Back in 2011, when I was making my first podcast, I applied for a media pass to cover the Gemini Awards. The Geminis honored achievements in Canada's television industry. I applied on a whim but to my delight, I was accepted! Probably because at the time, they thought having a podcaster there would be edgy and cool.
Media had access to certain greenrooms and lounges where we could talk to the celebrities directly. I started lining up interviews with Canadian household names like Tom Green, Rick Mercer, and comedian Russell Peters.
It was hard to prepare for interviews since I didn’t know who I would be able to sit down with until I was there. But I couldn’t pass up speaking to Russell. He was the host of the Gemini’s that year and one of the more high profile attendees—his career was booming and I was ecstatic to have him on my show. I thought, “This is it. This is what’s going to make my podcast blow up!” Perhaps I was a little bit naive, but at the time, I felt like anything was possible.
After my first few questions, I could tell he was bored. His answers were short and disinterested. At one point I even saw him looking over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of what was happening across the hall. In the moment, [...]
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