Compelling stories are explored every day on “This American Life,” the nearly 15-year-old, award-winning Chicago Public Radio show that boasts a devoted weekly listening audience of 1.7 million, and is heard on more than 500 stations nationally. The series, created in 1995 by host and executive producer Ira Glass, pioneered a unique way of telling stories on the radio. Its first-person telling of these revealing stories makes the radio series a great fit for television.
In the same spirit of the radio show, the televised version of THIS AMERICAN LIFE, premiering Thursday, March 22nd at 10:30 p.m. PT/ET, takes 30-minute looks at stories culled from all over the country. Glass and a small team of radio producers and filmmakers spent six months on the road: traveling to Iowa pig farms, following a first-time filmmaker in California, photographing a raucous night at an Illinois hot dog stand. The result is true stories that are dramatic, emotional, and often funny.
Ira Glass’ This American Life is back tonight for its second season on Showtime tonight at 10p. Tonight’s episode deals with a 26 year old man who cannot survive on his own, but wants independence from his mom. He can only communicate via a computer, so when they ask him who he wants to his boy his voice he says either Johnny Depp or Edward Norton. Somehow they get Johnny Depp to read his e-mails which is more proof Johnny Depp is an amazing man.
Tune into This American Life to see real stories about real Americans on Showtime at 10p.