I've enjoyed listening to This American Life (TAL) for a few years now, and the past year as a podcast. For those not familiar with the show, it's a radio program that documents the lives of peeps living in or who are from the US. The stories can be funny, or strange, or sad. But they are usually entertaining and just plain satisfying to hear. I think it's the voyeur in me that enjoys the program the most. I get to hear about someone's life, their mis-steps, their successes, and that's just fun, really.
But lately I've been listening to it with a different ear. Every narrator of every story has the same voice. It's like they all went to the Ira Glass slightly disaffected but kinda engaged in the topic school of radio speaking. I imagine them narrating their piece from the couch in their funky, eclectic apartment. Bookshelves surrounding them piled with liberal political leaning books, some Nietzsche and Proust thrown in for good measure. A spent cappuccino cup on the coffee table, smoking a cigarette looking up at the ceiling, eyes hooded, voice gravelly and drained.
I want a different narrator. I want someone sweet from South Carolina, who doesn't have that semi-jaded tone. Or someone from Vermont who is maybe a bit out of touch with all these city-fied goings-on. Give me a different voice, please.
So I'm going on a fast from TAL. Not sure how long it will last, but to tide me over I've swapped This American Life (TAL) with the Savage Love Podcast. Why? Because it's real, it doesn't mess around, and it's still about people. In fact, it's about people's sex lives, which is infinitely fascinating. And it's only 30 minutes long, so how cool is that, eh?
If anyone knows of any other good podcasts out there that you like, lemme know!
2 comments:
I know exactly what you mean. I used to like Sarah Vowell as her little girl squeaky voice helped to change things up. But sometimes I can't tell if it's David Sedaris, David Rakoff or Ira Glass talking -- they just sort of blend into a nasaly new yorker in need of some fresh air.
I feel the same way. And all the story lines are so banal! It seems like this is what we'd hear in the "calm ward" of the hospital. I have been talking about this with others and everyone is bored. There is just this lackluster thing happening. Meh.
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