Rocky Bleier is a four-time Super Bowl champion. In his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he rushed nearly 4000 yards and scored 30 touchdowns. But just a decade earlier, Bleier was drafted in the 16th round, to a bad team, given no playing time. Then, the day he thought he was about to get cut, he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War.

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The global online dating market is expected to reach $11B USD by 2028. With websites like Match.com and eHarmony and apps like Tinder and Hinge, today’s singles have the world at their fingertips. But back when Hinge was in its infancy, founder Justin McLeod was rejected by investors - then users, then the Apple App Store, then Vanity Fair magazine - before becoming one of the leading dating apps in North America. Today, it's the most-mentioned dating app in the New York Times wedding section.

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Cyndi Lauper has sold over 50 million records worldwide. She’s a singer, songwriter and activist whose first album She’s So Unusual landed her on the list of top female debut artists of all time. But before going six-times certified platinum, Lauper was ridiculed for her eclectic look and fired from bands time after time. She was broke, working at a vintage store and skipping dinner every other night. Then came the WWE.

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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.

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450 million Rubik’s Cubes have sold worldwide. A Rubik’s Cube has been handled by 1 in 7 humans on planet earth. The colourful toy has inspired people in the arts, in mathematics, in engineering and pop culture. But when inventor Ernő Rubik first started showcasing his creation at toy fairs, he was rejected - by toy companies, distributors and investors. Told it was “too niche.” Then, once it finally made its way into stores and millions of homes across the globe, the New York Times declared the Rubik’s Cube dead. It’s a story full of twists and turns.

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Realtor-slash-amateur magician, Phil Dunphy, is one of the funniest dads on one of the highest-rated sitcoms. Modern Family aired for 11 seasons, bringing in millions of viewers and 22 Emmys. But before landing the role of Phil, actor Ty Burrell was rejected by Hollywood for 20 straight years. Told his features were too big, he was too off-beat and too old. By his 40th birthday, he was ready to give up acting altogether. Then the phone rang.

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

We regret to inform you, this week marks the final episode of our 2021 season. So, we thought we’d do something a little different. Over the past two years, we’ve come across several fascinating rejection stories that weren’t long enough for a full episode, but that doesn’t mean they're any less packed with insight. Join us this week for ‘Short Stories in Television’ - the inspiring pint-sized rejection stories of Annie Murphy, Matt LeBlanc, Squid Game and The Queen's Gambit.

Thanks for tuning in. We’ll see you soon for Season Three.

Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode:

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Breaking Bad holds the Guinness World Record for highest-rated television show of all time. But back when creator Vince Gilligan was first pitching the series, it was rejected by four major networks. This week, we tell Gilligan’s story. From being told no one in their right mind would let a show about crystal meth air on television, to showrunning one of the most beloved series in history.

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I Love Lucy is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, bringing in over 30 million viewers per week in its day. But before becoming the queen of prime-time television, Lucille Ball was known as “Queen of the B-Pictures” - pin-balling around Hollywood studios, unable to draw a box office crowd. Join us this week as we tell Ball’s incredible story. From panhandling for bus fare, to becoming the first-ever inductee into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Major sources for this episode are listed in the show notes here.

Tell us YOUR rejection story, and you may be featured in an upcoming episode:

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