“That Metal Show” Was For Sale

I was a regular contributor to a hard rock and metal podcast. I not only guest hosted shows, I also wrote for the show’s web site. This is where things started to get squirrelly. My initial contact with the podcast was to join as a paid writer. I love to write and the subject matter was something I am passionate about. The deal was $10 for every article that written. Well as soon as I started pumping out quality content, the show host told me to back off because he could only afford $10 a month. That constraint did not sit well with me due to the fact I wasn’t told this. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed contributing to the show and wrote whenever I could and told the boss to pay me what he could. I knew this wasn’t a job, it was a hobby. That being said, a deal is a deal.

After talking to the host about a new guest I booked, the host mentioned that he had a deal in place and wondered if I would be interested in investing. I cautiously said yes due to the fact this guy couldn’t even deliver on his $10 an article promise. Our conversation about the matter took place right after Thanksgiving.

In early December I submitted an article which was published. The host’s email in response asked if he could hold off all future $10 payments until he found a new job. In response, I called him to see if I could buy into his web site. The deal would be to pay a substantial fee and in return, I would co-host every show plus advertise for my company and an associate company. He was non comital and did not seem interested in the financial incentive for his site and show. It was obvious he felt he needed to control his brand despite the fact I would surpass all of his Patreon subscription money.

He called me a few days later to ask if I would be interested in the investment he mentioned around Thanksgiving. I asked him straight up what it was for. He then proceeded to tell me he wanted to buy the name of Eddie Trunk’s former TV show. Eddie did not own the name “That Metal Show”. Some guy from VH1 did. I said I was interested in order to find out how much money was needed.

“Somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000,” he said. “I think there is value and I could sell it to networks and platforms to get it on air. My wife could be a host. I really think this could be big if we got it on something like Amazon.” He wanted 100% of the creative while I was putting in most if not all of the money.

Part of me was very interested and part of me knew this was complete madness. Then he said, “Chris Jericho really wants to buy the name and resurrect the show.” Yes, it was the wrestler and lead singer of Fozzy who was also interested.

I said I was interested but I knew I had to do a little homework in order for this to work. After consulting people in the music industry and business industry, the consensus was ‘That Metal Show” had very little value. If I made the investment, I needed most if not all creative control.

As January rolled around I knew I was meeting the host face to face in Atlanta at a convention. As with many circumstances today, the host did not have the courtesy to discuss such an important matter in person. He was distracted by everything. Like most people of his ilk, he was most comfortable texting, emailing and messaging on Twitter. At that point, I realized if he couldn’t talk about a $20,000 investment I did not want anything to do with the purchase of the name “That Metal Show.”

As of today, no one has bought it and Eddie Trunk talks about hos helpless he is in reviving the show without mentioning he has no stake in the show’s name.