This American Life

This American Life

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1 hr

There's what happened, and there's the story that gets told about what happened. Sometimes the two things don't match up very well. Learn more at This American Life.

All Episodes

This week, stories about people trying their best to turn themselves into something else—like a badger.

Even the best laid plans can go catastrophically wrong when humans get involved.

In hour two from Albertville, Alabama, we head into town, where a wave of immigrants has transformed the place.

The man whose views on immigration are the cornerstone of Trump administration policy — Attorney General Jeff Sessions — apparently came to his opinions on the issue from seeing what…

Spider-Man and other people with talents that cause them pain and suffering.

The story of Harold Washington, the greatest politician you've probably never heard of, and the political race war he set off when he became Chicago's first black mayor.

Stories of people who decide to rethink the way they've been doing things ... or try to get others to do that.

This week, blurring the line between animal and human.

More from KCRW

Can new leadership finally cure United Talent Agency of its “middle child syndrome?”

from The Business

Invasive plants are overrunning the Santa Monica Mountains, making fires more destructive and more frequent. Thus, conservationists are trying to grow more native species.

from KCRW Features

Three must-see art exhibitions up now are “Charles Gaines: Numbers and Trees, The Tanzania Baobabs,” “Tau Lewis: Spirit Level,” and “Hugo Crosthwaite: Ex-voto.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Latest

Harriet Tubman has come back to life and wants to make a hip-hop album. That’s the premise of Bob the Drag Queen’s debut novel.

‘America’s first Black superhero’ is revived to record hip-hop album: New novel

Harriet Tubman has come back to life and wants to make a hip-hop album. That’s the premise of Bob the Drag Queen’s debut novel.

Duonychus tsogtbaatari is a newly discovered plant-eater that roamed Earth tens of millions of years ago. It had a long neck, two legs, and two massive claws.

Newly found dino’s claws were like ‘oversized barbecue tongs’

Duonychus tsogtbaatari is a newly discovered plant-eater that roamed Earth tens of millions of years ago. It had a long neck, two legs, and two massive claws.

This week, Jennifer Senior , New York Times opinion writer and author “ All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood,” discusses the impact of having children on life…

Midweek Reset: On having kids

This week, Jennifer Senior , New York Times opinion writer and author “ All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood,” discusses the impact of having children on life…

from Life Examined

The season two finale of “Severance” left fans buzzing. KCRW breaks down its twists, hidden meanings, and what’s next for TV’s most mind-bending show.

Decoding the mind-bending finale of ‘Severance’

The season two finale of “Severance” left fans buzzing. KCRW breaks down its twists, hidden meanings, and what’s next for TV’s most mind-bending show.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Frontman Jim James talks about handing over creative control of My Morning Jacket’s 10th studio album. He also shares his personal success with EMDR therapy.

Jim James on ceding creative control, healing depression via therapy

Frontman Jim James talks about handing over creative control of My Morning Jacket’s 10th studio album. He also shares his personal success with EMDR therapy.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Teen therapist Lisa Damour unravels the complexities of the adolescent mind and offers tips for raising well-adjusted teenagers.

Psychologist Lisa Damour on unlocking the teen brain

Teen therapist Lisa Damour unravels the complexities of the adolescent mind and offers tips for raising well-adjusted teenagers.

from Life Examined

Without warning, and with no time to develop alternative approaches, funding just stopped. People are dying.

The impact of USAID funding cuts in Uganda

Without warning, and with no time to develop alternative approaches, funding just stopped. People are dying.

from Second Opinion

Filmmaker, actor, and avowed cinephile Eli Roth is telling us all about his Italian sex comedy soundtrack retrospective, “Eli Roth’s Red Light Disco.”

Eli Roth talks cinematic deep cuts… and disco(!)

Filmmaker, actor, and avowed cinephile Eli Roth is telling us all about his Italian sex comedy soundtrack retrospective, “Eli Roth’s Red Light Disco.”

from The Treatment