Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Plus, two Republicans lead the California governor’s race, the Supreme Court appears skeptical of mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day, and LA’s Darwinian left turns at a yellow light.

Plus, California moves to rename Cesar Chavez Day, how to detox from your phone, reviews of the new Ryan Gosling movie and other big releases, and the hot weather has Evan Kleiman thinking soft serve.

Plus, LA County DA Nathan Hochman says ICE is interfering with his prosecutions, the prolific career of composer Philip Glass, and Reuters purportedly identifies mysterious street artist Banksy.

Plus, President Trump restarts an oil pipeline in California to lower prices, why he talks about Hannibal Lecter like he’s a real person, and the Sklar Brothers preview the NCAA basketball tournaments.

Plus, President Trump loses a court battle against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a free music showcase called The Rehearsal at a downtown market, and remembering the philosopher who coined the term “the public sphere.”

Plus, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s first public statement raises questions about the health of Iran’s supreme leader. And our weekend film reviews include a Colleen Hoover drama all about yearning.

Plus, a preliminary report says the U.S. fired the missile that hit an Iranian school, new shows starring Tracy Morgan, Rachel Weisz, and Steve Carrell, and Evan Kleiman on how to make the simple potato sing.

Plus, California Republicans are scrambling to hold power after Congressional maps were redrawn to favor Democrats, and how a school in rural Louisiana managed to send so many kids to elite colleges.

Plus, Live Nation settles with the Justice Department, The New York Times details years of abuse by celebrated chef René Redzepi, and how some Academy members skirted new rules for Oscar voting.

Plus, the CIA has been secretly arming the Kurds, possibly encouraging them to mount a revolution in Iran, our weekend film reviews, and Evan Kleiman expresses her love for an ugly vegetable.

Plus, should low-polling Democratic candidates drop out of the California governor’s race? The state party chair says yes. And people are betting on real-world events, like the war in Iran.

Plus, the Supreme Court temporarily blocks a California law that protected trans kids from being outed by their teachers, the leader of an activist group sailing to Cuba with supplies, and the phenomenon of “stay-at-home sons.”

Plus, who will lead Iran after the assassination of the supreme leader, if the airstrikes are legal, and a hip-hop legend on Salt-N-Pepa’s fight to own their master recordings.

Plus, the FBI raid of Alberto Carvalho’s home and office may be tied to a dodgy AI company, our weekend film reviews, and when life gives you lemons, Evan Kleiman is here with suggestions.

Plus, the Department of Justice sues the University of California system for alleged antisemitism at UCLA, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta accuses Amazon of price fixing.

Plus, Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, Paramount tries to ice out Netflix in the fight for Warner Bros. Discovery, and how the Trump administration is trying to water down Black history.

Plus, violence in Mexico after one of the most powerful cartel leaders is killed, President Trump lashes out after SCOTUS strikes down his tariffs, and the classical crossover music of Bridgerton.

Plus, how the movie “Wuthering Heights” is a lot tamer than the nearly 200-year-old novel, our weekly film reviews, and Evan Kleiman celebrates the Lunar New Year with rice cake recipes.

Plus, the U.S. orders warships to the Middle East. Any military action against Iran would likely involve Israel. And is AI coming for your job? It could radically reshape American life. One writer says we’re not ready.

Plus, will LA28’s Casey Wasserman survive the Epstein scandal? A court ruled LA can’t throw away the belongings of unhoused people, and why Texas gives Democrats hope of flipping a Senate seat.

Plus, how Infinite Jest is not just a novel for pretentious guys (according to one female novelist at least), our weekly film reviews, and a new Stanford dating app may be the antidote to swiping.

Plus, new reporting from The New York Times reveals Jeffrey Epstein had hidden cameras in his homes, ICE is recording and identifying people to be deported with technology that’s far from reliable, and Evan Kleiman has a can’t-miss Valentine’s Day idea.

Plus, what a rollback of a landmark environmental policy could mean, how peptides became the “it drug” in the wellness world, and the history of romcoms from the screwball era to today.

Plus, a last-minute addition upends the LA mayor’s race, Instagram and YouTube face accusations their algorithms are addictive, and Tesla kills its iconic models S and X in favor of…humanoid robots.

Plus, more candidates consider running for LA mayor after a critical Los Angeles Times story about Mayor Karen Bass, and our film critics tackle a man in love with vacuum cleaner and a BDSM “dom-com.”