In an era when we are increasingly consumed by our various devices - and the newest versions of them - it's surprising that something as old-fashioned as a radio show has the potential to make a significant cultural impact. And yet, "This American Life" (1995-present) continues to do just that.
The show's producers have collaborated - often repeatedly - with a wide array of writers, comedians, musicians and other artists over the 18-plus years it has been on the air. David Sedaris, TigNotaro, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Savage, David Foster Wallace and John Hodgman (among others) have all appeared on the enormously popular program. But perhaps the most productive relationship the show has enjoyed has been with Mike Birbiglia.
Birbiglia - a comedian, writer and actor who hails from Shrewsbury, Mass. - has appeared on "This American Life" nine times since 2008. He spent his post-college years struggling to make it as a stand-up comedian and even though his career was certainly picking up by the time he appeared on the radio program, it was his appearances on "This American Life," that (arguably) helped him gain the popularity he enjoys today. Birbiglia also chose to collaborate with the show when he created "Sleepwalk With Me" (2012) - the film he wrote, directed and starred in. The indie movie was produced by WBEZ Chicago - the station where "This American Life" is based - and by Ira Glass, the program's beloved host. (Glass also pulled double-duty as a co-writer of the screenplay.)
Today, Birbiglia enjoys a flourishing career. He has appeared on HBO's "Girls" (2012-present), and will also have a small role in the upcoming - and highly-anticipated - film adaptation of John Green's novel "The Fault in Our Stars" (2012), which is scheduled for release later this year. But for now, Birbiglia's main focus is his nationwide tour, titled "Thank God For Jokes." He stopped by Boston on Feb. 14 and 15 for shows at the Wilbur Theatre and is scheduled to return for another on May 10.
Those familiar with Birbiglia's work are aware that he often recycles and reuses stories - bits from his albums, for example, have appeared in his book and on "This American Life." But his routine on the tour boasted all new material - making it especially enjoyable for fans who have followed Birbiglia for several years. The jokes, which are still riotous, draw from Birbiglia's special talent for finding humor in the mundane or awkward moments most people experience on a daily basis. It's easy to relate to his stories. A perfect example is his meditation on the difference between people who are on time and those who are not - "late-ies," as he dubs them. It's not hard to see why Birbiglia chooses to open his show with this type of story, one that touches on some pretty universal - or at least relatable - experiences: the dynamics of marriage, the awkwardness of yoga class, the firm condemnation of the "late-ies."
Later in the routine, however, it becomes clear just how much Birbiglia's life has changed since his career took off. He may be a slightly clumsy and bumbling "Olive Garden Italian" at heart, but his job now involves him entertaining - and rubbing elbows with - people like Matt Damon, David O. Russell and Amy Adams - a far cry from where he started. But Birbiglia is aware of the unlikeliness of his success, and he accepts his newfound status with modesty and self-deprecation. He also takes it as an opportunity to gently rib the effect celebrity can have on people: when hosting the 2012 Gotham Independent Film Awards, Birbiglia cracked a joke at the expense of Russell, referencing the director's rather infamous and foul-mouthed rant from the set of "I Heart Huckabees" (2004).
Birbiglia isn't the kind of comedian who uses profanity frequently - indeed, when performing on a public radio program, swearing is not really an option. But in this bit, he reads the uncensored transcript of Russell's diatribe - which he keeps folded neatly in his front pocket - in a rather matter-of-fact tone, letting the eager crowd assess for themselves the absurdity of the statement. Never have four-letter words been so effectively used.
It's a searing commentary on celebrity and on self-importance, made especially clear when the funnyman describes Russell's subsequent reaction to the joke. Birbiglia knows that whatever faults he may have, he's at least willing to laugh at himself. In a way, that is the whole point of his show. He's not one to tackle big issues - there are no ruminations on race or class or politics in his routine. Instead, he focuses on the little things, moments in life everybody has, in some way, experienced. He heightens them, overanalyzing them to the point of hilarity - it's a reminder to his fans, as they chuckle at his jokes, to laugh at themselves every once in a while.
