This fantastic American Life

I'm not easily starstruck in the traditional sense of the word. I've seen enough (mostly B-list) celebrities on movie sets and the like to know that. Maybe it's because film ranks third in my media triumvirate, with books and radio being a close first and second. Like I got really, really excited when author Cormac McCarthy was shown fleetingly at last year's Oscar's (it helped that I wrote a thesis chapter on him). But not nearly as excited as I was while posing for the above photo--I'm practically giggling, right?

The funny thing is that you may actually recognize the guy I'm posing with--Ira Glass--because the show he hosts--This American Life--is now on TV too (it's a great, visually interesting show, but I still prefer the radio version).

I've long been obsessed with TAL. (Josh hates it when I call it that.) Before podcasts existed, I was a religious Saturday listener. I referenced one of my favorite episodes in my college graduation speech, I played several episode segments in the English classes I taught at BYU, and during photo editing sessions or other mindless tasks at work, I streamed myself through all of the staff's favorites before working backwards through most of the history of the show. Josh and I regularly listen to a CD compilation of TAL episodes while falling asleep, and I regularly start sentences with "Did you hear that This American Life about . . . " Etc. You get it. I'm obsessed.

I've often asked myself what it is that makes this show so damn good (yes, my obsession even prompts minor profanity use in its name). I think fundamentally, I'm a sucker for a good story, and this show delivers good stories. That doesn't sound so amazing, but it's a really hard thing to do consistently. Think about the last good story you heard--the kind of story that makes you forget everything else around you, bubbles up your emotions, and holds on to you for a good hour or two after you're done with it (and, with lesser intensity, for years afterwards). Has it been a while since you experienced that? If so, try one of these (you can stream them for free):

Shoulda Been Dead
My Experimental Phase
Switched At Birth
House on Loon Lake
Bedside Diplomacy (especially Act Three)
Kid Logic
Superpowers
20 Acts in 60 Minutes

These aren't quite as story-based, but they're equally great (the first two are in my mind essential to understanding the current economic crisis).
The Giant Pool of Money
Another Frightening Show About the Economy
Testosterone
The Sanctity of Marriage
The Center for Lessons Learned
Habeas Schmabeas
Pimp Anthropology

Enjoy! Get hooked!

Oh, and the above photo was taken after a live recording of Radio West in Park City, when Ira was in town to promote the TV version of TAL at Sundance last year. I paid what seemed like a lot of money to attend, but oh was it worth it.