QUESTION EVERYTHING

Writer and cultural critic Christiana Mbakwe Medina joins Question Everything to dissect the strange, shifting logic of our current moment, from the collapse of celebrity mystique to our obsession with wealth, power, and proximity to influence. Christiana and Danielle, explore why “cancel culture” doesn’t really cancel anyone, how pop culture functions as soft power, and why so many modern myths, from the tradwife fantasy to the American Dream, are starting to crack. They also look ahead to what 2026 might bring: a more irreverent cultural mood shaped by fear fatigue, AI, and a hunger for something that feels human. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why pop culture is a mirror of society, not a distraction from it
How celebrity lost its mystique in the age of access and social media
Why cancel culture rarely has lasting consequences
Why Lauren Sánchez Bezos may be one of the most important power brokers in culture right now
What the Diddy verdict reveals about power, fame, and forgiveness
How and why powerful men are so often culturally forgiven
What “soft power” really means—and how culture shapes politics more than we think
Why we confuse wealth with moral worth
How the American Dream functions more like a myth than a reality
What the tradwife / “soft life” fantasy is really selling to burned-out women
Why staying home is far harder and riskier than TikTok makes it look
How AI is quietly reshaping creativity and culture already
Why culture may be entering a more irreverent, punk era after years of fear and caution
What’s actually changing about fame, influence, and the influencer economy
Why celebrity apologies rarely work (and never really have)
How we should think about aging, relevance, and cultural exits (including Beyoncé)
What we’re misreading about power, gender, and modern ambition
Follow Christiana on Instagram @christianaama, and don’t miss her Substack and podcast, Pop Syllabus.
Book recommendation: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Substack: https://popsyllabus.substack.com/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pop-syllabus/id1866754314
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On her 35th birthday, Danielle sits down with content creator Alexandra Hayes for an intimate conversation about milestones, identity, ambition, friendship, and what it really means to become yourself. Together, they unpack the emotional baggage and pressure we carry around birthdays, and the quiet ways our priorities shift as we grow. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why birthdays bring up both celebration and pressure
Alexandra’s complicated relationship with birthdays and her mantra: “A day is just a day”
How family dynamics and early disappointments shape how we experience milestones
Danielle’s childhood birthdays, family traditions, and when birthdays started getting harder
The pattern of unmet expectations ruining birthdays
How the “one word” birthday planning framework could change your celebration
Learning to be a better friend by becoming the kind of friend you want to have
The idea that your gift and your curse are usually the same thing
The athlete metaphor for life: prepare, perform, recover—and realizing recovery was missing
How to be more protective of time, energy, and who gets access to your life
Letting go of forcing things and trusting that what’s meant for you won’t miss you
The power of other people’s belief in you
Looking ahead: sovereignty, self-trust, alignment, ambition without self-abandonment, and what Danielle & Alexandra are stepping into next
Keep up with Alexandra here, listen to her podcast Hello Hayes, and read her Substack here.
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Gabby Reece– former pro volleyball player, Nike's first female signature athlete, co-founder of Laird Superfood, host of The Gabby Reece Show joins Danielle to talk about the real work of building a meaningful life. From the emotional tightrope of motherhood and ambition to the realities of aging, marriage, leadership, and letting go of people-pleasing, Gabby shares the lessons she's learned at every stage. What you'll hear in this episode:
How to build a life that won't leave you full of regret
What it means to "go first"—and how that philosophy shaped her life and career
Her thoughts on Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and mental health in sports
Her honest take on feminism, sport, and the sexualization of women's bodies
The quiet lie women are told about ambition—and how to design a life that actually fits
What her volleyball career taught her about winning, feelings and how to take up space
Why women in their 50s are calling it the "F.U. Fifties"—and what that really means
What she teaches her daughters about ambition, self-trust, and body image.
A behind-the-scenes look at her Nike shoe deal (the first of its kind for a woman)
Wellness hacks she swears by (including the real reason she started drinking coffee at 45)
The feminist contradiction she's still wrestling with
How marriage to Laird Hamilton has challenged and inspired her
The quiet power of consistency, mentorship, and saying no without apology
Follow Gabby here.
Listen to The Gabby Reece Show here.
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What does it actually mean to live your purpose—and why do so many people feel lost trying to find it? In this episode, NYU Stern professor and Becoming You author Suzy Welch breaks down why popular advice like “follow your passion” and “have it all” often leads to confusion, burnout, and dissatisfaction. Suzy offers a practical, research-backed framework for building a meaningful, productive life. Suzy and Danielle explore values, identity, grief, ambition, motherhood, and why knowing yourself may be the most important skill in a rapidly changing world. In this episode, Suzy shares:
Why most people misunderstand what “purpose” actually means
The difference between values, virtues, skills, and aptitudes
How borrowing values—from parents, partners, or culture—keeps people stuck
Why happiness is fleeting, but meaning and productivity endure
The research behind living in alignment with your purpose
Why “follow your passion” is often harmful career advice
How economic viability plays a critical role in fulfillment
The myth of being a multihyphenate all at once—and why focus matters
What Suzy calls the “Cowbell Syndrome” (and why you have to choose)
Why you can’t have it all at the same time—and why that realization is freeing
How motherhood and career ambition collide biologically and culturally
The difference between a successful life and a meaningful one (and why they’re not separate)
Why consistency is key to professional success
How knowing yourself creates adaptability in an unpredictable world
Why becoming who you are is a lifelong process, not a finish line
Check out Suzy’s book Becoming You
Follow Suzy on Instagram @suzywelch
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What if 2026 isn’t about doing more, but doing what actually matters? In this annual episode of QUESTION EVERYTHING, Danielle invites you to reflect on the year behind you with curiosity and clarity, and to step into the year ahead with intention. This isn’t about rigid resolutions, it’s about a 2026 Action Plan to set goals with heart, intention and transform your life.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Danielle’s signature 5-step plan, a FREE and thoughtfully designed resource to help you reflect, dream, and plan with purpose
How Danielle spent $50k worth of coaches, therapists, to create this plan for you for free.
How to revisit the highlights and lowlights of 2025 from a place of curiosity, not judgment
How to create your blueprint for 2026, starting with the question: If this year were your masterpiece, what would you create?
Choose three focus areas that would change everything if you committed to them consistently
Use a simple framework to decide what deserves a “yes” in the coming year
Understand why luck isn’t random + how to put yourself in positions where opportunity can find you
Danielle’s personal stories, practical tools, and thoughtful prompts to help you dream bigger, plan smarter, and step into 2026 with clarity, confidence, and joy
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the 2026 New Year’s Action Plan when you enter your email at www.daniellerobay.com
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