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Politics of Culture (Entertainment)

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  • Sometimes a panel discussion about current controversies in the cultural world, other times and in-depth interview with an author or leading figures in media, the arts, entertainment or politics, The Politics of Culture examines the intersection where the world of politics and culture meet and sometimes collide.
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MOCA in Peril

Tue, Dec 2 Listen
Ruth Seymour hosts a panel discussion about the financial crisis facing LA's quintessential contemporary art museum.

Google Book-Scan Settlement

Tue, Nov 25 Listen
Host Jonathan Kirsch, an attorney specializing in intellectual property and publishing law, moderates a panel discussion on a landmark literary-legal settlement. It allows Google to scan and make available online many out-of-print but still-copyrighted books. The settlement portends a viable digital future for authors, publishers and libraries. Is there any downside?

Studs Terkel Remembered

Tue, Nov 11 Listen
Author and radio host "Studs" Terkel died at the age of 96 on October 31. We remember him today with this archived edition of The Politics of Culture. In 2006, Larry Josephson spoke to Studs about what was then his latest book, And They All Sang, a memoir about his years as a music DJ and the musicians he profiled.

The New Annotated Dracula

Tue, Oct 28 Listen
Editor Leslie S. Klinger has gone back to the source and unearthed much that is new and fascinating about the vampire classic that started the current cult craze, Bram Stoker's Dracula...

Arts and the Economy

Tue, Oct 14 Listen
A distinguished group of leaders from four of Los Angeles' top arts institutions join KCRW General Manager Ruth Seymour for a discussion about the impact of the economic downturn on support for the arts.

The Media and the Message

Tue, Oct 7 Listen
Is Sarah Palin getting a free ride or fried? Is Obama a celebrity? Complaints about media bias are running rampant during this presidential race. What's behind the claims? Will Lewis joins resident satirist Harry Shearer, LA Times media analyst James Rainey and Project for Excellence in Journalism director, Tom Rosenstiel in conversation.

UCLA Live to Offer an Eclectic 2008 Season

Tue, Sep 30 Listen
UCLA Live has another exciting, dramatic and challenging season ahead, featuring international theatre, music, dance and spoken word...

Considering David Foster Wallace

Tue, Sep 16 Listen
Author David Foster Wallace died on Friday leaving the literary world in astonished disbelief. In the special edition of Politics of Culture, Bookworm host Michael Silverblatt speaks with literary critic Anthony Miller about Wallace's impact on fiction, his generation and American culture. Hear why many feel that the death of Wallace is to literature as the death of Curt Cobain was to rock music.

The Grand Inquisitor's Manual

Tue, Sep 9 Listen
Author Jonathan Kirsch has written a book about the dark side of religion, The Grand Inquisitor's Manual: A History of Terror in the Name of God. Sara Terry hosts.

Georgia, Ossetia and Russia

Tue, Sep 2 Listen
The countries are separated by a wide cultural divide, which has had a major impact on the current political situation. Host Jonathan Kirsch discusses their differences with political scientist Ronald Steel of USC, historian Peter Kenez of UC Santa Cruz and Eugene Levin of Los Angeles-based Russian-language media group Panorama.

The Black List

Tue, Aug 19 Listen
KCRW's Elvis Mitchell and photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders have produced a critically acclaimed documentary called The Black List, that profiles prominent African-Americans. It's spawned a companion book and an art exhibition.

Sam Zell's LA Times Deal from Hell

Tue, Aug 12 Listen
It's been a period of vast upheaval at the Los Angeles Times under Sam Zell's ownership. How exactly did he manage to use the employees' pension fund as collateral? How secure are the futures of Times employees?

The Decline of Foreign News Coverage

Tue, Aug 5 Listen
International coverage is on the decline on American TV network-news broadcasts and in newspapers across the country. Will Lewis talks with correspondents and others about this state of affairs.

RED, Rhapsody and Digital Music

Tue, Jul 8 Listen
Celia Hirschman, host of KCRW's On the Beat, talks about the future of the music business as it expands into the digital music universe with Don Mackinnon, director of the RED Campaign, and Tim Quirk of Rhapsody.

Architecture, Education and Money

Tue, Jul 1 Listen
As money pours in for building projects at museums and colleges, is there money for the art to fill the galleries and the educational needs of students?

Right Is Wrong: Shearer and Huffington

Tue, Jun 24 Listen
KCRW's resident satirist and host of Le Show, Harry Shearer, talks with Arianna Huffington about her new book, Right Is Wrong. They get off some pretty funny lines – and some serious political discussion, too. Not to be missed!

Who Owns Antiquities?

Tue, Jun 10 Listen
In his new book, Who Owns Antiquity: Museums and the Battle over Our Ancient Heritage, James Cuno, Director of the Chicago Art Institute, argues that the treasures of antiquity belong to all of civilization...

The Post-American World

Tue, Jun 3 Listen
In his new book, The Post-American World, Fareed Zakaria argues that the "rise of the rest" is the great story of our time.

The Pornography of Power

Tue, May 27 Listen
Robert Scheer talks about his latest book, The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America with host Steven Ross, Professor of History at USC.

The Bin Ladens

Tue, May 13 Listen
The rise of the Bin Laden family is one of the great stories of the 20th century, and its repercussions have already marked the 21st. It's also a story that has never fully been told till now: Pulitzer Prize winner Steve Coll talks with Will Lewis about his new book, The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century.

Britweek 2008

Tue, May 6 Listen
KCRW has its own group of Brits (Nic Harcourt, Music Director; Frances Anderton, DnA: Design and Architecture). We celebrate the advent of BritWeek 2008 by discussing the UK's influence on US culture, with Frances on architecture; Nic on music; author Simon Doonan, Barney's New York Creative Director, on fashion; and Gary Dartnall, former chair of BAFTA, on film. Ruth Seymour hosts.

The Race Issue, Part II

Tue, Apr 8 Listen
Controversial comments by Barack Obama's pastor have created a giant news storm. Join Ruth Seymour for Part II of a conversation about race in America with civil rights leader, Reverend James Lawson; NPR's Juan Williams; and USC historian Robin D.G. Kelley.

Race and the Black Church in America, Part 1

Tue, Apr 1 Listen
Barack Obama's speech was supposed to calm the waters concerning controversial comments by his Pastor, It generated more headlines instead. Ruth Seymour joins Reverend James Lawson, Harvard Law Professor Randall Kennedy and USC Professor Robin D.G. Kelley and National Public Radio senior analyst Juan Williams, for a conversation about race. (Part 1 of 2: Part 2 will air next week at this time.)

Fake Memoirs

Tue, Mar 25 Listen
The Literary Liars Club recently expanded its roster. The latest scandal involves a suburban white woman writing as a half-white, half-Indian inner-city gangbanger. Why is there such a proliferation of fake memoirs. Why not just sell an imaginary story as fiction.

LACMA's Lazarof Collection

Tue, Mar 11 Listen
Collector Henri Lazarof donated an incomparable collection of 20th century art to LACMA. The way it's displayed at the museum is a work of art itself. Join Ruth Seymour, KCRW art critic Edward Goldman and LACMA's senior curator of modern art, Stephanie Barron, who brought and curated the permanent exhibition.

Are Bloggers Journalists.

Tue, Mar 4 Listen
Joshua Micah Marshall just won the prestigious journalism Polk Award. He's a blogger --- TalkingPointsMemo.com. Have the lines between news and opinion been permanently erased. Join LA Observed blogger and KCRW commentator, Kevin Roderick, in conversation with bloggers and media analysts.

Is the Cold War Back.

Tue, Feb 26 Listen
Putin's playing hardball and the Russian bear is on the rise.

Change and the Culture of DC

Tue, Jan 29 Listen
Cokie Roberts of NPR and ABC News, and Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC and The McLaughlin Group, join Ruth Seymour to discuss what candidates mean when they talk about change.

The American Idea: The Best of The Atlantic Monthly

Tue, Jan 22 Listen
For 150 years, The Atlantic Monthly has published some of the most influential articles, essays, and stories by many of the literary, intellectual and political giants who have defined our national life. Join James Sterngold in conversation with Robert Vare, Editor of The American Idea: The Best of The Atlantic Monthly.

Norman Mailer Tribute

Tue, Dec 11 Listen
Norman Mailer and his literary reputation were both larger than life. KCRW's Bookworm Michael Silverblatt pays tribute to the man and his writing with Arianna Huffington, Gore Vidal, Michael Tolkin and Steve Erickson.

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