Arts

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Host Madeleine Brand looks at news, culture and emerging trends through the lens of Los Angeles.

Latest Episodes:

LA-based Caltex Records is the biggest Iranian music label Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

A federal judge says ICE has been racially profiling people it detains at raids in California. And a second judge says the LAPD has been targeting journalists at anti-ICE protests.

Lawmakers toured the high-security immigration detention center called Alligator Alcatraz, where conditions differ depending on who you ask. The Miami Herald reports over 250 detainees have no criminal record.

People who heavily rely on AI have brains that are less active and less original, according to new research.

LA-based Caltex Records represents most mainstream Iranian music released since the 1950s. A 25-year-old Iranian immigrant founded it after the 1979 revolution.

DOJ eval of Epstein case makes MAGA mad Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Right-wing figures who stoked conspiracy theories about alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and some on the left, aren’t buying the DOJ’s assessment that there’s no further evidence to release.

Maestro Leonard Slatkin opens up about his family, the story of the Hollywood String Quartet, and how the Summer of Angels festival honors their legacy.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Superman,” “Kill the Jockey,” “Apocalypse in the Tropics,” and “To A Land Unknown,”

Making your own ice cream sandwich? Focus on baking the cookie: chocolate chip, brownie, red velvet, snickerdoodle, peanut butter. Then choose an ice cream flavor that supports it.

What pushed 5 American families into homelessness Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

President Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has pushed for hardline immigration policies. Some people, including Mayor Karen Bass, wonder if Miller wants revenge on his hometown.

A number of Republicans opposed Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” then voted for it anyway. Is Trump more powerful than ever?

Journalist Brian Goldstone set out to uncover the true scope of homelessness, and followed five families for more than five years. His new book is “There Is No Place for Us.”

Feds are trying to show bravado, test LA: Bass on troops in MacArthur Park Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

Federal troops paraded through MacArthur Park on Monday in an astonishing show of force. Mayor Karen Bass says LA is a testing site for a national project.

The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig has spent years closely covering capital punishment. She’s written a powerful and deeply personal meditation on what witnessing executions has revealed to her about her own faith, and the power of forgiveness.

NPR’s Eric Deggans reviews the latest in TV: “Ballard,” “Dexter: Resurrection,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (season three), and “Billy Joel: And So It Goes.”

What will National Weather Service cuts mean for fire warnings in CA? Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

Staffing shortages at the NWS in Central Texas are being scrutinized for possibly affecting the flood response there. What does this mean for CA’s upcoming fire season?

The first major trial challenging Trump’s immigration policy began today in Boston. An association of university professors is arguing that non-citizen students were arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Hawaii is increasingly unaffordable for native residents. After her family’s land is threatened, Sara Kehualani Goo reconnects with her heritage in a new memoir.

This summer marks the 85th birthday of Bugs Bunny and the 35th anniversary of “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.” Conductor George Daugherty talks about the concert’s creation and enduring appeal.

Accusations against ICE are piling up, now legal action is here Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

Several civil rights groups filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that ICE agents are targeting people based on race and holding them in “deplorable” conditions.

ICE raids, the fire threat, or budget reasons are the reasons some LA-area communities won’t be having Independence Day festivities. But illegal fireworks will continue.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “40 Acres,” “Heads of State,” and “The Old Guard 2.”

Michael McKean shares behind-the-scenes tales from “Spinal Tap,” the film’s lasting impact, and a career filled with comedy, music, and satire.

REIT evictions fall hard on Black Angelenos, study finds Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

Immigration detention and enforcement may be getting around $150 billion in additional funding over the next four years. What will that go to?

Some Black tenants are disproportionately being evicted by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in LA, a new UCLA study finds. KCRW hears from two sisters who’ve experienced this.

Amelia Earhart is known as a pioneering aviator who died tragically — her remains are likely still lying in the Pacific Ocean. However, her choice to circumnavigate the globe was reckless, says author Laurie Gwen Shapiro.

LACMA opened its new David Geffen Galleries building to the public last week for a sneak peek. Down the street, Blum Gallery closes after over 30 years in LA.

‘Normalize It’ encourages women to speak up about trauma and grief Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

For years, many have blamed the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the state’s housing crisis. Will rolling it back lead to more housing

A bestselling book argues blue states are undermining their agenda with red tape. Gov. Newsom answered the demand for a “politics of abundance” with new housing reforms.

Women don’t often discuss some of their biggest issues, such as miscarriage, loneliness, lack of intimacy with their partner. The new book “Normalize It” aims to change that.

“The Roundup” is a new newspaper celebrating queer cowboy culture, featuring line dance tips, boot picks, poems, and stories from the LGBTQ+ country scene.

How would LA Medicaid patients be affected by proposed budget cuts? Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Congress may be cutting hundreds of billions from Medicaid over the next decade. That could have massive implications for Angelenos, whether they’re on Medicaid or not.

The proposed budget cuts would eliminate hundreds of billions in clean energy and EV credits. It’s the latest Republican retreat from addressing climate change.

Julia Whelan is one of the most sought-after narrators in the $2 billion audiobook industry. She explains her extensive prep for the job, the physical toll, and potential impact of AI.

Adrian Quesada’s new album, “Boleros Psicodelicos 2,” is a love letter to the Latin ballads of the 1960s and 70s, featuring around a dozen music stars from the contemporary Latin music scene.

Future of miracle HIV drug, Jackie Castillo’s immigrant-centric art Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, 33, shocked political observers with his likely upset of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary.

Tens of millions of people worldwide live with HIV. Lenacapavir can prevent the virus for months with one injection — a potential game changer. But President Trump and Elon Musk have upended foreign aid.

Jackie Castillo’s new installation features terra cotta tiles hanging from the ceiling, suspended by rebar, creating a staircase of local construction materials. The work speaks to the city and immigrants.

Tracy Anderson built a luxury fitness empire where movement is art, silence is part of the workout, and clients spend thousands chasing the perfect body.

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