Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish

About Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish... but that’s only if it’s done properly.” -- Banksy, Wall & Piece, 2005 In a data-driven world that rewards precision & conformity, we forget that creativity -- in all its forms -- is supposed to be messy & provocative. Each week, two creatives with a combined 6+ decades of experience will remind people of just how inspirational creativity can be. We’ll discuss ideas and creative work in every corner of the universe: The amazing and the awful, the smart and the senseless, the bold and the boring. And we’ll do it all in a manner that’s equal parts thoughtful, irreverent -- and unflinchingly honest (although, let’ be real: we’re not the most reliable narrators, so instead of being aggrieved, remember that this is free). And if we offend you, please remember that our willingness to apologize is directly proportional to the potential of engaging us for paid creative work. About Jeremy & Marc: Jeremy’s greatest achievement was a come-from-behind win in a 400-meter high school relay. Since then, he’s done mainly creative stuff. As Chief Creative Catalyst for 25+ years at one of the world’s largest agencies, Jeremy has worked for or against most any brand you can name, winning enough Plexiglas and metal to build a city’s worth of bus shelters. Next to his track trophy, Jeremy’s most proud of his book aimed at young marketing professionals—The Book We Wish We Had—along with founding the Creative Catalyst Network, a group of more than 200 international creative thinkers, ensuring that every creative challenge is explored through a kaleidoscope of cultures. As one of the PR industry’s most beloved and successful creative forces (oh, for God’s sakes – would it kill you to humor me – just this once???), Marc has created innovative integrated marketing programs for nearly every conceivable category & client, from Audi to Zyrtec. In addition to his innovative brainstorming techniques, strategic planning and role as an “HR-Free Zone,” Marc is currently writing a book on creativity, Seriously Creative, which – let’s be honest here – he’ll never finish. (A “pop-up” version is not entirely out of the question.) A US Army veteran (no — really!) and reformed sports marketer, a diorama of Marc’s work at the Sydney Olympic Games is featured in its own rotunda as part of the Smithsonian’s wing celebrating “PR People Who Work While Everyone Else Attends the Closing Ceremonies.”

Publisher

Jeremy Baka and Marc Levy

Category

business · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Jun 2025

Latest episode

10 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

22 of 44 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   10 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Stupid, Futile & Brilliant: Movie Lessons for Creative Risk-Taking

   Hosts Jeremy Baka and Marc Levy interview industry experts, extracting brilliant lessons on creative risk-taking and idea selling from iconic movie scenes.

2. 

   2 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   From Dove to Democracy: A Creative's Unexpected Pivot to Local Politics

   Host Marc Levy and Jeremy Baka interview Howard Pulchin about his transition from creative advertising to local politics, exploring the intersection of public service and creative work.

3. 

   25 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   One-Year Anniversary Gala! Backlash, Mentors, and the AI Ticking Clock

   Hosts reflect on brand backlash, mentorship, and AI's impact on creativity in this one-year anniversary episode.

Inside a recent episode

Stupid, Futile & Brilliant: Movie Lessons for Creative Risk-Taking

Published 10 Jul 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] But I thought, you know, one that kind of stuck with me and it happened to be relevant is Toy Story. So they're coming out with Toy Story 5. And by the way, it's being held up as Pixar slash Disney's just franchise that won't die in a good way. I mean, they are constantly, the stories are fresh, they're moving. It's just as good. It's making not as much money, but up there with the over, well over a hundred million dollars. And it's still, the stories are amazing and the characters are rich. So I thought, let me, let me look at Toy Story and, and, and Toy Story one going all the way back to the beginning of And here's the scene. […]

Who has been a guest on Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Howard Pulchin
• Elizabeth Heaton
• Nancy Martira

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

38

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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