Ira Glass

Like even to produce that many stories so quickly every week was something I hadn't been in charge of or done before. like it was a show whose format had not existed before. And so every single person who was hired had to be taught the format of this thing, which had never existed and then taught how to make it.

Like even to produce that many stories so quickly every week was something I hadn't been in charge of or done before. like it was a show whose format had not existed before. And so every single person who was hired had to be taught the format of this thing, which had never existed and then taught how to make it.

Like even to produce that many stories so quickly every week was something I hadn't been in charge of or done before. like it was a show whose format had not existed before. And so every single person who was hired had to be taught the format of this thing, which had never existed and then taught how to make it.

And I remember like everybody who came to work for the show at the beginning said like, it took a year before they felt like they knew what they were doing. And so during that first year, there was a lot of like teaching people and here's how you do this and doing it over and over and over until people got the hang of it. And, um,

And I remember like everybody who came to work for the show at the beginning said like, it took a year before they felt like they knew what they were doing. And so during that first year, there was a lot of like teaching people and here's how you do this and doing it over and over and over until people got the hang of it. And, um,

And I remember like everybody who came to work for the show at the beginning said like, it took a year before they felt like they knew what they were doing. And so during that first year, there was a lot of like teaching people and here's how you do this and doing it over and over and over until people got the hang of it. And, um,

Yeah, and I remember it was like 10 or 15 years into doing that, that there were enough shows imitating us or the style of This American Life that we could just hire somebody and they would know how to structure a story in our style.

Yeah, and I remember it was like 10 or 15 years into doing that, that there were enough shows imitating us or the style of This American Life that we could just hire somebody and they would know how to structure a story in our style.

Yeah, and I remember it was like 10 or 15 years into doing that, that there were enough shows imitating us or the style of This American Life that we could just hire somebody and they would know how to structure a story in our style.

I think it was 48 new episodes. I think it's 48 because I've... I've looked at it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like that's what I remember is 48. Yeah. Because we had nothing to rerun because we had never been on the air. And the way that we structured it is we knew at the beginning, this might be kind of rocky. So we weren't a national show for the first six months.

I think it was 48 new episodes. I think it's 48 because I've... I've looked at it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like that's what I remember is 48. Yeah. Because we had nothing to rerun because we had never been on the air. And the way that we structured it is we knew at the beginning, this might be kind of rocky. So we weren't a national show for the first six months.

I think it was 48 new episodes. I think it's 48 because I've... I've looked at it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like that's what I remember is 48. Yeah. Because we had nothing to rerun because we had never been on the air. And the way that we structured it is we knew at the beginning, this might be kind of rocky. So we weren't a national show for the first six months.

We were a local show in Chicago and we were just making them to like learn how to make the show. And so we'd make a show every week and, you know, send it out in Chicago with the thought of, like, we're going to get good enough about this that in May or June or something will be good enough that we can send it out to the whole public radio system. This is pre-podcasting.

We were a local show in Chicago and we were just making them to like learn how to make the show. And so we'd make a show every week and, you know, send it out in Chicago with the thought of, like, we're going to get good enough about this that in May or June or something will be good enough that we can send it out to the whole public radio system. This is pre-podcasting.

We were a local show in Chicago and we were just making them to like learn how to make the show. And so we'd make a show every week and, you know, send it out in Chicago with the thought of, like, we're going to get good enough about this that in May or June or something will be good enough that we can send it out to the whole public radio system. This is pre-podcasting.

And basically, the way I remember it, it was four of us making the show, and we were either working or asleep. All the time. Yeah. And did that feel... What did that feel like? I mean, I remember it being okay with me. You know what I mean?

And basically, the way I remember it, it was four of us making the show, and we were either working or asleep. All the time. Yeah. And did that feel... What did that feel like? I mean, I remember it being okay with me. You know what I mean?

And basically, the way I remember it, it was four of us making the show, and we were either working or asleep. All the time. Yeah. And did that feel... What did that feel like? I mean, I remember it being okay with me. You know what I mean?

I remember there was a point, at some point in the first year or two, I remember lying in bed at my old apartment on Ashland in Chicago and staring up at the ceiling and thinking, wait, I signed up for this for how long? Like, wait, this is just going to go on forever? Like, we're going to do this?

I remember there was a point, at some point in the first year or two, I remember lying in bed at my old apartment on Ashland in Chicago and staring up at the ceiling and thinking, wait, I signed up for this for how long? Like, wait, this is just going to go on forever? Like, we're going to do this?