For decades, late night television talk shows were where America snuggled up together and we laughed. The hosts were household names, but also very male and white. Things diversified a bit last decade with hosts like Trevor Noah and Samantha Bee. But now Bee’s show is gone and Noah is on his way out. Today, what’s next for late-night television? It’s a uniquely American genre whose obituary has been written again and again, yet somehow continues to stumble along. Read the full transcript here. H...
Oct 17, 2022•23 min
There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to Alex Villanueva’s path to becoming the top cop in Los Angeles County. And that’s exactly what LAist Studios and KPCC do in a new five-part podcast series hosted by Frank Stoltze. Today, we play episode 1 of “ Imperfect Paradise: Sheriff .” The show begins with a scene of a very strange press conference: Villanueva is threatening to open a criminal investigation into L.A. Times reporter Alene Tchekmedyian and Stoltze questions the sheriff about it. From th...
Oct 15, 2022•42 min
Art Laboe’s voice filled Southern California airwaves for more than 70 years. But beyond being a beloved disc jockey whose show was eventually broadcast across the nation, Laboe spread a radical message of racial unity way before such messages became mainstream. The prolific “Oldies but Goodies” radio legend died Oct. 7 of pneumonia. His death comes at a time when we need his message of tolerance more than ever. So today, a tribute to Art Laboe. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arell...
Oct 14, 2022•21 min
This week, the Los Angeles City Council made national headlines for all the wrong reasons. In a closed-door meeting, City Council President Nury Martinez made racist and disparaging remarks about colleagues to fellow council members, Kevin de León, Gil Cedillo and a well known labor leader. The subsequent fallout has upended L.A. politics just before a crucial mayoral election. So now what? Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times reporter Benjamin Oreskes More re...
Oct 12, 2022•30 min
It’s hard to avoid Gov. Gavin Newsom these days, even if you don’t live in California. He frequently attacks other governors, lobs daggers at members of his own Democratic Party, and expounds on the “California way” when talking about everything from abortion access to combating climate change and more. All this action on the national stage has people asking, is Newsom low-key testing the waters for a presidential run in 2024? And if not, what’s his endgame? Read the full transcript here. Host: ...
Oct 10, 2022•23 min
For hundreds of years, Mexican fermented drinks like tepache, tejuino and pulque were looked down upon by polite society. But a younger generation in Mexico has embraced them for their taste and curative powers. Now, they’re having a moment in the United States — and becoming a multimillion-dollar industry. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times food editor Daniel Hernandez More reading: Foggy, fizzy, buzzy: Searching for the fermented drinks of Mexico on the st...
Oct 07, 2022•32 min
Mahsa Amini died Sept. 16 in Iran after an encounter with the country’s so-called morality police. Since her death, Iranians have taken to the streets in protest of the country’s modesty laws. But what began as a call for women’s rights in Iran has since ballooned into something so much bigger. Today, we hear from the Iranian diaspora about why they’re protesting in solidarity. Read the full transcript here. Host: L.A. Times podcast producer Asal Ehsanipour Guests: L.A. Times diaspora reporter S...
Oct 05, 2022•39 min
There’s a test used across Latin America to determine whether a baby was born dead or alive. And depending on the result, it could allow prosecutors to bring murder charges against mothers who might have had a still-born birth. And there’s an even bigger problem. This test is 400 years old and very unreliable. Today, how the so-called flotation test is sending women to prison for killing their newborns, when they say that they’re innocent. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Gu...
Oct 03, 2022•22 min
Brazilians are heading to the polls on Sunday to choose between two very different candidates: current president Jair Bolsonaro and a former one, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, more popularly known as Lula. The icon of the left spent years in prison on corruption charges but is now on the cusp of regaining the presidency. Today, we talk about how that happened. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times Latin America correspondent Kate Linthicum More reading: Three year...
Sep 30, 2022•25 min
Alex Villanueva was elected as Los Angeles County sheriff in 2018 with support from progressives riding an anti-Trump wave. But since he took office, he has shifted to the right. His opponent in the November election, retired Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna, leads in the polls. But at a time when issues surrounding law enforcement are part of a national conversation, how much do they differ? We talk about it, as we hear from both candidates at a debate this month . Read the full transcript h...
Sep 28, 2022•22 min
Record heat. Record drought. Record floods. Record hail. Record bad air. In a world where climate disasters seem to break records every year, do records even mean anything anymore? And if not, then what’s next when it comes to measuring climate misery? Today, we reconvene our Masters of Disasters to examine this existential question. Read the full transcript here . Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times wildfire reporter Alex Wigglesworth , L.A. Times energy reporter Sammy Roth , and L.A. Tim...
Sep 26, 2022•22 min
There are dozens if not hundreds of cases involving prosecutors using rap lyrics that are about crimes as evidence of actual crimes, even when there was no other credible evidence. But finally, the recording industry and California lawmakers are pushing to put an end to the practice. Today, we talk about groundbreaking legislation that could limit how music is used as evidence in criminal court. Read the full transcript here . Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times columnist Erika D. Smith Mo...
Sep 23, 2022•22 min
Ever since California legalized cannabis in 2016, the state’s weed market has become a multi-billion dollar industry. It’s estimated to be the largest legal market of its kind in the world. But whenever you get that much money anywhere; well, you’re gonna get political corruption. Today, our investigation into how illegal moves around marijuana are plaguing city halls across the state. Read the full transcript here . Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times investigative reporter Adam Elmahrek ...
Sep 21, 2022•19 min
Housing L.A.’s homeless population has unsurprisingly proved to be a herculean task. With tens of thousands of people on the streets, it’s become a top issue for this year’s mayoral election in November. But until now, neither candidate — Congresswoman Karen Bass and real estate developer Rick Caruso — had offered specifics on the type of housing they would create, where it would be or how much it would cost. So we asked. Read the full transcript here . Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times ...
Sep 19, 2022•24 min
Sometime soon, NASA plans to launch a powerful new rocket. The launch is part of an ambitious quest to get people back to the moon for the first time in half a century — and just maybe, even further. Today, why the U.S. and its partners are determined to go back to the moon and the role politics plays when we reach for the stars. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times business reporter Samantha Masunaga More reading: NASA’s return to the moon is delayed again af...
Sep 16, 2022•25 min
California voters legalized cannabis in 2016, and one of the issues that was supposed to be solved was the violence and environmental wreckage associated with the drug’s illegal trade. But that hasn’t happened. Inside California’s famed “Emerald Triangle,” a region north of San Francisco known for its weed, there’s an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 illegal cannabis farms alone. The under-the-radar cultivation is messing with once-peaceful communities. Today, we get into this issue. Read the full tran...
Sep 14, 2022•23 min
A Los Angeles Times analysis found that thousands of short-term Airbnb rentals are in California’s most hazardous fire zones. But the company does not provide warnings or evacuation information to guests when they make a reservations, and some customers say the company’s refund policy adds to the potential dangers. Today, as climate change threatens so many aspects of our lives, are even our vacations not safe anymore? Read the full transcript here . Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times rep...
Sep 12, 2022•19 min
Street takeovers. Street races. Burnouts. They’re the latest manifestations of car culture in the region — cousins to the drag races, lowrider cruises, V-dub love-ins and other gear-head gatherings that’ve gone on here for decades. But what you’re seeing right now — a lot of people say the scene feels different. And some people say the film franchise “Fast & Furious” is to blame . In a region where car culture is king and stunts are all over social media, residents, politicians and law enfor...
Sep 09, 2022•21 min
There’s a Gold Rush right now happening in Wyoming — for wind. Billionaire developers are putting up wind turbines to help power California and turn the American West, long a place where fossil fuels ruled, into a green energy powerhouse. But not everyone is happy. Today, we get into the challenges around what’s planned to be the largest wind farm in the country. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times energy reporter Sammy Roth More reading: Read our “Repowering...
Sep 07, 2022•26 min
Mexico president Andrés Manuel López Obrador came into office promising to get the military off the streets. Instead, he’s more than doubled their numbers. He claims there’s just no other way to handle Mexico’s narco-violence. Today, we look at Mexico’s delicate dance with its military. It’s an institution that’s among the most trusted in the nation, and potentially its most dangerous. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times Latin America correspondent Kate Linth...
Sep 02, 2022•21 min
For her role as Shauna in “Yellowjackets,” Melanie Lynskey has an Emmy nomination for lead actress in a drama series. Today, we've got another episode from our sister podcast " The Envelope ." Lynskey joins host Yvonne Villarreal to dish on how this year has helped her feel more empowered and less underestimated, arriving at a place of self-love after struggling with an eating disorder, and why now is the time for ferocious female characters. She also busts out her Drew Barrymore impression and ...
Sep 01, 2022•52 min
Millions of Americans who attended college could have their debt completely canceled or reduced under a plan announced by President Joe Biden last week. But the move is unsurprisingly stirring debate among the right and left, but for completely different reasons. Today, we talk about how this announcement might impact the midterms. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times national reporter Arit John More reading: For many with student loans, the interest hurts the...
Aug 31, 2022•26 min
After displacement from Haiti, an exodus from South America and an epic journey through the Americas, what became of Haitians’ American dream? Today, in the final episode of the “Line in the Land” podcast produced by Texas Public Radio and the Houston Chronicle, we hear from Haitian migrants about where they ended up. Read the full transcript here. Hosts: Joey Palacios of Texas Public Radio, and Elizabeth Trovall with the Houston Chronicle More reading: Listen to all “Line in the Land” episodes ...
Aug 30, 2022•23 min
One year ago this month, U.S. forces left Afghanistan after 20 years of war. Some 94,000 Afghan nationals, American citizens and lawful permanent residents have arrived in the U.S. as part of Operation Allies Welcome, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Today, we hear some of their stories. Read the full transcript here . Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: L.A. Times diaspora reporter Sarah Parvini and photojournalist Marcus Yam More reading: They escaped Afghanistan for California and...
Aug 29, 2022•23 min
In 1999 in New York, Serena Williams won her first major tennis title at the U.S. Open. Everyone knew she was gonna be a star in the sport and a transformational one too, but few thought she would become the greatest of all time. Today, we talk about the legacy of Serena Williams, not just as an athlete, but as a woman — a Black woman. And what’s next for the tennis icon. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Guests: Broadcast journalist Cari Champion More reading: Column: Serena...
Aug 26, 2022•35 min
For his role as Ali in “Euphoria,” Colman Domingo has an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a drama series. Today, we've got another episode from our sister podcast, " The Envelope ." Domingo joins "The Envelope" host Mark Olsen to discuss how his character — who is the sponsors to a struggling teenage drug addict played by Zendaya — is a symbol of redemption and forgiveness, which he feels our culture desperately needs. He also dishes on why he calls himself a nerd, how he almost wa...
Aug 25, 2022•47 min
Surprise, surprise: California cities are banning new gas stations and other cities across the world are watching. The bans are part of an ongoing quest to combat climate change, this time on a local municipal level. The movement is small so far, but now even the car capital of the world, Los Angeles, is thinking about it. Today, what would happen if L.A. hops on this no-new-gas-station brigade. And what we can learn from the cities that’ve already done it. Read the full transcript here. Host: G...
Aug 24, 2022•16 min
When an earthquake devastated Haiti in 2010, the international community pledged billions of dollars toward recovery. Much of that aid never went to rebuilding Haiti – or even to the Haitian people. But Haiti’s instability goes back even farther. In fact, it has a lot to do with outside political forces dating back to the country’s origin story as the world’s first Black republic. Today, episode 4 of “ Line in the Land ,” a podcast from Texas Public Radio and the Houston Chronicle. We’ll be back...
Aug 23, 2022•25 min
Two of the largest race discrimination cases investigated by the federal government in the past decade allege widespread abuse of hundreds of Black employees by supervisors and coworkers at warehouses in Southern California’s Inland Empire. Anti-black bias on the job is sadly nothing new. But as the Latino population across the US, and especially California continues to grow, anti-Black bias by Latinos in the workplace is drawing renewed scrutiny. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Are...
Aug 22, 2022•25 min
Since the start of 2021, L.A. Times national correspondent Tyrone Beason has been on the road. He’s doing what a lot of us are thinking about: he’s on a quest to find out what’s up with the United States. In a year-long series called “My Country,” Beason has been trying to find the things that bind us, while also trying to make sense of the issues that keep tearing us apart. Today, we check in with Beason and hear some of his dispatches. Read the full transcript here. Host: Gustavo Arellano Gues...
Aug 19, 2022•32 min
