We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast - podcast cover

We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast

Apostrophe Podcast Networkapostrophepodcasts.ca

The road to success is littered with speed bumps. Every celebrated actor, writer, musician, artist, inventor and entrepreneur has faced debilitating career rejection on their journey to the top. We tell their fascinating stories and break down exactly how they achieved their remarkable goals. Because hidden inside each rejection is a unique insight. And we’re here to find it.


At its heart, this podcast is about persistence and inspiration.


From the creators of Under The Influence, this show is brought to you by the Apostrophe Podcast Company and powered by Acast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

Rejecting Monty Python, Part 2

In Part II of our "Rejecting Monty Python" episode, the Knights of the Round Table head west. Led Zeppelin enters the chat. Rabbis protest – and the Life of Monty Python is saved by a Beatle. Hope you’ll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 27, 202530 minSeason 6Ep. 11

We're on CBC Radio this summer!

We DON'T regret to inform you that our show will be airing on the CBC this summer. Find us on CBC Radio One & Sirius XM ch.169 for 10 weeks, beginning June 25th: Wednesdays at 11:30am (CBC & Sirius) Fridays at 4:00pm (Sirius) Sundays at 7:00pm (CBC & Sirius) Or stream us anytime on the CBC Listen app. It's a CBC summer. Hope you'll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jun 24, 202541 sec

Rejecting Monty Python

Lo! Upon the first breath of Monty Python’s Flying Circus o’er the enchanted waves of BBC One, scribes within the castle walls did trade many a curious whisper and scroll, to wit: “This episode contained two really awful sketches.” “The treatment of the national anthem is not amusing.” “Parts of this...are disgusting.” And, “The death sequence was in appalling taste.” Prithee, join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https://speak-...

Jun 18, 202523 minSeason 6Ep. 10

Encore: Rejecting Jim Carrey

Today we bring you another favourite episode from our Apostrophe team. On the eve of The Truman Show's 27th anniversary, our sound engineer Geoff Devine explains why this timeless film is one of his all time favourites and why Carrey's stand up story stands out for him. Jim Carrey is Ace Ventura. He’s the Grinch. He’s Bruce Almighty. Need we say more? But in 1989, Carrey was getting routinely crucified on stage, rejected for parts and was nearly starving to death – living in a bachelor apartment...

Jun 04, 202547 minSeason 6Ep. 9

Minisode: Rue McClanahan – “Every Kick’s a Boost”

Welcome to another “Minisode” – where we zoom in on individual moments or facets of rejection we've come across in our research. This week, we talk about the golden piece of advice Rue McClanahan’s mother gave her when she was told she’d never make it in television. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 28, 202512 min

Rejecting Mariska Hargitay

Mariska Hargitay has played Captain Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU for 26 years and counting. In 2024, Forbes named Hargitay the highest paid TV actor by a wide margin. But in 1999, she had been a struggling actor for decades, landing only a handful of substantial roles. She turned 35 and decided to leave Los Angeles. Then she got a call about an audition – for a “dark” New York-based show called “Sex Crimes.” Tell us your rejection story, and you could be featured in an upcoming episode:...

May 22, 202531 minSeason 6Ep. 8

Rejecting Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday’s life is one of perseverance like we’ve never seen before on our show. Her story is heartbreaking, beyond inspiring and important. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us your rejection story, and you could be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 08, 202537 minSeason 6Ep. 7

Rejecting Josh Allen

Happy NFL Draft Day to all who celebrate. Quarterback Josh Allen just signed a six-year, $330M contract with the Buffalo Bills, with $250M guaranteed – the largest guaranteed contract ever given to an NFL player. Yet, when Allen graduated high school, he had zero four year scholarship offers. He bounced around junior college before deciding to send 1000 emails to D-1 coaches across the country. The opening line? “I want to be your quarterback.” Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, ...

Apr 24, 202535 minSeason 6Ep. 6

Encore: Rejecting Women in the Boston Marathon (The Stories of Bobbi Gibb and Kathrine Switzer)

In honour of the 13,700 women running today in the Boston Marathon, we bring you an encore of our favourite episodes, and take you back to a not-so-distant time when the number of women running the marathon was one. Join us as we remember the stories of two brave women – Bobbi Gibb and Kathrine Switzer – the first women to ever run the Boston Marathon, after 70 years as a men’s-only event. Plus, a few thoughts on the story from our producer, Allison. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be ...

Apr 21, 202547 minSeason 6Ep. 5

Rejecting Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill is one of the biggest debut albums of all time – selling 33M copies worldwide and earning Morissette the Grammy for Album of the Year. But you oughta know that just one year prior, Morissette was rejected by every major label, on a plane back home to Ottawa and “deeply depressed.” What changed everything? A spaghetti dinner, sweatpants and a glittery surfboard. Hope you’ll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 09, 202532 minSeason 6Ep. 4

Minisode: Hader’s Haters – Bill Hader & Critic Anxiety

Welcome to our first ever “Minisode” – where we zoom in on individual moments or facets of rejection we've come across in our research. This week, we tell the story of Bill Hader’s Saturday Night Live anxiety and what happens when you come face to face with your biggest hater. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 02, 202523 min

Hug the Cactus: Lessons on Rejection from Under the Influence

Some companies actually advertise to their haters. Every advertiser gets negative comments on social media. Some brands shrink away – and some take those negative comments and spin them into marketing gold. In this episode of Under the Influence, Terry looks at Supercuts – who took negative comments about cheap haircuts and created a hilarious advertising campaign. Spirit Airlines gave haters a place to vent – then offered them 8,000 free airmiles. And drink maker Oatly actually dedicated a webs...

Mar 26, 202528 minSeason 6Ep. 3

Rejecting the Goalie Mask

“Masks prevent goalies from seeing the puck at their feet.” “Masks eliminate fear in goalies – the fear that drives them to play well.” “Masks make goalies complacent.” “A real man wouldn’t hide his face from his opponents.” Rejecting the Goalie Mask. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...

Mar 19, 202533 minSeason 6Ep. 2

Rejecting Yellowstone

The season five premiere of Yellowstone drew 16 million viewers. The series creator, writer and showrunner Taylor Sheridan recently signed a nearly $200M deal with Paramount to produce the hit show and its subsequent franchise. But rewind 10 years, Sheridan had $800 to his name. He had been trying to make it as an actor in Hollywood for the better part of two decades, before deciding to quit altogether and move to Wyoming. But just then, someone said, “Why don’t you write a pilot script?” It's g...

Mar 05, 202540 minSeason 6Ep. 1

Season 6. 🤚🏽

We don't regret to inform you that Season Six of the Rejection Pod will begin in one week's time. Artists, athletes and...umbrellas? Join us for more inspiring stories of grit, determination and courage – with some signature twists and turns along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 26, 20251 min

The Reflection Podcast, 2024

We regret to inform you that today marks the final episode of our fifth season. So, we thought we’d do a little call back to season one. This week, Sidney and Terry answer some of your questions. Like – why did we start this podcast? What’s our connection to each other outside the show? And is there a situation in which someone *should* give up? Thanks for tuning in all these years. We’ll meet you right back here soon for Season Six. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an up...

Dec 18, 202425 minSeason 5Ep. 20

Rejecting Eddy Goldfarb

You may not know the name Eddy Goldfarb, but you know his work. Goldfarb is the inventor behind over 800 toys and games – including Kerplunk, the "Yakity-Yak" wind-up Chattering Teeth, the Bubble Gun and Stompers. His incredible career has spanned eight decades. But before selling his first toy, Goldfarb was rejected. Over and over again. Then he made one very bad business deal. It’s quite the story. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episod...

Dec 05, 202434 minSeason 5Ep. 19

Short Stories: Rejecting No Doubt & Chappell Roan

This week, it’s pop rock debut rejections. We look at the stories of No Doubt – who rose to superstardom in the late ‘90s, and Chappell Roan – who was born in the late ‘90s. Both known for blending genres – both rejected by their own record labels – both persevered through it all. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Nov 21, 202438 minSeason 5Ep. 18

Rejecting Ellen DeGeneres, Part 2

In Part Two of our Rejecting Ellen DeGeneres episode, DeGeneres reads a shocking headline in the trades, Oprah Winfrey and Laura Dern take career hits, and DeGeneres learns to just keep swimming. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 07, 202433 minSeason 5Ep. 17

Rejecting Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres has 34 Emmy Awards and a Presidential Medal of Freedom to her name. Her talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show , ran for nearly 20 years. But back in 1997, DeGeneres was starring in the sitcom Ellen, when she made a historic decision: to come out as gay. Making DeGeneres the first openly gay star of a television show. But what came next, not even her critics could have predicted. You might think you know this story, but take a listen. You may just learn something new. Hope you'll jo...

Oct 23, 202430 minSeason 5Ep. 16

Meet The Worst Podcast

This week, we’re excited to share a brand-new podcast we think you'll enjoy. From our friends over at Canadaland, meet The Worst Podcast . Hosted by award-winning filmmaker (and noted curmudgeon) Alan Zweig, The Worst Podcast is Canadaland’s first celebrity interview pod. Zweig finds typical celebrity interviews surface-level and predictable, so he found a solution: conversations with notable guests about the worst things in life. Rejection, anyone? In this episode, Zweig sits down with Ron MacL...

Oct 16, 202437 minSeason 5Ep. 15

Rejecting A Wrinkle In Time

A Wrinkle In Time has sold 16 million copies worldwide. Time Magazine named it one of the 100 best fantasy books ever written, and the 1962 bestseller is still in print today. But when established author Madeleine L’Engle first pitched the novel to publishers, she was told it was too…strange. 10 years of rejection. 30 rejection letters from editors. One great gesture of renunciation. This rejection story is out of this world. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming e...

Oct 02, 202432 minSeason 5Ep. 14

Rejecting Still Alice

Still Alice the book, sold 1M copies worldwide – a national bestseller. Still Alice the movie, sold $45M worth of tickets at the box office – and won an Academy Award. But back when neuroscientist Lisa Genova first penned the novel, it was rejected by 100 book agents. She was told no one would read a book about Alzheimer’s Disease, that the subject matter was too depressing and that neuroscientists shouldn’t write fiction. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be feature...

Sep 18, 202433 minSeason 5Ep. 13

Rejecting Yennier Cano

Cuban pitcher Yennier Cano was told he’d never make the Cuban National Series. Then when he tried to leave Cuba to play in the Majors, his government banned him from playing baseball. When he finally made it to America, Cano floundered in obscurity in the minors. Today he’s one of the best relievers in Major League Baseball. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: hello@apostr...

Sep 04, 202434 minSeason 5Ep. 12

Rejecting Sir Harold Ridley (Inventor of Modern Cataract Surgery)

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide – 50% of the world’s blindness is a result of cataracts. For 200 years, treatment of the condition involved removing the lens of the eye and substituting the function of that lens with a pair of thick glasses. But in 1949, Dr. Harold Ridley had another idea. What if he replaced the natural lens of the eye with an artificial one? Well, let’s just say the field of ophthalmology didn’t see the vision. Hope you’ll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection...

Aug 22, 202435 minSeason 5Ep. 11

Listener Rejection Stories

Each week on this podcast, we tell the stories of famous names who overcame debilitating career rejection. We’ve talked through the careers of actors, artists, authors, athletes and even an astronaut. But rejection affects us all. So this season, we wanted to hear from you. We put out a call for your rejection stories. You sent us voicemails, emails, comments, posts and messages. Take a listen. Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode: Record your voice: https...

Aug 07, 202420 minSeason 5Ep. 10

Rejecting Pedro Pascal (Encore)

This week it's our mid-season break, and that means an encore presentation of one of our most-loved episodes: Rejecting Pedro Pascal. Pedro Pascal is the man of the moment. In 2020 he was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainers of the Year, and in 2023 he became one of the highest-paid actors on television. But only 10 years ago, Pascal was struggling to make rent, rejected for parts and told he was aging out of Hollywood – quick. Until one afternoon, when he picked up a script for a 30...

Jul 24, 202435 minSeason 5Ep. 9

Rejecting Canva

Online graphic design platform Canva is worth $26 billion. 85% of Fortune 500 companies utilize Canva, and its users span 190 countries. But when Australian entrepreneur Melanie Perkins pitched Canva to investors, she got the following feedback: “Your headquarters are too far from Silicon Valley.” “You didn’t go to Harvard, Stanford or MIT.” “Your idea is too ambitious.” “Your idea isn’t ambitious enough.” And, “The market is too small.” 185 million monthly users later, Canva holds the title of ...

Jul 11, 202436 minSeason 5Ep. 8

Short Stories: Rejecting Melissa McCarthy & Jennifer Aniston

Over the past five years – and 85 episodes – we’ve come across so many rejection stories that aren’t long enough to fill an entire episode. But that doesn’t mean they're any less filled with insight. Join us this week for a special “Short Stories” podcast – the inspiring pint-sized rejection stories of Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Aniston. Before getting their big breaks on Gilmore Girls and Friends , both Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Aniston were struggling actors in New York City. McCarthy l...

Jun 26, 202442 minSeason 5Ep. 7

Rejecting Bessie Coleman (The First Black Woman Pilot)

Hi – Sidney here. You may not recognize the name Bessie Coleman, so you may be wondering whether or not to tune into this episode. But, I highly encourage you to give it a listen. It’s a story our team – from our director Callie to our engineer Geoff – all declared one of their favourites of the entire series. Because it’s a story about the ripple effects of bravery. Coleman battled racism, sexism, poverty and rejection to – just 20 years after the Wright Brothers successfully flew the first con...

Jun 12, 202438 minSeason 5Ep. 6
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