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.

Clint Eastwood Exclusive!; Eastwood on Directing; Eastwood on the Magic of Music; The Inner Life of Miranda July; The Big Cheese in Food; Trailblazing in The 'Bu; Skunk Be Gone; Invasive Recipes; A June Wedding; The Rock Fish Files; Music on Off-Ramp - Priscilla Ahn's "I Don't Think So"

Stay-At-Home Dad; MYOB; Dad's in Jail; Dad's in Jail - Part II; It's A Good Day to Be a Songwriter in L.A.; Retro Surf Photos; Alice in Puppetland; Father's Day Traditions; Decoding the Graduation Garb

This week we hit some of Southern California's most historic sites: Rancho Los Alamitos in Long Beach, Los Encinos State Historic Park, and the Palomares Adobe in Pomona (pictured).

The Voice of an Angel; Angel Gets her Wings; My Teacher Alma; Singin' on the Bus; Mateo Stoneman, White Mariachi; Mid-Century Chimes; From Face Paint To Real Paint; Throat Singing, Inuit Style; Art Tatum Rises...Again

Garrison Keilor Loves LA; Song: "California" by Joni Mitchell; A Way With Words; Song: "You and Onions" (Hidden Track) by Meiko; Straight Story; Creating Vintage Photos; Something Fishy; Song: "Frank's Wild Years" by Tom Waits; Bunker Hill Revisited; Sad Life, Great Writer; Tarzan of Tarzana; My Way on the Highway

Gay About Marriage!; Jazzing up the Classics; A Late Composer's Early Birthday Bash; Bike to Work Day; Aesthetes, Bohemians, and Craftsmen; Auctioning Art for AIDS Research; Ode To Teacher; Grade A Investigator; Gotcha!; Crime Buster; To Catch a Thief; Before Pimlico; 2008 Youth Film Fest; Letters

Emergency is Hottest Ticket; Tango the Night Away ...; Last Mother's Day?; New York Times adds to Off-Ramp story; Bus To Mom; Singin' on the Bus; Shining Hollywood Stars; Hep (Web) Cat ...; All Grown Up; Reservoir Memories; Bonaduce v Buddha?; Garden of Flowing Fragrance; Listener Sleuth; Classical Variations

Congratulations to John Rabe; Silver-No-Lake; In Search of Water; Sign of Life; A Map of LA; Fire Season Starts in Sierra Madre; Taco Trucks; A Family Affair; Pacific Islander Art; "Grandpa," the Revolutionary; The Dresser's Answer; Fight Fire with Lemonade; The LAPD unveils a new device for crowd control