This American Life Podcast: full transcripts and summaries of all episodes

Podcast: This American Life

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

• Author: This American Life
• Category: Society & Culture

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699: Fiasco! with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-12-30
Duration: 00:58:33
Shownotes: We leave the normal realm of human error and enter the territory of huge breakdowns. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Jack

Hitt tells the story of a small-town production of Peter Pan in which all the usual boundaries between the audience and actors dissolve entirely. (6 minutes)Act One: Jack Hitt's Peter Pan story continues. (18 minutes)Act Two: The first day on the job inevitably means mistakes, mishaps, and sometimes, fiascos. A true story, told by a former rookie cop. (13 minutes)Act Three: Comedian Mike Birbiglia talks about the time he ruined a cancer charity event by giving the worst performance of his life. Here's a hint: He improvised. About cancer. (10 minutes)Act Four: Journalist Margy Rochlin on her first big assignment to do a celebrity interview: Moon Unit Zappa in 1982. Midway through the interview: fiasco! (7 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

850: If You Want to Destroy My Sweater, Hold This Thread as I Walk Away with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-12-23
Duration: 01:05:37
Summary: This episode narrates personal stories that delve into the transformative moments that shape our lives. Chris Benderev reflects on a teacher's comment that altered his

perspective on friendships and adulthood. The episode further explores family narratives and the discrepancies in memories shared by family members. Mike Comite shares a pivotal experience during the Bonnaroo festival, marked by a performance mishap, revealing the emotional complexities of artistic endeavors. The episode concludes with Salma, a Syrian woman, discussing the profound effects of political upheaval on her emotions and memories regarding her homeland.

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Shownotes: The tiny thing that unravels your world. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira talks to Chris Benderev, whose high school years

were completely upended by an impromptu thing his teacher said. (8 minutes)Act One: For Producer Lilly Sullivan, there’s one story about her parents that defines how she sees them, their family, and their history. She finds out it might be wrong. (27 minutes)Act Two: For years, Mike Comite has replayed in his head the moment when he and his bandmate blew their shot of making it as musicians. He sets out to uncover how it all went awry. (13 minutes)Act Three: Six million Syrians fled the country after the start of its civil war. A few weeks ago, one woman watched from afar as everything in her home country changed forever – again. (9 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

849: The Narrator with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-12-16
Duration: 00:58:09
Summary: In this episode, an eight-year-old girl named Banias from Gaza shares her life experiences amid ongoing conflict. The narrative depicts her attempts to maintain childhood

innocence while contending with the harsh realities of war around her. Banias' playful interactions with friends and imaginative coping mechanisms, such as playing school, are juxtaposed against the backdrop of violence and instability. Her reflections on evacuations, fear, and a desire to escape capture the emotional complexities faced by children in conflict zones. The episode powerfully illustrates the resilience of youth in the face of trauma and displacement.

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Shownotes: Banias is an 8-year-old kid living in Gaza. And she has a story to tell — many stories, in fact. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up

for our premium subscription.Prologue: While on the phone with reporter Maram Hamaid in Gaza, producer Chana Joffe-Walt gets interrupted by Maram’s daughter––Banias, eight, who grabs the phone from her mother and starts telling us about her life. The narrator arrives. (8 minutes)Part One: Banias, an 8-year-old in Gaza, tells us about her life––her friends, the games she plays, the things she cares about. Everything but the war going on around her. (25 minutes)Part Two: Banias talks about the war. (20 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

809: The Call with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-12-09
Duration: 01:01:58
Summary: In '809: The Call' from This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass, the episode centers on the Never Use Alone hotline, a critical support service

for drug users at risk of overdose. The narrative follows Kimber, who calls the hotline while intending to use heroin. The nurse, Jessie, stays on the line to monitor her safety. As the urgency escalates, an EMT named Steven involved in the ensuing rescue reflects on the challenges of drug use and addiction, including his own past struggles. The story unfolds to reveal the connections formed through these crises, highlighting themes of compassion, the harsh realities of addiction, and the importance of support systems to prevent overdose deaths.

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Shownotes: One call to a very unusual hotline and everything that followed. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira talks about a priest

who set up what may have been the first hotline in the United States. It was just him, answering a phone, trying to help strangers who called. (2 minutes)Act One: The Never Use Alone hotline was set up so that drug users can call if they are say, using heroin by themselves. Someone will stay on the line with them in case they overdose. We hear the recording of one call, from a woman named Kimber. (13 minutes)Act Two: An EMT learns he was connected to the call, in more ways than he realized. (16 minutes)Act Three: Jessie, who took the call, explains how she discovered the hotline. She keeps in touch with Kimber. Until one day, Kimber disappears. (16 minutes)Act Four: We learn what happened to Kimber after she called the line. (10 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

815: How I Learned to Shave with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-12-02
Duration: 01:00:27
Summary: In episode 815 of 'This American Life,' titled 'How I Learned to Shave,' host Ira Glass reflects on the emotional significance of learning to shave

from his father, capturing the complexities of father-son relationships. The episode explores various narratives, including Jackie's exploration of her father's legacy through the invention of the Trapper Keeper and its implications. It delves into themes of recognition and identity as Ken and Carol recount their father's contributions. Additionally, the episode presents a juxtaposition of nature's realities through the story of Wolf 8 and Wolf 21 while also touching on the humorous evolution of dating customs through generational storytelling. Ultimately, it emphasizes the profound impact of personal connections amidst the fleeting nature of life.

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Shownotes: Things our dads taught us, whether they intended to or not. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira talks about the time

his dad taught him to shave, and how unusual that was. (5 minutes)Act One: When Jackie read the obits for the man who had invented the famous Trapper Keeper notebook, she was very surprised. As far as she knew, the inventor was very much alive. It was her dad. Not the guy in the obit. (15 minutes)Act Two: A father and son find themselves in a very traditional relationship. Until the end. (21 minutes)Act Three: Simon Rich reads his short story "History Report," in which a father explains the sex robots of the future. And other things as well. (14 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

848: The Official Unofficial Record with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-11-25
Duration: 01:01:20
Summary: In this episode of 'This American Life,' host Ira Glass explores the Venezuelan presidential election, marked by controversy and concerns over electoral integrity. Amid rising

government repression, citizens took a stand for transparency by launching the '600K' initiative, which saw volunteers collect paper copies of vote tallies from across the nation. The episode features the training and experiences of an election witness named Maria, who faces multiple obstacles on election day to ensure that the voting process remains fair. The narrative ultimately juxtaposes these efforts in Venezuela with evolving attitudes toward election integrity in America, highlighting the essential themes of democracy and the pursuit of truth.

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Shownotes: How do you count almost 12 million votes if you’re not the government? This week, we bring you the extraordinary story of hundreds of thousands

of Venezuelans who created the only verifiable public record of votes in their presidential election — and other stories of people trying to correct the official record with their own versions. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Host Ira Glass sets us up for Nancy Updike’s insider account of the recent presidential election in Venezuela. The story is an incredible national drama that plays out in thousands of polling stations across the country, with regular people trying to ensure a fair vote count that everyone can agree on. (2 minutes)Act One: Producer Nancy Updike tells the story of the people of Venezuela trying to prove who won their recent presidential election beyond a shadow of a doubt. (22 minutes)Act Two: Host Ira Glass spent America’s presidential election in the swing state of Michigan, where he found very little dispute over the ballot count from Republican poll challengers in Detroit now that they are doing the counting themselves. (8 minutes)Act Three: This story is about a creepy and dangerous creature that does all kinds of terrible things. It’s also about someone trying to set the record straight on those exact assumptions about this notorious creature. (9 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

847: The Truly Incredible Story of Keiko the Killer Whale with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-11-18
Duration: 01:02:04
Summary: This episode of 'This American Life' explores the life of Keiko, a killer whale who faced the trauma of being captured and raised in captivity

across various marine parks. Renata Fernandez, one of his trainers, shares their emotional bond despite addressing the distressing realities of Keiko's situation—living in a small, shallow pool, which sparked a global movement for his welfare following the film 'Free Willy'. The narrative reflects on the environmental movement, the challenges of rehabilitating Keiko for a return to the wild, and the deep emotional ties that connect humans and whales, ultimately raising questions about animal rights and conservation.

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Shownotes: Keiko was a hugely beloved adventure park attraction. He was also captured in the wild and taken away from his mother when he was just

a calf. When Hollywood learned about him, a colossal effort began to un-tame him and send him back to the ocean. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira introduces a new series from Serial Productions and The New York Times. "The Good Whale" is about the killer whale Keiko and is reported by Daniel Alarcón. (2 minutes)Act One: Daniel Alarcón takes us back to the early 90’s when Keiko lived in an adventure park in Mexico City, swimming with human friends. (43 minutes)Act Two: Producer Diane Wu travels to Minnesota, where the turkey set to be pardoned by The President of the United States later this month is having the turkiness trained out of him. (10 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

846: This Is the Cake We Baked with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-11-11
Duration: 01:02:48
Summary: In this episode of 'This American Life', the implications of Donald Trump's election victory are explored through various perspectives. The reaction among Republicans in Michigan

on election night was one of joy, fueled by successful grassroots efforts. Emotional testimonies, including a police officer reflecting on the Capitol riot, highlight the nation's division. The discussion shifts to the potential for mass deportations, the consequences for communities, and the unique political dynamics among Latino voters supporting Trump. The episode also features personal stories surrounding abortion rights post-Roe v. Wade, illustrating the emotional and political landscape following the election.

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Shownotes: With Donald Trump’s victory this week, many people looked at the election results and thought, yeah, this is the country I thought it was. For

some people, that was a hopeful thing. For others, kind of the opposite. This week, we talked with people who helped make it happen and some who are looking to what’s next. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira talks with Zoe Chace about watching Trump’s victory from an ecstatic room in Michigan. Then he checks in with a DC cop who was injured at the Capitol on January 6. (7 minutes)Act One: Trump has claimed that he will be able to deport between 15 and 20 million people. But neither he nor his team have spelled out exactly how they’d do it. Producer Nadia Reiman looked into what mass deportation could actually look like on the ground if and when it comes to pass. (17 minutes)Act Two: Trump won record numbers of Latino voters this year. Ike Sriskandarajah spent the day with a guy in Pennsylvania who's been working to bring Latino voters to Trump for years. (15 minutes)Act Three: Ira talks with two of Trump’s “political enemies” about their post-election plans. (8 minutes)Act Four: Ten different states had abortion rights measures on their ballots this election. Producer Miki Meek got curious about a particular kind of political ad that aired in many of those states and called up a few of the women whose stories were featured in them. (9 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

845: A Small Thing That Gives Me a Tiny Shred of Hope with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-11-04
Duration: 01:01:16
Summary: In episode 845 of 'This American Life,' titled 'A Small Thing That Gives Me a Tiny Shred of Hope,' host Ira Glass delves into the

complexities of political division and interpersonal relationships. The episode follows the stories of various individuals, including a couple, Dick and Emily, who struggle to find a common news source amid diverging beliefs shaped by the Trump era. As they navigate the political landscape, they turn to the Tangle newsletter for balanced perspectives, leading to a crucial shift in their discussions. The podcast also highlights the experiences of June, who conceals her voting intentions from her Trump-supporting husband, and Frank, who grapples with dating in a politically polarized environment, emphasizing the struggle for connection amid deep-seated political divides.

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Shownotes: A wee flame, flickering in the dark. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Who’s trying to bridge the gap between Blue America

and Red America? Ira gets a glimpse of one guy who might be able to do just that. (3 minutes)Act One: A politically divided couple searches for a news source they both can trust. (26 minutes)Act Two: "June" is making a tactical decision about her vote this election. (13 minutes)Act Three: Frank Filocomo thinks people care too much about politics when it comes to dating. His dates don’t necessarily agree. (10 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

660: Hoaxing Yourself with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-10-28
Duration: 00:58:39
Summary: In episode 660 of "This American Life," titled "Hoaxing Yourself," the exploration centers around self-deception and identity. Sean Cole shares his two-year obsession with adopting

a British identity, leading him to believe he was part of British culture. Other stories include college experiences of crafting false personas and a con artist's schemes that ultimately led him into a moral crisis. Through humor and poignant narratives, the episode examines the lengths individuals go to in order to construct and maintain illusions about their identities, culminating in reflections on personal and cultural truths.

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Shownotes: People who tell a lie and then believe the lie more than anyone else. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Sean Cole

explains why he decided that he would speak with a British accent—morning, noon and night—from the age of fourteen until he was sixteen, and how he believed the lie that he was British must be true. (3 minutes)Act One: The story of two young people who, in their search to figure out who they were, pretended to be people they weren't. Both were from small towns; both took on false identities. For two years in high school, producer Sean Cole spoke with a British accent. As a freshman in college, Joel Lovell told lies about his own diet and about his parents. (15 minutes)Act Two: The story of a con man, one of the most successful salesmen in a long-running multimillion-dollar telemarketing scam, who finally got caught when he was conned himself. Producer Nancy Updike talks about the case with Dale Sekovich, Federal Trade Commission investigator. (16 minutes)Act Three: Shalom Auslander reads his true story, "The Blessing Bee." It's about the time when, as a third-grader at an Orthodox Jewish school, Shalom saw his chance to both make his mom proud, and push his drunken father out of the picture. Part of his scheme involved winning the school's bee on the complicated Hebrew blessings you say before eating certain foods. The other part of the scheme: Sinning. (19 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

844: This Is the Case of Henry Dee with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-10-21
Duration: 00:59:04
Summary: In the episode 'This Is the Case of Henry Dee' from This American Life, Ira Glass examines the complex narratives around Henry Dee, a 72-year-old

inmate facing parole after nearly 50 years in prison for a brutal crime. Reporter Ben Austen explores the intricacies of parole hearings, the debates on rehabilitation and justice, and the various factors influencing decisions about inmate release. The panel's deliberations reveal tensions between public safety, victim suffering, and Dee's claims of innocence, alongside his model prisoner behavior. The episode culminates in a broader discussion on the need for justice reform and second chances within the parole system.

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Shownotes: Thirteen parole board members decide whether or not one man should be released from prison. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Henry

Dee has been locked up for most of his life, nearly 50 years. Now, he’s up for parole. Reporter Ben Austen tells the story. (19 minutes)Part 1: The parole board members puzzle through the pros and cons of releasing Henry Dee from prison and cast their votes. (26 minutes)Part 2: Reporter Ben Austen continues the story. (8 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

A Big Announcement with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-10-16
Duration: 00:04:56
Summary: In this episode of 'This American Life', Ira Glass addresses the financial difficulties the show faces due to a significant decline in podcast ad revenues,

projecting a one-third decrease in income. To mitigate this issue, the show will introduce a premium subscription service, offering exclusive content and access to a curated archive, while still maintaining the availability of free episodes for regular listeners. This move reflects a broader trend in the podcast industry, where many shows are struggling with advertising. Glass emphasizes the importance of listener support to sustain the show.

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Shownotes: Ira Glass has news to share about some things happening here at This American Life. To sign up as a Life Partner, visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners.

843: A Little Bit of Power with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-10-14
Duration: 00:56:15
Summary: In episode 843 of This American Life, 'A Little Bit of Power,' the narrative centers on how voters with limited political influence can still impact

major decisions, particularly during the presidential election. Highlighting the Uncommitted movement, which emerged among Arab-American voters dissatisfied with Biden's Israel policy, the episode follows their efforts to negotiate concessions with the Democratic National Committee. Abbas Alawieh, a prominent figure within the movement, attempts to secure representation and policy changes that reflect voters' concerns, despite facing obstacles and skepticism from both the party and the community. The episode paints a picture of the tenuous balance between political activism and voter representation in a contentious election cycle.

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Shownotes: So much of the fight for the presidency is coming down to battles for small slices of voters who can help throw swing states to

one candidate or another. Abbas Alawieh, a leader in the Uncommitted movement, grapples with how to get his voters the thing they want. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: When you have some power, but not a lot, how do you wield it when you’re suddenly cast into the spotlight? (4 minutes)Act One: Zoe Chace and Ben Terris follow Abbas Alawieh as he fights to broker a deal at the DNC – a way to potentially satisfy the people who voted “Uncommitted” in the primaries as a protest vote against Biden’s handling of the war in Israel and Gaza. (33 minutes)Act Two: Three weeks after the Democratic National Convention, Abbas speaks at a tense community meeting in Michigan about the Uncommitted organizers’ general election recommendation and hears back from voters on how they feel about the Democratic nominee at this point. (15 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

842: 51 Days with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-10-07
Duration: 00:58:38
Shownotes: Chen Almog-Goldstein was kidnapped by Hamas along with her three youngest children on October 7, 2023. This week, she tells the story of their life

as hostages in Gaza. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: The 251 hostages taken by Hamas a year ago have become a divisive symbol in Israel. Host Ira Glass talks about the father of one hostage, and what happened to him at a protest last week when he called for a hostage deal. (6 minutes)Part One: On this week’s show, we’re airing excerpts of interviews with former hostages produced by an Israeli podcast, Echad Bayom. In these interviews they describe, in a remarkably detailed and complicated way, what happened to them a year ago. Part Two: Chen’s story continues, with a description of what it was like to be hidden in a small apartment with her children and their captors. (6 minutes)Part Three: Chen talks about the complicated relationship between her family and the people holding them hostage. (6 minutes)Part Four: Chen describes hearing the Israeli news while in captivity, including one night when her own father was interviewed. (4 minutes)Part Five: Chen talks about what it was like to walk around the streets of Gaza in disguise and their eventual release, 51 days after they were taken from their home. (13 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

841: My Senior Year with full transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-09-23
Duration: 00:58:48
Summary: In episode 841 titled 'My Senior Year' from 'This American Life,' the focus is on high school seniors in Salt Lake City, including an international

exchange student named Majd from Gaza. They navigate nostalgia, fear of missing out, and the cultural significance of senior year while engaging in typical American high school activities. Majd's journey reflects her struggles to adapt amid the trauma of conflict in Gaza, balancing her new life with worries about her family's safety. The episode portrays the emotional challenges faced by exchange students, juxtaposing their experiences with moments of joy and connection despite overwhelming circumstances.

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Shownotes: One kid comes to America as an exchange student and commits herself to the senior year experience. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium

subscription. Prologue: We talk to high school seniors in Salt Lake City who are trying to have the perfect year. (5 minutes)Act One: Every year, thousands of teenagers come from all over the world to experience American high school. Last year, thirteen students from Palestine came to the US on a program sponsored by the US State Department. We tell the story of a girl named Majd, from Gaza, and her extraordinary year in America. (50 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

840: How Are You Not Seeing This? with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-09-16
Duration: 00:59:18
Shownotes: People trying and struggling to see what another person sees. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: Guest-host Tobin Low talks to

comedian Tig Notaro about a jarring ride to school with her son. (6 minutes)Act One: Producer Aviva DeKornfeld heads to the Calgary Stampede to watch as men try out a machine designed to simulate menstrual cramps. (15 minutes)Act Two: A man can’t seem to see anyone in his life for who they really are, plunging his life into chaos. (18 minutes)Act Three: Senior Editor David Kestenbaum hears about a way to save some money and help save the world. All he needs is a little help. (5 minutes)Act Four: Marie Phillips reads a short story involving an aloof friend, a goose, and some extreme gardening. (7 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

839: Meet Me at the Fair with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-09-09
Duration: 01:04:21
Shownotes: Iowa has three million people and a million come to their State Fair, each with their own goals and dreams for the fair. We hang

out with some of them, to see if they get what they hoped for. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: A big bull, a giant slide, and cowboys on horseback shooting balloons are just a few sights you can take in at the Iowa State Fair. Some people come for the spectacle, and some are the spectacle. (8 minutes)Act One: Bailey Leavitt comes from a family of carnies. For her, one of the most thrilling things she looks for at the fair is someone who is really good at luring people into spending money at their stand. She takes Ira on an insider’s search for “an agent.” (16 minutes)Act 2: Motley Crue pledged never to play the fairgrounds. Then they did. We wondered what that had been like for them. They agreed to an interview, but then they flinched. (1 minute)Act Two: What life lessons can kids learn at the 4-H rabbit competition? A lot. (11 minutes)Act Three: The Iowa State Fair awarded coveted slots to just nine new food vendors this year. All of them are run by people who already own restaurants or who’ve done other big fairs. All except for an unlikely newcomer: Biscuit Bar. (19 minutes)Act Four: As the ferris wheel goes dark and the fair is closing down, one game is racing to meet their quota. Ira watches until the end.Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

838: Letters! Actual Letters! with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-08-19
Duration: 00:58:57
Shownotes: When the best—and perhaps only—way to say something is to write it down. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira goes out

with a letter carrier, ‘Grace,’ as she delivers mail on her route. He learns about the people who bring us our mail and also how people treat their mail. (11 minutes)Act One: Writing a letter decades after an event that shaped her life was the only way that Nicole Piasecki could make some sense of it. (18 minutes)Act Two: Yorkshire, 1866. A farmer overcomes his timidity and writes a very important letter to a local beauty. (3 minutes)Act Three: When senior editor David Kestenbaum was still a rookie reporter, he wrote an email to a legend. Then he waited...and waited...for a reply. (6 minutes)Act Four: A woman writes an unusual letter on behalf of her husband. (1 minute)Act Five: Producer Zoe Chace compares the letters a person gets and the letters they wish they got. (12 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

837: Swim Towards the Shark with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-08-12
Duration: 01:05:46
Shownotes: In a crisis, when all logic suggests that you get away from the dangerous thing, how will you respond? Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for

our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira talks to two members of a recreational swimming club who intentionally swam straight toward a shark that had just bitten their friend. (10 minutes)Act One: Sarah Polley has always been reluctant to jump into challenging situations. Then something happened that changed all of that – something that also made her think her teeth were going to fall out. (21 minutes)Act Two: Comedian Josh Johnson tells the story of a “trad wife” who stepped into an incendiary situation. And even as the flames consumed her, she kept stepping. (7 minutes)Act Three: This summer, thousands of young people have taken to the streets in Nairobi to protest the Kenyan government. But behind those protestors are thousands of worried parents. Reporter Kimu Elolia talks to a woman whose son keeps lying to her. (19 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

836: The Big Rethink with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-07-22
Duration: 00:59:40
Shownotes: People rethinking some of the most important relationships in their lives — with their sister, their political party, and the nominee for president. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners

to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Ira observes that we are in a moment of national reconsideration. (2 minutes)Act One: Zoe Chace reports on a surprising guest at the Republican National Convention: Teamsters president Sean O’Brien. (18 minutes)Act Two: Ira talks to Representative Seth Moulton about what it was like to be among the first members of Congress to call for President Joe Biden to step aside. (18 minutes)Act Three: Two adult sisters revisit old rivalries when they compete for a world record in typing with their pinkies. (16 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

835: Children of Dave with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-06-29
Duration: 01:01:10
Shownotes: Boen Wang has a theory that a lot of the misery in his life can be traced to a single moment that happened years before

he was born. So he makes a pilgrimage to see if he’s right. Prologue: Ira talks about what it’s like to go back to 1119 Bayard Street in Baltimore. (6 minutes)Part One: Boen visits Norman, Oklahoma, where he was born, to meet the man he thinks changed his parents’ lives—and his life, too. (31 minutes)Part Two: Boen’s friend, Andrew, and his parents take what he learned in Part One, throw it into a blender, and push puree. (20 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

834: Yousef and the Fourth Move with full AI transcript and summary

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Update: 2024-06-29
Duration: 00:58:11
Shownotes: In Rafah, Yousef is out of options and faces his toughest move yet. Prologue: Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Yousef Hammash has

decided where to go next and when. In Rafah, he is out of options and faces his toughest move yet. (5 minutes)Act One: Yousef does not even want to think about leaving Gaza. (18 minutes)Act Two: The actual price — in cash — of getting out of Gaza. (31 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.