So I finally listened to the This American Life episode entitled “Retraction”. It’s a really great episode and if you have heard it yet, here’s the link.
Basically, Ira Glass confronts a guy who fabricated a story about a trip to China where he says that he witnessed a bunch of things that he really didn’t witness. It’s waaay more complicated than that, but that’s the gist. It’s a gut-wrenching conversation and I would actually feel sorry for the TAL people, except that they fell for it in the first place. I mean, the guy created an off Broadway production based on his story for crying out loud. Anyway, this comic is my take on it all.
In any case, the new term at school starts tonight, so wish me luck!
–The Artist
From this episode I learned that in “the theatre” if you say “This actually happened to me” it doesn’t mean it really happened to you.
Between this guy and the ‘Invisible Children’ dude, if you haven’t become a cynic, you’re not paying attention.
My favorite part of the episode was when Ira asks Daisey why he lied and Daisey starts a sentence, then pauses for like a minute and concludes with “it’s coming.” I wish I could have seen Ira’s face.
I usually listen to episodes while I run and I actually had to stop at that point. When I got home I searched and searched for ANY video of that conversation…I really hope someone posts one at some point. Just listening to it was the auditory equivalent of a car slamming into a brick wall, killing all except the driver who promptly backs up and drives off only to ask the arresting officer, “What seems to be the problem?”