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Artwork for What's Your Issue?

What's Your Issue?

Cloud10
Pop Culture
Lindsay Lohan
Celebrity Culture
Vanity Fair
Playboy
Britney Spears
Print Media
Rolling Stone
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Tom Cruise
Life and Style
Hollywood
Teen Vogue
Denise Richards
Lana Del Rey
Young Hollywood
Magazines
Madonna
Katie Holmes
The Girls Next Door

"What's Your Issue?" is a pop culture podcast hosted by Troy McEady and Dara Laine. Each week, they take a nostalgic deep dive into the past, dissecting magazine articles from various decades and genres.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes94Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for What's Your Issue?

Latest Episodes

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This week we're discussing Final Cut by Chris Nashawaty from the August 14th, 1998 issue of Entertainment Weekly with photos by George Lange. We talk about Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween ... more

Subscribe to Patreon to listen to the rest of this episode!

For this subscribers-only episode, we're dissecting the Sept. 2026 GQ cover story, "Tom Cruise: Hollywood's Most Elusive Star Speaks" by Zach Barron, with photos by Mario Sorrenti.

We disc... more

YouTube

This week's episode is about the intersection between two pieces of tragic Hollywood lore: the untimely deaths of Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne, the young starlets of the first Poltergeist movie.

We discuss two Vanity Fair articles:

What Rea... more

*This episode originally aired on October 31, 2024*

At the end of last week's episode, "The Bloody Battle Over Scream 4," Dara and Troy talked about Ariana Madix's stint as a Girls and Corpses magazine model.

Here's a spooky season rerelease of an ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Dolly Parton
Celebrity who answered Vanity Fair questionnaire
Vanity Fair questionnaire subject
Episode: Dolly Parton, Alec Baldwin, & RuPaul Take VF's Proust Questionnaire
Alec Baldwin
Celebrity who answered Vanity Fair questionnaire
Vanity Fair questionnaire subject
Episode: Dolly Parton, Alec Baldwin, & RuPaul Take VF's Proust Questionnaire
Russell Martin
Canadian magazine collector and media expert who discusses Gaga and print journalism
Pop Pantheon (podcast) / magazine world
Episode: How Lady Gaga Became The World's Biggest Pop Star
Jon Gosselin
Former reality TV star from Jon & Kate Plus Eight
Episode: The Unreal Rise of Jon & Kate Gosselin by Nancy Jo Sales
Selena Gomez
Singer/actress discussing her involvement with Wondermind and related matters
Wondermind/Previous Ventures
Episode: The Cut: Selena Gomez and Her Mother's Failed Start-Up
Vanessa Hudgens
Actress and singer known for film and TV work
Entertainment
Episode: Candie's Ads From the 1990s - 2010s
Kara Berry
Guest, magazine culture commentator and writer
Episode: Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, and TLC with Kara Berry
Joan Summers
Senior Editor of PAPER Magazine; host of Eating For Free; former Jezebel writer
PAPER Magazine
Episode: Chappell Roan, Saving Britney, and PAPER Mag with Joan Summers
Kelly Bensimon
Former Real Housewives of New York City cast member
Real Housewives/Playboy
Episode: A Playboy x Real Housewives Spectacular

Hosts

Dara Laine
Host of What's Your Issue? (co-host); long-time media commentator with focus on magazine culture and celebrity storytelling.
Troy McEady
Co-host and primary host with a background in pop culture journalism and media commentary.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Journalism

    Top tier

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Katya ML
    Mexico21 days ago
  • A delightful walk down memory lane

    Dara and Troy, you are the dream team. I love your friendship and I love your dedication to physical media and pop culture. Question in case you ever read this; what three films would you use to surmise your personality if somebody needed to get to know you via movies?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    freyathefaery
    United Kingdom21 days ago
  • One of my favorite podcasts

    I look forward to you guys every week!! could we maybe one day do miley on rolling stone from like 2013 or 2014? or anything from that era đź‘€

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pseudovirus
    United Statesa month ago
  • Magazines are such a great lens through which to view 90s and 2000s nostalgia, and these 2 are absolutely the best hosts doing this type of podcast right now. I have looked.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    luckdragon
    2 months ago
  • BEST EPISODE EVER

    Guys! This episode was AMAZING, Joan from Paper Magazine, has some incredible and very interesting (even philosophical) opinions! I also loved your guys approach into the interview, allowing him to speak, and not interrupting him which id something most interviewers do.

    LOVED IT

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    STEPHD.B
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Show is described as nostalgic, insightful, and funny with strong sourcing and context.
The hosts deliver fun, insightful nostalgia with sharp cultural critique.
Guests and hosts are seen as knowledgeable and entertaining; some reviews note inconsistencies in format changes over time.
Listeners praise deep dives into magazine culture and engaging host dynamics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#125
Finland/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Unreal Rise of Jon & Kate Gosselin by Nancy Jo Sales
Q: What's your issue?
The hosts discuss Vanity Fair's 2009 article on Jon and Kate Gosselin as a time capsule of that era, focusing on the media circus, the gender dynamics, and the exploitation embedded in reality TV culture.
Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, and TLC with Kara Berry
Q: Kara, what is your relationship to magazines and what drew you to this particular 1998 Vibe cover?
Kara describes growing up loving magazines as art objects, with a preference for high-fashion and left-of-center photography, and explains how the 1998 Vibe cover felt like a pivotal moment that captured hip-hop's cultural peak and the rise of women as fashion influencers.
Chappell Roan, Saving Britney, and PAPER Mag with Joan Summers
Q: How did your Chappell Roan interview become such a watershed moment for you at PAPER?
The interview captured Roan at a pivotal, pre-breakout moment, with Summers detailing the process, the buzz around the cover, and the significance of being present with the artist in the room during a key phase of her rise.
Lindsay Lohan Listener Questions
Q: Was there a consequence to Lindsay being in The Canyons in reference to her career—did it impact her trajectory or was it just another crazy move?
The hosts argue that the discourse around The Canyons was more damaging to Lindsay's career than the film itself, with 2013 a pivotal year where other projects and publicity shaped perceptions, including a later Oprah series that underscored ongoing challenges.
Advice Column: Religious Cults & Making/Ghosting Friends
Q: What should I do about my brother becoming more conservative and involved in a religious cult?
Focus on maintaining a connection without confrontation, allowing space for him to question his beliefs without feeling judged.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About What's Your Issue?

What is What's Your Issue? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show offers nostalgic, in-depth exploration of magazine-era culture through thoughtful analysis and lively banter between two hosts. Each episode pulls apart a vintage article or issue, pairing sharp cultural critique with personal memories to illuminate how media, fashion, and celebrity storytelling shaped public perception across decades. The approach blends gossip, historical context, and media literacy, often featuring guests who illuminate editorial voices, fashion history, or pop-cultural moments. A standout aspect is the chemistry between hosts as they balance affection for the past with rigorous scrutiny of industry dynamics, making it useful for listeners who want smarter takeaways on fame, branding, and women in media.

The f... more

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How many subscribers and views does What's Your Issue? have?

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Which podcasts are similar to What's Your Issue??

These podcasts share a similar audience with What's Your Issue?:

1. Nostalgia & Now
2. Beyond The Blinds
3. FluentlyForward
4. Snark Bait
5. Everyone's Business (But Mine) with Kara Berry

How many episodes of What's Your Issue? are there?

What's Your Issue? launched 2 years ago and published 94 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on What's Your Issue??

Recent guests on What's Your Issue? include:

1. Dolly Parton
2. Alec Baldwin
3. Russell Martin
4. Jon Gosselin
5. Selena Gomez
6. Vanessa Hudgens
7. Kara Berry
8. Joan Summers

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