Ira Glass

So instead, she traced the history of how this letter blew up, led to all these other things, by reading subsequent issues of the New England Journal of Medicine and newspapers from the time and other documents. She wrote a paper, published it in an academic journal in 2017. And then, after that, she gets his voicemail on her work number. She's a professor at Colgate University.

So instead, she traced the history of how this letter blew up, led to all these other things, by reading subsequent issues of the New England Journal of Medicine and newspapers from the time and other documents. She wrote a paper, published it in an academic journal in 2017. And then, after that, she gets his voicemail on her work number. She's a professor at Colgate University.

The confusion makes sense because, remember, there was a Dr. Robert Homan Kwok, the one in his obituary she read. So who is this guy on the phone?

The confusion makes sense because, remember, there was a Dr. Robert Homan Kwok, the one in his obituary she read. So who is this guy on the phone?

He makes this little joke about how he keeps his phone in his pocket right by the thing that electrifies his pacemaker.

He makes this little joke about how he keeps his phone in his pocket right by the thing that electrifies his pacemaker.

Okay, what? Right? This message was just the beginning, the very odd beginning of a story that we're going to continue in just a minute. You will hear more from the mysterious Dr. Steele. Because this letter to the editor, I don't know, is it possible that this is the most impactful letter to the editor in the history of letters to the editor?

Okay, what? Right? This message was just the beginning, the very odd beginning of a story that we're going to continue in just a minute. You will hear more from the mysterious Dr. Steele. Because this letter to the editor, I don't know, is it possible that this is the most impactful letter to the editor in the history of letters to the editor?

It launched an entire MSG scare that lasted for decades. Even today, 42% of all Americans think that it's bad for you. And it's not. Since the 90s, the FDA has listed MSG as perfectly safe for its intended use, like vinegar, salt, pepper. Today on our show, we have three stories like this one, where people throw words out into the world that take on a totally unexpected life of their own.

It launched an entire MSG scare that lasted for decades. Even today, 42% of all Americans think that it's bad for you. And it's not. Since the 90s, the FDA has listed MSG as perfectly safe for its intended use, like vinegar, salt, pepper. Today on our show, we have three stories like this one, where people throw words out into the world that take on a totally unexpected life of their own.

And in all these stories, the words wreak havoc for years. I'm WBC Chicago. It's This American Life. I'm Ira Glass. Stay with us. It's It's American Life. Today's show is a rerun. Act one, humor is not the best medicine. Okay, so where we left off, it was the voicemail on Jennifer LeMessurier's phone from this retired surgeon where he says, okay, I'm the guy. I made up a fake name.

And in all these stories, the words wreak havoc for years. I'm WBC Chicago. It's This American Life. I'm Ira Glass. Stay with us. It's It's American Life. Today's show is a rerun. Act one, humor is not the best medicine. Okay, so where we left off, it was the voicemail on Jennifer LeMessurier's phone from this retired surgeon where he says, okay, I'm the guy. I made up a fake name.

I wrote a letter and it set off 50 years of completely needless panic over MSG. Call me. Lily Sullivan explains what happened next.

I wrote a letter and it set off 50 years of completely needless panic over MSG. Call me. Lily Sullivan explains what happened next.

Lily Sullivan is one of the producers of our show. Fact two, baby's got bank. Okay, I know how unlikely this sounds, but we now have another old guy basically pranking the world right before he dies, but on a scale that gets hundreds of thousands of people involved and excited and talking about this guy's plan that he set in motion for years and years. Stephanie Fu explains.

Lily Sullivan is one of the producers of our show. Fact two, baby's got bank. Okay, I know how unlikely this sounds, but we now have another old guy basically pranking the world right before he dies, but on a scale that gets hundreds of thousands of people involved and excited and talking about this guy's plan that he set in motion for years and years. Stephanie Fu explains.

Jared Marcel. He produces WNYC's local news podcast, NYC Now, new episodes every Saturday. Ian Dilley, the racer who got cheated out of his victory, wrote about this in Bicycling Magazine. That's how we heard about the story. He has a book called The Cyclist's Bucket List. The other racer, Mike Friedman, now runs a nonprofit teaching kids about bikes called Pedaling Minds.

Jared Marcel. He produces WNYC's local news podcast, NYC Now, new episodes every Saturday. Ian Dilley, the racer who got cheated out of his victory, wrote about this in Bicycling Magazine. That's how we heard about the story. He has a book called The Cyclist's Bucket List. The other racer, Mike Friedman, now runs a nonprofit teaching kids about bikes called Pedaling Minds.

Today's program is a rerun, and when we reached out to Mike, he said he regretted replying, I don't know, when Jared asked him why he did it. He said he does know why, and it was self-doubt. He wrote us in an email, quote, In the heat of the moment, I made a poor decision and paid for it with my character, honor, integrity, and self-respect. Today, as I write, I feel selfish.

Today's program is a rerun, and when we reached out to Mike, he said he regretted replying, I don't know, when Jared asked him why he did it. He said he does know why, and it was self-doubt. He wrote us in an email, quote, In the heat of the moment, I made a poor decision and paid for it with my character, honor, integrity, and self-respect. Today, as I write, I feel selfish.