Today I'll highlight one of my favorites that everyone should be listening to: This American Life.
This is a technically a radio show from WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, but its podcast form makes it extremely easy to catch. It's hosted by Ira Glass and contains first-person stories and short fiction pieces. Each week there is a new theme and approximately four or five stories related to that theme.
The stories are always sooooo good. They make you think and cry and laugh, as if you are bipolar or have some other emotional problem. This American Life also helped some of the coolest writers around, namely David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell, gain popularity. Their readings will make you wet your pants. (Note: buy adult diapers).
The other week there was a show called "Kid Logic" that had me sobbing in bed at 2 am. It featured a story about a mother/wife and her 6-year-old son and how he tried to make sense of his father's terminal illness. If you listen to this, you will be wrecked. Hearing his little voice say that he "would be the saddest person in the whole wide world" if his dad died, will crush your heart into a flattened mess.
So check it out. Download it from iTunes now. And check out the Web site.
Update: I was listening to my newly downloaded episode today (titled "What I Learned From TV"), and apparently The O.C. hearts This American Life too! From a scene where Seth is talking to Summer on the phone and Taylor is in Seth's bedroom:
Summer: That sounded like a girl.
Seth: Did it? Yeah, well, sure, because I'm listening to the radio and This American Life is on and so there's a girl talking.
Summer: Is that that show by those hipster know-it-alls who talk about how fascinating ordinary people are? Ugh. God.
Yes, it is Summer, yes it is.
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