CENTERblog

Ira Glass
by Terradawn Laughton - West Anchorage High School

In a unique and long-awaited presentation, This American Life’s Ira Glass brought hearty laughter to the Atwood Concert on Sunday afternoon. Glass’ ninety-minute one-man-show is a combination of his philosophy, his work process, and his past shows. Glass took the stage and began the afternoon in complete darkness; “It’s radio, after all,” he joked. Luckily the stage was soon illuminated, as were Glass’ priceless expressions throughout the show. The program began with a foray into the production and investigative side of This American Life. Glass explained where his team finds their stories, what exactly they look for, and the importance of the structure of their storytelling. True to his radio background, the sole visual element of the afternoon came when Glass took a brief break to, of all things, make a balloon animal. (He claimed the skill has come in quite handy in social situations.) Nevertheless, the show was satisfying, informative and very enjoyable. Glass was introduced as the man with the most popular podcast in America; after an hour and a half of his witty, self-deprecating humor and enjoyably quirky personality, even new fans understood why.

Ira Glass
Anchorage Concert Association
Sunday, April 25, 2010 @ 4:00pm
Atwood Concert Hall