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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
Immigration
Criminal Justice Reform
Social Media
JB Hamby
Kamala Harris
Coyotes
Civil Rights Movement
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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes201Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Imperfect Paradise

Latest Episodes

Is homeownership falling out of reach for millennials and Gen Z in the Golden State? LAist housing correspondent David Wagner joins Imperfect Paradise to examine this trend, the obstacles to homeownership and why we may need to shift our conception o... more

The death of Jackie signals the end of her story with Shadow – as well as for Big Bear Lake, and for millions of fans who followed the eagles’ saga on livestream for years. LAist reporter Makenna Cramer joins Imperfect Paradise to examine how the eag... more

Homelessness increased in Los Angeles this year following two previous years of declines, according to the recently released 2026 “point-in-time” homeless count. It’s a setback for the region, and for L.A. Mayor Karen Bass who’s touted prior declines... more

The city of Los Angeles is home to over two thousand active oil wells, many concentrated in communities of color where residents have long reported serious health issues. On this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist’s Erin Stone takes us inside one n... 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

Jared Bennett
LAist correspondent covering immigration and law enforcement
LAist
Episode: Who gets due process? Inside the fight over immigration bond hearings at Adelanto
Steven Steiner
Dad with a six and a half month old daughter; San Francisco resident
Product designer
Episode: More dads are taking parental leave than moms. Here's why.
Carlo Campana
Dad from Tustin, Orange County; works in advertising
Owner of a company, father of two
Episode: More dads are taking parental leave than moms. Here's why.
Jania Cassidy
Director of the California Work and Family Coalition
California Work and Family Coalition
Episode: More dads are taking parental leave than moms. Here's why.
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
Libby Rainey
LAist reporter and World Cup/Olympics expert
LAist
Episode: 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
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

Hosts

Nereida Moreno
Host of Imperfect Paradise
Antonia Cereijido
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 praise the show for deep, local journalism and its nuanced look at policy impacts.
Positive notes on storytelling and on-the-ground reporting from LAist reporters.
Appreciation for accessibility and real-world relevance of episodes.
Some criticism about perceived ideological bias or coverage depth on certain topics.

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Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

After two years of progress, homelessness went up in LA. Why?
Q: So there's a lot of finger pointing going on with Mayor Bass taking a lot of the heat. But what was or what is her approach to homelessness?
Bass's approach emphasizes moving people indoors quickly through Inside Safe while increasing permanent housing supply, but experts question whether this leads to durable transitions to permanent housing given LA's expensive market and funding gaps.
After two years of progress, homelessness went up in LA. Why?
Q: And Aaron, what were your takeaways after tagging along for this count?
Volunteer insight matters; local volunteers who know neighborhoods and the day-to-day realities of homelessness produce more accurate counts, while recognizing that the broader housing market, funding, and policy limits drive persistent trends.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Imperfect Paradise

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

This program consistently covers Southern California life through a journalistic lens, blending policy, local politics, housing, immigration, culture, and community impact. Recent episodes show a strong emphasis on LA's housing challenges, the mechanics of local and state policy, and how big events (like World Cup) ripple through local economies and communities. The show also features first-hand reporting from LAist journalists and diverse guests, ranging from policymakers to practitioners and residents, to illuminate issues that affect everyday life in the region. A few standout angles include in-depth looks at homelessness, paid family leave, judicial and electoral coverage, interfaith experiences, and the social effects of major events o... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Imperfect Paradise?

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How many listeners does Imperfect Paradise get?

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What are the audience demographics for Imperfect Paradise?

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How many subscribers and views does Imperfect Paradise have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Imperfect Paradise has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Imperfect Paradise?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Imperfect Paradise:

1. The LA Report
2. Code Switch
3. It's Been a Minute
4. The Bay
5. Latino USA

How many episodes of Imperfect Paradise are there?

Imperfect Paradise launched 5 years ago and published 201 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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Imperfect Paradise?

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

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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What guests have appeared on Imperfect Paradise?

Recent guests on Imperfect Paradise include:

1. Jared Bennett
2. Steven Steiner
3. Carlo Campana
4. Jania Cassidy
5. Destiny Torres
6. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
7. Libby Rainey
8. Frank Stoltze

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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