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When City Leaders Become Daytime TV Stars
Villaraigosa meets Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) and Garcetti meets Adam Chandler (David Canary) (ABC)
Local fans of ABC's long-running soap All My Children will see a familiar face on today's episode: City Council President Eric Garcetti. And that's not the Pine Valley City Council we're talking about. Garcetti is one of two LA political bigwigs taking time out from laying off city workers to step into the sudsy world of daytime television; tomorrow AMC welcomes none other than Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. (What, you thought maybe it was Herb Wesson?)
What's bringing LA's civic leaders to this imaginary scandalous hamlet is probably the fact that the imaginary scandalous hamlet has just come to LA; after 40 years in New York City, AMC moved its production studio west, and now tapes in facilities near Downtown Los Angeles, and Garcetti's and Villaraigosa's appearances are said to help "celebrate" the momentous move, according to ABC.
Still, it's hard to fathom what would get these two men to Pine Valley, a suspension of disbelief that might merit suspicion. Our camera-shy Mayor (ahem) has a plotline involving him re-meeting diva Erica Kane at a Pine Valley hotspot after a previous LA encounter. For his part, Garcetti is in town to help businessman Adam Chandler make his company more eco-friendly. "How Garcetti's jurisdiction suddenly includes Pine Valley is also a mystery," observes Franklin Avenue. See if our two top political dogs are ready for their close-ups today and tomorrow at Noon on ABC7.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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