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Artwork for Press Play

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

KCRW
Los Angeles
California
Donald Trump
ICE
Climate Change
KCRW
Trump Administration
Artificial Intelligence
Netflix
Gavin Newsom
Stranger Things
Israel
Homelessness
AI Data Centers
Posse Comitatus Act
Drunk Driving
United States
Jeffrey Epstein
Iran
Venezuela

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1104Founded13 years ago
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NewsArts

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Artwork for Press Play

Latest Episodes

Plus, a new study finds that at least 25 percent of NFL players could have the brain disease CTE. And artist Charles Ross’ 50-year endeavor to build an observatory in the New Mexico desert.

Plus, is the electric grid up for LA’s hottest week of the year? California’s Supreme Court hears arguments over Chad Bianco’s ballot seizure, and how President Trump’s loyal aide became a major news story.

Plus, their plans for homelessness and housing; a young woman diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis finds relief in weightlifting, our weekend film reviews, and Evan Kleiman’s heaven on Earth.

Plus, why polling missed the mark this primary season. A promising potential skin cancer vaccine. And a new biography of Howard Zinn looks at how A People’s History of the United States became a bestseller.

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

Mike Bonnen
Former LA City Councilmember; Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA
Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Cal State LA
Episode: Bass, Raman trade barbs throughout a testy mayoral debate
Jed Walczuk
Oncologist
Weill Cornell Medicine
Episode: Why Pico-Robertson’s Orthodox Jews are scootering on Shabbat
Dave Zirin
Sportswriter
The Nation
Episode: Why Pico-Robertson’s Orthodox Jews are scootering on Shabbat
Louis Keane
Reporter
The Forward
Episode: Why Pico-Robertson’s Orthodox Jews are scootering on Shabbat
Zev Yaroslavsky
Former Los Angeles City Councilmember and County Supervisor
Public Figure
Episode: Why Pico-Robertson’s Orthodox Jews are scootering on Shabbat
Stephen Anselbe Haier
Professor of Government
Harvard University
Episode: Why Pico-Robertson’s Orthodox Jews are scootering on Shabbat
Julia Wick
Co-founder and editorial director at LA Material
LA Material
Episode: Buss vs. Buss: Spicy sibling dispute over Lakers sale
Karen Tay Yamashita
Author and journalist; book Questions 27 and 28
UC Santa Cruz (Professor); author
Episode: Buss vs. Buss: Spicy sibling dispute over Lakers sale
Alex Sherman
Covers media and sports for CNBC
CNBC
Episode: Buss vs. Buss: Spicy sibling dispute over Lakers sale

Host

Madeleine Brand
Host of Press Play

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 196 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.

audience often values nuanced discussion that blends politics with culture and arts.
Overall praise for topical LA-focused coverage and guests, with strong appreciation for the host's interviewing style and depth.
Some listeners feel coverage is biased or opinionated, noting a preference for more hard-news depth.

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The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
Pivot
PivotNew York Magazine

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Great outfits, street parties, swagger: Tana Yonas’ essential summer tracks
Q: Tell us more about Zuckerberg's vision for Muse Glimmer and a more optimistic, personal AI future.
Rebecca Balaam explains that Muse Glimmer is an open-source, on-device model designed to run locally on consumer hardware, which could give individuals greater control over their data and enable private, personalized AI agents, though it may still rely on cloud or data-center resources for higher compute needs. She notes the trade-offs between privacy, capabilities, and access to the internet, and frames it as Meta's attempt to democratize AI while acknowledging potential risks.
Jane Schoenbrun’s campy and surrealistic take on teen slasher movies
Q: What drew you to the slasher genre and how does your film reinterpret it?
The guest explains that the movie uses campy, lavish visuals to negotiate themes of gender and sexuality, turning a familiar horror framework into a space for personal liberation and queer storytelling.
Eaton Fire victims’ lawyer thinks new report will encourage Edison to settle
Q: Okay, let's get to the war. You wrote recently on your sub stack that the US has lost the war with Iran. When did that definitively happen?
The author explains that the loss is tied to long-term strategic dynamics, with Iran gaining a stronger position over time, shifting narrative and deterrence, and that the result is a perception of reduced American leverage and influence in the region, especially as time progresses toward November.
Ross McElwee’s new film ‘Remake’ explores his son’s overdose
Q: How do you come across as a filmmaker in Remake? Are you a sympathetic character in this movie?
He acknowledges being largely sympathetic but notes viewers may see him as stern or worried about his son, emphasizing the complexity of portraying himself as a central figure while grappling with a difficult family history.
Ross McElwee’s new film ‘Remake’ explores his son’s overdose
Q: Did it make you think of your own movies differently when you considered turning Sherman's March into a feature film or a TV series?
McElwee says the process made him view his films as evolving projects where the personal lens can coexist with broader storytelling, leading to new forms or extensions of his earlier work.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Press Play

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

The show's conversations mix sharp political analysis with culture and arts coverage, anchored by in-depth discussions of local Los Angeles politics (housing, governance, policy) and interludes on film reviews, food, and music. Guests range from former officials and policy voices to critics and journalists, creating a fluid mix of public affairs, culture, and timely current events. The format often weaves live debate, investigative context, and human-interest angles (travel, food, personal stories) into topical LA-centered stories, with occasional sponsor reads. This blend is likely to attract listeners who want thoughtful civic context alongside feature storytelling and media/arts critique, in a distinctly Southern California frame. A notab... more

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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?

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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. The Business
2. Fresh Air
3. KQED's Forum
4. The New Yorker Radio Hour
5. Good Food

How many episodes of Press Play are there?

Press Play launched 13 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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What guests have appeared on Press Play?

Recent guests on Press Play include:

1. Mike Bonnen
2. Jed Walczuk
3. Dave Zirin
4. Louis Keane
5. Zev Yaroslavsky
6. Stephen Anselbe Haier
7. Julia Wick
8. Karen Tay Yamashita

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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