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.
Daniel Zafran & Greg Gonzalez & the history of Los Angeles
Listeners of L.A. Meekly: A Los Angeles History Podcast that love the show mention: daniel and greg, griffith, la's, angeleno, creepy stuff, hidden gems, los angeles, funny hosts, history, coast, city, funny and informative, places, explore, grew, historical, moved, fast, boys, area.
The L.A. Meekly: A Los Angeles History Podcast is an unexpectedly entertaining and informative podcast that delves into the history, urban legends, and hidden gems of the city of Los Angeles. Despite the potential for dry and boring content, hosts Daniel and Greg manage to create a perfect mix of historical intrigue and niche comedic banter that keeps listeners engaged from start to finish. Their sense of discovery and amazement as they uncover surprising facts during their research is infectious, making each episode a delightful journey into the depths of LA's past.
One of the best aspects of The L.A. Meekly is the chemistry between hosts Daniel and Greg. As old friends, their camaraderie shines through in their goofing around and humorous banter, creating a welcoming atmosphere for listeners. Unlike many other podcasts with co-hosts, their interactions feel genuine and unforced, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to each episode.
Another great aspect of this podcast is its ability to educate listeners about the history of Los Angeles in an entertaining way. Even for long-time residents who thought they knew everything about their city, Daniel and Greg manage to uncover fascinating information that surprises even themselves. Listeners will find themselves learning new things about LA with each episode, expanding their knowledge while being thoroughly entertained.
While it's hard to find any major faults with The L.A. Meekly podcast, one minor aspect that could be improved upon is accuracy in certain areas. Some listeners have pointed out discrepancies in regards to Chicano art history and DÃa de los Muertos celebrations in LA. While this doesn't detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the podcast, it would be beneficial for future episodes to ensure accuracy in all aspects discussed.
In conclusion, The L.A. Meekly: A Los Angeles History Podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in the history and quirks of LA. With its perfect blend of humor and historical intrigue, hosts Daniel and Greg have created a podcast that is both entertaining and educational. Whether you're a long-time resident of LA or simply fascinated by the city, The L.A. Meekly will leave you wanting more as you dive into the rich tapestry of Los Angeles's past.
Surfs up, glasses down. To kick of summer we're diving into two pillars of the hot months of the year: Tiki culture (17:00) and surfing (58:27).
Hey Mr. DJ (Daniel and Jreg) put a record on. This month we're going to be talking about AND listening to a smattering of some of the most iconic songs about Los Angeles. We'll discuss some of their backstory and what they say about the city. Come for the ones you expect; be angry at the ones we missed.
Spring is here and our drawers are loaded. That means it's time to empty them out in another junk drawer episode of topics that never found a home in other episodes. We'll be covering the Los Angeles Pigeon Farm (20:24), the geographic center of Los Angeles (34:09) and the Bella Union Hotel shootout (46:55).
For Women's History Month we're covering some notable women who made an impact on Los Angeles. We've got the first woman there was: the La Brea Woman (14:24), mental health pioneer Agnes Richards (23:20) and suffragette Caroline Severance (43:33).
This ValenTINE's Day we're doing the most romantic thing we can think of and going to a couple houses of ill repute. This month we'll be covering the history of Jumbo's Clown Room (29:52) and Chippendale's (45:59).
In light of bad people trying to destroy the very fabric of our country, this month we're highlighting that which they want to destroy. We'll be covering some of our favorite ethnic enclaves of Los Angeles including Little Ethiopia (16:22), Historic Filipinotown (32:55) and Koreatown (51:25).
At long last it's here: our annual Creepy Christmas/Chaunted Channukah. Hide the children. Hide the elf on the shelf. Hide the afikoman (wrong Jewish holiday but still). This year we'll be covering the haunted Wolf's Lair (15:17), the Dog Woman of Watts (30:13), the Hollymont Hauntings (39:24) and the dreaded Lamb Mortuary (47:07). This episode best enjoyed after dark.
This holiday season we're putting the yu back in yultide as we asked YU, dear listener, your favorite LA holiday time traditions. We'll be going over all of those as well as our own and a some historic old holiday traditions from Los Angeles of yesteryear.
What's the secret word? That's ok, we don't remember either so just come in. This month, to throw you into spooky season, we'll be covering the history of some of Los Angeles' secret societies. We'll be covering the Amalgamated Flying Saucer Clubs of America (17:06), the Philosophical Research Society (26:25) and the Magic Castle (52:37).
This month we're juicing Hollywood and getting into the two matrons of juicy Hollywood gossip. We'll be covering Louella Parsons (17:26) and Hedda Hopper (45:07) and their legendary feud.
Make sure you're hungry for this one, or not so that you don't faint from hunger. That's because we're talking about a few sitdown food chains that started in Los Angeles. We'll be covering The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (16:19), Bob's Big Boy (35:02) and IHOP (58:54).
This month we're fighting the law and the outcome of who won? Yet to be determined. We're going over the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department including their early history (18:00) and the recent scandals surrounding former sheriff Alex Villanueva (53:23).
This month we're celebrating those of us not from here. Those of us...not of this world. We're covering two famous transplants whose main stories don't happen in Los Angeles but come to a conclusion here. We'll be covering notorious cereal killer Belle Gunness (15:55) and daughter of someone else notorious Maria Rasputin (45:17).
It seems as if someone got Candy is Dandy in your L.A. Meekly. That's because we are bringing to you an episode of our other podcast Candy is Dandy on a topic close to the heart of Meeklings: Sunkist Fruit Gems. We get into the LA based history of these beloved gummy candies and then get to tasting. Listen in and, if you haven't already, jump aboard the Candy is Dandy train to get more Greg and Daniel!
Hop in. We just stole this podcast and we're going for a spin. This month we're getting into the car culture and history of Los Angeles. We'll be covering the very first cars and car factories that came to the city (14:27), the emergence of low rider culture (41:45) and how it all unraveled (1:03:06).
Spring is here and junk is going in the trash. By junk we mean topics that never found a home and by trash we mean your ears. It's time for our annual junk drawer episode where we go over a hodgepodge of topics that didn't quite fit into other episodes. This time we'll be covering Captain "Mad" Jack Morgan (16:53), the Rubel Castle in Glendora (36:30) and the Siege of Fort Anthony (57:13).
As March arrives and madness descends upon us all, so too does a new episode of L.A. Meekly. This month we're talking docs and going over a handful of documentaries about Los Angeles that we feel captures something about the city be it donuts, music, gangs or, perhaps...madness.
The love month is here and what better way to celebrate (we guess?) than covering a few of Los Angeles' worst kidnappings. And that's worst in the sense of: these kidnappers had no idea what they were doing. Tune in to hear the stories of Mary Skeele (18:10) and Frank Sinatra Jr (45:39).
Welcome to 2024! The year that L.A. Meekly turns deeply religious! This month we're covering a few hidden and not so hidden religious locations and movements from around Los Angeles. We're covering the Jewish eruv (19:06), the Mormon Los Angeles California Temple (31:35), the Pentecostal Azusa Street Revival (45:54) and the Koyasan Buddhist Temple (1:16:55).
Seasons screamings, everyone. Tis the season to be...unholly? That's because it's time once again for our annual haunted episode. This year we'll be covering the tales of the Alexandria Hotel (18:50) and a haunted tour through UCLA (1:00:56).
Thanksgiving has come early, turkeys, so strap in for a discussion about food in LA with Katherine Spiers! We'll be covering her Los Angeles food website How to Eat LA, what sorts of food define the city and Daniel's least favorite Mexican restaurant. Check out Katherine's website How to Eat LA and her food podcast Smart Mouth as well!
Sound the alarms! It's L.A. Meekly's 10th anniversary episode! And sound the alarms again because they just shoplifted from the places they're covering in this episode: malls. Just in time for your holiday shopping spree, we'll be covering the Glendale Galleria (25:49), the Sherman Oaks Galleria (39:09), Crossroads of the World (51:49) and Rodeo Drive (1:23:35).
This Halloween we've got a passion for fashion and that means we're going to be talking about two of the biggest fashion moguls in Los Angeles history. We'll be covering the movie styles of Edith Head (17:44) and the outrageous cowboy fashion of Nudie Cohn (58:09).
Plug in the old headphones, my liege, because the Meekly Music Box is back! Tune in this month while we learn all about Valley Queen and listen to their songs "Falling" and "Nobody Ever."
We're getting lost in the city. Lost in the city tonight (or day; whenever you listen to this, really). We're covering a couple failed cities within Los Angeles that are now lost to time. We have the oceanside paradise of Surfridge (15:41) and the desert socialist utopia of Llano del Rio (34:49).
We've got no strings to hold us down because we're back with a signature LA Meekly field trip! This time we are thrilled to visit with Alex Evans: head puppeteer at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Learn all about him and the inner workings of the theater today!
For it's one! Two! Three recommendations at the old pod game! We asked, dear listeners, and you answered. You all sent in categories of things you wanted to hear us rank our top 3s of from around Los Angeles and here it is! We'll be covering everything from our top 3 bean and cheese burritos to our top 3 freeway interchanges so strap in!
It's a live (show)! It's a live (show)! As a special bonus this month here is the audio from our live show with the L.A. Not So Confidential podcast and the Hollyweird Paranormal podcast at the Heritage Square Museum. We'll be talking all things Doheny from man to mansion to murder to macabre!
The gang's all here. And that's what scares us. This month we'll be covering a handful of Los Angeles' biggest gangs: MS-13 (25:19) and the Crips and the Bloods (1:03:25). Warning: There are some graphic depictions of violence in this episode.
It's time to get Spooky. It's also time to get Tavi. The Meekly Music Box is back and we are thrilled to feature the music of Spooky Tavi this month. Tune in as we hear all about him and listen to his songs "Hyperdrive" and "Time Is A Sword."
Oil! Is! The! Topic! Of! This! Episode! This month we'll be discussing Los Angeles' history with the ooey gooey stuff from the earliest discoveries (14:10) to the rise of Edward Doheny (27:11) and a few of the most influential oil fields in town including Fairfax (1:12:20), Signal Hill (1:20:02) and Long Beach (1:24:33).
An episode of L.A. Meekly that's NOT L.A. Meekly?! Yes, listener. Your dream come true. Today we're releasing an episode of the Hollyweird Paranormal podcast in your feed to give you a taste of what you'll get at our upcoming live show at the Heritage Square Museum on May 20. Go to linktree.com/candyisdandypod to get your tickets today!
We're taking a trip back into old Hollywood to spend a night in two of the most legendary celebrity hangouts the city has ever known. We'll be serving food at the Hollywood Canteen (14:57) and spending the night at the salacious Garden of Allah (58:38).
Spring cleaning is here so we're clearing out our junk drawer once again to make room for new junk. We'll be covering a mishmash of topics that didn't quite fit into other episodes including Burmah White the Blonde Rattlesnake (15:50), the Venice Beatnik scene (33:52) and the Korean Bell of Friendship (1:03:40).
The Oscars may be over but movies are here to stay, baby! This month we are excited to feature music from the big and little screen by Skip Heller and Hollywood Film Noirchestra. We'll be listening to "A Touch Of Evil" and "Street Moods In Jazz" and you are gonna wanna hear it!
Put on your dancing shoes and your listening ears because this month we're taking in some shows in musical venues of days long gone! We'll be covering some of the lost influential music venues of Los Angeles including the El Monte Legion Stadium (15:05), the Masque (33:07) and the Palomino (1:06:11).
A San Francisco treat in MY Los Angeles history feed? Put the fists away. It is merely an episode of our new show Candy Is Dandy in the LA Meekly feed! In place of a Music Box this month we are releasing here our newest episode of Candy Is Dandy on Ghirardelli Squares. If you haven't already, subscribe to Candy Is Dandy anywhere you get your podcasts and enjoy more Greg and Daniel every month!
It's time to regress with the Meekly boys because it's playtime! We'll be talking about the two big local Los Angeles toy brands up to and including Wham-O (14:48) and Mattel (48:37).
Crank up the player piano and crank open your ears because it's time for the first Meekly Music Box of 2023. This month we are thrilled to feature the band Strange Hotels and listen to their songs "10PM In Los Feliz" and "Only 18."
Welcome to 2023: the year of the dirtbag! We're starting off the year with a couple of L.A. history's sleaziest characters. We'll be covering Charles Bukowski (21:12) and Miguel Leonis (1:06:20).
To close out 2022 we've got a couple tunes for you. This month we're featuring some Americana-Folk-Rock-Bluegrass straight from the country heart of Los Angeles with Rose's Pawn Shop. Tune in while we take a listen to their songs Ghost Town and Better Now.
A decade of ghost stories. That is what we have given you. Now it's time for you to give it to US. This Creepy Christmas/Chaunted Channukah you sent in your Los Angeles ghost and alien stories and we're reading them here tonight! This episode is best enjoyed at night.
Tis the season...TO SPEND! Our 2023 365 days of Los Angeles history calendars are out now. Listen in on how to buy yours in time for black friday!
Settle in by the turkey roasting fire and pop on the latest Meekly Music Box because, to get you in the mood for the holiday, this week we're featuring the big band jazz of Angela O'Neill and the Outrageous8. Tune in as we learn about the band and listen to their songs "Now and Again" and "New York Minute." And don't miss out on hearing Daniel accidentally call Christmas "Halloween" once again proving he's Jack Skellington.
We're all lost in this episode about supermarkets because it's the holiday season and it's inside of supermarkets where you'll be spending most of your time for the rest of 2022. In honor of that, we'll be covering the history of a few of the city's biggest supermarkets. We'll be talking Vallarta (14:55), Trader Joe's (29:05) and Ralphs (1:03:00).
Come one, come all. Step right up. We've got a brand new Meekly Music Box to fit the season. We're proud to feature the music of the live organist at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater Edward Torres. While not a traditionally recorded musician, Edward was kind enough to make a recording of the sort of musical medley you will hear at one of their shows including the songs "Paramount On Parade," "September In The Rain," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and the beloved "Grim Grinning Ghosts."
Grab some popcorn and a bloody knife because for Halloween this year we're discussing some of the most iconic Los Angeles horror movies. We'll be talking about everything from Night of the Comet and Nope to Chopping Mall and Tales From the Hood.
Stop, hey, what's that sound? It's the Meekly Music Box so shut up and listen. This month we are pleased to feature the music of Sad Girlz Club. Settle in as we talk about the two sides of punk and listen to their songs "Problems" and "I Think I'm Ready."
Crank up that dial (volume button) on your receiver (phone) and tune in to our newest broadcast (episode). This month we'll be talking about the radio history of Los Angeles. We'll cover the very early days (16:44), KHJ (29:55), Power 106 (52:36) and KDAY (1:19:07).
If you're hearing music that must mean it's Meekly Music Box Monday. A phrase we've never used before. This month we are thrilled to feature Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles. They are the world's first LGBTQ+ mariachi band and we'll tell you all about them as we listen to "Popurri Rocio Durcal" and their cover of "My Way."
Just when you thought you were out, we pull you back in to another episode of L.A. Meekly. This month we're diving into two of the titans of the classic mob era of Los Angeles: Jack Dragna (16:09) and Mickey Cohen (42:30).
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