Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Mexican Drug Lord, Legacies of Harold Ramis & Bill Thomas
Today on Press Play: the capture of one of Mexico's most wanted fugitives, the legacies of Harold Ramis and Bill Thomas, and a man at the center of the world.
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenToday on Press Play, we look at the capture of one of Mexico’s most wanted fugitives and his impact on the global drug trade. We also look back on the life and career of Harold Ramis, the man behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic comedies of the 70s, 80s and 90s. We also discuss another passing - that of Bill Thomas, former editor of the L.A. Times. And we meet an 85 year old man who’s documenting the history of mankind on slabs of stone in the middle of the desert.
Banner Image: Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman (C) is escorted by soldiers during a presentation at the Navy's airstrip in Mexico City February 22, 2014. Mexico has captured its most wanted man, drug kingpin Guzman, President Enrique Pena Nieto said via Twitter on Saturday, in a major victory in a long, grisly fight against drug gangs. Guzman, known as "El Chapo" (Shorty) in Spanish, runs Mexico's infamous Sinaloa Cartel and over the past decade emerged as one of the world's most powerful organized crime bosses. REUTERS/Henry Romero
In this episode
6 storiesEl Chapo The Innovator
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the notorious head of the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, was captured over the weekend . El Chapo upped the cartel game in Mexico over several decades. We look at his impact on the drug trade well beyond Mexico and across the globe.
Read the story8 minDrugs and Culture in Mexico
The capture of Mexico’s drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman won’t end the drug war. In fact, it might exacerbate it. We talk about what his elimination means for Mexico and the U.S.
Read the story9 minGoodbye, Harold Ramis
The film world lost one of it’s comedy trailblazers today. Harold Ramis was the man behind so many HUGE -- now iconic -- movies, from Groundhog Day to Caddyshack, Animal House, Analyze This, and (of course) Ghostbusters. We look back on his life and work.
Read the story8 minJourney to the Center of the World
85-year-old Jacques-André Istel has grandiose plans to build a monument to world history in the California desert. And the project is well underway. We get to know the mayor of Felicity, population two, which has been named the official center of the world.
Read the story10 minPolitics Roundup
Democratic State Senator Ron Calderon was charged with 24 federal counts on Friday involving taking $100,000 in bribes. He faces 395 years if convicted. We talk about that and Governor Brown’s latest emergency water plan, along with other news, in our weekly political roundup.
Read the story7 minGoodbye, Bill Thomas
William Thomas has died. As the editor of the LA Times from 1971 to 1989, he helped realize the paper’s ambition to be a nationally recognized news organization.
Read the story8 min
