Ira Glass

This is American Life. Today's show is a rerun, a really fun show that we thought would be fun to run this holiday week. And we begin our show with this true fable of Peter Pan in Act One, opening night.

And then sometimes they're just stationary?

And then sometimes they're just stationary?

Wait, wait, and the audience reaction to this point is just, are they laughing?

Wait, wait, and the audience reaction to this point is just, are they laughing?

We identify with them. We become them.

We identify with them. We become them.

May I just interrupt for just a moment to just say now, at this point, because after all, we are not just joined here together on the radio, you and I today, to laugh at the foibles of the unfortunate. No, no, we're here to enumerate the qualities of a fiasco. At this point, we are not yet. In the territory of Fiasco.

May I just interrupt for just a moment to just say now, at this point, because after all, we are not just joined here together on the radio, you and I today, to laugh at the foibles of the unfortunate. No, no, we're here to enumerate the qualities of a fiasco. At this point, we are not yet. In the territory of Fiasco.

So we are not yet at Fiasco. We are at a sort of normal level of mishap. Right. Right.

So we are not yet at Fiasco. We are at a sort of normal level of mishap. Right. Right.

And people are feeling more confident.

And people are feeling more confident.

Yes.

Yes.

Literally, all that's going to happen for the rest of the show is people are going to refer to you by that hook. Your entire motivation as a character is the fact that you're...

Literally, all that's going to happen for the rest of the show is people are going to refer to you by that hook. Your entire motivation as a character is the fact that you're...

And so now, have we arrived at a turning point in our fiasco?

And so now, have we arrived at a turning point in our fiasco?

Whereas in other productions what they'll do is that someone will shine a light. Shine a light, or they'll just... A beam of focused light, and then that pinprick of light is supposed to be Tinkerbell.