L.A. Meekly: A Los Angeles History Podcast
L.A. Meekly is a monthly comedy podcast about Los Angeles history put out by comedians Greg Gonzalez and Daniel Zafran that battles the idea that LA has no history by delving in the weird, unbelievable and, occasionally, haunted details from the past of their native city.

It's December and you know what that means: Murder! Demons! Plagues! Dreidels! This time live! Light your menorah under the mistletoe and tune in to this year's haunted episode live from the Comedy Central Stage yet again as we discuss this year's helping of ghosts, ghouls and...g-ack Parsons. We cover Myra Hess the White Vampire of Malibu (12:59), haunted Hollywood Boulevard (16:20), the plague outbreak of 1924 (25:23) and Jack Parsons (37:02).

Direct download: haunted_live_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Thanksgiving comes early in this, a very special episode of LA Meekly.  Join us as we give a rundown on the places and things in this city that we are most thankful for and mean the most to us.  Sincerity reigns supreme while sarcasm silently stages a coup.

Direct download: thankful_for_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Hop on the LA Meekly school bus and take a trip with us into the cabinet of curiosities that is MorYork.  Part art gallery, part immersive experience, part motherload of human molars.  We talk with the man behind it all, Clare Graham, to get some insight into what it all means and where the nearest bagel shop is.

Direct download: mor_york_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Feeling empty? Afraid? Alone? Then turn over all your personal possessions and click download! Join us as we take a journey of self discovery through a few of LA's cults from the Blackburns to Synanon. "The Man" and police involvement need not apply. We cover Aimee Semple McPherson (10:07), the Source Family (47:26), the Blackburns (1:19:38) and Synanon (1:33:23).

Direct download: cults_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:05am PDT

Pull up a demolished chair and join us for our field trip interview with author Anne Louise Bannon at the site of the old Ambassador Hotel as we discuss her novels, the Cocoanut Grove and just how drunk the old stars of the silver screen got at this place.

Direct download: anne_bannon_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Break out your annual passes and welcome to the wonderful world of LA's old amusement parks! In this blockbuster episode we tackle the stories of places like Pacific Ocean Park, Busch Gardens and the never realized Disney plans in both Burbank and Long Beach. Come for the amusements, stay for the end credits. We cover Busch Gardens (6:36), Chutes Park (24:05), Marineland (42:52), Agricultural Park (1:06:32), the original plans for Disneyland (1:24:35) and Pacific Ocean Park (1:42:07).

Direct download: amusement_parks_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:22am PDT

File this episode under "filed" because the archive has already done its job.  Tag along with us as we head to the Los Angeles City Archives where we visit the City Archivist for Los Angeles Michael Holland as he tells us about all the decades of information available there to any citizen of the city, the tremendously large rooms all that information's held in and the horrific fire suppression system in place just in case.

Direct download: archives_with_mike_holland_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Put on your airiest clothes and brave the valley heat for a LIVE discussion from the Andres Pico Adobe of some of the weirdest, strangest and downright did-we-already-say-weirdest things in the San Fernando Valley from the former Graceland imitation Melodyland to the ridiculous Monkey Island. We cover Melodyland (10:01), Monkey Island (21:10), the Old Trapper Lodge (32:22), the hidden Cold War missiles (41:18), Mother's Grave (48:14) and the haunted Andres Pico Adobe (52:45).

Direct download: valley_oddities_live_at_the_adobe_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:57am PDT

Buy a ticket for this very special episode where Greg and Daniel go through a slew of some of their favorite "LA" movies and their real life filming locations on their quest to understand what makes an "LA" movie "LA"..."movie." We cover Up In Smoke (9:18), the Big Lebowski (16:15), Heat (21:08), Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs (24:15), Boogie Nights (32:21), Back to the Future (36:32), Chinatown and LA noir (43:48), Boyz n the Hood and Friday (48:47), ET (51:46) and Mi Vida Loca (55:50).

Direct download: movies_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Your monthly meekly has arrived! Flip through the pages of this month's episode where we discuss the stories of some of the biggest and most influential magazines from LA history from Land of Sunshine to Slash to the weekly one whose vaguely familiar name we can't remember. Ad free and just as little gloss as ever! We'll cover Land of Sunshine (8:54), Variety (30:21), the Hollywood Reporter (46:20), Slash Magazine (1:00:07), Los Angeles Magazine (1:11:16) and LA Weekly (1:21:30).

Direct download: magazines_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Head east, young audience. This month we're covering the story of Boyle Heights and its transition from a predominantly Jewish community (5:44) to a predominantly Latino community (38:33). Join us to hear about the area's multicultural/politically active/alligator loving journey from blintzes to burritos.

Direct download: boyle_heights_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Pack a peanut butter and Lemmy sandwich and join us at the legendary Rainbow Bar and Grill for a talk with Staci Layne Wilson, author of the book "So L.A.: A Hollywood Memoir," about this place's rock and roll history and when best to go to see Ron Jeremy.

Direct download: field_trip_at_rainbow_bar_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

They once were lost but now they still are. Step back in time with us as we tell the tales of six of LA's once prominent but now gone forever landmarks from the beautiful Richfield Tower and Pan Pacific Auditorium to the ominous Deadman's Island. Listen now before they become somehow even more gone! We'll cover Arcade Station (8:16), Dead Man's Island (29:31), Pan Pacific Auditorium (37:13), the Old Courthouse and Hall of Records (50:28), the Coconut Grove (1:04:07) and the Richfield Oil Building (1:17:37).

Direct download: lost_landmarks_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

This episode recorded in front of a live studio audience. Jealous?! Join us for our very first live episode as we discuss a few local commercials and the mad cowboy mattress manic geniuses behind them from Crazy Gideon to Cal Worthington. Since we showed video clips in the show be sure to follow along with the cheat sheet of links on our tumblr page so you too can see the glory that is these videos. And don't you forget our video intro which will also be on that page! We'll cover Mad Man Muntz (7:10), Sit n Sleep (17:09), Crazy Gideon (29:00), Cal Worthington (39:06) and Larry H. Parker (57:27).

Direct download: live_commercial_episode_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

It's gonna feel like the first time all over again in this month's episode where, in honor of Black History Month, we discuss some trail blazing African-Americans from Los Angeles. From the city's first African-American mayor to the first African-American surfer, this just may be the first time you actually enjoy one of our episodes. We'll cover Peter Biggs (7:07), Samuel Marlowe (12:41), Nick Gabaldon (16:44), Miriam Matthews (39:58), Stepin Fetchit (50:15), Tom Bradley (1:06:33) and Paul R. Williams (1:22:26).

Direct download: first_african_american_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:12am PDT

Here it is at long last!  Our very first field trip episode!  Just play along and say you've been waiting as anxiously for it as we assume you were!  Join us on our excursion to the Petersen Automotive Museum with the one and only Ada Ruiz and hear what the most exciting and controversial cars they have are and where to eat once you're sick of seeing them.  We apologize for the audio quality but we hope you'll forgive us as it is our first time using this equipment.  We wouldn't hold it against YOU so show some mercy.

Direct download: petersen_museum_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Embezzlement. Bloated pensions. Voter fraud. Hog guts. What do all these have in common other than being beautiful names for your children? They're all part of the dirty corruption stories we're about to cover from two cities in southeast LA: Bell (7:02) and Vernon (50:38). Settle in and be glad you have a conscience. If you don't have a conscience, we're sure you can steal one from one of our good little listeners.

Direct download: corruption_itunes_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT