Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish

Jeremy Baka and Marc Levy

English Business Marketing Society & Culture

Apple Podcasts Website RSS

Episodes 37

Avg. Duration 48m

Activity Highly Active

Apple Rating ★ 4.9 (8)

Since Jun 2025

Latest Episode Jun 2026

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Publishing Details

Schedule

Weekly

Format

Episodic

Consistency

57%

Hosting

feed.podbean.com

About This Podcast

“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.”

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Recent Episodes

Job Hunting Like a Brand Strategist: Turning Your Story Into Career Gold

Jun 03, 2026 1h 11m Transcript

Greetings, creative warriors! In this episode, Marc & Jeremy welcome brand strategist Nancy Martira to explore her unique, original system for guiding mid-to-senior professionals how to think…

Who Gets the Credit? The Hidden Politics of Creative Ideas

May 26, 2026 45m Transcript

Hosts Jeremy and Marc unpack the messy realities of creative credit in agencies—from brainstorm dynamics and idea theft to the junior/senior power plays that shape who gets recognized. They share…

Crisis, Creativity & AI: Inside the Command Center

May 14, 2026 1h 6m Transcript

This week, our two intrepid hosts sit down with Paul Walker, founder of Crisis Command, to discuss how AI is reshaping crisis management, the balance between human judgment and automation, and the…

Who Owns the Vision? Creative Control, Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni

May 08, 2026 51m Transcript

Hosts Marc and Jeremy unpack creative control in entertainment and marketing, sparked by the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni dispute. They discuss how differing visions, committee influence, and…

Escape the Drama Triangle: How Leaders Transform Reactive Cultures

Apr 29, 2026 53m Transcript

In this episode Jeremy, Marc, and guest Kristen Lisanti unpack the ‘drama triangle’—victim, villain, hero—and show leaders how to replace reactivity with three practical practices: co‑creating,…

When Procurement Kills Creativity: Agencies Under Siege

Apr 23, 2026 40m Transcript

Hosts Jeremy & Marc unpack the damaging rise of procurement in marketing — from unpaid agency pitches and re-bids to opaque fee battles and stolen ideas. They share firsthand stories about lost…

Blinding Light: Joe Eszterhas on Cancer, Faith, and Reinvention

Apr 16, 2026 50m Transcript

Concluding their run with Joe Eszterhas, Marc and Jeremy sit down with and discuss Joe's more recent work, sudden throat cancer diagnosis, risky surgery, and a long recovery. Joe reflects on the role…

When a Screenplay Became Evidence: Joe Eszterhas, Music Box, and a Family Secret

Apr 07, 2026 1h Transcript

In Part 4 of the Joe Eszterhas sessions, the Hollywood screenwriter behind Music Box recounts how his film about Hungarian warcrimes unexpectedly echoed his own family history when his father became…

Fighting Directors, Producers, Critics and Super Agents! Joe Eszterhas on the Fights, Flops, and Fortunes Behind Hollywood Hits

Apr 07, 2026 1h 13m Transcript

Joe Eszterhas joins hosts Marc and Jeremy to revisit the defining Hollywood moments of his career — from mentorship under Norman Jewison and hard-fought battles with Sylvester Stallone to the…

From My Lai to Hollywood: Joe Eszterhas on Truth, Consequence, and Creativity

Mar 19, 2026 1h 19m Transcript

On today's episode, Jeremy & Marc continue their conversation with Hollywood legend Joe Eszterhas as he recounts breaking the My Lai photos, his rise at Rolling Stone, and his leap into films.…

From Refugee Camps to Basic Instinct: Joe Esterhaus Tells All

Mar 12, 2026 1h 1m Transcript

Hosts Jeremy & Marc sit down with Hollywood legend and best-selling author Joe Eszterhas to trace his extraordinary life and career — from living in Hungarian refugee camps to becoming the…

How Creative Failure Fuels Big Ideas

Mar 03, 2026 53m Transcript

It happens. That idea you so loved and believed in crashes and burns. How do you handle the embarrassment, the bruised credibility, theshaken confidence? Marc and Jeremy feel your pain and have the…

Ugly, Irresponsible & Childish: Mentors Who Shaped Us

Feb 18, 2026 51m Transcript

In today's episode, Jeremy & Marc reflect on the people who shaped their careers—mentors, bosses, clients, and unexpected influences. Through candid stories about fear, trust, and boldness, they…

Super Bowl Ads: Ugly, Irresponsible, and Childish — Our Brutal Wrap-Up

Feb 09, 2026 42m Transcript

Hosts Marc and Jeremy share their top picks for three categories of Super Bowl 60 ads: Ugly ones, Irresponsible ones, and delightfully Childish ones. They call out celebrity-packed flops, awkward…

Ugly, Irresponsible, and Childish: Creativity & Company Culture

Feb 03, 2026 57m Transcript

In this episode of Ugly, Irresponsible, and Childish, we explore the unrelenting pursuit of creativity and the workplace cultures that either celebrate or suffocate it. In this episode of Ugly,…

Sell Human: Presentation Lessons from the Pros

Jan 27, 2026 46m Transcript

Shut up. No Dancing. Kill the robots. Long live humans. No, this isn’t some dystopian novel. It’s the latest “Ugly, Irresponsible & Childish” episode featuring the straight-talking Dos and Don’t…

The Perils of Fake Creative Ideas

Jan 20, 2026 42m Transcript

Welcome back, listeners! In our long-awaited 2026 debut, Jeremy and Marc return to discuss how fake ideas—empty taglines, celebrity-dependent campaigns, and superficial marketing tactics—undermine…

Risking Careers for Creativity: Year‑End Riffs on Insights, Backlash & Brand Courage

Dec 30, 2025 58m Transcript

Marc and Jeremy do a 2025 year-end wrap up, along with a 2026 prediction about brands that might just cause some anger issues. Which, strangely enough, is the whole point.

The Creative Holiday Gift Guide!

Dec 16, 2025 51m Transcript

In accordance with universal law, Marc and Jeremy share their annual holiday gift-guide ideas, leading not only to some great gift ideas for that special creative someone, but also hallucinogenic…

That Shit Will Never Sell: How Baileys and Smirnoff Black Broke the Rules

Dec 04, 2025 38m Transcript

Hosts Jeremy Baka and Marc Levy continue part two of their interview with David Gluckman, a forty-year drinks industry veteran who created memorable brands like Bailey's, Sheridan's, The Singleton,…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish have?

Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish has published 37 episodes since June 2025, covering topics in Business, Marketing.

Is Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish still active?

Ugly, Irresponsible, & Childish is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 48m.