The Mystery Podcaster

What makes somebody a superstar?

A friend of mine who worked for ZZ Top told me a story about their manager, Bill Ham. He refused MTV's request for the band to do an "Unplugged" special and album.

This was when MTV Unplugged was HOT and being on the show was an almost guaranteed way to sell a million albums.

Why pass up an opportunity like this?

Because Bill Ham believed in "mystery." Which is also why the guys from ZZ Top weren't even the main characters in their music videos.

I believe in mystery too. This is one reason I suggest you never put your photo on your podcast artwork. And it's one of many reasons I advise podcasters to focus on audio rather than video.

"Theater of the Mind" is powerful.

Has this ever happened to you?

We've all had a friend in a relationship with a person who didn't exist. In other words, the friend loved what he imagined that person to be, not who the person actually was.

You may have done the same thing. I certainly have.

That's the downside of "theater of the mind." It can keep you in a fantasy world that isn't good for you.

But the upside is powerful and good.

ZZ Top had mystery. Radio hosts like Wolfman Jack had mystery. It makes them more exciting than they actually are. And that's fine when it's just entertainment—it can even be helpful.

Consider this when producing your podcast episodes and your work on social media. Leave in some mystery. You don't have to tell everybody everything.