A Reveal reporter in the middle of the Berkeley conflict, tracking mosquito-borne diseases with data sharing, why Game of Thrones is perfect for constant discussion.
Journalist relives shielding a man at Berkeley political rally
Several planned right-wing rallies in the Bay Area didn't materialize this weekend. Sunday, organizers canceled the "No to Marxism in America" event in Berkeley.
But videos out of Berkeley show scattered incidents of violence. They appeared to be between anti-fascist, or "antifa" groups, and right-wing demonstrators.
One of those situations was broken up by a journalist, who was there to cover the story but ended up jumping into the fray to stop the violence.
That journalist was Al Letson, host of the public radio show and podcast "Reveal." Letson joined Take Two to tell his story.
Interview highlights
Al Letson describes the day:
On the whole, it was a pretty peaceful event. There were times when violence sparked up, and when people went after other people, but on the whole, I would say it wasn't this big riot in the street.
You mentioned earlier in the day a family-friendly-type feeling. As you moved towards where the very few right-wing demonstrators were, and the black block folks showed up, it seems as though there were a few folks who were looking for a fight. How did you become involved?
[I saw someone] running, and he fell. The crowd was chasing him. I saw a small group of guys around — maybe four or five guys — that were kicking him. Someone had a flagpole, and they were bringing it down on him.
At the moment, I was worried about him. And then I glanced behind where he was and saw more of the crowd coming towards him. And I thought, "You know, it's going to be like 20 people on top of this guy, and he's going to die."
I didn't think much about anything except that I didn't want to see bloodshed. I didn't want him to die. So I just ran over and got on top of him.
At first, I thought I was just going to break it up, but I realized that wasn't going to work. I just had to put my body on top of him.
I will say that the protesters that were trying to get at him — the minute that I got on top of him, I got a blow or two, but on the whole, I felt like they were trying to leave me alone. It wasn't like I took a beating for this guy at all. I was just shielding him.
I think, in retrospect, they may not have wanted to injure him, but at the time, everything just happened so quickly.
Press the blue play button above to hear about what happened next.
(Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.)
As Houston copes with catastrophic flooding, SoCal fire departments come to the rescue
Hurricane Harvey has devastated Houston and Southeast Texas. Massive flooding has left so many people in danger that experts estimate 30,000 people could need emergency shelter.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has task forces all over the country making the long trek to Houston, including fire departments from Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange Counties.
Los Angeles Fire Department arrived in Texas today, and the task force from Orange County Fire Authority got there over the weekend. Take Two host Libby Denkmann spoke with Captain Larry Kurtz, the public information officer for the OCFA, to get an update on the task force's rescue efforts.
"The team has really been nonstop action since they got there," Kurtz said. "They've had close to 200 rescues total that they have done so far with another 40 to 50 rescues that occurred last night alone."
To listen to the full interview, use the blue media player above.
California sets the bar for mosquito surveillance
Just in time for the last week of August, a heat wave in Southern California..... and when it gets hot, mosquitoes are never far behind.
From Zika to West Nile, there are all sorts of diseases associated with these tiny flying pests...
But how good are we at keeping track of mosquitoes and the harm that they can cause?
Dr. Claire Panosian-Dunavan is a professor of UCLA's Division of Infectious Diseases. She spoke with Take Two's Libby Denkmann for more
To hear the full conversation, click the blue player above.
On the Lot: Why are box office numbers so low?
They're calling it the worst August box office in 15 years, but don't blame it on the Mayweather McGregor fight. It may be the dog days of summer, but there's lots of news happening in the entertainment business.
John Horn is the host of KPCC's entertainment program, the Frame. He spoke to Libby Denkmann about the latest Hollywood news.
- Box office numbers are at a historic low, but it may not be for the reasons you think.
- This August is down 35% from a year ago, and the summer overall is running 14% down from last summer. This could be the first summer in a decade where total ticket sales are not $4 billion or more.
- The quality of entertainment people can get at home (i.e. Game of Thrones, Netflix originals, etc.) are worth staying home for as opposed to some of the latest August releases.
- The Frame is going to Telluride.
- KPCC's culture and entertainment show is already looking ahead to awards season. Each of the last five best picture Oscar winners have either had their world or domestic premiere at Telluride.
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
California Canon: 'Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies'
All summer we've been looking at the Golden State from the perspective of books that have been written with California in mind. We call it the California Canon and Take Two contributor David Kipen is our guide.
For our next installment, we bring you "Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies," by Reyner Banham, a book that has provided natives and transplants alike a deeper understanding of Los Angeles.
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The Four Ecologies
- Surfurbia– This is the beaches and the people who live near them. They're considered the "glories" of Southern California because of the recreation they afford and the organizing principle around which the city is distributed.
- The Plains of Id– This refers to the cookie cutter homes stretched out towards the horizon. But Banham sees something more nuanced and special in them.
- Autopia– The one everyone could probably relate to. In this chapter, Banham addresses L.A.'s freeways. From this section comes one of the book's most famous quotes: "I learned to drive so that I could read Los Angeles in the original."
- The Foothills– The only ecology he doesn't nickname but equally as important as the rest. All part of challenging the audience to see Los Angeles a new.
To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.
'Game of Thrones' and recap shows: Why LA loves to discuss HBO's hit series
"Game of Thrones" is HBO’s small-screen phenomenon and counts as event viewing in this era of peak television. Whether it's the intrigue, the witty dialogue, the sex or just getting to see fire-breathing dragons lay waste to their enemies, people can't seem to get enough of it.
The only thing that might be more popular than watching "Game of Thrones" is talking about "Game of Thrones," which many fans simply refer to as "GoT." Epic conversations can happen anywhere from a co-worker's desk to social media – even within KPCC studios.
Shows about the show have even surfaced, built to unpack anything from what happened on that night's episode to wild speculation and theories about what could (or in the case of many viewers, should) happen next. There are podcasts, dedicated sections on websites and YouTube shows.
Take Two's Libby Denkmann had a "Game of Microphones" with two L.A. locals who have spent a lot of time recapping the show.
One of them is Aaron Johnson, one of the hosts of the LA Metro YouTube show, "Train of Thrones."
And Jonathan Van Ness is the host of the Funny or Die series, "Gay of Thrones."
Below are a few of the highlights of the "Thrones" talk:
On why "Game of Thrones" makes such good fodder for conversations:
Van Ness:
"I think whether you're binging or you're waiting for the next episode, I think what keeps people connected to television is their ability to relate to it. And ... I think GoT has so many really powerful subtexts that in many scary ways ... kind of mirror what we're seeing now [in real life]. No matter who we are, no matter what your lot in life is, you're being reminded of things you can relate to. Obviously maybe not because you've been lit on fire by dragons."
Johnson:
"It's the fact that the show connects people and brings them together. And in this climate that we're in with the news and with the political climate, it's nice to have a safe subject to talk about and to joke about, especially on a Monday morning when you're getting yourself back into the groove of things. It may be hard to find a show that can do that the same way that Game of Thrones did. But we'll have to wait and see."
On which kingdom in Westeros most closely resembles Southern California:
Van Ness:
"If 'Game of Thrones' the show represented Dorne the way I imagine Dorne in the books, then I would say Dorne. Cuz [it's] kind of warm; kind of Barcelona weather; it's kind of sandy. The people are really suave; they're really concerned about physical fitness ... So I'd say Dorne would be my answer."
Johnson:
"I have to say it's King's Landing. It's this big, packed, crowded city. It's sort of the place to be in Westeros, it's where the Iron Throne is, which kind of reminds a little bit of Hollywood-ish. And also it has a port. [Like the] port of L.A., port of Long Beach?"
Answers have been edited for clarity. To hear the full conversation, click the blue player above.