In January 2024, Rachel Leviss released her highly anticipated podcast Rachel Goes Rogue in collaboration with iHeart. The podcast gave Rachel a platform to set the record straight on her relationship with Tom Sandoval, her friendship with Ariana Madix, and much more.
Scandoval provided the perfect launching pad to start her new project. The scandal was still the talk of the town when the podcast premiered and it was a great way to attract listeners. Fans expected the Vanderpump Rules content to die down after the first handful of episodes, especially after she announced she would not be returning for Season 11. But that’s not what happened. Sandoval and VPR still seem to be the main focus of the podcast and there’s been no real attempt by Rachel to create an identity apart from the show.
Here are the reasons Rachel’s podcast might have backfired:
It’s released inconsistently
Consistency is an important part of creating a successful podcast. To build a fanbase, a host needs to release episodes on a routine basis. The episode releases seem sporadic. Sometimes a week will go by with no episodes released. Some episodes will be over an hour long and others will be less than twenty minutes.
Vanderpump Rules is the only topic
Rachel made a conscious effort to distance herself from VPR when she announced she would not be returning to the show. VPR and Sandoval seem to be the only topics Rachel Goes Rogue covers. Even when she brings in mental health experts, it always relates to Scandoval. I don’t fault her for wanting to share her side of the story. She should! But if she doesn’t rebrand soon, the public will lose interest and the podcast will be moot. Her former co-stars Lala Kent and Stassi Schroeder have managed to create brands that stand alone from the VPR brand. Stassi didn’t completely lose her fanbase when she left the show because fans had loyalty to her personal brand. Rachel hasn’t shown enough of herself to make fans stick around after she’s done dishing about Sandoval.
I know she loves fashion and nature. She should talk more about that. The podcast needs to feel personal to her. I want to get a greater sense of who she is and what she is interested in.
Has she taken full accountability?
I have compassion for Rachel when she talks about feeling love-bombed and manipulated by Sandoval. Instead of owning up to how much she hurt Ariana, she downplays their friendship. Fans aren’t satisfied with her apology and I believe that will hurt the podcast’s long-term success.
The podcast currently has a 3.4 rating on Apple podcasts, which isn’t too hot. Many fans have expressed feelings of disappointment.
“I initially started listening to this pod to get Rachel’s side of everything but as more and more time has gone on, I really feel like this pod is just a tool to spread her narrative unchecked,” one reviewer wrote.
“This podcast needs more structure and to set up some intentional goals,” another reviewer advised. “I wish she’d do more planning ahead, but right now it feels random.”
I’m rooting for Rachel. Everyone makes mistakes and she shouldn’t feel tied to a poor decision she made in her twenties for the rest of her life. I want her to move on and be successful. Right now, the podcast seems to be hurting her more than helping her.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF RACHEL’S PODCAST RACHEL GOES ROGUE?