Daniel and Amanda Negreanu have launched a new podcast called Mania Podcast, that is currently available to watch on YouTube (or just scroll down to watch it in its entirety). The first episode landed on November 12 and digs into the couple’s life together, taking an unflinching look at Amanda’s bipolar diagnosis — something she has not spoken about publicly before.
The Negreanus need no introduction, but if they do: Daniel is poker royalty. He has WSOP bracelets and WPT titles to his name, is a Poker Hall of Famer and sits 7th on the Hendon Mobs All Time Money List. Daniel was a PokerStars ambassador for many years, and now acts as an ambassador for GGPoker, helping to grow the game of poker to his fan base and beyond.
Amanda (née Leatherman) was a poker fan favorite for many years, as her presenting roles had her interviewing the biggest names in the industry as well as fronting popular poker shows such as PokerStars’ The Big Game. She has since taken a step back from the poker industry, but is still a much loved figure with the community.
Not Your Typical Poker Podcast
But die-hard poker fans beware: Mania Podcast is only tangentially related to poker — so don’t expect it to be like Daniel’s other poker podcasts like when he fronted the DAT Poker Podcast with Adam Schwartz and Terrence Chan. This is not that.
Mania podcast has much more mainstream appeal. It is focused more on the Negreanus as a couple, “shooting the shit” and talking about things that are important to them.
Per the description of the first episode they want their conversations to help “overcome stigma, build meaningful relationships, and create a supportive community for anyone touched by mental health issues” as they dig into what it means to be bipolar and what it means to live with someone with such a diagnosis. If Episode 1 is anything to go by, then they are on track to making this happen.
The pair’s candid approach in the way they communicate allows for honest conversations around Amanda’s bipolar diagnosis that makes for compelling viewing. Despite the first episode clocking in at 1hr 16 mins, it flies by.
“The couple reflects on reconnecting after years apart and the ups and downs they’ve faced as individuals and together. Hear their candid accounts of navigating marriage, mental health challenges, and the power of communication and understanding,” reads Episodes 1, and it does not disappoint.
The comments section is already flooded with praise, with poker-podcast royalty Joey Ingram and Jeff Gross having nothing but positive things to say. Poker fans and Daniel fans alike have also left comments, loving the honesty and the discourse around mental health.
Building on the Popularity of Daniel Negreanu
But don’t be totally fooled, the launch of the podcast from the pair is a surprisingly shrewd move as it taps into a growing industry where there is serious money to be made.
Daniel has over 864K subscribers on this YouTube channel and he remains a perennial favorite in the poker community and beyond. By creating their own podcast, the pair can tap into his audience as well as try to reach new people with their mainstream appeal (something the poker industry has been trying to do for years, cf. Game of Gold).
Daniel also has a wealth of expertise in content creating.
Every year Daniel releases daily vlogs during the World Series of Poker that takes place each summer in Las Vegas, as well as during his runs during events such as WSOP Toronto and WSOP Paradise. Every time Amanda appears in one of these videos, Daniel’s fan base goes wild, clamoring for more Amanda air time. And this podcast is just that, giving the fans (existing and new) what they want.
We are yet to find out when the next episode will land or what topics they will talk about, but it seems they have tapped into a winning formula already.
At the time of writing, having been released less than 24 hours ago, Mania Podcast has amassed a viewing of 16,000 with that number set to rise.
Mania Podcast from Daniel and Amanda Negreanu launched November 12, 2024. You can watch the full episode in this article or subscribe to Daniel’s YouTube channel.
