I love that segment, because it reminds me of myself...

October 25, 2007 1:19 AM

This American Life Filter: There's an episode where a guy finds out he's a lousy friend

I remember hearing an episode of This American Life where a guy finds out through his friends that they really think he's an asshole. I'm not sure if "asshole" was the exact term they used, but he goes on to ask all his other friends and slowly pieces together all the little incidents where he really WAS an asshole and why they might've ignored him in the past. I've searched google + TAL website but can't seem to find it. Help?

posted by mittenedsex to media & arts (17 comments total)

Here you go - it's 'My Reputation'. Found by searching the TAL website for 'friend'.
posted by Happy Dave at 1:26 AM on October 25, 2007 [3 favorites]

Doh! I was so close but beaten to it.
posted by m3thod4 at 2:10 AM on October 25, 2007

Hmm, it doesn't seem to fit what the OP was looking for precisely, but that's an excellent episode anyway, thanks Happy Dave!
posted by Phire at 2:50 AM on October 25, 2007

Huh?

It does match the OP's request. - check the 3rd act - guy goes around and asks his friends what they really think of him. If you listen to it, they think he's a dick, and he's surprised to find he agrees with them.
posted by Happy Dave at 3:01 AM on October 25, 2007

Heh, whoops. Yeah, I just realized that now. I had gone through ... 46 minutes of it, and it didn't match.... *sheepish grin*
posted by Phire at 3:15 AM on October 25, 2007

the asshole in question is gabriel delahaye, who writes the unethicist for gawker.com, if you're interested in him.
posted by patricking at 5:13 AM on October 25, 2007

The best part was what finally made him believe them all: when his mom of all people gently suggested that he might consider that he might, in fact, be a dick.
posted by middleclasstool at 6:31 AM on October 25, 2007

That was a great episode. Really eye opening. Makes me never want to ask people what they think of me.
posted by HotPatatta at 7:52 AM on October 25, 2007

"So, uh, why are you still friends with me? If I'm such an asshole?"

*pause*

"Uh, I don't know... inertia?"

Gold.
posted by Happy Dave at 8:18 AM on October 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

wow. i feel unbelievably incompetent! i had search for every other variation of "friend + (any other possible word that describes that segment)"

Thanks!!!
posted by mittenedsex at 11:07 AM on October 25, 2007

*had searched.
posted by mittenedsex at 11:07 AM on October 25, 2007

Heh. This is a pretty fantastic episode. :)
posted by darkshade at 11:34 AM on October 25, 2007

You can download the mp3 directly here.
posted by JonB at 12:17 PM on October 25, 2007

Correct link
posted by chundo at 12:27 PM on October 25, 2007

... or you could just pony up the $0.95 to download it directly from Chicago Public Radio. Download link is on the page Happy Dave linked to.
posted by harkin banks at 2:16 PM on October 25, 2007

Oops! Thanks chundo.
posted by JonB at 2:17 PM on October 25, 2007

I love this episode.
This is all.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 2:50 PM on October 25, 2007