©2025 Southern California Public Radio
Member-supported news for Southern California
Donate
Support for LAist comes from:
Become an LAist Sponsor
On February 29, this site will be merged with LAist.com. Read more
Off-Ramp
Hosted by John Rabe

Exploring Southern California with John Rabe

Ways to Subscribe
Episodes
  • One late King of Food helps us remember another: Jonathan Gold on the legacy of King Taco
    Sure, there had been tacos al pastor before he did them, but after the popularity of King Taco, everybody had tacos al pastor. People had had carnitas before, but, suddenly, everybody had carnitas. It just seemed to form the template of what the modern Los Angeles taqueria should be. 

    --Jonathan Gold, 2013

    Nine years ago, Los Angeles lost an unsung hero, Raul Martinez Sr., the founder of King Taco. To find out why this man was so important to LA, I shared a taco or two (or three) with the late Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold at King Taco #1 in Cypress Park. (Gold died in 2018.)

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

    Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

  • A rite of passage for LA journos: Rabe recounts his angry phone call from Harlan Elllison
    In 2013, I visited an utterly charming and impish Harlan Ellison at his remarkable home and talked at length with him about his work as a prolific Sci-Fi writer. Then came the dreaded - and expected - phone call from Harlan's alter-ego. (Ellison died in 2018 but I wouldn't be surprised if he sent an angry message from beyond about using his name and "Sci-Fi" in the same sentence.)

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

    Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

Load More
Support Off-Ramp today
LAist Studios relies on listener support to power the podcasts you love.
  • Local pop historian Charles Phoenix, breakfasting at Clifton's Brookside Cafeteria, 2009.
    Under New Management - Off-Ramp for 9/25/2010
    Clifton's Cafeteria gets a new operator who promises to revamp gently ... the Mann Bros in LA ... Barry Cutler remembers THE Kevin McCarthy ... Sacred Fools' 14th Season ... Mark Peel on the best table in the house ... CyberFrequencies ... John Cale on Paris 1919 ...
  • A man who appears to be Sacred Fools director Kiff Scholl at the company's season opening party.
    Sacred Fools' 14th Season - Special Podcast for 9-20-2010
    KPCC's John Rabe interviews members of The Sacred Fools Theatre Company about their 14th season and their mission to fully exploit the theatrical medium.
  • Tim Curry (L) and Lou Adler in a production shot from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
    Lou Adler on Rocky Horror -- Off-Ramp 9-18-2010
    Lou Adler remembers bringing Rocky Horror to Los Angeles ... Eat-LA/Off-Ramp Collaboration highlights affordable gourmet regional Mexican cuisine ... Tomatomania ... Charlie Chan Redux ... Dinner Party Download ...
  • Charlie Chan was immensely popular, but fell out of favor as a sort of Chinese Uncle Tom. Here is Warner Oland as Charlie Chan in a scene from "Charlie Chan in Paris."
    Charlie Chan Redux - Special Off-Ramp Podcast 9-15-10
    Yunte Huang, author of "Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History" in conversation.
  • John Rabe's personal "Jerry Brown for Governor" tie. We don't know if it came in other colors, but then again, why would it?
    Eat Pray Love On Off-Ramp for 9-11-2010
    CyberFrequencies ... chef Mark Peel joins Off-Ramp ... Jerry Brown Parody Ads ... Dan Walters on 50 years in newspapers ... An East LA polleria that observes strict Muslim dietary laws ... The Roving Archers ... Lou Adler and The Fabulous Stains ... Do we have just one true love in our lives?
  • Off-Ramp on Celebrity & Celebs on Off-Ramp - 9-4-10
    Actor Christopher Murray on life with father (Don Murray) ... RH Greene on Mel Gibson, before the fall ... Dinner Party Download ... kids who get back-to-school supplies at the Salvation Army ... Ellington singer Herb Jeffries ... Lou Adler on sitting with Jack and discovering Cheech and Chong ... Jonathan Gold and Rick Bayless have a Mexican Food Fight.
  • How Hot Is It, Columbo? Off-Ramp 8-28-2010
    The Off-Ramp TemperaTour ... CyberFrequencies and life on the web ... Lou Adler on Monterey Pop ... Burning Man vets ... the historical Arab roots of Ground Zero ... Wm Link, Columbo's co-creator, speaks!
  • Columbo co-creator William Link - Off-Ramp 8-23-2010
    Wm Link talks with Off-Ramp's John Rabe about Columbo.
Load More