May 10, 2002

The Other Man

Stories about what happens when a new guy comes on the scene, and changes the way everyone who was already there relates to each other.


Host Ira Glass talks with Sarah Koenig, about the first and only time a movie star came over to her family's house when she was a kid, and how it didn't go too well, for the celebrity or for her. The movie star, Robert Redford, ended up stealing all her parents' attention, attention they usually lavished on Sarah, the youngest. On top of that, they were acting all nervous, and anxious, different than usual. It made young Sarah mad, and she ended up taking it out on poor Mr. Redford. (6 minutes)
Act One

Psychic Buddha, Qu'est-ce Que C'est

The story of what happens to an average American family, when a perfectly normal, rational and funny mom starts spending every day in the company of an ancient Buddhist monk named Aaron, who no one else can see. Davy Rothbart is one of her three sons, and also the reporter for this story. He goes back and to talk to his brothers and father and mother about something they've never actually discussed: Do any of them believe in Aaron? Davy is the man behind Found Magazine. (26 minutes)


“Aaron is the Man” by Hal Rothbart
Act Two

The Jackson Two


Act Three

Mr. Fun

Jonathan Goldstein and Heather O'Neill tell the true story of what happens when a person tries to intrude on a idyllic family of two, one of whom loves him, one of whom does not. For the first few years Jonathan knew Heather, her daughter Arizona was not very fond of him. For a long time he was nineteenth on Arizona's list of favorite people—behind the neighbor's dog and the plumber. Jonathan Goldstein is the author of the book, Lenny Bruce is Dead. Heather O'Neill's is the author of Two Eyes Are You Sleeping, a book of poetry. (15 minutes)