The High Life with Ricki Lake – Details, episodes & analysis

Little Karamo grew up watching Ricki Lake and dreaming of one day being on TV. Decades later, he gives Ricki her flowers for inspiring so many career decisions he’s made, like starting his own talk show, 'Karamo,' and competing in 'Dancing With the Stars.' He tells Ricki how much her show meant to him as a queer, Black boy in a poor Texas neighborhood and spills the tea on his own daddy drama, 'The Real World' woes, and how his new show updates the way conflict plays out on live TV.

Follow Ricki Lake @rickilake on Instagram. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Paralympics come to a close, Ricki speaks with snowboarder and Paralympian Amy Purdy, who at age 19 was placed on life support and underwent a double amputation after getting diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. Amy tells her story and explains to Ricki how she was able to remain positive and grateful through terrible prognoses, new prosthetics, and competition at the highest level. They also bond over their shared experience performing with Derek Hough on Dancing with the Stars!

Show Resources:

• Learn more about Amy's work at, Adaptive Action Sports
• Follow her @amypurdygurl on Instagram.

Follow Ricki Lake @rickilake on Instagram. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 55 years old, Emmy-winning talk show host Ricki Lake is feeling better than ever! She’s cracked the code to her own happiness, and she wants to help you do the same. Join Ricki as she continues her lifelong journey of self-reinvention by talking to friends and experts in the realm of healing, health and wellness such as Olympian Alexi Pappas, journalist and psychedelics expert Ernesto Londoño, and death doula Alua Arthur. She’ll tackle topics like biohacking, tantric sex, somatic therapy, crystals, astrology, and clairvoyance. The High Life with Ricki Lake is a lighthearted dive into living your best life at any age.

Follow Ricki Lake @rickilake on Instagram. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can now show your support for the Raised By Ricki podcast with your very own Raised By Ricki sweatshirts, mugs, and bucket hats.

You can order all of the new Raised By Ricki items and more at www.lemonadamedia.com/shop. Let’s be ICONIC and match our outfits together!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Receiving love letters from women in prison, busting guests for lying on TV, flying Usher to the studio in a helicopter. These are just a handful of the stories longtime producer, Andrew Scher, remembers from his chaotic and thrilling days on The Ricki Lake Show. He tells Ricki and Kalen about why every day on TRLS felt like a party, how he’s seen daytime TV evolve in the last 30 years, and why he’ll never forget a shocking 2:00 am phone call he once received from a guest. Plus, Kalen reminisces on his time on The Ellen Show and Ricki gets real about whether or not her show would be successful today.  

Please note, Raised By Ricki contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Raised by Ricki is sponsored by Harklinikken, the scalp health and hair growth brand foundational to Ricki Lake’s own hair journey. Join their membership program to get up to 50% off at harklinikken.com/ricki.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pop culture expert Danny Pellegrino knows what TV shows are worth watching and when it’s time to change the channel. Danny, a New York Times Bestselling author and host of the Everything Iconic podcast, has seen everything from early 90s talk shows to today’s popular reality TV and he’s here to spill the tea. He tells Ricki and Kalen about his memories watching The Ricki Lake Show after school, digs into all the drama that surrounds The Real Housewives franchise, and shares who he considers to be the Queen of Reality TV. Plus, Kalen divulges what reality shows he’d want to be on and Ricki asks Danny about the on-screen scandals we can't get enough of.  

Please note, Raised By Ricki contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Raised by Ricki is sponsored by Harklinikken, the scalp health and hair growth brand foundational to Ricki Lake’s own hair journey. Join their membership program to get up to 50% off at harklinikken.com/ricki.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you go on national TV and admit that you steal things? That’s exactly what these guests did in The Ricki Lake Show episode that Ricki and Kalen dissect today. From stringing along children to stealing from people’s homes, Ricki and Kalen discuss the scam artists featured in this episode: Brandie, who got caught shoplifting with her friend’s baby, MD, who picks up retail jobs and pockets the cash behind the register, and Rachel, who enjoys taking bizarre used things like toothpaste. Plus, Ricki and Kalen consider whether the episode played into stereotypes, reveal if they’ve ever stolen anything, and examine how the topic would be covered on TV today. 

Please note, Raised By Ricki contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Raised by Ricki is sponsored by Harklinikken, the scalp health and hair growth brand foundational to Ricki Lake’s own hair journey. Join their membership program to get up to 50% off at harklinikken.com/ricki.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Believe it or not, there was once only one channel where we could watch new music videos, hear celebrity gossip, and catch stars like Mariah Carey give private tours of their luxurious homes. This might be before your time, but for journalist and Add to Cart host SuChin Pak, MTV was the launching pad that jump started her career. She joins Ricki and Kalen to talk about starting off in the industry as a teen reporter, becoming the first Asian-American and only woman correspondent at MTV News, and landing the sweet gig narrating MTV’s Cribs. Plus, SuChin reveals her secret connection to The Ricki Lake Show, and bonds with Kalen over the pressures of being a “relatable” person of color in a predominately white industry.

Please note, Raised By Ricki contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Raised by Ricki is sponsored by Harklinikken, the scalp health and hair growth brand foundational to Ricki Lake’s own hair journey. Join their membership program to get up to 50% off at harklinikken.com/ricki.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Ross Mathews was a kid, he would watch The Ricki Lake Show and pretend to host the show alongside Ricki. Now he's one of the most beloved personalities on TV, currently serving as a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race and co-hosting The Drew Barrymore Show. Talk about manifestation! Ross tells Ricki and Kalen about his successful decades-long career on screen, including how an internship with Jay Leno turned into the opportunity of a lifetime. He shares the pressures he felt as a young queer host, how he established himself in daytime and late night TV, and won the hearts of millions of people across America. Also, Ricki and Kalen react to the Grammys and Kalen updates us on his quest for Beyoncé tickets. 

Please note, Raised By Ricki contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Raised by Ricki is sponsored by Harklinikken, the scalp health and hair growth brand foundational to Ricki Lake’s own hair journey. Join their membership program to get up to 50% off at harklinikken.com/ricki.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aminatou Sow, host of the popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend, joins Ricki and Kalen to talk about growing up in Nigeria, where The Ricki Lake Show was her first introduction to American culture. She tells them about the impressions of African-American culture she formed from watching American television, and how her expectations compared to the reality she experienced when she moved to the US at age 19. Then, the friendship expert educates Ricki and Kalen on what she calls “Shine Theory,” why she doesn’t use the term “best friend,” and why friendship breakups are equally (if not more) brutal as romantic breakups. Plus, Ricki opens up about breaking up with a longtime friend. 

Please note, Raised By Ricki contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. 

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 

Raised by Ricki is sponsored by Harklinikken, the scalp health and hair growth brand foundational to Ricki Lake’s own hair journey. Join their membership program to get up to 50% off at harklinikken.com/ricki.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.