Listening Assignments

I have been meaning to post this, and it kept slipping my mind. The following are the stories that I listened to...

Story Corp:

1. Rob Sanchez & Felix Aponte (Organ Donor Story) Rob was the primary teller
2. Colbert Williams & Ralph Catania (Legal Guardian Story) Ralph was the primary teller
3. Nathan Williams & Colbert Williams (Teenage Dad Story) Colbert was the primary teller

2nd Story:

1. The Marine Corps Shuffle by Jon Gugala with music by Miles Polaski
2. Double Diamond Slope by Sharon Greene
3. Mark Fox by Matt Miller

The Moth:

1. Harlem Cowboy by Rudy Rush
2. Shot to the Heart by Jahara Gonzalez
3. Anthony the Hat by Richie Disalvo

This American Life:

1. Beat It by Mike Birbigilia
2. Be Careful Who You Love by Phillip Goureritch
3. The Man in the Mirror by Shalom Auslander

The rules of grammar were similar in each of the stories that were told from the same cite, but they differed considerably between different storytelling groups. For instance, Story Corp had some seemingly rigid rules that one person was basically interviewing the other for their story. This meant that any pauses would be filled by the interviewer rather than the one who was being interviewed. In 2nd Story, people had less perimeters. Agendas were wide open, and there was a strong emphasis upon the importance of genuineness. The rule seemed to be, "If your story doesn't match what you are or were feeling than you have broken the rules." In the Moth, the rules seemed to be, "Write, practice, and prepare. As lon as the audience likes it than you stayed within the rules." Finally, This American Life's rules were much different. It was run as a radio broadcast, so I'm sure that the entire content was pre-approved. It seemed to be more family friendly and I didn't hear them cross the PG-13 line.

The Moth and 2nd Story had similarities in their primary audiences (young adults), and in the basic style and freedom. This American life catered to a broader audience with the same basic storytelling styles that I heard with both The Moth and 2nd Story. Story Corps was completely different because it was everyday people with less storytelling skills. It was definitely my least favorite to listen to.
~Guy