Letter To America

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Letter To America (often abbreviated to LTA) is a weekly spoken podcast produced principally in Belfast, Northern Ireland by the American television director and artist Jett Loe. It is also the name of an associated weblog, which describes the podcast as a "dispatch from the heart of Belfast, Northern Ireland". The blog has also been described as "a behind the scenes look at the podcast" and the podcast has been described as "a behind the scenes look at the blog".

Loe is normally accompanied by one co-host; in early 'chapters' these were usually female friends, colleagues and ex-girlfriends, or the occasional one who was all three. In several episodes listeners themselves have co-presented the show, either via internet telephony or because they have taken up Loe's offer to "come to Belfast, Mr. Tourist, I'll let you sleep on my couch". The first edition of the podcast was published on 3 September 2005. Since early 2006, the podcast has been co-hosted by Wayne "Ordinary American" Van Ry, another American resident of Northern Ireland who Loe met while on a train. Wayne contributes to the show with his unique and frequently under-researched Northern Ireland Story of the Week feature. He has also acted as Loe's driver and chaperone.

LTA passed the milestone of its fortieth podcast on 18 June 2006. Loe and the podcast have been profiled on BBC Northern Ireland's Inside Out television programme and BBC Radio Ulster's Arts Extra.

The podcast/blog was shortlisted for Best Blog, Best Photo Blog, and Best Arts and Culture Blog at the 2006 Irish Blog Awards.

[edit] Recurring Themes

Welcoming the new listeners who have listed themselves on the Frappr map.
Advertising Clements Coffee (to which Jett is addicted/dependent) and other seemingly sponsored product placements
Recording the show in unusual locations (including the smaller of the two lifts in Loe's apartment block, and the Northern Ireland Railways train to Bangor).
Offering wildly inaccurate information about "all things Irish",. aimed at tourists who want to come to Belfast
- On how to order a pint of Guinness in an Irish pub: "Walk up to the bar and say 'Barkeep! Give me a stein of your finest Flatley'."
- Insisting that the Republic of Ireland uses the "Eiro" (c.f. Eire and Euro) as its official currency
Inviting listeners to join them in Belfast, with the offer to come to Belfast and sleep on Jett Loe's couch. (To date, only one listener has taken up the offer, and they stayed in a local hotel, only posing for a photo on the couch.)
Making light banter with guests
- Winding up regular co-host Wayne for not adequately preparing his Big Northern Irish story of the week segment
- “Are you doing material?”
- "F#ck you, this is a family show."
Jumping forward/backward in time to hear from Jett and Wayne in the future (a trick of editing).
Making passing references to Loe's supposed past life and jobs.
Pronouncing a pithy closing thought - often on the theme of love.
Easter eggs following the closing music