Author and pop-culture humorist
Author and pop-culture humorist specializing in Americana
PROFILE
Charles Phoenix
Guest
FROM Charles Phoenix
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Clifton’s Cafeteria Set to Reopen An indoor redwood forest. Animatronic wildlife. More Jello than you could possibly imagine, and space for 600 diners. Clifton’s downtown cafeteria opened near the corner of Broadway and 7th street in 1935. It was family owned until 2010, when nightlife impresario Andrew Meieran bought the property. He closed Clifton’s in 2012 to revamp and remodel the interior. And the brand new Clifton’s is set to open on September 17 .
Design and Architecture
What Does the Instagram Sale Mean for Retro Culture? Last week saw an astounding billion dollars being paid for an app that can give a retro look to camera-phone photos. Instagram , a small startup, was bought by tech behemoth Facebook . Charles Phoenix, a cult figure who collects and builds performances around actual retro photos of Americana, helps to process the cultural significance of the Instagram deal. Charles has a few shows coming up next month like his Big Retro Slide Show at MOCA Grand Avenue and his Disneyland Tour of Downtown Los Angeles , and he gives his thoughts on Instagram and how the trend for retrofying snapshots compares with what he does. Frances' vintage Bugs Bunny sweater from a flea market photographed by Charles Phoenix with Instagram "Earlybird" filter. Top image: Photograph of Charles Phoenix by Chris Haston with Instagram "Nashville" filter.
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The Business
Industry insights and lessons learned from memorable guests We have interesting guests on The Business, and sometimes our conversations are too long to fit into one show. This week we give you stories that were too good to leave on the cutting room floor, including some sharp insights on making it in the industry from David Mandel, David Simon, Shawn Levy and Matt Reeves.
The Business
In 'Speechless,' Scott Silveri combines comedy, family & disability Scott Silveri has written and produced sitcoms for more than 20 years. In all that time, he never encountered a TV family that looked anything like the one he grew up in -- with a mom, a dad...and a brother with cerebral palsy. He changed that with his show Speechless on ABC. Silveri tells us about looking to his own past for stories, and why he was determined to make a family comedy and not just a "disability show."
Design and Architecture
Farewell LA freeways, Peter Shire is back Angelenos don't want more freeways but we seem not to want mass transit either. Metro has killed the 710 freeway extension, and bus and train ridership is down across the region. What's the future of getting around in LA? And, Peter Shire is having a comeback. What attracts a new generation to his playful ceramics and furniture?