You ever buy a twenty-two-dollar airport sandwich and convinced yourself it was worth it?
That’s what this week’s episode is about — except the sandwich is a photography competition.
In Gold Star, Patrick unpacks his love-hate relationship with the American Photographic Artists’ Untitled competition — and what it reveals about the creative world’s obsession with approval. From spreadsheets of judges to award-show absurdities like the Oscars and Grammys, this episode digs into why artists still crave validation from systems they don’t even believe in.
It’s funny, frustrated, and a little too honest — a meditation on why we keep chasing the gold stars that will never love us back.
Featuring a clip from Jim Carrey’s Golden Globes speech, a story about Patrick’s first Houston Addy Award, and a Light Leak that challenges you to make something that doesn’t need anyone’s permission to exist.
You’ll hear about:
Mentioned in this episode:
Light Leak: The Paradox of the Work
What if you stopped making work for judges, algorithms, and invisible audiences — and started making the thing that’s too honest to explain?