Western Sound, Acast to launch podcast Never Surrender with hosts Jack Herrguth and Stephen Kramer Glickman
Weekly talk-show will confront the deep personal struggles, failures — and ultimate triumphs — of high-profile guests like Tig Notaro, Randall Park, JoJo, Paul Feig, and more
APRIL 8 2021 — Western Sound and Acast announce Never Surrender, an upcoming interview-based podcast co-hosted by comedian and actor Stephen Kramer Glickman (Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush, Warner Brothers’ Storks) and writer and producer Jack Herrguth (Comedy Central’s Nathan For You, ABC’s Sister, Sister).
Never Surrender will feature interviews with successful entertainers — such as Tig Notaro, Randall Park, JoJo, Paul Feig, and many more — who agreed to share vulnerable stories about the deep failures, serious challenges, and major setbacks they faced during the ascent of their careers. Through both serious conversation and humor, the guests discuss how the lows changed them and ultimately propelled them forward, leading to their successes.
The podcast will debut April 8, with two episodes, and will publish one episode per week on Thursdays thereafter. In one of the debut episodes, comedian Tig Notaro talks about failing early in her comedy career and getting fired in between sets at a comedy club in Colorado. In another, actor Randall Park discusses having to work at a coffee shop to make ends meet despite being a recognizable actor from appearing on MTV’s Wild 'N Out. (He also later reveals details about the threats on his life and needing a security detail following the controversial release of the 2014 comedy film The Interview.)
Co-hosts Glickman and Herrguth said: “As two guys who have had their fair share of failures and serious setbacks, we hope our listeners can find humor in the dark times, but also find strength and hope in the great lesson we have learned from all of our successful guests, and that is no matter what life throws at you – never give up and never surrender.”
Never Surrender is produced by Western Sound, the LA-based podcast production firm founded by Peabody Award-winning journalist and podcaster Ben Adair. Adair has created or executive produced acclaimed podcasts such as Lost Hills, The Score: Bank Robber Diaries, and Reveal.
“Who hasn’t failed?” asks Adair. “The answer is, no one. Even the people you think have it made, they’ve all struggled. The difference is, when you fight back against despair, depression and hopelessness, you win. These stories will inspire all our listeners to bounce back from their own personal lows and go out there and keep trying. Never surrender!”
Acast — the creator-first podcast company that works with some of the world’s biggest shows — will host and distribute Never Surrender, making it available across all podcast apps and players, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Acast will manage monetization of the show through ads and sponsorships.
“It’s easy to forget that some of the people we look up to most in life have taken missteps and faced great difficulty, and it was so important to Acast to help share these sorts of stories with people who need to hear them,” said Trace Gaynor, associate content partnerships manager at Acast. “What makes Never Surrender so special is that it finds a way to broach these emotional conversations and heavy stories in a lighthearted and relatable way. We’re so pleased that Jack, Stephen and the Western Sound team chose to host the show with Acast to give audiences everywhere access to these conversations.”
Listen and follow/subscribe to Never Surrender on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For more information:
Emily Villatte, CFO
Tel: +46 76 525 0142
Email: emily.villatte@acast.com
About Acast
Acast is the power source of podcasting, a global platform that offers everything creators and advertisers need to find and reach millions of listeners. Acast provides a creator-first, open ecosystem for podcasts that is profitable, fair and sustainable for any creator — from bedroom podcasters to celebrity shows or emerging influencers. Acast connects podcasters and advertisers through the world’s biggest podcast marketplace, offering reach to millions of immersed podcast listeners with host-front advertising campaigns, audio ads and branded content. Founded in 2014 by Johan Billgren, Acast now hosts 20,000 podcasts — reaching more than 300 million listeners every month and working with thousands of brands.
