Owning the Mic: When Off Deadline Got Real How real moments and raw emotion turned one PR pro’s podcast into a space for truth and connection
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Melissa DiGianfilippo
Founder & CEO of Proof Publicity & Host of Off Deadline
Hosting Off Deadline has changed the way I think about storytelling. I started the show to pull back the curtain on journalism and remind people that the reporters, anchors, influencers, hosts and producers are human beings first. What I didn’t expect was how much those conversations would change me too.
There have been plenty of polished interviews over the years, but the ones that stay with me are never the ones we plan. They’re the moments that catch you off guard — when a guest shares something deeply personal, or the tone suddenly shifts from professional to painfully real. It might be a story about loss, burnout, or a personal crossroads they never thought they’d talk about publicly. You can feel it when it happens. The energy in the room changes, and you realize the mic is capturing something bigger than an interview.
One of the most unforgettable moments on Off Deadline came when a guest stopped mid-story, took a breath, and said, “I’ve never said this out loud before.” In that instant, I knew we had stepped into something raw and unfiltered. That’s when the show becomes what it’s meant to be — a space where truth takes over and connection replaces performance.
After moments like that, the tone of the show shifted. Guests started walking in ready to go deeper, ready to share not just their wins, but their hardest days. Listeners began reaching out, saying they didn’t expect to feel emotional listening to journalists talk about their work. That feedback reminded me why I created this series in the first place. Off Deadline was meant to get to know the journalists, influencers, and media pros that my team and I work with every day. I started it to build deeper relationships, and to help bring others in to really get to know these humans — the people they watch on their screens, read their articles, and hear their voices on podcasts and radio. It’s about giving those who tell everyone else’s stories a space to finally tell their own.
Those conversations changed my relationship with the audience too. The more real we got, the more people leaned in. Authenticity isn’t about oversharing or creating dramatic moments. It’s about being present. It’s about sitting across from someone and truly listening. As a host, that’s been the biggest lesson for me. The most powerful thing you can do isn’t asking the perfect question; it’s letting the silence breathe when something meaningful is said. That’s where connection lives.
What I’ve learned behind the mic is that vulnerability is contagious. When one person chooses to be real, it gives everyone else permission to do the same. And when that happens, you stop chasing the soundbite and start chasing truth. That’s when a podcast becomes something more than a show. It becomes a shared experience. Those are the moments that make me proudest to own the mic.
Melissa DiGianfilippo is the Founder and CEO of Proof Publicity, a results-driven PR agency based in Phoenix, and the creator and host of Off Deadline, a podcast and video series revealing the human stories behind the headlines. With more than 20 years of PR experience, she helps brands and media professionals tell stories that make an impact.
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