We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast

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

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

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 points, Wickenheiser was told hockey was for boys. She was rejected for teams, bullied on the ice and kicked off teams solely on the basis of sex. Hope you’ll join us – and let’s go Canada! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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, merch discounts & more. Our favourite feature is that you also get access to all of our hosts. Chat with us. Ask us anything. We're All Ears. First subscribers get a special founder's discount. Hope you'll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 year 2000, the script was rejected by production companies, studios, directors and actors, championed only by two producers with no producing experience. Then when it finally did land a studio, executives nearly left Elf on a shelf. Join us, won’t you, as we pass through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, then through the Lincoln Tunnel for Rejecting Elf. Thank you for joining us this season. We'll meet you back here in a couple short months for Season 7 – and in the meantime, we have some fun Minis coming your way. From all of us at Apostrophe, Merry Christmas. Have a safe and happy holiday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 book was rejected. For seven years. Then it was pitched as a television series – and rejected by multiple networks. To quote Slough House loser-in-chief Jackson Lamb: “They’re losers. But they’re my losers.” Hope you’ll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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 2020. Yet, Dawn Staley was told basketball was for boys. Hope you’ll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 rejected by Showtime, FX, TNT & HBO. Find our "Rejecting Breaking Bad" episode here. Hope you’ll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, BlacKkKlansman and the Star Wars franchise as Kylo Ren. But before landing his breakout role on HBO's Girls, Driver was rejected from Julliard, turned his Lincoln Town Car around before he reached Los Angeles and was medically discharged from the Marines prior to deployment. Broke and struggling to find his way, Driver made a bold decision: to apply to Julliard again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Tell us YOUR rejection story: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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: anytimeCBC Listen app. It's a CBC summer. Hope you'll join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.