Ira Glass: "Why in the World Would You Want to Make a Podcast?"

The second episode of Freakonomics Radio is nearly complete; it’s about fat, and will be posted here soon. (For earlier installments, visit iTunes, where Freakonomics Radio has been the No. 1 podcast for the better part of two weeks; or subscribe to the RSS feed here.) In the meantime, here’s a preview — in which we visit Ira Glass, the ringleader of This American Life and the undisputed heavyweight champion of Radio. I asked if he had any advice for a podcast novice like me.
“Why in the world,” he replied, “would you want to make a podcast?”

Ira Glass, in his New York office, tries to warn Dubner that radio makes you chubby.

Oh well. Ira was nevertheless cordial and, in the end, quite helpful. We talked about the obesity “epidemic,” and the state of weight in his profession: “Generally, the world of radio tends to attract a glasses-wearing, chubby crowd, as you might expect.” You can listen to the preview below, or subscribe here to get all podcasts delivered in your sleep.