Press Play With Madeleine Brand

LA Times editorial page editor Mariel Garza resigned Wednesday after the paper’s owner Patrick Soon-Shiong ordered the Times not to endorse a presidential candidate. Two Sudanese brothers are accused of targeting Israel’s warning system during the Hamas attack last October 7. They also attacked Cedars-Sinai hospital, an indictment says. Oscar-winner Morgan Neville goes behind the scenes of directing a LEGO movie that chronicles Pharrell’s musical journey from discovery to stardom.  Critics review the latest film releases: “Venom: The Last Dance,” “Conclave,” “New Wave,” and “No One Asked You.” 

Donald Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, recently spoke to news media about concerns that the former president would govern as a dictator if re-elected.  James Carville was part of the campaign to get Bill Clinton elected in 1992 — and an early critic of Joe Biden’s choice to run for a second term. He talks about the high stakes in the Nov. election.  Longtime Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela died on Tuesday at age 63.  “Fernandomania” in 1981 left an indelible mark on LA and its Mexican American community. Evan Kleiman offers a recipe for flavoring your whole chicken with rosemary-infused maple syrup and combining it with a melted butter baste. It’s inspired by Colu Henry and Samin Nosrat. 

The medical diagnosis used to convict a Texas death row inmate has drawn growing skepticism. At least 30 others similarly convicted have been exonerated. California’s Proposition 6 would end forced labor in prisons. Currently incarcerated people can be required to work, sometimes for pennies per hour or nothing at all, and face punishment if they refuse. Millions of square feet of online shopping warehouses are popping up in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Residents are fighting new developments. A developmentally disabled woman wants to marry her partner, but they'll lose their medical benefits and social security if they wed. Now they're fighting to change federal law.

The Dodgers are back in the World Series after a wild win over the Mets. Now they’re set to face the Yankees in a matchup that’s pure baseball magic. Days after Yahya Sinwar’s death, Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to the Middle East to bring calm to the region. But prospects for peace don’t look good. Elon Musk is offering swing state voters $1 million to sign his petition. But some election law experts worry that Musk is trying to buy votes for Donald Trump. “New Wave” is a documentary about Vietnamese refugees leaning into Eurodisco as they built new lives in SoCal after the fall of Saigon. It also speaks to generational trauma and grief. 

Congressman Adam Schiff was Donald Trump’s chief antagonist during 2017-2021. He responds to Trump’s latest attacks on him, and reacts in real time to the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Critics review the latest film releases: “Smile 2,” “Anora,” “Woman of the Hour,” and “Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party.” KCRW's new host talks about the pop culture latest, including the likelihood of Charli XCX stretching "brat summer" into fall, and the "car crash" appeal of Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis."   Donnie and Joe Emerson recorded “Dreamin’ Wild” as teenagers in 1979. It took decades to become a hit. Now Donnie and his wife are on their first West Coast tour. 

Voter suppression tactics now include strict voter ID laws, reduced early voting times, and limits on mail-in ballots. VA and AL are facing lawsuits related to purging voter rolls.  Lilly Ledbetter, who passed away last Saturday, was instrumental in pushing for equal pay between the sexes. So why has the gap remained roughly the same over two decades? The new book “Den of Spies” chronicles the Reagan campaign’s efforts to delay the release of U.S. hostages in Iran to hurt President Jimmy Carter’s re-election chances. 

Kamala Harris is doing worse among Black voters than Joe Biden did in 2020 — Black men are driving that decline, according to a new poll. Today Harris is unveiling an economic plan aimed at Black men.  The Department of Justice sued Virginia and Alabama, claiming the states violated federal law by removing voters from their rolls too close to an election.  “Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell” chronicles the singer’s experiences of loss and sacrifice — and the songs marking turning points in her life. 

After back-to-back major hurricanes hit the Southeast U.S. in two weeks, can FEMA and other federal agencies handle the response? KCRW looks at how Hurricanes Helene and Milton have affected the political fortunes of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and what the latest polls and focus groups are saying about the presidential candidates.  Critics review the latest film releases: “Piece by Piece,” “The Apprentice,” “We Live in Time,” and “The Last of the Sea Women.” Linguine with clam sauce is a classic dish. Use a transparent sauce of clam juices, white wine, garlic, red chile, and lemon.

In Tuesday’s debate, Republican Steve Garvey and Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff tried to use Donald Trump against each other. They’re vying to fill Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat.  CA Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed concerns that Latino voters aren’t fairly represented in the city. The LA Times reports he’s urging the council to redraw district maps. “The Apprentice” shows how notorious lawyer Roy Cohn helped turn Donald Trump into who he is today. After it aired at Cannes, the former president threatened to sue. It’s do or die for the Dodgers in tonight’s playoff game against the San Diego Padres. If they win, there will be another game. If they lose, that’s it for them.

Hurricane Milton intensified from Category 1 to Category 5 in just nine hours. An unseasonably warm Gulf of Mexico is one reason such a powerful storm is headed toward Tampa Bay’s 3 million residents. CalTech professor John Hopfield and Google scientist Geoffrey Hinton’s discoveries taught computers to learn the same way humans do, paving the way for A.I. Benjamin Kersten, a graduate student and UCLA chapter leader for Jewish Voice for Peace, talks about his support for Palestine.  Lyle and Erik Menendez murdered their parents in 1989. New Netflix series are focusing on the case, and LA’s district attorney is reviewing evidence that may shed new light. HBO’s “Chimp Crazy” revolves around a woman who’s trying to raise a primate in Missouri. She unsuccessfully fights PETA’s legal efforts to move the animal to a sanctuary. 

Bar Hinitz, 27, lost his best friend, Dan, during the Hamas attack at the Nova Music Festival in Israel. He wants to keep Dan’s memory – and humanity – alive.  A Palestinian American who’s lost dozens of family members in Gaza is trying to forge a new way forward without Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.  KCRW previews the new Supreme Court term, which will see big cases on ghost guns, transgender rights, and likely the 2024 presidential election. John Lennon and Yoko Ono hosted the “Mike Douglas Show” for a week in 1972, using it to discuss women’s liberation, peace, and inclusion. But Richard Nixon saw it as a threat.

A 165-page court filing unsealed on Wednesday outlines special counsel Jack Smith's new strategy to cast Donald Trump's actions on January 6 as those of a private citizen and not a president. A new California law bars public schools from serving snacks with synthetic food dyes that have been linked to behavioral disorders in children. People who are at high risk of diabetes and heart disease could drop weight and lower their blood sugar and cholesterol if they intermittently fast, new research shows.   Critics review the latest film releases: “Folie a Deux,” “Salem's Lot,” “It's What's Inside,” and “The Outrun.” Tzimmes is the Yiddish word for making a big fuss. It’s also a stew of sweet root vegetables and dried fruit, often served for Rosh Hashanah.

South Carolina Republican Bob Inglis is dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. But for years, he’s been trying to change his party’s stance on climate change. Wall Street Journal technology columnist Joanna Stern and her colleagues built a chatbot for iPhone recommendations. Then came the movie reviews, recipes, and Nazis. Journalists Hanna Rosin and Lauren Ober discovered their new neighbors had ties to key figures in the January 6 insurrection. Their new podcast and companion piece in The Atlantic chronicles how they connected with people they fundamentally disagree with.

Iran’s second missile barrage against Israel this year escalates a regional conflict that could increase tensions among the U.S., China, and Russia.   Tonight’s debate between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz might be the last chance for voters to see both campaigns on the same stage. What can viewers expect? Hurricane Helene dumped up to 30 inches of rain in some areas of Western North Carolina. The death toll is rising as many are still without power and cell service. Kim Gordon is out with a second solo record, which combines her signature noisy sound with distorted trap beats and stream-of-consciousness rapping.  Breast reduction surgeries have surged 64% since 2019, driven by younger women seeking health benefits and challenging beauty standards.

With immigration a top issue in the presidential election, KCRW looks at plans from Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, plus the reality for migrants on the ground. Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill to protect tech consumers. The same privacy law that regulates DNA and fingerprints now covers the info that neurotech companies gather about their users. Kris Kristofferson, an acclaimed singer-songwriter in Nashville and a movie star in Hollywood, died on Saturday at his home in Maui. He was 88 years old.

California may be deep blue in this fall’s presidential contest, but further down the ticket, a handful of House races in Southern California could determine whether the GOP or Democrats control the House.  Prop 33 would expand rent control. Prop 34 focuses on health care reform. These seemingly unrelated measures are masking a fight between CA’s landlord lobby and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Critics review the latest film releases: “Wolfs,” “Megalopolis,” “The Wild Robot,” and “Saturday Night.” The benefit of making your own chocolate chip cookies is customization. Crispy or chewy? Nuts or not? Can you wait 24-36 hours for the dough to “age,” thus ensuring a more flavorful result, or do you need them now?

After polling missed the extent of Donald Trump's appeal in 2016 and overstated Joe Biden's strength in 2020, why should we believe what polls are telling us now? LA DA candidate Nathan Hochman explains his party affiliation change, defending Sheriff Lee Baca, and his “hard middle” approach to crime.   Filmmaker Agnes Varda shaped the French New Wave in the ‘60s, and was known as a “punk grandma” in her later years. A new biography traces her art-filled life.

CA Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a law banning plastic grocery bags. Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing ExxonMobil. This is a big week in the state’s fight against plastic. LA District Attorney George Gascón talks about the impact of his progressive policies on Angelenos, Prop 36, and his standing among members of his own office. Michigan is beating California in legal weed sales, despite having only a quarter of the population. Many of its customers are out of state.  The fall TV season includes new series like “The Penguin” and “Disclaimer,” alongside a fresh take on “Matlock.”

As UCLA begins its fall quarter, new rules are in place to prevent future violent confrontations about the Israel-Hamas war. The UC Board of Regents approved extra non-lethal weapons for campus police. On Friday, the Georgia State Election Board voted 3-2 along partisan lines to require counties to hand-count every ballot cast on Election Day. Shohei Ohtani became the first MLB player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in one season. Plus UCLA and USC struggle in Big Ten, and the WNBA announces its MVPs. A new documentary series examines the world of 1980s hair metal. KCRW talks to director Jeff Tremaine and founding Guns N’ Roses member Tracii Guns. 

The Federal Reserve announced a half-a-percentage point cut in interest rates on Wednesday. Mortgage rates had already been falling, but the median home price in LA is $1 million. The attack on Hezbollah, using tampered pagers and walkie-talkies, reveals vulnerabilities in our globalized electronics supply chain. “Colored Television” follows a broke novelist who struggles to write about the mixed race perspective for Hollywood.  Critics review the latest film releases: “The Substance,” “A Different Man,” “In the Summers,” and “The Falling Star.”