This American Life

This American Life (TAL) is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ in Chicago and distributed by Public Radio International. Ira Glass created the show, and has served as the producer and host since it debuted on November 17, 1995.

Other media

Some of the show's episodes are accompanied by multimedia downloads available on This American Life's website. One notable mention is a remake of the Elton John song "Rocket Man" that was produced for the "Classifieds" episode http://www.thislife.org/pages/descriptions/02/223.html and released as an MP3. The song was performed by a "one day band" composed of musicians looking for work in the classifieds. The band, consisting of various performers (one played a theremin), only met and practiced for one day before recording the song.

Related Topics:
Elton John - Rocket Man - MP3 - Theremin

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Two 2-disc CD sets collecting some of the producers' favorite acts have been released: Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes was released on May 4, 1999, and Crimebusters & Crossed Wires was released on November 11, 2003.

Related Topics:
CD - May 4 - 1999 - November 11 - 2003

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A 32-page comic book, Radio: an Illustrated Guide (ISBN 0967967104), documents how an episode of TAL is put together. It was drawn by cartoonist Jessica Abel, written by Abel and Glass, and first published in 1999.

Related Topics:
Comic book - Cartoonist - Jessica Abel

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In 2002 the show signed a six-figure deal with Warner Brothers giving the studio two years of "first-look" rights to its hundreds of past and future stories. In the first year of the deal, at least four scripts are being developed. The scripts are inspired by the following stories:

Related Topics:
2002 - Warner Brothers

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• "Niagara", which explored the town of Niagara Falls, New York, after those who sought to exploit the tourism and hydroelectrical opportunities of the area left;
• In The Event of An Emergency, Put Your Sister in an Upright Position (from "Babysitting"), about several companies involved in the babysitting business for snowbound children at O'Hare International Airport;
• Wonder Woman (from "Superpowers"), the story of an adolescent who took steps to become the superhero she dreamed of being, well into adulthood;
• "Act V", about the last act of Hamlet as staged by inmates from a maximum security prison.
• A New York Times article reports that a pilot for televised version of TAL is being created for the Showtime cable network.

It is unknown whether any of these will actually make it to the silver screen.

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