Karen Ocamb is now a leading LGBTQ journalist in LA, but decades ago she was a cranky teenager on the East Coast, who was very gently reproved by Paul Newman over some freshly caught fish. When Newman died, Ocamb filed a loving commentary on her two encounters with the star.

Then, since Newman won the Academy's Jean Hersholt award at the Oscars in 1994, another distinguished journalist, Hollywood historian Alex Ben Block, goes to the Hollywood Walk of Fame to tell us who Jean Hersholt was and why he's beloved in the Industry.

Both of these pieces originally aired in October of 2008.

Support for this podcast comes from 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.

I start this week's podcast with a piece of audio I was instructed never to play again. Ever. It's Tom Jones adapting his mega-hit "She's a Lady," so it goes "He's a Rabe, whoah whoah whoah he's a Rabe..."

The person who told me not ever to run it again was Rico Gagliano, who was just jealous. I mean, the best he could ever get is Gerardo.

We originally aired this interview on KPCC in December of 2008, when Sir Tom released the album, "24 Hours."

Support for this podcast comes from 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.

Brian May and Elena Vidal talk about "A Village Lost and Found," their preservation and tribute of the stereo photos of TR Williams.

Off-Ramp's junior reporters tour the newest/oldest wing of LA's Natural History Museum ... The LA Garment Citizen shuts down ... LA's best hot dogs on the Eat-LA/Off-Ramp Collaboration ... Remembering animator Pres Romanillos ... Dinner Party Download ... Slot cars!

Return to Doodah Surf!

EatLA-Off-Ramp Collaboration covers relish ... sneak preview of the Natural History Museum's Beaux Arts Building ... Dinner Party Download ... Twitter Poets on CyberFrequencies ...

Todd Schorr's Universe ... Anime Expo takes over LA ... Taschen explores Big Butts ... CyberFrequencies ... Mr Irrelevant -- the last NFL draft pick -- isn't ... Alan Furst's historical spy novels.

Tom Hanks' lets Off-Ramp onto the set of his new movie, "Larry Crowne" ... the subtle (not) art of Jean-Leon Gerome, on display at the Getty ... Silverlake Man Builds Own Bread Oven in Backyard ... Bugs in your Backyard ... Local Man Forgoes Laker Playoff Game for Ring Cycle ... Firefighters Loved "Emergency!" Local Museum Gets Show's Firetruck ...

L-Word Creator tells CyberFrequency how she adapted to social media ... RH Greene on films and memories of Eastern Europe ... Tom Hanks on public radio, "Larry Crowne," and "Philadelphia" ... Charlie LeDuff on Fathers Day ... Larry Mantle talks radio with John.

Noisy chips ... Mark Peel's "The Point" ... best milkshakes in the Empire ... Soup that's probably too hot for humans (sane ones, anyway) ... Eat-LA-Off-Ramp Collaboration on Goat and Global Pizza ... Michael Cimarusti's "What I Learned on my Japanese Vacation."