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This American Life

This American Life

By: This American Life
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About this listen

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.Copyright 1995-2025 This American Life Art Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 594: My Summer Self
    Jul 6 2025

    Summer is a time when change seems more possible than ever. But is that really how it happens? Can people actually reinvent themselves in the warmer months? This week, we present stories — and some comedy — about people and their summer selves.

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    • Prologue: Host Ira Glass reflects on his feelings about going to the beach. (3 minutes)
    • Act One: Producer Dana Chivvis explores the case of a 66-year-old working lifeguard who is suing New York State for age discrimination after refusing to wear a Speedo on the job. (16 minutes)
    • Act Two: A troupe of comedians tells personal stories about summer experiences and improvises scenes based on them. (23 minutes)
    • Act Three: Producer Neil Drumming tells the story of his dad and his family’s timeshare in Orlando, Florida. (14 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    1 hr
  • 863: Championship Window
    Jun 29 2025

    People on a mission to achieve their goals before their window of opportunity closes.

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    • Prologue: Guest host Emmanuel Dzotsi goes to a packed sports bar in Brooklyn for his favorite soccer team’s biggest game in years. (6 minutes)
    • Act One: Connie Wang tells the story of a championship window she didn't realize she was in — until it was too late. (14 minutes)
    • Act Two: Seth Lind, our Operations Director, isn’t a crier. But he wants to connect with his emotions, so guest host Emmanuel Dzotsi sets up an unconventional experiment. (14 minutes)
    • Act Three: Two college baseball teams with horrible losing streaks — a combined 141 games — are scheduled to play each other. One of them must finally win. (14 minutes)

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    58 mins
  • 862: Some Things We Don't Do Anymore
    Jun 22 2025

    On his first day in office, President Trump decided to freeze all U.S. foreign aid. Soon after, his administration effectively dissolved USAID—the federal agency that delivers billions in food, medicine, and other aid worldwide. Many of its programs have been canceled. Now, as USAID officially winds down, we try to assess its impact. What was good? What was not so good? We meet people around the world wrestling with these questions and trying to navigate this chaotic moment.

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    • Prologue: Just one box of a specially enriched peanut butter paste can save the life of a severely malnourished child. So why have 500,000 of those boxes been stuck in warehouses in Rhode Island? (13 minutes)
    • Act One: USAID was founded in 1961. Since then, it has spent hundreds of billions of dollars all over the world. What did that get us? Producer David Kestenbaum talked with Joshua Craze and John Norris about that. (12 minutes)
    • Act Two: Two Americans moved to Eswatini when that country was the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic. With support from USAID, they built a clinic and started serving HIV+ patients. Now that US support for their clinic has ended, they are wondering if what they did was entirely a good thing. (27 minutes)
    • Act Three: When USAID suddenly stopped all foreign assistance without warning or a transition plan, it sent people all over the world scrambling. Especially those relying on daily medicine provided by USAID. Producer Ike Sriskandarajah spoke to two families in Kenya who were trying to figure it out. (8 minutes)

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    1 hr and 6 mins
All stars
Most relevant  
I’m nowhere near the age to have kids but if I were a parent I’d share and bond over this podcast and the truly life changing impact it’s had on my life and I. My favorite hour each week is spent on the edge of a metaphorical seat with Ira’s sultry whispering caressing my earbuds. 😅😘

Life changing, life defining

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Absolutely one of my favourite episodes, thank you! Would love it if you were able to do another such mystery episode regarding old houses or belongings and the search for the person's who owned them.

fantastic

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I hope you read these personally because I want you to know that I love these stories. I tell everyone I know to listen. Thank you for all that you think of, find and share.

Ira, you are the bezt

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TAL was the first "podcast" before the term existed.i am so glad to have rediscovered it.

Absolutely fascinating...

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I couldn't stop laughing af the image the storyteller painted....and what happened when they revisited the story.

....act 2, not so much

I loved Act 1 (Pirates of the Carib-Bean Town)

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I love the stories that they pick and choose and their discussion is very well done I have learned a lot in a lot in these podcasts good job!

Great Podcast

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just the absolute best podcast. I'm continually learning and just feel better having such rich content to absorb. Thank you Ira Glass!

loved this

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Wish I could download more than just the ten episodes at a time! I love listening in my car.

My favorite PODCAST by far!

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Beautiful and Moving stories throughout the episode, I couldn't stop listening. Thank you for sharing this again.

A wonderful tribute

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the story is gripping and the narration is lovely. a perfect example of your beloved collection

perfection

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