Heather McMahan: Dog Shows, Neck Lifts & Airport Fits

Episode of Call Her Daddy · October 14, 2026 · 59 min

Comedian Heather McMahan tells Alex Cooper about being removed from a Ryder Cup hosting gig, a mid-flight ovarian torsion, her Pitbull obsession, and her new Hulu special.

Summary

Comedian Heather McMahan returned to Call Her Daddy to promote her third stand-up special, By a Thread, on Hulu. She opened with jokes about running for Congress in Georgia, then described a recent gout diagnosis, her Delta Air Lines status and travel habits, her French bulldogs Macaroni and Rigatoni, and filling strangers' baby registries.

McMahan recounted hosting behind-the-scenes segments at an American Kennel Club dog show about a week after a neck lift, still with drains and dried blood under a turtleneck. She then told the story of working as a first-tee emcee at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where she repeated a crowd chant directed at Rory McIlroy and was removed at Team Europe's request. She said she apologized immediately but objected to being blamed for fan behavior hours later, and both she and Cooper drew a lesson about women asking clear questions about job expectations.

She also described a 2019 ovarian torsion on a Virgin Atlantic flight to London, contrasting it with her husband Jeff's kidney stone on Thanksgiving, and talked about helping set a Guinness World Record at a Pitbull concert in Hyde Park, where she dressed as the rapper. Later segments covered moving out of her mother's house after six years, a love of HomeGoods, a lightning round on millennial trends, bridesmaid and bachelorette costs, financial restraint, and her process for writing the new special.

Chapters

0:03
Brunch, blazers and a run for Congress
McMahan explains her formal outfit and jokes about being urged to run for office in Georgia.
2:21
Gout diagnosis
McMahan describes waking unable to walk and being diagnosed with gout despite meal prepping.
4:27
New special and air travel habits
The two discuss her Hulu special By a Thread and her Delta status, plane outfits and no-drinking rule in flight.
Linked moment · 8:02Skip to 8:02 using a listen link in the info box.
8:02
Dogs and baby registries
McMahan talks about her French bulldogs and refusing to fill a wealthy country club member's baby registry.
10:36
Dog show after a neck lift
McMahan recounts hosting behind-the-scenes segments at an AKC dog show while recovering from a neck lift.
15:13
Fired from the Ryder Cup
McMahan describes emceeing the first tee at Bethpage Black, repeating a chant about Rory McIlroy, and being removed.
26:11
Kidney stone versus ovarian torsion
McMahan contrasts her husband's kidney stone with her own ovarian torsion on a flight to London in 2019.
34:51
Halloween and the Pitbull world record
McMahan discusses dressing as Pitbull for over a decade and joining a Guinness World Record at his Hyde Park concert.
39:21
Moving out of mom's house
McMahan explains leaving her mother's home after six years, buying a house, and doing private gigs.
44:15
HomeGoods appreciation
Both hosts celebrate shopping at HomeGoods, including its discounts and snack section.
47:44
Millennial trends lightning round
McMahan gives quick takes on trends, monogramming, bridesmaids, bachelorettes and financial restraint.
53:47
Writing the special and farewell
McMahan describes her writing process for By a Thread, and Cooper praises her professionalism.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Heather McMahan
McMahan jokes that people have urged her to run for office in Georgia, which might mean facing Marjorie Taylor Greene.
“I was like, I don't really want to have to cage fight Marjorie Taylor Greene, but I think that might be what I have to do next”
Listen from 2:05
Heather McMahan
McMahan describes gout as historically a disease of kings linked to rich foods and wine.
“And gout is traditionally like the King's disease. Kings would get it back in the day from eating like rich liver”
Listen from 3:07 · Gout
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she avoids drinking on flights because of high-altitude hangovers.
“there is no worse hangover than a high-altitude hangover. You don't do it”
Listen from 5:34 · Air travel etiquette
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she cut short a planned month of recovery after her neck lift to host the dog show because the pay was good.
“And then I heard that, you know, the check was really good. So I said, get a flight to Orlando”
Listen from 13:49 · American Kennel Club dog show
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she was removed from her Ryder Cup emcee job immediately after repeating a crowd chant about Rory McIlroy into the microphone.
“And so I say it back in the microphone and immediately was fired. And here's the wild thing”
Listen from 21:32 · 2025 Ryder Cup
Heather McMahan
McMahan objects to being blamed for fans' abusive behavior toward McIlroy later in the day, noting she was sober and the crowd had been drinking.
“when people started to blame me for the behavior of men 10 hours later who had been drinking”
Listen from 23:15 · 2025 Ryder Cup
Heather McMahan
McMahan argues that women in entertainment are labeled difficult if they ask too many questions about a job.
“And as a woman in the business, it's really hard because if you ask too many questions that she's difficult, she's hard to work with”
Listen from 25:05 · 2025 Ryder Cup
Alex Cooper
Cooper advises women that it is not embarrassing to slow down and ask for clarity about what a job requires.
“guys if you don't know what the fuck you're being asked yeah it is not embarrassing to slow it down yeah and ask now amen”
Listen from 25:51 · 2025 Ryder Cup
Heather McMahan
McMahan recounts that on a 2019 flight to London an ovarian cyst burst and twisted her ovary, a torsion.
“I had ovarian cyst. It exploded and it flipped my ovary at the same time. It's called a torsion”
Listen from 28:26 · Ovarian torsion
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she has dressed as Pitbull for more than a decade and claims to have started the trend.
“So I've been dressing as Pitbull for like over 10 years. That's been my, that's been my thing”
Listen from 36:16 · Pitbull Guinness World Record at Hyde Park
Heather McMahan
McMahan praises Pitbull as kind and well regarded in the industry after meeting him in Hyde Park.
“he is such a good guy and he has such a great reputation in the business”
Listen from 37:19 · Pitbull Guinness World Record at Hyde Park
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she moved out of her mother's house because, after touring all weekend, she wanted to rest without interference.
“I work too hard to not be able to come home on a Sunday, go to my room, take a two-hour nap”
Listen from 40:12
Heather McMahan
McMahan describes HomeGoods as a joyful, safe space for women to browse.
“I mean, it's a safe space for women to walk around. to tinker, to touch tchotchkes”
Listen from 45:16 · HomeGoods
Heather McMahan
McMahan opposes having 15 bridesmaids, suggesting friends can be included in the party without being in the wedding party.
“I think have them be a part of the party, have a good time, but you don't need 15 bridesmaids”
Listen from 50:19 · Bridesmaids and bachelorette party costs
Heather McMahan
McMahan argues that people, especially women, are living beyond their means and should cut back given the economy.
“the economy is not doing great right now. And we all need to just pump the fucking brakes”
Listen from 52:56 · Personal finance
Alex Cooper
Cooper urges brides to be gracious when friends say they cannot afford both a bachelorette trip and a wedding.
“just everyone be gracious when your friend tells you that they can't afford it. You need to just also like not blame them”
Listen from 53:08 · Bridesmaids and bachelorette party costs
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she writes her material by isolating herself in her basement in the weeks before a tour.
“I basically lock myself in the basement three weeks before I'm about to go out on the road”
Listen from 54:30 · Stand-up comedy craft
Heather McMahan
McMahan says she is proud of her new special and avoided surrounding herself with yes men, seeking critical feedback instead.
“And I'm so proud of this special. I don't have any yes men around me”
Listen from 54:49 · By a Thread (Heather McMahan special)
Heather McMahan
McMahan advises listeners not to board a flight if they feel unwell.
“if you're ever about to get on an airplane and you don't feel good trust your instinct and don't do it”
Listen from 58:18 · Ovarian torsion

People

In the conversation

Alex CooperAmerican podcaster and media entrepreneur, host of Call Her Daddy
Heather McMahanAmerican stand-up comedian and podcaster from Atlanta

Discussed

Rory McIlroyNorthern Irish golfer and Masters champion
PitbullAmerican rapper (Armando Pérez) whom McMahan impersonates
Marjorie Taylor GreeneRepublican former congresswoman who called Fox News 'fake news' over its war coverage
Lil JonAtlanta rapper and producer who collaborates with Pitbull

Topics

From the publisher

Join Alex in the studio for a hilarious and completely unhinged conversation with Heather McMahan. From hot takes on millennial trends to how her Pitbull obsession led to a Guinness World Record, Heather shares the wild stories that could ONLY happen to her. She also talks about her wildest medical stories, from ovarian torsion mid-flight to getting back on camera just days after a neck lift.. Enjoy!

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on November 8, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Comedy Interviews·Golf