Lots of guests on my podcast bring gifts, swag, or various props that might be relevant to the conversation at hand. Darrell Lester was no exception. He is, however, the only guest to ever present me with a set of male genitalia carved from wood. Why he chose to make such a gesture is explained in our conversation, which focuses primarily on the extraordinary working environment that existed at one of America’s most beloved companies—Publisher’s Clearing House. You can watch the whole thing here.
Darrell was there from the beginning, and had a front row seat to the delightful debauchery, the incredible revenue, and the shocking downfall of this legendary but flawed company. His book, Downfall of an Icon: The True Story of Publishers Clearing House, simply MUST be made into a movie. It’s just so…unscriptable. What a fun conversation, with a genuine raconteur who saw the whole hot mess collapse around him, and lived to tell the tale. A short clip is below, courtesy of Mr. Woodcock.