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California Sun Podcast

232 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 45 ratings

The California Sun presents conversations with the people that are shaping and observing the Golden State

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Episodes

Napa's wine industry is not aging well

April 18, 2024 21:01 - 40 minutes - 93.7 MB

The California wine industry is under siege. A global wine glut, younger generations turning away from alcohol, and a contentious battle over the future of Napa County wineries have left the enemy inside the gates. As if this weren't enough, Justice Department investigators have subpoenaed dozens of wine industry figures, including a member of the Board of Supervisors, and in January the head of Napa County's farm bureau died by apparent suicide. Stu Smith, proprietor of Smith-Madrone Winery...

A California voice for a distant land: Amy Wilentz's advocacy for Haiti

April 11, 2024 14:21 - 24 minutes - 57 MB

Though Haiti may seem distant, it is arguably as relevant to us as Ukraine or Israel. The Caribbean country serves as a global example of failed governance rooted in tribal strife. Amy Wilentz, a prominent voice in bringing attention to the horrors endured by the people of Haiti, has been covering the nation since the 1980s. A long-time resident of Southern California, she is a recipient of a National Book Critics Circle Award and a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times. Wilentz also...

Bonnie Portnoy and the untold story of California's impressionist adventurer, Tilden Daken

April 04, 2024 13:30 - 27 minutes - 63.4 MB

Bonnie Portnoy, granddaughter of celebrated California impressionist Tilden Daken, is the author of a new biography of his life, "The Man Beneath the Paint." Portnoy unveils the mysteries of an artist whose life was as colorful as his paintings of California's natural landscapes, filled with daring adventure, personal tumult, and a relentless pursuit of artistic expression.

Dr. Susan Partovi is taking it to the streets.

March 20, 2024 13:47 - 29 minutes - 67.1 MB

Dr. Susan Partovi, a pioneer in street medicine, recounts her journey of providing compassionate care to the homeless on L.A.'s Skid Row in our conversation and in her recent memoir, "Renegade, M.D." With a career spanning decades, Dr. Partovi offers a unique perspective on results-based healthcare for the most marginalized. Her approach, shaped by early experiences and a commitment to treating patients as family, emphasizes the urgent need for listening to her patients on the streets to add...

Andrew Cockburn on Silicon Valley's military fusion

March 07, 2024 18:19 - 33 minutes - 76.2 MB

Andrew Cockburn's cover story for the March issue of Harper's Magazine, titled “The Pentagon’s Silicon Valley Problem,” illuminates the longstanding and increasingly intricate relationship between Silicon Valley's tech leaders and the Pentagon. Cockburn, the Washington editor of Harper's and a distinguished figure in journalism, argues that the traditional "military-industrial complex" has evolved into a more contemporary "military high-tech complex." This transformation signals a deeper int...

James Brosnahan has helped shape our legal landscape for six decades

February 29, 2024 15:55 - 34 minutes - 78.4 MB

James Brosnahan is one of California's most distinguished litigators, with a career that spans the Robert Kennedy Justice Department, 55 years in private practice in California, and more than 150 jury trials. His cases have mirrored the issues of our times, tackling challenges like refugees, gender battles, sexual taboos, terrorism, government misconduct, wrongful imprisonment, free speech, legal work in war zones, poverty and murder on Native American Reservations, and hunger in America. He...

Sarah Swanbeck and Erin Heys decode millennials and Gen Z

February 22, 2024 12:51 - 29 minutes - 69 MB

The Berkeley Institute for Young Americans, part of the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, examines the evolving generational dynamics of millennials and Gen Z. The institute serves as a hub for exploring the aspirations and challenges of young people, offering unique perspectives on their impact in the workplace and across cultural and political landscapes. Joining us on the podcast are Sarah Swanbeck, the institute’s executive director, and Erin Heys, its policy director. Toge...

Harold Bronson on L.A.'s rock record story

February 15, 2024 22:19 - 27 minutes - 62.9 MB

Harold Bronson discusses his memoir "Time Has Come Today: Rock and Roll Diaries 1967-2007." The book chronicles Bronson's journey in the music industry from writing for UCLA's Daily Bruin to co-founding Rhino Records. He covers four decades of rock history, highlighting the shift from fun and rebellion to business. Bronson's story is rooted in California, where he developed his passion for music and witnessed the state becoming a hub for the music industry. He introduces readers to great mus...

Matthias Gafni gives voice to the lost souls of San Francisco

February 09, 2024 00:56 - 32 minutes - 74.2 MB

Matthias Gafni, an investigative reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, delves into the darkest corners of the streets of San Francisco. For a recent project, he attempted to attribute names, faces, and families to 24 overdose deaths during a particularly harrowing week in 2023. They were not mere statistics but individuals with stories: a recent immigrant dreaming of a new life; a star student and athlete; a mechanic striving to escape his past, among others. Each narrative sheds light ...

Roger Rapoport is still searching for Patty Hearst —50 years later

February 01, 2024 22:38 - 41 minutes - 95.9 MB

This Sunday, Feb. 4, will mark the 50th anniversary of Patty Hearst's kidnapping, a saga that remains a captivating and perplexing chapter of California history. For those who lived through it, this event was more than a headline; it epitomized an era. Yet, regardless of how vividly we recall the saga, the full truth has remained elusive. Roger Rapoport helps bridge the gaps in our understanding in our conversation and in his new book, "Searching for Patty Hearst: A True Crime Novel." 

Daniel Sokatch on Israel and its local echoes

January 25, 2024 21:48 - 42 minutes - 98.4 MB

Daniel Sokatch, a prominent figure in the Jewish community in California and across America, has served as CEO of the San Francisco-based New Israel Fund since 2009 and previously led in the Jewish Federation of San Francisco. His role became crucial on Oct. 7 when Hamas's attack on Israel reverberated around the world, including in American Jewish communities. Sokatch emerged as a voice of reason as protests roiled American cities. These protests not only mirrored global divisions but also ...

Matt Mahan knows the way to San Jose

January 18, 2024 14:33 - 30 minutes - 70.4 MB

Matt Mahan, the 66th mayor of San Jose, advocates for addressing a select number of specific issues rather than engaging in what he perceives as performative politics that aims to solve every problem for all constituents. During his first year as mayor, he has made some progress in tackling housing and homelessness. A Watsonville native and Harvard alumnus, Mahan's background includes heading student government at Harvard, constructing irrigation systems in Bolivia, teaching middle schooler...

The mysterious power of 'The O.C.'

January 11, 2024 15:34 - 22 minutes - 51.6 MB

In his new book "Welcome to the O.C.," Rolling Stone's chief television critic, Alan Sepinwall, provides an oral history of a cultural phenomenon that became an example of unpredictable success. Despite many shows featuring attractive casts and glamorous California settings, "The O.C." managed to stand out — and change the formula for television teen dramas. Its story offers insights into the cultural context of California and Orange County in the early aughts and underscores the elusive nat...

David Kipen chronicles California's soul: from letters to tweets

January 04, 2024 15:04 - 26 minutes - 61.7 MB

As we usher in the new year, we talk with David Kipen about his latest work, "Dear California: The Golden State in Diaries and Letters." The anthology is a heartfelt ode to California, skillfully interweaving its diverse strands — from historic letters to contemporary tweets — creating a dialogue that transcends time. It reflects on California's evolving landscapes and captures the quintessence of what makes the state “a place apart.”

Ryan Bedsaul learns about L.A's parts unknown

December 14, 2023 22:50 - 23 minutes - 54.5 MB

Ryan Bedsaul explores how Anthony Bourdain’s on-screen work, especially "Parts Unknown," helped him connect to and navigate the vast, enigmatic city of Los Angeles. In this week's podcast and in his recent article for Current Affairs, Bedsaul reflects on his experiences of living in Los Angeles and how Bourdain’s work has reoriented his attitude toward the city, and impacted his engagement with its people and places.

John King's portal to San Francisco

December 07, 2023 20:08 - 31 minutes - 72.5 MB

John King, urban design critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, explores how San Francisco’s Ferry Building mirrors the city's evolution and broader urban American challenges in his book new "Portal." More than a historic transportation hub, the Ferry Building's journey from glory to neglect and resurgence symbolizes San Francisco's shifting narrative. King delves into the interplay of preservation, development, and adaptation, while addressing existential threats like climate change and sei...

Jonathan Taplin vs. the tech billionaires

November 30, 2023 13:04 - 30 minutes - 70.6 MB

Jonathan Taplin, a film producer, scholar, and director emeritus of the Annenberg Innovation Lab, is a vocal critic of excessive techno-optimism. In his book, "The End of Reality: How Four Billionaires are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto," he argues that the California-centric billionaires Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Marc Andreessen are diverting public attention from critical issues. He criticizes the media's role in glorifying them and advocates...

Katya Cengel's story of resilience and recovery

November 16, 2023 14:10 - 30 minutes - 69.5 MB

The narrative in Katya Cengel's new memoir "Straitjackets and Lunch Money" is set in motion by her volunteer work at a juvenile detention facility in the Bay Area in 2012. The experience served as a catalyst, unearthing memories of her own past. In 1986, at the age of 10, Cengel was hospitalized in the now defunct psychosomatic unit of Stanford Children’s Hospital, battling an extreme eating disorder. At the time of her admission, she weighed a mere 55 pounds. Her story is a reflection on th...

Conor Friedersdorf: D.E.I. vs. free speech at California colleges

November 02, 2023 15:53 - 34 minutes - 78.1 MB

Conor Friedersdorf, a California-based staff writer for The Atlantic, joins us to discuss his recent article, "A Uniquely Terrible New DEI Policy." In it, he dissects controversial new diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates at California's community colleges, the largest higher education system in the U.S. These policies are not only sparking lawsuits but also raising questions about academic freedom and First Amendment rights. As Friedersdorf navigates this complex landscape, he sheds li...

​​Robert Sapolsky and our Illusion of free will

October 26, 2023 12:55 - 24 minutes - 57.4 MB

Robert M. Sapolsky, a Stanford neurobiologist and MacArthur “genius” fellow, challenges our deeply ingrained beliefs about free will. Building on his seminal 2017 work "Behave," which explored the dynamics of nature and nurture, Sapolsky's latest book, "Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will," suggests that science, medicine, and philosophy may actually support determinism over free will. As societal discourse increasingly embraces a culture of victimhood, he questions the quintesse...

Brian Conrad unpacks California's 'math misadventure'

October 19, 2023 11:32 - 33 minutes - 76.6 MB

Brian Conrad, the director of undergraduate studies in mathematics at Stanford University, recently broke down the proposal to overhaul of California's math curriculum in an article for the Atlantic. After reading the entire 1,000-page framework, Conrad criticized what he described as the document's reliance on questionable research and challenged its recommendations to do away with middle school algebra and introduce "data science" as an alternative to traditional math. He warns that the p...

Rosanna Xia on California against the sea

October 12, 2023 15:48 - 27 minutes - 64.5 MB

Rosanna Xia, a Los Angeles Times environmental reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, joins us to unravel a crisis that's reshaping California's iconic 1,200-mile coastline. But this isn't just a Golden State issue; it's a global wake-up call. Xia's frontline reporting and her new book "California Against the Sea," reveals that we're at a crossroads: either we hurtle headlong into environmental disaster or pivot toward a new paradigm of coastal stewardship. This episode dives into the urgent ...

Evelyn McDonnell peels back the layers of Joan Didion's world

October 05, 2023 18:01 - 22 minutes - 51.1 MB

Evelyn McDonnell is a storyteller, writing about a storyteller. Her tribute to Joan Didion, “The World According to Joan Didion,” places each of us at the moment we first became aware of the California author. The book delves into Didion’s roles as a woman, mother, spouse, and consumer, even as she remains a bit of a political enigma. All these facets contribute to the complex landscape of Didion's life and her work as a kind of cartographer for California.

Paul Carter on Richard Nixon's California

September 28, 2023 13:01 - 43 minutes - 100 MB

Paul Carter ventures where few dare to go — into the California life of Richard Nixon. Not as the man marred by Watergate, but as California's native son. Author of "Richard Nixon: California's Native Son," Carter delves into the former president's youth, exploring how Nixon, born in Yorba Linda and educated in Whittier, was shaped by the stories, places, and people of Southern California. Moreover, he examines how California politics, even today, remain linked to Nixon's complex legacy.

Chris Tilly navigates California's labor landscape and growth challenges

September 21, 2023 13:41 - 27 minutes - 62.1 MB

Chris Tilly, a professor and labor studies expert at UCLA's Luskin School of Public Policy, recently garnered attention in a New York Times article that explored the constraints on California's economic expansion. In this episode, Tilly examines California's dynamic workforce and its potential to set a precedent for overcoming limited growth nationwide. He delves into key topics such as the ongoing labor unrest in the state, the proposed creation of a wage-setting board, and the adoption of...

Julie Johnson and the threat of smoke to California's firefighters

September 14, 2023 13:48 - 27 minutes - 63.5 MB

Julie Johnson, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, recently examined the overlooked health crisis facing California's firefighters. While the public takes precautions against wildfire smoke — from wearing masks to closing schools — firefighters are alarmingly unprotected. Her reporting revealed that, despite evidence linking smoke exposure to long-term health risks like cancer and dementia, there's a glaring absence of protective measures or federal studies. 

Tony Platt unveils UC Berkeley's original sins

September 07, 2023 17:25 - 31 minutes - 71.6 MB

Tony Platt, author of "The Scandal of Cal," peels back the layers of UC Berkeley's esteemed reputation. Beneath its status as a hub for innovation and progressive thought lies a troubling history of plunder, warfare, and white supremacy. Platt's research serves as a clarion call for the university to confront its original sins, from its role in the military-industrial complex to its large-scale hoarding of Indigenous remains. 

Dashka Slatter explores virtual harm and real consequences

August 24, 2023 19:08 - 35 minutes - 81 MB

Dashka Slater, in her recent New York Times Magazine story and in her new book, "Accountable." unveils a shocking discovery in liberal Albany, California. She delves into a high school student's private Instagram account filled with disturbing and hateful content. Who was involved? What were the consequences? And what does this reveal about online accountability, societal norms, and the dark side of digital culture? Slater's exploration exposes a complex puzzle that challenges our understan...

Pico Iyer's half known life

August 17, 2023 19:22 - 23 minutes - 54.1 MB

Pico Iyer gives us an end of summer lift in today's podcast. The long-time travel writer and philosopher reflects on the persistent human struggle to understand the world and find peace. Despite millennia of evolution, division and conflict remain central to civilization. While science offers definitive answers, understanding life and relationships is more complex, according to Iyer, a longtime California figure. He says we each search for solace, aiming to piece together life's puzzle to fo...

Kate Flannery on L.A.'s fashion faux pas

August 10, 2023 13:47 - 24 minutes - 56.8 MB

Kate Flannery takes us back to the glamorous haze of early 2000s Los Angeles, where she embarked on a tumultuous journey with American Apparel, a company once synonymous with hipster chic but later a textbook case of financial mismanagement and “me too” behavior. Her story, captured in her provocative and candid memoir "Strip Tees," explores the salacious euphoria of youth, the ideals of feminism, and the gritty reality of exploitation and ethical ambiguity.

Faith Pinho on fortunetellers and the Romani community

August 03, 2023 14:36 - 24 minutes - 55.5 MB

Faith Pinho, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, created and hosted a new nine-part podcast series, called "Foretold," that delves into the rich history of the Romani community in California, with a focus on Los Angeles. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of a young Romani American woman, Paulina Stevens, who defies her predestined path as a fortuneteller to rewrite her own story. Pinho's storytelling takes us beyond the neon glow of "psychic" signs and the allure of trendy taro...

Margot Kushel explains homelessness in California

July 20, 2023 13:39 - 31 minutes - 71.2 MB

Dr. Margot Kushel is the co-author of a recent groundbreaking report by the UC San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, which represents the largest study on homelessness since the 1990s. Offering a sobering portrait of societal failures, the study underscores homelessness as perhaps the state's most compelling and pervasive crisis. An authority on homelessness and health, Kushel discusses the mosaic of factors contributing to the struggles of roughly 171,000 individuals e...

Joe Hagan wonders if anyone can fix California

July 13, 2023 19:42 - 36 minutes - 82.9 MB

Joe Hagan, a Vanity Fair special correspondent, holds a mirror up to California today. In his recent story "Can Anyone Fix California," and on this week's podcast, Hagan talks about the fears and lost dreams in the world's fifth largest economy. Even with all of its economic assets, its beauty and its geographic magic, the state is a far cry from the future it once represented. He wonders if we can really say we want to make America into California.  

Andy Dolich and the exodus of Oakland sports teams

June 29, 2023 14:09 - 28 minutes - 64.8 MB

Sports executive Andy Dolich, co-author of the new book "Goodbye Oakland: Winning, Wanderlust, and a Sports Town’s Fight for Survival," discusses Oakland's bad sports luck. He talks about the exhilarating highs of victory and the painful lows of abandonment as the Raiders, the Warriors, and now the A's, all depart for ostensibly greener pastures. Once a celebrated sports hub, Oakland boasted a remarkable collection of national titles, star athletes, and colorful personalities. So, what led t...

Greg King saves the Redwoods

June 22, 2023 15:09 - 30 minutes - 70.1 MB

Greg King has dedicated his life to the appreciation and protection of California's majestic redwoods. Sadly, only 4% of the original 2 million acres of redwood ecosystem remains intact. Witnessing the devastation first-hand in the 1980s was a life-changing experience for King. In 1987, he discovered and named the Headwaters Forest in Humboldt County, the largest remaining ancient redwood habitat outside of parks. This sparked a decade-long struggle that led to its protection by state and fe...

Captain Brett Crozier on the essence of military life

June 15, 2023 18:14 - 25 minutes - 60 MB

From the Bay Area to commanding the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Brett Crozier's 30-year naval career was a journey defined by dedication, discipline, and courage. These qualities proved to be pivotal when he faced a crisis in the spring of 2020: a raging coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship. In these extraordinary circumstances, Crozier made the choice to stand up for his crew, embodying the power of kindness in a tussle against Washington politics. He tells his story in this we...

Maureen Ryan wants to burn down Hollywood

June 08, 2023 14:54 - 38 minutes - 61.4 MB

Maureen Ryan, known for her tough commentary as a film and television critic and contributing editor at Vanity Fair, puts Hollywood under a critical lens in this week’s podcast and in her new book, "Burn It Down." Often called "high school with money and power," the industry has embraced unsettling norms – abuse, poor etiquette, and a culture of complicity — for nearly a century. According to Ryan, long before the #MeToo movement highlighted sexual misconduct, a sinister underbelly was alr...

Clare Frank's love at first fire

June 01, 2023 15:13 - 26 minutes - 61.4 MB

Clare Frank has bravely battled fires in California for three decades, as she details in her new memoir "Burnt." Her experience spans local fires in Santa Cruz to the infamous wildfires that have left indelible marks on our collective consciousness. Beginning her firefighting journey at just 17 years old, she climbed the ranks to become the first and only female state chief of fire protection. In this conversation, she shares her passion for her work, the personal risks involved, the evolvin...

Kevin Kelly on old wisdom and new progress

May 25, 2023 13:49 - 27 minutes - 62.9 MB

Kevin Kelly, the influential founding editor and defining voice of WIRED Magazine, played a pivotal role in its establishment in San Francisco during the advent of the internet era. Known for his unwavering advocacy of technology optimism and the recognition of fundamental truths, Kelly has championed California as a hub for embracing change with minimal resistance. In our latest podcast, we delve into these topics and much more.

Richard Rushfield on Hollywood's doom loop

May 18, 2023 17:02 - 25 minutes - 58.2 MB

The writers' strike seems like it has no end in sight. The directors are next. The "streaming wars" have produced financial losses for all of the studios; the pandemic drove a dagger into theaters; nationalism is impacting American movies overseas; and Hollywood leadership is lacking. Richard Rushfield, a long-time Hollywood journalist and founder of The Ankler, shares his analysis of how bad it really is.

Erik Davis and 'The Visionary State'

May 11, 2023 16:05 - 28 minutes - 65.9 MB

Erik Davis has long recognized the deep intersection of technology, spirituality, mysticism, transcendence, and the power of California. In his works "TechGnosis" and "The Visionary State," and in this week's podcast, he talks about how all of these things are integrated, and how that impacts all Californians, each and every day.

Nicholas Goldberg reads the L.A. Times

April 27, 2023 14:30 - 23 minutes - 53 MB

Nicholas Goldberg has spent more than 20 years at the Los Angeles Times. As the editorial page editor and more recently as a columnist and associate editor, he has witnessed remarkable changes both at the paper and in the city. He shares his thoughts on the role of the Times as a local paper, keeping an eye on politicians, L.A.'s long-standing law enforcement problems, rooting out the recent wave of city corruption, and why local politics still

Victoria Chang and the art of poetry

April 20, 2023 13:38 - 23 minutes - 54.1 MB

Victoria Chang, the author of six collections of poetry, was recently awarded USC's prestigious 2023 Chowdhury Prize in Literature. Her work covers a wide range of subjects, including art, film, history, and grief and she gives particularly insight into the elusive nature of identity. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Harvard, and Stanford, she shares some of her history and words with us.

Dean King tells of the friendship that saved Yosemite

April 13, 2023 13:42 - 26 minutes - 60.3 MB

Dean King, in his new book, Guardians of the Valley, shares the origin story  of John Muir, which equally involves his editor Robert Underwood Johnson.  Through a powerful personal relationship Muir and Johnson combined Muir’s vision of nature, his elegant writing and Johnson’s penchant for action. Together they got people to come journey to the wilderness, founded the Sierra Club and saved Yosemite. All with a humanity that got people to appreciate nature, more than just preserving it.   

Eric Porter's history of SFO

March 23, 2023 18:51 - 22 minutes - 53.1 MB

Eric Porter, the author of "A People's History of SFO," sees the nation's No. 1 ranked large airport, San Francisco International, as a metaphor for the Bay Area. He explores how SFO and other airports mirror their cities' art, culture, and values. While emphasizing the significant role public art plays in enhancing the airport experience, he explains how just observing people at any airport reveals much about the community, its workforce, and class structure. 

Malcolm Harris's Palo Alto

March 16, 2023 12:54 - 19 minutes - 45 MB

California is on the verge of becoming the 4th largest economy in the world. Its economic and cultural impact ripples around the globe, and taxes on its tech economy provide a large portion of our state's budget. The city of Palo Alto, home of Stanford University, sits at the epicenter of this modern world. Yet Malcolm Harris, author of the new book "Palo Alto," argues on this week’s podcast that it’s an economy he thinks we should be ashamed of, built on misery and inequity.

Susan Straight's California Mecca

March 09, 2023 23:30 - 30 minutes - 71.9 MB

Southern California is often associated with beaches, bungalows, and opulence, but there is more to the region than Los Angeles and Hollywood. Riverside, San Bernardino, and other often-overlooked areas reveal a Southern California of warehouses, workers, farms, and freeways that is home to diverse and deeply connected communities. In her latest book, "Mecca," the celebrated novelist Susan Straight tells an epic story that captures these communities and explores the lives of native Californi...

Kanishka Cheng tries to hold TogetherSF

March 02, 2023 14:24 - 28 minutes - 65.9 MB

Kanishka Cheng, an urban planner, served 15 years in housing and community development in San Francisco government. In this week’s podcast, she shares why she resigned from city government to lead TogetherSF, an organization she co-founded with Mike Moritz, whose recent New York Times op-ed on San Francisco's political dysfunction set off a vigorous debate. TogetherSF is dedicated to activating citizens to address what Cheng says are the issues that San Francisco politicians have been unabl...

Lila LaHood is looking for local news

February 23, 2023 13:59 - 21 minutes - 50.1 MB

Lila LaHood discusses her work as the Publisher of the San Francisco Public Press, an online, radio, and streaming news outlet. Her efforts are part of a growing group of nascent but thriving local news initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area. From time to time we have taken a look at these efforts and how they are contributing to community news and cohesion. 

Mark Rozzo and an L.A. Time Machine

February 16, 2023 15:47 - 32 minutes - 75.8 MB

Mark Rozzo, journalist and the author of "Everybody Thought We Were Crazy," shares with us a glimpse of the cultural and cinematic revolution that defined Los Angeles in the 1960s. Rozzo acts as a time machine, taking us back to the era when Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward played significant roles in birthing a new cultural and Hollywood movement. One that would ultimately shape both Los Angeles and the film industry for decades to come.