Ira Glass

This American Life

I didn't have many moments with Ruth, but every single one was memorable.  In the early days of the radio show I host, we were broadcasting the show in Chicago and sending around cassettes to a few friends at public radio stations, asking for advice about how to sell the show nationally to other stations.  

I sent one to Sarah Spitz at KCRW, she passed it to Ruth, and I had my first conversation with Ruth, where she declared that she didn't want to wait for months till I started distributing the show around the country.  She wanted it now.  With one caveat.  I had to change the name.  

At the time, the radio show was called Your Radio Playhouse. I thought of that title as a homage to old-time radio and a tip of the hat to PeeWee Herman's TV show, which I found inspiring.  Ruth was like, "It's a terrible title. And it's confusing. I already have an NPR Playhouse. Listeners will get confused." She told me she'd pick up the show and KCRW would become our second radio outlet if I'd change the name. Ruth suggested "Glass House." I had no interest in doing a show with my name on it and we came up with the name "This American Life."  

Ruth had a unique place in public radio. Program directors and producers like me, from all over the country, looked to her as one of the few people who truly took seriously the idealism that's built into public radio's mission.  It's hard to think of many people who strove for originality and excellence the way she did.  No public radio station sounds anything like KCRW.  She was an inspiring force in her life, and she continues to inspire now.