Press Play With Madeleine Brand

ICYMI...something you should know from the team at Press Play. 

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli has filed felony charges against 38 ICE protestors, but only secured seven indictments. Some in his office question whether his approach is based on the evidence.  PBS SoCal is losing millions in funding from the federal government. The cuts to public broadcasting will be particularly felt in rural areas. Can the system survive? Critics review the latest film releases: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “AJ Goes To The Dog Park,” “Cloud,” and “Diciannove.” DineLA Restaurant Week is an opportunity to support the local restaurant community after it was hit by COVID shutdowns, the Hollywood strikes, and January wildfires.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said ICE was conducting a “reign of terror” in Los Angeles. Ironically, it was the War on Terror that produced ICE in the first place.  A proposed housing authority to help people affected by Palisades and Eaton Fires is on hold after some residents, like reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, complained. The 2025 California Biennial at the OC Museum of Art features works and artifacts from teen artists and adults reflecting on their teen years. It’s called “Desperate, Scared, but Social.” Ozzy Osbourne died on Tuesday at age 76. He transformed his image from Black Sabbath frontman to irascible TV dad. “The Osbournes” set the scene for the glut of celebrity TV family shows that followed. 

Since the end of the last cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in March, people in Gaza are facing increasingly dire humanitarian conditions. Over nearly seven decades, research conducted at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory taught us that global warming is happening and humans are causing most of it. Trump's proposed budget for 2026 would shutter the observatory.  Before “Mister Rogers” or “Sesame Street,” Shari Lewis created, voiced, and performed a diminutive sock puppet named Lamb Chop. Her story is the focus of a new documentary. 

NPR, PBS, and member stations will lose $1.1 billion in federal funding. KCRW hears from two people who run smaller stations: KOSU in Oklahoma City and KCBX in San Luis Obispo. Harvard gets its day in court against the Trump administration. In Texas, Trump wants lawmakers to redraw Congressional maps ahead of schedule. “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was reportedly losing money, though a pending merger for CBS’ parent company may have also factored into the network’s decision to cancel the TV program. Backstreet Boys are out with “Millennium 2.0,” and will perform concerts this summer in Las Vegas. KCRW talks about their long trajectory to fame in the U.S., lawsuit against their manager, and cross-generational appeal. 

Former and current ICE officials and agents told The Atlantic morale is low due, in part, to the relentless pressure from the Trump administration to arrest people. After a judge blocked federal agents from carrying out “indiscriminate” raids and denying detainees access to lawyers, an attorney says compliance is “spotty.” Critics review the latest film releases: “Smurfs,” “Eddington,” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

Senator Alex Padilla says the vast majority of people getting caught up in Trump’s immigration raids and detentions are those without serious criminal convictions. He also weighs in on the Jeffrey Epstein files and Trump’s push to cut federal funding for NPR and PBS.  Trump’s budget gives ICE $75 billion for recruitment and the construction of new jails. Historically, police expansions are rife with corruption, according to journalist and historian Garrett Graff.  Michelle Huneven is rebuilding her Altadena home after the Eaton Fire. Her latest book follows a family across multiple decades and locations as they struggle with grief, dislocation, and addiction. When used judiciously, lavender can add an air of mystery to a dish, amplifying flavor without calling attention to itself.

In March, President Trump signed an executive order to begin shuttering the Department of Education. A lower court forced him to stop the process, but on Monday, the Supreme Court overturned it.  President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” eliminates federal tax credits for new and used EVs and plug-in hybrids purchased after September 30, 2025. How will this affect consumers and manufacturers? The number of immigrants leaving the U.S. this year may surpass the number of those who arrive. Liberal and conservative economists warn of impacts. Once dominated by ceremonies and roses, reality TV dating is leveling up. “Love Island” has real-time twists, social media presence, and viewing parties.

A federal judge says ICE has been racially profiling people it detains at raids in California. And a second judge says the LAPD has been targeting journalists at anti-ICE protests.  Lawmakers toured the high-security immigration detention center called Alligator Alcatraz, where conditions differ depending on who you ask. The Miami Herald reports over 250 detainees have no criminal record. People who heavily rely on AI have brains that are less active and less original, according to new research.  LA-based Caltex Records represents most mainstream Iranian music released since the 1950s. A 25-year-old Iranian immigrant founded it after the 1979 revolution.

Right-wing figures who stoked conspiracy theories about alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and some on the left, aren’t buying the DOJ’s assessment that there’s no further evidence to release. Maestro Leonard Slatkin opens up about his family, the story of the Hollywood String Quartet, and how the Summer of Angels festival honors their legacy. Critics review the latest film releases: “Superman,” “Kill the Jockey,” “Apocalypse in the Tropics,” and “To A Land Unknown,” Making your own ice cream sandwich? Focus on baking the cookie: chocolate chip, brownie, red velvet, snickerdoodle, peanut butter. Then choose an ice cream flavor that supports it. 

President Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has pushed for hardline immigration policies. Some people, including Mayor Karen Bass, wonder if Miller wants revenge on his hometown. A number of Republicans opposed Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” then voted for it anyway. Is Trump more powerful than ever?  Journalist Brian Goldstone set out to uncover the true scope of homelessness, and followed five families for more than five years. His new book is “There Is No Place for Us.”

Federal troops paraded through MacArthur Park on Monday in an astonishing show of force. Mayor Karen Bass says LA is a testing site for a national project.  The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig has spent years closely covering capital punishment. She’s written a powerful and deeply personal meditation on what witnessing executions has revealed to her about her own faith, and the power of forgiveness. NPR’s Eric Deggans reviews the latest in TV: “Ballard,” “Dexter: Resurrection,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (season three), and “Billy Joel: And So It Goes.”   

Staffing shortages at the NWS in Central Texas are being scrutinized for possibly affecting the flood response there. What does this mean for CA’s upcoming fire season? The first major trial challenging Trump’s immigration policy began today in Boston. An association of university professors is arguing that non-citizen students were arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights. Hawaii is increasingly unaffordable for native residents. After her family’s land is threatened, Sara Kehualani Goo reconnects with her heritage in a new memoir. This summer marks the 85th birthday of Bugs Bunny and the 35th anniversary of “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.” Conductor George Daugherty talks about the concert’s creation and enduring appeal. 

Several civil rights groups filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that ICE agents are targeting people based on race and holding them in “deplorable” conditions. ICE raids, the fire threat, or budget reasons are the reasons some LA-area communities won’t be having Independence Day festivities. But illegal fireworks will continue. Critics review the latest film releases: “Jurassic World Rebirth,” “40 Acres,” “Heads of State,” and “The Old Guard 2.” Michael McKean shares behind-the-scenes tales from “Spinal Tap,” the film’s lasting impact, and a career filled with comedy, music, and satire.

Immigration detention and enforcement may be getting around $150 billion in additional funding over the next four years. What will that go to? Some Black tenants are disproportionately being evicted by Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in LA, a new UCLA study finds. KCRW hears from two sisters who’ve experienced this. Amelia Earhart is known as a pioneering aviator who died tragically — her remains are likely still lying in the Pacific Ocean. However, her choice to circumnavigate the globe was reckless, says author Laurie Gwen Shapiro. LACMA opened its new David Geffen Galleries building to the public last week for a sneak peek. Down the street, Blum Gallery closes after over 30 years in LA. 

For years, many have blamed the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the state’s housing crisis. Will rolling it back lead to more housing A bestselling book argues blue states are undermining their agenda with red tape. Gov. Newsom answered the demand for a “politics of abundance” with new housing reforms.  Women don’t often discuss some of their biggest issues, such as miscarriage, loneliness, lack of intimacy with their partner. The new book “Normalize It” aims to change that. “The Roundup” is a new newspaper celebrating queer cowboy culture, featuring line dance tips, boot picks, poems, and stories from the LGBTQ+ country scene.  

Congress may be cutting hundreds of billions from Medicaid over the next decade. That could have massive implications for Angelenos, whether they’re on Medicaid or not. The proposed budget cuts would eliminate hundreds of billions in clean energy and EV credits. It’s the latest Republican retreat from addressing climate change.  Julia Whelan is one of the most sought-after narrators in the $2 billion audiobook industry. She explains her extensive prep for the job, the physical toll, and potential impact of AI.  Adrian Quesada’s new album, “Boleros Psicodelicos 2,” is a love letter to the Latin ballads of the 1960s and 70s, featuring around a dozen music stars from the contemporary Latin music scene.

New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, 33, shocked political observers with his likely upset of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. Tens of millions of people worldwide live with HIV. Lenacapavir can prevent the virus for months with one injection — a potential game changer. But President Trump and Elon Musk have upended foreign aid. Jackie Castillo’s new installation features terra cotta tiles hanging from the ceiling, suspended by rebar, creating a staircase of local construction materials. The work speaks to the city and immigrants. Tracy Anderson built a luxury fitness empire where movement is art, silence is part of the workout, and clients spend thousands chasing the perfect body. 

The U.S. shipped a nuclear reactor to Tehran in the late 1960s. After it cut diplomatic ties with Iran after the Islamic Revolution and during the hostage crisis, Iran turned to Pakistan to keep its atomic ambitions alive. Federal officials aren’t saying how many immigrants they’ve detained. But immigrant advocates say the Adelanto detention center is “bursting at the seams.” Those inside lack access to family members and attorneys. In California, agents claiming to be ICE are wearing masks and refusing to show identification when arresting immigrants. A new bill seeks to make that illegal.  Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, and when she died in 2012, her obituary publicly revealed that she was gay. KCRW hears from her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy, plus the director of the documentary “Sally.” 

Iran launches missiles at the largest American military base in the Middle East. Is this the beginning of a larger war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran? The Constitution says Congress has the power to declare war. But it also designates the president as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, with the power to respond to emergencies, including limited military actions overseas. Need a good book for summer? Consider “The Bombshell,” “An Oral History of Atlantis,” “A Marriage at Sea,” “A Truce That is Not Peace,” “The Hounding,” and “Tilt.” Laguna Beach native Ty Segall has experimented with different music genres over the years. Now his 16th album centers on American storytelling.