This American Life
Society & Culture
About
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.
Episodes
- 318: With Great Power
This American Life episode 318, 'With Great Power,' presents stories about people who gain unexpected power. It includes accounts of saving lives, dealing with shocking neighborly behavior, and the dynamics of powerlessness and authority.
- 886: Blackout
This American Life episode 886, "Blackout," covers the internet blackout in Iran coinciding with wartime. It includes voice memos from inside the country, detailing events before, during, and after the conflict, including President Trump's…
- Ira (Reluctantly) Gives a Graduation Speech
Ira Glass, host of This American Life, shares his reluctance towards giving graduation speeches, detailing the situation that compelled him to deliver one.
- 466: Blackjack
This American Life episode 466 explores the casino game blackjack. It covers the basics of card-counting with insights from the MIT blackjack team, features a story about a Christian card-counting team, and includes segments where hosts tr…
- 393: Infidelity
This American Life episode 393, "Infidelity," presents various stories and perspectives on cheating, including observations on wedding notices, personal accounts of affairs, infidelity statistics, and reflections on the aftermath.
- 885: Bless This Mess
This episode of This American Life, 885: Bless This Mess, delves into complicated American history. It features a discussion about Black movie characters, the complex story of Paul and Essie Robeson, and a reading of Jourdan Anderson's res…
- 884: The Idiot
M. Gessen shares a family true-crime story from their podcast, The Idiot, detailing events that prompted their investigation, including a cousin's trial and a conversation with an undercover agent.
- 883: Call Your Parents
Ira Glass reflects on interviews with his parents that altered their relationship, featuring segments on his mother leading a discussion about adult children, his parents giving him advice for the radio show, his father's radio career, and…
- 882: Give a Little Whistle
This American Life episode 882 features two ICE lawyers discussing the inner workings of the immigration system. One lawyer details observed chaos at an ICE training academy, leading to whistleblowing, while another recounts a federal judg…
- 881: I Want What I Want
This American Life episode 881, "I Want What I Want," features diverse stories about unconventional choices. It includes a father granting his son's unusual wish, an examination of a 19th-century glutton, an attempt to rekindle a friendshi…
- 880: What Is Your Emergency?
This American Life episode 880 explores 911 calls related to immigration enforcement and immigration sweeps. It includes accounts of people on the line with dispatchers during ICE chases and the experiences of day laborers facing repeated…
- 879: A Christian and a Muslim Walk Into a Bar
Syrian comedians, including Sharief Homsi, embark on a national tour after the fall of the Assad regime to explore the limits of free speech through their comedy. They encounter challenges, particularly in Hama, where their show faces pote…
- New Lore Drop
In the episode 'New Lore Drop' from This American Life, individuals discover previously unknown information about their own lives. This new knowledge causes them to see everything in a completely different light.
- An Update from Ira
Ira Glass provides an update regarding the podcast This American Life.
- Bonus: Nancy's Deep Cuts
In this bonus episode of This American Life, Ira Glass and Nancy Updike share and discuss some of the most personal stories they have ever put on the radio.
- A Big Announcement
Ira Glass announces news regarding events at This American Life.