
We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast
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.
Latest episodes

Apr 9, 2025 • 32min
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 2, 2025 • 23min
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.

Mar 26, 2025 • 28min
Hug the Cactus: Lessons on Rejection from Under the Influence
Some companies are flipping negativity on its head to create clever marketing strategies. Supercuts turned jokes about cheap haircuts into an entertaining ad campaign. Spirit Airlines went a step further, offering free air miles to critics. Oatly embraced controversy by launching a site dedicated to their haters, showcasing the humorous side of criticism. The podcast dives into how negative feedback can actually foster stronger connections with consumers and reshape brand identities.

Mar 19, 2025 • 33min
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/rejectionWrite to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 5, 2025 • 40min
Rejecting Yellowstone
Taylor Sheridan, the acclaimed creator and showrunner of Yellowstone, shares his incredible journey from having just $800 to landing a $200M deal with Paramount. He reflects on his struggles as an actor in Hollywood, the pivotal decision to pivot to screenwriting, and the skepticism he faced while pitching Yellowstone. Sheridan humorously recounts living in his car while chasing his dreams and highlights the transformative power of rejection, illustrating how these challenges ultimately led to his groundbreaking success.

Feb 26, 2025 • 1min
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.

Dec 18, 2024 • 25min
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 upcoming episode:Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejectionWrite to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 5, 2024 • 34min
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 episode:Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejectionWrite to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 21, 2024 • 38min
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/rejectionWrite to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 7, 2024 • 33min
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/rejectionWrite to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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