Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Host Madeleine Brand looks at news, culture and emerging trends through the lens of Los Angeles.

rss_feed RSS Feed

Most Recent Episode

More Episodes

Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The future of public TV without federal funding

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has filed felony charges against 38 ICE protestors, but only secured seven indictments. Some in his office question whether his approach is based on the evidence. 

PBS SoCal is losing millions in funding from the federal government. The cuts to public broadcasting will be particularly felt in rural areas. Can the system survive?

Critics review the latest film releases: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “AJ Goes To The Dog Park,” “Cloud,” and “Diciannove.”

DineLA Restaurant Week is an opportunity to support the local restaurant community after it was hit by COVID shutdowns, the Hollywood strikes, and January wildfires.

00:51:24
Jul 24, 2025 5:57 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The magic of Shari Lewis’ Lamb Chop

Since the end of the last cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in March, people in Gaza are facing increasingly dire humanitarian conditions.

Over nearly seven decades, research conducted at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory taught us that global warming is happening and humans are causing most of it. Trump's proposed budget for 2026 would shutter the observatory. 

Before “Mister Rogers” or “Sesame Street,” Shari Lewis created, voiced, and performed a diminutive sock puppet named Lamb Chop. Her story is the focus of a new documentary. 

00:51:34
Jul 22, 2025 6:8 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
NPR stations are losing federal funds. What will they do?

NPR, PBS, and member stations will lose $1.1 billion in federal funding. KCRW hears from two people who run smaller stations: KOSU in Oklahoma City and KCBX in San Luis Obispo.

Harvard gets its day in court against the Trump administration. In Texas, Trump wants lawmakers to redraw Congressional maps ahead of schedule.

“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was reportedly losing money, though a pending merger for CBS’ parent company may have also factored into the network’s decision to cancel the TV program.

Backstreet Boys are out with “Millennium 2.0,” and will perform concerts this summer in Las Vegas. KCRW talks about their long trajectory to fame in the U.S., lawsuit against their manager, and cross-generational appeal. 

00:51:06
Jul 21, 2025 3:58 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
ICE’s deportation campaign leaves many agents morally conflicted

Former and current ICE officials and agents told The Atlantic morale is low due, in part, to the relentless pressure from the Trump administration to arrest people.

After a judge blocked federal agents from carrying out “indiscriminate” raids and denying detainees access to lawyers, an attorney says compliance is “spotty.”

Critics review the latest film releases: “Smurfs,” “Eddington,” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

00:51:43
Jul 17, 2025 4:48 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Expect a surge in EV purchases as federal tax credits will expire

In March, President Trump signed an executive order to begin shuttering the Department of Education. A lower court forced him to stop the process, but on Monday, the Supreme Court overturned it. 

President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” eliminates federal tax credits for new and used EVs and plug-in hybrids purchased after September 30, 2025. How will this affect consumers and manufacturers?

The number of immigrants leaving the U.S. this year may surpass the number of those who arrive. Liberal and conservative economists warn of impacts.

Once dominated by ceremonies and roses, reality TV dating is leveling up. “Love Island” has real-time twists, social media presence, and viewing parties.

00:49:30
Jul 15, 2025 5:52 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
LA-based Caltex Records is the biggest Iranian music label

A federal judge says ICE has been racially profiling people it detains at raids in California. And a second judge says the LAPD has been targeting journalists at anti-ICE protests. 

Lawmakers toured the high-security immigration detention center called Alligator Alcatraz, where conditions differ depending on who you ask. The Miami Herald reports over 250 detainees have no criminal record.

People who heavily rely on AI have brains that are less active and less original, according to new research. 

LA-based Caltex Records represents most mainstream Iranian music released since the 1950s. A 25-year-old Iranian immigrant founded it after the 1979 revolution.

00:51:50
Jul 14, 2025 4:23 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
DOJ eval of Epstein case makes MAGA mad

Right-wing figures who stoked conspiracy theories about alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and some on the left, aren’t buying the DOJ’s assessment that there’s no further evidence to release.

Maestro Leonard Slatkin opens up about his family, the story of the Hollywood String Quartet, and how the Summer of Angels festival honors their legacy.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Superman,” “Kill the Jockey,” “Apocalypse in the Tropics,” and “To A Land Unknown,”

Making your own ice cream sandwich? Focus on baking the cookie: chocolate chip, brownie, red velvet, snickerdoodle, peanut butter. Then choose an ice cream flavor that supports it. 

00:51:37
Jul 10, 2025 6:39 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Feds are trying to show bravado, test LA: Bass on troops in MacArthur Park

Federal troops paraded through MacArthur Park on Monday in an astonishing show of force. Mayor Karen Bass says LA is a testing site for a national project. 

The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig has spent years closely covering capital punishment. She’s written a powerful and deeply personal meditation on what witnessing executions has revealed to her about her own faith, and the power of forgiveness.

NPR’s Eric Deggans reviews the latest in TV: “Ballard,” “Dexter: Resurrection,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (season three), and “Billy Joel: And So It Goes.” 

 

00:48:43
Jul 8, 2025 4:8 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What will National Weather Service cuts mean for fire warnings in CA?

Staffing shortages at the NWS in Central Texas are being scrutinized for possibly affecting the flood response there. What does this mean for CA’s upcoming fire season?

The first major trial challenging Trump’s immigration policy began today in Boston. An association of university professors is arguing that non-citizen students were arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Hawaii is increasingly unaffordable for native residents. After her family’s land is threatened, Sara Kehualani Goo reconnects with her heritage in a new memoir.

This summer marks the 85th birthday of Bugs Bunny and the 35th anniversary of “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.” Conductor George Daugherty talks about the concert’s creation and enduring appeal. 

00:49:38
Jul 7, 2025 7:0 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Accusations against ICE are piling up, now legal action is here

Several civil rights groups filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that ICE agents are targeting people based on race and holding them in “deplorable” conditions.

ICE raids, the fire threat, or budget reasons are the reasons some LA-area communities won’t be having Independence Day festivities. But illegal fireworks will continue.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “40 Acres,” “Heads of State,” and “The Old Guard 2.”

Michael McKean shares behind-the-scenes tales from “Spinal Tap,” the film’s lasting impact, and a career filled with comedy, music, and satire.

00:50:39
Jul 3, 2025 4:40 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
REIT evictions fall hard on Black Angelenos, study finds

Immigration detention and enforcement may be getting around $150 billion in additional funding over the next four years. What will that go to?

Some Black tenants are disproportionately being evicted by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in LA, a new UCLA study finds. KCRW hears from two sisters who’ve experienced this.

Amelia Earhart is known as a pioneering aviator who died tragically — her remains are likely still lying in the Pacific Ocean. However, her choice to circumnavigate the globe was reckless, says author Laurie Gwen Shapiro.

LACMA opened its new David Geffen Galleries building to the public last week for a sneak peek. Down the street, Blum Gallery closes after over 30 years in LA. 

00:50:17
Jul 2, 2025 6:18 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How would LA Medicaid patients be affected by proposed budget cuts?

Congress may be cutting hundreds of billions from Medicaid over the next decade. That could have massive implications for Angelenos, whether they’re on Medicaid or not.

The proposed budget cuts would eliminate hundreds of billions in clean energy and EV credits. It’s the latest Republican retreat from addressing climate change. 

Julia Whelan is one of the most sought-after narrators in the $2 billion audiobook industry. She explains her extensive prep for the job, the physical toll, and potential impact of AI. 

Adrian Quesada’s new album, “Boleros Psicodelicos 2,” is a love letter to the Latin ballads of the 1960s and 70s, featuring around a dozen music stars from the contemporary Latin music scene.

00:50:52
Jun 30, 2025 6:52 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Future of miracle HIV drug, Jackie Castillo’s immigrant-centric art

New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, 33, shocked political observers with his likely upset of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary.

Tens of millions of people worldwide live with HIV. Lenacapavir can prevent the virus for months with one injection — a potential game changer. But President Trump and Elon Musk have upended foreign aid.

Jackie Castillo’s new installation features terra cotta tiles hanging from the ceiling, suspended by rebar, creating a staircase of local construction materials. The work speaks to the city and immigrants.

Tracy Anderson built a luxury fitness empire where movement is art, silence is part of the workout, and clients spend thousands chasing the perfect body. 

00:49:48
Jun 25, 2025 7:57 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
US attacks on Iran, summer book picks, Ty Segall’s ‘Possession’

Iran launches missiles at the largest American military base in the Middle East. Is this the beginning of a larger war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran?

The Constitution says Congress has the power to declare war. But it also designates the president as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, with the power to respond to emergencies, including limited military actions overseas.

Need a good book for summer? Consider “The Bombshell,” “An Oral History of Atlantis,” “A Marriage at Sea,” “A Truce That is Not Peace,” “The Hounding,” and “Tilt.”

Laguna Beach native Ty Segall has experimented with different music genres over the years. Now his 16th album centers on American storytelling.

00:50:04
Jun 23, 2025 7:25 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Medical treatments for transgender minors, future of C-SPAN

In a 6-3 ruling today, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law banning some medical treatments for transgender minors. The decision could have broad implications nationwide.

C-SPAN is facing an existential crisis as more people cut the cable cord. Longtime CNN journalist Sam Feist took the reins of CSPAN last year with a mandate to turn things around.

Critics review the latest film releases: “Elio,” “The Damned,” “Meeting with Pol Pot,” and “Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers.”

Each summer, tomatoes arrive in a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors. Ripe tomatoes are so good that most ways to prepare them are very simple. Here are unusual recipes to try.

00:52:13
Jun 18, 2025 5:47 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Homeboy Industries’ Father Boyle on ICE, 50 years of ‘Jaws’

Israel says now is the time to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Five days into fighting, the conflict could turn into a war to topple the Islamic Republic.

As the toll of ICE raids weighs heavily on local immigrant communities, Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries says, “No. We reject this. This isn’t who we are.”

Jesse Armstrong offers a sharp take on power in the show “Mountainhead,” where four tech billionaires ignore the looming dangers of AI as the world unravels around them.

“Jaws,” which turns 50 this week, was shot as an “incredible exercise in suspense.” It also tapped into people’s fear of being alone and defenseless, and kept audiences engaged with the three lead characters. 

00:50:07
Jun 17, 2025 6:56 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
End of CHLA’s gender-affirming care, Tune-Yards’ music for political change

A Minnesota state representative and her husband were killed over the weekend. What’s driving the increase in American political violence? 

Amid federal pressure, Children’s Hospital LA is ending its gender-affirming care in July. Thousands of trans youth and families are scrambling for new options. 

In the final weeks of the Supreme Court’s term, we’re still waiting on major opinions concerning trans health care for minors, a birthright citizenship case that’s really about whether lower courts can issue nationwide injunctions, and a redistricting case that could affect the makeup of Congress.

The Oakland-based duo Tune-Yards has long sung about racism, gender, and white privilege. Their new album aims to inspire political change.

00:50:07
Jun 16, 2025 6:59 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
ICE farm raids, Brian Wilson’s ‘SMiLE,’ stone fruit recipes

ICE sweeps through Ventura County farms, leaving fields almost empty and workers fearful. Community leaders and families face uncertainty and disruption.

Musical visionary Brian Wilson’s family announced on Wednesday that the Beach Boys’ co-founder died at 82. Biographer David Leaf has been a close friend of Wilson for more than 45 years, and his new book is “SMiLE: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Brian Wilson.”

Critics review the latest film releases: “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Echo Valley,” “Materialists,” and “Prime Minister.”

Serve peaches on your favorite scone or pound cake with whipped cream, or stuff them with crumbled cookies and chocolate. Stone fruit also pairs well with fresh or briny cheeses. 

00:53:34
Jun 12, 2025 4:36 PM
Clean
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
LAPD’s ‘less lethal’ weapons against protesters, Diane Arbus’ photography

Viral videos from the LA ICE protests show police firing “less lethal” weapons into crowds and at journalists. Advocates say the cops are not following the law.

Weeks before ICE raided a Home Depot in Westlake on Friday, the White House ordered the agency to ramp up sweeps to help meet President Trump’s deportation targets. 

The Supreme Court decision New York Times v. Sullivan protects journalists from debilitating lawsuits. A group of billionaires, lawyers, and right-wing groups are trying to overturn it.

Culture critic Carolina Miranda weighs in on a retrospective of Diane Arbus’ photography at Zwirner gallery, and a Wende Museum exhibition about mass surveillance in former East Germany during the Cold War. 

00:53:10
Jun 11, 2025 8:42 AM
Clean