33: A Night at the Wiener Circle

33: A Night at the Wiener Circle

Aug 23, 1996
Host Ira Glass spent a Saturday night — from 9:00 p.m. until dawn the next morning — at one of the most frenetic, joyous, efficient, angry, boisterous hot dog stands in the nation: Chicago's own Wiener Circle.
Note: No master copy of this show exists; this recording is from a cassette of the program.

  • Prologue

    Ira introduces what we're about to listen to: a casette tape of the show. It was never broadcast internationally, only locally, and no master exists any more.

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  • Act One

    Ira meets the workers of the Wiener Circle; they're screaming and cursing at each other, and the customers, and they actually seem really happy. And then we meet some of the customers. (15 minutes)Food/Drinks/Cooking • Jobs/Employment

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  • Act Two

    The Customer.

    Playwright and contributor Beau O'Reilly talks about a more typical relationship between restaurant and customer. (13 minutes)Food/Drinks/Cooking • Jobs/Employment

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  • Act Three

    A Parable of Politics.

    Reporter Shirley Jahad investigates the politics of the Chicago hot dog on Navy Pier. (11 minutes)Food/Drinks/Cooking • Politics

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  • Act Four

    Fast Food Heart.

    Cassandra Smith has temptation in Kyoto.Food/Drinks/Cooking • Travel

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Photo

Seth Anderson

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