LeVar Burton has been blessed with enough intelligence, curiosity, and talent to be a pop-culture triple threat. When most actors would be happy to have one iconic role, he's been Kunta Kinte in "Roots," Geordi in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and the host of "Reading Rainbow." When we talked in 2012, we covered all that and a lot more ... like his favorite saint, and what it was like having Richard Burton as a father. (Kidding!)

And, since we're dropping this episode just before Juneteenth, we're including LeVar's readings of the Preamble to the US Constitution, plus the 13th and 15th Amendments.

(Note: Burton cites Bill Cosby's work in children's educational TV ... this interview was conducted two years before the allegations that would eventually lead to Cosby's prison sentence.)

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

Nowadays, Steven Cuevas is a classy public radio veteran. But back when Metallica was just starting to find fame, he was one of the sweaty kids who formed the band's first real fanbase. And when he wanted to tell the story on Off-Ramp in 2009, when Metallica was being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he got ahold of never-before-heard tape to take us back to those early days in San Francisco.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

What goes on after Thanksgiving? Shopping, sure. And you can watch a game, or go ham on some leftover turkey. But ask any local: Los Angeles — world class city that it is — offers much, much more. This week, Off-Ramp focuses on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Pixar's Sanjay Patel tells us how he made "Sanjay's Super Team," a tribute to his father ... Josh Stamberg in David Mamet’s “American Buffalo” ... 5 Every Week gives you the keys to the city ... an immigrant's Thanksgiving comes days after the JFK assassination

In-deep with "The Office" star Rainn Wilson ... Joey Arias does the best Billie Holiday impersonation you'll ever hear ... Gregg Turkington is Neil Hamburger in "Entertainment" ... 5 Every Week keeps you busy ... and Brains On tells you how salamanders regenerate lost limbs.

Hollywood Fights Back!, an ill-fated stand against HUAC ... 5 Every Week joins the Off-Ramp lineup ... SoCal winemakers shameful past ...

This week, Off-Ramp finds out what’s under the bed when the lights go off. Stories from "In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe," a new collection of great old under-appreciated horror stories. The program will be recorded Thursday at the Crawford Family Forum.

Pico Union, Pico Boulevard, Pico Rivera … so who was Pico? Actors playing zombies don’t need acting classes. El Nino is bringing welcome rain, but also a highly venomous sea snake. The only group allowed to bring notorious, wonderful EC Comics to life on the stage. And we go to the Arboretum to see if it’s finally the right time to rip out your lawn.

If you need a little push to give to KPCC during our fall member drive, here are some reminders - in the form of our best pieces - of why Off-Ramp is worth supporting.

George Takei couldn't be happier he made the leap ten years ago this month ... a new exhibit at the Skirball Center explores the Japanese-American internment camps through sketches and photos by Ansel Adams and others ... Dodgers v Mets ... YACHT fits in an Uber