Episodes
Jan. 20, 2026
The Beckham Family Blowup: A Crisis Manager's Play-by-Play
Brooklyn Beckham just torched his parents on Instagram, and the timing? Impeccable. Devastating. Strategic. In this episode, breaking down the Beckham family crisis as it unfolded in real time (Literally! Molly was doing a li...
Jan. 14, 2026
What the Spin Reveals: Power, Fear, and Humanity After the Minneapolis ICE Shooting
When Renee Goode was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, two completely different stories emerged from the same event. One side called her a domestic terrorist who weaponized her Honda Pilot, while the other saw a mother t...
Jan. 6, 2026
The Distraction That Derailed a Re-Election Campaign: Tim Walz vs Trump
This week, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz abruptly ended his bid for a third term. This episode was recorded four days earlier during a live conversation and, in hindsight, it explains exactly why this outcome was almost inevita...
Dec. 30, 2025
Most Listened to Episode of 2025 - Inside The Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni PR War
This is the most downloaded episode of the year, resurfaced for the holiday week because the fallout is still unfolding in real time. Breaking down the Hollywood power struggle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, with Ry...
Dec. 23, 2025
The Top PR Wins and Fails of 2025: Part Two
This is the main event of Molly's Top PR Wins and Fails of 2025 series, recorded live on Substack (aired Friday, December 19) and built around the stories that truly owned the year: culture-war outrage that turned into real market impact, celebrity reputations getting torched (sometimes by their ow…
Dec. 17, 2025
The Top PR Wins and Fails of 2025: Part One
This week’s episode kicks off Part One of The Top PR Wins and Fails of 2025 by pulling straight from the headlines and social media feeds that dominated the year. Instead of rehashing scandals, it digs into the decisions behi...
Dec. 9, 2025
The PR Hits, Misses, and Face Plants You Missed This Week
This week’s episode gives you a front row seat to my Friday live sessions, where culture, crisis, and community collide in the best possible way. Think of it as a sampler plate of reputational highs and lows. Some hits. Some ...
Dec. 2, 2025
The Essay That Split a Kennedy Dynasty: What Tatiana Schlossberg Revealed
A close look at Tatiana Schlossberg's viral New Yorker essay, A Battle with My Blood. It is an emotional piece that blends grief, legacy, and quiet fury, and it signals a deeper shift inside the Kennedy family. The episode walks through the layers of the essay and the choices behind it. From the sh…
Nov. 26, 2025
Trump, Summers, Spacey, and Markle: Who Owned It and Who Faked It
This week’s episode dives into a crowded lineup of public figures who all managed to confuse PR maneuvering with actual accountability: President Trump’s “quiet piggy” moment on Air Force One and the broader pattern behind hi...
Nov. 19, 2025
Michael Wolff’s Messy Attempt to Explain Why He Was Helping Epstein
This episode starts with a line that should make anyone in communications sit up a little straighter. Michael Wolff, a bestselling Trump biographer and longtime access journalist, emailed Jeffrey Epstein with strategic advice...
Nov. 12, 2025
PR in the Age of GEO: How to Make Sure AI Gets Your Story Right
You saw “GEO” in the title and almost tuned out, didn’t you? Hold that thought. If you work in communications, PR, media, or journalism, this episode might just change how you think about your job. GEO, or Generative Engine O...
Nov. 5, 2025
The Anatomy of a Royal Fallout: The PR Behind the Prince Andrew Statement
This episode goes behind the polished words of Buckingham Palace to unpack the public relations machinery that managed the downfall of Prince Andrew. In October 2025, King Charles III formally removed all of Andrew’s titles a...
Oct. 29, 2025
PR Meets Politics: Cheryl Hines Learns the Kennedy Spin
When your marriage becomes a media strategy, what do you say—and what do you not say? In this episode, Molly McPherson breaks down Cheryl Hines’ carefully crafted response to rumors surrounding her husband, RFK Jr., and journalist Olivia Nuzzi. Fresh off her appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast, …
Oct. 22, 2025
If Your Group Chat Praises Hitler, You Don’t Have a PR Problem, You Have a You Problem
When Politico dropped nearly 3,000 pages of leaked Telegram messages from the Young Republican National Federation, it revealed a disturbing culture behind closed doors. In this episode, Molly McPherson unpacks why private ch...
Oct. 15, 2025
From Panic to Power: The 90-Second Rule for Handling Haters
When the internet comes for you, your instinct is to fight back or disappear. Neither helps. In this episode, Molly breaks down her simple, proven 90-second rule for handling online hate without losing your cool or your credi...
Oct. 8, 2025
When Sports and Scandal Collide: Inside the Biggest Controversies and Comebacks
In this episode, Molly sits down with Jim Rocco and Thom Weidlich, co-authors of Sports Crisis Communications: Cases and Controversies , to explore how the worlds of sports and crisis PR collide. From Tiger Woods’ redemption ...
Oct. 1, 2025
Behind the Scenes of Greg Floyd’s Interview: Son Admits Killing Parents on Camera
This episode of The PR Breakdown examines a viral crime case out of Albany, New York, that drew national attention when a suspect confessed on camera to killing and burying his parents. Guest Greg Floyd, veteran journalist an...
Sept. 24, 2025
Breaking Down the Media Statements: Kimmel, Trump, Tylenols Counterpunch
When three statements drop within the same hour, it’s not just news, it’s a case study. Disney walks back Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension with a vague, deflective release.Donald Trump grabs headlines in the Roosevelt Room, suggesting Tylenol in pregnancy raises autism risk — without evidence.Tylenol fire…
Sept. 17, 2025
When Words Become Weapons: Speech, Consequences, and the Charlie Kirk Fallout
Outrage isn’t random anymore, it’s a playbook. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, what started as shock turned into a communication crisis that exposed how words can either shape narratives or ignite division. Here’...
Sept. 10, 2025
From Phillies Ball Snatch to US Open Hat Grab: Outrage, Backlash, and Blowback Explained
Outrage isn’t new, but the way it plays out in 2025 feels like a full-time industry. This week, it’s Phillies fans brawling over a foul ball, a CEO swiping a signed hat at the US Open, Bruce Willis’ family facing judgment in ...
Sept. 3, 2025
What Was Said at the Mic: Press Conference Analysis After the Annunciation Catholic School Shooting
A shooting inside a Minneapolis church during a back-to-school gathering left two children dead and several others injured. The Annunciation Catholic School community was shattered. The country watched. And almost immediately...
Aug. 27, 2025
The First Mistake That Will Sink You in a Crisis
The Breakdown: The first move most people make in a crisis is often the one that causes the most damage. It happens when emotion outruns strategy, and the brain mistakes public pressure for personal danger. The result is impulsive action, usually in the form of a rushed post, a scrambled statement,…
Aug. 20, 2025
Beyond the Easter Eggs: What Taylor Swift Really Did on New Heights
Taylor Swift didn’t just pop onto her boyfriend’s New Heights podcast for fun. She executed a masterclass in brand strategy. With over 16 million views and endless headlines, her first-ever appearance alongside Travis and Jas...
Aug. 13, 2025
South Park's Savage Trump Administration Takedown
This week’s PR Breakdown isn’t about a corporate crisis or a press release gone wrong. It’s about satire — and the way it forces a reaction. In the latest season of South Park , Matt Stone and Trey Parker have turned their ai...