We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast

This week it's our mid-season break, and that means an encore presentation of one of our most-loved episodes: Rejecting Leslie Jones. Chris Rock once described Leslie Jones as “about as funny as a human being can be.” She was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live for six years, she’s a Ghostbuster and a three-time Emmy nominee. But before landing her big break, Jones was a struggling comedian. By the time she turned 45, she had yet to make a steady paycheck in comedy and considered quitting altogether. Then Lorne Michaels called.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nina Simone is ranked #21 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. She was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and released over 40 albums in her lifetime. But back when Simone was an 18-year-old pianist, she was rejected from music school. She faced doubt, racism and abuse at every turn. Then she found her voice.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Ruck has several iconic roles under his belt. Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Stuart Bondek in Spin City. And most recently, the eldest Roy boy Connor in Succession. But would you believe that after Ferris Bueller, Ruck couldn't land a part and wound up taking a job at a local Sears warehouse? This week, it's a much requested post-success rejection story.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon & Garfunkel is one of the greatest musical duos of all time. But before “The Sound of Silence” filled the airwaves, the pair’s debut album was a total flop. So much so that the partnership effectively split. Then their producer called – he'd remixed their best song.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part Two of Rejecting Hayley Wickenheiser, the results of the 1998 Canadian Olympic hockey games are brought to parliament. Pro teams come calling, then name-calling, then calling again. And Wickenheiser takes a shot at spinning her rejections into gold.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hayley Wickenheiser is widely considered one of the greatest female hockey players of all time. She’s the longest-serving member of Canada’s national team with seven World Championships and four Olympic gold medals to her name. But before becoming Canada’s women's all-time leader in international goals, assists and points, Wickenheiser was told hockey was for boys. She was rejected for teams, bullied on the ice and kicked off of teams solely on the basis of sex. Join us this week as we tell Wickenheiser’s incredible story.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Carrey is Ace Ventura. He’s the Grinch. He’s Bruce Almighty. He’s Truman Burbank. 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 with a baby basket on the floor. Then one day, he wrote himself a check for $10M for “acting services rendered” – dated five years in the future.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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-something bisexual Lothario from the 15th century...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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Missy Elliott is the reigning Queen of Rap, credited with changing the face of hip-hop with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly and five consecutive platinum albums that followed. But before selling 30 million records, Elliott was rejected by producers, dropped by a major label and told she didn’t fit the “image” the industry was looking for. Join us this week as we tell Elliott’s story, from quitting the music business altogether to becoming the first female rapper nominated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hershey Company has the largest market share of any chocolate brand in North America. But before its founder Milton Hershey sold his first milk chocolate bar, he filed for bankruptcy – twice. By his 30th birthday, the struggling entrepreneur had lost two candy companies, and the faith of his family. Join us as we kick off Season 4 with the inspiring story of Milton Hershey – a man rejected by bankers for a $700 loan, who went on to build a $50 billion empire.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.caWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney and Terry, & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.