I just wanted everyone to be happy…

By James Newcomb | October 8, 2022

Early in my podcasting career, I made a bit of a blunder in a situation that had to do with a guest of my show who was not happy with the decision that I had made on the production end of an episode he was featured in. I will call this disgruntled guest “Unhappy Jazz Cat“ from here on out.

Unhappy Jazz Cat had either been nominated for, or had won a Grammy award a few years prior. Now, you must understand such a distinction entitles the recipient of such an award – however obscure or irrelevant to the rest of humanity it may be – to have unmitigated say in all production decisions regarding any media appearance in which this person participates.

So I had the idea of interviewing someone who is not at all known in my niche, and then playing his interview right before the interview featuring Unhappy Jazz Cat. When Unhappy Jazz Cat heard the episode, and realized that he was placed after an interview with a mundane musician, who had not won, nor even been nominated for a Grammy award, he emailed me and let me know he was not happy with how he was represented on my podcast.

He was even kind enough to “thank me for the exposure” because of being on my podcast. Wasn’t that nice of him?

Now, here is where I made the mistake. I chose to accommodate the very unreasonable request by Unhappy Jazz Cat. I just wanted everyone to be happy. And so I rearranged the interviews in the episode, played that of the unknown mundane in one episode, and then played the interview with Unhappy Jazz Cat in a separate episode. This left everyone confused, especially the unknown player who wondered what in the world was going on. It was insulting to him, and ironically the original intent was to put a bit of a spotlight on this person that would never have been heard of in the first place.

To put it another way, I allowed someone other than myself to be the captain of my own ship, and everybody was left either confused or unhappy. Do you think that Unhappy Jazz Cat all of a sudden became happy because of this decision? Of course not. He wasn’t even aware of it and frankly didn’t care.

What I should have done, and what I would do today if I was in the same situation is to politely tell Unhappy Jazz Cat to first of all, take his meds so he’s not so unhappy. Second, respect my own decisions related to the production of my own show. It’s not like I am giving him advice on how to produce his albums. Why does he think that he can tell me how to produce mine? Hindsight is 20/20, and all I am left from this sordid affair is this story to share with you dear readers.

So take it for what it’s worth.

If you know anyone who’s looking to start a podcast, or to take some of the weight of production off their shoulders, have them check out this link: podcastartistry.com

Posted in James' Daily Emails

“I cannot overlook James’ great speaking voice. His tone is clear, articulate, and pleasant to the ear, making it easy for listeners to stay engaged and absorb the content of the interview. His vocal qualities undoubtedly contribute to the success of his podcast.” Laura Davidson – Author of The Logic of Freedom

“I really enjoyed being interviewed by James. He made me feel very comfortable, asked thought provoking questions and his demeanor reveals the passion he has for his work” –Gary Greenfield (Serial entrepreneur)

“James navigated the conversation with ease. It was a delight to delve into the creative process and the hurdles of the performing arts.” –Tamra Grace Jones (Classical vocalist)

“It was lovely chatting with James about the concept of unschooling and self-directed learning. He asks the hard questions that people ask when they hear of “unschooling” for the very first time. It was great to have the chance to delve in deep and unpack this newest alternative form of education.” -Judy Arnall (Child education and development advocate)