Hello!

I once lost my husband. Literally. I filed a missing persons report when at 9 PM, he had not returned from the LA Marathon. He’d set out to run without his phone, wallet, keys — not even a water bottle. Why? Because he’d get water handed to him by volunteers, he said. And Metro was free for runners so why take money? And so, with a godspeed, I said goodbye to him at 6 AM. 

By the time I was watching the local TV reporter on the dark empty route next to a trash can with used paper cups, I was describing my husband to the officer on the phone. I put him on hold to investigate a crinkly ruckus of flapping and cawing outside the door. My sister-in-law — yes, we all gathered in worry — opened it to a ridiculously frazzled, disheveled husband wrapped in a foil blanket. 

He heard his knee pop early in the race, but he was no quitter, see? And so he limped along until ambitious newbies who didn’t pace themselves (or even train) passed him up. Small children passed him up. Determined people in crutches passed him up. Senior seniors passed him up. Still, he was no quitter! By the time he crossed the finish line, there was none. Could I pick him up? Nope. No phone, no payphones, no coins anyway. With the dregs of his energy, he went to a bus stop. But Metro stopped being free hours after the event and bus after bus went on without him. At last, a hero driver took his foil blanket at face value and let him board. 

Let that serve as a cautionary tale to what — always be prepared? Know when to quit (still no quitting, see)?! NO! To join KCRW’s LA Marathon Team! We’d never leave you behind!

Team KCRW is looking for TWO more runners! Do it because the Marathon is turning 40, or maybe you’re turning 40, or you’ve just always wanted to! Heck grab a pal and make more pals as part of our first OFFICIAL team! Training has begun and it’s not too late to join the team for Public Media. Listen, if you've been searching for a sign to participate in the LA Marathon next March, HERE IT IS.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY MUSIC PROGRAMMING

Okay, thanks for signing up for the marathon up there. Now be sure to check in to KCRW on NYE for some great music highlights as you get ready to ring in the new year! Listen on 89.9FM or stream it.

December 31, 2024 
6pm-7pm
2024 Top 30 Highlights
Nassir Nassirzadeh is responsible for compiling the songs that go into our library that our DJs play on their shows.  Many of these songs eventually make it to KCRW’s Top 30 chart.  As part of our “2024 Year In Review” Nassir is sharing some of the highlights from the past year's charts.

7pm-8pm
Live From KCRW Highlights
Among the many other things she does at KCRW, Anna Chang is also the producer of the live performances that take place at KCRW.  As part of KCRW’s “2024 Year In Review” Anna will be sharing with our listeners some of her favorite moments that were captured in our studios in 2024.

8pm-9pm
Top Tune Highlights
Ariana Morgenstern is one of the major forces behind KCRW’s Music Team.  For this program Ariana is selecting some of her favorite tunes from the 2024 Top Tunes collection she curates throughout the year.

9pm-12am
Mornings Become Eclectic: 2024 Countdown Edition
Novena’s Carmel’s Best of 2024 countdown episode of Mornings Become Eclectic was so good, we had to close the year with it!!!

Happy holidays and see you on the other side! 

Connie Alvarez
Your KCRW Insider

P.S. Also check out an exclusive Billie Eillish interview and 3-song set with DJ Chris Douridas on on Sunday, 

Press Play Staff Holiday Film Picks

What’s one thing in common during the cold wintery evenings, boisterous family gatherings, and scarce moments of reprieve this holiday season? Holiday films vying for your attention. Whether you’re looking for a movie for a group to enjoy or seeking some solo holiday comedic escapism, the Press Play staff share their recs with you and why these holiday films hit home for them.

Comcast Looks to Part Ways with Most Cable Channels

Cable is dead! Long live… cable? Comcast will be spinning off several cable networks into a separate entity. MSNBC, CNBC, E!, and SyFy are all set to leave the fold. So, they’re not quite dead. How can Comcast afford to do this when other companies float similar ideas but don't follow through? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni chat logistics and the future of cable television as "big business" on… The Business.

The New Mainstream Media: Internet Personalities

Mainstream media is dead! Long live… mainstream media? Is there an echo in here? Audiences are flocking to internet personalities on YouTube, podcasts, and TikTok as a counter to legacy media. While the likes of cable television (see above) and other mainstream media news sources are looking for ways to stay relevant (and profitable), personalities like Joe Rogan, Steve Bannon, and Charlie Kirk are winning bigger audiences and becoming the new mainstream. Is new media now mainstream? Hear more about it on Press Play with Madeleine Brand.

Groupies Are Here for Your Holiday Cheer

As the holidays near, you may find yourself at way too many parties (or stuck in traffic), your mind wandering to the secret histories of the hallowed venues, ballrooms, backrooms, and swanky homes dotting LA's many enclaves. If you’ve longed to know about the party legends of Lost Angeles, we’ve got the perfect companion for your treks across town and lulls in cocktail conversation. The full season of KCRW’s Lost Notes: Groupies is out now. We hear from the women who made the rock’n’roll ‘70s on the Sunset Strip what it was: stylish, outrageous, a little tawdry, and unbelievably cool. Load up your podcast app now for that holiday road trip or long plane ride to be transported to LA-as-Shangri-La for rock star dudes and women hunting for a different life in music.

Watch Now: AMC’s Interview With the Vampire Is “Expectation-Defying” and “Pulse-Pounding Television”

The interview continues in season two which is hailed as “one of the year’s most rewarding and remarkable hours of television” by Indiewire. Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire stars Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Assad Zaman, Delainey Hayles, Ben Daniels, and Eric Bogosian. The series is executive produced by award-winning producer Mark Johnson, creator and showrunner Rolin Jones, Mark Taylor, along with Christopher Rice and the late Anne Rice. Lauded as “one of the best TV shows of the decade” by the Chicago Tribune, season two continues to acquire critical acclaim, topping multiple “Best Of” 2024 year-end lists across Vanity Fair, Variety, TV Guide, Vulture, and more. For your consideration in all categories including Best Drama Series. 

Season two episodes are available to stream now on www.amcfyc.com with access code: k74r3x6u.

Need to catch up on season one? All episodes are now streaming on AMC+ and Netflix. 

KCRW’s Favorite Songs of 2024

Maybe you’ve been studying KCRW all year or just now pulling an end-of-year all-nighter. Either way, it’s time to swab the decks and check out KCRW’s favorite songs that hit the waves throughout 2024. Whatever kind of student you are, you’ll see songs you recognize and others out of the murky depths of discovery, and all of them are aargh(!)uably KCRW’s favorites of 2024. As we all remember in our high-school history class, you don’t have to be the best, you just have to be the favorite.