Bonus: Nancy's Deep Cuts

Ira Glass and producer Nancy Updike revisit a past episode of "This American Life," specifically an essay Ira wrote and read on air about the death of his friend Mary. They discuss the personal nature of the story, which revealed Ira's separation from his wife to his colleagues for the first time. They reflect on the emotional impact of the essay, particularly the themes of loss and the unique, often imperfect, advice that close friends provide. Ira shares his initial reluctance to be a public figure associated with the radio show and how his views have evolved over time. They also touch on the challenges of crafting a narrative based on anecdotes rather than a traditional plot structure. They plan to release another bonus episode with more stories in the future. The episode concludes with a clip of Mary explaining how older listeners can download the podcast.