801: Must Be Rats on the Brain

Update: 2024-09-01

Description

The one animal we can’t seem to live without, even when we really, really want to.

Prologue: At the announcement of New York City’s inaugural rat czar, we meet Darneice Foster, who despises the rats outside her apartment. And host Ira Glass introduces two special co-hosts for today’s show. (11 minutes)
Act One: Producer Elna Baker meets Todd Sklar, a man who can’t quit rats. (22 minutes)
Act Two: Fifty years ago, New York City started to put garbage out in plastic bags. This has become the number one food source for rats. Producer Ike Sriskandarajah investigates the decision that led to the city’s rat baby boom. (10 minutes)
Act Three: How did Alberta, Canada pull off a feat that has eluded the rest of human civilization? Ira visits the largest rat-less land in the world. (15 minutes)
Act Four: We drop a hot mic into a hot mess of a rats’ nest. You’ll never believe what happens next. (3 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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Comments (11)

steve

2:50

Jun 19th

You're welcome.😋

Well I've dominated once again, with zero coherent pushback. 🏆 Pretty easy when the opposition decided to go all in, and base their entire personalities on a rapist traitor celebrity (Ronald McDonald Trump) who showed American nuclear secrets and attack plans to random people, utterly betraying the American people. Pretty hard to pretend that's ok isn't it? 🥳 Well...it's fun to push around helpless kids but it's just too easy...I'd like something more challenging than the obedient MAGA (make America Gay Again) to wreck. Utter and total victory for me once again. 😋 You're welcome. 🤴 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Check out the loser scrolling like an LOSER with no life! ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 😙

Jun 16th

You're welcome.😋

Got nothing huh? Works for me kiddo. 🏆 Poor sweet triggered kid had no choice but to admit defeat or change the subject. And we know how hard it is for defeated republicans to face the truth of losing.😉 Kid...Democrats don't want Biden. Catch up sweet weaktard. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Check out the loser scrolling like an LOSER with no life! ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Jun 16th

Kumhola

Bribery Boy is panicking because he faces the possibility of a Kennedy bleeding off half the Democrap vote, leaving all of the Republican votes for Trump, and that they can't monkey with this time.

Jun 15th

Reply (6)