Greater LA

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 which Steve Chiotakis...

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 a meal can ease America’s l...

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 screening series “Beware the El...

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 fraught,” features over...

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 European settlement...

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.

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 tip the political scales in th...

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 veterinarians who help unhou...

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 do, much less put leashes o...

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 legalization by turning the...

Year after year, a Fullerton theater sells out a camped-up comedy about Santa Claus on Mars. The stage show is based on a 1964 B-movie. At least 15 productions of “A Christmas Carol” exist in SoCal, and each theater adds a twist to the play. Vendors at DTLA’s Piñata District say people from as far as New York go there to buy supplies like corn husks and nativity scenes for Christmas.

Since 1925, members of the Los Angeles Breakfast Club have been meeting bright and early to sing songs, solve puzzles, and eat ham and eggs. In 2024, a new California law will establish a retirement fund for mixed martial arts fighters. A similar law has been in place for boxers since the early 1980s. U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Lesly Gonzalez works 10-hour days leading up to Christmas. Does...

An affordable housing developer got $114 million from Gov. Newsom’s Homekey program. Now, with little to show for it, legal and financial problems are mounting .  Federal labor regulators are looking to forcibly reopen six Los Angeles area Starbucks locations, and labor researcher Saba Waheed says it just might happen. For many in the Latino community, the act of making and eating tamales offers a...

Since October, the robotaxi company Waymo has been offering driverless rides in Los Angeles. Greater LA’s Steve Chotakis tried one out for himself. KCRW also looks at safety concerns of these vehicles, and Waymo’s head of city policy and government affairs shares the company’s future plans.

LA aficionados Patt Morrison and Fritz Coleman discuss where and how Angelenos can experience winter holiday charm despite the temperate weather.  Musician Arturo Sandoval discusses what makes a Christmas song “swing,” his relationship with Dizzy Gillespie, and his December 23 show at Disney Concert Hall.

The Fairfax District’s Diamond Bakery, iconic to generations of Jewish Angelenos, closed this month after 77 years. Its recipes will live on. David Edward Byrd designed some of the most iconic psychedelic concert posters during the 1960s and 70s. “ Poster Child ” is a new book that looks at his personal journey and many posters. At Lisson Gallery, Hugh Hayden’s new exhibition features strange, sur...

As people look for eco-friendly solutions to non-recyclable wrapping paper, furoshiki, the Japanese art of wrapping packages in cloth, is becoming more widely adopted. Gifts for loved ones don’t have to be expensive or brand new. Consider buying from your local thrift store, upcycle an imperfect and pre-loved item, or make something by hand. And to further cut down on holiday waste, KCRW offers ti...

Governor Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court, a new mental health program, opened in LA on December 1 to uncertainty, conflicting concerns, and high hopes. This fall, a new major is available at UCLA’s campus: Disability Studies. The aim is to decrease stigma, highlight ableism, and create a more accessible world. After six years in Anaheim, Japanese baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani will play for the Los Angel...

A composting program at The Wesley School helps the planet, with an added benefit: teaching kids to be hopeful about participating in climate action. The nonprofit Street Symphony will turn Skid Row into a music festival and community resource fair on December 10 for its Re/Sound Festival. A new exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum showcases the work of the trailblazing photographer “Kali,” w...

The one-day Cal State LA faculty strike is the third of four planned statewide this week. Sunset’s bright purple Cafe Tropical, which shut down suddenly last week, was known for its excellent Cuban food and its role as a safe haven for those in recovery. From a zookeeper he met on Twitter to musician Phoebe Bridgers, Brandon Stosuy’s latest book features 115 essays, poems, and stories on sadness a...

The San Gabriel Mountains are the largest open public space in Los Angeles, but some of the range’s most popular spots are covered in piles of trash. SoCal is experiencing more droughts, wildfires, and rising sea levels — but UCLA’s Alex Hall believes LA can still be turned into one of the world’s most sustainable megacities by 2050. The OC Hall of Fame’s class of 10 includes a range of artists, a...

In a town like LA that takes its food scene seriously, local chefs say coming together and breaking bread has taken on new meaning as the war in Gaza continues. Musician and photographer Henry Diltz captured rock history magic while hanging out with CSN&Y in the 1960s, and he’s sharing it all in his new photography book.

Want to contribute on Skid Row? Missions need your help, and not just in December. The Mutual Aid LA Network provides a central hub where Angelenos looking to help can find the best volunteer opportunity for them. Paula Poundstone has been making people laugh for over 40 years through her stand-up, writing, and podcasting. The Angeleno is performing in Long Beach this Saturday.

Homeschooling has long been common for religious families and those with aversions to public school, but the pandemic seems to have widened its appeal. A new law asks California schools to incorporate media literacy lessons into English, math, science, and social studies curriculums. Los Angeles-based artist Kelly Akashi reflects on her Japanese American family history during World War II for an e...

Vanessa Anderson says grocery stores are “anthropological treasure troves” — which is why she’s trying to visit every single one in LA. Curator Anuradha Vikram talks about AI’s integration into labor and art, what the tech means for creativity, and the implications of widespread data scraping. During the 1980s, ACT UP LA advocated for greater awareness of the AIDS epidemic. Now the organization is...