“This American Life” Wants 'Whore" To Change Name

Chicago Public Media Demand Sex Podcast Change Its Name

Chicagoradioandmedia.com has an interesting story about "This American Life," the weekly public radio show, produced by Chicago Public Media's WBEZ-FM and distributed by Public Radio International. 

The show is going after a podcast with a very different format, but a similar name. The San Fransisco-based podcast "This American Whore" has received notifications from attorneys representing Chicago Public Media and Ira Glass demanding the show change its name.

Although "This American Life" moved to New York in 2007, the show is still officially produced and co-owned by Chicago's WBEZ-FM, where it got it start.

The popular talk show with a different topical theme each week was created in 1995 by host Ira Glass and Chicago Public Media CEO Torey Malatia. The radio show is now heard on over 500 radio stations.

Siouxsie Q

"This American Whore" is a podcast that started this past fall. Its creator and host is Siouxsie Q, a model, blogger, sex industry activist, and self-professed sex worker. The host prefers to keep her birth name a secret, but has been going by the name of Siouxsie Q since 2010. The podcast focuses on Q's own life and times as a sex worker, as well as shining a positive light on those who work in the sex industry.

Outside of two common words in the podcast's title matching those of Ira Glass' radio show title, the podcast has nothing in common with the public radio program.

However, Siouxsie Q told the San Fransisco alternative newspaper SF Weekly last week that she began receiving emails from TAL Director of Operations Seth Lind and attorneys for Chicago Public Media and Ira Glass demanding she cease & desist all use of the words "This American" in the name of her show.

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