Category Archives: WRTIY post S4

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.

Last week, we told the story of EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson. Hudson put the O in EGOT when she won the Oscar for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls. It’s said Dreamgirls is based on the story of The Supremes – Deena as Diana Ross, Effie as Florence Ballard. And in researching that episode, we discovered it wasn’t just Jennifer Hudson who had a rejection story – The Supremes had a fascinating story of their own. So join us this week as we discover how the all-girl ’60s group went from the “No-Hit Supremes” to the the female group with the most #1 songs in history on the Billboard Hot 100.

Like Rita Moreno last week, Jennifer Hudson is an EGOT winner. She’s won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony – not to mention a Golden Globe. But before earning a major award in every major entertainment category, Hudson was eliminated from American Idol – twice. She had fallen off the radar, rejected after her first Hollywood audition. That is, until she got an unusual phone call from her cousin.

Rita Moreno is a member of the coveted and exclusive EGOT club. Meaning, throughout her career, she’s won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. And not only that, Moreno is the first and only Latina EGOT winner in history. But before earning her Academy Award for West Side Story, Moreno was dropped by MGM. She spent years typecast – or simply not cast – because of her ethnicity.

Did you know in the late 1800s, doctors didn’t wash their hands between procedures? When Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis – an obstetrician in Vienna – realized women in his hospital were dying at staggering rates, he implemented staff-wide mandatory hand washing. Maternal death rates dropped by 90%. But doctors weren’t happy. Semmelweis was called “crazy,” told his idea was superstitious, not scientific.

Johnny Unitas is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. But once upon a time, the boy with the big hands and the golden arm was 6’1 and 140 pounds. He was told he was too slight to play high school football. He was rejected by Notre Dame. He was drafted, then cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was told he’d never make it in the NFL. Join us as we tell Johnny-U’s incredible story – from pile driving to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Walt Disney Company is worth $147B today. With over 800 films to its name, multiple television networks like ESPN and ABC, Pixar, Marvel, streaming, resorts and theme parks worldwide, it’s the second-largest media conglomerate in the world. But before Mickey, before poisoned apples and before roller coasters, Walt Disney was rejected. He was fired from a local newspaper for “lacking creativity.” He was told drawing cartoons did not a proper career make. And his very first animation company went under. Join us this week as we tell Disney’s story – from bankruptcy to billions.

The Eiffel Tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world. 300 million people have climbed its stairs – or its elevators – since the landmark first opened in 1889. You’ve seen it in countless movies, you’ve marvelled at its 20,000 lights. But did you know back when its design was first revealed to the public, 300 of France’s most-respected cultural luminaries called it “a humiliation, a mockery and an odious column of bolted metal?”

Nina Simone is ranked #21 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. She was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and released over 40 albums in her lifetime. But back when Simone was an 18-year-old pianist, she was rejected from music school. She faced doubt, racism and abuse at every turn. Then she found her voice.

Alan Ruck has several iconic roles under his belt. Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Stuart Bondek in Spin City, and most recently, the eldest Roy boy Connor in Succession. But would you believe that after Ferris Bueller, Ruck was jobless, penniless and took a job at a Sears warehouse? This week we look at a much requested post-success rejection story.