100
April 24, 1998

Radio

For the 100th episode of This American Life, a radio show about the pleasures of radio. About what makes radio so great, and what makes it so terrible.

Prologue

Ira talks about those ephemeral, thrilling radio moments that you happen to catch in passing on stations far away that you never find again. Flipping through the channels. (7 minutes)
Act One

Brigadoon

Iggy Scam describes how he searched for an illegal radio station that keeps appearing and disappearing and appearing again in the mist. (11 minutes)
Act Four

Noble Calling

Now in exile, Jose Ramos Horta spent two decades as the leading international spokesman against the invasion of his country by Indonesia. He won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. And one day when peace finally comes to his country, East Timor, he will move on to his next dream: to be a radio talk host, just like Howard Stern. (10 minutes)