**Biography**:
– Born on March 3, 1959, in Baltimore, Maryland to Barry and Shirley Glass.
– Attended Milford Mill High School, Northwestern University, and Brown University.
– Developed a passion for radio at a young age, leading to a successful career in the industry.
**Career**:
– Started in radio as a teenager and worked at NPR for 17 years.
– Host and producer of ‘This American Life,’ which he co-developed with Torey Malatia.
– Received prestigious awards like the Edward R. Murrow Award and the George Polk Award in Radio Reporting.
**Achievements and Contributions**:
– Won awards such as the George Polk Award, Peabody Award, and a grant from the MacArthur Foundation.
– Hosted and produced various NPR programs and contributed to articles, books, and a comic book related to radio shows.
– Founded ‘This American Life,’ which garnered national syndication and critical acclaim.
**Media Presence and Impact**:
– Broadcast to over 4.7 million listeners weekly in 2020.
– Hosted live shows, collaborated on films, and appeared on various TV programs and podcasts.
– Praised as a visionary in radio, a forebear of podcasting, and a significant influence on modern audio storytelling.
**Personal Life and Recognitions**:
– Married to Anaheed Alani from 2005 to 2018, with other notable relationships.
– Recognized with awards like the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting in 2020.
– Involved in personal endeavors like advocating for vegetarianism and supporting organizations like Prison Performing Arts.
Ira Jeffrey Glass (/ˈaɪrə/; born March 3, 1959) is an American public radio personality. He is the host and producer of the radio and television series This American Life and has participated in other NPR programs, including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Talk of the Nation. His work in radio and television has won him awards, such as the Edward R. Murrow Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Radio and the George Polk Award in Radio Reporting.
Ira Glass | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Glass in 2013 | |
| Born | Ira Jeffrey Glass March 3, 1959 |
| Education | Northwestern University Brown University (BA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse | Anaheed Alani
(m. 2005; div. 2018) |
| Website | thisamericanlife |
Originally from Baltimore, Glass began working in radio as a teenager. While attending Brown University, he worked alongside Keith Talbot at NPR during his summer breaks. He worked as a story editor and interviewer for years before he began to cover his own stories in his late twenties. After he moved to Chicago, he continued to work on the public radio programs All Things Considered and The Wild Room, the latter of which he co-hosted. After Glass received a grant from the MacArthur Foundation, he and Torey Malatia developed This American Life, which won a Peabody Award within its first six months and became nationally syndicated a year later. The show was formulated into a television program of the same name on Showtime that ran for two seasons. Glass also performs a live show, and has contributed to or written articles, books, and a comic book related to the radio show.