Episodes - This American Life

Ira Glass talks with Robert Costa of The Washington Post about President Trump's promise that Mexico would build the wall.Then Brian Reed investigates a wall that may or may not exist. Brian is our senior producer and host of our podcast series S-Town.

635: Chip in My Brain

Jan. 12, 2018

Act Two: Unbelieving

Cody's parents try to get him to unlearn some of what AJ taught him—and it's difficult.

663: How I Read It

Dec. 7, 2018

Act One: The Veritas Is Out There

There’s a lawsuit going on between Harvard and some Asian American students who say the admissions process discriminates against them.

656: Let Me Count the Ways

Sept. 14, 2018

Act One: All Together Now

Reporter Julia Preston goes to a mass hearing in McAllen, Texas where 74 immigrants are being charged in a federal courtroom as a result of zero tolerance. Julia is a contributing writer for The Marshall Project, which published a print version of this story.

644: Random Acts of History

Apr. 27, 2018

Prologue

Ira Glass talks to Brian Reed about encountering an intriguing plaque in Alabama.

655: The Not-So-Great Unknown

Aug. 24, 2018

Prologue

Producer Diane Wu tells Ira the story of a woman and her quest to find out who sent her a mysterious gift.

658: The Unhappy Deciders

Oct. 5, 2018

Act One: Judge

Zoe Chace gives us a peek at what Senator Jeff Flake was up to in the days before and after deciding to delay Judge Kavanaugh's confirmation vote.

663: How I Read It

Dec. 7, 2018

Act Three: Bladen Runner

What one professor saw in voter registrations that others didn’t.

664: The Room of Requirement

Dec. 28, 2018

Prologue

One Monday earlier this month, we sent five producers to record what happened at library reference desks around the country.

654: The Feather Heist

Aug. 10, 2018

Prologue

After hearing about the heist, Kirk Wallace Johnson gets sucked into the feather underground. He ends up discovering things that the people in charge of the theft investigation didn’t.

Act Five: The Investigation

The police track Edwin down after a fly-tier turns in a tip.

635: Chip in My Brain

Jan. 12, 2018

Act One: Believing

A private basketball coach teaches a young student some things his parents don't agree with. David Kestenbaum has the story.

651: If You Build It, Will They Come?

July 13, 2018

Act Two: Hole in the Wall

Producer Neil Drumming has steadfastly avoided one bar in his neighborhood because of the controversy that surrounds it—until recently, when he noticed that lots of people he didn’t expect to go there were becoming regulars.

663: How I Read It

Dec. 7, 2018

Act Two: Know That You Are Unprecedentedly Negative

When health care premiums went up in New York State, a bunch of people got mad and wrote letters to the state.

662: Where There Is a Will

Nov. 16, 2018

Act Two: Life Is a Coin With One Side

Producer David Kestenbaum took issue with the entire premise of today’s show, and explains why.

636: I Thought It Would Be Easier

Jan. 19, 2018

Prologue

Ira wonders aloud, when it comes to DACA, with broad support from most Americans, including the majority of Trump voters, leaders of both parties and the president himself: Why is a permanent solution so hard? Why are politics so hard? (2 minutes)

Act One: Send in the Gowns

Marshall Project reporter Julia Preston and producer Jonathan Menjivar visit an immigration court in Laredo, Texas to find out how one of Trump’s mandates—to quickly expel immigrants from the US—is going.This story was produced in collaboration with The Marshall Project where Julia is a contributing writer. Julia’s print version of the story, “Lost in Court,” is on the The Marshall Project website.

642: The Impossible Dream

Apr. 6, 2018

Act Two: Flakes Second At Bat — Now With the President

Senator Jeff Flake goes to the White House and discovers a president who seems to be very open to doing whatever immigration deal the senate brings him. He spends an optimistic 24 hours writing a bill with his bipartisan partners.

650: Change You Can Maybe Believe In

June 29, 2018

Act One: The All-Too-Real Housewives of Argentina

Reporter Jasmine Garsd grew up in Argentina watching talk shows, which were kind of extreme even for Latin American television. The women on screen were pumped with silicone and Botox, and sometimes showed up wearing almost nothing.

655: The Not-So-Great Unknown

Aug. 24, 2018

Act One: So Over The Moon

Producer David Kestenbaum tells the story of an astronaut who returns with a very unexpected view of the great beyond.

659: Before the Next One

Oct. 12, 2018

Act One: Ready As You’ll Never Be

Marjory Stoneman Douglas had just completed a schoolwide upgrade on their emergency plans, just a month before the mass shooting at their school. Producer Robyn Semien talks to two teachers at the school about how that training both benefited them, and didn’t.

662: Where There Is a Will

Nov. 16, 2018

Act One: When Cooperation Doesn’t Get You What You Want

As a teenager he saw himself as an historical figure, then that ended up becoming true. Producer Zoe Chace tells the story of Newt Gingrich, the man who either reinvented politics or broke it.

651: If You Build It, Will They Come?

July 13, 2018

Prologue

Reporter Eric Mennel introduces Host Ira Glass to church planters, a group of evangelical Christians who apply the lessons of Silicon Valley to their goals of building new churches and growing their flock. (9 ½ minutes)

648: Unteachable Moment

June 8, 2018

Prologue

Ira Glass and Kelefa Sanneh talk about Starbucks’ racial bias training program, which Kalefa recently discussed with Howard Schultz.

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Act Two: No One Has Seen Them Made or Heard Them Made

Act Two: Unbelieving

Act One: The Veritas Is Out There

Act One: All Together Now

Prologue

Prologue

Act One: Judge

Act Three: Bladen Runner

Prologue

Prologue

Act Five: The Investigation

Act One: Believing

Act Two: Hole in the Wall

Act Two: Know That You Are Unprecedentedly Negative

Act Two: Life Is a Coin With One Side

Prologue

Act One: Send in the Gowns

Act Two: Flakes Second At Bat — Now With the President

Act One: The All-Too-Real Housewives of Argentina

Act One: So Over The Moon

Act One: Ready As You’ll Never Be

Act One: When Cooperation Doesn’t Get You What You Want

Prologue

Prologue

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