The Other Man

另一个男人

This American Life

2026-04-06

1 小时 2 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

What happens when a new guy comes on the scene and changes the way everyone relates to each other? Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: Ira talks with Sarah Koenig about the first and only time a movie star came to her family's house when she was a kid. It didn't go well, for the celebrity or for her. The star was Robert Redford. He arrived and immediately stole all the attention her parents usually lavished on her, their youngest. Worse, they were nervous and strange around him, not themselves at all. Young Sarah was not pleased. Robert Redford paid the price. (6 minutes)Act One: Davy Rothbart's mother is funny, rational, and by most measures, pretty normal. Except that she spends every day in the company of an ancient Buddhist monk named Aaron, who no one else can see. Davy talks to his brothers, father, and eventually his mom, and asks the question they've somehow never managed to discuss: do any of them actually believe he's real? (26 minutes)Act Two: Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. had always lived in the shadow of his father's name. But just before his primary, an aide delivered strange news: a second Jesse Jackson had appeared on the same ballot — a retired truck driver with no political experience. Ira reports on whether it was a coincidence or mischief orchestrated by the Congressman's rivals. (9 minutes)Act Three: Jonathan Goldstein and Heather O'Neill tell the true story of a man trying to wedge himself into an idyllic family of two. For the first few years, Heather's daughter Arizona was not very fond of Jonathan. He ranked nineteenth on her list of favorite people, behind the neighbor's dog and the plumber. (15 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org This American Life privacy policy. Learn more about sponsor message choices.
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • When Sarah was a kid, the number of movie stars who came to stay at their house was exactly one,

  • and it was kind of a disaster.

  • Robert Redford ended up at their house because he had heard about a book that Sarah's stepfather was writing,

  • about Leonard Peltier of the American Indian Movement.

  • It was still just a manuscript, and the stepfather did n't want to send copies of it around,

  • so he told Redford that the only way that Redford could read it is if he would do it at their house in Long Island.

  • Redford agreed.

  • Sarah says the atmosphere in the house when he arrived was completely different from any other time in her childhood.

  • Like consciously trying to be very charming and being very charming and talking to him a lot and asking all sorts of questions

  • and laughing a lot at what he said and kind of flitting about the house in a way

  • that I had n't remembered her doing before.

  • Robert Redford told stories, even the simplest story, about his trip to the house.

  • Her parents nodded and smiled along with an enthusiasm that the stories did not necessarily

  • seem to merit to 11-year-old Sarah.

  • I was really, I was sullen, and I think I was making a really concerted effort not to be impressed.

  • And now, 20 years later, I think I was jealous that he was suddenly the star of the house,

  • whereas I was used to being the star of the house.

  • I was the youngest kid, and I was sort of the one who amused my parents,

  • and here was this stranger coming in who had usurped my role.

  • And I remember when he came in, poor guy, the first night, my mother made this special dinner.