Podcast Summary: The Squeeze – Tish Cyrus: Prioritizing Peace
Release date: January 14, 2026
Host: Taylor Lautner
Guests: Tish Cyrus, Brandi Cyrus

Overview

This emotionally rich episode of The Squeeze features Tish Cyrus, matriarch of the Cyrus family, producer, manager, entrepreneur, and co-host of the podcast "Sorry, We’re Cyrus." Tish joins Taylor Lautner and Brandi Cyrus to discuss her unique parenting journey in the spotlight, healing after immense personal loss, her evolving relationship with mental health, and how she’s learned to prioritize peace. The conversation openly addresses the complexities of grief, family in the limelight, anxiety, self-medicating, and the transformative power of support and self-acceptance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Parenting in the Public Eye

• Navigating Childhood Fame:
  • Tish describes how the family’s entry into entertainment was organic, not forced ("It really does just happen.” [09:05])
  • She shares the importance of normalcy despite fame, recounting Miley’s early days and Noah’s evolving passions.
  • On balancing attention and affirming successes for all children, regardless of their public profile:

    “In any other family, [Trace selling 4 million records] would be the biggest success ever ... but the truth is, as anybody else... [it] is not actually reality for most people.” [21:10–22:35]

  • Tish stresses the importance of keeping children grounded and present, making family time a priority even during busy touring schedules.

2. Media Scrutiny and Social Media Challenges

• From Tabloids to TMZ:
  • Tish delineates the shift from print tabloids (like the Inquirer and Star) to the 24/7 online cycle, and the intensification paparazzi brought into their daily lives.
  • She describes harrowing experiences with paparazzi, especially incidents endangering Miley during her driving lessons ([32:04–33:05]).
  • On media rumors:

    “We've been there before. She’s been pregnant with Juicy J’s baby ... and that was on every cover of every magazine.” [27:25]

• Impact on Mental Health:
  • The hosts and Tish discuss the toll of relentless public scrutiny and how it affects celebrities and their families, with social media amplifying negativity and hateful commentary ([29:01–29:50]).
  • Tish openly considers this scrutiny as the main reason she sometimes would not wish show business on her kids.

3. Mental Health, Grief, and Healing

• Loss and Major Life Changes:

  • Tish recounts losing her mother during the pandemic, followed shortly by her divorce after nearly 30 years of marriage ([41:40–43:32]).
  • She admits she kept “just moving” through tragedy, not pausing to process her grief until later:

    “Two of the most probably tragic things in my life that happened, I did not process or even stop to really think about.” [03:02, 43:32]

• Self-Medicating and Anxiety:

  • Tish reflects on using marijuana heavily during this era to numb pain, realizing later it was self-medicating:

    “I think for that ... that was almost like medicine for me ... I was self-medicating in some ways and didn’t even realize it.” [44:21–43:33, 53:09]

  • After quitting, she experienced debilitating anxiety, highlighting how unresolved emotions surfaced when numbing stopped:

    “I stopped smoking. And all of a sudden, a week later, I am just in full on anxiety to the point, like, not functioning.” [43:17, 45:56]

• Therapy and Stillness:

  • Therapy and her new relationship created a safe space for her to process feelings she had avoided:

    “Once I kind of got still ... it gave me this place to stand still and feel all these feelings. And it was frigging rough.” [45:05]

  • She references “The Body Keeps the Score” to explain how grief and trauma live in the body even when not consciously processed.

• Notable Coping Tools:

  • Walking and being physically active was the main thing that helped Tish during acute anxiety ([57:04]).
  • Support from her current husband provided vital emotional safety.
  • She cautions that breathing exercises initially increased her anxiety, showing the value of personalized tools.

4. Evolution of Love and Relationships

• Healthy Love and Respect:
  • Tish reflects on finding new love later in life and how her definition of partnership has matured:

    “If there’s one thing that you want out of a relationship, it’s respect for each other ... if you respect each other ... that’s just not happening.” [60:29–61:18]

  • She encourages younger listeners not to settle and to recognize the value of mutual respect, communication, and support over drama or “the chase.”
  • Shares anecdote about Brandi (daughter) finding love at 38, rebuffing the fear that it’s “too late” ([62:28–63:50]).
  • On not settling:

    “If there isn’t respect and the kind of love that we’re talking about, don’t stay.” [62:28]

5. Family Myths and Humor

• Lizard People Rumor:
  • Tish humorously debunks the internet myth that the Cyrus family are “lizard people”:

    “That was my all-time favorite. And the fact that someone that seemed pretty smart, like, believed it. Yeah, it was like, this is insane.” [40:49]

6. Marijuana Journey & Podcast Evolution

• Shifting Relationship with Marijuana:
  • Tish details her late introduction to marijuana, its benefits, and eventual drawbacks as a coping mechanism ([50:57–54:50]).
  • Her transparency offers nuanced insight into substance use as self-care and avoidance.
  • Podcast name change from “Sorry, We’re Stoned” to “Sorry, We’re Cyrus” reflects both her personal growth and broader audience reach ([54:50–56:09]).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Impact of Anxiety:

  “I was not functioning for that year. I was just trying to survive. And now ... learning how to deal with it and I’m so much better.”
  —Tish Cyrus [46:09]

• On Empathy and Mental Health:

  “You feel so alone ... it is the worst part of it. And I think when I would hear other people talk about it and realize, like, you can overcome it—that’s so helpful.”
  —Tish Cyrus [47:09]

• On Parenting Successes:

  “I’m most proud of ... just raising the most incredible children. They’re all just really grounded and awesome and, like, thriving in life and happy and that’s all I could ask for.”
  —Tish Cyrus [66:50–67:50]

• On Respect in Relationships:

  "If there's one thing that you want out of a relationship, it's respect for each other. Because you're not going to be screaming and yelling and calling your partner names ... if you respect each other."
  —Tish Cyrus [61:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Tish’s Experience of Loss and Grief: [41:40–47:12]
• Public Scrutiny and Paparazzi Stories: [24:40–33:15]
• Mental Health Struggles & Marijuana Use: [43:32–54:50]
• Advice on Relationships and Self-Respect: [59:43–63:50]
• Family Myths (“Lizard People”): [39:02–41:11]
• Tools for Coping with Anxiety: [57:04–58:26]
• Reflections on Singlehood and Not Settling: [62:28–64:54]
• Proudest Achievements: [66:47–67:50]

Tone & Style

The entire episode is candid, warm, and sprinkled with humor—even in tough discussions. Tish’s openness about pain and healing is deeply humanizing, while Brandi and Taylor’s questions maintain a supportive, empathetic environment.

Final Takeaways

• You are not alone: There is immense value in hearing others’ struggles; shared vulnerability dissolves stigma.
• Healing is nonlinear: Grief and anxiety can catch up to even the strongest among us—stillness can trigger profound processing and growth.
• Healthy relationships require true respect, communication, and presence.
• It’s never too late for love, or to start over.
• Embrace humor, even in the wildest rumors—and don’t believe everything you read.

For listeners, this episode offers compassionate validation and practical hope—reminding us all to prioritize peace and presence, no matter where we start.