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 pod is about persistence and inspiration.
Episodes
Minisode: Mantras – Ben Affleck & Matt Damon
Sid here. This week we bring you another Minisode in our Mantras series – but this one is a little unusual. If you've listened to our Matt Damon & Ben Affleck episode, I wonder if you clocked the mantra moment. Hope you'll join us. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now
Rejecting Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
The total box office earnings for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck round out to a cool $10B. They’re A-list actors, Oscar-winners, writers, directors, production company founders. But back in the mid-90s, the best friends were rejected – for movies, for television shows, for commercials. Then one day Matt Damon took a playwriting course at Harvard. What happened next, is a rejection story all of its own
Rejecting The Beaches
The Beaches. A neighbourhood of Toronto. A band originating from that neighbourhood. The starting point on a long road of rejection, rebuilding, pivoting and triumph. It’s a homegrown story this week. Hope you’ll join us. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Pl
Encore: Rejecting Alanis Morissette (with a special intro from our director Callie)
With a special intro from our series director Callie, give our Alanis episode another listen – through a new lens. 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 hom
Short Stories: Rejecting films 'The Wife' & 'The Favourite'
This week, we bring you a Short Stories episode. It’s been a minute since we’ve done a two-er. Behold, the stories of two 2019 Oscar nominees – 'The Wife' and 'The Favourite.' Both written by women, both produced by women, both starring women, both rejected for a combined 34 years. Hope you’ll join us. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrop
Minisode: TikTok Fail
This week we bring you a Mini courtesy of TikTok and a young graphic design student named Ellie – who's in crisis mode.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Terry, Allison & more. Subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.
Rejecting George R.R. Martin, Part 2 (Game of Thrones)
In Part 2 of our George R.R. Martin episode, those who can do, teach. Martin enters the Twilight Zone before rolling the dice on a Game of Thrones. Hope you'll join us. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Terry, All
Rejecting George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones)
George R.R. Martin is the architect behind the greatest fantasy series of all time. Game of Thrones has 59 Emmys, with 159 Emmy nominations – making it the most nominated dramatic television series of all time. Martin’s book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” has reportedly sold nearly 100 million copies. And yet, back in the 1970s, Martin was living at his parents' house in New Jersey, covering
Rejecting Joan Jett
We're back! Welcome to Season 7 of The Rejection Podcast. Joan Jett carries two titles – the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll and the Godmother of Punk. She's also the first woman rocker to ever start her own record label. Jett is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with a dozen albums to her name. But back when she enrolled in her first guitar lesson, the teen was told rock and roll was N
Season 7. 🤚🏽
We don't regret to inform you that Season Seven of the Rejection Pod will begin in one week's time. Authors, rockers and...trees? Join us for more inspiring stories of grit, determination and courage – with some signature twists and turns along the way. See you March 11th. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret
Olympic Encore: Rejecting Hayley Wickenheiser, Pt 2
This week, with a special intro from our chief sound engineer Geoff Devine, we bring you part two of our Hayley Wickenheiser Olympic encore. Let’s pick up where we left off, shall we?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.A
Olympic Encore: Rejecting Hayley Wickenheiser
The 2026 Winter Olympics have officially begun. In celebration we look back on a team favourite two-parter – the story of Hayley Wickenheiser. She’s the longest-serving member of Canada’s national team with seven World Championships and four Olympic gold medals to her name. Many consider her the GOAT. But before becoming Canada’s women's all-time leader in international goals, assists and poi
Minisode: Mantras – Diana Nyad
Hi from our hiatus. This week, we bring you a Minisode about the incomparable Diana Nyad – and the mantra she repeated to herself. For 52h, 54m. On her record-setting swim from Cuba to Florida.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidn
Hey – Sidney & Terry here with some exciting news
For the first time ever, we're offering a subscriber-only bonus option – for all devices, on all major podcast apps. Introducing Apostrophe All Ears.You get: ad-free listening, early access, bonus episodes, Q&As PLUS access to all other Apostrophe shows (Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly, Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe, The Beatlology Interviews) – with extended episodes, virtual events, me
Holiday Encore: Rejecting Elf
We regret to inform you, this week marks the final episode of our 2025 season. So, we thought we'd bring you one of our most-loved episodes. Certainly our most loved holiday episode – Rejecting Elf.Elf is a beloved and timeless Christmas classic. Starring Will Ferrell, the film brought in over $200M at the box office, and 20 years later remains a holiday tradition for many. But back in the ye
Rejecting Willie O'Ree, Part 2
In Part Two of our Rejecting Willie O'Ree episode, another unexpected invitation lands on the pioneer's doorstep. History is made – then forgotten – and Willie welcomes a third act he never saw coming.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. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrop
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. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @a
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Terry, Allison & more. Subscribe here.
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Ter
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can no
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
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Terry, Alliso
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
Rejecting Breaking Bad Guys: Bryan Cranston & Giancarlo Esposito
For our first episode back, we bring you the stories of two bad guys. Breaking Bad guys – Bryan Cranston aka Walter White and Giancarlo Esposito aka Gus Fring. Both spent decades bouncing around Hollywood. Both faced major rejection. Both the least suspecting drug overlords of all time. ICYMI, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has a rejection story of his own. The pilot for Breaking Bad was
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,
Listener Rejection Stories (2025)
Each week on this series, 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 one astronaut. But rejection affects us all. So we put out a call for listener rejection stories. Your stories.They’re inspiring, they’re insightful, they’re remarkable. Take a listen.P.S. We're on our summer hiatu
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episode
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.
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.Ask us Anyt
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 cruc
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. Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret t
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-b
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Terry, Allison & m
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
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
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 surfboar
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t reg
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 plac
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inf
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 altog
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – y
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
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 sto
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLe
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Si
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.Y
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
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
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 neur
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caW
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 ju
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.Ask u
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 t
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 eno
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
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, s
Rejecting The Sopranos
The Sopranos is widely considered the greatest television show of all time. Just ask TV Guide, The Writer’s Guild of America and Rolling Stone. But before revolutionizing the one-hour drama and ushering in what’s become known as the second Golden Age of Television, the idea for The Sopranos was rejected. By every major network. At nearly 50 years old, the show’s creator David Chase nearly shelved
Rejecting Dr. Seuss
Since the year 1937, over 60 Dr. Seuss books have been published. Over 650 million copies have been sold. Leading to film adaptations grossing over $1.7 billion at the box office. But before the late author was Dr. Seuss, he was Theodor Geisel. And his first children’s book “A Story That No One Could Beat” was a story that no one would want. After being rejected by every publisher in Manhattan, Ge
Rejecting Manon Rhéaume, Part 2
In Part 2 of our Rejecting Manon Rhéaume episode, for the first time, Rhéaume plays with women. It’s Canada vs. the USA at the World Championships. Then, the goalie gets a strange letter in the mail – from the brand-new Tampa Bay Lightning. Hope you'll join us.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform yo
Rejecting Manon Rhéaume (The First Woman to Play in the NHL)
Manon Rhéaume was told hockey was for boys. Manon Rhéaume was cut from teams for being a girl. Manon Rhéaume was heckled by parents in the stands. Manon Rhéaume was told she was taking a spot away from boys with NHL dreams. Manon Rhéaume was told she’d never play pro. Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to ever play in an NHL game.If you enjoyed our Hayley Wickenheiser episodes last season, give
Rejecting Adam Driver
Adam Driver is a two-time Academy Award nominated actor 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 Juilliard, turned his Lincoln Town Car around before he reached Los Angeles and was medically discharged from the Marines prior to deployment. Broke and struggl
Season 5. 🤚🏽
We Regret To Inform You returns to a podcast app near you in one week's time. We've got some inspiring stories to share with you this year – here's a sneak peek at what's to come.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials: @apostrophepodLeave us a voicemailWe don’t regret to inform you – you can now listen ad-free! Plus bonus episodes, chats with Sidney, Terry, All
Rejecting Elf
We regret to inform you, this week marks the final episode of our 2023 season. And, as it’s the 20th of December, we thought it only fitting to tell a holiday-themed story. Elves love to tell stories. I bet you didn’t know that about elves…Elf is a beloved and timeless Christmas classic. Starring Will Ferrell, the film brought in over $200M at the box office, and 20 years later remains a holiday s
Rejecting The Supremes
Last week, we told the story of EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson. Hudson put the O in EGOT when she won the Oscar for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls. It’s said Dreamgirls is based on the story of The Supremes – Deena as Diana Ross, Effie as Florence Ballard. And in researching that episode, we discovered it wasn’t just Jennifer Hudson who had a rejection story – The Supremes had a fascinating jo
Rejecting Jennifer Hudson
Like Rita Moreno last week, Jennifer Hudson is an EGOT winner. She’s won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony – not to mention a Golden Globe. But before earning THE major award in every major entertainment category, Hudson was eliminated from American Idol – twice. Rejected after her first Hollywood audition, she had fallen off the radar. That is, until she got an unusual phone call from h
Rejecting Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno is a member of the coveted and exclusive EGOT club. Meaning, throughout her career, she’s won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. And not only that, Moreno is the first and only Latina EGOT winner in history. But before earning her Academy Award for West Side Story, Moreno was dropped by MGM. She spent years typecast – or simply not cast – because of her ethnicity. Join us this wee
Introducing Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe
This week we thought we’d do something a little different. The Apostrophe Podcast Network has several shows on its roster. Four, to be exact. And one of those shows just crossed 1M listens in its very first season. Introducing Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe.Backstage welcomes listeners into the warm and comforting world of the Vinyl Cafe. Each episode features stories about Canada’s favourite fiction
Short Stories: Rejecting the Fathers of Hand Washing and Rocketry (Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis & Dr. Robert Goddard)
Did you know in the late 1800s, doctors didn’t wash their hands between procedures? When Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis – an obstetrician in Vienna – realized women in his hospital were dying at staggering rates, he implemented staff-wide mandatory hand washing. Maternal death rates dropped by 90%. But doctors weren’t happy. Semmelweis was called "crazy," told his idea was superstitious, not scientific
Rejecting Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. But once upon a time, the boy with the big hands and the golden arm was 6’1 and 140 pounds. He was told he was too "slight" to play high school football. He was rejected by Notre Dame. He was drafted, then cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was told he’d never make it in the NFL. Join us as we tell Johnny-U’s incredible story – fr
Rejecting Walt Disney, Part 2
In Part Two of Rejecting Walt Disney, Disney plays around with his ‘mouse’ idea – but is quickly deterred. Suits are afraid the public is afraid of mice – especially 10-foot-tall mice. Disney plays with sound, then colour. Then, he has his craziest idea of all: feature-length cartoons.Major show notes for this episode can be found on our website here.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophe
Rejecting Walt Disney
The Walt Disney Company is worth $147B today. With over 800 films to its name, multiple television networks like ESPN and ABC, Pixar, Marvel, streaming, resorts and theme parks worldwide, it's the second-largest media conglomerate in the world. But before Mickey, before poisoned apples and before roller coasters, Walt Disney was rejected. He was fired from a local newspaper for “lacking creativity
Rejecting The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world. 300 million people have climbed its stairs – or its elevators – since the landmark first opened in 1889. You’ve seen it in countless movies, you’ve marvelled at its 20,000 lights. But did you know back when the tower's design was first revealed to the public, 300 of France’s most-respected cultural luminaries called it a humiliation,
Rejecting Leslie Jones (Encore)
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 c
Rejecting Nina Simone
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: h
Rejecting Alan Ruck
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.Ask us Anything:Email us: he
Rejecting Simon & Garfunkel
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.Major show notes for this episode can be found on our website here.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.c
Rejecting Hayley Wickenheiser, Part 2
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.Major show notes for this episode can be found on our website here.Ask us Anything:Email us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.caWrite to us on socials:
Rejecting Hayley Wickenheiser
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, bull
Rejecting Jim Carrey
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.Ask
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