鈥檛 really matter,鈥� she says.
The free episodes are also recorded on video and . With her job security, McDonald likes to keep some of her opinions within a tighter, paying circle. There are exclusive 鈥淛uicy Scoop鈥� episodes available via subscription through Patreon for options ranging from $5 to $50 per month.
鈥淲hen you have a TV show, even if you wrote and created and starred in it, it can still get canceled. When you have something like this, it just doesn鈥檛,鈥� she says of podcasts as a medium.
The show is about fun, not hard facts, she maintains.
鈥淚 am a comedian with an opinion. I do not have a journalistic background. I do as much research as I find interesting. I screw up names, things pop in my head in the moment, so they鈥檙e not thought out,鈥� she says.
Spencer Pratt is one of McDonald's popular guests. A former cast member on MTV's 鈥淭he Hills,鈥� he is willing to play up a villainous side on reality TV. On 鈥淛uicy Scoop,鈥� he's charming and funny.
Pratt said people approach him now to bring up his 鈥淛uicy Scoop鈥� appearances.
鈥淚t's why I keep driving out to the Valley,鈥� he joked (that's where McDonald records her podcast.)
McDonald fosters an intimacy with her guests and fans alike, bookmarking her stories with directives like 鈥淒on't tell anyone this鈥� or 鈥淜eep this between us鈥� to solidify the closeness she says she feels to her subscribers.
鈥淭hey say, 鈥業 feel like you鈥檙e my friend.' I鈥檓 from a generation of women that we really did talk on the phone a lot,鈥� she says. "It comes naturally for me to talk, be a storyteller.鈥�
McDonald does still tour and perform comedy gigs 鈥� even if it's not her main job anymore.
鈥淎s popular and as successful as the podcast gets, I never want to stop (stand-up) because such a small, tiny percent of entertainers can do stand up,鈥� she says. "A lot of people are able to have podcasts and do well at it, but to stand in front of a stage and have a captive audience and make them laugh for an hour and a half is a skill that took a long time for me to get to.鈥�
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
