

We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast
Apostrophe Podcast Network
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 4, 2025 • 29min
Rejecting Willie O'Ree (The First Black Player in the NHL)
Willie O’Ree made history in 1958, when the Boston Bruin became the first Black player in the NHL. It is a heroic story of strength, courage and resilience. Hope you’ll join us.The major source for this episode is Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player by Willie O’Ree and Michael McKinley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 26, 2025 • 13min
Minisode: Be Afraid and Do It Anyway – SNL-Style
Welcome to another Minisode. This week, we travel to 30 Rock and take a look at courage through the eyes of hopeful [comma] sweaty young comedians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 12, 2025 • 32min
Rejecting Vera Wang
Vera Wang is synonymous with bridal. The designer's eponymous brand brings in a whopping $700M a year. But before launching her own company in 1990, Vera was rejected for editor-in-chief at Vogue. And before that, she didn’t make the cut for the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. Two major setbacks that left her thinking – now what? Then her dad proposed a crazy idea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 6, 2025 • 52min
How Yoko Survived Rejection: The Beatlology Interviews
On “The Beatlology Interviews,” Biographer David Sheff talks to Terry about the rejection and resilience of Yoko Ono.Listen to more Beatlology Interviews in the Under the Influence feed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 22, 2025 • 10min
Minisode: Bat Girl
Welcome to another “Minisode” – where we zoom in on individual moments or facets of rejection we’ve come across in our research. This week, let us introduce you to Yankees superfan Gwen Goldman, as we reopen a rejection letter dated June 23, 1961. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 9, 2025 • 30min
Rejecting Slow Horses
The novel Slow Horses by Mick Herron tells the story of a team of disgraced MI5 agents assigned to a bureaucratic dumping ground known as Slough House. They’re, by all accounts, failures – demoted from top tier intelligence to basement busy work. That is, until a kidnapping case lands squarely on their dusty desks – thrusting the slow horses into fast paced espionage.The irony? That book was rejected. For seven years. Then it was pitched as a television series – and rejected by multiple networks. To quote Slough House loser-in-chief Jackson Lamb: “They’re losers. But they’re my losers.”Hope you’ll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 1, 2025 • 35min
Rejecting Dawn Staley, Part 2
In Part Two of our Rejecting Dawn Staley episode, Staley is informed of her shortcomings, it’s play abroad or die trying – and a dusty VCR tape changes her life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 17, 2025 • 26min
Rejecting Dawn Staley
Dawn Staley graduated high school National Player of the Year. She went on to become a two-time National College Player of the Year. She is a five-time WNBA All-Star, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and was the United States flag bearer at the 2004 Games. As a coach, she has won three NCAA titles, four National Coach of the Year titles, and the hall-of-famer coached Team USA to Olympic gold in 2020. Yet, Dawn Staley was told basketball was for boys. Hope you’ll join us.The major source behind this episode is: "Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three" by Dawn Staley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 4, 2025 • 35min
Rejecting Breaking Bad Guys: Bryan Cranston & Giancarlo Esposito
Dive into the fascinating journeys of Bryan Cranston and Giancarlo Esposito as they evolve from Hollywood's overlooked actors to iconic villains in 'Breaking Bad.' Discover the layers of rejection that shaped their careers and the resilience needed to succeed in a tough industry. Hear hilariously relatable anecdotes from their childhoods, and learn about the pivotal moments that transformed Cranston from a comedic star to the menacing Heisenberg. This episode reveals the untold stories behind the masterful casting that made the show a cultural phenomenon.

Aug 8, 2025 • 39min
Encore: Rejecting Adam Driver
Hello from our summer hiatus. We hope you’re soaking up the rays. Whether you're on the road, on the job or on the dock, we thought you might enjoy another team favourite. This week our director Callie shares how she first learned about this two-time Academy Award nominated actor in one of her all-time favourite shows. Adam Driver is known for his roles in films like Marriage Story, BlacKkKlansman and the Star Wars franchise as Kylo Ren. But before landing his breakout role on HBO's Girls, Driver was rejected from Julliard, turned his Lincoln Town Car around before he reached Los Angeles and was medically discharged from the Marines prior to deployment. Broke and struggling to find his way, Driver made a bold decision: to apply to Julliard again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


