Press Play With Madeleine Brand

The annual U.N. climate summit has accomplished little, so activists are defacing priceless paintings to raise the alarm. The fight to save the planet is flagging. Mike Huckabee and Pete Hegseth, Trump’s picks for ambassador to Israel and defense secretary, have strong pro-Israel views that may trace back to the Bible. Critics review the latest film releases: “Wicked,” “Gladiator II,” and “The Piano Lesson.” For five nights only at the Wallis, puppets and stage actors are bringing to life the Booker Prize-winning novel “Life & Times of Michael K.” Follow the title character’s journey through war-torn South Africa.

For nearly a decade, President-elect Trump has praised a 1954 program known as “Operation Wetback.” Now he’s proposing using the U.S. military to carry out larger mass deportations. A new LA City controller audit has found that less than $600 million was spent to fight homelessness in the last fiscal year. That includes state and federal grants, as well as tax dollars.  Standup comedian Hannah Gadsby talks about the complexity of fame and the importance of connecting to audiences. They say their latest show is the funniest one they’ve ever done. A stew is cooked in less liquid than a soup, so its broth is reduced, sometimes thickened, and more flavorful. Try recipes from authors of “Autentico” and “My Everyday Lagos.”  

Ukraine fired the first U.S.-supplied long-range missiles at Russia, which has threatened a potential nuclear response. The dynamics of the war will likely change under Trump.  President-elect Donald Trump says he’ll declare a national emergency on immigration and use the military to carry out mass deportations. Advocates for undocumented immigrants are preparing.  “Say Nothing,” a new limited series on FX, follows the decades of violence in Northern Ireland through the eyes of the Price sisters, who went from protesting peacefully to planting bombs.  Spatulas and other utensils made from black plastic are potentially toxic to human health, even more so than regular plastic items, researchers say. Also problematic: black food containers like sushi to-go trays.

President-elect Trump has suggested bypassing the Senate’s constitutional role providing “Advice and Consent” — to quickly install his Cabinet secretaries.  Post-election claims of voter fraud, amplified by Republican leaders, continue on the right. Some on the left are also making claims online. The number 47 is sacrosanct for Pomona alumni, who revere it as part of campus tradition. But what are the political implications of wearing 47 during Trump’s second presidency? A new documentary explores the life and work of Rudolph Schindler, a Frank Lloyd Wright protege who cemented California as a global hub for modern architecture.  Grammy winner Arooj Aftab teamed up with filmmaker Josephine Decker to create “Rise, Again,” which follows women and their children living on the fringes of LA after being evicted.

President-elect Trump has nominated former Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz to lead the Department of Justice, the most notable in a string of controversial Cabinet picks. Republicans now control the White House, Senate, and the House of Representatives. Two grassroots Democrats offer their advice on how to move forward. Critics review the latest film releases: “Red One,” “The World According to Allee Willis,” “All We Imagine as Light,” and “Hot Frosty.” Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you’re not sure about your culinary skills, or are just too exhausted, we’ve got your Turkey Day options.

A 1.3 mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard is supposed to be a future hub of Black arts and culture in LA. Residents are torn over what it’ll do to the neighborhood’s legacy and future.  On Tuesday, President-elect Trump made good on a campaign promise to appoint Elon Musk head of what’ll be known as the Department of Government Efficiency — or “DOGE.”  California’s 2024 election results show a political shift to the right. Support for President-elect Trump has risen since 2020, and voters have approved tough-on-crime measures Artist Doug Aitken’s new project “Lightscape” is a collaboration with the LA Philharmonic and LA Master Chorale that weaves music and film to create an ethereal and visual soundscape.

Trans rights advocates are bracing for potential challenges as President-elect Donald Trump hints at policies that could threaten the community’s rights.  Today, about one-third of office space in downtown LA sits empty. It’s a far cry from the once-booming real estate market in the city’s urban core. Why? Martha Stewart shares her journey from self-made billionaire to prison inmate to unlikely friend of Snoop Dogg in a revealing new documentary.  Ron Finley grew up in South LA surrounded by a severe lack of nature. It pushed him to transform sections of his neighborhood into lush, edible gardens. Now, he’s bringing his DIY gardening practice to the Hammer Museum in Westwood. 

California was at the forefront of challenging policy decisions of the first Trump administration in court and is preparing to do so again, particularly around the environment and reproductive rights.  Anti-semitic attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam have shed light on the surprising history of the city’s most accomplished team, Ajax. Fans use hallmarks of Jewish culture to celebrate the team even though most fans aren’t Jewish themselves.  LA-based author Rachel Kushner’s latest novel “Creation Lake” has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. The novel explores the relationship between the leader of a radical leftist commune in France and the American spy sent to infiltrate it.  The Lijadu Sisters helped define the Afrobeat sound of 1970s Nigeria when the scene was largely dominated by men. Now record label Numero Group is remastering and re-releasing the sisters’ five albums.

A majority of women voters cast ballots for Kamala Harris. But Harris did worse among women voters than Joe Biden did in 2020. Why? The war in Ukraine, the future of NATO, and what across-the-board tariffs could mean for Europe’s economy all loom large in a second Trump administration.  Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he may end wars as a gesture towards Trump, according to NPR. But doing so is complicated for both men. Critics review the latest film releases: “Heretic,” “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” “Christmas Eve in Miller's Point,” and “Small Things Like These.”

President-elect Donald Trump appears to be on track to win all seven battleground states and is ahead in the popular vote. The GOP has also won the Senate, and could keep control of the House.  The Supreme Court’s ruling that past and future presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts could give President-elect Trump wide latitude to wield power. In California, high-profile ballot initiatives passed, like re-criminalizing some theft and drug offenses, and enshrining marriage equality in the state constitution.  LA County voters ousted progressive District Attorney George Gascón and approved Measure A. Kevin de León is likely to lose his City Council seat.   

Will Americans know, or have a good sense at least, of who our next president will be by the end of election night?  Polls show a majority of voters are concerned about violence following the election. Officials are monitoring threats and working to safeguard the vote.  Abraham Lincoln’s close friendships with four men may have been sexual relationships too, according to a new documentary called “Lover of Men. Ratings for Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel have plummeted in the last decade. Kids aren’t watching TV the way they used to, or even the shows they used to.

A new poll shows Harris surprisingly winning Iowa, another shows swing states leaning toward Trump but within the margin of error. KCRW talks about the state of the presidential race. This presidential election is the most litigated in history, breaking a record set by the 2020 contest. The RNC has filed 130 lawsuits, and recent court decisions involve who can vote and how votes are counted.  KCRW celebrates Quincy Jones' legacy by revisiting a 2018 interview with the cultural icon and his daughter — about a documentary highlighting his extraordinary life. The latest season of the KCRW podcast takes listeners to the Sunset Strip of the 1960s and 1970s. There, center stage and bathed in limelight, are the groupies.  

The LA Dodgers are World Series champs! The Boys in Blue rallied from a five-run fifth inning deficit Wednesday night to beat the New York Yankees. Donald Trump says he’ll deport millions of undocumented immigrants if he’s elected for a second term. Immigration lawyers across the country are ready to fight.  Alice Neel’s paintings of the queer community and their allies are on display at the David Zwirner gallery. She captured people’s true essence and never followed the herd.   Critics review the latest film releases: “Here,” “A Real Pain,” “Blitz,” and “Emilia Perez.”

Both presidential candidates have promised big economic plans — with hefty price tags. Donald Trump has vowed tax cuts and across-the-board tariffs. Kamala Harris has also pledged tax cuts, a cracking down of price gouging, and the construction of new homes. Third-party candidates could significantly impact the 2024 election, potentially swaying votes in key swing states and challenging major party dynamics. Sean Baker, director of the new film "Anora," talks about how having a bigger budget and professional actors changed his filmmaking process.  Orecchiette, the pasta shaped like an ear, plus cime di rapa, known as rapini or broccoli raab in the U.S., makes for a quintessential Pugliese dish when brought together in the pot.

Many of former President Trump’s Cabinet members and executive branch staffers from his first administration have publicly disavowed him. Who would serve in his White House if he wins again? Pro-cryptocurrency donors have made almost half of all the corporate contributions to political action committees this election, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on both sides of the aisle. A decade after the events of “Black Klansman,” undercover police detective Ron Stallworth relocated to Utah to infiltrate the same Bloods and Crips who waged gang warfare in LA and now expanded into the rich, mostly white Mormon church. New York curators have uncovered a waltz by Frederick Chopin. The short and turbulent composition captures the Polish composer’s sorrow while in exile.  

After ugly comments about Latinos at a Trump rally over the weekend, the spotlight is on that demographic’s changing voting patterns and role in key swing states. House Democrats are suing the Federal Election Commission over campaign ads by Republicans they say are exploiting a legal loophole. And the City of Santa Ana will decide if noncitizens can vote in local elections. Governor Gavin Newsom wants to bring film and TV production back to California by expanding the state’s tax credit program. Could it reverse Hollywood’s fortune?   The album “Quiet in a World Full of Noise” is an orchestral blend of intimate piano ballads and raw songwriting. Many tracks emerged out of personal loss and pain.

LA Times editorial page editor Mariel Garza resigned Wednesday after the paper’s owner Patrick Soon-Shiong ordered the Times not to endorse a presidential candidate. Two Sudanese brothers are accused of targeting Israel’s warning system during the Hamas attack last October 7. They also attacked Cedars-Sinai hospital, an indictment says. Oscar-winner Morgan Neville goes behind the scenes of directing a LEGO movie that chronicles Pharrell’s musical journey from discovery to stardom.  Critics review the latest film releases: “Venom: The Last Dance,” “Conclave,” “New Wave,” and “No One Asked You.” 

Donald Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, recently spoke to news media about concerns that the former president would govern as a dictator if re-elected.  James Carville was part of the campaign to get Bill Clinton elected in 1992 — and an early critic of Joe Biden’s choice to run for a second term. He talks about the high stakes in the Nov. election.  Longtime Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela died on Tuesday at age 63.  “Fernandomania” in 1981 left an indelible mark on LA and its Mexican American community. Evan Kleiman offers a recipe for flavoring your whole chicken with rosemary-infused maple syrup and combining it with a melted butter baste. It’s inspired by Colu Henry and Samin Nosrat. 

The medical diagnosis used to convict a Texas death row inmate has drawn growing skepticism. At least 30 others similarly convicted have been exonerated. California’s Proposition 6 would end forced labor in prisons. Currently incarcerated people can be required to work, sometimes for pennies per hour or nothing at all, and face punishment if they refuse. Millions of square feet of online shopping warehouses are popping up in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Residents are fighting new developments. A developmentally disabled woman wants to marry her partner, but they'll lose their medical benefits and social security if they wed. Now they're fighting to change federal law.

The Dodgers are back in the World Series after a wild win over the Mets. Now they’re set to face the Yankees in a matchup that’s pure baseball magic. Days after Yahya Sinwar’s death, Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to the Middle East to bring calm to the region. But prospects for peace don’t look good. Elon Musk is offering swing state voters $1 million to sign his petition. But some election law experts worry that Musk is trying to buy votes for Donald Trump. “New Wave” is a documentary about Vietnamese refugees leaning into Eurodisco as they built new lives in SoCal after the fall of Saigon. It also speaks to generational trauma and grief.