California Sun Podcast

Mick LaSalle, author of his new book "Dream State," shows how movies have historically captured the essence of California. For almost a century, the movies have defined the California dream and projected it out to the world. The long-time film critic for the San Francisco Chronicle talks about the mythology of California and the big screen, the future of movie stars, and Hollywood navel-gazing.

Justin Zhu was fired from Iterable, the successful marketing startup he founded. The reasons given to him included his use of LSD, inappropriate attire (even by Silicon Valley standards), and giving secrets to a reporter. Unstated, he believes, were issues of race. His story provides a glimpse of what it’s really like in the world of startups — the hours, the egos, the money, and the power of self-delusion about changing the world

Denise Hamilton is the editor of the just-published anthology "Speculative Los Angeles." In the past writers like Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, and Philip K. Dick represented the dark fantasy life of the city. Now a new generation of writers takes on that dark life for the 21st century.

Joel Selven, a music journalist and author of the new book “Hollywood Eden," tells the story of the young artists and musicians who came together at the dawn of the 1960s to create the sound of the California dream. It's the story of how West Los Angeles's University High School class of 1958 — which included Jan & Dean and Nancy Sinatra — helped create an image of the West Coast as an idyllic land of sand and surf.

Michael Storper, one of the world's leading economic geographers and a professor at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, goes deep into the history and resulting contemporary problems facing Los Angeles and the Bay Area. He explains why some cities grow economically, while others decline.

The writer Ron Brownstein takes us back to 1974 Los Angeles, a period he views as a cultural and political hinge point. It was during that year — as Brownstein details in his new book, "Rock Me on The Water" — that Los Angeles reached its creative peak, transforming movies, music, television, and politics, and forever cementing the upheaval of the 1960s into our culture.

Joe Mathews, a long-time California journalist, thinks that the state has a big problem, and the problem's name is Los Angeles. Mathews argues that Los Angeles County, home to 25% of the state's population, undermines the state and holds back its prosperity.

Matthew Shilvock, the general director of the San Francisco Opera, talks about the reemergence of the 1,000-person opera company and how its shutdown during the pandemic could be the catalyst for a younger, more digital, and more experimental future.

Molly Knight is a long-time sports writer and is a senior staff writer for The Athletic. Her beat covers Los Angeles sports and most notably, the L.A. Dodgers. The author of "The Best Team Money Can Buy", an inside-the-clubhouse look at two tumultuous years of the Dodgers, shares a bit of her life behind the scenes covering one of the premier franchises in sports.

Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, the new editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, was the managing editor for digital at the Washington Post. He lays out his vision for bringing the Chronicle fully into the digital era and enhancing its local focus. He sees his job as taking on a fixer-upper with good bones and a great history, but one that needs a lot more than just a coat of paint.

Michael Tubbs was elected to the Stockton City Council at age 22, having just graduated from Stanford. He was elected as the city's first African American Mayor at 27. He sought to reshape the most diverse city in America, creating a pilot program for universal basic income. It was seen as a success, yet he lost his bid for reelection. Tubbs shared his personal and political story with the California Sun Podcast.

Tess Taylor, in her books of award-winning poetry, captures the fragility, fear, and fault lines of California, and examines Dorothea Lange’s enduring influence on our unsteady times.

Bradley Tusk, bicoastal venture capitalist and political strategist, talks about the political and economic reasons why companies are leaving California. While individuals may be leaving our cities for greener pastures or wide-open spaces, the companies have a very different agenda — one that sits at the nexus of politics, technology, and money.

Jill Tucker has been covering education in California and in San Francisco for the San Francisco Chronicle for 22 years. Not until lately however, has she seen school debates grow so intense and board meetings stretch so long. In this week's podcast, she talks about what's going on, why now, and who's responsible.

Shane Bauer is a Bay Area journalist and author. His recent reporting for The New Yorker examines the violent excesses of the Vallejo police department. What he found and shares with us is a cautionary tale for police departments everywhere.

Roman Mars, the Bay Area author of the book and podcast series 99% Invisible, is a unique guide to the hidden worlds of design and architecture around us. He sees beauty in the built world — things that we visually appreciate, but often neglect, even while they are right under our noses.

Upon the occasion of the publication of a new collection of works by Joan Didion, "Let me Tell You What I Mean," I share a conversation I had with her in 2016 about California, its history, and its many crises. Because of her deep and broad vision, it’s as relevant today as on the day we spoke.

Casey Newton, a long-time Bay Area-based tech journalist, and the author of the Platformer newsletter looks at our social media platforms and how they have become the foundation of political speech. He discusses the role they should play in our democracy and if they really have become too powerful.

Hank Sims, the editor of Lost Coast Outpost, extols the virtues of Humboldt County and explains how his online newspaper has defied the odds faced by most local and regional newspapers.

Kathryn Olmsted, a historian, author, and former chair of the history department at UC Davis talks about California's long history of farm labor union organizing and how that history affects the efforts at Google, Uber, and other Silicon Valley companies.