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AquaticIguana posted:By real stories I meant the usual "send a reporter to tell about a thing" stories. I must have gotten unlucky with Sedaris episodes. Beides one episode about his screwed up Dad, all I remember are his animal fables. A good place to start with him is the story that made him famous, The Santaland Diaries. You can hear it here: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/47/christmas-and-commerce Incidentally, if anyone ever wants to look up episodes by contributor, the website has a really easy way to do that here http://www.thisamericanlife.org/contributors
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Nov 9, 2011 17:14
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| # ? Apr 16, 2024 22:28 |
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FAO of anybody who listened to the drug court episode: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/blog/2011/11/judge-amanda-williams-faces-charges
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Nov 10, 2011 17:00
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Good, that piece of poo poo deserves worse. On the other hand, I couldn't stand the 2nd? story of episode 449: Middle School. The way he described the "Two Mimis" infuriated me for some reason. Maybe because the mother took the clothing money from the other kids and gave it to them. "I know mimi!" Uuuugh 
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Nov 10, 2011 17:58
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FAT WORM OF ERROR posted:FAO of anybody who listened to the drug court episode: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/blog/2011/11/judge-amanda-williams-faces-charges Awesome, thanks for posting this, I wouldn't have found out otherwise. I can't wait to follow this, I'm glad she didn't step down, I hope all the horrible things she's done come out. And I'm catching up on my backlog of downloaded episodes, I just finished Auto Show and now I want to see one of those Db Drag Races, I think it would be hilarious to witness. ilysespieces fucked around with this message at 19:29 on Nov 10, 2011 |
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Nov 10, 2011 19:27
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I'll also join in on the Sedaris hate. How can you even tell what's fictional and what's not. Even the real stories of comedians are filled with exaggeration and hyperbole. They're just big wastes of time. I remember the stories about the cruelty of children and there was a story about a man in a well. Thanks for the story about what cruel children might do.
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Nov 11, 2011 05:40
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UltraRed posted:I'll also join in on the Sedaris hate. How can you even tell what's fictional and what's not. Even the real stories of comedians are filled with exaggeration and hyperbole. They're just big wastes of time. The man in the well wasn't Sedaris. It's also one of the more memorable stories TAL has ever had.
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Nov 11, 2011 05:50
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The best comedy bit from This American Life, I think it was on the power-mad janitor episode, I could be wrong. Kumail Nanjiani http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keypPSIu7o0
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Nov 11, 2011 07:04
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maniacripper posted:The best comedy bit from This American Life, I think it was on the power-mad janitor episode, I could be wrong. I remember that one, it was from the episode Million Dollar Idea. I have no idea why it was in there, it came out of nowhere right after the segment on elevator speeches and the competition for them. Apparently it was it's own act, which I obviously forgot/didn't realize at the time. That episode was one of my favorites, the final act was the one about the guy who beat Press Your Luck and it was fascinating.
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Nov 11, 2011 07:09
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ilysespieces posted:I remember that one, it was from the episode Million Dollar Idea. I have no idea why it was in there, it came out of nowhere right after the segment on elevator speeches and the competition for them. Apparently it was it's own act, which I obviously forgot/didn't realize at the time. Yeah that was a really interesting story. The cigarette companies hiring marketers to market the killing ability in cigs was weird though. Did the results get leaked or was their final pitch put out with full faith by the companies? I forget.
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Nov 11, 2011 07:16
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maniacripper posted:Yeah that was a really interesting story. The cigarette companies hiring marketers to market the killing ability in cigs was weird though. Did the results get leaked or was their final pitch put out with full faith by the companies? I forget. I think they said after the initial backlash of the study being released by the companies that they just stopped talking about it altogether. Unless you're asking something different and I'm just misunderstanding what you're saying.
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Nov 11, 2011 08:45
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danifestmestny posted:Thanks, I'm from the town where Nummi was located, I'll check this one out. It's an amazing story and really tells you something about how awful the American car companies got, what could have been, and how things happened the way they did. It's also pretty touching at points.
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Nov 11, 2011 10:40
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maxnmona posted:The man in the well wasn't Sedaris. It's also one of the more memorable stories TAL has ever had. Anyone remember which episode that was? I remember loving that story.
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Nov 14, 2011 19:58
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That story was in #27 - "Cruelty of Children." Incredible episode - the first one that I really remember.
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Nov 15, 2011 15:53
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Sometime we will listen to TAL in the car on long road trips, and while I enjoy the content there are two audio things that are annoying. 1) Ira's voice is really "clicky clacky" to me, and it make him hard to understand sometimes and 2) the whole show in general could use ... compression? It's too raw, and the contrasts in the audio are distracting, even to the point of having to turn the volume up or down constantly. It doesn't bother my wife, so maybe it's just the car audio or maybe I'm just deaf. I just can't believe I'm the only one in the world.
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Nov 15, 2011 21:23
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Bruce Hussein Daddy posted:Sometime we will listen to TAL in the car on long road trips, and while I enjoy the content there are two audio things that are annoying. 1) Ira's voice is really "clicky clacky" to me, and it make him hard to understand sometimes and 2) the whole show in general could use ... compression? It's too raw, and the contrasts in the audio are distracting, even to the point of having to turn the volume up or down constantly. It doesn't bother my wife, so maybe it's just the car audio or maybe I'm just deaf. I just can't believe I'm the only one in the world. Listen to the beginning of a show and notice how he says "This Amerikung Life" It drives me crazy.
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Nov 16, 2011 00:39
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When I first heard Ira's voice, the first thing I thought was, "this guy does not have a voice for radio." I was also shocked to find out he wasn't in his 20's.
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Nov 16, 2011 13:41
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I like Glass's voice. Am I the only one who thinks he and Alex Bloomberg from Planet Money sound EXACTLY alike?
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Nov 16, 2011 16:59
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UltraRed posted:When I first heard Ira's voice, the first thing I thought was, "this guy does not have a voice for radio." I think most people are more shocked to find out he isn't gay. danifestmestny posted:I like Glass's voice. Am I the only one who thinks he and Alex Bloomberg from Planet Money sound EXACTLY alike? There was one Planet Money podcast where he was interviewing someone and he introduced himself as being from public radio and the woman immediately said "Oh yeah, I love your This American Life."
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Nov 16, 2011 17:01
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maxnmona posted:There was one Planet Money podcast where he was interviewing someone and he introduced himself as being from public radio and the woman immediately said "Oh yeah, I love your This American Life."
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Nov 16, 2011 17:09
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There was something in her voice that had me hear it the same way maxnmona did. That was from a few weeks ago and then Alex appeared briefly on TAL on the middle school episode and my brain imploded for 15 seconds
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Nov 16, 2011 17:15
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danifestmestny posted:There was something in her voice that had me hear it the same way maxnmona did. That was from a few weeks ago and then Alex appeared briefly on TAL on the middle school episode and my brain imploded for 15 seconds
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Nov 16, 2011 17:17
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I'm finally listening to Episode 403 (thanks again for the suggestion) about NUMMI and it's hilarious and embarrassing.
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Nov 16, 2011 17:21
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danifestmestny posted:I'm finally listening to Episode 403 (thanks again for the suggestion) about NUMMI and it's hilarious and embarrassing.
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Nov 16, 2011 17:23
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Hoops posted:Oh yeah I remember that. Had to stop and skip back a minute to figure out what was happening. Re: that ep, I really liked his input. I taught history and science in one of San Francisco's worst middle schools and days where we got to go outside and I did a lesson in the park were the best days for everyone. I had similar "out-there" ideas like Blumberg's - middle school would be a lot more useful if it's standards focused on social and life skills instead of a traditional curriculum. Cut to the principal who dismisses that thought right away and then ends her response with "we've got to try everything we can." Fucker.
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Nov 16, 2011 17:29
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Mrens posted:I saw Ira Glass live yesterday, it was a lot of fun, he talked about his experience on the show, had a bunch of unused clips from other episodes, elaborated on what it takes to make just one episode, he also took questions from the audience which were great. I just saw Ira do a live show in Laramie last weekend, and I can not overstate how much fun it was. He does a really amazing live show, just him, an iPad, and his sound clips/music. Anyone who is a fan of the show should really try to see him live.
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Nov 17, 2011 04:40
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Brekelefuw posted:Listen to the beginning of a show and notice how he says "This Amerikung Life" It drives me crazy. Here's Colbert interviewing him, this comes up actually. It's good stuff. http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/225499/april-22-2009/ira-glass Ira rules, he's got this quality about him where you see him interact with someone and think, "He's good people, I'm glad he's doing well".
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Nov 17, 2011 07:26
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Goddamn, 3 pages and no mention of the episode that got me hooked. Mothafuckin' Pimp Anthropology! From their website: This entire show is devoted to just one story. A former pimp tells how he and three childhood friends became pimps in the 1970s in Oakland, California. He explains all the elaborate "rules of the game" among pimps and prostitutes of that era. He didn't have the stomach for the violence of pimping, and failed as a pimp because of that. Tamar Brott reports. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/127/pimp-anthropology It's just... classic. Just amazing to hear this dude describe pimping in the 70's era and just... hilarious. Also I think it's called Neighbours or something but there's one episode from way back in the 90's wherein they interview Mr. Rogers and ask him how to solve a dispute between hispanic stoop-chilling youths and the local community.
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Nov 20, 2011 19:09
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Here's a pretty insightful interview with Ira, mainly about the way that the production of TAL works: http://www.full-stop.net/2011/11/03/interviews/liv-combe/ira-glass/
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Nov 21, 2011 12:34
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This week's TAL has made me realize how much I hate college kids. Jesus Christ that was insufferable.
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Nov 21, 2011 16:36
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Bunk Rogers posted:This week's TAL has made me realize how much I hate college kids. Jesus Christ that was insufferable. WOOOOOO! I"M TWEEEEENTY ONNNNNNNNNNNNE!!!! How in the gently caress do those homeowners not beat the poo poo out of those kids with baseball bats? I mean gently caress, you find a drunk college kid sleeping in your young daughters room?
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Nov 21, 2011 17:15
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I downloaded it but I was unsure if I'd enjoy it, especially considering I'm from the UK and can't relate to US college life. Is it worth listening to?
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Nov 21, 2011 17:26
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Lady Gaza posted:I downloaded it but I was unsure if I'd enjoy it, especially considering I'm from the UK and can't relate to US college life. Is it worth listening to? Totally! It's a great contrast of stories from two years ago and two weeks ago.
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Nov 21, 2011 17:48
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I just listened to #142 Barbara which follows the life of a black single mother in South Chicago for 7 months. They should really do a follow-up show on this family, that was a great episode.
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Nov 21, 2011 20:20
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This is one of my favorite forms of media anywhere. I had a summer job where I did data entry for 40 hours a week a few years back, and I did nothing but listen to This American Life and Teaching Company audio files on my ipod for thousands of hours that summer. It was the best summer. One moment I remember from the show was about a mother who had her child die in a car accident, but his heart was saved and used as an organ transplant to someone. Years later, she met the person who received the heart, and broke down crying while putting her face to the person's chest, listening to her dead child's heart beat in someone else's body.
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Nov 23, 2011 05:25
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Solkanar512 posted:WOOOOOO! I"M TWEEEEENTY ONNNNNNNNNNNNE!!!! How in the gently caress do those homeowners not beat the poo poo out of those kids with baseball bats? My parents are professors, so I grew up basically on campus living in a house closer to the main grounds than the freshman dorms. Not as much of a party school as the one in the story, but still pretty bad. I nodded in agreement to the tampon thing, then shuddered. Also fun: Stepping in puke with bare feet in the early AM when going down the walk to get the paper. Towing someone's car out of our own garage Not being allowed to drive into my street for ~an hour on game days. Just wanna go home and eat some dinner? Sorry, gotta drive around for a while until the cops blocking traffic leave. I remember during a 'what do you want to do with your life' sort of thing in fourth grade I said I didn't want to go to college because all you do is listen to loud music and yell while people across the street are trying to sleep. I basically nailed it.
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Nov 24, 2011 01:25
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RE: Ira's voice I hated it at first. I thought "who is this dweeb? He doesn't have the authority in his voice to comment on these stories, nevermind run his own show! Where's the timbre, where's the spark?" But he's grown on me of course. I think the main thing I like about his voice now is how relaxed and unproduced he can sound. He's also not afraid to let some emotion creep in, particularly shock or humour, and it mirrors the listener's feelings really well most of the time. Anyway, has anyone heard the episode where he finds recordings of his dad's own radio career? His dad's radio voice is basically the quintessential 50's golden tone and it's hilarious to compare it to Ira. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/14/accidental-documentaries It's also a brilliant episode overall. It's about found audio and the stories it can tell.
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Nov 24, 2011 11:15
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Judge Amanda Williams from #430, Very Tough Love that aired last spring has been charged with 12 counts of misconduct. That episode was a great piece of journalism and I'm sure it's gratifying to see that it had an impact. I'm accustomed to the storytelling style of TAL and I enjoy it (as long as it's not Sedaris) but I've really liked these big investigative pieces they've been doing, like this one and the Nathan Myhrvold/Intellectual Ventures episode.
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Nov 24, 2011 20:11
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I was working through the archives (last few months) and just listened to the one about creating a job. One thing that does annoy me as I don't particularly love Ira's voice but I've gotten used to it, is when he and others (in this case I forget her money but she is part of planet money) do interviews and react in a very coy and incredulous response. I.E. (Making this up but): IRA: You mean to say that after you stole the apple pie from your neighbor they came over with a gun?! REALLY?! THAT'S, JUST....AMAZING! I don't know if this even makes sense to you guys but there is something how they sometimes position their questions that really bothers me like they're playing dumb or something. I don't know. I love the show and all my complaints are nitpicks honestly.
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Nov 26, 2011 22:29
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I see what you mean soggybagel but I can't help thinking it would be worse if they just had a hard-journalism approach of maintaining neutral tone at all times. Ira should be sincere on the show, and if something amazes him I'd like to know that.
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Nov 27, 2011 08:08
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Re: Ira's Voice While at work tonight, I was listening to some old TAL episodes and heard one that I hadn't heard in a while -- #259 Promised Land. This features, as you may recall, Ira Glass singing his "I Wish" song for the show. It is possibly one of the worst things I have ever heard. I don't mind his speaking voice (kind of like it, actually), but... oh, Ira. Never sing again.
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Nov 27, 2011 11:07
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