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.

In the studio with LA artist Edward Walton Wilcox, called "a brilliant and romantic star hurtling through the same galaxy as ... Odd Nerdrum and Hieronymous Bosch."

Baseball announcing legend Ernie Harwell, dead at 92, remembered by friends and fans.

Norman Corwin turns 100 ... FOOD ARCHIVE: Colman Andrews and Jonathan Gold, Beard winners ... a blacksmith moves to Heritage Square ... Tyrus Wong, almost 100, feted by Otis College of Art and Design ... Artist Edward Walton Wilcox on faith and storytelling ...

Eat-LA and Off-Ramp get your goat ... Shirley Jahad's electric car diaries ... Dinner Party Download ... "Did I leave my i-Phone at the bar ..." RL Greene's tribute to his twin brother ... Charles Phoenix and the Third Dimension ...Leigh Brackett's screenplays include The Big Sleep and The Empire Strikes Back.

Tom Hanks talking with KPCC's John Rabe about World War Two, the movies, his tenuous link to Abe Lincoln, and public radio.

Award-winning journalists say former LAPD chief Daryl Gates responsible for riots, ran clandestine spy ring to intimidate foes.

Another take on the late Daryl Gates - spymaster ... Tom Hanks on public radio, World War Two, and more ... deaf and hearing actors in play about famous French murder case ... Kitty Felde talks with Vin Scully - in 1983! ... CyberFrequencies and life on the web ...

Joe Domanick: former LAPD chief Daryl Gates was responsible for the '92 riots ... Dinner Party Download talks with rappers Das Racists ... Mark Peel's lunch counter ... the men in skirts of Liberty Tax Prep ... TCM's Ben Mankiewicz says "I'm not hip - the goatee's in my contract!" ... fish eggs on pizza? ... Mark Lacter says, "Hey, billionaires -- ante up!"