David

I'm Eric Glass. It's This American Life, the radio program that dares to ask the question,

I'm Eric Glass. It's This American Life, the radio program that dares to ask the question,

Today's program, The Long Fuse. I had forgotten about that one, The Long Fuse. Doing this theme this week, I have to admit, made me really think about what it feels like to do our program week after week, 853 times. This is our 853rd episode. And it does feel very different making the show for the 853rd time than it did at the very beginning. Definitely.

Today's program, The Long Fuse. I had forgotten about that one, The Long Fuse. Doing this theme this week, I have to admit, made me really think about what it feels like to do our program week after week, 853 times. This is our 853rd episode. And it does feel very different making the show for the 853rd time than it did at the very beginning. Definitely.

There is a sameness to doing things again and again every week that is not entirely pleasant. But, of course, while the process of making a show is always the same, the content of the show changes so much. And there's just something about, I don't know how to put this, like creating the little dream that radio can be. I don't know, it just gets to me. When the music enters. Thank you for that.

There is a sameness to doing things again and again every week that is not entirely pleasant. But, of course, while the process of making a show is always the same, the content of the show changes so much. And there's just something about, I don't know how to put this, like creating the little dream that radio can be. I don't know, it just gets to me. When the music enters. Thank you for that.

Everything you say just sounds smarter when you're saying it over music. And just making all the little parts of the show perfect, you know, or at least as obsessively perfect as you can make it. It's just so easy to get lost in that. Even on the 853rd time. Act 4, Heart of Parkness. People who own cars in certain cities really are just asking for pain.

Everything you say just sounds smarter when you're saying it over music. And just making all the little parts of the show perfect, you know, or at least as obsessively perfect as you can make it. It's just so easy to get lost in that. Even on the 853rd time. Act 4, Heart of Parkness. People who own cars in certain cities really are just asking for pain.

Certain cities are not set up for them and deliver regular, repeated punishment to car owners. Valerie Kipnis' hometown definitely does that on a schedule that's literally posted on signs.

Certain cities are not set up for them and deliver regular, repeated punishment to car owners. Valerie Kipnis' hometown definitely does that on a schedule that's literally posted on signs.

Valerie Kipnis is the producer on our show. Act 5, it's been a hard year's night, and I've been working like a hog. So Punxsutawney Phil is not the only groundhog who gets drafted into annual Groundhog Day ceremonies around the country. There's actually a website, groundhogday.com, that lists over three dozen of these poor critters around the United States and Canada.

Valerie Kipnis is the producer on our show. Act 5, it's been a hard year's night, and I've been working like a hog. So Punxsutawney Phil is not the only groundhog who gets drafted into annual Groundhog Day ceremonies around the country. There's actually a website, groundhogday.com, that lists over three dozen of these poor critters around the United States and Canada.

There's French Creek Freddy in West Virginia, Woody the Woodchuck in Michigan. There's a groundhog in New York City at the Staten Island Zoo. In New York in the past, the city's mayor used to be part of the Groundhog Ceremony until 2015 after Bill de Blasio dropped a groundhog and died later that same week.

There's French Creek Freddy in West Virginia, Woody the Woodchuck in Michigan. There's a groundhog in New York City at the Staten Island Zoo. In New York in the past, the city's mayor used to be part of the Groundhog Ceremony until 2015 after Bill de Blasio dropped a groundhog and died later that same week.

The current mayor, Eric Adams, is a well-known rodent hater who launched a war on the city's rats, and he has never shown up in person at the ceremony. And as a man who runs the city, he could use his powers to try to shut down the Groundhog Day ceremony on Staten Island once and for all. And there's somebody out there who would like that very much. We are pleased to bring her to you now.

The current mayor, Eric Adams, is a well-known rodent hater who launched a war on the city's rats, and he has never shown up in person at the ceremony. And as a man who runs the city, he could use his powers to try to shut down the Groundhog Day ceremony on Staten Island once and for all. And there's somebody out there who would like that very much. We are pleased to bring her to you now.

This is a This American Life exclusive. She's a resident of New York, specifically Staten Island, more specifically the zoo.

This is a This American Life exclusive. She's a resident of New York, specifically Staten Island, more specifically the zoo.

Susan Hogg Kaplowitz's letter to Mayor Adams was written and read by Bess Kalb. She writes books and other funny stuff. Her newsletter, which you can find on Substack, is The Grudge Report.

Susan Hogg Kaplowitz's letter to Mayor Adams was written and read by Bess Kalb. She writes books and other funny stuff. Her newsletter, which you can find on Substack, is The Grudge Report.