Support KCRW’s arts and culture coverage on shows like The Business

Hi listener,

My KCRW origin story begins in the dark, scary days when the 2008 financial crisis hit. I was a correspondent in NPR's West Coast office, which quickly saw mass layoffs. Colleagues were convinced I was safe, but I wasn't. As I was walking out of the building in a daze, my phone rang. It was Ruth Seymour, the founding mother of KCRW, who I didn't actually know. "Sweetheart!" she said. "Are they meshuge?" It was wonderful to hear those words before I had even gotten to my car. "Their loss will be my gain," she said.

Within weeks I was working with KCRW's beloved late curmudgeon, Matt Holzman, who had created The Business (and who had persuaded Ruth to call me in the first place). I'm pretty sure in the first weeks, Matt thought he had made a mistake. Being a host is not the same as voicing news stories. But he got me trained up, and by now I have enjoyed more than a decade at the station, bringing listeners an array of fascinating guests who work in front of and behind the camera.

We try to give our listeners insight into how the business really works.

Our guests in recent months have included:

- Actors George Clooney, Laverne Cox, and Daveed Diggs

- Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos

- “Reservation Dogs” writer-director Sterlin Harjo

- Mogul Barry Diller

- Creators of “Hacks,” “Girls5eva,” and “We Are Lady Parts”

Like everyone on the great KCRW team, we kept it coming throughout the pandemic because of listener support. When you join at $20 monthly, or whatever amount works best, YOU power our arts and culture coverage for all!

Sincerely,

Kim Masters

Host, The Business

P.S. Time for a tech upgrade? Donate by midnight tonight for a chance to win the new iPhone 13!*

*No contribution necessary to enter. Rules can be found at KCRW.com/give