Interview - Maddy Mania Podcast : Maddy Myer on Fandom, Pop Culture Obsessions, and Turning Passion into Storytelling

By Mulder, Los Angeles, 04 march 2026

At a time when pop culture conversations move faster than ever and fandom communities shape the cultural conversation in real time, the Maddy Mania Podcast arrives as a platform built from both professional insight and genuine fan enthusiasm. Hosted by Los Angeles–based publicist and journalist Maddy Myer, the show explores the emotional, creative, and sometimes chaotic ecosystem of modern fandom, blending interviews with creators and insiders alongside personal deep dives into the host’s current cultural fixations. Drawing on her dual experience in entertainment publicity and pop culture journalism Maddy Myer approaches each discussion with a perspective that understands both the machinery of the entertainment industry and the passion of the audiences who sustain it. In this conversation, she reflects on the origins of the podcast, the cultural power of fandom communities, the challenge of balancing enthusiasm with critical insight, and why pop culture obsessions might actually be one of the most revealing lenses through which to understand modern entertainment.

Q: You work as both a publicist and a journalist, which gives you a perspective from both sides of the media ecosystem. How has that dual experience shaped the way you approach conversations on Maddy Mania ?

Maddy Myer: I definitely think having both the journalist and publicist lens kind of helped me in two ways. One, just kind of forming the start of the podcast and reaching out to guests that I wanted to have on, but also for the interview portion of the podcast, being able to kind of inform really good questions and know how to do my research and make sure I'm not asking questions that guests may have been asked before. I wanted to be both professional and coming from a fan lens as well, so the kind of questions that fans would want to know the answer to. So I think it definitely helped just make the flow go perfectly.

Q: Your podcast embraces the idea that obsession is an art form. When did you first realize that fandom could be something meaningful and worth analyzing rather than something people should hide ?

Maddy Myer: Honestly, I think since early childhood I've been kind of into pop culture. I started with Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers. I was a Disney kid, and now, even to this day, I'm still a fan of those artists. I think it's definitely something to be proud of, and it helps you get a sense of identity and self-expression and also helps build community. I have really good friends that I've met through different fandoms I've been a part of, and they're not all even in the US. There are some in Asia and the UK and stuff like that. So it's a really cool way to kind of connect and meet new people.

Q: Maddy Mania blends pop-culture commentary with interviews and what you call The Spiral, where you dive deep into your current fixation. How did you develop that format, and why did you feel it was the best way to explore fandom culture ?

Maddy Myer: I mean I wanted to do the kind of two-part concept for each episode because I feel like, one, I definitely have a lot to talk about with each topic that the episode will be focused on, but I didn't want it to be just me talking the whole time since I'm the only host and I don't have a co-host, which is why I wanted to also have part two be interviews and speaking to other people and getting another voice that is in that same world around the topic.

Q: You cover an incredibly wide range of interests, from WWE and Broadway to Ariana Grande, comic books, and basketball. How do you decide which topics deserve a deep dive ?

Maddy Myer: I feel like anything is fair game. Anything that I love is up for grabs. The ones that I listed are just some of the ones that I'm known for and I feel like I post a lot about, but there are definitely other things that I'm into that I don't talk about as much or aren't in kind of the premise of the intro for the show. I'm into baseball as well, and that'll probably be a topic down the line. So anything that I've been passionate about in the past, not only now in this current moment, is definitely up for an episode.

Q: Many pop culture podcasts rely heavily on nostalgia. Your show seems to balance nostalgia with cultural analysis. How do you keep that balance between being a fan and being a commentator ?

Maddy Myer: I'm coming at this with a fan-first lens, kind of like what I was saying earlier with making my questions the type that fans would want to hear and know the answers to. But also I'm not going to quote-unquote fangirl in the middle of the interview. I'm still trying to keep it professional and know that I'm coming from a place of, yes, a fan, but also with knowledge of the industry.

Q: Because you work in entertainment PR and media, you’ve seen how narratives are shaped around artists and projects. Has that insider knowledge changed the way you interpret fandom conversations online ?

Maddy Myer: I mean fandom is everything online. Content and social media are the main sources of news today. It's the main source of pop culture news especially. I think fandom connection, at least, is way easier in the social media age. Like what I was referencing about the friends I have that aren't even in the United States. It's because of social media that we connected in the first place. It's because we have a similar love for a certain artist or project, whatever it might be. And I think that is a really nice thing about social media, the immediacy of being able to connect with people who have the same passions as you. Of course, there could also be the dark side if it turns into a parasocial kind of relationship with the artist or whatever it is, but I choose to kind of look more into the positives.

Q: You’ve written interviews and reviews for outlets like Teen Vogue and Sweety High. How does interviewing someone for a written article differ from interviewing them on a podcast ?

Maddy Myer: I think the main difference is the fact that, you know, I'm contracted to work for those platforms, so it's a little bit more in their voice and their style of work. Whereas when it's just me on the podcast, it's my own voice and I don't have to kind of tweak it to any certain style. It's just kind of me fresh, and anything that I kind of come up with is going to make it into the final interview because it's a podcast versus going through edits from your editor in a written piece.

Q: Your podcast emphasizes fan-first storytelling. Why do you think fandom communities are such powerful cultural spaces today ?

Maddy Myer: fandoms are everything. Fandoms make the project or the artists kind of who they are. A pretty recent example is one of my favorite shows called Manifest. It was on regular cable TV and they decided to cancel the show, and so many people were fans of the show along with me. There were petitions, trends on social media, hashtags, and everything like that, and Netflix actually ended up picking the show back up, so it was uncanceled. It was just on a different platform than before. And that's just a small example of the power of fandom, being able to get your voice heard for your favorite projects or people. So fans are a very powerful tool.

Q: The press materials describe your tone as chaotic, witty, passionate, and self-aware. Is that something you consciously crafted, or is it simply your natural voice coming through ?

Maddy Myer: I kind of just let it come through. I'm not writing a joke for the script of the podcast or anything. I'm just kind of seeing where the flow takes me. And I think I'm kind of naturally funny. And I think because I'm talking about things that I'm so passionate about, at any moment I could go on a funny tangent about it because I'm just doing a deep dive and I'm super into it in the moment. So yeah, I think they just kind of come naturally.

Q: In an era where online discourse can sometimes become toxic, how do you try to keep fandom conversations thoughtful, inclusive, and fun ?

Maddy Myer: There definitely is a toxic side of fandom and it's something that I think you have to be aware of anytime you're entering a fandom space. For all of the good apples there could be a few bad apples, and you don't want to get caught up in that. And I think the best way to kind of stay grounded, at least for me, and this is something I had to learn, of course I didn't just naturally have this mindset, but it's like these are random people online saying things. And as long as you know in your heart what you feel about what you love, then that shouldn't affect you.

Q: Your target audience appears to be largely young, internet-native listeners who grew up inside digital fandom culture. What do you think traditional media still misunderstands about that generation of fans ?

Maddy Myer: I think traditional media sometimes doesn't always pick up on trends as quickly as digital content and digital fandom. And I think it's not their fault. It's just that things in the digital age move sometimes faster than anybody can kind of keep up with. So I feel like, yeah, I'm just going to stop there actually. Just cut it. Perfect.

Q: You’re also developing your first television pilot. Does hosting the podcast influence the way you think about storytelling for scripted projects ?

Maddy Myer: It definitely does. I thought about the idea of the podcast around the same time as I thought about doing my TV pilot. So a little bit of the same kind of workflow is definitely going to be in place in how I prepare for both, and my voice obviously, since I'm the one writing the pilot. I think the podcast kind of helps with the storytelling aspect because I'm keeping in mind what I want people to hear, and that will be the same for what I want people to read whenever they look at my script.

Q: Pop culture cycles move incredibly fast now. How do you decide when a topic is worth diving into immediately versus letting the conversation breathe ?

Maddy Myer: I think for the podcast, at least, I'm not going to be like it has to be timed to what's trending at the moment or anything. I think it's just going to be my own schedule and how I want to go about it. Now, if that changes because, like Smallville, for example, that's my favorite show. It's kind of trending right now because they just put it on Netflix and more people are able to see it. I definitely want to do a Smallville episode and it was going to be more down the line, but now I might kind of bump it up and do it in the next few weeks or so just because it's a little bit more relevant right now.

Q: If you could bring on your dream guest, someone who perfectly embodies the intersection of fandom and creativity, who would it be and why ?

Maddy Myer: Dream guest would 100% be Ariana Grande. She's my favorite person on this planet besides my mom and my best friend, and I've been part of her fandom since I was 13. So over half my—no, half my life because I'm 26 now. So I think she embodies exactly the type of artist that people should be fans of. She's very communicative with her fans and that's how she kind of started her career early on. She would talk to fans online and in different group chats and stuff. And I think creativity-wise she can balance both being a singer, now a little bit more of a prevalent actress, and she has her own individual entrepreneurial efforts, like her makeup line and her perfume. So she is the kind of person that I think is the blueprint of an artist that people can be a fan of.

Q: You talk about cross-fandom overlap, where different communities intersect online. Have you noticed any surprising connections between fandoms that people might not expect ?

Maddy Myer: Funnily enough, I'm a wrestling fan and I'm also a fan of K-pop, and there are more people that are into both than I ever thought was possible. Like just finding random people on TikTok making edits of wrestlers to K-pop songs or on Twitter with their username being half a K-pop artist and half a wrestler's name. I think it's pretty cool since I love both, and being able to connect with people who also love both is super cool.

Q: What are your current projects, or do you think that you will go to CinemaCon, for example ?

Maddy Myer: I am excited for both of the video game movies, the Street Fighter movie and Mortal Kombat 2. I think I grew up playing both of those. I'm more of a Mortal Kombat fan video game-wise, but I like the cast of Street Fighter more because there are a few wrestlers in there. So I think that would be pretty cool to keep an eye on. And then also, in a kind of similar vein, the He-Man: Masters of the Universe movie.

Maddy Myer is a Los Angeles–based publicist, freelance journalist, and creative communications strategist whose work sits at the crossroads of entertainment industry insight and fan-driven cultural analysis. Through her role as a publicist, she manages campaigns that span red carpets, live events, brand partnerships, and major press placements, while simultaneously maintaining a strong presence in pop culture journalism. As a freelance writer for Teen Vogue and Sweety High, she has built a reputation for thoughtful artist interviews, album and concert reviews, and commentary rooted in fandom literacy and community-first storytelling. A graduate of USC Annenberg with a Master’s degree in Public Relations & Advertising, Maddy Myer combines industry expertise with an authentic enthusiasm for the media she covers, bringing a rare perspective shaped equally by professional experience and genuine fan engagement. Beyond journalism and publicity, she is also developing her first television pilot, reflecting her broader interest in storytelling across formats and platforms. 

The upcoming Maddy Mania Podcast expands that voice into an energetic, fan-first audio platform designed to explore the deep emotional and cultural ecosystems surrounding modern pop culture. Hosted by Maddy Myer, the weekly show blends candid interviews with creators, insiders, and fellow fans alongside solo deep dives into the host’s current cultural obsessions in a recurring segment called “The Spiral.” Positioned as a space where creativity, commentary, and fandom collide, the podcast embraces a tone that is witty, passionate, and self-aware, examining everything from wrestling and comic books to Broadway, K-pop, superhero franchises, and major pop icons. Distributed across major platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and YouTube, the series aims to capture the voice of an internet-native audience that views pop culture not as disposable entertainment but as a shared language of identity, nostalgia, and community.

Website : https://maddymaniapodcast.com 
 Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maddy-mania-podcast/id1874817332 
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/maddymaniapodcast/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FjGlBJWVG0Hs63pynnf8a
TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@maddymaniapodcast 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq_5WcMsJAlakV6rwUIcszJwtUSf9tGdi

(Source : press release)