Bonus episode: Ira plays three stories by Alex Chadwick, who he looked up to back in his twenties when he was trying to figure out how to make radio. Subscribe to hear the full episode: bit.ly/4vIKF9s
Hi it’s me I made you a story about bureaucracy that’s also wild and also maybe a good listen? I hope so!
Video
Can’t say enough about how much I enjoy the bonus content from TAL Life Partners (most recently: Ira singing at Joe’s Pub!) More than worth the price of admission.
this was absolutely wild
Writer Daniel Alarcón got the assignment of a lifetime: to profile Lionel Messi for a magazine. He was sure they would just *get* each other. He waited 8 hours, sweating through his shirt, to find out if he was right. link.podtrac.com/6cxk5300
A 25-year Social Security Administration veteran got called to a secret meeting with DOGE. They asked him to declare 6,000 people dead, with no proof that they had died. He said no. Then the list grew to 2.7 million. link.podtrac.com/6cxk5300
This week: stories of people whose lives were changed by books.
Two coaches spent a summer telling a sensitive kid he was actually a football star. He almost believed them. This week: adults telling kids who they are — and kids wondering if they're right.
A Social Security Administration veteran was asked by DOGE to declare 2.7 million people dead. The problem is, they were alive. Find out what he did on our show this week. link.podtrac.com/6cxk5300
A DC reporter found a box of art supplies on his stoop and decided, with zero experience, that he would become the official oil painter of Washington. It did not go exactly as planned. link.podtrac.com/6cxk5300
Video
Regular people trapped inside Greek myths.
Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.
Prologue: When a mysterious, ripped-open package arrives on Pablo's doorst...
A Social Security Administration veteran was asked by DOGE to declare 2.7 million people dead. The problem is, they were alive. Find out what he did on our show this week. link.podtrac.com/6cxk5300
Regular people trapped inside Greek myths.
Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.
Prologue: When a mysterious, ripped-open package arrives on Pablo's doorst...
We want to believe our lives can be changed by the ideas contained in a book.
link.podtrac.com
Adults telling kids who they are, and kids wondering — are they right?
Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.
Prologue: Host Ira talks with comedian Gary Gu...
Regular people trapped inside Greek myths.
Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.
Prologue: When a mysterious, ripped-open package arrives on Pablo's doorst...
A Social Security Administration veteran was asked by DOGE to declare 2.7 million people dead. The problem is, they were alive. Find out what he did on our show this week. link.podtrac.com/6cxk5300
This American Life
Video
This American Life
Become our Life Partner! Support the show and you’ll get ad-free listening, bonus content, and access to hundreds of archive episodes hand-picked by Ira Glass.
C.H. Romatowski
Cobalt
This American Life
We launched our Life Partners program to help fund the show in a world with less ad revenue. One year in: it's working! But we need it to grow to sustain our work long-term. Your support allows us to ...
