Alan Rifkin - Podcast Details

Shows

The Last We FakeS3 E16 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 14, "Excitement Isn't Love"Send us a textSo maybe Wallichs’ "Battle of the Surf Bands" wasn’t the best time and place for Wanda to demand a display model record player for her hospitalized pal and makeup man, Sparks, her beloved mutual crybaby over “Where the Boys Are.” But she could take in the teen-bikini scene from the ledge she’s climbed up on, kick her heels to the pulsating Watusi beat, and try to make sense of her own exploited girlhood. Why couldn’t Wanda—or seemingly any woman—find real love, like her dying Grandma Neva did? Fat chance...2025-05-0649 min

Seeing Them LiveS03E08 - A Walk on the Wild Side with Author Jesse RifkinThe podcast episode features Jesse Rifkin, the owner of Walk on the Wildside Tours NYC, a music history walking tour company in New York City, and the author of the book 'This Must Be the Place: Music, Community, and Vanishing Spaces in New York City.' Rifkin shares his background, including his consultancy roles as a pop music historian and his 12 years as a touring musician. They discuss his first concert experience, watching Bob Dylan with Ani DiFranco as the opening act at the Filene Center in Vienna, Virginia, and the interesting intersections his life has had with notable...2025-04-1343 min

The Last We FakeS3 E15 - Noelle Calabretta Reads and Discusses "Sleepless Sheep"Send us a textIn author Noelle Calabretta’s dream-infused and bittersweet new short story, "Sleepless Sheep," an insomniac rice farmer and failed poet who left his long-ago love beneath Mt. Fiji makes a return journey to the woods where she’s remained. The story was developed in an upper-division fiction workshop at California State University, Long Beach. A second-year Fine Arts Ceramicist at California State University Long Beach, with an Associates degree in Studio Art, Calabretta is now minoring in Creative Writing, and her work has appeared in Sierra Journal. Intro m...2025-02-1041 min

The Last We FakeS3 E14 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 13, A Perfect StatuetteSend us a textFrom begging Jock Penny’s autograph at Coffee Dan’s, to blundering into a surf music contest at Wallich's, to brushing past a wisp of her former self outside a flower shop, Wanda is waylaid by memories of better times—the onion rings at Frankie’s (“the world’s only delicious vegetable”); the awards ceremony where, slid between two beaus at an effortless 103 lbs, she’d been honored for her heartfelt report on the loss of a local movie house (could she ever do works again that honor the daydreams of women in Bell Gardens and...2025-01-241h 00

JLife with DanielJew Hatred at the Bookstore w/ Alan RifkinI speak with novelist and literature professor Alan Rifkin about the rise of antisemitism in literature and academia. We dive into the roots of antisemitism in the literary world, its presence in American Jewish history, and explore why it persists even in progressive circles. We also cover issues within journalism, the role of the upcoming election, and the broader impact on Jewish communities in America. Don’t miss this deep, thought-provoking discussion! Alan's latest book is titled: The Drift That Follows Will Be Gradual. Find it in bookstores today! #Antisemitism #AmericanJewishHistory #JewishIdentity #LiteraryWorld #AcademicFreedom #JewishCulture #ProgressivePolitics #JewishCommunity #AntisemitismAwareness #JournalismEthics #US...2024-10-281h 04

The Last We FakeS3 E13 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 12, Don't Spit On the StarsSend us a textUsing acting-school chops to conquer her deeply ingrained instinct to run away, Wanda finally phones for the directions to St. Jude's Hospital. But the flickering world at Sunset and Vine floods her with memories--from golden visits to the Hollywood Ranch Market, to the high-rise vistas behind casting couches where she used to fight her way free, to The Brown Derby. . . The Smoke House . . . the warm safety of Coffee Dan's. And is that Tab Hunter as Jesus in the revolving glass? Catherine Hein's former life took her from 20 years in the entertainment...2024-09-071h 07

The Last We FakeS3 E12 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 11, The Broken ClockSend us a textAchieving a moment's peace between mind and body in the bathroom of June's trailer after the aborted three-way, Wanda staggers off toward a darker reality ...fully reassembled, although, yes, forgetting her horse ... But in the shelter of her own Daytalk dressing room, teen memory is rounding the corner from summer's sewing with the relatives to riding with boys.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel traces the journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone c...2024-07-281h 07

The Last We FakeS3 E11 - Natalie Goss Reads and Discusses "The Playwright"Send us a textThis week's episode: "The Playwright,” a remarkable new short story by first-year talent Natalie Goss, about the subdued heart of a young Los Angeles theater reviewer-turned-dramatist who's losing the script. Goss is a Child Development and Family Studies major now contemplating a minor or possible double major in English. She dreams of publishing a collection of both fiction and nonfiction, enjoys painting when not reading or writing, and hopes to become a counselor for the public school district of Oakland, where she was born and raised. The story was devel...2024-06-0732 min

The Last We FakeS3 E10 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 10, What If She Was Wrong About Everything?Send us a textIt's production as usual in Hotchkiss's office, despite the fact Sparks has landed in Good Samaritan, Wally Cleaver is sneaking cigarettes in fear of his dad, and Wanda's fixations lurch from suicide by graham crackers to the long-ago memory of a then-dark-haired actor at Sardi's (so she HAD slept with Chase McSteve!) to the sweaty three-way inside June's wardrobe trailer that Wanda badly doesn't want until she badly does.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical...2024-04-211h 11

The Last We FakeS3 E9 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 9, Hotch's HideawaySend us a textSomehow surviving an equestrian gauntlet of obstacles capped by an AWOL 14-year-old Wally Cleaver (“Will you go out with me when I get my license?”), Wanda has finally managed to dial out and hear the terrifying news about her grandmother. But her stage presence is nearly shot when the rotund, legendary fright maestro who directed The Crows and 57 Stairs finds her sitting in his office chair.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel traces the jour...2024-02-0250 min

The Last We FakeS3 E8 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 8, Making the Beast with Six LegsSend us a textThis was nothing like being a lamp ray glued to the back of Chase McSteve. Still, the weird-looking horse seems safe, until an explosion on the set of Abilene sends both Wanda and panicked beast off course--close enough to the home of television's Cleaver family that she could practically raid the fridge, while no closer to a word from grandmother than when she threw a jealous tantrum at Howard that same morning. In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman...2023-12-281h 19

The Last We FakeS3 E7 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 7, Man, Woman, Food, Bird, InsanitySend us a text"In a couple days, either this would all prove to be a huge comedy of errors, or nothing would ever be the same...."It's existential overload for Wanda, as sex life, pet care, family catastrophe and unanswered phones collide with an all-powerful tub of vanilla ice cream.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel traces the journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's Daytalk in the spring o...2023-09-3032 min

The Last We FakeS3 E6 - The Celebrity by Catherine Hein: Episode 6, "You're a Celebrity, Somebody Will Come Rescue You"Send us a text[UPDATE TO LISTENERS: Recordings for Catherine Hein's The Celebrity are on pause for a few weeks while she gets through some health procedures and related tsuris. Wanda will be back! Correspondence and well wishes may be sent via info@alanrifkin.com. Thanks for your understanding.] This week: Some people are the type to jump on a message marked "Urgent." For Wanda, it's complicated.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel traces the journey o...2023-08-1059 min

The Last We FakeS3 E5 - The Celebrity, by Catherine Hein: Episode 5, "Do I Look to You Like Someone Who Can’t Hold on from Behind?"Send us a textHalf-buzzed from a night of more sex than rest with Howard the Ex, and done dirty by Dexatrim, Wanda is about to get even higher when the après le bain interview with Chase McSteve leads to deep kissing and a motorcycle date in the works.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel traces the journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's Daytalk in the spring of 1962.Called to he...2023-07-1443 min

The Last We FakeS3 E4 - The Celebrity, by Catherine Hein: Episode 4, "This Never Happened, Unless It Happens Again"Send us a textWanda's moonlit drive on Mulholland turns into a hillside sleep-it-off, causing her to miss a big production meeting; then Howard somehow gets a foot in her door on the eve of her location swim with Chase McSteve.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel of early '60s Hollywood traces the journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's Daytalk in the spring of 1962. Hein's former life took her from 20 y...2023-06-3052 min

The Last We FakeS3 E3 - The Celebrity, by Catherine Hein: Episode 3, Wanda's Debut (or How It All Goes Wrong at the Tail O' the Cock)Send us a textWanda survives her first appearance on the new show, but careful what song you perform afterward with a broken heart.In what one listener describes as "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" if it were written by a woman, Catherine Hein's historical novel of early '60s Hollywood traces the journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's Daytalk in the spring of 1962. Called to her grandmother's funeral in Orange County, the heroine must face life without her closest ally, settle on one lover, conquer her eating disorder...2023-06-2438 min

The Last We FakeS3 E2 - The Celebrity, by Catherine Hein: Episode 2, A Run-In with the Ex at Schwab'sSend us a textThere goes Wanda's diet after encountering ex-boyfriend Howard on the eve of her Daytalk debut. Catherine Hein's historical novel of early '60s Hollywood traces the journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's Daytalk in the spring of 1962. Called to her grandmother's funeral in Orange County, the heroine must face life without her closest ally, settle on one lover, conquer her eating disorder, and ace a round of Password in order to secure a coveted game-show gig. . . if the world doesn't change too much first....2023-06-1059 min

The Last We FakeS3 E1 - The Celebrity, by Catherine Hein: Episode 1, The Party at Leonard Freeberg'sSend us a textSeason 3's novel, THE CELEBRITY, by Catherine Hein, traces the Hollywood journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's Daytalk in the spring of 1962. Called to her grandmother's funeral in Orange County, the heroine must face life without her closest ally, settle on one lover, conquer her eating disorder, and ace a round of Password in order to secure a coveted game-show gig—if the world doesn't change too much first. Hein's former life took her from 20 years in the entertainment industry to two years in a homeless wo...2023-05-2748 min

The Last We FakeSeason 3 TrailerSend us a textSeason 3's original novel, THE CELEBRITY, by Catherine Hein, traces the Hollywood journey of Wanda Fleming, the tenacious, calamity-prone co-host fatale of TV's "Daytalk" in the spring of 1962. Called to her grandmother's funeral, the heroine must face life without her closest ally, settle on one lover, conquer her eating disorder, and ace a round of Password in order to secure a coveted game-show gig—if the world doesn't change too much first. Hein's former life took her from 20 years in the entertainment industry to two years in a homeless women's shelter. Tha...2023-04-0203 min

The Last We FakeS2 E19 - Lisa Cupolo Reads and Discusses "Whisper Screaming"Send us a textFor this Season 2 finale, Lisa Cupolo reads her story "Whisper Screaming," about a Long Beach mother and actor whose inner question won't let her go, then talks with Alan Rifkin about the ghostly buffalo of Catalina Island. Cupolo's debut volume, HAVE MERCY ON US, recently won the W.S. Porter Prize for short-story collections. Her work has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Narrative, The Idaho Review, and elsewhere. She has been a paparazzi photographer in London, an aid worker in Kenya, a script doctor in LA, and a literary publicist at...2023-03-2638 min

The Last We FakeS2 E18 - Richard Bausch Reads and Discusses PLAYHOUSESend us a textRichard Bausch (“A master of the novel as well as the story ” —Sven Birkerts, The New York Times) previews a chapter of his 13th novel, PLAYHOUSE, scheduled for release by Alfred A. Knopf on February 14, then talks with Alan Rifkin about the book and his craft. Bausch’s works have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Harper’s, The New Yorker, Narrative, Gentleman’s Quarterly. Playboy, The Southern Review, New Stories From the South, The Best American Short Stories, O. Henry Prize Stories and The Pushcart Priz...2023-02-041h 01

The Last We FakeS2 E17 - Gary Commins Reads and Discusses "Priest and Victim"Send us a textRetired Episcopal priest Gary Commins shares a new short story, "Priest and Victim," in which a pastoral meeting with a childhood rape victim turns over secrets both buried and not. Commins is the author of Spiritual People, Radical Lives as well as Becoming Bridges: The Spirit and Practice of Diversity and If Only We Could See: Mystical Vision and Social Transformation. His newest book, Evil and the Problem of Jesus, is forthcoming in 2023. 2022-12-2254 min

The Last We FakeS2 E16 - Fanny Koelbl Reads and Discusses "Le Weekend"Send us a textFour-time TEXTE.WIEN https://texte.wien/ Junge Literatur competition finalist Fanny Koelbl reads and discusses her new story, “Le Weekend,” then talks with Alan Rifkin about the fathomless collusion between love, biology, and the willingness to drown. Koelbl has previously studied in Vienna and Paris. 2022-12-1228 min

The Last We FakeS2 E15 - Cameron Gomez Reads and Discusses "Volcanoes, from Above: Oil on Canvas"Send us a textCameron Gomez reads his vision-filled but deeply human short story "Volcanoes, from Above: Oil on Canvas," then talks with Alan Rifkin about amusement parks out of season, risky career choices, and stories that decide not to be snarky and ironic. Gomez is a third-year English major at California State University, Long Beach, who dreams of glory, riches, and a better haircut. "Volcanoes..." is his second published work of fiction.2022-12-0434 min

The Last We FakeS2 E14 - Brooke Prado Reads and Discusses "The Hollow Book"Send us a textWriter Brooke Prado reads her macabre, symbolically rich but never quite implausible modern parable, "The Hollow Book," developed this fall in an upper-division fiction workshop at California State University, Long Beach, then talks with Alan Rifkin about the perils of reading in the dark. Prado's work has been published in multiple journals, including Chaffey Review and Queer Sci Fi Anthology, as well as various contests online. A fourth-year undergraduate majoring in English, she is at work on a short-story collection tentatively titled "Mother Oh Mother" and the first of what she hopes will be...2022-11-2034 min

Tell Me Your StoryLarry Rifkin - No Dead Airhttps://larryrifkin.net/ The Big Idea: In his compelling career memoir, Larry Rifkin, the programming executive for Connecticut Public Television for over a quarter of a century, shares his story and unique insights into the PBS system, and touches upon the many changes he has seen in the broadcasting industry over the span of his career .The So-What: Rifkin was responsible for bringing Barney & Friends to PBS. Threatened with cancellation shortly after its premiere on PBS in April, 1992, it went on to become one of the most successful children’s television series in history. Without Rifkin, the phenomenon would never ha...2022-11-181h 09

The Last We FakeS2 E13 - Rafael Zepeda Reads and Discusses DESPERADOS and "A Descent into Baja"Send us a textLong Beach's Rafael Zepeda (Horse Medicine & Other Stories, The Yellow Ford of Texas, Can This Wolf Survive, Tao Driver), whose deadpan prose style across many books has earned praise from authors like Jim Harrison and Edward Field, reads from his 2012 novel Desperados and his narrative poem "A Descent into Baja," then chats with host Alan Rifkin about poetry, Picasso, cave paintings and Pekinpah. Zepeda is a National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellow, a Poets, Essayists and Novelists Syndicated Fiction Award winner, and Professor of English at California State University, Long Beach. 2022-10-241h 01

Jurassic Park CastEpisode 32 - ControlWelcome to the Juras-Sick Park-Cast podcast, the Jurassic Park podcast about Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park, and also not about that, too. Find the episode webpage at: Episode 32 - Control. In this episode, my terrific guest Matt Bufton joins to chat with me about: Flight of the Conchords, Children's programming, podcasting, The Curious Task podcast, The Institute for Liberal Studies, Ottawa, Friedrich Hayek, Chaos Theory, central planning of complex systems, calls for regulation, characters like Ian Malcolm and Alan Grant, Dennis Nedry, Malcolm's criticisms of the park, Crichton's condemnation of government, setting regulations on ne...2022-10-201h 12

The Last We FakeS2 E12 - Sunland, Episode 12, by Charlie HaasSend us a textThe finale of SUNLAND, by screenwriter, journalist and novelist Charlie Haas, about the brief desert flowering of a group of German artists, musicians, and free spirits who voyage to Southern California, “the America of America,” in 1914 to start the world over. They’re fleeing cops, city life, sexual norms, the oncoming world war, and the Internet of their time--the telegraph, telephone, and movies--in favor of naked farming, altruism, and wild new music. The main characters, a family of four who abandon Berlin in hope of a saner life--middling violinist-dreamer Anna, factory worker Gerhard, prototy...2022-10-1638 min