I agree about the tone. I definitely like the interviewers with “regular” people more than I do interviews with writers or commentary by writers. Often their stories are an exercise in navel-gazing, full of self-important “epiphanies”, all told in the same refined, dry, psuedo-intellectual tone. And it also seems that most of the writers who come on the show are Ira’s friends. For some reason, that rubs me the wrong way (maybe it’s because I already feel that New Yorkers are overly-represented in the media?)
All Things Considered is the same way. The commentary featured between news stories is usually boring shit targeted to tweed-jacket-wearing humanities professors and their students. I usually switch to music during the commentaries and then switch back when the news comes back on (and then inevitably switch back to music when Michelle Norris interviews some obscure artist or musician…although those segments aren’t too bad.)
Lest I sound ungrateful to TAL, it is truly one of my most favorite things in the world.
My favorites for 2005:
Heretics (12/6/05): I loved it so much that I plan to send a copy of it to my father for Father’s Day.
After the Flood (9/5/05): I can’t even describe how awesomely informative this story was.
I have almost every episode ever, through complicated and sneaky means.
1998, Episode 148 The angels want to wear my red suit. This show has a hilarious story about Sedaris finding out about other cultures’ customs for Easter.
I love the Curly Oxide story. I saw on the net that Tina Fey has sold a movie script about him. My Experimental Phase 6/25/04 Episode 268
I asked the same thing almost four years ago. What is your favorite edition of This American Life (PRI)? There are a lot of good recommendations in that thread. Of course the Staff Favorites on the website are a good place to start. After that, read the episode summaries and pick something that sounds interesting. The main problem for me with doing that, is there are so many that seem really good. There are several that I’ve listened to multiple times.
For an episode that is both quantity and quality, listen to “20 acts in 60 minutes” from 7/11/03. My favorite story is about the sausage factory and the secret process involved in making the sausages. I also like the music, I think some of it is the typing song from “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” but I’m not sure.
I read that in one of Sedaris’ books. I’m still laughing about it. I need to listen to it though (however, I"m not sure how they could get away with the language).
Truth be told, they’re not all New Yorkers. But it would seem that it helps to be one, or to have the shtick down.
In all likelihood the TAL people started out wanting to get an aural slice of all sorts of people from all walks of life. Then they probably winnowed out the kinds of people they didn’t find very interesting, and the kinds of people who didn’t find them very interesting simply didn’t send in material. And what they were left with was a base of contributors that shares a certain outlook (and probably more than just an outlook), and subject matter that, while not exactly predictable, is quirky in a predictable way.
Here are some of my favorite episodes, which I like as a whole, because they manage to be funny, thought-provoking, and bone-chilling, all in one hour.
The Cruelty of Children (6/21/96)
Other People’s Mail (7/25/97)
Telephone (1/16/98)
You Gonna Eat That?(12/11/98)
Hoaxing Yourself (3/18/00)
I also liked the Bush/Gore 2000 show and the invisibility vs flying one.
I don’t know the title, but there was a show recently (2005) about a woman whose family has inherited property in Poland. What she went thru (and still is I suppose) with regards to the caretaking family there, the clash of cultures etc–fascinating.
I like TAL-apparently they are moving to NY. Boo hiss.
