Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The 2025 state legislative session has ended. Hundreds of approved bills include measures to unmask cops, boost oil drilling, and increase pay for incarcerated firefighters. A bill banning law enforcement officers from covering their faces is sitting on Gavin Newsom’s desk. Does California have the power to regulate federal agents? “The Pitt” earned several Emmys, but the celebration comes with a twist. Michael Crichton’s estate says the show borrows heavily from “ER,” the hit medical drama he created based on his life. The long out-of-print pre-Fleetwood Mac album by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks — the only album they ever released as a duo — is being re-released for the first time in decades this Friday.

A former Obama staffer was meeting a Project 2025 author when she got news of Charlie Kirk’s death. KCRW discusses political violence and a plea for calm. Voters are bombarded by mailers and ads for and against Prop 50, which would allow California's legislature to redraw its Congressional maps mid-decade. Millions are pouring in from unions, billionaires, and national players. Critics review the latest film releases: “The Long Walk,” The History of Sound,” “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” and “Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues.” Writer Vanessa Anderson’s project “The Grocery Goblin” explores food and consumer culture via the grocery store. Her latest Substack post wondered what was in Evan Kleiman’s fridge.

An economist explains that people are staying put in their current jobs amid economic uncertainty, it’s tougher to find a new role, and mass deportation policies are affecting the overall economy. Twenty-two TV series were just awarded the first round of expanded Hollywood tax credits. Is it enough to breathe life back into the industry? Families invent their own secret languages — nicknames, jokes, and mispronunciations — that bond them together, linger for years. Linguists call this “familect.” KCRW host Sam Sanders dishes on all things pop culture — the moments, movies, music, and TV shows people couldn't stop raving about over the summer.

Many immigrants have feared going to work amid ICE raids. Weekly earnings for immigrant renters fell 62% this summer, according to The Rent Brigade’s recent survey. As the trial for an alleged assassin of President Trump begins this week, KCRW looks back on September 1975, when two different women had plans to kill President Gerald Ford. A small-town paper gets the mockumentary treatment in a new spinoff from “The Office,” mixing newsroom chaos, nostalgia, and laughs about the future of print journalism. A displeased astrologer weighs in after the New York Times reports that your zodiac sign is out of date. KCRW explains the long controversy between astronomers and astrologers.

In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that temporarily blocked federal immigration agents from indiscriminately arresting people on sidewalks, at Home Depots, swap meets, etc. Santa Monica is on the verge of a fiscal emergency as massive sex abuse settlements and shrinking revenues stretch city services, reflecting a wider crisis across LA County. The book “Changeover” explores the budding rivalry between tennis phenoms Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and what it means for the future of the sport. No candidate exists for 2025’s “song of the summer.” Media consumption is fragmented, streaming allows people to listen to the same songs for longer, and more artists are competing for attention.

The Trump administration halted major offshore wind projects in the Northeast, citing cost and national security concerns. Environmental advocates say wind power is key to meeting clean energy goals. The Eames House survived the Palisades Fire, underwent smoke remediation and other repairs, and reopened in late July. Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita” is the story of a middle-aged professor with an insatiable obsession with little girls, who sexually assaults his 12-year-old stepdaughter. It’s also one of literature’s most celebrated novels — acclaimed for its prose and wordplay. Critics review the latest film releases: “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” “Preparation for the Next Life,” “Twinless,” and “The Threesome.”

Today, the governors of CA, OR, and WA launched a health pact to coordinate their states’ vaccine recommendations and “ensure residents remain protected by science, not politics.” A deadly U.S. airstrike on a boat in the Caribbean signals a more aggressive turn in the war on drugs. In 2020, Quibi offered phone-based 10-minute (or less) videos. Now, the Hollywood-based company MicroCo is launching a new version of that idea. Today’s protein-obsessed culture is rediscovering cottage cheese. On social media, people are blending it into ice cream, dips, pancakes, and even pasta sauces. Downtown LA’s iconic Mayan Theater’s current operators have run the venue since 1989. KCRW looks at the history that’s showcased everything from Gershwin, to porn, to Mexican wrestling.

Judge Charles Breyer ruled that the Trump administration’s use of the military as domestic police violated federal law, setting the tone for legal challenges in other cities. Thousands of people hoping to join ICE attended a recruitment fair in Texas. Many applicants were Latino. Building atom bombs was a feat rivaling the science behind them. The Manhattan Project oversaw hundreds of thousands of workers in cities that technically didn’t exist. The single bloodiest day of World War II was the firebombing of Tokyo — before atomic bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Why isn’t it mourned that way?

In the 1970s, actress Candy Clark shot relaxed, intimate portraits of her friends and boyfriends, including Jeff Bridges, Nicolas Roeg, and Ed Ruscha. The images are now part of a new book.

An anthropologist and a psychiatrist weigh in on “AI psychosis,” following several recent, high-profile cases of users losing touch with reality during conversations with bots. The summer COVID spike is here, but new FDA vaccine restrictions limit who can get a booster, and CDC turmoil impacts U.S. public health policy. Critics review the latest film releases: “Caught Stealing,” “The Roses,” “The Toxic Avenger,” and “A Little Prayer.” Finger clapping — touching your thumb and middle finger together in a form of silent applause — may seem like a hot new thing on TikTok. But the queer ballroom scene has been doing it for years.

The Federal Reserve was set up over 100 years ago to insulate monetary policy from politics. Now Trump is trying to exert authority over the organization. The Spotify habits of politicians, celebrities, and other public figures were released on a site called Panama Playlists. The leak revealed just how much of our online lives may be less private than we think. Merle Oberon hid her mixed-race, impoverished background to become a movie star in Britain and then Hollywood. But her career fizzled out in the 1940s, and all that cover-up had a psychological impact. Consider setting up a pickle bar for your Labor Day get-together. Pickles fit right in with cheese, charcuterie, and crackers. They can also be used for sandwiches and cocktails.

After Kamala Harris declined to run for California governor, the crowded field lacks a clear frontrunner. Former Congresswoman Katie Porter has a slight edge, but Rick Caruso could shake up the race. Heat waves are among the deadliest natural disasters. Shade is a vital defense. But in cities like LA, it’s treated as a privilege, not a right. A new Hulu series revisits the story of Amanda Knox, the American college student studying abroad who was accused of killing her roommate. Knox and Monica Lewinsky are executive producers. The colonial-era Mercator map distorts continental size, making Africa look smaller than it is. The 55-nation African Union joins the push to embrace a new world map.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported to a Salvadoran prison. Now the Trump administration is trying to send him to Uganda. States are redrawing congressional maps in an aggressive battle for control. Texas and California are leading the charge, sparking a partisan fight leading up to the midterm elections. President Trump has said he wants to get rid of FEMA and shift relief responsibility to the states. FEMA employees say this leaves the U.S. unprepared for the next Hurricane Katrina. Terry Riley is known for creating minimalist music, which influenced artists across genres, including ambient, electronic, pop, and rock. On Sept. 7, the Ford amphitheater will host a concert celebrating his work.

HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is cutting hundreds of millions of dollars of mRNA vaccine funding research. The groundbreaking technology is used in most COVID-19 vaccines, and shows promise in other areas. At the end of Ruth Asawa’s life, an encounter with an auction house curator turned her from a relatively obscure artist into one whose works command millions of dollars. Critics review the latest film releases: “Honey Don’t!,” “Splitsville,” “Lurker,” and “Suspended Time.” Granola and energy bars often start with the same pantry staples such as oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc. They diverge in the proportion of ingredients and the technique used to make them.

Israel has approved a West Bank settlement plan that would split the territory and pave the way for thousands of apartments, drawing global criticism and threatening hopes of a Palestinian state. Gov. Newsom last year accused oil companies of “screwing” customers, but now he wants to increase oil drilling in Kern County to prevent a possible rise in gas prices in 2026. Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead were counterculture icons. But according to author Jim Newton, Garcia himself wasn’t particularly political. At least not publicly, or even in ways we might traditionally think. Forty-two cats in a traditional portrait setting. Felines filling the frame in an array of poses on blue and pink fabrics, bathed in soft light. The 1891 masterpiece "My Wife's Lovers" is just as fabulous as it sounds.

Sam Tsemberis came up with Housing First — permanent housing with supportive services. He explains the root causes of homelessness and why Trump’s executive order paints a false reality. When Amber Mariah Metzinger entered a Housing First program, she stopped using meth, and started working toward a career in drug and alcohol counseling. After 15 years off air, “King of the Hill” returns with new laughs, old neighbors, and storylines that echo today’s political and social divide. Dan Tana, 90, died of cancer on Saturday in his native Serbia — far from the city where his name welcomed diners and scenesters for decades.

A new California congressional map, commissioned by Democrats, seeks to counter Texas’ proposed gerrymandering. The man who drew the map had never drawn a partisan one before. Californians are likely headed to the ballot box in November for a special election on redistricting – and the state is likely headed to court over the scheme. For 45 years, Blue Note in Greenwich Village served as New York City’s upscale club for jazz. Then came locations in Asia, Europe, and South America. Last week, LA got its own Blue Note. KCRW’s LeRoy Downs says Blue Note LA will appeal to a wide audience, even those who don’t often listen to jazz. He highlights some artists who will perform there this season.

President Trump claims crime is rising in D.C., when it’s actually down there — and across the country. Critics say his rhetoric is part of a longer history of “copaganda.” The Dodgers hit a rough patch, losing to the Angels and slipping to second place in the NL West. LAFC made headlines by signing soccer star Son Heung-Min. Tennis legend Venus Williams returns to the US Open at 45. Critics review the latest film releases: “Highest 2 Lowest,” “Nobody 2,” “The Knife,” “Went Up the Hill.” Who doesn’t love noodles? Japchae is served hot or cold, with bouncy and chewy sweet potato starch noodles. Hiyashi chuka is cold and found in many ramen shops.

After two months of denied access, Rep. Brad Sherman tours LA’s secretive ICE facility, raising questions about masked raids, detainee living conditions, and oversight rights. Matt, 19, got hormones and surgery through CHLA. After the hospital ended its gender-affirming care, he turned to a new clinic but is considering leaving the U.S. By now, you or someone you know has probably ridden a Waymo in LA. What lies ahead for the company, its rivals, human ride-share drivers, and customers? Around 160,000 Americans still receive dial-up internet. AOL is ending the service. KCRW takes a trip down the memory superhighway.

Pali High starts its new academic term on August 13. Instruction will still temporarily happen at the old Sears in Santa Monica. There’s optimism for rebuilding the old campus and community. Over the weekend, an Israeli airstrike killed Anas Al-Sharif and four other Al Jazeera journalists in what the Israeli military said was a targeted attack on their media tent. In the novel “Wanting,” two childhood friends grow up and commit to lives they feel were never meant for them, and begin questioning their choices. In the early 1990s, there was no bigger football team than the Dallas Cowboys. The team won three Super Bowls in four years, before the dynasty fell apart amid rampant allegations of drug use and violence.