The Frame

The writer-director called on some of her own experiences for the semi-autobiographical film about a troubled standup comic; diversity in Hollywood is depicted as writers are asked to #ShowUsYourRoom; the soundtrack for 'The House with a Clock in its Walls' makes use of a vintage instrument.

A dying man is hired to deliver a message to a recent suicide victim in "The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona"; Latino Vietnam veterans share their experiences in the play, “Ring Of Red: A Barrio Story;” at age 38, violinist Hilary Hahn's already had a long career.

Alex Honnold's daring climb of Yosemite's famous rock formation is chronicled in a new National Geographic documentary; with Bill Cosby's sentencing hearing this week, and other disgraced entertainment figures re-entering the arena, culture critic Megan Garber examines the “familiarity fallacy” and “accountability theater.”

The Prince archive releases songs that the artist may not have wanted the public to hear; Director Tom Shadyac once made movies with Jim Carrey and Eddie Murphy but his new film is no joke; Spotify's co-dependent relationship with the music biz gets tense.

"Monsters and Men," director Reinaldo Marcus Green's feature debut, examines the complicated fallout of a fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man; the LA Film Festival kicks off today.

The site-specific show at the Huntington's Chinese Garden weaves a story that merges Latino and Chinese elements; the U.S. Senate passes the long-awaited Music Modernization Act; the Los Angeles legacy of jazz musician Alice Coltrane.

HBO and the streaming services dominated the night as the broadcast networks face an increasingly daunting future.

Bekah Brunstetter's play is about a conservative Christian baker who is asked to make a cake for a lesbian wedding — and one of the women is an old friend; yes, the Emmys are tonight, but who might win next year's trophies?; looking back with punk pioneer Ana da Silva.

Hear what it takes to get an Emmy nomination from 13 people who have one (or more). Guests include: Brian Tyree Henry, Sarah Paulson, Bill Hader, Carrie Brownstein and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Plus, the creators of "Glow" and "Black-ish." This Emmy special is co-hosted by The Frame's John Horn and LA Times TV critic Lorraine Ali who discuss the social and political relevance of television in this 2017-18 season.

Jim Stern shot his documentary during the 2016 presidential campaign, seeking insights into the support for Donald Trump; the advent of smart phones has changed the world of fashion photography; why is it suddenly more difficult for foreign artists to obtain visas to the U.S.?

Writer/director John Ridley (far right, with actor Timothy Hutton) talks about his edgy new TV series, “American Crime"; We crash a viewing party for the breakout TV hit, “Empire"; Musician and attorney Joe Escalante on the fallout from the “Blurred Lines” verdict.

A jury ruled that Robin Thicke (pictured) and Pharrell Williams violated the copyright to Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up"; an assistant director on the film "Midnight Rider" was found guilty of charges relating to the death of a camera assistant; producer David Shore revived a TV project created a dozen years ago by Vince Gilligan, before his "Breaking Bad" success.

"Midnight Rider" director Randall Miller was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to charges resulting from the death of a crew member on the set; Clint Eastwood talks about "American Sniper" (pictured) becoming the biggest-grossing film released in 2014; actress Gillian Jacobs has added director to her resumé with a documentary about computer pioneer Grace Hopper.

A fan laments that legendary radio DJ Art Laboe (pictured) can't be heard in L.A., at least for now; Robert Christgau, the Dean of American Rock Critics, has a memoir covering his 40-plus years on the music beat; Claire Keane is a third-generation artist who left a cushy job to write and illustrate children's books.

The trial for the lawsuit brought by Marvin Gaye's children against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams is nearing an end; how "Dead Man Walking" was transformed from a movie to an opera (pictured); comedian Wayne Federman rounds up his hilarious friends to host a film festival where they chose the lineup; comic book writer Scott Snyder put his anxieties into his version of "Batman."

Ed Piskor’s "Hip Hop Family Tree” (pictured) takes a look at the music's history in a comic book series; young comedians test their chops in roast battles; the Writer's Guild examines the lack of racial and gender diversity among TV writers.

Late night host Conan O'Brien tells us about his trip to Cuba and his thoughts on the late night TV shuffle; Vulture.com's Margaret Lyons recommends some TV shows that have an air of optimism; comic book writer Ed Brubaker goes from Captain America and Batman to a Hollywood noir graphic novel.

Will Smith's "Focus" (pictured) did middling business in its opening weekend, so where does this leave his career?; filmmaker Ed Burns on the highs and lows of his career since bursting on the scene with "The Brothers McMullen" in 1995; Valiant Entertainment has a simple goal: make comic books like they used to be made.

Leonard Nimoy (pictured) died today. We discuss his artistic journey as an actor, writer and photographer; the copyright trial pitting Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. against Marvin Gaye's children is underway; Will Forte is "The Last Man on Earth," a new Fox comedy.

Singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane (pictured) wrote "The Ambassador," a song cycle inspired by architectural landmarks around L.A.; Yann Demange's new film is set amidst the violent Northern Ireland conflict known as The Troubles; a new study concludes that watching even just one film can change minds about a topic as charged as politics.

A new report by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA says movies and TV shows with diverse casts (such as "Empire," pictured) make good financial sense; Song Exploder breaks down the theme song for "House of Cards"; a new stage production at CalTech takes "Alice Through the Wormhole."

How did Amy Poehler's sitcom (pictured) survive seven seasons of average ratings?; Sam Beam, aka Iron & Wine, returns to his musical roots with "Archive Series Volume Number One"; Wes Anderson's Oscar-winning film is the subject of a new book; the L.A. Philharmonic stages a multimedia production of "Alice in Wonderland."