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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
Criminal Justice Reform
JB Hamby
Civil Rights Movement
Kamala Harris
Coyotes
Mountain Lions
ICE Raids

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes192Founded4 years ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Imperfect Paradise

Latest Episodes

The Iran national soccer team competed in its first match at the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles – after months of uncertainty over whether they’d play amid the US war on Iran. It's the first time in the tournament’s history that a host nation has gone... more

Los Angeles is hosting eight matches for this year’s FIFA World Cup. Today, LA is home to three professional soccer teams and one of the biggest soccer youth organizations in the nation, but did you know its history with soccer goes back over a centu... more

The stakes are high for this year’s FIFA World Cup. For the first time in the tournament's history, 48 national teams will compete across 16 cities. That includes Los Angeles. And despite the sport’s biggest names battling it out on the field, high t... more

If you still haven’t voted and need some help, listen to this encore of the first episode in our Voter Game Plan series – LAist Community Engagement Senior Producer Brianna Lee previews the key races and answers burning questions on navigating the pr... more

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

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
Cato Hernandez
LA Explained reporter
LA Explained
Episode: Route 66 has a 100-year legacy of American road trips and expansion, but the Mother Road had its problems too
Elly Yu
LAist Early Childhood Senior Reporter
LAist
Episode: California is not tracking whether its multi-billion dollar public preschool program is working. So how do we know if it’s helping or hurting students?

Host

Nereida Moreno
Host of Imperfect Paradise

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 696 ratings
  • Very Good

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

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    The Mrs Sykes
    United States10 months 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 Statesa year 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 Statesa year 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 Statesa year 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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This American LifeThis American Life
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If Books Could Kill
If Books Could KillMichael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Dream Life Club
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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Voter Game Plan Part 5: Your last chance to cram before the June 2 primary
Q: How does LAist use voter input to shape the voter guide and questions asked of candidates?
LAist collects survey responses from voters and uses them to tailor candidate surveys and reporting questions so that coverage reflects what the community cares about, from streetlights to homelessness and the budget.
Voter Game Plan Part 5: Your last chance to cram before the June 2 primary
Q: Why is it important that voters cast their ballots in June's primary elections?
Because the primary shapes who advances to November and, in many California races, the top two vote getters move on to a runoff, which can significantly affect who governs at state, county, and local levels.
Voter Game Plan Part 3: The primary races for LA mayor and LA County sheriff heat up
Q: What is the biggest issue the LA County Sheriff's Department is currently facing in this race?
The department has long-standing challenges, including staffing shortages, with past leaders clashing with supervisors; current concerns focus on deputy gangs, use-of-force policies, and rebuilding trust with the community, all of which influence voter assessments of candidates' plans.
Voter Game Plan Part 3: The primary races for LA mayor and LA County sheriff heat up
Q: Frank, what are the day-to-day responsibilities of the LA mayor that voters should understand before the June primary?
The mayor proposes and approves the budget, hires department heads, signs or vetoes ordinances, appoints boards, issues executive orders, and can declare local emergencies, but many development and budgeting decisions are actually shaped by the city council, highlighting the weak mayor structure.
Voter Game Plan Part 1: What you need to know about the June primary elections
Q: What are the biggest issues heading into June?
Homelessness and housing dominate voter concerns, with city services and the budget crisis also prominent, affecting residents across LA and the broader region.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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. Reveal
3. This American Life
4. Latino USA
5. LA Podcast

How many episodes of Imperfect Paradise are there?

Imperfect Paradise launched 4 years ago and published 192 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Imperfect Paradise?

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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Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Imperfect Paradise from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Imperfect Paradise?

Recent guests on Imperfect Paradise include:

1. Frank Stoltze
2. Cato Hernández
3. Yusra Farzan
4. Antonia Cereijido
5. Mariana Dale
6. Erin Stone
7. Emily Taranelli
8. Cato Hernandez

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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