Ira Glass

Ira Glass

Host / Producer


This American Life

Chicago, IL USA


You can criticize yourself to a point to do something better, or you criticize yourself to a point where you inhibit yourself.

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Ira Glass

Milestones

My road in life has been direct.
Grew up in an area where smart kids were expected to become doctors, but he always had an interest in media.
Took two summer jobs, one at a hospital, one at NPR: "At the end of that summer, it was seemed very clear which one was more appealing."
Says the best thing to do is force yourself into doing the work, and the skills will eventually come; believes hard work can make a person talented.
He was bad at his job for a long time; says, "even the stuff you're really good at, you're not good at right away."
Started producing shows at age 19; says early tapes show he had "no talent at all" for reporting, but he was good at editing.
His parents hated the choices he was making; they'd worked hard to get into the middle class, constantly worried he wouldn't "succeed."
Says the least pleasant part of his job is actually being on the radio: "all you can do is screw it up...there are so many ways to ruin it."
Believes he will wake up with doubt and worry every day, but he's made peace with that, uses feelings of inadequacy to motivate him.
Keep following my journey

Career

Host / Producer

I co-created and host the public radio show "This American Life".

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Journalism
Radio
Communicating / Sharing Stories

Interviewed By

Chicago - San Francisco

Chicago - San Francisco

Still in Chicago, the US team interviews Ira Glass, host and producer of This American Life. The team then heads to Denver to sit down with Lieutenant Firefighter Levi Ortiz. Later in Cheyenne, the team meets with Jeremy Sparks, a professional bullfighter. The team heads west, stopping in San Francisco to interview Ana Hortillosa, event coordinator for the Asian Art Museum.