Ira Glass Makes Balloon Animals, Discusses Blow Jobs

October 23, 2012 1:16 AM

At the request of Tavi (wiki) and his wife Anaheed, This American Life host and MetaFilter favorite Ira Glass has contributed an Ask A Grown Man segment (NSFW audio) (AAGM previously) to Rookie. As an added bonus, he instructs viewers on how to make balloon animals, based on a pamphlet he used as a young man entertaining at parties. When not dispensing balloon advice in this clip, he discusses Buffy & Angel's age discrepancy and blow jobs. (via)
posted by knile (12 comments total)

He's surprisingly entertaining at both. If the whole This American Life thing ever gets old for him, he should totally do this as a weekly show.
posted by waxpancake at 2:52 AM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

he discusses Buffy & Angel's age discrepancy and blow jobs

I am so glad someone is tackling the big issues. Although, while there are similarities, Buffy/Angel was never as creepy as Edward/Bella.
posted by Mezentian at 3:20 AM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

I feel old.
posted by surplus at 3:28 AM on October 23, 2012

Spuffy Forever!

/runs away
posted by Malice at 5:10 AM on October 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm not sure why, but the squeaking of the balloons drove me a little crazy. I loved hearing his answers to the questions, but wish he would have skipped the balloon-animal interludes.
posted by three_red_balloons at 5:51 AM on October 23, 2012

When he leans forward towards the camera, the perspective distortion of the short focal length makes it look like he has a huge head on a tiny frame. But in a charming way.

I think I now know why I've never been able to successfully tie a balloon animal -- that second step of twisting it back against itself to make it stay.
posted by Rhomboid at 7:28 AM on October 23, 2012

Ira has lovely hands.
posted by Jode at 7:31 AM on October 23, 2012

I had that same pamphlet when I was a teenager. Yes, I was a dork.
posted by fungible at 7:47 AM on October 23, 2012

Although, while there are similarities, Buffy/Angel was never as creepy as Edward/Bella.

I prefer Buffy/Edward.
posted by homunculus at 10:37 AM on October 23, 2012

That was great! I've never seen a picture of Ira Glass before. This sidebar article by a young woman about stopping being a Mormon was also great, and very moving. No balloon animals though.
posted by sneebler at 10:58 AM on October 23, 2012

I've never seen a picture of Ira Glass before.

Then might I suggest you check out Showtime's wonderful but unfortunately short-run series This American Life. TAL's site has more info and suggestions on where to watch if so inclined.
posted by SomaSoda at 9:16 PM on October 23, 2012

For more Ira-gazing, there are also the live shows of TAL, e.g. 2012's Invisible Made Visible and 2009's Return to the Scene of the Crime. I'm not sure how/where one downloads the full length film versions.

Youtube-searching for more Ira videos, I have discovered this strange gem in which you can barely see him, but but but: Ira Glass and Lucy Wainwright Roche performing "Say Yes". (NSFW lyrics)
posted by knile at 2:45 AM on October 24, 2012