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Artwork for Imperfect Paradise

Imperfect Paradise

LAist Studios
California
Los Angeles
Colorado River
Wildfires
Eaton Fire
Oscar Gomez
Climate Change
Trump Administration
Hollywood
George Gascón
Laist
Donald Trump
Social Media
Immigration
Criminal Justice Reform
JB Hamby
Civil Rights Movement
Kamala Harris
Coyotes
Mountain Lions

Imperfect Paradise is LAist's weekly on-demand news magazine show that pulls back the curtain and dives deeper into the biggest and most consequential SoCal stories of the week from our newsroom. New episodes drop every Friday.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes197Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Imperfect Paradise

Latest Episodes

Immigration bond denials have jumped sharply under the second Trump administration — nowhere more than at the Adelanto ICE detention center in Southern California. On this week's Imperfect Paradise: LAist's Jared Bennett follows the case of a 70-year... more

For the first time ever, more fathers than mothers applied for Paid Family Leave to bond with their newborn child in California. LAist’s Elly Yu dives into the reasons behind this growing trend and talks with three men about their role as fathers.

... more

Hosting the World Cup was supposed to be an economic boost for Los Angeles, but what effect has it really had on local businesses? LAist reporter Destiny Torres examines this question through one historic tourist destination in Los Angeles: Olvera St... more

Los Angeles has a new museum: Dataland –- the world’s first museum completely devoted to AI-generated art. In a time of high anxiety around the impact of AI on jobs, the environment and human creativity, can Dataland change the conversation around hu... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Destiny Torres
LAist reporter
LAist
Episode: Has World Cup fever translated into a boost for LA businesses?
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
LAist correspondent and soccer expert
LAist
Episode: From immigrant roots to celebrities, how LA became a soccer city
Frank Stoltze
LAist Civics and Democracy correspondent
LAist/Civics and Democracy
Episode: Voter Game Plan Part 3: The primary races for LA mayor and LA County sheriff heat up
Cato Hernández
LAist reporter covering LA and OC judicial races
LAist
Episode: Voter Game Plan Part 2: Voting for judges is one of your toughest ballot tasks. What to consider when making your choices
Yusra Farzan
LAist reporter covering the three Abrahamic faiths housed under one roof at the First United Methodist Church
LAist
Episode: Inside a Southern California church, where Muslims, Jews, and Christians all pray
Antonia Cereijido
Former Imperfect Paradise host, guest discussing personal connection to Jackie & Shadow
Imperfect Paradise (past host)
Episode: Big Bear Valley’s ‘royal couple’ Jackie and Shadow & their emotional journey to parenthood
Mariana Dale
LAist K-12 Education senior reporter
LAist
Episode: Looming strike, budget deficit, and superintendent under federal investigation. What it could all mean for LAUSD's 400,000 students and staff
Erin Stone
LAist Climate and Environment Senior Reporter
LAist
Episode: Whistleblower alleges manager asleep on job during Eaton Fire response. Complaint raises questions about accountability and preparedness
Emily Taranelli
Stanford journalism student
Stanford University
Episode: We did the math: Men speak way more than women in the 10 films up for the top Oscar

Host

Nereida Moreno
Host of Imperfect Paradise

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 697 ratings
  • Very Good

    As a Californian, this is a must listen. Great podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    The Mrs Sykes
    United Statesa year ago
  • “How one many rebuilt his life, 100 miles at a time”

    Loved the “How one man rebuilt his life, 100 miles at a time” episode! It was my first listen for this podcast but definitely not my last. Such a good story and fascinating insight into life after prison for all these people.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LizB2007
    United States2 years ago
  • Plain stupidity or misinformation?

    So much misinformation spread in the anti black Latinos episodes. You should know what those words mean in Spanish or at least in Mexico.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ForrestGlover
    United States2 years ago
  • Appreciation post

    Thank you so much for bringing these insightful stories to us all. The one I just listened to was the one with Caesar in regard to his walk after prison, it’s good to hear that America is starting to bring light and proactive solutions to reduce recidivism. I hope to listen to more of this podcast. Lucy you did an amazing job!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Monica_Neema
    United States2 years ago
  • Yes to local journalism!

    I appreciate the local journalism especially on topics that we don’t get to hear from elsewhere. Will keep listening!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    etizc
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners value the focus on California public affairs and accountability reporting.
Some criticism around perceived biases or production style.
Positive reception for in-depth local reporting and actionable context.
Praise for highlighting underrepresented issues and long-form storytelling.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can this museum rebrand AI art?
Q: What does it mean to use visitor data to influence art, and is that intrusive or innovative?
She describes how the exhibit collects biometric signals during the experience and uses them to generate poetic interpretations, while a representative emphasizes that the data is used to offer a personalized but non-diagnostic artistic narrative.
Can this museum rebrand AI art?
Q: So Julia, the inaugural exhibit is called Machine Dreams Rainforests. Can you talk about the premise here? What is it about?
Julia explains that it's a multi-room experience where an AI model trained on rainforest data creates adaptive, multisensory artworks, incorporating viewer biometric data and environmental inputs to generate evolving visuals and sounds.
War, politics, and sports collide as Iran competes in LA for the World Cup
Q: What has FIFA said about the uncertainty surrounding Iran's participation, and what about the possibility of moving games to Mexico or elsewhere?
FIFA maintained that the tournament would go on as planned, with vague assurances that Iran's participation would not be altered, despite speculation about relocation. Infantino framed the situation as stable for the planned schedule.
War, politics, and sports collide as Iran competes in LA for the World Cup
Q: Libby, you've been reporting for weeks on how the Iranian diaspora is responding to Iran playing in the World Cup, including some folks who don't think the team should be allowed to play at all. Why is this happening in LA?
Libby explains that the diaspora is deeply divided: protests over Iran's government and ongoing conflict have polarized communities, and the World Cup becomes a focal point where politics and sport collide. Some see participation as a sign of resilience and a unifying moment, while others view it as legitimizing the regime amid heavy repression.
The World Cup is more than just soccer. How it’s a flash point for politics, the economy and ICE for host cities like LA
Q: What steps are being taken to manage attendance and access to events given the cost and security concerns?
There are last‑minute tickets available on FIFA's site, the city is promoting numerous free fan events, and there are transportation options like subsidized Metro shuttles to ease access; however, affordability remains a central theme.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Location
Interests
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Frequently Asked Questions About Imperfect Paradise

What is Imperfect Paradise about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This weekly SoCal-focused news magazine dives into the biggest local stories with a deep-dive, data-informed approach. Episodes span elections, education, public safety, immigration, and community impacts, often pairing reporting with context on how policy and politics shape everyday life. Guests are typically local journalists, researchers, and subject-matter experts who illuminate complex issues—from housing and transit to interfaith and cultural topics—while the host guides the conversation with clarity and context. The show's strengths lie in its rolling coverage of timely civic topics, strong emphasis on accountability, and a clear bent toward practical guidance for readers navigating a繁忙 regional landscape. Listeners likely value rigo... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Imperfect Paradise?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Imperfect Paradise:

1. The LA Report
2. Throughline
3. On the Media
4. Reveal
5. Radiolab

How many episodes of Imperfect Paradise are there?

Imperfect Paradise launched 5 years ago and published 197 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Imperfect Paradise?

Recent guests on Imperfect Paradise include:

1. Destiny Torres
2. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
3. Frank Stoltze
4. Cato Hernández
5. Yusra Farzan
6. Antonia Cereijido
7. Mariana Dale
8. Erin Stone

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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