LA Metro Is Playing Bach And Beethoven At The Train Station–Why It's Not Exactly Music To Everyone’s Ears

Back in January, the Westlake-MacArthur Park station became the site of a new pilot program by LA Metro and city law enforcement in an effort to increase ridership and public safety on transit. Just this year, there have been 22 overdose related deaths on Metro buses and trains, and 2022 showed a 24 percent increase in serious crimes. Aspects of the program include more lighting on the platforms, a partnership with the nonprofit organization People Assisting The Homeless (PATH), and the playing of classical music throughout the station. The latter has caused the station to now be the site of controversy with riders complaining about the music being too loud and advocates criticizing LA Metro of using the music to drive out the unhoused. Despite criticisms, numbers show that the music is working. The transit authority cited a 75 percent decrease in emergency calls, a 50 percent decrease in vandalism, and a 20 percent decrease in crime overall since the program's implementation. Critique from the public must have become too loud to bear, however, with LA Metro finally lowering the music’s volume yesterday.

Joining guest host Julia Paskin to discuss the pilot program and the public concerns around it are Gina Osborn, chief safety & security officer for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (LA Metro) and Scarlett De Leon, Campaigns Director for Alliance for Community Transit LA (ACT-LA). We also want to hear from you! Are you a frequent Metro rider? Have you experienced the loud music at the Westlake-MacArthur Park station? What do you think of LA Metro's efforts to increase transit safety? Share with us by calling 866-893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.

Drag March LA Is Serving This Sunday, We Discuss The Event & Its Significance

West Hollywood Park will be bustling on Sunday, with the LA Drag March happening at that time, being one option to build community on East Sunday. The Drag March comes at a time where the drag community has come under attack by conservative lawmakers, in an effort to devalue drag as a performance art and dehumanize those who choose to express themselves in that way.

This comes after a judge temporarily blocking Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation law placing strict limits on drag shows, siding with a group that filed a lawsuit claiming the statute violates the First Amendment. Today on the program, guest host Julia Paskin talks about the LA Drag March and its significance given recent attacks on the LGBTQ+ community with Terra Russell-Slavin, chief impact officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, and Pickle, live-singing Drag Queen and director of the LA chapter of Drag Queen Story Hour.

With files from the Associated Press

Drag March LA is happening at West Hollywood Park on Sunday April 9 from 10am-1pm. 

The Realities Of 'Imposter Syndrome' And How We Manage Feelings Of Inadequacy

Most adults feel what's known as "imposter syndrome" at least once in their life. The truth is, it's not really a syndrome. It's not an official psychiatric diagnosis, nor was it meant to be, according to the psychologists who coined the concept. The researchers explain how the phenomenon came to be a universally known expression in a recent New Yorker piece. It's this nagging feeling of doubt in your abilities or feeling anxious that you'll be exposed as a fraud. It seems especially common in education or workplaces. Today on AirTalk, we talk about what it means to have imposter syndrome, how the concept has evolved or even been misused over time and what people can do to manage the feelings of inadequacy. Lisette Sanchez, licensed psychologist and founder of Calathea Wellness, a virtual private counseling practice, joins guest host Julia Paskin to discuss. Tell us your experiences with imposter syndrome by calling 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

FilmWeek: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ ‘Showing Up,’ ‘Paint’ and More

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Claudia Puig, Peter Rainer and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” Wide Release
• “Rewind & Play,” Acropolis Cinema & Lumiere Cinema Music Hall[Beverly Hills]
• “Showing Up,” AMC The Grove & AMC Century City
• “Tsurune The Movie: The First Shot,” In Select Theaters April 9 and 10 only
• “The Worst Ones,” Laemmle Monica Film Center[Santa Monica]
• “Sam Now,” Laemmle Glendale
• “Paint,” Wide Release
• “Róise & Frank,” Laemmle Town Center[Encino] & Laemmle Royal[West LA]
• “Chupa,” In Select Theaters & Streaming on Netflix

Larry Interviews Mark Vieira, Author Of “Warner Bros: 100 Years Of Storytelling”

In recent years, Warner Bros. has become known for expansive franchises like Harry Potter and the DC universe. However, the famous film studio first started out in film noir with actors Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis and in classic animation with the iconic characters of the Looney Tunes. In his new book “Warner Bros: 100 Years Of Storytelling,” filmmaker, writer, and photographer Mark Vieira chronicles the legendary studio’s history. Vieira joins Larry to discuss the studio’s origins as an immigrant family business between Polish-Jewish brothers to its controversial rise with movies like “A Clockwork Orange” and “The Exorcist.”