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438
June 17, 2011

Father's Day 2011

Yes yes yes you've heard it all before, when it comes to stories of fathers and their children. There's the story of the kid who idolizes his dad, but then learns something and becomes disappointed. Or the opposite story, where the kid gives up on his dad when he's still young, and then much later comes to have a grudging respect. This week for fathers day: surprising stories of fathers trying to be good dads.

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Naomi Azar and her dad Shaul (Azar).

Prologue

Host Ira Glass plays clips of interviews with several people whose dads have tried reach out to them the best way they know how, which often means...awkwardly. (8 minutes)

By

Ira Glass
Act One

Astro Boy Meet Robot Dad

Michael Ian Black reads an excerpt from his book You're Not Doing It Right, about his dad and about being a dad. Michael hosts the podcast How To Be Amazing. (16 minutes)

By

Michael Ian Black

Song:

“Papa Was Too” by Joe Tex
Act Two

I Just Called To Say—Something That's Hard to Say, That I Really Should Say More Often...

Producer Jonathan Menjivar tells this story about Naomi Azar and her father Shaul. Shaul had trouble saying a certain phrase to his children, and one day he was put to the test. (9 minutes)

By

Jonathan Menjivar
Act Three

Mister Baby Monitor

Ira Glass speaks with a woman named Angie, who never understood why her dad got so excited about thermoses and phone books... until she happened to see this one movie.
 

Then Jonathan Goldstein tells a story about his friend Josh Karpati, who has two-year-old twins, and who never leaves the house. Jonathan hosts Wiretap on CBC Radio. (13 minutes)

By

Jonathan Goldstein
Act Four

Bring Your Child to Work Detail

Michael May tells this story about two prison inmates in Texas—Daniel Johnson and Jesse Johnson—and the unusual bond they formed. Michael is managing editor at the podcast Life of The Law. (11 minutes)

By

Michael May

Song:

“My Baby's Daddy” by B Rock and The Bizz Lyrics

Related

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400: Stories Pitched by Our Parents
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Act Six: Jane's Dad's Story

Harry Brakeman University.
90: Telephone
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Act Three: Phone As History

We think of our phone calls and phone messages as so transient.
71: Defying Sickness
Aug. 1, 1997

Act Three: Iron Man

Mark O'Brien is a writer in California, who lives most of each day in an iron lung, thanks to a childhood case of polio.

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Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde

Did a beloved family doctor with no criminal history suddenly up and strangle his own father?

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