Best Futuro Investigates Podcasts (2024)

1
Imperfect Paradise: Hollywood’s flopping, send in the clowns 48:18

2h ago48:18

48:18

A surprising performance art has taken off in Los Angeles – clowning – against the backdrop of an entertainment industry that has barely recovered after a lengthy strike. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and producer Victoria Alejandro look into the rise of clown culture in L.A., how Hollywood actors, writers and other creators found their…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Too young to vote, but not to care: 3 high schoolers watch the election 44:08

13m ago44:08

44:08

In what is one of the most consequential elections in modern US history, many high schoolers had to leave it to other adults to choose the next President, Donald Trump, which will directly impact their futures. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia, LAist K-12 Senior Reporter Mariana Dale, and LAist Studios producer Monica Bushman follow three Los Angele…

1
Imperfect Paradise: George Gascón’s reelection loss and whether there’s a future for the progressive prosecutors' movement 24:25

5d ago24:25

24:25

Nathan Hochman defeated incumbent George Gascón in the Los Angeles County District Attorney race. Many see the outcome as a bellwether for the criminal justice reform movement nationwide. LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze breaks down the LA DA race results and helps us understand what Hochman's decisive victory and Gascón’s loss means. Also, Imperf…

251
Imperfect Paradise: Republican strategist on what both parties get wrong about the Latino vote 28:10

1M ago28:10

28:10

As the country’s second largest group of eligible voters, Latino constituents will play a pivotal role in the upcoming election. As both parties try to capture and define the elusive “Latino vote,” Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido sits down with Republican strategist Mike Madrid to explore what Republicans and Democrats get wrong in their …

1
Imperfect Paradise: LA City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson on the tape scandal fallout, homelessness, and the presidential election 29:26

1M ago29:26

29:26

Marqueece Harris-Dawson is now one of the most powerful leaders in the city, as the new Los Angeles City Council President. He stepped into the position in September, two years after the council tape scandal shocked the city and the nation. Harris-Dawson speaks with Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido about the ongoing fallout from the scanda…

1
Imperfect Paradise: OC Supervisor Andrew Do to plead guilty to corruption charge following LAist investigation 34:52

29d ago34:52

34:52

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has resigned and agreed to plead guilty for a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed needy seniors. Do’s criminal charges and plea agreement follow an LAist investigation, which uncovered more than $13 million in public funds directed by Do to Viet America Society (VAS) without…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Patrisse Cullors on leaving BLM, racial justice, and the election 43:39

1M ago43:39

43:39

Artist, abolitionist, and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Patrisse Cullors shares her perspective on what's at stake in the 2024 election and reflects on the current state of the BLM movement. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido’s conversation with Cullors is part of a series of interviews with notable Californians in the lead up to the elec…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Judith Butler on gender anxiety and the election 35:30

1M ago35:30

35:30

In Butler’s latest book Who’s Afraid of Gender, renowned feminist and gender studies theorist Judith Butler maps out how the right has invoked a fear of gender ideology to galvanize their base. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido sits down with Butler to discuss how they see this playing out in the U.S. presidential election and how they beli…

1
Imperfect Paradise: District Attorney Gascón: Part 4 - Nathan Hochman vs. George Gascón 43:48

2M ago43:48

43:48

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón is locked in a tough reelection battle this November against Nathan Hochman. In candid, in-depth interviews with LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze, Hochman and Gascón make the case for their differing approaches to running the country’s largest prosecutor’s office and differing views on criminal justice r…

1
Imperfect Paradise: District Attorney Gascón, Part 3 47:49

3M ago47:49

47:49

George Gascón faces backlash from inside his own D.A.’s office and from the public. He’s become a national scapegoat for right-wing media. LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze explores how Gascón’s policies have played out for people imprisoned, like Jose Santana, and families of victims. And Frank speaks to recalled San Francisco D.A. Chesa Boudin ab…

1
Imperfect Paradise: District Attorney Gascón: Part 2 38:12

3M ago38:12

38:12

George Gascón is unlike many prosecutors. His background and sweeping criminal justice policy reforms as Los Angeles District Attorney have made him a polarizing national figure. LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze speaks with Gascón about his journey from hard-nosed LAPD cop to one of the most progressive prosecutors in the country and reports on th…

1
Imperfect Paradise: District Attorney Gascón: Part 1 39:48

2M ago39:48

39:48

Voters elected Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón in 2020 on his promises to undo decades of mass incarceration, tackle what many viewed as excessive prison sentences, and to generally create a fairer system. LAist Civics & Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze explores the criminal justice system Gascón set out to change. He examines deca…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 5 - Roads & Wildlife 26:12

3M ago26:12

26:12

LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle speaks with Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, wildlife enthusiast, and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. They discuss how roads impact the wild animals in our midst, what wildlife crossings can do to mitigate that impact, and some of the other ecological solutions t…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 4 - The Eagle Lovebirds 25:07

3M ago25:07

25:07

Jackie and Shadow are two beloved bald eagles who live in Big Bear, a ski town a couple hours northeast of L.A. They went viral in 2024, as people tuned in to a livestream of their nest to see if their eggs would hatch. Fans around the world became deeply attached to the lovebirds, obsessing over the couple’s devotion to each other and their eggs. …

1
Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 3 - The Bear Nuisance 44:38

4M ago44:38

44:38

The first deadly black bear attack in California’s history was confirmed recently in a small mountain town in Northern California. While wildlife officials say fatal bear attacks are rare, this recent death and growing encounters between bears and people underscore how high the stakes are as wild and urban worlds merge. LAist climate reporter Erin …

1
Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 2 - The Coyote Villain 44:42

4M ago44:42

44:42

If the mountain lion is thought of as a celebrity, then, many would think of the coyote as a villain. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin looks into why we vilify coyotes, what scientists actually know about them, and how they’ve adapted and thrived in some of the most urban parts of Southern California. Emily also explores the historic and cultural b…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 1- The Mountain Lion Celebrity 45:59

4M ago45:59

45:59

One of Hollywood’s recent celebrities wasn’t a person, but a feline. The famed mountain lion made headlines in Los Angeles and nationwide. He became a household name for making his home in Griffith Park, right in the middle of L.A. But the overwhelming support for P-22 wasn’t enough to save him. LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle looks into P-22’s s…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Return from Mexico 41:36

5M ago41:36

41:36

In 2009, Gloria Arellano de la Rosa was banned from re-entering the U.S. for ten years, finding herself separated from her four children and husband. But unlike Daniel Zamora, she didn’t remake her life in Mexico. Every day she waited to go home to the U.S. Fernanda Echavarri tells the story of what happens when Gloria finally returns to the States…

1
LAist Studios present Passing The Mantle: Is Gen Z less curious than the Baby Boomers? 15:57

5M ago15:57

15:57

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. In this first episode, Larry Mantle and his son Desmond, 23, talk about their wide-ranging interests and shared drive to understand why things are the way they are, and discuss whether today's generatio…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Return to Mexico: Part 3 32:59

5M ago32:59

32:59

Unable to return to the U.S., Daniel Zamora struggles to build a life in Mexico, until a trip abroad suddenly upends his perspective. Lorena Ríos reports. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Listen to Reimagining Democracy for A Good Life, hosted by longtime equi…

1
Introducing Passing The Mantle, from LAist Studios 2:46

5M ago2:46

2:46

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. It's co-hosted by Larry Mantle, host of LAist 89.3’s AirTalk, the longest-running daily talk show in Southern California, and his son Desmond Mantle. Even though Desmond is in law school pursuing a diff…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Return to Mexico: Part 2 35:01

5M ago35:01

35:01

Daniel Zamora waits for the decision on his deportation appeal and has to figure out how to make a life in Mexico — find work, get an apartment. All the while, Daniel tries to keep up his cross-border relationship. Lorena Ríos reports. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Return to Mexico: Part 1 36:04

6M ago36:04

36:04

Daniel Zamora took a roadtrip in 2011 that would take an unexpected turn to the Texas border. That detour would shatter the course of his life. Journalist Lorena Ríos reports. CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes mention of suicidal ideation. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers services to talk to a skilled counselor. If you are feeli…

1
LAist & NPR present 'Inheriting' Episode 1 - Carol & the Los Angeles Uprising: Part 1 43:24

6M ago43:24

43:24

Carol Kwang Park was 12 years old, working as a cashier at her family’s gas station in Compton, California, when the 1992 LA Uprising forever changed her life. Her mom was at the gas station that day and Carol was unsure if she’d even make it home. At the time, she didn’t understand why tensions came to a head in Los Angeles, following the acquitta…

1
Imperfect Paradise: ‘Free the Tee’: Fighting Back Against LA Golf Course Scalpers 43:48

6M ago43:48

43:48

LA was rocked on March 4 when Dave Fink, a golf influencer, posted a viral video on Instagram detailing how brokers - largely using a Korean messenger app- were snatching up prime time tees at Los Angeles’ public golf courses and reselling them. Here’s how an unlikely crew of golf enthusiasts’ fight to keep golf in L.A. accessible and affordable is…

1
Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Bonus 37:54

6M ago37:54

37:54

LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin gives us insights into the making of The Gen Z Water Dealmaker series. In this bonus episode, Emily speaks with Luke Runyon, the co-director of The Water Desk at the University of Colorado-Boulder's Center for Environmental Journalism about how she thought through the series that follows the epic negotiation over th…

1
Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker Part 4 24:45

7M ago24:45

24:45

Host Antonia Cereijido speaks with negotiations expert Victoria Medvec about how to make the best possible deal. Medvec also helps identify ways the Colorado River water rights representatives could still change tactics and reach an agreement before time runs out. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month…

1
Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker Part 3 41:41

7M ago41:41

41:41

JB Hamby and the other lead negotiators on the Colorado River have to come up with a long term solution to manage the river in the face of climate change. Will they reach a deal before it’s too late? LAist correspondent Emily Guerin examines how JB's position on water has dramatically evolved since he first won office a few years ago. She brings us…

1
NPR & LAist Studios present 'Inheriting' 4:06

7M ago4:06

4:06

Japanese American Incarceration. The Third World Liberation Front. The 1992 Los Angeles Uprising. What you think you know isn’t always the full story. Inheriting is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families that explores how the past is personal. Hosted by NPR’s Emily Kwong, we go deep with families on how their most personal, priva…

1
Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Part 2 33:31

7M ago33:31

33:31

JB Hamby is the dealmaker from California, and at 28 years old, he’s the youngest and least experienced among the representatives from the seven states involved with the Colorado River water negotiations. LAist correspondent Emily Guerin explores the beginnings of Hamby’s understanding of water growing up in the Imperial Valley, a desert farming ar…

1
Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Part 1 41:59

7M ago41:59

41:59

The Colorado River is in the midst of one of the worst water crises in recorded history. Climate change and overuse are taking a significant toll. Seven states, including California, must compromise and reach a solution to prevent the river from collapsing. In late 2023, the tensions were running high between the major players in the water world as…

1
NPR Host Tonya Mosley on ‘She Has A Name,’ Reporting Her Family’s Own True Crime 54:52

8M ago54:52

54:52

She Has A Name is set against the backdrop of the drug epidemic in 1980s Detroit. The new podcast hosted by NPR's Tonya Mosley blends elements of investigative journalism and memoir to tell a story about loss and redemption, mending broken family ties, and the trauma experienced by countless individuals who've lost loved ones to violence. Listen to…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 7 38:39

8M ago38:39

38:39

Part 7: Adolfo learns about the dangers of Santa Barbara’s bluffs and gets a second opinion on Oscar’s death report. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions about fatal injuries and suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers services to talk to a skilled counselor. If you are feeling distressed and need to talk to a counsel…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 8 43:25

8M ago43:25

43:25

Part 8: Adolfo finds new information about the night Oscar died, and has to have a difficult conversation about what really happened to Oscar. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe t…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 5 46:08

8M ago46:08

46:08

Part 5: Was Oscar going to leave the Chicano student movement? Adolfo discovers new information about Oscar’s last months. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journali…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 6 33:17

8M ago33:17

33:17

Part 6: Adolfo reckons with his own relationship to his past and the Chicano student movement. And he finds someone who may have clues about what happened the night Oscar died. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordo…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 3 37:19

8M ago37:19

37:19

Part 3: Adolfo gets his first lead on a person possibly involved in Oscar’s death. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to l…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 4 38:02

8M ago38:02

38:02

Part 4: Adolfo finds a briefcase with information that could lead to clues about Oscar’s death. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a bett…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 1 33:10

8M ago33:10

33:10

mperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, the 2022 podcast from LAist Studios, has been optioned by Participant and is simultaneously being developed as a scripted and documentary limited series. Part 1: Oscar Gomez was a star of the 1990s Chicano student movement and then, unexpectedly, he died. A rattling event in host Adolfo Guzman-Lopez’s…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 2 46:25

8M ago46:25

46:25

Part 2: Adolfo learns that there was a dark side to Oscar’s experience in the Chicano student movement. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angele…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents LAist Investigates: The Unknown Mandate - Accessing Medication Abortion at California Universities 34:15

9M ago34:15

34:15

Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido is joined by LAist Senior Health Reporter Jackie Fortier and Higher Education Correspondent Adolfo Guzman-Lopez to break down their investigation into why many students and faculty across California's public universities don't know that medication abortion is mandated on their campuses. This is the latest L…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Strippers Union: Part 4 34:20

9M ago34:20

34:20

Part 4: Half a year after Star Garden reopens as a union club, the dancers are still negotiating a contract. LAist producer Emma Alabaster brings you the latest. Plus, some of the dancers have set their sights on a different dream: a worker-owned cooperative strip club. Here are some resources that informed our reporting: LA Co-op Lab U.S. Federati…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Strippers Union: Part 3 46:33

9M ago46:33

46:33

Part 3: The Star Garden Topless Dive Bar reopens as a union strip club, but the fight doesn’t end there. What happens after the victory? LAist Producer Emma Alabaster has the story. Here are some resources that informed our reporting: Working It: Sex Workers on the Work of Sex (In particular, the essay "White Supremacy in Organizing" by Domino Rey)…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Strippers Union: Part 2 43:16

9M ago43:16

43:16

Part 2: When the Star Garden strippers go public with their union campaign, they get pushback from the club’s management and a group they didn’t anticipate - other strippers. LAist Producer Emma Alabaster reports. Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for t…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Strippers Union: Part 1 42:41

10M ago42:41

42:41

Part 1: In 2023, North Hollywood’s Star Garden reopened as the only unionized strip club in the U.S. LAist Producer Emma Alabaster tells us the behind-the-scenes story of the workplace conditions that pushed the dancers into action. CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes sensitive content about sexual assault. For sexual assault and harassment supp…

1
Imperfect Paradise presents: Imperfect Inquiry: Have Identity Politics Been Hijacked? 29:35

10M ago29:35

29:35

Imperfect Paradise Host Antonia Cereijido speaks with philosopher and author of Elite Capture: How The Powerful Took over Identity Politics (And Everything Else) Olúfemi O. Táíwò. They examine the question: are identity politics over? It’s a question that was raised and we began to explore with Imperfect Paradise’s Nury & The Secret Tapes series. A…

1
RFK Jr. - The Presidential Candidate for Wellness Conspiracists? 37:39

10M ago37:39

37:39

Imperfect Paradise: Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracies": Part 4: RFK Jr. - The Presidential Candidate for Wellness Conspiracists? A year after Yoga’s “Queen of Conspiracy Theories” first release, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido explores a new, unexpected chapter in this story with Conspirituality podcast host Matthew Remski, Politico journalis…

1
Imperfect Paradise: Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories": Part 3 REDUX 34:22

10M ago34:22

34:22

Part 3: Kundalini Yoga’s #MeToo Moment In early 2020, just as fears about coronavirus are worsening, women begin accusing the founder of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, of sexual assault. Guru Jagat’s surprising response sets the stage for her radicalization during the pandemic. CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of Sexual Assault (Original Air Date: Jan. 18, …

1
Imperfect Paradise: Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories": Part 2 REDUX 35:23

11M ago35:23

35:23

Part 2: Kundalini Royalty Katie Griggs, a young woman from rural Maryland, discovers Kundalini yoga in her early 20s and goes all in. She transforms herself into Guru Jagat, a beloved and controversial yoga and wellness influencer in Los Angeles. In this episode, her friends, family, and coworkers grapple with how she changed in the final years of …

1
Imperfect Paradise: Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories": Part 1 REDUX 33:17

11M ago33:17

33:17

Before her sudden death in 2021, Guru Jagat had become a famous Kundalini yoga teacher based in Los Angeles. But as the global pandemic grew, she started talking like a far-right coronavirus conspiracy theorist. What does her journey down the rabbit hole tell us about the appeal of conspiracies in the yoga and wellness community? Yoga's "Queen of C…

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