This American Life

By: This American Life
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  • Summary

  • Each week we choose a theme. Then anything can happen. This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.
    Copyright 1995-2025 This American Life
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Art Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • 857: Museum of Now

    857: Museum of Now
    Mar 30 2025

    Artifacts and exhibits of this particular moment we are living through.

    Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.

    • Exhibit One: Ira talks to producer Emmanuel Dzotsi, who brings the first exhibit into the studio with him: a chunk of concrete with some yellow paint on it. He got it from the demolition site in Washington, DC, where the giant Black Lives Matter letters are being dug out of the street with heavy equipment. (8 minutes)
    • Exhibit Two: Producer Aviva DeKornfeld talks to Ranjani Srinivasan, who tells the story of how her life was transformed over five days via a series of events that started out confusing and escalated to frightening. (25 minutes)
    • Exhibit Three: Producer Laura Starecheski takes us inside one dramatic court hearing on the Trump administration’s executive order and new policy banning transgender people from serving in the military. (20 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • 464: Invisible Made Visible

    464: Invisible Made Visible
    Mar 23 2025

    The radio version of an episode we did live on stage and beamed to movie theaters. David Sedaris, Tig Notaro, Ryan Knighton, and the late David Rakoff in his final performance on the show. The other half of this two-hour show was visual, including dancers, animation, and more. You can watch it on YouTube.

    Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.

    • Ira interviews Ryan Knighton, a blind guy who had a very peculiar experience with a hotel room telephone. (7 minutes)
    • Act One: Ryan Knighton tells a story about trying to get his daughter to understand his blindness. (7 minutes)
    • Act Two: Famous people are supposed to be somewhere else, invisible to us. Comedian Tig Notaro tells this story about repeatedly running into Taylor Dayne, who was a pop star in the late 80s and early 90s. At the end of the story, we have a little surprise for Tig. (16 minutes)
    • Act Three: David Rakoff tells this story, about the invisible processes that can happen inside our bodies and the visible effects they eventually have. (15 minutes)
    • Act Four: Ira Glass's sister once met David Sedaris, and commented that he was much nicer than she thought he would be, given his writing. David replied, "I'm not nice, just two-faced." In this story, David shares the thoughts running through his head as he attempts to buy a cup of coffee. (8 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    1 hr
  • 856: You’ve Come to the Right Person

    856: You’ve Come to the Right Person
    Mar 16 2025

    Sometimes, life’s biggest mysteries require one very specific person to answer them.

    Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.

    • Prologue: 7-year-old Miles has lots of questions. More specifically, he has questions about the famous car chase from “The Blues Brothers” movie. We arrange for him to talk to stunt coordinator Gary Powell so he can get the answers he so desperately wants. (9 minutes)
    • Act One: Producer Aviva DeKornfeld looks into why comedian Daniel Sloss’s comedy special has been responsible for so many couples breaking up. (17 minutes)
    • Act Two: We hear from Kwaneta Harris, a former nurse incarcerated in Texas, who is constantly asked for medical advice by her neighbors. (17 minutes)
    • Act Three: Producer Diane Wu talks to Juna, a young woman who is getting advice from someone uniquely equipped to guide her to the love life she wants. (12 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    1 hr and 2 mins

What listeners say about This American Life

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Profile Image for Jackson

Life changing, life defining

I’m nowhere near the age to have kids but if I were a parent I’d share and bond over this podcast and the truly life changing impact it’s had on my life and I. My favorite hour each week is spent on the edge of a metaphorical seat with Ira’s sultry whispering caressing my earbuds. 😅😘

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Profile Image for Joseph

fantastic

Absolutely one of my favourite episodes, thank you! Would love it if you were able to do another such mystery episode regarding old houses or belongings and the search for the person's who owned them.

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Profile Image for Jennifer

Ira, you are the bezt

I hope you read these personally because I want you to know that I love these stories. I tell everyone I know to listen. Thank you for all that you think of, find and share.

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Profile Image for Glen Dingley

Great Podcast

I love the stories that they pick and choose and their discussion is very well done I have learned a lot in a lot in these podcasts good job!

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Profile Image for Marci Raney

loved this

just the absolute best podcast. I'm continually learning and just feel better having such rich content to absorb. Thank you Ira Glass!

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Profile Image for Harlow

Absolutely fascinating...

TAL was the first "podcast" before the term existed.i am so glad to have rediscovered it.

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Profile Image for Lonora

I loved Act 1 (Pirates of the Carib-Bean Town)

I couldn't stop laughing af the image the storyteller painted....and what happened when they revisited the story.

....act 2, not so much

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My favorite PODCAST by far!

Wish I could download more than just the ten episodes at a time! I love listening in my car.

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Profile Image for Jeffrey

A wonderful tribute

Beautiful and Moving stories throughout the episode, I couldn't stop listening. Thank you for sharing this again.

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