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Welcome to the Party

Ilona Maher: Awkwardness is Her Superpower

Welcome to the Party

Treat Media

Sports

4.91.1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2026

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Olympic bronze medalist, two-time Olympian, rugby star, and internet favorite Ilona Maher joins us for a funny, honest conversation about confidence, body image, and learning to fully own who you are. Ilona opens up about growing up socially awkward, finding rugby by accident, and why sports taught her to take up space. She shares how vulnerability and humor became the foundation of her massive online platform, why she believes awkwardness is a superpower, and how showing the real side of elite athletics helps people feel less alone. We also dive into the now-iconic “Naked Mom Theory,” body confidence, sex education, Dancing With the Stars, and the realities of building a career in women’s sports—on and off the field.   Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — partypeoplequestions@gmail.com   Keep the Party Going: -House of Maher; Ilona’s podcast with her sisters: @houseofmaher   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrlOeUHgXPlaF2bxCwBdJMg   Thank you to our sponsors: -Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC -Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com  https://www.onepeloton.com/ -Shop tons of deals, including member-exclusive savings, all season long during the Season of Savings at https://www.shipt.com/ -Get your business data all in one place using Intuit Quickbooks. Visit https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ to learn more. -Get 20% off your order at http://cozyearth.com/em-cgi/btag/ with code WTTP.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Two sisters are taller than you are, right?

0:02.0

You're the baby.

0:03.0

You're the baby. I told you that in confidence, Billy. I don't know why we're so pure here in America, but like parents don't talk to their kids enough about sex. They don't talk enough to their kids about body image. Yeah. And it's like all so connected. Have you heard of like the naked mom theory? No. I had a naked mom. You're going to struggle, but then you look at me now.

0:22.6

I'm the sports illustration as you model, but you would not have thought that back in the day.

0:28.2

Attention.

0:30.8

The party is about to commence.

0:34.8

Oh, welcome to the party

0:40.3

What's up party people?

0:46.2

Let's go!

0:47.6

Are you kidding me?

0:49.0

I'm ready.

0:49.6

Let's go.

0:50.1

I'm Abby Wambach.

0:51.3

I'm Billy Jean-Kee.

0:52.3

Yo, I'm so excited for today.

0:54.2

And who are you? Who are you? Look at it? I feel like we're, I'm Abby Wambach. I'm Billy Jean-Kee. Yo, I'm so excited for today. Aren't you so excited? Who are you? Look, I feel like I'm Julia Gulia. I feel like we're so productive in this new year. We're vibing. We are here. We've hung our sign up. We are here. We are here. Everyone, the sign is a big, you'll see. You guys, listen and watch the show.

1:12.3

We're here.

1:12.7

We're here.

1:12.9

And who do we have?

1:15.4

Alonimo!

1:16.1

Oh my God.

1:18.5

Yo, it's so good.

...

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