Episode 42

The Los Angeles Breakfast Club: ON THE AIR

We are commemorating Memorial Day, Asian-American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Cinco de Mayo and, hopefully, the final stages of the pandemic on this, our last "Covid-19" installment of the podcast!

Trusty announcer Marc Hershon gets things rolling with some info about the origin of Memorial Day before host Phil Leirness takes over to celebrate the importance of history and stories, sharing troubling thoughts about how easy it is for these things to become lost forever.

After the usual celebration of member birthdays, we take the Audio Time Machine back to 1984 where author Diane Alexander proceeds to take us back even further in time to explore the origins of the Pasadena Playhouse. Not only did that organization make an indelible (perhaps unparalleled) mark on the movie industry, but Ms. Alexander's presentation includes facts that are eerily resonant today and features beloved Breakfast Clubber Will Rogers!

Filmmaker Stephen DeBro regales with tales of Eileen Eaton, a remarkable woman who was responsible for the success of the Olympic Grand Auditorium. Andy Lowe from East-West Players tackles the challenges in trying to create a more diverse and equitable world for performers and storytellers. Chaplain of the Day Greg Gonzalez instructs us about Cinco de Mayo. The Don Snyder Orchestra performs two songs. Phil Leirness allows us to get better acquainted with good Ham an' Eggers Jodi Kurland and Kevin Jordan. Lily Leirness wraps things up with her Presidential Report, previewing the Los Angeles Breakfast Club activities for June and offering insight into what we hope July might have in store for us.