Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Hammer Bash

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

We dropped by the ""Hammer Bash" last night. First of all, great name for a party. Also, it's always fun to be in a museum at night, like the characters in The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler -- Thursday nights at MOCA are good for this too. The weird weather hadn't gotten really weird yet, and it was only a bit chilly, and very pretty, sipping wine or cocktails on the balcony above the courtyard.

The bash celebrated the last few days of the Masters of American Comics exhibit. The exhibit had its pros and cons as the basis for a party, as it takes a while to read all the text in the comics, although it is fun to read the Dick Tracy dialogue aloud in an excessively dramatic voice. If, say, part of one's agenda included scoping out eligible bachelors (of which there were several, only some of them weird), the comics should have also made good conversation fodder -- although it might have helped to have some actual knowledge of comics, rather than blurting out queries like, "Are there actual pirates in Terry and the Pirates?" Ah well.

Free admission included not only the comics exhibit, but the rest of the museum as well, including the Corots, Cassatts, Rembrandts, and other masters from Armand Hammer's personal collection.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today