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Beat It
Mike Birbiglia explains the chain of events that resulted in him becoming the fall guy for his entire high school, and how it took him a while to catch on to what was happening. This story was recorded live in front of an audience in Cambridge, Mass. (10 minutes)
Be Careful Who You Love
The story of a famous but not well-understood political fall guy, someone who became a scapegoat for American policies worldwide. Philip Gourevitch writes about listening to nine hours of interviews with Lynndie England, the American servicewoman photographed at Abu Ghraib prison holding a leash with a naked, Iraqi prisoner on the end of it. (15 minutes)
Philip Gourevitch's book about what happened in that prison and in those photos is called The Ballad of Abu Ghraib. Audio in this act came from Errol Morris's interviews in the film Standard Operating Procedure.
Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough
Planet Money's Alex Blumberg and Adam Davidson talk to Ira about the lawsuit phase of the economic crisis, and the ongoing search to find someone to take the blame. So far at least 196 lawsuits are simply banks suing other banks. (10 minutes)
Man In The Mirror
In big families, there's often one kid who always gets blamed when something goes wrong. But Shalom Auslander came from a small family, so the role of fall guy was up for grabs. Shalom Auslander is the author of several books, including Foreskin's Lament. (13 minutes)
Related
Act Six: The Best Christmas Song Ever, By Dave Hill
Act Two: Rescue You, Rescue Me
Act Three: Who Would Win In A Fight Between A Polar Bear And An Insurance Company?
Staff Recommendations
Somewhere in the Arabian Sea
Life aboard an aircraft carrier stationed in the Arabian Sea supporting bombing missions over Afghanistan.
Three Miles
What happens when of a group of public school students in the Bronx goes to visit an elite private school three miles away.