Sometimes for over 6 hours a day I will listen to This American Life. I constantly explore the archives to mine for episodes that suit my particular mood that day.
As described on the show's website...
"It's a weekly show. It's an hour. Its mission is to document everyday life in this country. We sometimes think of it as a documentary show for people who normally hate documentaries. A public radio show for people who don't necessarily care for public radio."
I am in so deep that my everyday conversations, observations, language and way of speaking constantly references the radio show.
In fact for Anirvan's birthday I went so far as to compile the 'Anirvan stories' that his friends had written, into "This Anirvanian Life" including a prologue in Anirvan's own words. It was missing the musical interludes between the 'Acts'and of course Ira Glass's signature voice. His friends did a great job of reading it aloud though..
The addiction started the evening we had dinner at Wendy's place not so long ago. After a delicious dinner she put on the cd she had of the classic 'This American Life' episode of the Squirrel Cop. I was first completely awe-struck by the absurdity of what was a true story. By the end of the 14 minutes that the story lasted I was completely hooked.Being a person who responds to visual media more than audio I was quite surprised by my reaction. But then maybe that was it! The story telling was so brilliant that it brought visual life to the non stop action that takes place.
Wendy even gave us her 'Paint by numbers' squirrel on fire drawing.
The listening hasn't stopped since then.
Another episode I really enjoyed is called How to Win Friends and Influence People. Act 2 is especially perceptive of the way diplomatic phone calls work.
After the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, U.S. diplomats had to start working the phones... to assemble a coalition of nations to combat this new threat. Some of the calls, you get the feeling, were not the easiest to make. Writer and performer Tami Sagher imagines what those calls were like. (6 minutes)
Enjoy!
This American Life rocks. In the Bay Area, it plays Saturdays on KQED 88.5 FM from noon to 1pm, and 10 to 11pm; and Sundays on KALW 91.7 FM from 1 to 2pm.
Also recommended is "Radio," a comic documentary about the show by the ever-fabulous Jessica Abel.
can I just tell you why we are best friends. Cause, that one TAL show with about getting together a coalition of US friends after 9/11 is like my FAVORITE skit ever. In fact, Bryant and I would do imitatios of it for weeks after we heard it. We should have our own "little coahlish" sometime soon.