Reaching Out

Ira Glass (0:00)

Hey, The Life Partners. Do you remember that the other week, we gave you early access to tickets for this live show that we're doing in Los Angeles on October 9th? And do you remember that you most likely do not live in Los Angeles? Okay, good news. We're going to live stream the show for all the Life Partners. That means you. No extra charge, nothing. We just want to do it as a thank you for supporting the program. And basically, the show is, I tell stories on stage, and then after every story, Vic Michaelis and a crack team of incredibly funny comedians will improvise scenes. We're doing it Friday night, October 9th, 6:30 PM Pacific, 9:30 PM Eastern, to sign up for this live stream. You have to sign up. Just go to thisamericanlife.org/livestream.

So do that right away. Thanks for supporting the show.

Okay, here's today's program.

SPEAKER_2 (0:54)

A quick warning, there are curse words that are un-beeped in today's episode of the show. If you prefer a beeped version, you can find that at our website, thisamericanlife.org.

Ira Glass (1:05)

From WBEZ Chicago, it's This American Life. I'm Ira Glass.

I recently heard this podcast that was so exciting to hear because it felt like the people who did it invented something completely new, which is so rare. And it's like, I feel like they took what shows like ours do and then just pushed it further and further until it became something else. And I want to play you some of that show today. It's by somebody who I had never heard of before. His name is Sayre Quevedo, and the series is called Reaching Out. It's made by Futuro Studios. And as you'll hear, like at some point, years ago, it seems like Sayre started recording nearly all of his personal conversations, including like these especially like passive aggressive conversations with his twin brother that get more interesting and complicated the further you get into the series. And it's just, I don't know, real messy life captured on recordings in a way that is rare to hear. And then Sayre also invented this way to do narration that at first when you hear it, you're like, what's happening? And then, I don't know, I really came to love it. And the show is ambitious. I don't know if I've heard another podcast that tries to capture a person's life as completely as this one does. And like just what it feels like to be alive right now.

So, we're going to excerpt some of the show today. That's going to be the whole hour. And I just want to say stay with it. I guarantee it pays off.

Here's Sayre.

Sayre Quevedo (2:33)

On February 15th, 2020, Connor calls you to ask if you want to look for your birth father.

You do not record this conversation. This is notable if only because so much of your life has been recorded. Moments far less consequential than this. Your and Connor's fourth birthday.

SPEAKER_4 (2:56)

Come here with a rubber nose.

SPEAKER_2 (2:57)

Did you guys say that?

SPEAKER_5 (2:59)

Say, come here with a rubber nose.

Sayre Quevedo (3:01)

A school performance. You play a scared rabbit. Your only line.

SPEAKER_4 (3:06)

I think you're a mom. Don't worry.

SPEAKER_2 (3:08)

We'll just go back when we came.

SPEAKER_6 (3:09)

Which way can we come?

Sayre Quevedo (3:11)

A house party when you were 16, when you first began to record yourself.

SPEAKER_4 (3:16)

There are a few people that I talk to them about. Since it's about me and it's about things I do, I figure I should record there.

Sayre Quevedo (3:27)

There is a price for what we choose to remember and what we choose to forget. If you had known how this would all turn out, maybe you would have recorded everything. Or if you'd known the cost, maybe you would not have recorded anything at all.

On February 15th, 2020, your brother calls you to ask if you want to look for your birth father. But there is no record of that call. There is, however, a recording of the call you make a few days later.

Sayre Quevedo (4:28)

By the way, that's cool.

Connor (4:31)

I don't, I can't, I don't feel like talking on this. I'm very like tired. I'm recording.

Sayre Quevedo (4:36)

I hope that is okay.

Connor (4:39)

Oh, really? Okay. Yeah. All right. That's cool.

Are you recording? Cause you want to talk about dad stuff?

Sayre Quevedo (4:49)

Yeah, well, not just because of that, but yeah. I thought that's what you wanted to talk about.

Connor (4:55)

I have other things on my mind, but I mean, yeah, that's just like a very intense conversation. Can I tell you something, Terry? Did it happen today that has nothing to do with him?