It makes sense that Showtime would be the TV network that would spend five years cajoling the creator of “This American Life” to make a video version of radio’s most original and unpredictable program.
After all, “Life,” with its leisurely story-telling and decidedly anti-establishment point of view, could never have found its way to commercial radio. And Showtime doesn’t air commercials. (The show premieres tonight at 8:30.)
For those who aren’t part of its listening audience, “This American Life” has been on the air since 1995. Each weekly show has a loose theme but content (current events, life on the island nation of Nauru), and mood vary widely.
But what about taking the show to public TV? Don’t even suggest that option to “Life” host/creator Ira Glass.
“Public television is terrible,” Glass said, breaking up a roomful of TV critics in January. “I work for a public radio station, and many of the stations which carry our show are affiliated with public TV stations. So this isn’t the greatest thing for me to say, but it’s the truth. In terms of innovation and what they do, you know, it’s just not that interesting most of the time.”
Sad to say, Glass is right. Besides, PBS didn’t come to him, Showtime did, and courted him for years before the famously nerdy host of the Chicago-based radio program said OK.
When Glass demanded that the look and feel of “Life” on TV be worked out before agreeing to do the deal, Showtime said fine. When Glass wanted to work with a filmmaker, Showtime hooked him up with Killer Films, best known for “Boys Don’t Cry.”
Showtime’s perseverance was amply rewarded. “Life” on TV is a one-of-a-kind show for a one-of-a-kind storyteller, with a presence ideally suited to the radio program’s off-the-front-pages subject matter and its off-the-beaten-path host and his many correspondents.
Don’t expect to see too much of the literary stars minted by the radio show, like Sarah Vowell and David Sedaris. But do expect to see more subjects such as the rancher who loved his prize steer so much he had him cloned. Or the 14-year-old named Joe who took a solemn vow that he will never fall in love with anyone – ever.
“Life” fans on radio may have a sense of deja vu watching tonight’s pilot episode. That’s because – for the pilot episode only – the stories originally aired on radio, like the one called “Pee Girl,” featuring a woman who reveals how her life changed one day in school when she was on the bus and just had to go.
“When we did the stories for the pilot, we had no idea if Showtime was going to pick us up,” Glass said. “In fact, we figured they will never pick us up.”
You can’t blame Glass for being pessimistic about TV. With his Buddy Holly glasses and business suit, not to mention that voice, he just doesn’t seem the kind of guy a network would want in front of a camera. But his audience adores him: 1.7 million Americans every week tune in “This American Life” on their local public radio station, and thousands more download it every week, making it one of iTunes’ most popular podcasts.
