A friend once told me that the best time to leave the party was when you were still having fun. As a social butterfly and a one-woman dance party, I initially dismissed her advice. What if I missed out on a scintillating conversation, or five more minutes of bliss on the dance floor?
It’s hard to know when to say goodbye, especially if there’s no good reason to walk away. It’s something podcaster Marc Maron recently faced when deciding to end his show after sixteen years. WTF with Marc Maron was a gateway pod for many listeners — a show that championed vulnerable and unfiltered conversations with celebs and comics alike.
Despite its enduring success, Maron felt it was time for a change. On a recent episode of Wild Card, he opened up to host Rachel Martin about his decision to walk away:
"Our intention was to do a great thing and to do it as well as we could. And, you know, the money came and the attention came, and we did okay. And it’s okay to stop things."
Although I’ll miss Maron, I’d like to think he took my friend’s advice, that he gave all his heart and humor to WTF but left while the going was still good. Maybe next time, I’ll push past my FOMO and know when to call it a night.
Speaking of gateway pods, what’s your podcast origin story? Write to us at podclub@npr.org to let us know the show that got you hooked on podcasts.
Happy listening!
Lauren
P.S.
Last week we asked about the movies YOU loved when you were fifteen. Thanks for writing back! Here’s what a few of you said:
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