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Imperfect Paradise

LAist Studios
California
Los Angeles
Colorado River
Wildfires
Eaton Fire
Oscar Gomez
Hollywood
Climate Change
Trump Administration
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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes210Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Imperfect Paradise

Latest Episodes

Supporters of Prop 40 say it would fill gaps left by the Trump administration’s cuts on healthcare. The opposition isn’t billionaires…. It includes Planned Parenthood, the state’s biggest teachers union and Governor Newsom. In this episode of our Vot... more

Prop 39, a voter ID measure that would dramatically change voting in California is on the ballot this November. Proponents say that requiring voters to show a government ID when they cast a ballot would increase peoples’ trust in the election process... more

The midterm elections are nearly here and the stakes are high for two particular races: the California gubernatorial race and the L.A. mayor race. In the first episode of our Voter Game Plan series, fill-in host Josie Huang sits down with KQED’s Mari... more

It took days to put out the Lineage warehouse fire in Los Angeles this summer. Once the flames were out, the cleanup of rotting food took weeks. Residents suffered health problems, businesses lost customers and many questions are still unanswered. Wh... 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

Jill Replogle
LAist Orange County correspondent
LAist Studios
Episode: California Prop 39: What the voter ID measure may change & the national battle
Frank Stoltze
LAist civics and democracy correspondent
LAist
Episode: Guide to LA mayor & California governor races: Bass vs Raman, Becerra vs Hilton
Marisa Lagos
Correspondent for KQED's California Politics and Government Desk, co-host of the Political Breakdown Podcast
KQED
Episode: Guide to LA mayor & California governor races: Bass vs Raman, Becerra vs Hilton
Laura Anaya-Morga
Reporter for Boyle Heights Beat
Boyle Heights Beat / LAist
Episode: What went wrong with the Lineage fire in Boyle Heights?
Alejandra Molina
Reporter for Boyle Heights Beat
Boyle Heights Beat / LAist
Episode: What went wrong with the Lineage fire in Boyle Heights?
Dawn Chmielewski
Veteran entertainment journalist at LAist
LAist
Episode: President Trump says ‘Hollywood is dead.’ What’s being done to revive it?
David Wagner
LAist Correspondent covering housing in Southern California
LAist
Episode: Is your smoke-damaged home safe? The toxic aftermath of LA’s 2025 fires
Dawn Fanning
Resident of Altadena and managing director of Eaton Fire Residence United
Eaton Fire Residence United
Episode: Is your smoke-damaged home safe? The toxic aftermath of LA’s 2025 fires
Don Fanning
Resident of Altadena who pursued testing and remediation
Altadena Residents Group
Episode: Is your smoke-damaged home safe? The toxic aftermath of LA’s 2025 fires

Hosts

Nereida Moreno
Host of Imperfect Paradise
Antonia Cereijido
Host of Imperfect Paradise

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 695 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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METRO with Sarah Koenig
METRO with Sarah KoenigSerial Productions & The New York Times
Notes from the Edge
Notes from the EdgeGamut Podcast Network
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Sold a Story
Sold a StoryAPM Reports
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

California Prop 39: What the voter ID measure may change & the national battle
Q: What would Prop 39 change about how we vote in California?
Prop 39 would require a government-issued ID for in-person voting, and for mail-in ballots, voters would need to write the last four digits of the ID used to register. It would shrink the documents accepted to prove identity to a government-issued ID and mandate free IDs for those without one, along with citizenship verification efforts.
What went wrong with the Lineage fire in Boyle Heights?
Q: What did officials say about rebuilding, and what actions did they take?
Mayor Bass shifted from initial indecision to taking a firmer stance against rebuilding in the area, with city council and state lawmakers proposing measures to restrict rebuilding without safeguards, while urging accountability for Lineage and the broader environmental impacts.
What went wrong with the Lineage fire in Boyle Heights?
Q: How did the community mobilize in the aftermath?
Neighbors organized through local groups like East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and Protect LA Now, advocated for evacuations and testing, and pressed officials for accountability, relief, and stronger protections against future environmental threats.
What went wrong with the Lineage fire in Boyle Heights?
Q: What went wrong at Lineage, and how did the response unfold in the days immediately after the fire?
The responders struggled to access the interior due to building layout and insulation, the ammonia hazard was a key danger on day one, and agencies faced challenges coordinating sheltering and cleanup timelines, with residents frustrated by delays and unclear air-quality assurances.
President Trump says ‘Hollywood is dead.’ What’s being done to revive it?
Q: What is the goal of California's expanded film and TV tax credit program, and is it achieving it so far?
The goal is to reduce production flight and keep projects in California by making the cost of producing here more competitive, but while there are signs of recovery, the gains are not yet at pre-2022 levels and competition remains fierce.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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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

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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. LA Podcast
3. Latino USA
4. Code Switch
5. This American Life

How many episodes of Imperfect Paradise are there?

Imperfect Paradise launched 5 years ago and published 210 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. Jill Replogle
2. Frank Stoltze
3. Marisa Lagos
4. Laura Anaya-Morga
5. Alejandra Molina
6. Dawn Chmielewski
7. David Wagner
8. Dawn Fanning

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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