Recently, Don Lemon, co-anchor of CNN This Morning, went off script and made news by stating that presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past her prime at the age of 51. This episode covers the things you should do immediately when an employee causes a PR crisis of this nature. Hear the full exchange of exactly what was said by Don Lemon and how he doubled down on his mistake, before learning how CNN responded. Hear about the importance of acting quickly, the difference between an effective apology and a non-apology, whether or not your company may need to terminate the employment of that staff member, and additional things you may need to do to mitigate further damage to its reputation. The Indestructible PR® tip for the day includes a helpful resource that you may want to keep on hand for the event of a crisis like this one.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The details of the PR crisis caused by Don Lemon on CNN This Morning. 
• Recent PR crises on other morning television news shows. 
• Cohosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins’ responses to Don Lemon’s statement.  
• The full exchange of what Don Lemon said.
• A breakdown of where he went wrong and how he continued to make it worse.
• The things you should do immediately when an employee causes a PR crisis.
• What CNN did directly following this incident.
• The training that Don Lemon was forced to do.
• The importance of a public statement. 
• Don Lemon’s initial apology and what was wrong with it.
• Why your company may need to consider terminating the employment of that staff member.
• The importance of transparency. 
• Additional things you may need to do to mitigate further damage to the company’s reputation.
• The Indestructible PR® tip for the day about where you can find a helpful tool for handling a crisis like this.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

'DON LEMON RIPPED FOR SAYING NIKKI HALEY NOT IN 'HER PRIME' AT 51' 

Molly's Don Lemon TikTok 

Molly McPherson 

Molly McPherson on Patreon

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© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

The rise of social media influencers means it is easier than ever to form parasocial relationships with celebrities or online influencers. Although parasocial relationships are one-sided and don’t involve any contact in the real world, the death of someone whose life you have been closely following online can cause a visceral reaction.

In the case of Dave Hollis, his sudden death at the age of 47 sent a subreddit community of over 13,000 people into an emotional freefall. In this conversation with Emily Rose, digital creator and host of the It’s Become A Whole Thing podcast, you’ll hear about the dynamics of parasocial relationships, how celebrities leverage these types of relationships, and the coping mechanisms that people employ when the other side of a one-way relationship experiences a life event.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The tragic event that shook a 13,000-person-strong Reddit community and how they expressed their grief. 
• The story of how Dave Hollis and his ex-wife Rachel Hollis turned their once rabid fans into disenfranchised ex-fans.
• The abrupt emotional shift that often accompanies a person’s death. 
• The definition of a parasocial relationship. 
• The spectrum of celebrity-focused communities that can be found online.
• Emily’s thoughts on the worst thing that can happen to a celebrity. 
• Examples of how celebrities leverage parasocial relationships to their advantage.
• Reddit communities can be a double-edged sword - they can offer amazing support and resources, but also attract trolls who can make the experience unbearable.  
• Aspects of the Hollis brand that make them so relatable.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Emily Rose on Instagram

It’s Become A Whole Thing Podcast

How Rachel and Dave Hollis Destroyed Their Million-Dollar Brand (YouTube)

How Rachel and Dave Hollis Destroyed Their Million-Dollar Brand (Podcast) 

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

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© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

No matter the scale of your business, you need to have a strategy in place in case of a PR crisis. If someone takes it upon themselves to attack you on social media, or you experience an actual operations meltdown, you need to be prepared. 

This episode tackles the ins and outs of creating an effective and comprehensive crisis communication plan to keep your business afloat if ever you find yourself in the line of fire. Discover what you need to ascertain before creating your crisis communication template, and what to include in the template itself. A post-crisis communication plan is equally as important, and in this episode, you’ll find out why. Tune in for an overview of how to communicate effectively in a crisis, reassuring stakeholders and the public alike.

Key Points From This Episode:

• A CNN excerpt outlining Southwest Airlines’ operations crisis and subsequent crisis communication.
• Why it’s essential for every business to have an effective and comprehensive crisis communication plan.
• Why it’s important to identify and define what constitutes a crisis in your business.
• The difference between disaster communication and a PR crisis.
• What to include in your crisis communication template.
• Identifying your stakeholders and crisis response team.
• How to identify the most impactful social media channel for communicating with stakeholders.
• The role of monitoring and evaluation in crisis management.
• Strategies versus tactics.
• What a post-crisis communication plan involves.
• Sign up for the live Indestructible PR® workshop, "How to 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Why Southwest is melting down | CNN Business

Crisis Communication Plan Workshop (Click to register) 

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
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© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

When Boston-based staff executive, Whitney Sharpe, outlined the actions she took to address her disturbing experience of sexual harassment on TikTok, she had no idea that it would become viral overnight and be viewed by over 14 million people. The original incident had taken place while on a work call with potential vendors, during which, Whitney captured a profoundly unprofessional incident. Thanks to the ill-advised (and highly consequential) misuse of the screen-share function, Whitney was exposed to a company chat wherein staff members had made crude sexual remarks about her. Whitney’s recent TikTok demonstrates how one company was completely unprepared to handle a massive vulnerability within their organization and the fallout that is taking place as a result. Hear about the company’s lack of response online, what was missing from their apology email, how to ensure that your company is prepared for this type of exposure, and the importance of honoring your values as a company.

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Whitney Sharpe, a Boston-based executive at a large staffing firm, took a stand against sexual harassment and went viral on TikTok.
• The inappropriate company chat that Whitney was exposed to.
• How Whitney captured the interaction and went viral on TikTok.
• What happens when an HR crisis collides with a PR crisis.
• The key vulnerabilities that Whitney’s viral TikTok exposes within the company she is confronting.
• The email Whitney received from the company in response to her complaint.
• Why the email fell short and felt like an ‘insincere’ apology.
• The company’s choice not to respond to Whitney’s viral TikTok.
• The growing trend of companies not responding to public outcry.
• How to ensure that your company is ready for this type of exposure.
• Recommendations on the social media guidelines that companies should be implementing.
• An Indestructible PR® tip on honoring your values as a company.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Whitney Sharpe: It’s Rough Being a Woman in a Male Dominated Field

Whitney Sharpe: How Not To Apologize in Corporate America 101

Molly's TikTok on when an HR

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

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© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

Gwen Stefani recently made headlines after an interview with Allure magazine in which she claimed to be Japanese. The pop star received a lot of backlash for these comments and has been accused of cultural appropriation. The controversy raised a lot of questions about what it means to be respectful when engaging with other cultures. 

This week’s episode unpacks the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. In order to do this, it draws on the expertise of Melissa Vela-Williamson, an award-winning PR practitioner, national PR columnist, author, and podcast host, who has a rich and deep background in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and how this relates to communication. Tune in to find out whether Gwen is guilty of cultural appropriation or cultural appreciation and hear an important list of some of the dos and don’ts of multicultural practices for anyone in communication.

Key Points From This Episode:

• What Gwen Stefani said about her Harajuku era in an Allure interview that caused such a backlash.
• How Molly’s recent workshop with guest Melissa Vela-Williamson relates to the question of cultural appropriation.
• The difference between the full context of the entire article and the pull-quote.
• Molly’s definition of culture and how it relates to her work of drawing lessons from pop culture.
• How Molly hopes that this episode will help people gain cultural competence.
• Melissa’s definition of the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
• Where Gwen Stefani falls in light of this definition.
• A list of some of the dos and don’ts of cultural appreciation for those in communication.
• How Gwen should have handled the question.
• The Indestructible PR® Tip regarding cultural appropriation and awareness.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Molly's TikTok about Gwen Stefani

Allure - "Gwen Stefani: "I Said, 'My God, I'm Japanese'"" 

Melissa Vela-Williamson's

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

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© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

A powerful public relations strategy can help you recover from a crisis and build an indestructible reputation. Restoring your reputation after a serious allegation is a circumstance that everyone should be prepared for. 

This week's episode uses the recent sexual misconduct allegations surrounding Andrew Callaghan as a real-world example of dealing with a crisis and analyzes his response from a PR lens. Hear about the allegations made against Andrew from TikToker Caroline Elise, his response to the allegations, and the outcome. This episode unpacks how he said it, why he said it, and how it was accepted by the public. Hear about writing apologies to the public and not your critics, the framework to navigate a public relations crisis, what not to do in a video response, and what an appropriate apology is. 

Tune in to find out if Andrew’s response was suitable and if he will recover his career and reputation.

Key Points From The Episode:

• Introduction to today’s topic, the allegations made, and the response.
• The impact of video and why it is more powerful than words. 
• Outline of Caroline Elise’s allegations and the video she made.
• Find out why the allegations made were so believable. 
• The steps to take when faced with serious allegations made against you. 
• Analysis of Andrew’s video response and apology.
• The definition of a genuine and appropriate apology.
• Important legal considerations regarding apologies in a PR crisis. 
• The Indestructible PR® Tip

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Andrew Callaghan on Instagram

Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan

All Gas No Brakes with Andrew Callaghan

Andrew Callaghan allegations made by TikToker Caroline Elise

Andrew Callaghan response

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
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• https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollymcpherson/
  
  

© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

Today, the Golden Globes 2023 edition of the Indestructible PR® Podcast takes a look at the people and the brands that haven’t successfully overcome their PR crises of the past and examines what the ceremony reveals about their failings. Tune in to find out why these brands still haven’t recovered a year later and discover some helpful tips to avoid becoming a PR loser. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Today’s topic: How the Golden Globes sheds light on the brands that haven’t successfully overcome their PR crises. 
• Why Will Smith was still the biggest PR loser of the night.
• The backstory of what happened between Will Smith and Chris Rock last year.
• What Will Smith should have done immediately after last year’s incident.
• The current state of Will Smith and his brand and what this indicates about his PR response. 
• Why Will Smith’s video apology wasn’t enough.
• Why the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was also a PR loser.
• Tom Cruise as a PR loser and the backstory behind this.
• The Indestructible PR® tip for the day about managing PR crises.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Molly's TikTok about the Golden Globes 

Molly McPherson 

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audiobook Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

© 2023 Indestructible PR® Podcast with Molly McPherson

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
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© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

Today’s podcast sheds light on a new dirty trick used by special interest groups and people who are activist-minded. It takes a look at an article by NPR, “She Was an ABC News Producer. She Also Was a Corporate Operative,” and reveals how Kristen Hentschel used her previous work experience as a journalist to challenge Toby Overdorf, a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives, while working as an advocate for a political consulting firm.

 This episode covers a brief overview of the story, why you need to be aware of this dirty trick if you work in communication, media, news, or a leadership-related position, and what you should bear in mind if facing an activist-minded foe. A second twist follows...

Key Points From This Episode:

• Insight into the article  “She Was an ABC News Producer. She Also Was a Corporate Operative,” and why it’s relevant to listeners of this podcast. 
• A brief overview of the story.
• How this story reveals a new tactical strategy used by activists.
• The statement released by ABC denying that Kristen Hentschel worked for them.
• The twist of Kristen Hentschel working as a journalist while simultaneously working as an advocate.
• How this relates to a situation faced by one of Molly’s clients with an activist-minded foe.
• An interesting twist relating to Kristin’s previous career as a journalist under a different name.
• The Indestructible PR® tip for the day for identifying or dealing with fake or former journalists.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

"She was an ABC News producer. She also was a corporate operative"

Kristen Hentschel on LinkedIn

Molly McPherson 

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson
• https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollymcpherson/
  
  

© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

In this episode, discussing some of the worst PR crises that happened in 2022 based on an informal poll on Twitter. 

It's no secret that 2022 was a year full of PR disasters. From celebrities getting caught up in scandals to brands making massive mistakes, here are some of the worst PR crises that happened last year.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

What are some of the worst PR crises that happened in 2022? - Twitter 12/27/22

The Top 10 PR Crises in 2022 - Tik Tok 1/2/2023

212: Why The Term Cancel Culture is Dangerous And How It Can Hurt Your Brand: Kanye West Explains

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson
• https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollymcpherson/
  
  

© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

ChatGPT is here and is making waves globally for its ability to generate human-like written text. This episode of the Indestructible PR® Podcast delves into some of the risks and benefits of using this new platform. It provides a bit of background into what ChatGPT is, how it works, and how it’s different from other IA programs. It also explains how it can be especially useful to those in communications and public relations before providing a list of some of the many things it can be used for, including content creation, language translation, copywriting, and others. You’ll learn what to consider if you are using ChatGPT for external communications and how to harness its benefits without jeopardizing your reputation. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to what ChatGPT is and how it works.
• What makes ChatGPT different from other IA programs. 
• The limitations of ChatGPT.
• How it can be useful to you in terms of communications and public relations. 
• A list of the many things you can use it for including responding to customer inquiries, content creation, language translation, etc.
• How this can be used by students to cheat and evade plagiarism. 
• What to consider if you are using Chat GPT for external communications.
• The Indestructible PR® tip for the day regarding your reputation and ChatGPT. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

ChatGPT

Molly McPherson 

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - Audio Book Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Molly McPherson on Patreon

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson
• https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollymcpherson/
  
  

© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson