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I felt the same. Having listened to yesterday's This American Life retracting the prior show, it seemed that he completely fabricated the story of the 12 and 1
by georgieporgie 15y ago
I felt the same. Having listened to yesterday's This American Life retracting the prior show, it seemed that he completely fabricated the story of the 12 and 13 year-olds. Even according to his story, which doesn't make sense, he met an English-speaking 13 year old and simply assumed that her friend was 12.
Everything else appeared to be merely stretching the truth, retelling factual events as if they were witnessed first hand, and other things for which I'd be willing to grant some artistic license, provided it were told with a disclaimer.
- tablescraps 15y agoHe said he met a 13 y/o but the translator said he didn't. I can't believe that he met a 13 y/o factory worker who spoken English. I wish people would stop excusing his bullshit. This goes way beyond 'stretching'.
- georgieporgie 15y agoUh. I think I clearly delineated between what seems to be a blatant lie (meeting a 12 year old) versus artistic license or stretching the truth, which is what much of the rest of it was. If you listen to the latest TAL you'll hear what I mean. It's conceivable (though very unlikely) that he met a 13 year old -- while the interpreter was distracted -- who spoke enough English to say she was 13. However, when Ira asks him directly whether the supposed 13 year old said her friend was 12, or if he just assumed (i.e. fabricated) that she was, he has no answer. It's the one place where he has absolutely nowhere to go: he can't claim artistic license with retelling of factual news reports, and he can't claim the interpreter simply wasn't listening at the time, he simply talked himself into a corner.