This American Life

[angischy]

Calling all nerds!

Okay, not just nerds . . . Fans of intelligent and responsible journalism and good story-telling in general may want to check this out.

As I think I've mentioned in the past, I'm a huge fan of Chicago Public Radio's This American Life (http://www.thislife.org).
("What's that?" . . .Well, there's a theme to each episode, and a variety of stories on that theme. It's mostly true stories of everyday people, though not always. There's lots more to the show, but it's sort of hard to describe.
Stories are often told as first-person narratives. The mood of the show ranges from gloomy to ironic, from thought-provoking to hilarious.)

Anyways, in 2007, TAL began a very well-produced television version (http://www.sho.com/site/thisamericanlife/home.do) of their radio show that airs on the cable network Showtime.

The Host of TAL, Ira Glass, will be on David Letterman tonight to talk about the show and their upcoming This American Life LIVE! show that's going to be in cinemas on Thursday May 1st.
Here's the trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KfexmTjs0U), if you are at all interested.

What's happening is this: Ira Glass will be on stage in New York City—showing never-before-seen stories and outtakes from the second season of the television show, performing a radio story, doing Q&A, and more.
The show will be at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, and you can also get tickets for your local movie theatre (select theatres are doing the live-via-satellite broadcast). You can get tickets here (http://www.fathomevents.com/details.aspx?eventid=716&utm_source=TAL&utm_medium=TAL_Banner&utm_campaign=This_American_Life_Live).

Nerd glasses are optional.

http://www.culturevulture.net/Television/images/thisamericanlifejpg.jpg http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/graphics/banners/CinemaEventTickets-NoIra-Revised-20080407.jpg

(P.S. They ARE on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/thisamericanlifespace) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/talwithiraglass), if that's more your style for previewing this wonderful bit of media)

[angischy]

Trailer for Season Two (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyu2NHlVm1E) of the TV show version on Showtime.

[sway2sway]

that's probably good Ang, I like life voyeuring,
but I'm gonna judge this one by the cover,
even though I know that could be my folly.
I'm gonna say no.
no thank you

ya nerd (winking blue smiley, which lets you know that I didn't mean that in an agressive or demeaning manner, but with jest, mirth, and as a satirical expression of love).

[angischy]

but I'm gonna judge this one by the cover,
even though I know that could be my folly.
I'm gonna say no.
no thank you

BOO!

W/ever, your loss my dear!

[angischy]

It's not just about Americans . . .

Episode 65: Who's Canadian? (http://thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=65)

Notes and stories about the Canadians among us. Are they in fact any different from red-blooded Americans? They claim they're not. Skeptical Americans put their position to the test.

Prologue. Passing.
The true story of a dinner conversation in which several Americans came to realize how many iconic Americans are, in fact, Canadian. "If William Shatner's Canadian," one insists, "then I could be Canadian." Another opines that there should be a law against Peter Jennings, a Canadian, from hosting a network news program.

Act One. White Like Me.
David Rakoff on how he tried to pass as a local once he moved from Toronto to New York. He claims that there must be a chip in his head — or something like it — that automatically tells him when someone or something famous is Canadian. Lorne Greene? Canadian. The American space shuttle? It has a Canadian-built arm.

(There's more . . . )

[angischy]

Bump, this is tonite.

Theatre list here (http://www.fathomevents.com/news/default.aspx?newsid=117), if you're thinking about going.