“Another Trip to the Memory Hole”

Prompted by this special issue’s focus on radio and memory, this essay considers six program segments from Harry Shearer’s 2024 Le Show retrospective. Throughout, this essay underscores the significance of Le Show’s contribution to the promotion and preservation of collective memory in an amnesic culture. Equally important, these retrospective episodes serve as a reminder of the social, cultural, and political value of the digital collection of more than 2,000 Le Show episodes, preserved by the American Archive of Public Broadcasting and the Library of Congress. Finally, this essay suggests that we might begin to rescue and revitalize collective memory in the struggle for self-preservation if we take the time to listen.