Meghan Markle has opened up about her life with Prince Harry in her Archetypes podcast, but it’s her interviews with famous friends that has seen her named Top Entertainment Podcast Host in this year’s annual Gracie Awards.
The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment, and a gala honoring the winners will be held on 23 May at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles.
Meghan’s long-time friend and tennis star, Serena Williams – who threw Meghan a $270,000 baby shower in 2019 – kicked off the first episode in August 2022 when they discussed the double standards women face when they are labeled "ambitious", and revealed how people's negative portrayal of ambitious women have affected their own lives.
"I don’t remember ever personally feeling the negative connotation behind the word ambitious until I started dating my now husband," said the Duchess of Sussex, who has two children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, with Prince Harry.
"And um, apparently ambition is, uh… a terrible, terrible thing, for a woman that is – according to some. So, since I’ve felt the negativity behind it, it’s really hard to un-feel it. I can’t unsee it, either, in the millions of girls and women who make themselves smaller – so much smaller – on a regular basis."
The duo discussed how they balance motherhood with their public roles and Serena, 41, who has a five-year-old daughter with tech entrepreneur husband Alexis Ohania, revealed how motherhood formed her decision to evolve away from tennis.
When Archetypes launched on Spotify it debuted at Number 1 in The US, UK, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand and has topped the charts as the Number 1 podcast in 47 countries.
Meghan interviewed Mariah Carey in October and the Fantasy singer revealed how she has completely embraced her "diva" status – and passed the compliment on to the Duchess.
The 54-year-old mom-of-two, who shares 11-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan, with ex-husband Nick Cannon, tweeted to her fans, "Really enjoyed talking to Duchess and Diva Meghan Markle about 'The Duality of Diva.' Yes! I called her a diva, in the most fabulous, gorgeous, and empowering meaning of the word!"
Breaking down more stereotypes, Paris Hilton, 42, told Archetypes in October how she’s actually "a tomboy, I'm an undercover nerd" as they addressed The Simple Life star being labeled a "bimbo" and "dumb blonde".
The New York-born heiress, socialite, model, actress, and entrepreneur, who has a net worth of $300 million dollars, recently welcomed her first child, Phoenix, with husband Carter Reum via surrogacy in January 2023, and they revealed last month how they are already undergoing IVF treatment to prepare for having another baby.
When Meghan sat down with actor and screenwriter Mindy Kaling, she spoke about her experience of becoming a single mum by choice.
"Growing up, I used to write in journals, 'I'm going to grow up and get married to a guy named Josh and we're going to have five children, and I'll start when I'm 24'," said Mindy.
She told Meghan how at that age she had just landed a job as a writer for The Office – which set up the rest of her career – and as she wasn't ready to have children yet, she put it off.
Mindy – who also revealed how she never felt attractive as grew up a "dark-skinned Indian girl, overweight, glasses, in white suburbs of Boston" – told Meghan how once she hit her 30s she had decided to become a single mother by choice.
Mindy, now 43, had her first child, daughter Katherine Swati, in 2017, and her second child, son Spencer Avu, in 2020.
Mindy rarely shares photos of her children
In the episode titled "Man-ifesting a Cultural Shift" with Andy Cohen, Trevor Noah and Judd Apatow, Meghan revealed how she and Andy had casually crossed paths twice years before recording the episode, and how she was turned down for an interview on Andy's hit late-night talk show when she was on Suits.
Joking that not having her on was "the biggest blunder in the 13 years of the show", Andy asked: "I guess the million-dollar question is, do you still watch The Housewives?"
Meghan quipped: "Well, I will tell you the truth. I stopped watching The Housewives when my life had its own level of drama that I stopped craving.”
Meghan and Prince Harry, who got married on 19 May, 2018, at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom, signed a multi-year deal with audio streaming platform Spotify in late 2020 and the 12-episode $18M Archetypes podcast wrapped up its first season at the end of last year.
She signed off with: "We're working on other ways to keep the conversation going, but just know that as we close out this season of 'Archetypes', that I thank you. Thank you for listening and learning with me. This has been liberating and healing and it's been fun."
Along with Meghan, next month’s 48th annual Gracie Awards winners include actresses Amanda Seyfried, Christina Applegate, filmmaker Ava DuVernay (Queen Sugar) and singer Faith Hill (1883).
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