Greater LA

Jan 11 2024 921 ep. 27 mins 358

Greater LA Podcast artwork

Host Steve Chiotakis connects you to the people and places of Southern California.

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How has LA homelessness changed in over 8 years?

Jan 11 2024 38 mins

KCRW’s departing reporter Anna Scott talks about the gains and setbacks in housing and homelessness — after eight years covering the beat. Zach Galifianakis talks about the nonprofit Comedy Gives Back, reflects on his own Hollywood career, and explains why comedy is tougher than dramatic acting. To mark Greater LA’s last show, we re-air part of the first-ever episode, in wh

Angelenos are crowding clown shows — ‘an act of counterculture’

Jan 10 2024 26 mins

When you hear the word “clown,” you probably picture a hacky kid’s entertainer. Well, a group of super-talented LA-based performers are trying to change that. The Broad’s “LA Intersections” is an upcoming festival-style exhibit of the music and spoken word scenes of LA. Punk rocker Keith Morris speaks to the importance of LA music history. Gathering around the table for

Sale of Skid Row grocery store aims to bring racial healing

Jan 09 2024 26 mins

A convenience store in Skid Row is changing hands from the community-oriented Korean American family that runs it — to a Black-led nonprofit. “Existencia,” a new work by the experimental performance troupe Diavolo, explores the chaos and community that resulted from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In an era of “hurriquakes,” heat waves, and fires, The Academy Museum scree

Finding love and beauty at Mosaic Tile House in Venice

Jan 08 2024 26 mins

Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran have transformed their Venice home into The Mosaic Tile House, a living artistic tapestry reflecting their love story. Kate Berlant wants audiences to know that her semi-autobiographical show, “KATE,” is theater, not stand-up. It begins on Jan. 17 at the Pasadena Playhouse. At Regen Projects in Hollywood, Catherine Opie’s exhibition, “harmony is

Will ‘Ambassadors’ help LA metro riders feel safer?

Jan 04 2024 26 mins

Food journalist Mona Holmes discusses how the LA restaurant scene fared in 2023 and anticipates dining trends for the new year. In response to complaints about customer service and mass transit safety, Metro is hiring hundreds of people to offer warm welcomes and help to passengers. The Autry Museum’s “Reclaiming El Camino” details the hardships Native populations faced under

Forget Hinge and Tinder? LA singles try ‘Love Isn’t Blind’

Jan 03 2024 25 mins

At an East Hollywood bar, a once-a-month comedy show features four men competing for the heart of a bachelorette, as the host whips out jokes and games. “Renewing the Dream: The Mobility Revolution and the Future of Los Angeles” is a new book about how LA is developing alternatives to getting around by cars.

Once-quiet landslide zone is starting to move. SoCal residents are worried

Jan 02 2024 33 mins

Last winter’s rains accelerated a slow landslide in Rancho Palos Verdes, leading to cracked homes and trail damage at a popular reserve. What will El Niño do? David Duchovny isn’t just an actor — he’s a musician, director and author. His latest novella, “The Reservoir,” is set in the early days of COVID in NYC. An OC congressional race in the upcoming elections could t

Helpers replay special: Miracle Messages, Las Fotos, Underdog Community

Dec 28 2023 24 mins

For people experiencing homelessness, it can be tough to stay in touch with friends and family. The nonprofit Miracle Messages aims to make it easier. Las Fotos Project teaches photography to young women and gender expansive youth from communities of color. And they don’t just use phone cameras. Underdog Community Project is a mutual aid group of volunteers and trained veterinari

Animals replay special: Shrimp farming, bear boom, cats on hikes

Dec 27 2023 26 mins

TransparentSea Farm in Downey produces nearly 1 million shrimp a year. That’s great for some of LA’s top seafood restaurants, but how do the prawns feel?In sleepy Sierra Madre, an uptick in bears has spurred the city to declare the animal a “public safety threat.” But locals and officials aren’t sure how to handle the ursine explosion.You often can’t tell cats what to d

Replay: Looking back on 100 years of Tinseltown’s Hollywood Sign

Dec 26 2023 27 mins

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Hollywood Sign. It’s been at the center of scandals, PR stunts, and more during its time perched up on Mount Lee. In 1978, the Hollywood Sign was in a sad state, so rock legend Alice Cooper spent $27,000 to buy an “O” to honor his friend Groucho Marx. Other celebs followed. Artist Zach Fernandez marked California’s marijuana lega