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.

Special Off-Ramp Podcast - Interview with TCM's Ben Mankiewicz

The chips are fine -- it's the bag that's too noisy ... SoCal Noir with Marc Haefele ... CyberFrequencies on The Entryway ... Annual Roses & Lemon Award goes to AEG and ugly government buildings ...

EatLA on Gastropubs ... Dinner Party Download ... Photos by one of The Minutemen ... Larry Mantle interviewed by John Rabe ... The Voice of Bambi - Donnie Dunagan ... The Secret of Kells ... Poverty in Armenia.

A parable from Father Greg Boyle from his book, "Tattoos on the Heart."

Passover in the Desert ... CyberFrequencies talks with a woman who tried to scam the email scammers ... Marimbist Naoko Takada ... Anna Russell's twenty-minute Ring Cycle.

Jeff Mallett on Diagnosis: Triathlete ... Riding the Angels Flight once again ... Father Boyle's big idea: give gangstas an alternative besides jail ... Dinner Party Download makes you smarter, sweetens your breath ... and so much more.

CyberFrequencies talks to the woman who started a Debtors Revolt on YouTube... 1960s music icon Donovan sings and plays for Off-Ramp ... we send a real-life couple to the big travel expo to look for a honeymoon package ... Kevin Ferguson reports on female musicians' tributes bands dedicated to the music of male rock bands.

60s icon Donovan and his guitar in studio!