Ira Glass hosts the world's most popular podcast and one of the best radio shows in history. Marc talks with the host of This American Life about his insecurities as a radio personality, his philosophy of storytelling, and his impressions of Marc as a broadcaster. Plus, Ira decontstructs Marc's pitch for a This American Life story.
Although both TAL and WTF have their similarities and differences, the same is true of both. They keep you interested and wanting more. Your show is great, thank you for putting it all out there for us!
Oh, and I found it totally amazing that you could get Ira to say F*&# within the first part of the show. Mission accomplished as my jaw hit the ground...and I learned that Ira is just like all of us WTFers.
Peace.
@Terry1: not sure about 2), but 1) and 3) are true, just listen to the Louis CK and Judd Apatow episodes and you'll see (or, you'll listen, I guess).
1. Could Mrs Mike Birbiglia be a guest on the show ? She's a very perceptive lady .
2. Will Brendan ever return ?
The music in the episode is 1) the score to the film Amelie and 2) "Perpetuum Mobile" by Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Both songs are heavily used on This American Life.
@ziggy
I was on the episodes when Marc was in New York. That's where I live. But in addition to the geographical reasons, the show has evolved beyond the short chat segments. I'm not sure they would fit anymore.
Ira was exceedingly humble and realistic about himself. He was surprisingly, "I mean, like," inarticulate at times. And was it me or did he oddly say things 3 times in a row a few times? ("I think, I think, I think...")
The attempts to pigeon-hole Ira and link the 2 of you were a bit forced. Seemed you weren't listening to what he was saying because you had a narrative to roll out about who he is and how he became that person. ("The magic of radio!")
It would have been interesting to delve more into the need for TAL to wrap each story in a poignant bow and how that relates to him vs your show/person. The Gershwin approach is touching but can be twee and trying sometimes vs a more punk approach.
Overall, very enjoyable. Great choice!
Hey, Brendan, why are you not on anymore? Those early bits you were on were great. Didn't you guys do movie reviews one time or am I recalling someone else?
I don't know. Maybe my finger isn't as on the pulse of what qualifies as a good or a bad interview, even though I majored in psychology and one of my two minors is in journalism.
Like some people, I thought that the antipathy and snarkiness that was directed (unfairly) at Dane Cook should have been directed at Meanstealia during the second interview.
Instead Marc had a lot of Swiss neutrality (haha), and at its conclusion Meanstealia's Berlin Wall of Bullshit and his defense mechanisms were more fortified than ever.
I defy someone to listen to that show then tell me that Meanstealia is honestly re-evaluating himself. I'm sorry, but it was far from "excellent reporting." It was all bullshit... and it was bad for ya.
Okay the rest of you whinny little nerds can start complaining.
Wonderful interview, Marc.
Marc Maron and WTFPod are the future. Ira and TAL (PRI not NPR) are the past. And, I much rather listen to the copycats that spin off from Maron than precious NPR posers.