‘This American Life’ host Ira Glass geeks out, talks tools of his trade

Pro Tools, Google Docs, MacBook Air, iPad Mini, Audio Technica AT835b shotgun microphones, a “robust” wireless router: those are several but not all of the tools This American Life host and executive producer Ira Glass — who began his widely heard and now-independent radio program in Chicago at WBEZ-FM (91.5) nearly two decades ago — uses to ply his trade, according to a new story on Lifehacker.

Glass also goes into detail about how he meticulously organizes and edits material for his show, time-saving tricks he employs (short answer: none) and what he’s reading (Molly Ringwald’s novel).

On the subject of whether he’s an extrovert or introvert, Glass offers the following explanation:

“I am a noisy introvert. My sister Randi made up that phrase and it describes lots of people I know. Lots of writers seem to be introverts who love to now and then be on stage. Lots of radio people too. I covet large amounts of time alone, and I’m most comfortable and very happy when I’m alone, but obviously there’s another side to me because true introverts don’t end up with their own national radio shows.”

Read more here.

Related: A 2001 Sun-Times profile of Ira Glass, six years after the launch of This American Life.