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Off-Ramp

Exploring Southern California with John Rabe

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Episodes
  • Paul Newman's controversial new memoir probably doesn't tell this story: When he taught Karen Ocamb how to clean fish
    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.

  • Tom Jones reveals the hardest song he's ever sung, rethinks "Letter to Lucille," and tells us why he thinks of his voice as a weapon
    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.

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  • Off-Ramp TemperaTour(TM); This Old Thing?; The Best Milkshake in Riverside; Belmont Fiasco; Gronk's Takes on Film; Senator Craig Finds Sympathy with Older Gay Men; Domanick on Pelicano; MacArthur Park is Alive with the Sound of Music; Listener Call
  • Some Pig; Bob Baker's Marionette Theater; Mid-Century Chimes; Cattle Call; Deep Beef; The ABC's of BBQ; Domanick on Spector; Songs of Protest; The Big Picture; Letters
  • L.A. Appetites; Sushi Zen; Hot Ramen; I Eat Ramen, Hear Me Roar!; El Pollo Chino; Would You Eat Granny?; Some botanas, por favor; Urban Survivalist; Tree of Life
  • A Last Goodbye; Hello Tiki-Ti ; Tiki Tribute; Ghost in the Machine; It's Not a Knack; Dad's in Jail; Santee Alley; Eden's Edge; Bahooka; Web Extra
  • Phantograms; Keystone-Mast Collection; Projecting 3-D Ain't Free; Leaves of Photographs; Humble Art; D.I.Y. 3-D; Reel-D; LA's First Family Of Photography; Julius Shulman; Take My Picture; Shooting History
  • Kinky in Los Angeles; The Unsung Pelon; Armenian Melodies; Re-Gifting Sound; Cello Fellow; A Little Night Music; Rock En Spanglish; These Kids are Alright; Harper Woods
  • Doo Dah Surf
  • Armenian Melodies; Deep Beef; Safer Cities Initiative: One Year Later; Mimislist; Craigslist Considered; Strings Theory; The Mayor of Gladys Park; Skid Row Redux; Sex Abuse; Sapphic Poet