Act One
Josh Bearman grew up in California with his dad, stepmom, and brother. But they're not his whole family.
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Prologue
Host Ira Glass visits This American Life producer Sarah Koenig at her house in State College PA, a few blocks from Penn State's campus, on a weekend night near one in the morning. They witness all kinds of alcohol-induced mayhem.
Prologue
The story of a teenagers' party among teenagers who thought of themselves as very grownup. In many ways they completely understand what a grownup party is like: Quiet conversation with lots of thoughtful nodding of heads, alcohol without excessive or loud consumption.
Act Two: Maul in the Family
Amity Bitzel was a teenager when her parents decided to adopt a 27-year-old man. And that wasn't the strange part.
Act Two: Hello Kitty
A story by David Sedaris about what happens when natural enemies meet, in an Alcoholics Anonymous program, in prison. This story appears in David's collection of animal fables Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.
Act Four: A Drinking School With A Football Problem
Administrators have tried everything to curb drinking at Penn State, and nothing has worked. Producer Sarah Koenig reports on why this issue is so hard to tackle, and on how students react when a student dies from alcohol poisoning.
Act Two: We Don't Talk About That
Some family legends are most notable for their absence. They're too disturbing or scandalous to tell.
Act Two
Josh Bearman continues his story by looking at how things got so bad for his mother and David in the first place.