Ira Glass: The Man Who Launched a Thousand Podcasts

Ira Glass, the creator and host of This American Life, discusses his early career, the founding of his influential radio show, and his management style with his former employee Alex Bloomberg. Glass recounts his initial foray into radio as a high school joke writer and his unexpected entry into journalism at NPR. He emphasizes the importance of a strong business strategy for artistic projects, detailing how This American Life used pledge drive modules to gain popularity and financial stability. Glass reflects on the demanding early days of the show, his hands-on approach to editing, and his complex relationship with mentorship, acknowledging the challenges and rewards of fostering talent. He also shares his perspective on seeing his former colleagues succeed independently.