884: The Idiot
Quotes & Clips
5 clipsFamily secrets drive narrative tension
“Reporting on your own family is a completely different animal than reporting on politics or war. You're not just looking for facts; you're looking at the people who shaped you and trying to understand how someone you grew up with could end up in a federal courtroom.”
Allen Gessen faced federal criminal charges
“My cousin Allen was always a bit of a character, but the story of how he ended up in the crosshairs of a federal investigation is shocking. It started with family drama and ended with the kind of legal trouble that snaps a family apart forever.”
Undercover recordings captured incriminating evidence
“When you hear the tapes of Allen talking to the undercover agent, it’s chilling because of the casual nature of the conversation. It’s a moment where the private reality of who he is collides with the public investigation, and you can't unhear it.”
Legal trials fractured the Gessen family
“The trial wasn't just about the law; it was the final point where our family couldn't look away from the damage anymore. Hearing the evidence in a courtroom makes it real in a way that family gossip or concern never quite manages to do.”
Serial Productions defines true-crime storytelling
“This story comes from the producers at Serial Productions, the people who basically invented the true-crime podcast more than a decade ago. They have a specific way of looking at a case that goes beyond the headlines and into the human core.”
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Episode Description
M. Gessen returns to our show with a true-crime story that takes place entirely within their own family. This story comes to us from the producers at Serial Productions—who invented the true-crime podcast more than a decade ago—and from The New York Times. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Act One: M Gessen tells Ira Glass about the surprising events that prompted them to begin reporting on their own family for their new podcast, The Idiot. They play the first episode of the series. (14 minutes) Act Two: Ira Glass and M Gessen continue to talk through the story of M’s cousin, Allen Gessen. They play more clips from the podcast, and we finally hear about the big, shocking thing that snapped their family apart. (20 minutes) Act Three: M Gessen tells Ira Glass about Allen’s trial, and we hear a recording of his conversation with the undercover agent. (21 minutes) Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org This American Life privacy policy. Learn more about sponsor message choices.