When Podcast Pitches Feel Creepy: A Note on “I Saw Your Show on Spotify”

After 18 years of hosting a 100% audio podcast, I’ve seen just about every kind of guest pitch land in my inbox. Some are thoughtful, specific, and clearly written by people who actually listen. Others… are not.

Recently, I received a pitch that opened with: “I remember being in the gym when I first saw your show on Spotify. Been listening to you ever since. Left ya a 5‑star rating on there too!”

My show has always been audio‑only. No video. The “saw your show” phrasing, combined with an unverifiable claim about a 5‑star rating, set off alarm bells immediately. It felt less like a genuine memory and more like a manufactured “personal” hook designed to make me lower my guard.

This is a growing problem in podcasting:

Mass‑produced pitches dressed up as intimate stories.

Vague references to platforms and reviews that a host can’t actually verify.

Language that could be copy‑pasted into an email to any host in any niche.

None of this necessarily means the person is a scammer. In fact, many of these pitches come from real experts and professional speakers with decent credentials. But it does mean one important thing: they are not writing to you as a host; they are writing at scale and hoping you will say yes.

Here’s my rule of thumb: if a pitch feels creepy, off, or just slightly dishonest, I am under no obligation to investigate further. I don’t need to double‑check Spotify. I don’t need to respond “just in case.” My discomfort is enough data.

For hosts, that’s the takeaway:

You are allowed to trust your gut.

You don’t owe a platform to anyone who shows up uninvited in your inbox.

“I saw your show on Spotify” is not a relationship; it’s a line.

And for would‑be guests and publicists, here’s yours:

If you want to be taken seriously, skip the fabricated meet‑cute. Don’t tell me a story about how you “saw” my audio‑only show at the gym. Show me you understand my audience, my format, and the kind of conversations I actually host.

An authentic connection doesn’t need a gimmick. It needs respect—for the host, for the listeners, and for the truth.

Denise Griffitts, Host of Your Partner In Success Radio and The Closers Inner Circle Podcast