Information about This American Life

This American Life
Other names	Your Radio Playhouse
Genre	Radio short stories
Running time	ca. 60 min.
Country	United States
Language(s)	English
Home station	WBEZ
Host(s)	Ira Glass
Creator(s)	Ira Glass Torey Malatia
Writer(s)	Various
Producer(s)	Julie Snyder Jane Feltes Sarah Koenig Lisa Pollak Alissa Shipp Nancy Updike Alex Blumberg
Executive producer(s)	Ira Glass
Narrated by	Ira Glass
Recording studio	Chicago, Illinois
Air dates	17 November 1995 – present
Audio format	Stereophonic
Website	www.thisamericanlife.org
Podcast feed	TAL Podcast

This American Life (TAL) is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by Chicago Public Radio. It is distributed by Public Radio International and is also available as a free weekly podcast. TAL, hosted by Ira Glass, is primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, although it has also featured essays, memoirs, field recordings, short fiction, and found footage.

A television program sharing the name and basic structure of the radio program airs on the Showtime cable network, and features Ira Glass as the host and executive producer. The first episode aired on March 22, 2007.^[1]

Format

Each week's show loosely centers on a particular theme. The theme of the show is explored in several "acts," usually two to five. On occasion, an entire program will consist of a single act. A notable exception was the show "20 Acts in 60 Minutes", which broke the normal convention by presenting twenty acts in one hour. Each act is produced using a combination of staff and freelance contributors.

Content varies widely by episode, and stories are often told as first-person narratives. The mood of the show ranges from gloomy to ironic, from thought-provoking to hilarious. The show often addresses current events, such as Hurricane Katrina in "After the Flood." Listeners are just as likely to be introduced to subjects and or issues completely new to them as the island nation of Nauru in the story, "The Middle of Nowhere". Often This American Life features stories which explore aspects of human nature, such as "Kid Logic", which presented pieces on the faulty reasoning of children.

The end credits of each show are read by Ira Glass, and include a quotation extracted from some portion of that show, which Glass attributes out of context to WBEZ general manager Torey Malatia.

History

Radio

Ira Glass, the creator of This American Life, has served as producer and host since its November 17, 1995 debut . The show's first year was produced on a budget that was tight even by U.S. public radio standards: US$243,000 outfitted a studio, covered marketing costs, purchased satellite time, and paid for four full-time staffers and various freelance writers and reporters.<ref name="slate" /> National syndication began in June 1996 when Public Radio International formed a distribution partnership with the program. It now airs on 509 public radio stations in the United States, reaching an estimated 1.7 million listeners each week.<ref name="nymag" /> The show is also carried on XM Satellite Radio over the XM Public Radio channel.

Originally titled Your Radio Playhouse, the show's name was changed beginning with the March 21, 1996 episode. The reference to each segment of the show as an "act" is a holdover from its original "playhouse theme." TAL helped launch the literary careers of many including contributing editor Sarah Vowell and essayists Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris.<ref name="nymag" />

Television

Discussions of a television adaptation of TAL date back to at least 1999.^[2] In January 2006, Showtime announced it had greenlighted six episodes of a new series based on TAL.^[3] The announcement noted that each half-hour episode "will be hosted by Ira Glass and will explore a single theme or topic through the unique juxtaposition of first-person storytelling and whimsical narrative."<ref name="sho" />

For budgetary reasons, Ira Glass and four of the radio show's producers left Chicago for New York, where Showtime is headquartered.^[4] In January 2007, it was announced that Glass had completed production on the show's first season, with the first episode set to premiere on March 22. TAL has a contract for a total of 30 shows over the next four years.^[5]

Film

Stories from TAL have been used as the basis of movie scripts. In 2002 the show signed a six-figure deal with Warner Bros. giving the studio two years of "first-look" rights to its hundreds of past and future stories.^[6] One film to have apparently emerged from the deal is Unaccompanied Minors, a 2006 film directed by Paul Feig and reportedly based on "In The Event of An Emergency, Put Your Sister in an Upright Position" from "Babysitting."^[7]

Potential Warner Bros films:^[8]

• "Niagara," which explored the town of Niagara Falls, New York, after those who sought to exploit the tourism and hydroelectrical opportunities of the area left;
• Wonder Woman, from "Superpowers," the story of an adolescent who took steps to become the superhero she dreamed of being, well into adulthood;
• "Act V," about the last act of Hamlet as staged by inmates from a maximum security prison as part of Prison Performing Arts Adult Theatre Projects.

Paramount Pictures and Broadway Video are in production on Curly Oxide and Vic Thrill, a film based on the TAL story in the episode "My Experimental Phase."^[9]

Live tours

This American Life has taken the radio show on the road three times since 2000; material recorded on each of the three tours has been edited into an episode which aired on the radio shortly after the tour.

• "Birthdays, Anniversaries and Milestones," recorded in December 2000 in Boston (Berklee Performance Center), New York, Chicago (Merle Reskin Theatre), and Los Angeles. Performers included Sarah Vowell, Russell Banks, David Rakoff, Ian Brown, and OK Go.
• "Lost in America," recorded in May 2003 in Boston, Washington, D.C., Portland, Denver, and Chicago. Performers included Sarah Vowell, Davy Rothbart, and Jonathan Goldstein. Jon Langford of the Mekons led the "Lost in America House Band" during the show.
• "What I Learned from Television," recorded in February and March, 2007 in New York City (February 26 at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center); Boston (February 27 at the Boston Opera House); Minneapolis (February 28 at the Orpheum Theatre); Chicago (March 1 at the Chicago Theatre); Seattle (March 7 at the Paramount Theatre); and Los Angeles (March 12 at Royce Hall, UCLA). Performers on this tour included David Rakoff, Sarah Vowell, John Hodgman, Dan Savage, Jonathan Goldstein, and Chris Wilcha. In New York, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Minneapolis, Mates of State were the house band, while in Los Angeles, OK Go performed between acts.

Awards

WBEZ-FM received a Peabody Award in 1996 and again in 2006 for TAL, for a show which "captures contemporary culture in fresh and inventive ways that mirror the diversity and eccentricities of its subjects" and "weav[es] original monologues, mini-dramas, original fiction, traditional radio documentaries and original radio dramas into an instructional and entertaining tapestry."^[10]

George Foster Peabody Award

• 2006 WBEZ-FM Chicago
• 1996 Ira Glass, Peter Clowney, Alix Spiegel, Nancy Updike, and Dolores Wilber, WBEZ-FM Chicago, for This American Life.

Third Coast International Audio Festival

• 2001 Susan Burton Best New Artist award for act 1, Tornado Prom from episode 186, "Prom."
• 2002 Jonathan Goldstein, Alex Blumberg and Ira Glass: Best Documentary Gold Award for act 3, Yes, There is a Baby from episode 175, "Babysitting."
• 2003, Susan Burton and Hyder Akbar, Best Documentary Silver Award for episode 230, "Come Back to Afghanistan."

Livingston Award

• 2002 Alix Spiegel: National Reporting for episode 204, "81 Words."

Scripps Howard Foundation

• 2004 Nancy Updike: Jack R. Howard Award for episode 266, "I'm From the Private Sector and I'm Here to Help."

Edward R. Murrow Award

• 2005 Nancy Updike: for News Documentary for episode 266, "I'm From the Private Sector and I'm Here to Help."

Music

Episodes of TAL are accompanied by music, in the form of interludes between acts (credited in the episode guide for each show), and incidental background music during acts. Background music is typically not credited, but provides important thematic emphasis.

Some songs and artists that have played a role in TAL background music include the following.

Key Themes

• "The Rules of Personal Space", "Many Different Hats", "The Beautiful People", "Lullaby Lost" from the album by Bobby Johnston
• "Catalog and Classify" from the album Tiger Banana by Mark Robinson
• "Talisman" from the album Moon Safari by Air
• "Highschool Lover", "Dirty Trip" and "Ghost Song" from the album Virgin Suicides: Original Soundtrack by Air
• "kt" from the album Haralambos by Bexar Bexar
• "Whipping the Horse's Eyes" from the album Feast of Wire by Calexico
• "So What" from the album Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
• "Carpathian Ridge" and "Did You Know Him" from the album Donnie Darko: Original Soundtrack by Michael Andrews
• "Midnight in a Perfect World" and "Stem/Long Stem" from the album Endtroducing by DJ Shadow
• "Paul's Dance" from the album Penguin Cafe Orchestra by Penguin Cafe Orchestra
• "Sketch" and "Perpetuum Mobile" from the album Signs of Life by Penguin Cafe Orchestra
• "Kyoko's House: Stage Blood is not Enough" from the soundtrack by Philip Glass
• "Metamorphosis I" and "Japura River" performed by Uakti on the Philip Glass album Aguas Da Amazonia
• "Still Dre" from the album 2001 Instrumental by Dr. Dre
• "Namaste" and "Groove Holmes" from the album Check Your Head by The Beastie Boys
• "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" from the album Flight of the Cosmic Hippo by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
• "Viva Tirado, Pt. 1" from the album "Viva El Chicano!" by El Chicano
• "Big Calm" from the album "Big Calm" by Morcheeba

Recurring Themes

• "Bathing Blossom" from the album Secretary: Original Soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti
• "Untitled III (Remix)" from the album Even My Sure Things Fall Through by Calexico
• "Strange Bath", "Cubes" and "Coincidences" from the album I ♥ Huckabees: Original Soundtrack by Jon Brion
• "Theme" and "Phone Call" from the album Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Original Soundtrack by Jon Brion
• "The Beast" from the album Mulholland Drive: Original Soundtrack by Milt Buckner
• "Dreams" and "Lux Aeterna" from the album Requiem For a Dream: Original Soundtrack by Clint Mansell, as performed by Kronos Quartet
• "All that you give" from the album Every Day by Cinematic Orchestra
• "Drunken Tune" from the album Man With The Movie Camera by Cinematic Orchestra
• "Diabolus" from the album Motion by Cinematic Orchestra.
• "Numbers 1-4" and "Telephone and Rubber Band" from the album Penguin Cafe Orchestra by Penguin Cafe Orchestra
• "Penguin Cafe Single" from the album Music From The Penguin Cafe by Penguin Cafe Orchestra
• "Music For A Found Harmonium" from the album Broadcasting From Home by Penguin Cafe Orchestra
• "A Grand Love Theme", "The Bootleggers" and "Alone Again So" from the album A Grand Love Story by Kid Loco
• "Buried at Sea" from the album One Step Ahead of the Spider by MC 900 Ft. Jesus
• "Scrapping and Yelling" by Mark Mothersbaugh from the album Royal Tenenbaums: Original Soundtrack
• "Turquoise Hexagon Sun" from the album Music Has the Right to Children by Boards of Canada
• "Laura's Theme" from the album Brick Soundtrack (Original Motion Picture) by Nathan Johnson
• "Sleepless" from the album Distance by Marconi Union
• "Green Arrow" from the album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One by Yo La Tengo

Other Artists

Other media

Some of the show's episodes are accompanied by multimedia downloads available on This American Life's website. One notable mention is a remake of the Elton John song "Rocket Man" that was produced for episode 223, "Classifieds," and released as an MP3. The song was performed by a "one day band" composed of musicians looking for work in the classifieds. The band, consisting of various performers (one played a Theremin), met and practiced for only one day before recording the song.

Three 2-disc CD sets collecting some of the producers' favorite acts have been released: Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes was released on May 4, 1999, Crimebusters & Crossed Wires was released on November 11, 2003, and Stories of Hope and Fear was released on November 7, 2006.

A 32-page comic book, Radio: an Illustrated Guide (ISBN 0-9679671-0-4), documents how an episode of TAL is put together. It was drawn by cartoonist Jessica Abel, written by Abel and Glass, and first published in 1999.

Staff

Current production staff

Host Ira Glass Senior producer Julie Snyder

Producers Alix Blumberg Jane Feltes Jon Jeter Sarah Koenig Lisa Pollak Robyn Semien Alissa Shipp Nancy Updike

Contributing editors Susan Burton Jonathan Goldstein Jack Hitt Sarah Vowell

Production manager Seth Lind Music Supervisor Jane Feltes Music consultant Jessica Hopper Web manager

Former production staff members

Other contributors

Jay Allison Shalom Auslander Scott Carrier Dan Collison Adam Davidson "Dishwasher" Pete Jordan Jeff Dorchen Susan Drury

Erin Einhorn John Hodgman Kevin Kelly Alex Kotlowitz Jon Langford Michael Lewis Sandra Tsing Loh Ian Lynam

Brett Martin Mortified Heather O'Neill Beau O'Reilly David Rakoff Jon Ronson Davy Rothbart Dan Savage

David Sedaris David Segal Curtis Sittenfeld Karen Sosnoski Julia Sweeney Cheryl Trykv David Wilcox

In popular culture

This American Life was referenced in the television series, The O.C., prompting the character Summer to respond, "Is that that show by those hipster know-it-alls who talk about how fascinating ordinary people are?" and, with a dismissive snort, "Gawd!" This reference was itself repeated in a segment of the 2007 Live Tour episode, when Glass, a self-confessed shameless fan of the teen soap opera, described his experience responding to the aforementioned line.

The Onion, a parody newspaper, published a satirical story on April 20, 2007, entitled "This American Life Completes Documentation Of Liberal, Upper-Middle-Class Existence".^[11]

See also

• List of This American Life episodes

References

• Abel, Jessica; Glass, Ira (1999). Radio: An Illustrated Guide. WBEZ Alliance Inc. ISBN 0-9679671-0-4. 
• WBEZ Chicago Public Radio (2 Jan 2006). This American Life Radio Program to air Television Series on SHOWTIME. Press release. Retrieved on 2007-03-04.

External links

• This American Life Official website
• This American Life podcasts
• Ira Glass at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
• Chicago Public Radio Official website
• National Public Radio Official website
• Public Radio International Official website
• This American Life Showtime Official website
• Ira Glass talks about This American Life on Charlie Rose April 4, 2007
• Ira Glass Goes Electric Chicago Life's April 2007 article on the TV version of "This Americal Life"
• PopGurls Interview: Chris Wilcha Director Chris Wilcha talks about developing the TV version of "This American Life"