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-to.us/rejection

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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 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/rejection

Write to us: [email protected]

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

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

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:

Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection

Write to us: [email protected]

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

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.

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, 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.

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 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.

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.

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

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 website to their haters.

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