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Live Vicariously Through This American Life
This is what I call inspirational TV. I finally got hold of the first episodes of Showtime's This American Life, the half-hour TV adaptation of the public radio show, and it's predictably brilliant. And I hope I can convince those of you who've never even heard of Ira Glass to tune in. Non-Showtime subscribers: The first episode's available for free on Yahoo right now, so keep reading.
First of all, how can you resist a show that begins with this story (and a very tasteful, beautifully shot reenactment) about an 8-year-old girl's dilemma: On the way home from a field trip, her class' schoolbus is stuck in traffic, and she desperately needs to pee. So what could be the harm if she slides forward on her seat and tinkles on the bus floor? No one will notice, right? Well, not until the bus starts moving, causing the liquid to trickle back to the rest of the students, who call her "Peezilla" for years to come. Host Ira Glass uses this little gem of a tale to establish the theme of his premiere episode: what happens when reality messes with a seemingly good idea. What follows are two longer true stories, one about a Texas rancher who has his favorite pet bull cloned after it dies, and another about an improv troupe's well-intentioned prank on a fledgling rock group.
What's so unique about TAL, both the TV and radio versions, is the quirky combination of Glass' singsong voice, delivered in the TV show from behind a desk in the middle of a cornfield under a stunning blue sky — all of which, to me, call up the optimism of American dreams — and the totally bizarre nature of these stories about regular people in extraordinary situations that somehow make you reflect on your own life. They're not necessarily that different from topics you'd see reported in, say, 60 Minutes or your local news, but they're told in a much more soothing, natural tone than the forced cautionary or inspirational voices of those network broadcasts.
You will totally fall in love with rancher Ralph, who dearly loved his gentle bull, Chance, a celebrated family pet who'd traveled all over the country, letting people ride him at events like the Republican National Convention and even appearing on Letterman once. Chance would roam Ralph's land freely, usually just choosing to sit under a tree outside the kitchen window. When he knew Chance was about to die of old age, Ralph convinced Texas A&M University to use the bull for a cloning experiment. Shortly after his pet died, he got Second Chance, who, upon arriving home, immediately wandered back to Chance's place under the tree. Unfortunately, things don't turn out as well as Ralph planned, but his unwavering optimism and love for his animals is really enough to make you want a pet bull of your own.
"Act 2," as Glass calls it, is about a kind of performance by the group Improv Everywhere, a band of people who stage "events" in New York City that range from throwing birthday parties for strangers in a subway car to becoming choreographed window displays in the shopping center at Union Square. Founder Charlie Todd came up with the idea of giving a struggling band their "best gig ever." He found an unknown act from Vermont, Ghosts of Pasha, on their first tour, and instructed 35 Improv Everywhere members to learn the band's songs (from the Internet) and show up at the gig pretending to be huge fans of the band. The concert was, in fact, an amazing experience for the band, who couldn't figure out how they'd attained these fans when it was only their third performance ever. I won't spoil the ending for you, but I just got an invite to a show in Brooklyn this weekend at which Ghosts of Pasha is playing, so you know the band eventually learned to benefit from free publicity.
I caught the second ep, too, which largely focuses on the efforts of a 63-year-old first-time screenwriter and her peers at a retirement community who try to get their short film into Sundance. All of these stories are simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. As a writer, I'm most intrigued by how TAL finds such fascinating subjects. As a viewer, I'm just thrilled to take a break from contrived reality TV and ominous news programs and instead just revel in the fact that real life in America can still be so diverse and entertaining.
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Mar 23, 2007 1:07 PM
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I was very, very impressed by this shows translation to screen. I wish I could just live in their stories.
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Mar 27, 2007 3:19 PM
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This is a pretty bold move for Showtime, IMO. I just love this show and was worried about the translation to the visual media. I know when I'm listening on the road with just the storytellers and my imagination I can go from hysterical laughter to tears in a heartbeat. Tough to pull off in the jaded world of TV.
This week's show on NPR, about mean people and their attraction/affects on others, had me busting a gut with the first act. When Ira's buddy was doing his rope-swinging sound effects I was howling with laughter. Everyone needs to give this show a shot. You won't be disappointed.
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Mar 29, 2007 3:39 PM
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