This American Life
Encyclopedia
This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio
program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass
. It is distributed by Public Radio International
on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast
. Primarily a journalistic
non-fiction
program, it has also featured essay
s, memoir
s, field recordings, short fiction, and found footage. The first episode aired on November 17, 1995, under the show's original title, Your Radio Playhouse.
A television program of the same name
and basic structure of the radio program ran for two seasons on the Showtime cable network between June 2007 and May 2008. The program featured Ira Glass as the host and executive producer. In September 2009, it was reported that Glass and the other creators of the show had "asked to be taken off TV", due to the difficult schedule required to create the show.
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 humorous. The show often addresses current events, such as Hurricane Katrina
in "After the Flood." Listeners may be introduced to novel subjects and issues as well, since the program covers fringe groups within the USA as well as international matters. Often This American Life features stories which explore aspects of human nature, such as "Kid Logic," which presented pieces on reasoning of children.
The end credits of each show are read by Ira Glass, and include a sound clip extracted out of context from some portion of that show, which Glass humorously attributes to WBEZ general manager Torey Malatia.
Glass has stated that he is contractually obliged to mention both station WBEZ and distributor PRI three times in the course of the show.
, 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. A budget of US$243,000 covered an outfitted studio, marketing costs, purchased satellite time, and paid for four full-time staffers and various freelance writers and reporters. National syndication began in June 1996 when Public Radio International
formed a distribution partnership with the program. It now airs on 509 PRI affiliate stations in the United States reaching an estimated 1.7 million listeners each week. The show is also carried on XM Satellite Radio
over the Public Radio International block on the XM Public Radio
channel. The show is also consistently rated as the 1st or 2nd most downloaded podcast on iTunes
for each week.
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." This American Life, or TAL, helped launch the literary careers of many including contributing editor Sarah Vowell
and essayists David Rakoff
and David Sedaris
.
In January 2011, the series was picked up by CBC Radio One
in Canada
. The program is shortened slightly for the Canadian broadcast to allow for a five-minute newscast at the top of the hour, although this is partly made up for by the removal of mid-program breaks, most of the production credits (apart from that of Malatia), and underwriting announcements (CBC's radio services being fully commercial-free, except when contractually
or legally
required).
In January 2006, Showtime announced it had greenlight
ed six episodes of a new series based on TAL. 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."
For budgetary reasons, Ira Glass and four of the radio show's producers left Chicago for New York, where Showtime is headquartered. 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.
Writers for the show include Chris Ware
, Ira Glass
, and Haruki Murakami
. In September 2009, Glass announced that he and the other creators of the show had "asked to be taken off TV," largely in part to the difficult schedule required to produce a television program. He went on to state that the show is officially "on hiatus," but would like to do a television special at some point in the future.
giving the studio two years of "first-look" rights to its hundreds of past and future stories. 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." In June 2008, Spike Lee
bought the movie rights to Ronald Mallett's
memoir, whose story was featured in the episode "My Brilliant Plan."
Potential Warner Bros films from TAL episodes include "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 the episode "Superpowers"), the story of an adolescent who took steps to become the superhero
she dreamed of being, well into adulthood; and "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."
This American Lifes 168th episode, "The Fix Is In," inspired screen writer Scott Burns to adapt Kurt Eichenwald
's book about business executive and FBI informant
Mark Whitacre
, titled The Informant, into a major motion picture. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh
and stars Matt Damon
. Ira Glass has stated that the radio show has no financial stake in the film, but noted that he appreciated how well the movie stuck to the original facts.
, distributing a one hour long program titled This American Life – Live! to select cinemas. PRI originally conceived of the idea to serve stations around the country. This American Life Live! was presented exclusively in select theatres by National CineMedia
's (NCM) Fathom, in partnership with BY Experience and Chicago Public Radio, and in association with Public Radio International.
On April 23, 2009, This American Life broadcasted a second theater event. This program is entitled This American Life – Live! Returning to the Scene of the Crime. Contributors included Mike Birbiglia
, Starlee Kine
, Dan Savage
, David Rakoff
, and Joss Whedon
.
stream available from the official show website, and a DRM encrypted download available through Audible.com
, which charged $4 per episode. In early 2006, the show began to offer MP3
copies of each episode, which could be streamed from the show's website using a proprietary Flash player. While users were not given a direct link to the streaming MP3 files, it was possible for savvy users to save these files to their computer for later playing.
Since October 2006, This American Life has offered a free podcast feed to the public. Under this arrangement, each show is made available to podcast subscribers on the Monday following its national broadcast. After seven days, the link to the MP3 is removed from the podcast feed. Older shows can be streamed online via the show's website, or purchased from Apple's iTunes
store for $0.95 per episode.
Since the move to MP3 files in 2006, the show has relied on an extremely lightweight Digital Rights Management
system, based on security through obscurity
and legal threats. While the show episodes are removed from the podcast RSS feed after a week, they remain on This American Lifes server, accessible to anyone who knows the predictable location. On at least three different occasions, Internet users have created their own unofficial podcast feeds, deep linking
to the MP3 files located on the This American Life webserver. In all three instances, the podcast feeds were removed from the Internet once representatives from Public Radio International contacted the individuals responsible for creating the feeds.
According to statements made during fund-drives, the show is downloaded by more than 400,000 people each week. These millions of downloads consume significant amounts of bandwidth, which costs the show $130,000 per year. The show has inserted a number of requests for financial assistance into the beginning of podcast episodes, requesting help, in order to pay for the bandwidth costs.
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."
George Foster Peabody Award
Third Coast International Audio Festival
Livingston Award
Scripps Howard Foundation
Edward R. Murrow Award
Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award
New York Festivals Award
George Polk Award
, 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". The average age of This American Life listeners is 47.
In 2011, comedy writer Julian Joslin (with Michael Grinspan) released a parody of This American Life entitled "This American Laugh" on YouTube
, wherein a fictional Ira Glass makes a sex tape with Fresh Air's Terry Gross
. The spoof was viewed over 100,000 times in one week but was met with a cool reception by Glass himself.
Some songs and artists that have played a role in TAL background music include the following.
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: The Best of This American Life
was released on May 4, 1999; Crimebusters + Crossed Wires: Stories from This American Life
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.
Senior Producer
Producers
Contributing editors
Production Manager
Music Supervisor
Music Consultant
Web Manager
Intern
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass
Ira Glass
Ira Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.- Early life :...
. It is distributed by Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
. Primarily a journalistic
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
program, it has also featured essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s, memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
s, field recordings, short fiction, and found footage. The first episode aired on November 17, 1995, under the show's original title, Your Radio Playhouse.
A television program of the same name
This American Life (TV series)
This American Life is an American television series based on the radio program of the same name. Like the radio program, the series is hosted by Ira Glass. The series premiered on March 22, 2007. Two seasons of the show have aired on Showtime...
and basic structure of the radio program ran for two seasons on the Showtime cable network between June 2007 and May 2008. The program featured Ira Glass as the host and executive producer. In September 2009, it was reported that Glass and the other creators of the show had "asked to be taken off TV", due to the difficult schedule required to create the show.
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. Programs usually begin with a short station identification by Glass who then introduces a segment related to the theme which precedes act one. The segment will then lead into the presentation of the theme for that week's show. Generally he will mention the number of acts and something about their content, ranging from just the title to a general description.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 humorous. The show often addresses current events, such as Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in "After the Flood." Listeners may be introduced to novel subjects and issues as well, since the program covers fringe groups within the USA as well as international matters. Often This American Life features stories which explore aspects of human nature, such as "Kid Logic," which presented pieces on reasoning of children.
The end credits of each show are read by Ira Glass, and include a sound clip extracted out of context from some portion of that show, which Glass humorously attributes to WBEZ general manager Torey Malatia.
Glass has stated that he is contractually obliged to mention both station WBEZ and distributor PRI three times in the course of the show.
Radio
Ira GlassIra Glass
Ira Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.- Early life :...
, 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. A budget of US$243,000 covered an outfitted studio, marketing costs, purchased satellite time, and paid for four full-time staffers and various freelance writers and reporters. National syndication began in June 1996 when Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
formed a distribution partnership with the program. It now airs on 509 PRI affiliate stations in the United States reaching an estimated 1.7 million listeners each week. The show is also carried on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
over the Public Radio International block on the XM Public Radio
XM Public Radio
XM Public Radio is a 24/7 Sirius XM Satellite Radio channel dedicated to public radio programming. Broadcasting in stereo, XM Public Radio is one of two talk channels on the XM platform which broadcasts 2-channel audio—the other being the ViRUS...
channel. The show is also consistently rated as the 1st or 2nd most downloaded podcast on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
for each week.
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." This American Life, or TAL, helped launch the literary careers of many including contributing editor Sarah Vowell
Sarah Vowell
Sarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
and essayists David Rakoff
David Rakoff
David Rakoff is a Canadian-born writer based in New York City who is noted for his humorous, sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff is an essayist, journalist, and actor and is a regular contributor to Public Radio International's This American Life...
and David Sedaris
David Sedaris
David Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
.
In January 2011, the series was picked up by CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The program is shortened slightly for the Canadian broadcast to allow for a five-minute newscast at the top of the hour, although this is partly made up for by the removal of mid-program breaks, most of the production credits (apart from that of Malatia), and underwriting announcements (CBC's radio services being fully commercial-free, except when contractually
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera is a Canadian radio program, which airs Saturday afternoons on CBC Radio 2. Currently hosted by Bill Richardson, the program airs live and pre-recorded opera concert performances, as well as interviews with opera artists, reviews of opera CDs and a weekly opera quiz...
or legally
Canada Elections Act
Canada Elections Act is an Act of the Parliament of Canada respecting the election of members of parliament to the Canadian House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts....
required).
Television
Discussions of a television adaptation of TAL date back to at least 1999.In January 2006, Showtime announced it had greenlight
Greenlight
To green-light a project is to give permission or a go ahead to move forward with a project. In the context of the movie and TV businesses, to green-light something is to formally approve its production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to...
ed six episodes of a new series based on TAL. 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."
For budgetary reasons, Ira Glass and four of the radio show's producers left Chicago for New York, where Showtime is headquartered. 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.
Writers for the show include Chris Ware
Chris Ware
Franklin Christenson Ware , is an American comic book artist and cartoonist, widely known for his Acme Novelty Library series and the graphic novel Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he resides in the Chicago area, Illinois...
, Ira Glass
Ira Glass
Ira Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.- Early life :...
, and Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami
is a Japanese writer and translator. His works of fiction and non-fiction have garnered him critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Franz Kafka Prize and Jerusalem Prize among others.He is considered an important figure in postmodern literature...
. In September 2009, Glass announced that he and the other creators of the show had "asked to be taken off TV," largely in part to the difficult schedule required to produce a television program. He went on to state that the show is officially "on hiatus," but would like to do a television special at some point in the future.
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.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
giving the studio two years of "first-look" rights to its hundreds of past and future stories. One film to have apparently emerged from the deal is Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors is a 2006 comedy film directed by Paul Feig and starring Dyllan Christopher, Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly, Gina Mantegna, and Quinn Shephard. Unaccompanied Minors has been rated PG by the MPAA for "mild rude humor and language"...
, a 2006 film
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
directed by Paul Feig
Paul Feig
Paul S. Feig is an American director, actor and author. Feig is known for playing Mr. Eugene Pool, Sabrina's science teacher, on the first season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch as well as Tim a camp counselor on the hit kids movie Heavyweights...
and reportedly based on "In The Event of An Emergency, Put Your Sister in an Upright Position" from "Babysitting." In June 2008, Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
bought the movie rights to Ronald Mallett's
Ronald Mallett
Ronald Lawrence Mallett is an American theoretical physicist, academic, and author. He has taught physics at the University of Connecticut since 1975. He is best known for his scientific position on the possibility of time travel....
memoir, whose story was featured in the episode "My Brilliant Plan."
Potential Warner Bros films from TAL episodes include "Niagara," which explored the town of Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
, after those who sought to exploit the tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and hydroelectrical
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
opportunities of the area left; "Wonder Woman" (from the episode "Superpowers"), the story of an adolescent who took steps to become the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
she dreamed of being, well into adulthood; and "Act V," about the last act of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
as staged by inmates from a maximum security prison as part of Prison Performing Arts Adult Theatre Projects. Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and Broadway Video
Broadway Video
Broadway Video is a media production and distribution company located within the Brill Building on Broadway, New York, United States. Founded in 1979 as a production house tasked with post-production work on Saturday Night Live, Broadway Video has since become one of the largest independent...
are in production on Curly Oxide and Vic Thrill, a film based on the TAL story in the episode "My Experimental Phase."
This American Lifes 168th episode, "The Fix Is In," inspired screen writer Scott Burns to adapt Kurt Eichenwald
Kurt Eichenwald
Kurt Alexander Eichenwald , an American writer and investigative reporter formerly with The New York Times and later with Condé Nast's business magazine, Portfolio...
's book about business executive and FBI informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
Mark Whitacre
Mark Whitacre
Mark Edward Whitacre came to public attention in 1995 when, as president of the BioProducts Division at Archer Daniels Midland , he was the highest-level corporate executive in U.S. history to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation whistleblower...
, titled The Informant, into a major motion picture. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh is an American film producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, and an Academy Award-winning film director. He is best known for directing commercial Hollywood films like Erin Brockovich, Traffic, and the remake of Ocean's Eleven, but he has also directed smaller less...
and stars Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
. Ira Glass has stated that the radio show has no financial stake in the film, but noted that he appreciated how well the movie stuck to the original facts.
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. Other episodes include segments recorded live.- "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 VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
, Russell BanksRussell BanksRussell Banks is an American writer of fiction and poetry.- Biography :Russell Banks was born in Newton, Massachusetts on March 28, 1940. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He lives in upstate New York, and has been named a New York State Author. He is also...
, David RakoffDavid RakoffDavid Rakoff is a Canadian-born writer based in New York City who is noted for his humorous, sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff is an essayist, journalist, and actor and is a regular contributor to Public Radio International's This American Life...
, Ian Brown, and OK GoOK GoOK Go is a rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, USA, now residing in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band is composed of Damian Kulash , Tim Nordwind , Dan Konopka and Andy Ross , who joined them in 2005, replacing Andy Duncan...
. - "Lost in America", recorded in May 2003 in Boston, Washington, D.C., Portland, Denver, and Chicago. Performers included Sarah VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
, Davy RothbartDavy RothbartDavy Rothbart is an author, filmmaker, contributor to This American Life, and the editor/publisher of Found Magazine.-Background:...
, and Jonathan GoldsteinJonathan GoldsteinJonathan Goldstein may refer to:*Jonathan Goldstein , North American author and radio producer*Jonathan Goldstein , American actor*Jonathan Goldstein , British composer of music for film and television...
. Jon LangfordJon LangfordJon Langford born October 11, 1957, Newport, Monmouthshire is a Welsh-born musician and artist who is presently based in Chicago. He is the younger brother of science-fiction author and critic David 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). Directed by Jane Feltes, performers on this tour included David RakoffDavid RakoffDavid Rakoff is a Canadian-born writer based in New York City who is noted for his humorous, sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff is an essayist, journalist, and actor and is a regular contributor to Public Radio International's This American Life...
, Sarah VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
, John HodgmanJohn HodgmanJohn Kellogg Hodgman is an American author, actor, and humorist. In addition to his published written works, such as The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That Is All, he is known for his personification of a PC in contrast to Justin Long's personification of a Mac in...
, Dan SavageDan SavageDaniel Keenan "Dan" Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist and newspaper editor. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. Its tone is frank in its discussion of sexuality, often humorous, and hostile to social conservatives, as in...
, Jonathan GoldsteinJonathan GoldsteinJonathan Goldstein may refer to:*Jonathan Goldstein , North American author and radio producer*Jonathan Goldstein , American actor*Jonathan Goldstein , British composer of music for film and television...
, and Chris Wilcha. In New York, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Minneapolis, Mates of StateMates of StateMates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997. The group is composed of the husband-and-wife team of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel .Over the course of the band's fourteen year career, they've released three EPs and six full-length, studio...
were the house bandHouse bandFor the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
, while in Los Angeles, OK GoOK GoOK Go is a rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, USA, now residing in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band is composed of Damian Kulash , Tim Nordwind , Dan Konopka and Andy Ross , who joined them in 2005, replacing Andy Duncan...
performed between acts. - "Music Lessons", recorded at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco during the 1998 Public Radio Conference in San Francisco. Performers include Sarah VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
, David SedarisDavid SedarisDavid Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
and Anne LamottAnne LamottAnne Lamott is a novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a political activist, public speaker and writing teacher. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical...
. Music includes elementary school students from the San Francisco Unified School District as well as "Eyes on the Sparrow" with Renola Garrison vocals and Anne Jefferson on piano. - "Advice", recorded in 1999 in Seattle and at HBO's U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Performers include Sarah VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
, Dan SavageDan SavageDaniel Keenan "Dan" Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist and newspaper editor. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. Its tone is frank in its discussion of sexuality, often humorous, and hostile to social conservatives, as in...
, and Cheryl Trykv with music from the Black Cat Orchestra.
Digital cinema
On May 1, 2008, This American Life was the first major public media program to use digital cinemaDigital cinema
Digital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
, distributing a one hour long program titled This American Life – Live! to select cinemas. PRI originally conceived of the idea to serve stations around the country. This American Life Live! was presented exclusively in select theatres by National CineMedia
National CineMedia
National CineMedia operates NCM Media Networks, an integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology...
's (NCM) Fathom, in partnership with BY Experience and Chicago Public Radio, and in association with Public Radio International.
On April 23, 2009, This American Life broadcasted a second theater event. This program is entitled This American Life – Live! Returning to the Scene of the Crime. Contributors included Mike Birbiglia
Mike Birbiglia
-Professional work:Birbiglia has released three albums, including My Secret Public Journal Live, which was named one of the best comedy albums of the decade by the Onion AV Club....
, Starlee Kine
Starlee Kine
Starlee Kine is an American public radio producer and writer. She was born in California. Her work has been featured on This American Life and Marketplace. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine...
, Dan Savage
Dan Savage
Daniel Keenan "Dan" Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist and newspaper editor. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. Its tone is frank in its discussion of sexuality, often humorous, and hostile to social conservatives, as in...
, David Rakoff
David Rakoff
David Rakoff is a Canadian-born writer based in New York City who is noted for his humorous, sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff is an essayist, journalist, and actor and is a regular contributor to Public Radio International's This American Life...
, and Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
.
Podcast
From 1998–2005, This American Life could be accessed online in two formats: A free RealAudioRealAudio
RealAudio is a proprietary audio format developed by RealNetworks and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of audio codecs, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can also be used as a streaming audio format, that is...
stream available from the official show website, and a DRM encrypted download available through Audible.com
Audible.com
Audible.com is an Internet provider of spoken audio entertainment, information, and educational programming.Audible sells digital audiobooks, radio and TV programs, and audio versions of magazines and newspapers....
, which charged $4 per episode. In early 2006, the show began to offer MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
copies of each episode, which could be streamed from the show's website using a proprietary Flash player. While users were not given a direct link to the streaming MP3 files, it was possible for savvy users to save these files to their computer for later playing.
Since October 2006, This American Life has offered a free podcast feed to the public. Under this arrangement, each show is made available to podcast subscribers on the Monday following its national broadcast. After seven days, the link to the MP3 is removed from the podcast feed. Older shows can be streamed online via the show's website, or purchased from Apple's iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
store for $0.95 per episode.
Since the move to MP3 files in 2006, the show has relied on an extremely lightweight Digital Rights Management
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
system, based on security through obscurity
Security through obscurity
Security through obscurity is a pejorative referring to a principle in security engineering, which attempts to use secrecy of design or implementation to provide security...
and legal threats. While the show episodes are removed from the podcast RSS feed after a week, they remain on This American Lifes server, accessible to anyone who knows the predictable location. On at least three different occasions, Internet users have created their own unofficial podcast feeds, deep linking
Deep linking
On the World Wide Web, deep linking is making a hyperlink that points to a specific page or image on a website, instead of that website's main or home page. Such links are called deep links.-Example:...
to the MP3 files located on the This American Life webserver. In all three instances, the podcast feeds were removed from the Internet once representatives from Public Radio International contacted the individuals responsible for creating the feeds.
According to statements made during fund-drives, the show is downloaded by more than 400,000 people each week. These millions of downloads consume significant amounts of bandwidth, which costs the show $130,000 per year. The show has inserted a number of requests for financial assistance into the beginning of podcast episodes, requesting help, in order to pay for the bandwidth costs.
Response
Early response to This American Life was largely positive. In 1998, Mother Jones magazine called the program "hip—as well as intensely literary and surprisingly irreverent."Awards
WBEZ-FM received a Peabody AwardPeabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
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."
George Foster Peabody Award
- 2008 WBEZ-FM Chicago and National Public Radio, News Division for The Giant Pool of MoneyThe Giant Pool of Money"The Giant Pool of Money" is an episode of the radio show This American Life which originally aired on May 9, 2008. The episode described to a general audience the causes and factors which led to the subprime mortgage crisis...
- 2006 WBEZ-FM Chicago
- 1996 Ira GlassIra GlassIra Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.- Early life :...
, Peter Clowney, Alix Spiegel, Nancy UpdikeNancy UpdikeNancy Updike is an American public radio producer and writer. Her work has been featured on radio programs including This American Life, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air, and has been published in The New York Times Magazine, LA Weekly, The Boston Globe, and Salon.com.- This American Life work...
, and Dolores Wilber, WBEZ-FM Chicago, for This American Life.
Third Coast International Audio Festival
Third Coast International Audio Festival
The Third Coast International Audio Festival is a festival based in Chicago showcasing feature and documentary audio work...
- 2001 Susan Burton Best New Artist award for act 1, Tornado Prom from episode 186, "Prom".
- 2002 Jonathan Goldstein, Alex BlumbergAlex BlumbergAlex Blumberg is an American producer for the public radio and television versions of This American Life.- Career :Blumberg is an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University. Since 1999 he has been a producer for the public radio show This American Life and his stories are regularly...
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
Livingston Award
The Livingston Awards are American journalism awards issued to media professionals under the age of 35 for local, national, and international reporting...
- 2002 Alix Spiegel: National Reporting for episode 204, "81 Words81 Words"81 Words" is an episode of the popular public radio program, This American Life, which is broadcast from Chicago Public Radio. This episode was originally aired January 18, 2002. The episode is narrated by Alix Spiegel, who was the recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award, the Livingston...
".
Scripps Howard Foundation
Scripps Howard Foundation
The Scripps Howard Foundation is the corporate foundation of the E. W. Scripps Company, an American media conglomerate which owns newspapers, television stations, cable television networks, and other media outlets...
- 2004 Nancy UpdikeNancy UpdikeNancy Updike is an American public radio producer and writer. Her work has been featured on radio programs including This American Life, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air, and has been published in The New York Times Magazine, LA Weekly, The Boston Globe, and Salon.com.- This American Life work...
: Jack R. Howard Award for episode 266, "I'm From the Private Sector and I'm Here to Help".
Edward R. Murrow Award
Edward R. Murrow Award
The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association in recognition of what the Association terms "outstanding achievements in electronic journalism."-Judging:...
- 2005 Nancy UpdikeNancy UpdikeNancy Updike is an American public radio producer and writer. Her work has been featured on radio programs including This American Life, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air, and has been published in The New York Times Magazine, LA Weekly, The Boston Globe, and Salon.com.- This American Life work...
: for News Documentary for episode 266, "I'm From the Private Sector and I'm Here to Help".
Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award
- 2007 Alix Spiegel: for "Which One of These is Not Like the Others?" for episode 322, "Shouting Across the Divide".
New York Festivals Award
- 2007 Trey Kay & Lu Olkowski: "Best Human Interest Story" for act 2, "I'm Not a Doctor, but I Play One at the Holiday Inn" from episode 321, "Sink or Swim".
George Polk Award
- 2008 Alex BlumbergAlex BlumbergAlex Blumberg is an American producer for the public radio and television versions of This American Life.- Career :Blumberg is an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University. Since 1999 he has been a producer for the public radio show This American Life and his stories are regularly...
and Adam Davidson: "Best Radio Reporting" for episode 355 "The Giant Pool of MoneyThe Giant Pool of Money"The Giant Pool of Money" is an episode of the radio show This American Life which originally aired on May 9, 2008. The episode described to a general audience the causes and factors which led to the subprime mortgage crisis...
In other media
This American Life was referenced in the television series The O.C.The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
, 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
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
, a parody newspaper, published a satirical story on April 20, 2007, entitled "This American Life Completes Documentation Of Liberal, Upper-Middle-Class Existence". The average age of This American Life listeners is 47.
In 2011, comedy writer Julian Joslin (with Michael Grinspan) released a parody of This American Life entitled "This American Laugh" on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, wherein a fictional Ira Glass makes a sex tape with Fresh Air's Terry Gross
Terry Gross
Terry Gross is the host and co-executive producer of Fresh Air, an interview format radio show produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and distributed throughout the United States by National Public Radio....
. The spoof was viewed over 100,000 times in one week but was met with a cool reception by Glass himself.
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 Extra: in the Background of a Dream by Bobby JohnstonBobby JohnstonBobby Johnston is a film composer and multi-instrumentalist. He has composed original scores for several films, including King of the Ants, Wristcutters: A Love Story, Edmond, Mother's Day and No Impact Man: The Documentary...
- "Catalog and Classify" from the album Tiger Banana by Mark RobinsonMark RobinsonMark Robinson may refer to:Politics*Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Allan Robinson , Canadian political activistSports...
- "Talisman" from the album Moon SafariMoon SafariMoon Safari is the first full-length studio album by the French band Air, released in 1998.On April 14, 2008 Virgin Records released a reissue of Moon Safari to mark the album's 10-year anniversary...
by Air - "Highschool Lover", "Dirty Trip" and "Ghost Song" from the album The Virgin Suicides: Original Soundtrack by Air
- "kt" from the album Haralambos by Bexar Bexar
- "Whipping the Horse's Eyes" from the album Feast of WireFeast of WireFeast of Wire is the fourth studio album of Arizona indie-rock band Calexico.- Track listing :# "Sunken Waltz" – 2:27# "Quattro " – 4:36# "Stucco" – 0:20# "Black Heart" – 4:48# "Pepita" – 2:36# "Not Even Stevie Nicks..." – 2:42...
by Calexico - "So What" from the album Kind of BlueKind of BlueKind of Blue is a studio album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released August 17, 1959, on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City on March 2 and April 22, 1959...
by Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,... - "Carpathian Ridge" and "Did You Know Him" from the album Donnie Darko: Original Soundtrack by Michael AndrewsMichael Andrews (musician)Michael Andrews is an American musician and film score composer. He is best known for a cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World", which he recorded with Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and which became a number one single in the UK in Christmas 2003.-Soundtrack...
- "Changeling", "Midnight in a Perfect World" and "Stem/Long Stem" from the album Endtroducing by DJ ShadowDJ ShadowJoshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
- "Paul's Dance" from the album Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes...
by Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes... - "Sketch" and "Perpetuum Mobile" from the album Signs of LifeSigns of Life- Film :* Signs of Life , by Werner Herzog* Signs of Life , a U.S. film- Literature :* Signs of Life by M...
by Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes... - "Kyoko's House: Stage Blood is not Enough" from the Mishima: A Life in Four ChaptersMishima: A Life in Four ChaptersMishima: A Life in Four Chapters is an American/Japanese film co-written and directed by Paul Schrader in 1985. It was co-produced by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas....
soundtrack by Philip GlassPhilip GlassPhilip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with... - "Metamorphosis I" and "Japura River" performed by UaktiUakti (band)Uakti is a Brazilian instrumental musical group that is composed of Marco Antônio Guimarães, Artur Andrés Ribeiro, Paulo Sérgio Santos, and Décio Ramos. Uakti is known for using custom-made instruments, built by the group itself.-The name:...
on the Philip GlassPhilip GlassPhilip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
album Aguas Da Amazonia - "Still Dre" from the album 2001 Instrumental by Dr. DreDr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
- "Namaste" and "Groove Holmes" from the album Check Your HeadCheck Your HeadCheck Your Head is the third studio album by the Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992.Three years elapsed between the release of Paul's Boutique and their recording of this album. Check Your Head was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California in 1991...
by Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar.... - "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" from the album Flight of the Cosmic HippoFlight of the Cosmic HippoFlight of the Cosmic Hippo is the second album by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, released in 1991. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. The album title came from an audience member who suggested "Flight of the Codeine Hippo" as a name for the title track...
by Bela Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively... - "The Chase" by Portastatic
- "Viva Tirado, Pt. 1" from the album "Viva El Chicano!" by El ChicanoEl ChicanoEl Chicano is an American chicano rock and brown-eyed soul group from Los Angeles, California, whose style incorporates various modern music genres including rock, funk, soul, blues, jazz, and salsa...
- "Big Calm" from the album "Big CalmBig CalmBig Calm is the second album by Morcheeba. "The Music That We Hear", included on special-edition versions of the album, is a reworking of "Moog Island" from Morcheeba's first album, Who Can You Trust?.-Track listing:...
" by MorcheebaMorcheebaMorcheeba are a British band, mixing influences from trip hop, rock, R&B, and pop.They have produced 7 albums since 1995, two of which reached the UK top ten.-Biography:... - "Rumble" by Link WrayLink WrayFred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
- "Evil vs. Good" from the album The Ghost of FashionThe Ghost of FashionThe Ghost of Fashion is the third album by indie rock band Clem Snide. The song "Ice Cube" was released as a single in Europe, and the song "Moment in the Sun" was used as the theme song during the second season of the NBC television program Ed, later spawning an EP of the same title.-Track...
by Clem SnideClem SnideClem Snide is an alt-country band featuring Eef Barzelay , Brendan Fitzpatrick and Ben Martin .-History:"Clem Snide" is a character in several novels by William S. Burroughs, including Naked Lunch, The Ticket That Exploded, and Exterminator!... - "Get Your Truck" from the album Flirt: Original Soundtrack by Hal HartleyHal HartleyHal Hartley is an American film director, screenwriter, producer composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s...
- "Yèkèrmo Sèw (A Man of Experience and Wisdom)" by The Ethiopiques
- "Indie Rock Spock Ears" by DianogahDianogahDianogah is a Chicago, Illinois based indie rock outfit formed in 1995, noted for their use of two bass guitars. Members include Kip McCabe, Jay Ryan and Jason Harvey. Dianogah's first full-length album, As Seen From Above, was recorded by Steve Albini, who also produced their second full-length...
- "Tune Down" from the album Sticks by Chris JossChris JossFrenchman Chris Joss is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and autonomous studio producer. He has been playing in several bands in Europe for quite some time before he started releasing solo albums. Leaving France for London in the early nineties, Joss digested the vibrant music scenes while...
- "My Sweet Potato" by Booker T. & the M.G.'sBooker T. & the M.G.'sBooker T. & the M.G.'s is an instrumental R&B band that was influential in shaping the sound of southern soul and Memphis soul. Original members of the group were Booker T. Jones , Steve Cropper , Lewie Steinberg , and Al Jackson, Jr....
- "Theme from the Graffiti Artist" by Kid LocoKid LocoJean-Yves Prieur, aka Kid Loco is a French electronic musician, DJ, remixer and producer. He was born on June 16, 1964 in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France. Allmusic considers his style to be similar to Air and Dimitri from Paris...
- "This Could Be Beautiful" by MetronomyMetronomyMetronomy are an electronic music group formed by Joseph Mount in Totnes, Devon, England in 1999. The current band consists of Joseph Mount , Anna Prior , Oscar Cash and Gbenga Adelekan...
Recurring themes
- "Alone in Kyoto" from the albums Lost in Translation: Original SoundtrackLost in Translation (soundtrack)Lost in Translation is the soundtrack from the 2003 film Lost in Translation, released by Emperor Norton Records on September 9, 2003. The soundtrack features bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Air, and Happy End, as well as music by composers Brian Reitzell and Roger J...
and "Talkie WalkieTalkie WalkieTalkie Walkie is the fourth full-length album by Air, released on January 27, 2004. The album was possibly named after the song "Le Talkie Walkie" by Serge Gainsbourg, a known influence of the duo...
" by Air - "Bathing Blossom" from the album Secretary: Original Soundtrack by Angelo BadalamentiAngelo BadalamentiAngelo Badalamenti is an American composer, known for his movie soundtrack work for director David Lynch, notably Blue Velvet, the Twin Peaks saga and Mulholland Drive...
- "In Particular" from the album Melody Of Certain Damaged LemonsMelody of Certain Damaged LemonsMelody of Certain Damaged Lemons is the fifth studio album by Blonde Redhead. It was produced by Guy Picciotto & Ryan Hadlock and released by Touch & Go Records in 2000.-Track listing:#"Equally Damaged" – 0:40#"In Particular" – 6:05...
by Blonde RedheadBlonde RedheadBlonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993.... - "Untitled III (Remix)" from the album Even My Sure Things Fall ThroughEven My Sure Things Fall ThroughEven My Sure Things Fall Through is an EP by Arizona band Calexico.-Track listing:# "Sonic Wind" # "Crystal Frontier" # "Untitled III" # "Chanel #5"# "Banderilla"...
by Calexico - "Close To Me" from the album The Head on the DoorThe Head on the DoorThe Head on the Door is the sixth studio album by British band The Cure, released in 1985. The album is the first to feature drummer Boris Williams, it also features the return of Simon Gallup and is Porl Thompson's first album as an official member....
by The CureThe CureThe Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member... - "Strange Bath", "Cubes", "You Learn", and "Coincidences" from the album I ♥ Huckabees: Original Soundtrack by Jon BrionJon BrionJon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
- "Theme" and "Phone Call" from the album Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Original SoundtrackEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (soundtrack)The soundtrack album for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was released by Hollywood Records on March 16, 2004. It features the score, composed by Los Angeles musician Jon Brion, as well as songs from artists E.L.O., The Polyphonic Spree, The Willowz, and Don Nelson. Beck, in a collaboration...
by Jon BrionJon BrionJon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:... - "The Beast" from the album Mulholland Drive: Original Soundtrack by Milt BucknerMilt BucknerMilt Buckner was an American jazz pianist and organist, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He was orphaned as a child, but an uncle in Detroit taught him to play...
- "Dreams" and "Lux Aeterna" from the album Requiem for a Dream: Original SoundtrackRequiem for a Dream (soundtrack)-Requiem for a Tower EP:#Requiem for a Tower, Movement 2#Requiem for a Tower, Movement 3#Requiem for a Tower, Movement 4-Remixed album:#Clint Mansell – Tappy's Intro – 0:51#Plant – In the End It's All Nice – 6:17...
by Clint MansellClint MansellClinton Darryl "Clint" Mansell, is an English musician, composer, and former lead singer and guitarist of the band Pop Will Eat Itself....
, as performed by Kronos QuartetKronos QuartetKronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan... - "All that you give" from the album Every Day by Cinematic Orchestra
- "Drunken Tune" from the album Man with a Movie CameraMan with a Movie CameraMan with a Movie Camera , sometimes called The Man with the Movie Camera, The Man with a Camera, The Man With the Kinocamera, or Living Russia is an experimental 1929 silent documentary film, with no story and no actors, by Russian director Dziga Vertov, edited by his wife Elizaveta...
by Cinematic Orchestra - "Diabolus" from the album Motion by Cinematic Orchestra.
- "Numbers 1-4" and "Telephone and Rubber Band" from the album Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes...
by Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes... - "Penguin Cafe Single" from the album Music from the Penguin CafeMusic From The Penguin CafeMusic From The Penguin Cafe was the first album by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, and was recorded between 1974 and 1976, and released in 1976. The line-up for much of the album consisted of the original Penguin Cafe Quartet: Simon Jeffes , Helen Leibmann , Steve Nye , and Gavyn Wright...
by Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes... - "Music For A Found Harmonium" from the album Broadcasting from HomeBroadcasting From HomeBroadcasting from Home is the fourth album by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, and was released in 1984 on E.G. Records. The opening song was named after PCO leader Simon Jeffes found a discarded harmonium in an alleyway in Japan....
by Penguin Cafe OrchestraPenguin Cafe OrchestraThe Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a collective of performing musicians created by classically trained British guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes... - "A Grand Love Theme", "The Bootleggers" and "Alone Again So" from the album A Grand Love StoryA Grand Love StoryA Grand Love Story is a 1997 album by electronic music artist Kid Loco. It is generally considered to be his best and most acclaimed work to date.-Track listing:#A Grand Love Theme 4:30#Relaxin' with Cherry 5:38#Love Me Sweet 4:50#The Bootleggers 7:12...
by Kid LocoKid LocoJean-Yves Prieur, aka Kid Loco is a French electronic musician, DJ, remixer and producer. He was born on June 16, 1964 in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France. Allmusic considers his style to be similar to Air and Dimitri from Paris... - "Lakara" from the album KarlshorstKarlshorstKarlshorst is a locality in the borough of Lichtenberg in Berlin. It houses a harness racing track and the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin , the largest University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, and the German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst.-History:Established in 1895 as the...
by KinnKinnKinn is a small island west of the town of Florø in the municipality of Flora, Norway. The island lies about west of the neighboring island of Reksta and the village of Rognaldsvåg, which is the main population center for the area... - "Buried at Sea" from the album One Step Ahead of the SpiderOne Step Ahead of the SpiderOne Step Ahead of the Spider is the third album from MC 900 Ft. Jesus, released in 1994 . It includes the hit "If I Only Had a Brain", whose video was directed by Spike Jonze and included in a Beavis and Butt-head episode. Various tracks are sometimes used as bumper music on National Public Radio...
by MC 900 Ft. JesusMC 900 Ft. JesusMC 900 Ft. Jesus is the stage name of Mark Griffin, a classically trained musician turned rapper and experimental musician born in Dallas, Texas.... - "Scrapping and Yelling" by Mark MothersbaughMark MothersbaughMark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer, singer and painter. He is the co-founder of the new wave band Devo and has been its lead singer since 1972. His other musical projects include work for television series, films, and video games....
from the album Royal Tenenbaums: Original SoundtrackThe Royal Tenenbaums (soundtrack)The soundtrack to The Royal Tenenbaums features a score composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. Also featured are a variety of rock songs from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.There have been two soundtrack album releases for The Royal Tenenbaums... - "Turquoise Hexagon Sun" from the album Music Has the Right to ChildrenMusic Has the Right to ChildrenMusic Has the Right to Children is the debut public album of the Scottish electronic music duo Boards of Canada. It was published by Warp Records and released on 20 April 1998 in Europe and 20 August in the United States...
by Boards of CanadaBoards of CanadaBoards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin... - "Laura's Theme" from the album Brick: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackBrick (soundtrack)Brick: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 2006 film of the same name. It was released on March 21, 2006 by Lakeshore Records...
by Nathan JohnsonNathan Johnson (musician)Nathan Tyler Johnson is a film composer, songwriter and music producer.He was born in Washington, DC in 1976 and grew up in Colorado. After living in England in the mid-2000s, Johnson relocated to the East coast of the U.S. where he launched a live touring project with his band, The Cinematic... - "Sleepless" from the album DistanceDistanceDistance is a numerical description of how far apart objects are. In physics or everyday discussion, distance may refer to a physical length, or an estimation based on other criteria . In mathematics, a distance function or metric is a generalization of the concept of physical distance...
by Marconi UnionMarconi UnionMarconi Union are a British musical trio Richard Talbot, Jamie Crossley and Duncan Meadows, with strong links to the Manchester based DOTCA arts collective. Their music incorporates elements of electronica, ambient, jazz and dub.-History:... - "Green Arrow" from the album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as OneI Can Hear the Heart Beating as OneI Can Hear the Heart Beating as One is an album by Yo La Tengo. It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and mixed in New York City. The album was released on Matador in 1997, and "Busy with My Thoughts" appeared on the Japanese version, the song also available as the b-side to the "Sugarcube"...
by Yo La TengoYo La TengoYo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential... - "Peter and Sylvie" from the album Me and You and Everyone We Know (Original Score) by Michael AndrewsMichael AndrewsMichael Andrews may refer to:* Michael Andrews , British artist* Michael Andrews , US musician* Michael Andrews , Australian rugby league footballer* Michael A...
- "Coffaro's Theme" from the album Bill Frisell Quartet by Bill FrisellBill FrisellWilliam Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
- "Dogs We Thought We Knew" from the album "Music for the radio program This American Life" by The Scott FieldsScott FieldsScott Fields , is a guitarist, composer and band leader. He is best known for his attempts to blend music that is composed and music that is written and for his modular pieces...
Ensemble - "Strange People Live Next Door" from the album "Music for the radio program This American Life" by The Scott FieldsScott FieldsScott Fields , is a guitarist, composer and band leader. He is best known for his attempts to blend music that is composed and music that is written and for his modular pieces...
Ensemble - "Deep Blue Day" from the album Apollo: Atmospheres and SoundtracksApollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks-Credits:* Musicians: Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Roger Eno* Cover Art : Russel Mills* Mastered by Greg Calbi, at Sterling Sound-Versions:-Chart performance:-Uses in other media:* "An Ending ":** TV - James May on the Moon - opening sequence...
by Brian EnoBrian EnoBrian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,... - "Autopilot" from the album The Problem With Me by SeamSeamSeam may refer to:* Seam , the line where two or more layers of fabric are held together by stitches* Seam , a stratum of coal or mineral that is economically viable; a bed or a distinct layer of vein of rock in other layers of rock...
- "Acolyte of the Flux" from the album Angels In America (Music From The HBO Film) by Thomas NewmanThomas NewmanThomas Montgomery Newman is an American composer and conductor, best known for his many film scores. He is one of the more respected and recognized composers for modern film and has scored over fifty feature films in a career which spans nearly three decades.Newman has received a total of ten...
- "6 Ghosts I", "9 Ghosts I", "12 Ghosts II" and "13 Ghosts II" from the album Ghosts I–IVGhosts I–IVGhosts I–IV is the sixth studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on March 2, 2008. The team behind the project included Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor, studio-collaborators Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder, and instrumental contributions from Alessandro Cortini,...
by Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction... - "Wally, Egon, & Modells in The Studio" from the album Music for Egon SchieleMusic for Egon SchieleMusic for Egon Schiele is the second LP from the instrumental group Rachel's. It was released in February 1996 on Quarterstick Records.The album was composed as the score to a theatrical production by Stephan Mazurek, titled Egon Schiele, about the life of painter Egon Schiele which was staged by...
by Rachel'sRachel'sRachel's is an American chamber music group that formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1991. Former Rodan guitarist, Jason Noble, played music individually and referred to himself as Rachel's but then began collaborating with now core members, violist Christian Frederickson, and pianist Rachel Grimes... - "Tenuous Gears" from the album Micalavera by Damiak
- "Shatter" from the album Exile in GuyvilleExile in GuyvilleThe album, which was out of print, was again available on CD, vinyl and, for the first time, in digital format. The special reissue package includes three never-before-released songs from the original recording sessions: "Ant in Alaska", "Say You", and an untitled instrumental with Phair on guitar...
by Liz PhairLiz PhairPhair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there... - "Christmas Steps" from the album Come On Die YoungCome On Die YoungCome On Die Young , is the second full-length studio album by the Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, released on 29 March 1999 by Chemikal Underground.-Overview:...
by MogwaiMogwaiThe word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:... - "Day Trip" from the album Chomp Samba by Amon TobinAmon TobinAmon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin , known as Amon Tobin, is a Brazilian musician, composer and producer of electronic music. He is described as a virtuoso sound designer and is considered to be one of the most influential electronic music artists in the world...
- "Trespasser" by Bad Medicine
- "5-4=Unity" by PavementPavement (band)Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
- "Who Am I" by Peace OrchestraPeace OrchestraPeace Orchestra is a musical solo project from Viennese trip-hop-dub producer Peter Kruder, best known as one half of Kruder & Dorfmeister.Peace Orchestra is also the title of an album recorded by Kruder under the Peace Orchestra banner...
- "Painted Sun in Abstract" by Trent ReznorTrent ReznorMichael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
and Atticus RossAtticus RossAtticus Ross is an English musician, composer and producer. Ross, along with Trent Reznor, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Social Network in 2011.-Early career:... - "Sad Bowels" from the album "Two Weeks Notice Original Soundtrack"
- "Did This Really Happen?" from the album 21 Grams (Soundtrack) by Gustavo SantaolallaGustavo SantaolallaGustavo Alfredo Santaolalla is an Argentine musician, film composer and producer. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score in two consecutive years, for Brokeback Mountain in 2005 and Babel in 2006.-Life and career:...
Other media
Some of the show's episodes are accompanied by multimedia downloads available on This American Lifes website. One notable mention is a remake of the Elton JohnElton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
song "Rocket Man" that was produced for episode 223, "Classifieds", and released as an MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
. 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
Theremin
The theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
), met and practiced for only one day before recording the song.
Three 2-disc CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
sets collecting some of the producers' favorite acts have been released: Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes: The Best of This American Life
Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes: The Best of This American Life
Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes: The Best of This American Life is the second compilation album featuring radio broadcasts from This American Life. The two-disc set contains contributions by Dishwasher Pete, Ira Glass, Jack Hitt, Sandra Tsing Loh, David Sedaris, and Sarah Vowell...
was released on May 4, 1999; Crimebusters + Crossed Wires: Stories from This American Life
Crimebusters + Crossed Wires: Stories from This American Life
Crimebusters + Crossed Wires: Stories from This American Life is a compilation album featuring radio broadcasts from This American Life. The two-disc set contains contributions by Ira Glass, David Sedaris, and Sarah Vowell.-Track listing:...
was released on November 11, 2003; and Stories of Hope and Fear
Stories of Hope and Fear
Stories of Hope and Fear is the fourth compilation album featuring radio broadcasts from This American Life.-Track listing:Hope#Jorge Just – If I Can Make It There – 7:10...
was released on November 7, 2006.
A 32-page comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
, Radio: An Illustrated Guide (ISBN 0-9679671-0-4), documents how an episode of TAL is put together. It was drawn by cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Jessica Abel
Jessica Abel
Jessica Abel is an American comic book writer and artist, known as the creator of such works as Life Sucks, Drawing Words & Writing Pictures, Soundtrack, La Perdida, Mirror, Window, Radio: An Illustrated Guide , and the omnibus series Artbabe.Abel has stated that her major work is not...
, written by Abel and Glass, and first published in 1999.
Current production staff
Host- Ira GlassIra GlassIra Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.- Early life :...
Senior Producer
- Julie Snyder
Producers
- Alex BlumbergAlex BlumbergAlex Blumberg is an American producer for the public radio and television versions of This American Life.- Career :Blumberg is an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University. Since 1999 he has been a producer for the public radio show This American Life and his stories are regularly...
- Jane Feltes
- Sarah Koenig
- Lisa Pollak
- Robyn Semien
- Alissa Shipp
- Ben CalhounBen CalhounBen Calhoun, is radio journalist and a producer for the public radio program This American Life. He is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Calhoun has taught at Loyola University Chicago and given lectures at Northwestern University...
- Jonathan Menjivar
- Nancy UpdikeNancy UpdikeNancy Updike is an American public radio producer and writer. Her work has been featured on radio programs including This American Life, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air, and has been published in The New York Times Magazine, LA Weekly, The Boston Globe, and Salon.com.- This American Life work...
Contributing editors
- Susan Burton
- Jonathan GoldsteinJonathan Goldstein (author)Jonathan Stuart Goldstein is an American-Canadian author, humourist and radio producer. Goldstein is known for his work on the radio programs This American Life and WireTap.-Biography:...
- Jack HittJack HittJack Hitt is an American author. He is a contributing editor to The New York Times Magazine, Harper's, and This American Life. He served previously as a contributing editor to the now-defunct magazine Lingua Franca. He also frequently appears in places like Rolling Stone, Wired, and Outside Magazine...
- Sarah VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
Production Manager
- Seth Lind
Music Supervisor
- Jane Feltes
Music Consultant
- Jessica Hopper
Web Manager
- Adrianne Mathiowetz
Intern
Other contributors
- Jay AllisonJay AllisonJay Allison is an American independent public radio producer and broadcast journalist. His work has been featured on radio programs such as This American Life, as well as National Public Radio's All Things Considered, and Morning Edition...
- Shalom AuslanderShalom AuslanderShalom Auslander is an American author and essayist. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Monsey, New York where he describes himself as having been "raised like a veal". His writing style is notable for its Jewish perspective and determinedly negative outlook...
- Mike BirbigliaMike Birbiglia-Professional work:Birbiglia has released three albums, including My Secret Public Journal Live, which was named one of the best comedy albums of the decade by the Onion AV Club....
- Scott CarrierScott CarrierScott Carrier is an American author, radio producer, and educator. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is currently finishing his second book and is a professor in the Department of Communication at Utah Valley University.- Written work :...
- Dan Collison
- Adam Davidson
- David Ellis Dickerson
- "Dishwasher" Pete JordanDishwasher PeteDishwasher Pete is the pen name for Pete Jordan, narcissistic hobo and author of the Dishwasher zine as well as the book of the same title, whose goal was to wash dishes in every state in America...
- Jeff Dorchen
- Susan Drury
- Erin Einhorn
- Dave HillDave Hill (comedian)Dave Hill is a comedian, writer, musician and actor. He hosts the stage show The Dave Hill Explosion at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and Hollywood and recently starred in the television show The King of Miami on the MOJO HD network. The show is now airing on Film24 in the UK....
- John HodgmanJohn HodgmanJohn Kellogg Hodgman is an American author, actor, and humorist. In addition to his published written works, such as The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That Is All, he is known for his personification of a PC in contrast to Justin Long's personification of a Mac in...
- Kevin Kelly
- Starlee KineStarlee KineStarlee Kine is an American public radio producer and writer. She was born in California. Her work has been featured on This American Life and Marketplace. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine...
- Alex Kotlowitz
- Chuck KlostermanChuck KlostermanCharles John "Chuck" Klosterman is an American author and essayist who has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Believer, and The Washington Post, and has written books focusing on American popular culture....
- Jon LangfordJon LangfordJon Langford born October 11, 1957, Newport, Monmouthshire is a Welsh-born musician and artist who is presently based in Chicago. He is the younger brother of science-fiction author and critic David Langford...
- Michael LewisMichael LewisMichael Lewis may refer to:*Michael Lewis , American non-fiction author and financial journalist*Michael Lewis , Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf*Michael Lewis , Belizean racing cyclist...
- Sandra Tsing LohSandra Tsing LohSandra Tsing Loh is a Los Angeles, California-based writer, actress, performance-artist, pop-culture analyst, and radio commentator.-Biography:Loh is the daughter of a Chinese father and a German mother...
- Ian Lynam
- Brett Martin
- nathan .o Mortified
- Chris Neary
- Heather O'NeillHeather O'NeillHeather O'Neill is a Canadian novelist, poet, short story writer, screenwriter and journalist. She was born in Montreal, but spent part of her childhood in the American South. She currently lives in Montreal....
- Beau O'Reilly
- David RakoffDavid RakoffDavid Rakoff is a Canadian-born writer based in New York City who is noted for his humorous, sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff is an essayist, journalist, and actor and is a regular contributor to Public Radio International's This American Life...
- Jon RonsonJon RonsonJon Ronson is a Welsh journalist, documentary filmmaker, radio presenter and nonfiction author, whose works include The Men Who Stare At Goats. His journalism and columns have appeared in British publications including The Guardian newspaper, City Life and Time Out magazine...
- Davy RothbartDavy RothbartDavy Rothbart is an author, filmmaker, contributor to This American Life, and the editor/publisher of Found Magazine.-Background:...
- Dan SavageDan SavageDaniel Keenan "Dan" Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist and newspaper editor. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. Its tone is frank in its discussion of sexuality, often humorous, and hostile to social conservatives, as in...
- David SedarisDavid SedarisDavid Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist, writer, comedian, bestselling author, and radio contributor....
- David Segal
- Curtis SittenfeldCurtis SittenfeldElizabeth Curtis Sittenfeld is an American writer. She is author of three novels: Prep, the tale of a Massachusetts prep school, The Man of My Dreams, a coming-of-age novel and an examination of romantic love, and American Wife, a fictional story loosely based on the life of First Lady Laura...
- Karen SosnoskiKaren SosnoskiKaren Sosnoski is an American author, radio contributor and documentary filmmaker.Sosnoski is working on a novel, Rosemary's Models, about the intimate secrets, hopes, and fears that cause men, women, and even children to plunge hopefully into artistic relationships with a wood engraver, craving,...
- Julia SweeneyJulia SweeneyJulia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:...
- Cheryl Trykv
- David Wilcox