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This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.
121 Episodes
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61Stories of other universes that are just like our own, but with one small difference.
Intimate and personal dispatches from two very different battlefields: A small town in the Syrian war. And the U.S. opioid epidemic. Each came from a DIY radio outfit. (Okay, one’s a podcast.)
For the holidays, stories of families finally addressing the thorny thing they’ve never really talked about.
No Christmas can ever be as good as the ones you had as a kid. But this week we go all in and bring the joy, the spontaneity, the sense that anything can happen back to Christmas.
Stories of the mysterious hold supers have on their buildings, or their buildings have on them.
There's a lot that can be gained from unearthing the past -- learning about oneself, learning about others. But, it doesn't always go how you'd expect.
Reports from the frontlines of the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" asylum policy. We hear from asylum seekers waiting across the border in Mexico, in a makeshift refugee camp, and from the officers who sent them there to wait in the first place.
Stories about being little. Secret writings in tiny letters. The power of a very small number. And a medication that's supposed to cure shortness.
For over 100 days now, protesters in Hong Kong have taken to the streets every weekend. What it’s like to live through that.
The staff goes to one of the biggest parties in New York City, the Labor Day Carnival and the West Indian American Day Parade in Brooklyn.
This week, a story about doubt: how it germinated, spread, and eventually took hold of an entire community, with terrible consequences. A collaboration with The Marshall Project and ProPublica, the print version of the story was written by Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller.
Stories of people who decide the only way forward — for real change — is to burn everything to the ground.
Two people, sitting down over a beer, hashing out their differences and understanding where the other guy is coming from. Hard to imagine these days, right? It's so rare right now that someone is curious enough to actually see the other person's point of view. This week on the show, beer summits. Including going behind the scenes of the most famous one ever.
Stories of people breaking the rules fully, completely and with no bad consequences. Some justify this by saying they’re doing it for others, or for a greater good. Some really don’t care. And, unlike the mealy weaklings you usually hear on this program: None of these wrongdoers seem regretful about what they’ve done in the slightest.
There's the thing you plan to do, and then there's the thing you end up doing. Most of us start off our lives with some Plan A, which we abandon...switching to a Plan B, which becomes our life.
Nine radio reporters. Two days. One rest stop on the New York State Thruway. Stories of people who are just passing through, and the ones who can’t leave, because this is where their jobs are.
What if someone told you about a type of therapy that could help you work through unhealed trauma in just ten sessions? Some people knock through it in two weeks. Jaime Lowe tried the therapy—and recorded it.
What happens when our most ingenious creations actually make it out into the world.
Stories of people held captive — by criminals, by paperwork, and in one man's case, his own body — and the ways they try to cope.
Exactly how incompetent you are. What your ex’s best friend really thinks of you. The approximate time that you will die. Some things in life are better not to know about. And sometimes there can be a benefit to not knowing. In this episode — examples of ignorance truly being bliss, or even being an asset.
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B. C.
the sklar brothers from dumb people town???
Stacey Bear
I need to find that app! what is it called???
Sarah Johnstone
I come back to hear the wolf spider mating dance imitation when I need a pick me up :3
fawkes
you guys cover things from the right wing perspective a lot. like we need to hear what ICE thinks, or police, or immigration courts. let's assume the Justice system or immigration system is legitimate and go from there. let's have the oppressors tell the stories of the oppressed. wtf. ftp.
Drew Anderson
how many times is this show gonna recycle episodes?
Heather Boylen
I love the mom and daughter wedding song story, I can’t quit laughing either!
Heather Boylen
Having kids made me appreciate my parents, especially my mother in a completely different way
Sélim CHAMAT
Excellent content as usual. But what's with the machine-gun narration? Relax, pace, ARTICULATE!
Leanne Sarubbi
This was a remarkably good episode!
Holls Balls
I’m a parent and I hate these adults who cry “my parents didn’t MAKE me do the thing I want to do now, wah wah!!”. To expect parents to pause their life any more than they already do for their kids (ESPECIALLY immigrant parents trying to assimilate) to teach just one more (very hard to learn skill like a language, an instrument, etc) and invest more money into it as well, is selfish and insane. You are a brat, ms reporter. Have a child and work full time and get them into sports/dance/music/etc and then FORCE one more super difficult lesson on top. Try to overcome the “I don’t want to!” And “I hate this!!” And “why do I have to?!?”. Pay the 100-1000$ a month for private lessons. Use up your spare time. Then tell me how long you last pushing this thing.
Russell lee
as a grade A fck up. (in the past and sometimes now) I'm glad to say my old man(in his 80s and still climbing ladders at our great distress) NEVER fcked with me about anything.
Russell lee
say NO to the birthday of a mythical figure and 10,000 campfire stories
B. C.
I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe
Spoorthi Pema
one of the best episodes!
Drew Anderson
This is truly awful.
Russell lee
served his time. I'm good with it. hes obviously rehabilitated. no Gambling since 04. Gambling is as difficult to quit as Heroin is. the endorphin Hit is a rush that they keep having to up as time goes. very difficult to quit.. walk a mile in another mans/or womens shoes.
Lucy Tobier
I loved this video! I laughed out loud so many times and almost choked!
Cliff Bates
bad episode? no. horrible.
Anthony
I remember this. Steven Spielberg ended up hosting a discussion panel at Castlemont HD.
Holls Balls
Say NO to improve. Gross