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Press Play with Madeleine Brand

KCRW
Los Angeles
California
ICE
Trump Administration
Donald Trump
KCRW
Ice Raids
Wildfires
Climate Change
Gavin Newsom
Netflix
Jeffrey Epstein
Artificial Intelligence
Stranger Things
Homelessness
Medicaid
Gaza
Israel
Iran
AI Data Centers

Host Madeleine Brand looks at news, culture and emerging trends through the lens of Los Angeles.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1104Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for Press Play

Latest Episodes

Plus, Venezuela's natural disaster is exacerbated by a human one, our weekend film reviews including the latest Minions movie, and the U.S. survives and advances in the World Cup.

Plus, a hard-fought housing bill goes into effect today. The goal is to lower housing costs by building more homes near transit stops. And Evan Kleiman celebrates the Fourth of July…and the hot dog.

Activists screamed insults at him and accused him and “Zionist handlers” of supporting genocide. Plus, big Supreme Court decisions on birthright citizenship, trans athletes, and campaign finance - and this summer’s best TV.

Plus, the Supreme Court’s dramatic expansion of presidential power, the Democratic infighting as California voters decide whether to tax billionaires, and a celebration of Mel Brooks as he turns 100.

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Recent Guests

Amy Nicholson
Film critic, The Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times
Episode: Supreme Court puts thousands of Haitians at risk for deportation
Lori Tharps
Historian, co-author of Hair Story
Hair Story/Author
Episode: Supreme Court puts thousands of Haitians at risk for deportation
Joanna Schwartz
UCLA law professor and author of Shielded, How the Police Became Untouchable
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and sports’ most intense rivalry
Rebecca Gitlis
Director of the Netflix documentary Chris and Martina, the Final Set
Netflix
Episode: Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and sports’ most intense rivalry
Derek Kravitz
Investigative reporter
Consumer Reports
Episode: Brexit begets ‘Bregret’: 10 years on, Brits feel buyer’s remorse
Didier Gondola
Professor of History and Africana Studies
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: Brexit begets ‘Bregret’: 10 years on, Brits feel buyer’s remorse
Idris Coloon
Staff writer at The Atlantic, commentator on UK politics
The Atlantic
Episode: Brexit begets ‘Bregret’: 10 years on, Brits feel buyer’s remorse
Anna Catherine Scanlon
Rental Scout / LA Apartment Scout
LA Apartment Scout
Episode: Brexit begets ‘Bregret’: 10 years on, Brits feel buyer’s remorse
Julia Powell
Executive Director at UCLA Institute for Technology Law and Policy
UCLA Institute for Technology Law and Policy
Episode: What’s in Boyle Heights fire’s toxic air spreading across LA?

Host

Madeleine Brand
Host of Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 193 ratings
  • Taylor Lorenz??? REALLY?

    I’m sorry, but having on Taylor Lorenz—a known liar and hack—who has turned chicanery and gaslighting into an (albeit bumpy) career path has destroyed my respect for this show. Listening to her try to gaslight and shame us into denying our own critical thinking skills is audience abuse and I won’t take it. I’m so sick of being spoken down to by professional trolls like Taylor. Respect your audience and their intellect.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Xoxo79
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great show, love KCRW, can’t go wrong!!

    Great show, love KCRW, can’t go wrong!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ZephyrDogTown
    United States3 years ago
  • Madeleine Bernadotte??

    Love the show! It’s my favorite show! But has anyone noticed that it says the host is Madeleine Bernadotte at Apple Podcast??

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Allen in the hills
    United States3 years ago
  • A Must Listen for Californians and beyond

    Love Madeline and Press Play! A must listen to be plugged into everything LA and California.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SonmonGoodMon
    United States4 years ago
  • Interview with Adrian Bonnenberger (military)

    I really appreciate hearing the interview with the army officer who is trying to get his interpreter out. This is a humanitarian catastrophe which will be forgotten unless Biden takes more action.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zozobutt
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listener sentiment highlights thoughtful conversation and strong guests, with praise for topic breadth and local California focus.
Audience values public media credibility and in-depth coverage of LA and CA issues.
Many listeners appreciate high-quality guests across politics, culture, and science, and view the host as an engaging interviewer.
Some criticism centers on perceived bias or interview style, suggesting room for more balanced or rigorous journalism.

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Morning WireThe Daily Wire
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PivotNew York Magazine

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and sports’ most intense rivalry
Q: Can you talk about that moment when Chrissy decided to end their friendship because she feared Martina was getting too inside knowledge of her game?
Rebecca Gitlis explains that Chrissy's decision reflected a larger pattern of both athletes pushing boundaries, and the film portrays Chrissy's introspection as part of a broader narrative about trust, competition, and lifelong collaboration in the sport.
Yoko Ono at The Broad: An 'iconoclast' willing to do 'the strangest stuff'
Q: What makes the AI art installation across the street from Yoko Ono's show unique within the current art world?
Dataland uses a large nature model AI to generate immersive experiences that respond to visitor biometrics and environmental data, creating a layered, personalized encounter that blends technology, nature-inspired imagery, and scent, though some critics question whether the tech overshadows artistic meaning.
Yoko Ono at The Broad: An 'iconoclast' willing to do 'the strangest stuff'
Q: What makes Yoko Ono's early Fluxus work still relevant to contemporary audiences?
Her scores and instructions transform viewers into active participants, breaking the barrier between art and life, and they invite people to imagine new social relationships and possibilities beyond conventional gallery objects.
The eyebrow-raising ethics of a White House cage fight
Q: Is this part taxpayer funded or is it all corporate funded or privately funded?
It is described as a mix of corporate funding and public-private arrangements through Freedom 250, but the full breakdown and reporting are unclear, with signs that taxpayer money has been used in related projects and no-bid contracting practices questioned.
Jakob Nowell on filling his late father’s shoes as Sublime’s frontman
Q: When thinking about stepping back into the band, were you trying to sound like your dad or developing your own style first?
He explains that while some vocal phrases remind him of his father, his goal is to honor Bradley's influence while developing his own vocal and stage approach, avoiding imitation and focusing on authentic performance.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Press Play

What is Press Play about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program tends to center Los Angeles–focused news, culture, and policy, weaving together local government, infrastructure, climate, and public-interest stories with broader national and global context. Episodes frequently feature a mix of journalism, expert analysis, and cultural perspective, often highlighting how city planning, technology, and social policy intersect with daily life in Southern California. Notable throughlines include housing and governance, energy and climate, as well as arts and music scenes, all delivered through thoughtful interviews and diverse panel moments. A standout trait is the show's ability to pair in-depth policy discussions with human-interest or cultural storytelling, creating a locally grounded yet broa... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Press Play?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Press Play. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Press Play and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Press Play get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Press Play, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Press Play?

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How many subscribers and views does Press Play have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Press Play 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 Press Play?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Press Play:

1. FilmWeek
2. Fresh Air
3. KCRW's Left, Right & Center
4. On the Media
5. The Business

How many episodes of Press Play are there?

Press Play launched 12 years ago and published 1104 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 Press Play?

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 Press Play?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Press Play 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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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Press Play. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Press Play?

Recent guests on Press Play include:

1. Amy Nicholson
2. Lori Tharps
3. Joanna Schwartz
4. Rebecca Gitlis
5. Derek Kravitz
6. Didier Gondola
7. Idris Coloon
8. Anna Catherine Scanlon

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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