Ask Ira Glass

In my history class, I am studying the technological advances of the 1920s. One of the inventions of the time was the radio. How do you think life would be like without radio? People are starting to lean more towards iPod podcasts and TV shows; what do you think about people involuntarily pushing the radio out of their lives?

At its core, This American Life is a journey into the deep and rich lives of what ordinarily seems like ordinary people. It illuminates these otherwise unnoticed, often glib bipedal creatures with depressingly short life spans. I find it a refreshing way of connecting people and helping them empathize with others of whom they would never give a simple thought about other then a classic stereotype from a campy sitcom. Do you see this in your work? Is this part of the joy of what you do or has it at this point become all about presenting an interesting and unique storyline and nothing else?

Who most influenced you in radio?

What kind of feedback did you get on the Haider Hamsa episode? Did most people find the "Talk to an Iraqi"( lemonade stand )amusing?
Did you like the works of Diane Arbus?

Are you planning on doing a show that exposes the broken immigration system in the U.S. anytime soon? I'd love to participate in it! I love your show.

In the episode about testosterone you conducted a contestosterone, a contest of testosterone, to determine which staff member had the most testosterone. Are there any plans to do an episode on estrogen and conduct a contestrogen?

how do you spend your lazy days? and do you take anything with you (a camera, a journal, etc.) while you explore the town, city, library, farmer's market, etc.?

What about radio do you think will keep it from becoming obsolete? Also, how are you so hip? You seem to exude an almost ironic cloud of coolness wherever you go.

With the price of oil skyrocketing do you as a radio host foresee people gradually shifting from expensive branded cars to a more simplistic mode of commuting to work say on a bicycle in the near future?
Does the world wide shortage of food and exorbitant hike in the price of oil worry you?

I am living and working in Copenhagen, Denmark for college study abroad program, but from CT shoreline. I am coming back to the states for the first time in 18 months and struggling looking for a job upon my return. I have a bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from an accredited college in the states and now over 18 months of international work in the education field. I am having an awful time searching for work when I return to the states. The job market appears to be very tough and extremely limited even with a degree and in field preference. What advise can you give those recent college graduates to find a job when the market seems to be hiring so many less people? Go back to school, find an internship, work internationally, start saving and work the odd jobs until you find exactly what you want? I know there are many in my position searching for good work. I know a general question, but I was curious if you could focus on the populations of students graduating college with a year or two of field experience.

Thanks so much!

Seth

how to improve communication skill?

LIke lingering here.

You always seem like you're searching for answers in many areas. Do you feel you have more answers or maybe fewer questions as you've gotten older?

Does being a storyteller make you more aware of what story your own life is telling?

Which subjects has he interviewed that he has grown emotionally attached to? Like the 27 year old who speaks via blinking in the last episode.

If we were the subject of a TAL episode, what would his story be?

Describe the most memorable moment when someone recognized you because of your voice.

Having listened to you for so long before seeing you, I was shocked to see how you visually differed from what I thought you might look like. Do you get recognized on the street now that you have a Showtime series? Have you ever been recognized simply by your voice?

How did your radio audience respond to the news that you'd be heading to TV? Is there a difference between fans of your radio show and fans of your television show?

Your show pulls in a very distinct audience and has become a "cool" thing to talk about amongst younger audiences. Did you ever imagine your radio show (and subsequent TV series) to ever become this popular ?

How much longer do you plan to keep up This American Life? What's next? If you weren't doing this American Life what would you be doing?

You recounted the experience of watching "The O.C." call This American Life "that show by those hipster know-it-alls who talk about how fascinating ordinary people are." Do you agree with that description of your show's theme? How would you summarize your show in one sentence?

What's with the horn-rimmed glasses? Channeling Buddy Holly?

What makes a good This American Life story? How do you choose which stories make it onto the show and which don't? How do you then work with the content to come up with the final product?

Many of your contributors, namely Sarah Vowell and David Sedaris, have non-traditional radio voices. Your style is also more conversational than many radio hosts. Did you consciously want TAL to sound different than or similar to other shows? If so, in what way? And is the style of TAL what you envisioned it would be when the show began?

Two Questions:

What is your favorite episode of "This American Life" and why?

What's your remedy for working through radio-interviewer's-block, i.e. the radio version of writer's block?