Page 40 of Isn't It Obvious?
To:Elle Rex
Subject:The Sophomore English AgendaProduction Interest
Hi Elle,
I work atRenegade, the online culture and news satire magazine. Over the past year, we’ve been breaking into the podcast space with shows likeCinefilerandYentamouth, which have grown significantly with our resources at their disposal.
I’m a huge fan of what you’re doing withThe Sophomore English Agenda. Your voice fits perfectly with our mission to deliver smart, funny, and incisive cultural commentary, and I’d love to pitch it to my team. Would you be willing to set up a preliminary call to chat about your vision for the show and whether you’d be interested in looking into a partnership?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jami Feld
Renegade?She mightcurrentlyhave one of their satirical headlines reposted onto her Instagram story. She goes to check, and yes, she does: “Newly Discovered Antidepressant Just a Senate Bill to End Daylight Saving Time,” accompanied by a photo of a woman with exaggerated under-eye circles. Someone atRenegadethinks Yael is funny?
Yael gives the news a little time to breathe, sure that her initial response would be virtually incoherent. Briefly, she considers waiting for Charlie to wake up and asking him to read the email and help her draft a reply, but that feels like getting ahead of herself. It’s just an introductory call; it doesn’t mean anything yet. It may never mean anything. And although she likes to think that she isn’t superstitious (it doesn’t count if you know it’s fake, right?), Yael still holds her breath when driving through tunnels to make a wish, still gets a tiny thrill when she happens to look at a clock at exactly 11:11, and still is afraid to jinx good things before they happen.
So she gets ready for work and decides to buy herself breakfast along the way, slipping out the door before she’s faced with the temptation to spill the news to Charlie. At Ken’s, which is technically one block east when she should be cutting west (sue her), she orders a cappuccino, a breakfast sandwich, and, fuck it, another canelé. Maybe if she lets herself celebrate, it’ll feel more real.
At work, emboldened by the treats and fresh air, Yael tucks herself into the library office and types out her response.
To:Jami Feld
RE:The Sophomore English AgendaProduction Interest
Hi Jami,
I’m so flattered you like the show. The feeling is entirely mutual—I belly laugh at aRenegadepost at least once a week.
Yes, I’d love to call! I work with an editor, Kevin Kissoon. Should I ask him to join as well?
Best,
Elle
To:Elle Rex
RE:The Sophomore English AgendaProduction Interest
Hi Elle,
Fantastic! No need to loop your editor in just yet—this is very preliminary, and I can’t make any promises. But if things go further, I would definitely need to chat with him as well.
What’s your schedule like next week? I’m in New York, so I’ll be on EST. Where are you located?
J
Yael tells her she’s in Portland on Pacific time, and after a little back-and-forth, they settle on next Tuesday (ideal, because the next episode won’t be up yet to potentially change Jami’s mind) during her lunch break. Once the meeting is added to her calendar and her canelé is finished, she tells herself she will stop thinking about this.
On her way home from work, she calls Sanaa.
“I’m going to say something to you because if I don’t tell somebody, I think I’ll explode, but I need you to promise never to bring it up again until I do in case it doesn’t work out. I just need someone to squeal with,” Yael says.
“Done,” Sanaa says.
Yael drops her voice to a whisper, even though nobody on NW Twenty-Second would have any idea who she is or what she’s talking about. “I got an email from someone atRenegade, and they want to have a call to chat about the podcast.”
