Enter Label: Kylie Kelce Topples Joe Rogan to Claim the #1 Podcast Spot - but is she a Jody Wogan?

From Dunkin' to Substance on Kylie Kelce's podcasts

Dear Companions,

Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast unseated Joe Rogan in the #1 spot last week. And I was excited given my obsession: where are the female Joe Rogans?

I gave it a whirl. Unfortunately, just three episodes were harder for me to get through—harder than 10 hours on UFOs. And less fulfilling than binging HBO’s Somebody Somewhere with the mesmerizing Bridget Everett, a show about small towns, and changes in our 40’s and 50’s.

I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, and the women’s podcasting landscape is untapped. I see every new entrant as contributing to this shift. I understand podcasting skills grows with time. Rogan began in 2009, and it was a pot-induced haze, so if Kylie sticks to it, she may become unrecognizable.

That said… ending this year seeking Female Joe Rogans, aka. Jody Wogan, thus tabling a post on dreamwork.

Quick Takeaways…so maybe you don’t have to…

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Cons

1. Celebrity Connections = Earned Media

   • Jason Kelce, the star NFL player, is her husband, so she has the celebrity connections, the instant celebrity podcast setup, and the first guests are…celebrity. Wink, Wink, Nod, Nod. We understand how this got to the Top Spot so quickly. Earned Media.

   • This doesn’t discount the product’s potential, but it explains the ranking.

2. With all those connections—you had to go with a Dunkin sponsorship? Really?

   • So, in the first 5 minutes, we learn Kylie’s signature drink is Butter Pecan, with Almond milk (sugar-filled), coffee (likely [pesticide-covered), in to go cups (leaking microplastics). Then she stops an already short episode to promote powdered and jelly donuts!

   • I don’t know if this makes me some RFK deadhead, but why target women, the heads of family consumption, with this brand?

   • Unless you are aiming for a maximum paycheck, you can find another healthy lead sponsor. If you agree that there are growing pains associated with these first episodes, as Kylie states, then why go for a maximum paycheck?

3. Surface-Level Conversations

   • Her first guest, Kaitlin Olson, is caught off guard by Kylie not having watched a full episode of It’s Always Sunny. Kylie mentions her husband watches it—so, the guest list is driven by his connections. You need to curate your guest list as a reflection of your own interests. Otherwise, you are just phoning it in.

   • In early podcasts there’s a lot of inside baseball, but the episode #2 with sports podcaster Allison Kuch feels forced. Why not just bring a friend on?

4. Privileged Perspective

   • Some of Kylie’s anecdotes feel tone-deaf, even when she’s being self-deprecating. “I’m zapped but relatable” doesn’t land as well when paired with endorsements and celebrity-level insta-setup.

5. Mundane Motherhood Stories

   • While relatable for some, the stories are rather surface level, lacking any hard-earned secrets, solutions or functional information. I want something more idiosyncratic.

   • I’m here for something useful. Or funny, i.e., deeply detailed stories of the mundane. This is what the comedic part of the Manosphere thrives on.

   • The second episode has info on kid’s gifts. Not a bad topic, but then it’s this:

     1. Gifted toys can’t be hard to assemble

     2. I missed #2

     3. Toys shouldn’t have loud noises…

     4. Don’t gift creatures…nothing with a heartbeat.

     5. Don’t gift a toy with too many pieces

Pros

1. Relatable Themes for Mothers

   • Kylie discusses brain fog from pregnancy and parenting, mom guilt, and the struggle to balance personal ambitions with family life. These are themes many mothers can relate to.

   • Major daps are given for attempting something new, at this scale, while pregnant, with 3 kids.

2. Shorter Format

   • Kylie asserts that 45 minutes is what most women can handle in their schedule. One of my smartest female friends who shared this podcast with me agreed that was the right length for her to tune in. So, I understand, brevity might be a huge draw for Jody Wogan’s.

3. Light, Self-Deprecating Tone

   • Kylie’s humor is light and self-deprecating. She understands she may be woefully unprepared. It gives her an approachable vibe that could drive audience growth.

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5 Tips for Jody Wogan Improvement

1. Rethink Sponsorships—and thus, Purpose
   Partner with brands that align with your audience's values and needs—think Magic Mind, Oura Ring, a hemp alternative to Athletic Wear, etc.

2. Focus on Functional Information
   Dive into practical solutions and takeaways. If you’re covering kids’ gifts, offer meaningful ideas—highlight websites, curators, social channels, Etsy pages…you know, do research.

3. Something New
   It’s fine for women to tune out, but they deserve more substance. We keep getting boxed into the mundane. This doesn’t have to be a turbo-charged hour on strength training but give them something.

4. Play with Format
   If episodes are short, make them count. Keep them engaging and purposeful. Or switch up formats. Take notes from Tim Pool (not exactly a women’s ally, I know)—he does three quick segments a day. The idea: There’s room to make a podcast fit women’s schedule.

5. Forget the rankings for a moment…please.

   More new interesting folks. Less celebrities. Kylie is already the celebrity. You don’t need Celebrity x Celebrity on day #1 or day #100, unless your sole purpose is topping chart via earned med.

Ok…. done…couldn’t get to episode #3. Sorry.

If it stays on the #1 list after the initial media bump fades from all the initial publicity accouchements, I’d be happy to tune in again.

But so far…the hunt for Jody Wogan continues…

With much love from the Healingvrse,

Rebecca