While Charles Kuralt approached and presented his eccentric subjects as human beings, Ira Glass often presents them, with sneering "irony," as zoo specimens for the amusement of the achingly hip. Kuralt's pieces said, "Here's a fellow citizen you might want to meet"; Glass's say, "Look how superior we F-train riders are to these west-of-the-Hudson hayseeds."

I have never found that to be the case at all.

Glass's sensibility is ironic and quirky, but TAL is very respectful of its subjects. They try and understand people and uncover powerful stories in normal life, not to sneer or judge. It sounds to me like you may have noticed the generally ironic tone of the show and read into it your pre-existing feelings about hipsters. Listen closer. This exceptionally empathetic show about a megachurch in Colorado Springs is a good place to start: <link>

I agree. As to Kuralt ignoring the potential dark-side of his interviewees, all I can say is "REALLY?" Everyone understood that he was doing light, feel good pieces. No one was looking for the dark-side of kite flying. And believe it or not, people do quiet good deeds just to do them, and it is nice that someone like Kuralt (or Glass) can recognize them.

Just one remembrance of a Karalt story: In the early 70's, I lived in Grand Junction, Colorado, which was pretty far off the beaten path. Out in the badlands between GJ and Montrose, Colorado - literally out with the tumbleweeds and sage - someone had planted a little pine tree near the new highway. Over the years, someone or lots of people had taken the time to water it (this land is desert). When the tree got bigger, people would stop and decorate it around Christmas. Every time my family took the pretty boring trip from GJ to Montrose, we would always look for that little Christmas tree and later we were really happy to see that little tree on Kuralt's show. Trust me - no one in the 1970's in western Colorado ever did anything because they thought they would make the CBS Evening News. That just wasn't on the radar.

Really? I have very keen radar for sneering, condescending hipsters, and I just don't find that in This American Life. It seems they take the un-hip and non-Manhattanite quite seriously.

Oh. I think that Ira Glass and many who make up the show are irony soaked hipsters, but they seem to be able to set it aside and gives respect to the subjects of their shows.

Just my take.

Pelican:

[...] "Look how superior we F-train riders are to these west-of-the-Hudson hayseeds."

Oops, Glass lives in Chicago.