20 Acts in 60 Minutes

Instead of the usual "each week we choose a theme, and bring you 3 or 4 stories on that theme" business, we throw all that away and bring you 20 stories—yes, 20—in 60 minutes. Prologue: Ira Glass introduces the idea of doing 20 stories in one hour. Don't I Know You: Contributor Starlee Kine talks to actor Tate Donovan about the day he felt he was being exactly the kind of celebrity he'd wanted to be: when suddenly, he was approached by a kid with a camera. No, Of Course I Know You: Writer and producer Scott Carrier recognizes a woman he sees in a restaurant. It's Commerce That Brings Us Together: Susan Drury talks about "Swap and Shop," a local radio classifieds show that has become a low-tech, personable sort of Ebay. The Sound of One Hand Waving: From Patty Martin: a one minute, four second vacation on Nantucket Island, involving a lot of waving. The Sound of No Hands Clapping: From Vicki Merrick, Eric Kipp, and Jay Allison at Transom: scallops on Martha's Vineyard. Reaching Out With Radio: From Blunt Youth Radio: a story of a possibly bad "food situation" at the cafeteria in juvenile detention. Up Where the Air Is Clear: Jonathan Goldstein, host of Wiretap, brings us this story about The Penguin as a young man. The Greatest Dog Name in the World: Two brothers, ages 12 and 13, have very different ideas for their dog's name. Of Dogs and Men: Elaine Boehm overhears a couple in her pet shop, trying to choose a dog collar. Act Ten: A two minute play called “Title,” written and performed by Greg Allen and Heather Riordan of the Chicago group, The Neo-Futurists. It’s part of their long-running show "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes." Etiquette Lesson: Author David Sedaris on cell phone usage in restrooms. To Tell the Truth: Brent Runyon reports from the kids' section at the public library. More Lies: Catherine and John, two college undergrads, do a babysitting gig together. After the kids are asleep and the two of them get hungry, John doesn't think they should eat any of the food in the house; they settle on a compromise. Call in Colonel Mustard For Questioning: Mystery and missing flavor at the hot dog plant. Mister Prediction: Author David Rakoff worked at an advertising agency, and could see exactly where its technology was going. That One Guy at the Office: Someone sits next to the printer. You see him forty times a day. What's his name? What does he do? You Can't Choose Your Gift: Richard Kerry has an impressive ability: he can recreate the sound of a whole swamp. Party Talk: Author Chuck Klosterman and his friends make a party game out of comparing television shows to rock bands. They call it "Monkees Equals Monkees." The Hard Life at the Top: Every year 1,200 new army cadets arrive at West Point. Once they say a single sentence correctly, they can go to their barracks. But not until then. David Lipsky reports. He's the author of Absolutely American. The Greatest Moment I Ever Saw On a Stage: Teenage girls from a detention center perform a song for their parents.