Podcast

This American Life

This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.

Episodes

  • 681: Escape From the Lab

    Aug 18 2019

    What happens when our most ingenious creations actually make it out into the world.

  • 409: Held Hostage

    Aug 11 2019

    Stories of people held captive — by criminals, by paperwork, and in one man's case, his own body — and the ways they try to cope.

  • 585: In Defense of Ignorance

    Aug 04 2019

    Exactly how incompetent you are. What your ex’s best friend really thinks of you. The approximate time that you will die. Some things in life are better not to know about. And sometimes there can be a benefit to not knowing. In this episode — examples of ignorance truly being bliss, or even being an asset.

  • 680: The Weight Of Words

    Jul 28 2019

    Words mean things, but some words are especially meaningful — whether in a survival manual, a song lyric, or a slur.

  • 679: Save the Girl

    Jul 14 2019

    People go on missions to save young girls from danger. But sometimes they get so caught up in the mission that it overshadows the girl herself.

  • 678: The Wannabes

    Jul 07 2019

    This country is crawling in presidential candidates right now and they're bumping into each other in Des Moines and yelling over each other in Miami. We hang out with them, in this weird early period of the election when they're easy to walk right up to.

  • 677: Seeing Yourself In the Wild

    Jun 16 2019

    Stories of those unexpected moments when we see who we really are.

  • 676: Here’s Looking at You, Kid

    Jun 02 2019

    Adults telling kids who they are, and kids wondering — are they right?

  • 675: I’m on TV??

    May 19 2019

    What it's like to be momentarily big on the small screen. 

  • 674: Get a Spine!

    May 12 2019

    Stories of people standing up for themselves, shaking off their fear, bracing themselves, and doing what they’ve been scared to do.