Real Life. New Season.

Episode Two: Two Wars

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:53:47 -0400

Two foreigners try to make sense of life in the U.S. in the aftermath of two very different wars. A young Iraqi ends up in America after fleeing Iraq and goes on a road trip full of questions for Americans about the War. And a Bulgarian man in Rhode Island realizes that an ongoing argument with his American wife has to do with the life he left behind 20 years ago, on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

Here's a clip from Act One, wherein Americans can "Talk to an Iraqi:"

And in case you haven't yet watched the first episode, here's a scene from Act Two about Mike and his Mom. Play it On Demand because it is so touching - you won't want to miss it!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Escape

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:34:49 -0400

The second season of This American Life began with episode one's theme, "Escape." Has there been a great escape you've made, be it as simple as going on a memorable vacation or a more elaborate prevention of harm?

TAL2_0180 copy

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Jackie, Oh!

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:24:41 -0400

Enjoy this animation by Chris Ware & John Kuramoto featured in Season 2 of This American Life.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Season 2 Trailer

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:19:45 -0400

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

TAL Vox Assignment: Shouting Across the Divide

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:49:43 -0500

This Week's Assignment:
Tell us your stories about miscommunication across faiths.

Here's our take on it:

Audio: Ira Presents Shouting Across the Divide

Chicago Public Radio

This American Life, Episode #322: Shouting Across the Divide

A Muslim woman persuades her husband that their family would be happier if they left the West Bank and moved to America. They do, and things are good...until September 11. After that, the elementary school their daughter goes to begins using a textbook that says Muslims want to kill Christians. This and other stories of what happens when Muslims and non-Muslims try to communicate, and misfire.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Our TV show - now available for download at iTunes!

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:06:33 -0400

TAL TV on iTunes

This American Life

Hi everyone. Ira Glass here. For months now, I and everyone who works on This American Life have been approached by a steady stream of public radio listeners who don't get Showtime, but who want to see our TV show. "When are the DVDs coming out?" they ask. "When's it going to be on iTunes?" Well the DVDs are still in the works, but I'm excited to tell you the whole series is now up on iTunes. And it's cheap!

My personal favorites, of the six episodes: Nancy Updike's story in Episode Three about nonbelievers and believers colliding in Utah, the fourteen-year-old who decided he doesn't believe in love in Episode Two, and Chris Ware's cartoon and GJ Echternkamp's home movie in Episode Four. If you download all six shows, you'll see us try all sorts of ways to film a story for TV and you'll probably notice us loosen up as we figure out what we're doing in this new medium.

It's been exciting trying to make a television program that would feel just like our radio show and I hope you take a look.

Just click on the link below:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=259186894&s=143441

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

The season has ended, but the Vox has just begun.

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:24:06 -0400

So that was fast. The first season is over, but Showtime is still running the episodes, and they're all available on
Showtime On Demand. Also, we've been told that the series will be available on iTunes soon. We have no idea when soon becomes now, but when we'll let you know when we do.

But don't worry, Voxers. We're not letting you off the hook just because the TV season has ended. We'll continue posting weekly assignments and clips for you based on each week's radio episode. So keep your stories coming. And please continue to write, record or film your own stories on any of the past show topics we have posted, or suggest your own to the group.

And what a group it is. We've got almost 850 members now, and it's high time we threw a few of you into the spotlight. Here are some of the stories that have struck us most:

Growth Spurt:
Maya wrote about a Growth Spurt caused by her own drastic career change.

The Cameraman:
Joe d'Eon explained how his own transition from behind the camera altered his perspective, and Travis responded with a question of his own about security cameras.

Pandora's Box:
And Josh interviewed a friend about how the film ‘Cinema Paradiso’ became an unexpected Pandora's Box. Listen to his submission here.

God's Closeup:
Mjiko, inspired by our God's Closeup assignment, shares the story of her father's search for god and the childhood embarrasment it caused her.

These are just a few of the interesting stories that have been posted, with, we hope, many more to come. Check them out, get inspired, and write, record or film your own stories. And when you're reading through these don't forget to check the 'this is good' box when you find one you particularly like. That's what it's there for, after all.

Have a great weekend.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

New Pandora's Box Clips/Habeas Schmabeas

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:45:32 -0400

We added two more clips from Pandora's Box, the current TV episode, because they're just so fun to watch. Check them out, and then check out your assignment in the most recent blog posting.

Also: This week we're re-running Habeas Schmabeas, the radio episode that recently won a Peabody Award. You can listen to it on a real, honest-to-goodness radio this weekend (as opposed to an ipod or computer). Here's the episode description.

And here are those clips. Let us know what you think!

Memories Are Made of This

This Little Piggy Made Me Vomit

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Pandora's Box

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 13:31:50 -0400

In this episode we explore the unpredictable things that can happen when you bring a new idea into the world. We explore three stories of consequences that follow from human beings' doing what we do best: poking our noses everywhere, fixing things that may or may not be broken, and opening our big mouths.

Pandora's Box debuts tonight and airs all week. Find out when. Watch it, then come back here to tell your own Pandora's Box stories.

Your Assignment:
Tell us your stories about good ideas with unintended consequences.

Listen to Ira's description of the episode from last week's podcast:

Habeus Schmabeus & Pandora's Box

Watch these clips for a bit of inspiration:

Pandora's Box

Rats In Love

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Growth Spurt

nobody@vox.com(thisamericanlife) — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:33:39 -0400

Growth Spurt: Stories about people doing something for the very first time, without waiting to worry about whether it's a good idea.

Click here to read more detailed information on this episode.

Your Assignment: Tell us your story about putting on blinders and jumping right in.

Here are a few clips to inspire you and get you thinking about the topic:

This American Life: Starting Life Over

Growth Spurt

Read and post comments | Send to a friend