Is Success Even Worth It?

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Today’s episode dives into the uncomfortable cost of success, and the strange, often isolating lives it creates.

We start with Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman, and his calculated decision to fully disappear into his character. Why would someone abandon their identity just to stay famous? And, perhaps more importantly, what does that do to a person over time?

From there, we look at other creatives caught between the ceaseless conflict between public persona and private self. Creatives like Larry David, for instance, who canceled a documentary about his real life the day before its release.

Then we dive into a story that’s honestly a little hard to believe. We talk about how Dilbert became a global hit thanks to a forgotten letter, somebody’s death, and a traffic jam. Does success have anything to do with talent, or is it just…luck?

Either way, success comes with its fair share of trade-offs. For today’s example, we explore just how much normalcy someone like Michael Jackson had to give up to even EXIST in public.

And finally, we turn inward: can creators truly enjoy art the same way their audiences do? What happens when consuming becomes competing? And how do you know if you’re preparing too long before you finally hit “publish”?

Big thanks to all our listeners and patrons for being here with us—we’ll see you next week.

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CREDITS:

Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor

Executive Producer: Ben Webster

Editor: Spencer Vann

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Opening Animation: Kidmograph

City Animation: Eric Langlay

"The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media.

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