We Do What We Want: Brian Sirimaturos from the Tossing Salad Podcast
Navigating Cancer, Trolls and On-Air Breakups: Tales of a Podcaster
Married couple podcasters James and Denise sit down with Brian Sirimaturos, host of the aptly named Tossing Salad Podcast, for a lively conversation about the peaks and pitfalls of putting yourselves out there on the internet. Brian offers an inside look at leveraging podcasting to make sense of life’s curveballs, gain back a sense of control amid chaos, and potentially help others facing similar health challenges.
Deciding What to Share Publicly When Family Members Fall Ill
Brian’s wife Amy was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, news that hit their family hard. At the same time, their beloved 11-year-old dog received a grim cancer prognosis prompting tough decisions about treatment expenses. Meanwhile, their son embarked on intense summer training at West Point military academy, completely unreachable. Brian explains the couple grappled with what information to share, scared of word leaking to their son and further distracting him during the demanding new phase. We also gain insight into Amy’s initial reaction to the diagnosis, difficult side effects from medication, and ongoing treatment leaving her drained on bad days.
Despite feeling understandably private regarding these personal health updates, Brian pitched Amy on coming on his podcast to share details of her experience for other patients and caregivers. Her extroverted nature likely eased agreeing to such vulnerability, feeling empowered to provide information and comfort often lacking for those enduring illness solo. We learn Amy courageously opened up over a two-episode arc, with Brian citing the outpouring of kindness giving her a much-needed boost during an impossibly taxing ordeal.
The Mental Toll of Online Bullying and Creative Ways to Establish Boundaries
Our hosts Denise and James commiserate with Brian regarding relentless online toxicity, admitting they gleefully dove into their first troll attack as a perverse badge of honor that their efforts now irritated someone. But Brian notes the constant contending wears thin for even thick-skinned creatives, reminding all that up to half of such comments spew from real-life family or friends hiding behind screens. The trio explores complex motives from projection, mental health issues driving compulsions, to addictive personalities simply bored and desperate to feel significant through any means possible. We’re left considering more constructive policies than merely unleashing frustration back online, with psychology signaling boundary-setting and refusing the bait most beneficial for long-term change.
Producing Entertaining Episodes Consistently Despite Life Demands
As Brian continues experimenting with podcast formats to build connections and skills, he envisions ultimately partnering co-hosts to play off one another and split duties long-term. We get a glimpse behind the scenes of his creative approach producing episodes as he details the viral breakup installment with a former collaborator. While containing confessional elements of their split, Brian shaped the dialogue as a reality TV style finale, down to a surprise cut-to-black ending. His commitment generating weekly content amidst Amy’s health crisis and other family demands is inspiring, using the show as a test kitchen for trying new things during an undeniably difficult period.
Learning to Dial Back Social Media Presence for Self-Preservation When Passion Fades
Brian built a gardening community and following over nine years, only to slowly resent expectations maintaining such a carefully curated persona. As a self-described introvert, Brian is energized tinkering solo away from others’ gazes. He confesses slogging camera equipment outside, fretting over lighting only to have neighbors mow and ruin footage became less therapeutic over time. Brian began tapering social media posts even before fully quitting, feeling new endeavors like podcasting better feed his creative spirit sans strains of performing. We discuss that familiar identity crisis when hobbies morph into taxing jobs, learning to recognize when once-beloved outlets elicit more negative than positive returns.
Navigating Partnership Challenges and Awkward On-Air Endings
While Brian continues weighing if, how much, and when to share Amy’s ongoing treatment, we pivot to revisiting his former co-host Chelsea. He confirms they no longer speak outside scheduling their experimental podcast concept. Brian recalls excitedly pitching Chelsea each week on bringing new ideas to life, thrilled by her initial enthusiasm. But over time her inability to match his consistency became clear, failing to prepare guest questions or help market their efforts. Brian recalls both recognizing remaining aligned on vision proved impossible, deciding to stage their final episode as a dramatic on-air breakup. And despite plotting elements like a Love is Blind style finale, Brian confesses watching it back leaves him unsettled realizing cameras captured very real grief between two people losing both a show and friendship.
Conclusion
Brian offers an uplifting perspective on using creativity as therapy and leaning into supportive communities to overcome adversity. He encourages aspiring podcasters feeling doubtful in an increasingly saturated industry. With a mix of humor and vulnerability, Brian reminds us we each have a unique voice and message that the right listeners need to hear. We wish his wife Amy improved health on her continued cancer journey and look forward to future installments from this talented, resilient podcaster.