When Anna moved from a large apartment in Philadelphia to a small apartment in Queens, she had to get rid of most of her possessions. Throwing stuff out felt good until she got to three large plastic bins in the corner of her apartment. They were filled with all the art she’d made in Art School. For weeks, she couldn’t bring herself to throw the art away. To understand why, she turned to a 4’7 Japanese tidying legend.

Casting Call

So Help Me: Betraying Your Childhood Dreams

In 2018 Anna Ladd won Gimlet’s Casting Call competition - a search for the “next great podcast host.” Her prize for winning was that Gimlet would help her make a podcast mini-series. But when she moved to New York and started to make the show she realized the dark secret of reality show success: Just because you win a contest doesn’t mean you know what you’re doing. Making the show was overwhelming until Anna started a self-help program (a couple, actually) and got some advice from Alex and PJ.

So Help Me: It’s always too soon to quit

Premieres November 8 — So Help Me is a show about self help and what happens when you try to figure yourself out. Profoundly flawed but hopeful host Anna Ladd tries different self help methods to fix everything from her attitude to her apartment, and learns from experts and others who have tried them along the way.

Introducing So Help Me (from Casting Call Winner Anna Ladd)

The moment you've been waiting for. This episode was recorded live, which means you get to listen in on the conversations between host Jonathan Goldstein, the Casting Call finalists and judges. You'll hear what post-podcast pilot life is like for the three finalists, and who wins the Casting Call grand prize: A mini-series produced by Gimlet Media.

Episode 7: And The Winner Is...

We’ve made it to the final stage of Casting Call. There are spoilers in this episode. There are even spoilers in this description. Begin at Episode 1. If you’re still reading, we trust you have listened to the first five episodes. This is “An Exciting Business Opportunity,” the pilot from Anna Ladd. This podcast is all about multilevel marketing companies—or MLMs. MLMs are companies like Amway, LuLaRoe, and Mary Kay. In this pilot, you’ll learn about the dark underbelly of LuLaRoe, a leggings MLM. Plus, you’ll get to take a peek behind the curtain and learn what it’s like to report on one of these companies. Casting Call is a reality competition podcast brought to you by Squarespace and Gimlet Creative. We’re on a mission to find America’s next top podcaster, and we need your help. After listening to the series, vote on your favorite pilot at CastingCallShow.com. The winning host will get their very own Gimlet miniseries. The winner will be announced in Casting Call's final episode on October 3rd. Learn more about LuLaRoe by reading Claire Suddath’s incredible piece in Bloomberg Businessweek:

Episode 6: The Third Pilot

We’ve made it to the final stage of Casting Call. There are spoilers in this episode. There are even spoilers in this description. Begin at Episode 1. If you’re still reading, we trust you have listened to the first four episodes. This is “Our Allowance,” the pilot from Natalie Peart. This show is a space for people of color to share how they’ve made money work for them, despite living with an economic system not built for their financial success. Hear what it took to develop this show, and listen to the episode this finalist made. It tracks a centuries-old financial tradition that’s transforming for the modern day. Casting Call is a reality competition podcast brought to you by Squarespace and Gimlet Creative. We’re on a mission to find America’s next top podcaster, and we need your help. After listening to the series, vote on your favorite pilot at CastingCallShow.com. The winning host will get their very own Gimlet miniseries. The winner will be announced in Casting Call's final episode on October 3rd.

Episode 5: The Second Pilot

We’ve made it to the final stage of Casting Call. There are spoilers in this episode. There are even spoilers in this description. Begin at Episode 1. If you’re still reading, we trust you have listened to the first three episodes. This is “The Final Say,” a pilot made by finalist Debra Jarvis. It’s a show that features conversations with people facing death so that listeners can learn from them and understand how they can improve their lives. Find out what it’s like to produce a show about this sensitive subject, and listen to the result. You might want to grab some tissues. Casting Call is a reality competition podcast brought to you by Squarespace and Gimlet Creative. We’re on a mission to find America’s next top podcaster, and we need your help. After listening to the series, vote on your favorite pilot at CastingCallShow.com. The winning host will get their very own Gimlet miniseries. The winner will be announced in Casting Call's final episode on October 3rd.

Episode 4: The First Pilot

Three hosts have made it to the final stage of our podcast competition. Now, each is teaming up with a Gimlet producer to make a pilot episode of their show. So, who are these people? Our Gimlet producers sit down with the hosts to discuss their inspiration for their shows, the road they took to get here, and more. Casting Call is a reality competition podcast brought to you by Squarespace and Gimlet Creative. We’re on a mission to find America’s next top podcaster, and we need your help. After listening to the series, vote on your favorite pilot at CastingCallShow.com. The winning host will get their very own Gimlet miniseries.

Episode 3: You’re Coming To Brooklyn!

We narrowed down 5,000+ entries to six semi-finalists. Which three will become finalists? To decide their fates, host Jonathan Goldstein brings in an esteemed panel of judges: Aminatou Sow, Nazanin Rafsanjani, and Anthony Casalena. Hear their opinions and find out which contestants will make pilots of their shows. Casting Call is a reality competition podcast brought to you by Squarespace and Gimlet Creative. We’re on a mission to find America’s next top podcaster, and we need your help. After listening to the series, vote on your favorite pilot at CastingCallShow.com. The winning host will get their very own Gimlet miniseries. The winner will be announced in Casting Call's final episode on October 3rd. Checkout Aminatou Sow's podcast, Call Your Girlfriend.

Episode 2: Bring In The Judges

5,000+ aspiring podcast hosts pitched their ideas to the Casting Call competition. But only three can become finalists. Host Jonathan Goldstein documents the vetting process and seeks counsel from his friend and colleague, Gimlet CEO Alex Blumberg. Casting Call is a reality competition podcast brought to you by Squarespace and Gimlet Creative. We’re on a mission to find America’s next top podcaster, and we need your help. After listening to the series, vote on your favorite pilot at CastingCallShow.com. The winning host will get their very own Gimlet miniseries. The winner will be announced in Casting Call's final episode on October 3rd.

Episode 1: I Have This Idea For A Podcast...

The Casting Call competition launched in May. Over five thousand aspiring hosts sent us their podcast ideas. Only one will win their own miniseries produced by Gimlet. Here’s a preview of the competition.

Announcing: The Casting Call Series

Some Inspiration for your Casting Call Application. These days, it seems like everyone has an idea for a podcast. In this clip Jorge Just, Editor at Gimlet Media tells host Jonathan Goldstein about his many ideas.  Tell us about your idea at castingcallshow.com. Apply by May 21st for your chance to be the next great podcast host.

The deadline is approaching!

Casting Call is looking for the next great podcast host. Is it you? Submit your application before May 21st by visiting castingcallshow.com. Then, stay subscribed to this feed. Casting Call officially launches in September.

Are you the next great podcast host?

Casting Call is like a Hollywood singing competition, but for people who are pros at audio interviews and non-fiction storytelling. On the show, an esteemed panel of judges will join host Jonathan Goldstein to vet submissions from aspiring podcast hosts across the country, and select three finalists to travel to Gimlet HQ to make a pilot of their show. One talented hopeful will have their pilot turned into a mini-series, produced by Gimlet, and maybe even get a Squarespace sponsorship of their own -- the pinnacle of podcast fame. All of the glory and the drama of the competition will be documented for listeners to hear. Expect a behind-the-scenes look at the weird and wonderful world of podcasting. You’ll learn what makes a good host and how entertaining shows get made when Casting Call officially launches in September.

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Casting Call

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