Comedian Heather McDonald is one of the biggest names in podcasting, earning over 200 million downloads from her pop culture show Juicy Scoop.
Speaking to the Daily Mail about her success, the former Chelsea Lately star, 52, recalled how her old management team told her she was “too old” to be booked in Hollywood after Chelsea Handler’s E! show ended in 2014.
“I went to my agents and said, ‘Why hasn’t anything happened lately after Chelsea? a little too famous.”
“You’re too old. You’re white. And you’re straight.” And they were like, “That’s just not what anyone is looking for.”
An agent urged her to build Juicy Scoop until it was so successful Hollywood could no longer turn her down, so she did.
EXCLUSIVE: Comedian Heather McDonald (pictured) tells the Daily Mail that her agents once told her she was “too old, white and straight” to be booked in Hollywood
The 52-year-old is now one of the biggest names in podcasting, earning over 200 million downloads from her pop culture show Juicy Scoop
The comedian admits she never intended to be a podcaster, originally turning to the medium during a hiatus in her TV career after Chelsea Lately wrapped up for good.
When that all dried up, I went to my agents and said, “Well, I think it’s time for a podcast.” Nobody made money off it [at the time].
“I just thought it would give me something to do and people would know I was in their town doing stand up because Chelsea was such a great promoter of us doing stand up on her show so I didn’t. don’t have that anymore.’
Despite her incredible success, Heather admits that she still feels undervalued as a female comic in the industry.
“I feel like I’ve never been a comedy babe,” she admitted. “People like Sarah Silverman were in one of those corners of all the creative guys who wrote and produced shows, so she just knew all those people and was part of that alternative comedy scene.
“I just never felt like I was a Hollywood sweetheart. And in cops’ defense, people are lazy, and if they meet you and think you’re funny but don’t know how to market you, what are you?” she continued.
Recalling conversations with her agents in the past, Heather said they would tell her, “You’re not this alternative liberal girl, you’re not this southern mom, you’re not this sassy black woman, you’re not this flamboyant gay, I don’t know what to do with you.”
Heather originally started Juicy Scoop to promote her stand-up comedy and never expected the show to become as big as it is now
Heather’s podcast has now eclipsed the success of her old boss Chelsea Handler’s iHeartRadio show Dear Chelsea, which often lags far behind Juicy Scoop on the charts. Heather and Chelsea are pictured together in 2013
Now Heather is at the top of the comedy scene thanks to Juicy Scoop, which is racking up millions of downloads per month.
Her podcast even eclipsed the success of her old boss Chelsea Handler’s iHeartRadio show Dear Chelsea, which is often well behind Juicy Scoop on the charts.
Despite achieving all of her career goals, Heather says motherhood is still her proudest achievement.
“By far the most important and best thing — I’ll probably cry,” she said, wiping away a tear.
“It’s being a mom, it’s the most important thing to me. And I always tell my kids that my goal is to have a happy family that will stay with me forever,” she gushed.
“Some people are estranged from their kids as adults and that’s really sad because I’m like, this is the most important thing.”
“I feel like I’ve never been a comedy babe,” says Heather, who now dominates the comedy scene thanks to Juicy Scoop, which racks up millions of downloads a month
Despite achieving all of her career goals, Heather says motherhood is still her proudest achievement. Pictured with sons Drake and Brandon
Heather is a parent to teenage sons Brandon and Drake, and stepdaughter Mackenzie.
The comedian confessed that she is happy with where her career currently stands and is not as excited about other opportunities as she has been in the past.
‘I’m very happy. I’m not crazy selfishly ambitious. If [Juicy Scoop] just… I’d like it to get bigger, I think I deserve to be more famous. I want more people to know my opinion, whether I’m on TV or in my podcast, and I want more people to know about my stand-up and my comedy,” she said.
“But at the same time, I’m just so thankful for where everything is. If I could just keep doing what I’m doing, I’d be very happy.’
Heather is preparing to hit the road for a series of tour dates kicking off May 27 in Las Vegas with special guests Spencer Pratt, Chris Franjola and Justin Martindale.
She will then perform in San Diego on June 24 and Napa on July 22, followed by a string of dates in Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey and more starting in August.
Heather is preparing to hit the road for a series of tour dates kicking off May 27 in Las Vegas with special guests including Spencer Pratt. Taking a picture together