Olympian Louis Zamperini meets Hitler in 1936 ... Queen's Brian May and his 3D passion ... How LA County's restaurant grading system happened ... Writer RH Greene out-abs Dickens, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, et alia ...
Louis Zamperini's epic life story
UPDATE 7/3/2014: Olympian and World War 2 vet Louis Zamperini died yesterday of pneumonia; he was 97. Zamperini was also a spellbinding storyteller, and in 2010 he regaled a packed Crawford Family Forum with tales of his long and remarkable life.
Epic in the most literal sense possible: Zamperini's life plays out like a grandiose American hero's tale. Louis Zamperini is a living legend you probably have never heard of, but you've seen his name everywhere. Listen to the on-air version by clicking on the first icon, listen to the whole Olympic Panel by clicking on the second!
You might have seen a football game Torrance High School’s Zamperini Stadium, or landed an airplane Zamperini Field, even Zamperini Plaza, at the front of USC’s track and field stadium. They’re all named after Louis Zamperini. A former Olympic track runner, World War Two veteran and Los Angeles native who at 93 years old shares his story to this day. This past June, at KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum, Zamperini spoke with Fellow Olympian John Naber about how he ended up in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, met Hitler, stole a Nazi flag, served in the airforce, survived for a month and half on a life raft in the Pacific, and endured years of life in captivity as a Japanese prisoner of war.
Brian May (Queen guitarist) has a 3D photo obsession and a new book
UPDATE: Brian May will be speaking at the National Stereoscopic Association's 38th annual convention, which will be held July 25-30, 2012, in Costa Mesa, California.
Brian May and Elena Vidal have just published the first complete book of TR Williams's c. 1850 photos of an English village. But these aren't just any photos ... they're stereo cards, and Williams was a master of the art. "A Village Lost and Found" is the culmination of forty years of longing for May, the guitarist for Queen.
Here's the short version of the interview, and for true stereo(photo)files, the long version we released as a podcast Monday.
Photographer Robert Yager follows two tagging crews for LA Magazine
KPCC's John Rabe talks with photographer Robert Yager, who captures some stunning images of taggers in the latest Los Angeles Magazine.
The Scarlet Letter: What are Restaurant Grades Worth?
If you’ve eaten in an LA County restaurant this century, you’ve seen them: the letter grades handed out by the public health department. They seem to be popular, and have just been adopted in New York City. But Off-Ramp's Kevin Ferguson wanted to know, how did they get there … and more importantly, do they really keep diners safe?
Writer RH Greene's abs boost him above Homer, Dickens, and other flabby writers
Today, your mind can be flabby but your belly can't, and writer RH Greene figures that puts him at the top of the list.
COME INSIDE to see Greene's actual abs.
Los Angeles Children's Chorus takes to the Bowl
If you’re a fan of opera, you might want to head out to the Hollywood Bowl this Sunday to see one of the most famous operas of all time- Carmen. The LA philharmonic will provide the score, with Gustavo Dudamel himself conducting. You’ll also hear singing from the LA Master Chorale and the LA Children’s Chorus. Off-Ramp’s Kevin Ferguson stopped by the Pasadena Presbyterian church, where the Children’s Chorus was getting ready for this week’s performance.
Todd Solondz and Paul Reubens on "Life During Wartime"
*Due to the nature of this piece, we recommend it only for mature audiences.*
Todd Solondz is a controversial writer and director responsible for films like Storytelling, Happiness and Palindromes. His latest film is called Life During Wartime, starring Paul Reubens, Allison Janney and Ally Sheedy . Recently, Solondz and Reubens sat down with Hadrian Belove of the Cinefamily after a sneak preview of the new film. Warning for parents and sensitive listener: this interview contains some very frank talk about sex and violence. Life During Wartime opened Friday in Pasadena, Santa Monica and West Hollywood. Click through for showtimes!