Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Politicon, 'Gold Fame Citrus,' and the Wet Prince of Bel-Air
Politicon, an event this past weekend in L.A., doesn’t think mixing politics and entertainment is a bad thing. In fact, its motto is “Entertain Democracy.” And in a new novel by Claire Vaye Watkins, only the dregs of L.A. remain after a catastrophic drought slowly throttles the city to death.
By Madeleine Brand • • 43m ListenPresidential candidate Lawrence Lessig’s poll numbers were too low to qualify him for tonight’s debate. Lessig is running on a single-issue platform: campaign finance and election reform. He says he would resign the Presidency once he accomplished his goal.
And more than ever, politics feels like entertainment. Case in point, it’s just been announced that Donald Trump will host Saturday Night Live.
Politicon, an event this past weekend in Los Angeles, doesn’t think mixing politics and entertainment is a bad thing. In fact, its motto is “Entertain Democracy.”
Next, someone in Bel Air is using 1,300 gallons of water an hour. Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez is working to expose the person some are calling the Wet Prince of Bel-Air.
Finally, in a new novel by Claire Vaye Watkins, it’s the dregs of the city that remain after a catastrophic drought slowly throttles L.A. to death.
In this episode
4 storiesLawrence Lessig Runs for Election Reform
Presidential candidate Lawrence Lessig won’t be on stage at tonight’s debate. His poll numbers were too low to qualify. Lessig is running on a single-issue platform: campaign finance and election reform. He says once he accomplishes this, he would resign the presidency.
Read the story10 minPoliticon Mixes Politics and Entertainment
More than ever, politics feels like entertainment. Case in point, it’s just been announced that Donald Trump will host Saturday Night Live. An event this past weekend in L.A. called Politicon doesn’t think mixing politics and entertainment is a bad thing. In fact, its motto is “Entertain Democracy.”
Read the story8 minTracking the Wet Prince of Bel Air
There is someone in Bel Air using 1,300 gallons of water an hour. Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez is on the case . He comes armed with a posse of drought shamers with too much time on their hands, Google Earth and a Prius, all in an effort to expose the person some are calling the Wet Prince of Bel Air.
Read the story8 min'Gold Fame Citrus' Imagines a Drought-Stricken Los Angeles
In a new novel by Claire Vaye Watkins, only the dregs of the city remain after a catastrophic drought slowly throttles L.A. to death. And a new, lifeless desert creeps ever forward toward the coast, eating the last vestiges of humanity along the way.
Read the story16 min
