Press Play With Madeleine Brand

Protests against the war in Gaza may look different this school year. The UC system is banning encampments, protests that block campus pathways, and masks that hide demonstrators’ faces. Kamala Harris’ economic plan focuses on alleged price gouging by food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. She’s also taking on prescription drug prices and housing costs. Kamala Harris’ campaign has momentum, and some credit her late entrance into the presidential race. Could this mean long campaigns will be a thing of the past? Netflix’s “Daughters” focuses on a program in a Washington, D.C. jail that connects families through a daddy-daughter dance inside the jail’s walls.

Riverside native Ivan Cornejo fuses folk and rock with regional Mexican music. The 20-year-old’s first arena tour starts on August 23. Protests and violence marred the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Could this year’s convention, also in Chicago, see similar alienation and division? Former Republican Congressman George Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft today. It ends a long saga that began before he took office. Phil Donahue died on Sunday at age 88. For decades, he hosted TV shows that let audiences interact with interesting, controversial, and famous people.

Cucumbers are a perfect foil for condiments of all kinds, so it’s not surprising that TikTok’s cucumber king, Logan Moffitt, is going viral with every cucumber salad recipe he posts. Vice President Kamala Harris hasn’t offered many details on her policy positions yet. Some Democrats have been urging her to keep it vague. Music is a key component in the 2024 election. Harris has been playing Beyonce’s “Freedom.” Meanwhile, many artists have asked former President Donald Trump to stop playing their music.  Critics review the latest film releases: “Alien: Romulus,” “Rob Peace,” “Skincare,” and “Close to You.”

A Los Angeles mom shares how receiving $1000 per month for a year — from the BIG: LEAP program — allowed her to take better care of her son and her own mental and physical health.  Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz doesn’t own stocks or property. Whether that’s a good thing depends on whom you ask. Sde Teiman has become Israel’s most infamous military prison. Former prisoners and whistleblowers allege rampant human rights abuses, including gang rape.  One in 10 Americans over age 65 has dementia, an umbrella term for symptoms of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons. One journalist is documenting how patients continue to live with dignity and joy.

Mayor Karen Bass returned from Paris to LA on Monday, bringing the official Olympic flag with her. She talks about preparing LA for the 2028 Games and what it will mean for homelessness.  The epicenter of Monday’s 4.4 magnitude earthquake was in El Sereno on the Puente Hills fault system. While it's not as famous as the San Andreas fault, it could be more dangerous.   The documentary “Sugarcane” reveals the painful history of Catholic-run boarding schools in the U.S. and Canada, where thousands of Native children suffered horrific abuse. Many psychedelic mushroom edibles don't contain the active ingredient psilocybin, and have potentially harmful or illegal compounds, a recent LA Times investigation found. 

In 1994, new records from bands such as The Cranberries, Massive Attack, Beck, and Portishead made their way into the American mainstream, thanks partly to KCRW. LA’s 1984 Olympics were the pinnacle of organization, profitability, and viewership. Can LA’s 2028 Games build on that and the momentum from 2024’s successful Paris Games? Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are hoping to mobilize youth support online through fan videos, candid clips, memes, and the language of TikTok.  Every state in the country allows no-fault divorce, meaning you don’t need a reason to get one. But some on the far-right are now trying to change that. In Utah, just a handful of school districts can get books pulled from school libraries. Literature by Margaret Atwood and Judy Blume are now censored for being “pornographic.”

After countless Olympic fans flew to Paris and American athletes insisted on A/C, France had a bigger-than-intended carbon footprint for the Summer Games. How can LA 2028 be sustainable?  Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams piloted the maiden voyage of Boeing’s Starliner spaceship. Now they're stuck at the ISS and might have to hitch a ride home with SpaceX.  Critics review the latest film releases: “Borderlands,” “Cuckoo,” “Good One,” and “It Ends with Us.” Don’t want to bother working the kitchen amid summer heat? Consider Mediterranean takeout from Papa Cristos, The Great Greek, Jerusalem Chicken, and Mini-Kabob.   

Hamas’ new political leader is the architect of the October 7 attacks on Israel. New Yorker Editor David Remnick recently profiled Yahya Sinwar. Progressive legislator Cori Bush lost her Congressional primary in Missouri on Tuesday. KCRW looks at the Democratic Party’s progressive wing and whether The Squad still operates as a bloc.  Mitrice Richardson, a young Black woman, went missing and died in Malibu nearly 15 years ago. A podcast sheds new light on the events, uncovering details that law enforcement missed.

Canadian singer Celine Dion’s vulnerable and resilient moments of navigating her life with stiff person syndrome are in a new Amazon Prime Video documentary. Kamala Harris has tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate. He has a strong progressive record and a proven ability to speak to everyday Americans. Can he help her beat Trump and Vance?  Gender testing in sports is more complex than it sounds. Rose Eveleth of the podcast “Tested” explains why some elite female athletes face challenges to their ability to compete. Environmentalists are urging the Dodgers to drop a main sponsor, oil company Phillips 66, which owns the 76 chain of gas stations. As climate change worsens, some fans want an end to the “sport washing.”

LA native Ryan Bancroft leads several orchestras, including the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. He shares his journey from Lakewood to Europe. Anti-immigrant riots recently broke out in the U.K. after young girls were fatally stabbed in a grisly incident falsely attributed to a Muslim refugee. The Department of Justice sued TikTok, claiming the popular app allowed children under 13 to create and use accounts, illegally gathered data from them, and ignored parents’ requests to stop. In a federal lawsuit, veterans are demanding the construction of 4000 units of permanent housing and the nullification of outside leases at the West LA VA.  San Francisco Mayor London Breed is clearing the city’s largest encampments. People who refuse shelter could be arrested for living in public. 

The Academy Museum’s exhibit on Hollywood's Jewish founders was modified to remove language that some people deemed overly critical. Others argued that it painted an accurate picture of complicated men.  The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich was among 16 prisoners released from Russia, including three other Americans. Putin got spies, fraudsters, and a hitman in return.  Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is reportedly on the Democratic vice presidential shortlist. KCRW discusses his record, what he brings to the ticket, and criticism he’s received from pro-Palestinian activists. Critics review the latest film releases: “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” “The Instigators,” “Kneecap,” and “Doctor Jekyll.”

“The Other Olympians” traces the history of queer athletes at the games, and how sex testing began with track before other sports adopted it.  A Hamas leader was assassinated in Iran after an Israeli strike in Lebanon killed a top Hezbollah military commander there. The deaths threaten to spark a wider regional war. The head of Project 2025 has stepped down, but the Heritage Foundation will continue pushing the conservative plan. Trump’s campaign is frustrated by the association.  Veggie fritters are an easy treat to make for yourself and friends. They require few ingredients, the mixture can be made in advance, and cooking takes minutes. 

A new documentary features 40 hours of newly discovered interviews and archival footage of Elizabeth Taylor, revealing her thoughts on work, love, and feelings of inadequacy.  The Secret Service’s new acting director testified before Congress today that he was "ashamed" of the organization's failure to protect former President Trump from an assassination attempt. Kamala Harris is half Indian American. What does her heritage mean to her — and Indian communities in the United States?  Lt. William L. Calley Jr. led Charlie Company in killing as many as 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians in March 1968. He only served three years of mainly house arrest, and no one else was held responsible. 

Over the last decade, Airbnb renters submitted some 35,000 complaints over surveillance devices, CNN found. Airbnb banned indoor cameras in spring, but enforcement is weak. President Biden unveiled his plan for Supreme Court reform today. It includes term limits for justices and a binding code of conduct. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch wants his most conservative heir to control Fox News and the rest of his media empire. The other siblings have allied and sued.  The Olympic surf competition is underway in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, where athletes are riding 40-foot waves and risking crashing into razor-sharp coral.  KCRW DJ Anne Litt shares her new favorite tunes, plus talks about the legacy of The Chills’ Martin Phillips.

Want to grab food in Santa Ana before heading to KCRW’s Summer Nights at the Bowers Museum on Aug. 10? Consider Chapter One, Alebrijes, Heritage BBQ, and more. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new efforts to clear homeless encampments on state land, and issued guidelines to California cities to do the same. Critics say the policy is unlikely to fix the problem.  Friday is the opening of The Paris Olympics, which includes a new competitive sport inspired by break dancing. It may be the last Olympics for some of the most dominant American athletes in recent history. Critics review the latest film releases: “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Didi,” “The Fabulous Four,” and “Made In England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger.”

Vice President Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, is searching for her running mate. At the top of the list: Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, and Andy Beshear. Actor Griffin Dunne grew up in Hollywood with a celebrity-obsessed dad. In his new memoir, he reveals what happened to his family after his sister died at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.   “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” topped the Billboard charts for 14 weeks, won the Grammy for Album of the Year, and transformed standup comedy. Newhart died last week at age 94.

Kamala Harris is framing her presidential race against Donald Trump as prosecutor versus felon. What kind of a prosecutor was she in California?  The Israeli prime minister will address Congress on Wednesday, and meet with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump. But support for Israel among Americans has decreased. Critics have praised “The Bear” for its realistic portrayal of the high-stress restaurant world. But it’s also about what alcohol addiction does to families.  Kamala Harris has embraced Gen Z internet memes and pop star Charli XCX’s viral summer album “brat” to energize young voters.  

PJ Morton wrote his latest album during a 30-day trip across Africa, where he collaborated with local artists Mádé Kuti, Asa, the Soweto Spiritual Singers, and others.  President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek another term means his delegates are no longer pledged to a candidate. Many have already said they will back Kamala Harris.  Now that Vice President Kamala Harris is the Democratic frontrunner in November's race against Donald Trump, Republicans have floated legal challenges to her candidacy and access to President Biden’s campaign war chest. Kamala Harris’ campaign says she raised more than $50 million since Sunday, when President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid. But Donald Trump has some major Silicon Valley money behind him too.

Mexican tomatillo salsa, Indian green chutney, and Italian salsa verde — use them as condiments for grilled meat, fish, or tofu.  KCRW looks at the Republican Party platform and The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which outlines deportations, massive cuts in government oversight, and strict limits on access to reproductive care.  LA county's health director says COVID cases, hospitalizations, and viral levels in wastewater have all doubled in the past month. Researchers warn that the new FLiRT variant is fueling the surge. Critics review the latest film releases Twisters, Oddity, Crossing, and Skywalkers: A Love Story.

The second day of the Republican National Convention featured tough talk against immigration. Latino voters are increasingly less concerned with that, compared to issues like the economy. Celebrated Canadian author Alice Munro died in May. But her daughter recently went public about being sexually abused by her stepfather and getting no support from her mom.  In Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s new novel, the patriarch of the Fletcher family establishes a lucrative business after escaping the Holocaust, then gets kidnapped. The focus is on inherited money and trauma.