Nicki Minaj, James Charles and the New Rules of Cancel Culture | The Riley Gaines Show

Sage Steele joins Riley Gaines for a wide-ranging conversation on sports, culture, politics, motherhood, and faith. They begin with the NFL’s Pride Month messaging and the difference between league-level statements and individual team posts. Riley and Sage discuss whether corporate sports are backing away from political messaging, why locker rooms used to feel like one of the few places where differences did not matter, and why fans may be tired of being lectured by sports leagues. The conversation turns to Jackson Dart, backlash from left-leaning sports media, and why Sage believes courage from young athletes can encourage others to speak up. Riley and Sage also discuss parenting, discipline, online criticism, the “unfollow” culture, and how conviction matters even when people disagree. Later, Riley and Sage react to Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson’s executive order on menopause and workplace accommodations, the rise of Spencer Pratt in Los Angeles politics, Karen Bass, homelessness, crime, wildfires, and what voters may want from outsider candidates. Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday at 10 AM ET. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Riley Gaines breaks down James Talarico’s record, the Democrats’ attempt to rebrand progressive candidates as “normal,” and why the Texas race matters beyond the Lone Star State. In this episode of The Riley Gaines Show, Riley reacts to viral James Talarico clips, his comments on faith, gender ideology, abortion, Texas politics, Ken Paxton, Trump’s endorsement power, and what conservative voters should watch heading into 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Erin Hawley joins Riley Gaines to explain the ongoing legal and cultural battle over abortion pills, the FDA, mail-order abortion drugs, and what the pro-life movement should be watching next. Hawley discusses the Alliance Defending Freedom case, state efforts to protect life, conscience protections for doctors, and why she believes women deserve real support beyond abortion access. Riley and Erin also talk about motherhood, faith, family, surrogacy concerns, pregnancy care centers, and how young women can think about marriage, children, and career without fear or cultural pressure. This conversation covers law, faith, culture, and the future of the pro-life movement in America. Subscribe for conversations on faith, family, women’s rights, culture, and the issues shaping America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rep. Brandon Gill joins The Riley Gaines Show to discuss the fight over wokeness in Washington, women’s sports, young conservative voters, term limits, Trey’s Law, and the GOP’s narrow House majority. Riley Gaines asks Gill why he believes Democrats have not moved away from woke ideology — even after the 2024 election — and what Republicans need to do next. In this episode, Riley and Congressman Brandon Gill also cover congressional hearings, abortion questioning, protecting child abuse victims from NDAs through Trey’s Law, the importance of family and faith, and how conservatives can reach young Americans with a clearer message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brooke Slusser joins Riley Gaines for a powerful conversation about what she says happened during her time on the San Jose State women’s volleyball team, the moment she learned her teammate was born a male, the impact on the season, and why she decided to speak publicly. Riley and Brooke also discuss the broader debate around women’s sports, Title IX, locker rooms and living accommodations, online backlash, TikTok censorship, lawsuits involving the NCAA and Mountain West, and how faith helped Brooke navigate one of the hardest seasons of her life. New episodes of The Riley Gaines Show drop every Tuesday and Friday at 10 AM ET. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of The Riley Gaines Show, Riley breaks down whether cancel culture is actually real — or whether it only works on people who let it. Using two viral case studies, James Charles and Nicki Minaj, Riley looks at why some celebrities bounce back from controversy again and again while others lose careers, platforms, and reputations almost overnight. Riley examines the patterns behind public outrage, apology videos, fan loyalty, media hypocrisy, political pressure, and why independent audiences may matter more than institutional approval. From James Charles’ repeated controversies to Nicki Minaj’s refusal to bow to industry pressure, this episode asks the bigger question: who does cancel culture really apply to? Subscribe for more episodes of The Riley Gaines Show covering culture, politics, free speech, women’s sports, media hypocrisy, and the stories shaping America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hospitals are still sending us confusing bills seven months after I gave birth to Margot and I know we’re not the only family dealing with this. After I posted a viral video about hospital price transparency, thousands of people shared their own stories about unexplained medical bills, insurance confusion, surprise charges, and impossible-to-understand hospital statements. In this solo episode of The Riley Gaines Show, I break down what happened with our hospital bills, why health insurance feels unaffordable for so many families, and why Americans deserve real hospital price transparency before they are expected to pay. I also respond to the political blame game around health care costs and explain why I believe Congress must act. New episodes of The Riley Gaines Show every Tuesday and Friday at 10 AM ET. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was a BLM activist and a Marxist—then he accidentally debunked his own life. Xaviaer DuRousseau joins Riley Gaines to expose the fake activism, the "ghetto" state of the Right, and why he’s officially backing Spencer Pratt for Mayor to save Los Angeles from "purgatory." Xaviaer isn't holding back. From being cast as a "woke" catfish on Netflix to witnessing real-time fraud during the George Floyd riots, he details the moment the curtain fell. Riley and Xaviaer dive deep into the 2026 LA Mayoral race, calling out the "manufactured" endorsements of Karen Bass and explaining why Spencer Pratt’s mission is the city's last hope for common sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Cooper built one of the biggest podcasts in the world by selling young women a message Riley Gaines says is not empowerment — it is poison. In this emergency solo episode of The Riley Gaines Show, Riley breaks down the cultural influence of Call Her Daddy, hookup culture, modern feminism, and why parents should pay close attention to the messages being aimed at their daughters and sons. From Alex Cooper’s rise at Barstool Sports to her massive podcast deals, celebrity interviews, the Unwell Network, and her influence over Gen Z women, Riley argues that the real cost of this brand is being ignored. This episode is a direct warning to moms, dads, young women, and young men about self-respect, boundaries, marriage, family, faith, and the kind of culture we are handing to the next generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emily Austin joins The Riley Gaines Show to expose what she says many people in sports media already know: there are far more Trump-supporting athletes, including NBA players, than the public is led to believe. Emily and Riley discuss why athletes stay quiet, how woke sports media pressures players and broadcasters, and why the UFC and combat sports feel completely different from the NBA and other major leagues. In this episode, Emily Austin also reacts to her viral video of Billie Eilish’s anti-ICE Grammys speech, calls out celebrity hypocrisy from the Met Gala to Hollywood socialism, and opens up about DEI in sports broadcasting, cancel culture, anti-Semitism, faith, and what young women need to know if they want to speak boldly in public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices