I love this show for so many reasons, but the most important one is that it places our humanity above everything else ❤️🦋✊🏼

All you had to do was do a DNA test from any of the major DNA companies, Ancestry, 23&me, my heritage, and have your cousin do it as well at the same one. It would’ve shown if you were half brothers or not and it wouldn’t have cost a fortune. It also might’ve led you to know who your actual father was if you were interested. But I all in all, I absolutely love This American life.

I’ve been a listener for a very long time. I donate when I can. I’ve sent my letters about funding for public broadcasting. But now every episode is pay only. Well I really can’t swing that. Goodbye.

This is an awesome podcast! It is very interesting and you add so much detail! This podcast will never bore me! The one thing that I don’t like is how if you don’t have a subscription you don’t have as many options. But it also makes sense because it is hard to make money off of a podcast. In conclusion, this is an amazing podcasts, with amazing stories!

Too many Subscribers Only episodes.

Monke.

Yea, that didn’t age well.

I’ve been listening to TAL since before podcasting was formal thing. Since the radio days. I was so enthralled by stories of all the different facets of life, from the weird, to the quirky, to the sad, to the happy. Every episode was a different experience. These days it’s SO political and responsive to politics and world events. It’s exhausting. I don’t need to be preached to or convinced. I want those glimpses into life that we rarely get to see, not what we’re being bombarded by every single day in the media and the news cycle. TAL has lost its charm for me. Life is about more than the headlines and politics and the social causes.

There are so many thing to listen to but “American Life “ stands at the top. Can’t say enough.

I look forward every weekend to This American life and the subscriber edition. It’s funny, meaningful and so incredibly well written.

Years ago I bought their app with a promise to have access to “all past and future shows”. Well, they discontinued that and now want you to pay monthly for their subscription service?? So many reruns and the new shows that do come out are either about Gaza or Trump. You can’t decline quality AND want to charge for your content.

I’ve loved TAL for years but it’s no fun to listen to constant episodes of gloom and doom around all that’s wrong in the country or world. Need more just story telling over very one sided stories. It’s tiring and no fun to listen to an hour of it.

I’m such a fan, and this is one of your worst episodes. I have no idea why you want to wallow in really bad behavior by adults responsible for young lives. If you had a problem with your parents, please don’t push that on us

Ira Glass is an American treasure

I’ve been listening to TAL for decades and also enjoy other NPR shows regularly. However the constant insertion of Israel and Gaza episodes turns me off. Maybe crate a separate feed or show for this topic an stick more to topics related ro American Life. Yes, I know Israel Gaza has an American nexus, but there not what I want from This American Life.

Waiting for the This “American” Life on the true genocide in Sudan. I’m getting a divorce from this latest example of legacy media bias masquerading as objective radio documentary.

Hamas is a terrorist organization. These Palestinians carried out terrorist attacks against Israel and took hundreds of hostages. They use hospitals and schools as cover, indirectly using Palestinian civilians as human shields. If they truly wanted a ceasefire and cared about their people’s future, they should have stopped fighting long ago or never launched terrorist attacks in the first place. This program is just DEI nonsense of a stupid left wing media, blindly mixing right and wrong, hypocritical, and lacking common sense.

I am so grateful to for this story. The vulnerability of these families is humbling. Thank you designating these resources to tell their story.

Ira is so funny!! I love this show!! I listen in every (Monday?)

I really enjoy the show, content and hosts but for the life of me I cannot understand Ira- please talk slower or more clearly, you are always running your words together and I cannot understand what you are saying, I’m so sorry. I have great hearing btw.

Have to become a subscriber? Thought this was supposed to be free.

I hate writing this as I really used to love this show years ago, but this show has gotten progressively further and further from the middle and unbiased stories/reporting. it makes me sad but it feels very woke and unlistenable now. Strong liberal bias regardless of the story. I hate Fox news for the same reason. Too far one way makes it hard to get to the truth.

Dear Mr. Glass and the staff of This American Life, I have almost always loved your podcast and wanted and planned to subscribe, but after your segment on the Gaza war I just couldn’t. My son and two sons in law have spent months in Gaza since October 7, 2023. They would happily have spoken to you and shared their truth rather than having you rely on some anonymous soldier whose words you twisted when he actually reported never having witnessed deliberate shooting of children, something which is anathema to every israel soldier I know. Come live in israel for a month and talk to soldiers who have served. Spend a few nights in my bomb shelter when the alarm sounds at 2am. Give a fair hearing to both sides. Ask my son what it’s like to spend his second year of medical school fighting a war that neither he nor any Israeli wanted. Ask the hard questions and talk to real soldiers and then I will subscribe. Until then, it is a loss for both of us. Debbie Jonas

The way this show is done is EVERYTHING!! The host, Ira Glass, is amazing. I love his voice and his story telling abilities. The way the show is edited feels kind of old fashioned and nostalgic. The music and sound effects really emphasize the show and stories. It is such a classic and part of the fabric of this country at this point. Perfect 10/10

I’m only ten but this is legit my favorite podcast! Keep on keeping on! ❤️🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🩷💜🩵💙💚💛🧡❤️

Love your show and especially appreciate the Rom Com episode. It was just what I needed this week!

Some folks feel the content and journalism is partisan, it can be difficult for some to face reality. Keep up the great work!

Loved the show, but the affected vocal fry, up-speak, etc. prevent me from enjoying it lately. Good journalists with annoying voices.

I just can’t stop once is start listening.And the stories told are the mind blowing and not always pleasant - but I know I’m always getting the truth as hard as it is to hear.

Episode 854. Thank you Zack for sharing your family with us.

Good work done for a long time! There is a level of craft to this show not often found in-dime-a-dozen podcasts these days.

These narrators with their forced vocal fry are impossible to listen to. You can tell it’s fake because they don’t have it when they interview people. Someone needs to start a business to deprogram these girls.

The stories are great usually but it's too produced to make me feel how they want me to feel. Just tell me the story, stop with the instrumental pregnant pauses.

This podcast has gone down hill. This started when their hit piece on the proud boys struggled to paint them in a negative light. Even that story was well researched with great content, until the summary was inserted by the narrator. Ever since then this podcast has concentrated on delivering the Left’s view point with most of their recent content lamenting the election. If I wanted NBC radio hour I’d turn on the news channel. You guys lost your way and it’s sad because you were my favorite podcast and I looked forward to the release.

Love TAL. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get from week to week. I have phases of lots of other podcasts, but TAL is my oldie but a goodie that I always come back to. Thanks to all who make it possible.

Every single American podcast should be reporting right now on Trump’s plans to put citizens in concentration camps in El Salvador

Love the interesting stories and ones I’d never hear of if not for listening to This American Life

I tend to enjoy the non racial/political shows but increasingly there’s no refuge from it. Great use of the American tax payers money though!

Love this show. So many different stories. I am really disappointed that TAL moved half the catalog to subscription only.

I’ve listened to this show for many many years and always been a fan. However now, in the very tragic Trump era, it’s impossible to listen to the very thinly veiled liberal complaining episode after episode. Peace, it’s been real This Libtarded Life.

Very funny and interesting

I’ve always loved the show. They still do a great job with storytelling and Ira really crafts wonderful episodes. But there is clearly no diversity of thought among the staff and unfortunately, they are yet again caught in the cycle of every single episode being focused on whining about everything related to Trump and conservatives. I wish that they could put their Trump derangement syndrome to the side and focus on the great storytelling that has made this show as popular as it is has been over the years. Maybe I’ve missed that they’re now a sore about politics, but I really wish they knew how ridiculous sounds when they try to disguise their liberal propaganda as innocent storytelling.

Someone check the host’s testosterone level. This show is struggling and begging for membership money because they’ve lost touch with the majority of their audience.

it’s the best podcast there ever was and best there will ever be. ira is a legend. his voice soothes me. the stories are incredible and so thoughtfully put together by the producers. so entertaining and thought provoking. steering clear of opinions to leave it up to you. keep it going - forever. please.

Each episode has the same structure. It is the equivalent of listening to the same song with slightly different lyrics.

Allow minimal to zero access to the show library without subscriber status is a shame, especially with how low effort and political stories have been in recent years. I’d like to see this series regress into its full potential.

This pod tends to stay into political matters almost every episode. I wish it was more laud back like the podcast really very good.

This podcast used to be better. Kinda boring now.

This show could be great if only the speakers wouldn’t stray into politics.

Miles is wise beyond his years; the cutest observations