Our Here’s the Thing Summer Staff Picks series continues, featuring our favorite episodes from the archives. This week, we revisit Alec’s interviews with two great American storytellers, Ira Glass and Alex Gibney.  Ira Glass has been the host and creative force of WBEZ’s This American Life since 1995. The public radio personality revolutionized nonfiction storytelling by using a voice that's personable, modest, and emotionally engaged. Alec sat down with Ira Glass in 2014 to compare notes on interviewing, the afterlife, and finding one’s vocal style.  Alex Gibney is one of the most respected and prolific documentary filmmakers in history. His stories feature strong characters and propulsive narratives that often expose malfeasance or incompetency. In this 2021 conversation, Alex Gibney speaks with Alec about going up against powerful organizations, shifting from Japanese literature to film and the collaborators that have helped him grow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin

Ira Glass and Alex Gibney - Summer Staff Picks

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" by Elizabeth and Michael Norman and is hosted by Alec Baldwin.  In episode 8, Ben goes home and, after a difficult period of adjustment, establishes himself as a celebrated artist. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 8: The Last Guy Out of the Gate

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" by Elizabeth and Michael Norman and is hosted by Alec Baldwin.  In episode 7, Ben is transported on a hell ship to Japan to work in a coal mine as a slave laborer. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 7: The Beginning of the End

Few artists have the unique voice and talent of David Sedaris, master of satire and social critique – and one of America’s preeminent humor writers. He is the author of numerous bestsellers, including Calypso, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Holidays on Ice, Naked, and Barrel Fever, having sold 12 million copies of his books, translated into 25 languages. He’s also a regular contributor to The New Yorker and BBC Radio 4. David Sedaris and Alec discuss Sedaris finding his way to his craft, writing about his father’s passing in his most recent book, Happy-Go-Lucky, and the best advice he’s learned from his thirty-year relationship with his partner.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Sedaris: Me Write Funny One Day

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" by Elizabeth and Michael Norman and is hosted by Alec Baldwin.  In episode 6, Ben volunteers for a work detail to escape Camp O’Donnell. This work detail is considered to be one of the worst in history. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 6: Art is Life Itself

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" by Elizabeth and Michael Norman and is hosted by Alec Baldwin.  In episode 5, Ben and those on the death march reach Camp O’Donnell, which would come to be known as the Andersonville of the Pacific. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 5: The Andersonville of the Pacific

It’s summer, and every other week, members of the Here’s The Thing staff are selecting their favorite interviews from the archives. This week, we revisit Alec’s interviews with two extraordinary women in media, Sheila Nevins and Tina Brown, recorded in 2017.  Sheila Nevins was the head of HBO Documentary Films from 1979 until 2018 and now leads MTV Documentary Films.  She has overseen the production of literally hundreds of documentaries, which have won dozens of Oscars, exerting more influence on the medium than perhaps anyone in its history.  Tina Brown is a journalist, editor and author, with her work ranging from memoir to biography, including her most recent book, “The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor - The Truth and the Turmoil.”  As the founder of Talk magazine and editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, Tatler and The New Yorker, the British-born Brown brought her fresh observations and sharp wit to both the revered publications she led and New York society.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheila Nevins and Tina Brown - Summer Staff Picks

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" by Elizabeth and Michael Norman and is hosted by Alec Baldwin.  In episode 4, we hear from Ben Steele and other survivors of the Bataan death march. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 4: The Isle of the Dead

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" by Elizabeth and Michael Norman and is hosted by Alec Baldwin.  In episode 3, we learn the fate of Ben Steele and the Filipino and American defenders when they are attacked by imperial Japan. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 3: The Fall of the Philippines

Television director James Burrows has been working since the 1970s on beloved series like Taxi, Cheers, Friends, Frasier, and Will & Grace. He has directed over 1,000 hours of television, co-created the long-running, critically-acclaimed series Cheers and is the recipient of 11 Emmy Awards and a DGA Lifetime Achievement Award.His golden touch becomes apparent when you consider that a staggering 75 of the series pilots he directed, including The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, advanced to series. His new book, the memoir “Directed by James Burrows,” details his accomplished life and career. James Burrows and Alec discuss their favorite parts of working together, how Burrows got his start in the entertainment industry and why his book is ultimately about kindness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Burrows: Like Father, Like Son

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March", hosted by Alec Baldwin.  American forces were unprepared for what lay ahead in their looming battle with the Japanese Imperial Army. What were the historical influences that made the Japanese soldier such a terrorizing force? Did Americans even know what had happened to the Chinese in Nanjing? Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 2: The Bloody Empire of the Rising Sun

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March", hosted by Alec Baldwin. Many people today are unfamiliar with the story of what happened to American servicemen on the Bataan Peninsula in April of 1942. Our podcast is entitled Ben Steele American. Ben Steele survived the misery of his captivity and went on, almost unbelievably, to live to be 98 years old in his native Montana, pursuing his passion as an artist. Listen to Ben Steele, American on iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ Produced by Jan Thompson, Zach McNees, and Alec Baldwin. Jan Thompson is our writer and editor.  Zach McNees is our mixer, and post production supervisor. Ben Steele American is inspired by the book Tears in the Darkness by Elizabeth and Michael Norman. The cover art for each episode features original art by Ben Steele himself with graphic design by Ben Dunmore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American - Episode 1: Cowboy

Alex Ross has been a music critic at The New Yorker since 1996. His beat is classical music, but his work spans literature, history, the visual arts, film, and ecology. The MacArthur Genius Grant recipient was cited by the foundation for his ability to offer “new ways of thinking about the music of the past and its place in our future.”  He is also the author of three books, “Listen to This,” “The Rest is Noise” and his most recent, “Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music,” which dives into the influential composer’s complicated legacy. Alex Ross and Alec discuss the changing field of criticism, Wagner’s place in history and how to separate art from artist.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Ross: Music vs. Noise

Ben Steele, American is a documentary podcast limited series inspired by the book "Tears in the Darkness - The story of the Bataan Death March" and is narrated by Alec Baldwin.  A boy from rural Montana, sent to the Philippines, Ben Steele became a prisoner-of-war within the first five months of the outbreak of World War II. He survived the infamous Bataan Death March and other horrific events. He was given last rites three times in the prison camp and miraculously survived. While recovering in the prison hospital he began to draw with the charcoal from the fire pit. Drawing helped keep Ben sane for the duration of his imprisonment. After a 62 -day trip on a hell ship Ben ended up in Japan as a slave laborer in a coal mine. After the war he studied art with several famous artists such as John Teyral, Jack Levine, Hans Mueller and George Grosz. Ben taught art at a college in Billings Montana and had a particular empathy for, and influence on, students who had suffered traumas in their own lives. Ben thought of himself as just a regular guy. But he was a talented artist, wonderful teacher and mentor and a wonderful human being admired by everyone who met him. This is the story of Ben Steele; the best of human beings in the worst of times. Ben Steele, American has first person interviews with over thirty former prisoners-of-war including numerous Bataan Death March survivors. The podcast has interviews with notable history scholars from around the world. Interviews with Ben Steele were acquired over a span thirty years. Listen to Ben Steele, American on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-ben-steele-american-98570427/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: Ben Steele, American

Sarah Polley is a storyteller – and a remarkable one. Whether as a precocious child actor in Road to Avonlea and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, as a documentarian unpacking her family history in Stories We Tell or as screenwriter and director of the Academy Award-nominated Away From Her, Polley is adept at portraying complex and honest depictions of humanity.And now, she is the author of a revealing and insightful collection of essays, Run Towards the Danger: Confrontations with a Body of Memory. The book pulls together reflections from challenging chapters in her life and career that explore how a change in approach can provide a path forward. Polley joins guest host Talia Schlanger for a candid and revelatory conversation that goes deep into Polley’s decision to pivot from a successful actor to writing and directing, to the difficulties she experienced working in Hollywood and the decision to step forward with her own #MeToo story.  Their discussion turns personal when Polley turns the tables on host Talia Schlanger and invites a discussion about Schlanger’s own experiences of #MeToo.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Polley Rewrites Her Story

Award-winning actor Alec Baldwin takes listeners into the lives of artists, policy makers and performers. Alec sidesteps the predictable by going inside the dressing rooms, apartments, and offices of people we want to understand better: Ira Glass, Lena Dunham, David Letterman, Barbara Streisand, Tom Yorke, Chris Rock and others. Hear what happens when an inveterate guest becomes a host.

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Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin

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