668: The Long Fuse

This American Life | Apr 6, 2025

People tossing words out into the world impulsively to ignite and burn over decades.

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Prologue: Host Ira Glass plays a strange voicemail left by a 96-year-old surgeon about a letter that was written five decades ago. (6 minutes)
Act One: Producer Lilly Sullivan reports out that voicemail. (13 minutes)
Act Two: On his deathbed, a wealthy man in Toronto decides to make some trouble. Hundreds of babies are involved. Stephanie Foo tells the story. (25 minutes)
Act Three: Cyclist Mike Friedman said something to cyclist Ian Dille in the middle of a race that ate at both of them for years. Jared Marcelle tells the story. (12 minutes)

Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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