Off-Ramp for March 6, 2010
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Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Lopez, and Rabe visit LAMP homeless center
(THIS PIECE ORIGINALLY RAN IN MARCH ON OFF-RAMP)
Most people know Jon Bon Jovi as a rock hero. But for the last six years, he’s used his fame and money to fight homelessness. The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has built 250 units of affordable housing around the country. When he’s on tour, Bon Jovi makes fact-finding visits to the poor parts of town to learn more about the causes and cures of homelessness.
Ahead of his gig at Staples Center (Thursday, March 4), on Monday he toured LAMP Community, the homeless center on Skid Row. Steve Lopez, the LA Times columnist who has chronicled the recovery of homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers, brought Bon Jovi to LAMP and was impressed with the work he's done.
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The Beer Float
Off-Ramp producer Queena Kim has been hanging out at Golden State on Fairfax lately. They’re known for their burgers and beer, but they also make a delicious ... beer float. Don't gag. Queena talked with co-owner Jason Bernstein, and tried one.
Come inside for the Beer Float movie and a link to Golden State.
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Don Murray and son Chris Murray are each other's dates at the "Night of a Hundred Stars" Oscar Party
KPCC's John Rabe gets on the line with Don Murray ("Bus Stop," "Advise and Consent," "Knott's Landing") and his son Chris Murray ("Zoey 101" and "Parks & Rec") to get the inside poop on the Night of a Hundred Stars. Come inside to see Don, wife Hope Lange, and baby Chris.
(Listen to the long or the short version of their interview. The long one features a lot more information on how seriously Don Murray takes his role as Academy member when it comes to voting for the Oscar-nominated films.)
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Sweetums film from Parks&Rec less sweet than original
Rabe compares "Sweetums" film (with Chris Murray) from NBC's Parks&Rec to "Sugar Crinkles" cereal ad from 1950s epidode of "Gunsmoke." Come inside for the "Sweetums" video, which includes a line cut from the broadcast version.
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What's On Your Browser? iCarly!
This week we ask the hot new digi-band iOla, "What's on your browser." Their answer: iCarly. It's one of the most popular kid's TV shows. CyberFrequencies also hangs out with the band!
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John Rabe blog shoots for Guggenheim with Vast Wasteland Project
John Rabe's blog, "John Rabe" on the SCPR home page, has been featuring Hipstamatic photos of the discarded televisions of Cypress Park. But, as it turns out, they're more than just photos ... they're art ... and so is the blog.
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Haefele Tribute to Early-Childhood Icon, Docia Zavitkovsky
Docia Zavitkovsky – a Westsider who died on Christmas Eve -- spent more than 70 of her 96 years working with the very young. She became a national treasure of infant lore and practice. Her ideas informed Head Start and earned her a devoted following, including Off-Ramp commentator Marc Haefele.
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Camille Rose Garcia illustrates new edition of "Alice in Wonderland"
Camille Rose Garcia, the SoCal-born painter we introduced you to last fall, has a book on the New York Times bestseller list. She's illustrated a new edition of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," just in time for a new imagining of the book, and the Tim Burton movie with Johnny Depp. Some of the artwork from Garcia's book is on display at Merry Karnowsky Gallery on LaBrea in Los Angeles.
Here's Julian Bermudez's piece on Garcia, filed when she opened her "Hydra of Babylon" show in September, 2009.
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Me Gusta El Chicano
UPDATE MONDAY 3/1/2010: We just learned that Bobby Espinosa of the seminal band El Chicano has died at the age of 60. Here's our piece on him and the band from June of 2009.
Jesus Velo of the band Los Illegals interviews one of his heroes, Bobby Espinosa (right) of El Chicano, about the song "Viva Tirado."
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MarriageTrial.com does the Federal Challege to Prop 8
The federal case challenging Prop 8 is winding up in San Francisco next week but you can’t see it. Television cameras weren't allowed to safeguard the privacy of the witnesses.
But if you want to see the trial, a group actors have been creating a series – in which they take the court transcript and act it out. You can see the video re-enactment "MarriageTrial.com."
KPCC’s Alex Cohen spoke to John Ireland, who co-produced the series with John Ainsworth
