Retro Friday: The 1992 L.A. Unrest, 19 Years Later

From KTLA, April 30, 1992



From KNBC, April 30, 1992



Coverage from radio station KJLH, which dropped music programming to focus on calls from community leaders, celebrities and listeners.

License Plate of the Day: Great Edition

Ladies and genteman, meet..."A Great One."

Watch the LAUSD and Jamie Oliver Make Nice on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'

LAUSD Supt. John Deasy made a surprise appearance on Tuesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in order to make nice with Jamie Oliver. Oliver's ABC series "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" famously clashed with the LAUSD schools -- but now Deasy is pledging that the school system will no longer serve sweetened (think chocolate or strawberry) milk. Hey, it's a start. (Watch above.)

L.A. Cameo: 'Glee' Returns to the Eagle Rock Plaza

The Eagle Rock Plaza had already been featured prominently on Fox's "Glee," in a scene last year involving a flash mob imagined by Artie (the kid in the wheelchair).



For this week's episode, "Glee" once again featured a flash mob -- and once again headed to the Eagle Rock Plaza to perform it. As the cast (led by Kurt, played by Chris Colfer) and many others danced to Duck Sauce's "Barbra Streisand," you could easily see plenty of Eagle Rock Plaza stores, including Target, Seafood City, Chowking and Jollibee.



(I'm pretty sure there's no outposts of Jollibee and Chowking, two Filipino fast food chains, in Ohio, where "Glee" is set. Last May, when Jollibee was also spotted on "Glee," it caused such a stir that "Jollibee" became a trending topic on Twitter.)



According to the Eagle Rock Plaza website, the mall is regularly used for film shoots, and has been seen in episodes of "Criminal Minds," "The Closer" and "Without a Trace," as well as countless music videos and commercials.

Most Unfortunately-Worded Sign, Perhaps Ever?

In recognition of the horrible atrocities of the early 20th Century Armenian genocide, many businesses in Glendale close once a year on Genocide Remembrance Day.

Still, this sign found over the weekend on a Glendale pharmacy... well, perhaps it could have been worded a bit more delicately. (See above.)

Union Station's Fred Harvey to Finally Get a Permanent Restaurant Tenant?

Union Station, newly acquired by Metro, is getting serious about its dining options.

Not only have several quick options opened up inside the train terminal in recent months -- including a Starbucks, Subway, Wetzel's Pretzels and Famima! outpost -- but Union Station is now looking at finally offering up the old Fred Harvey restaurant for lease to a restaurant tenant.



"Yes, we are looking for a restaurant to occupy this historic space," CB Richard Ellis' Derrick Moore tells us. "We have a few options for someone to occupy all or a portion of the space."



That's a big deal. The Fred Harvey hasn't been in operation as a full-time restaurant since 1967. Yes, that's more than 40 years ago. But it's seen plenty of life in the years since, as the site of countless film and TV shoots. And it's a popular spot for events, including (ahem) the wedding reception for Franklin Avenue's Mike and Maria (below).



The Fred Harvey's decor -- including its striped floor, center bar and leather booths -- makes it an eye-popping location (requiring little additional decoration, which saved us a ton of money). There's also a small bar in an adjacent room. The biggest problem: No functioning kitchen, as it ceased to be usable years ago. (Caterers must now prepare food in tents outside). The restroom facilities will also have to be updated. But that all can be done. The big news is the fact that Union Station, now under Metro ownership, finally believes that there's enough potential interest to go ahead and put the Fred Harvey up for lease.

Union Station, of course, is already home to Traxx, another restaurant that continues to operate inside Union Station (as does stalwart Union Bagels). But it was fascinating to see the addition of so many new options inside the terminal -- a recognition that thanks to new options like the Gold Line, Union Station is more bustling than any other time in years.

Sadness Over the Changes at KCET

KCET, one of the two last remaining TV stations in Hollywood, is now on the move -- and likely looking for cheap digs elsewhere in Southern California.

That's because the station -- which dropped its long-time PBS affiliation at the end of 2010 -- is selling its Sunset Boulevard studios in order to raise some cash. The property, first built in 1912 as Monogram Pictures, is being sold to Scientology, which plans to expand its production output there. (Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, although the property is said to be worth nearly $15 million.)

KCET president Al Jerome attempted to put a brave face on the move: "We are now implementing Phase Two of our transformation from a PBS affiliate to an independent public media center for the 21st century. New facilities and equipment will allow us to augment the quality, award-winning content that our fans love."

This is the first we're hearing about a multi-phase plan for KCET. Was Phase One the act of dumping PBS? Like I've said before, that should have been the ultimate act of last resort -- the nuclear option. Sell the studio. Downsize the staff. Cut all expenditures to the very minimum. But don't get rid of PBS. Then, when times improve, you can bring back staff and restore budgets. But it's tough to do that without the power of PBS. I have a hard time believing that there was any positive in (a) dropping PBS and (b) selling its 40-year home.

KCET's diet of mostly reruns (including 40-year-old kids shows and decade-old British dramas) coupled with a few bright spots (mostly SoCal Connected and its use of international news reports) still feels like a stopgap measure to temporarily fill the PBS void. Hopefully we'll start to see more local-oriented original fare as time goes on, and hopefully KCET will have the funds to do that.

Meanwhile, the Scientology statement is equally mysterious: "It is a perfect fit, in both size and location, for the expansion of the Church of Scientology's production of religious and social betterment audiovisual properties, and we welcomed the unexpected opportunity to acquire it."

I fear that the money generated by the sale of the KCET lot won't go far -- $15 million would cover only about three episodes of a network primetime drama, for example -- and then KCET will not only have little to show for it, but will no longer have a flagship home.

As for TV in Hollywood, just a decade or so ago the area was home to KABC, KCBS, KCAL, KCOP, KTTV, KWHY, KTLA and KCET. Now, it's home to just KTLA and KCET... and once KCET leaves, only KTLA is left. And if plans are ever firmed up to move KTLA in with the Los Angeles Times downtown, that will leave no one. Quite a change.

PREVIOUSLY ON FRANKLIN AVENUE:

Will KCET Ever Reunite With PBS? (January 2011)

Our Modest KCET Proposal (October 2010)

What's In Store for KCET Once It Dumps PBS? (October 2010)

License Plate of the Day: Ugly Box Edition

So if you think your Honda Element looks like an "Ugly Box," why buy it? (Or, are they quite literally referring to an "Ugly BX"? If so, I think AAFES has comment cards you can fill out to improve the facility.)

Hey, Remember When We Waited 15 Years for the New Guns N Roses CD?

After waiting 15 years for the return of Axl Rose and his reconfigured Guns N Roses, the band's long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" was a bust in late 2008. Final insult: The CD can be found in the Best Buy bargain bin for $1.99. And Best Buy doesn't generally mark CDs down that low. Welcome to the jungle.

Retro Friday: When Cable Was Young, and Channels Were What They Said They Were

From 1989, when TLC was truly "The Learning Channel"



From 1984, when A&E was truly "Arts & Entertainment"



From 1985, when VH-1 was truly "Video Hits One"



From 1985, when AMC was truly "American Movie Classics"



From 1987, when Bravo was truly "Bravo"



From 1989, when ABC Family was truly "The Family Channel"



From 1986, when HLN was truly "Headline News"

Farewell, Wilshire Boulevard

It's the end of an era. After 15 years of working on Wilshire Boulevard, I said farewell to the Grand Concourse of Los Angeles this week.

TV Guide just moved its West Coast bureau to Century City, where we have lovely digs across the street from the Century City Shopping Center. That's great -- but having carried my admiration for Wilshire over the years, it's strange to leave a street that has been at the epicenter of my adult life.

I did the math: If you consider I've probably worked between eight and ten hours a day, five days a week, 50 weeks a year (the late nights and days off balance each other out) for 15 years, that comes to about 30,000 hours on Wilshire Boulevard. Considering that the most I've ever lived at any one address is six years -- and that's my current address -- I've easily spent more of my waking hours on Wilshire Boulevard than any other street in the world.

And of course, as you know, we've hit Wilshire twice -- in both 2006 and 2010 -- for the Great Los Angeles Walk.

It all started in 1996 when I moved out here to join the Los Angeles bureau of Electronic Media. EM and all the Crain publications were settled in nicely at 6500 Wilshire Boulevard on the 23rd floor. In 1999, I moved to Variety -- then headquartered at 5700 Wilshire, in the "Wilshire Courtyard" complex made famous as "D & D Advertising" on "Melrose Place." When Variety moved in 2009 to the renamed "Variety Building" at 5900 Wilshire, I was there for the ride. And then, when I joined TV Guide Magazine, our offices were at 8383 Wilshire. Until now.

Dodger Thoughts On the 'McCourt Mall of Horrors'

Whenever there's big news on the Dodgers front, I immediately click over to Dodger Thoughts -- where I know Franklin Avenue pal Jon Weisman will have a thoughtful, eloquent take on whatever's going on. And in the case of Wednesday's bombshell announcement -- Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig's decision to take control of the Dodgers operation -- Jon indeed had a lot to say.

An excerpt:

As I walked through all the different stories about today's news, as if I were a shopper in a McCourt Mall of Horrors, I found myself thinking about the person whose name has been in the news, top of mind, every day this month until today: Bryan Stow.

The Giants fan whose horrifying beating in the gloaming of Opening Day in the Dodger Stadium parking lot March 31 will not be found on any McCourt spreadsheet. The severity of the event, sadly enough, wasn't even unprecedented in Dodger Stadium history.

But in the days after it occurred, as you felt the groundswell of horror and shame sweep through the world of the Dodgers - an emotional wave that only gained momentum with McCourt's initial public declaration that nothing could have been done to prevent it - I began to feel that Stow's beating, more than any rising parking fees, inconsistent spending on players or appalling revelations of greed in court documents related to McCourt's divorce from wife Jamie, was the baseball world's "Network" moment.

It was just too ugly, and people weren't going to take it anymore.

Read the whole thing here.

You Tell Us: What Car Should We Buy?

All right Franklin Avenue readers, time for a bit of crowd sourcing. Maria's car is about to die. Mine is not to far behind. We need to get a new car... and with gas inching closer to $5 a gallon, it's pretty clear that we've got to go the hybrid route.

That's where all of you come in. What do you like? I recently drove a Prius and didn't love it... what else is out there? If you suggest something that we ultimately get, then you'll get a prize (to be determined) from Franklin Avenue!

Breaking: Rick Dees Returns to L.A. Radio, This Time at Hot 92.3

Rick Dees is taking another stab at local radio, and this time it's with Clear Channel -- the company with which he bitterly parted ways in 2004.

Dees will host mornings on Clear Channel's R&B oldies outlet KHHT-FM (Hot 92.3) beginning Wednesday, May 4. Here are the details:

n making this announcement, Clear Channel Los Angeles Market Manager/President, Greg Ashlock said, “Rick is synonymous with radio in Los Angeles and this genre of music is perfect for him as he introduced many of these artists that ultimately paralleled his career path of popularity.”

Clear Channel Los Angeles head of Programming, John Ivey commented, “We asked Hot 92.3 listeners who their favorite radio personalities were and the two most mentioned were Art Laboe and Rick Dees!” Ivey continued, “So, with Rick starting the day with his infectious humor and old school hits and Art ending the day with requests and dedications, we are going to have some very happy listeners.”

Dees commented, “I am proud to be welcomed back into the number one radio market in the world, playing some of the best music ever recorded and especially getting the opportunity to reunite with a long list of Clear Channel friends.”

Rick will begin his mornings at Hot 92.3 on Wednesday, May 4th with a naming rights partner, Valley View Casino & Hotel, already in place. To celebrate his return, Dees will be throwing out the first pitch for the Dodgers/Cubs game at Dodger Stadium at 12:10pm after his debut show.

I guess all is forgiven between Dees and Clear Channel. Dees was shown the door at KIIS-FM -- and replaced with Ryan Seacrest -- seven years ago after he and the radio behemoth (which owns KIIS) couldn't come to terms on a new deal. His more than two decades at KIIS came to a sudden close.

Later, Dees joined Emmis' new "Movin' 93.9" in 2006 after the station dumped its country format. But three years later, Movin' 93.9 signed off and flipped to country. Since then, Dees has focused on his Internet and syndication businesses.

PREVIOUSLY ON FRANKLIN AVENUE:

Another One Bites the Dust: Movin 93.9 Signs Off (April 2009)

Rick Dees Loses Radio Home: "Movin 93.9" To Go Spanish (April 2009)

Rick Dees to Open Street-Level Radio Studio (February 2007)

BREAKING NEWS: KZLA Dumps Country and Goes Dance/Rick Dees (August 2006)

Dees Sleaze (February 2006)

Dees-Nied (February 2004)

And here's my Variety piece from 2006 on Dees, who was candid in how upset he was over what happened at KIIS in 2004. A clip:

"It was a nightmare," Dees says. "It's one thing to retire. It's another thing to have to stay off radio involuntarily."

Dees' contract at KIIS-FM was up, and although both sides were negotiating a new deal, the San Antonio-based owners at Clear Channel had other ideas. The company had been grooming "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest to eventually fill Dees' KIIS-FM chair. And although it came sooner than expected, KIIS and Clear Channel ultimately opted to part ways with the man who helped put that station on the map.

For Dees, it was a surreal moment. Seacrest, who patterned his radio career after Dees', was not just taking over his gig; everything else about the show -- even Dees' sidekick Ellen K -- was remaining.

"I heard my show being taken over, but still with all the players who I had hired," Dees says. "To take me out, stab me in the back and stick someone else on there because he's on a TV show ... it felt horrible. But I got over it.

"I slashed their tires," he quips. "But I got over it."

L.A. Road Trip: A Saturday in Ventura

I headed to Santa Barbara on Friday morning to take part in a day-long seminar at UCSB on the "Law & Order" brand; Maria and the boys took the Amtrak and joined me later that evening.

After lunch the next day at La Super Rica, we decided to pass on our usual jaunt down Santa Barbara's State Street and instead explore Ventura -- specifically, Ventura's old town.



Formally known as the City of San Buenaventura, Ventura was a tiny, sleepy town for most of its existence. The population now stands at about 110,000. The city is named for Mission San Buenaventura, which was founded by Father Junípero Serra in 1782.


Ventura Theatre

Ventura's old downtown feels similar to what Old Town Pasadena was like prior to the arrival of major chains and the over-commercialization. Ventura downtown has major retailers, but it's also still home to several mom and pop stores -- and a large number of thrift stores.

A few more pics:


Mission San Buenaventura


Downtown


Car for sale


Another car


Ventura City Hall

'Law & Order: LA' Takes on the City of Bell Scandal

They've been busy reading the Los Angeles newspapers at NBC's revamped Law & Order: LA. The show is relying on two of the year's biggest L.A.-centric news stories to fuel its narrative over the next two weeks. Tonight, Law & Order: LA will tackle local government corruption — motivated by the well-publicized mess in the City of Bell, a suburb of Los Angeles. Then, on April 25, the show airs its episode based loosely on the mysterious murder of Hollywood power publicist Ronni Chasen.

Read all about it here.

By the way, tonight's City of Bell-inspired LOLA episode comes as the L.A. Times awaits word this afternoon on a potential Pulitzer for its coverage of the scandal.

Is The City of L.A. Cracking Down on News Vending Boxes?

I've often wondered if anyone at the city pays close attention to the newspaper vending boxes, particularly for sketchy publications, that quietly pop up around the city. This Sunday, I noticed two boxes outside the Silver Lake Trader Joe's with a note attached. The warning, via the city, suggests that these boxes are illegal and subject to being removed. (Other, legit boxes from the L.A. Times, LA Weekly and Daily News were untouched.) Have any of you noticed this around the city? Will readers of the skanky L.A. X-Press have a harder time finding their phone-sex-fix?

Here's a close-up look at the notice of violation tag:

That's What A Hamburger Chain With No Sense of Its Legacy Is All About

(Photo via Paper.li.)

BOO to In-N-Out Burger for demolishing its oldest store, a 1954 now-empty structure located just down the street from In-N-Out headquarters.

So far, In-N-Out isn't explaining why they did it, but is offering a lame excuse: That it wants to build a replica of its first location there instead. Here's the L.A. Times' take on the news:

That tiny burger stand with its dual serving windows and outdoor eating area served as a model for future In-N-Outs as the Snyders slowly expanded their chain.

In November 2004, the firm opened a larger restaurant with indoor seating just south of the freeway and closed the smaller stand north of it. The structure had remained fenced off since then.

Although In-N-Out executives had talked of turning the abandoned burger stand into a museum, the company obtained a demolition permit this week from Baldwin Park building officials. Carl Van Fleet, In-N-Out's vice president for planning and development, said the company may build a replica of the Snyders' original house-turned-burger stand on the site of the demolished eatery. The company's oldest functioning drive-thru is in Pasadena, he said.

Read about our visit last year to the In-N-Out company store.

Spring Awakens Southern California

Maybe it was all that rain this winter, or the unusual cold snaps we experienced here in Southern California, but the arrival of spring seems especially sweet this year. We're not used to celebrating spring here, as there's never much of a difference between April and, say, February. But this year it feels like it.

Above, the view from our house on Saturday evening -- and of course, this Blackberry photo doesn't do the spectacular red, pink and orange sky justice. But it is a nice reminder of just how warm the past few evenings have been.

Any of you folks who went to Coachella this weekend, (a) I'm jealous but (b) not of the 100-degree heat. How did you cope?

Retro Friday: Angels Flight Edition

A 1940s view of Angels Flight railway, back in its original home at 3rd Street and Hill. According to someone on YouTube, this is from the 1948 film "Night Has a Thousand Eyes."



And here's a color film of Angels Flight from the 1950s.

Eric Garcetti on the 'All My Children' Cancellation

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti was instrumental in securing an L.A. home for ABC's "All My Children," which moved from New York to Glassell Park's Andrita Studios just last year.

The move was meant as a cost-cutting way to keep "All My Children" alive. Even star Susan Lucci, not a fan of the move (none were) eventually agreed to switch coasts.

Of course, it was all for nothing. ABC announced today that both "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" would be canceled.

It was a bit of a blow for Garcetti, who celebrated the move just a year ago by appearing as himself on an episode (above, he played himself, visiting fictional Pine Valley and meeting with David Canary's character about environmentally friendly initiatives.)

Here's Garcetti's statement on the news:

While we are disappointed that the ratings just aren't there for the network to keep "All My Children" on the air, I am proud that we were able to move the show from New York and demonstrate to other productions the benefits -- whether financial, facilities or personnel -- of filming in Los Angeles. My office has worked diligently to attract and retain production in Los Angeles, and we're going to start looking for ways we can help fill the "All My Children" studio space when it becomes available.

"All My Children" airs its final episode in September.

Spending Time with the 'Men of a Certain Age'

(Photo: Maarten de Boer/SAG Foundation)

I had a blast on Tuesday night moderating a panel for TNT's "Men of a Certain Age," which -- to borrow an old TV Guide feature -- is easily one of the Best Shows That You're Not Watching. Star/co-creator Ray Romano was battling a fierce cold and fellow star Andre Braugher had to catch a late flight, but both were there and in funny form, along with the cast's third member, Scott Bakula. Also on stage: Co-creator Mike Royce.

The panel, held as a part of the SAG Foundation's "Conversations" series, gave plenty of insight into the the creation of "Men of a Certain Age," and how the show is tough to categorize (which could be why it struggles to attract a larger audience). It's the most dramatic role of Ray Romano's career, and it's the most comedic of Andre Braugher's. It's a show about a group of men, but it's not a show about a bunch of guys acting like stereotypical guys. It's simply a funny, and deep, show about the what it's like to be struggling to achieve and maintain your life as you approach 50.

For Romano and Royce, it also represented a change of pace after writing set-up-joke-set-up-joke sitcoms. But like "Raymond," it continues in the classic style of "write what you know" comedy -- with strong results.

A few things gleaned from the panel:

-- Romano's character, Joe, has a gambling problem -- and Romano admits that his character's gambling is a bit autobiographical. That includes Joe's habit of making "self bets" -- promising himself a reward (like Lakers tickets) only if he achieves a goal. Romano says he considered making a "self bet" episode of "Raymond" but decided it would be too dark for that comedy.

-- Romano and Royce originally offered Braugher's role to "The Wire's" Wendell Pierce -- but Pierce was already committed to HBO's "Treme." That's when Braugher was suggested. When Romano and Royce checked his IMDB credits, they couldn't find a single comedy on his resume -- but knew he was too good to pass up.

-- Bakula notes that he's nothing like his manchild character, Terry, but that he's intrigued to see the character finally mature and perhaps settle down.

The second half of season two debuts June 1 on TNT. Among the storylines, Joe looks to get his gambling under control but winds up reviving his friendship with his bookie, who's struggling with cancer. Meanwhile, Owen (Braugher) tries to find new ways to save the struggling car dealership he inherited from his dad.

The Silver Lake Meadow, One Of Our New Fave L.A. Spots

Fine, I'll admit it. New York has us beat in one area: Meadows. Central Park's Sheep Meadow is a great gathering place during the summer for New Yorkers looking to just plop down and lie in the sun. Yes, we have the beach. But what about those of us a bit further east?

The Los Angeles State Historic Park has some great empty space near Chinatown, and is next to the Gold Line (for your trainspotting toddlers). But for folks closer to Silver Lake, your best bet was Griffith Park -- until now.

The long-awaited Silver Lake Meadow (tag line: "A Quiet Place") opened at the start of the month (although an official opening ceremony is set for later), and it's an immediate hit. With no dogs allowed (officially), it's also a perfect spot to let the little ones loose and let the shoes come off.

We met up with our pal Jessica and her two kids on Saturday for our first trip to the meadow... and it was an ideal setting. With the water from the reservoir shimmering nearby, the mountains in the distance and a partly sunny sky, it didn't take long for us to appreciate it. Even the wind was great for kite flying (thankfully, Jess brought two).

The meadow was formerly part of the Silver Lake reservoir but eventually filled in, creating this pasture. But it sat fenced in until the DWP finally ceded control to the parks department. Now, let's hope the lush grass stays healthy... and dog poop-free.

Some pics:

Send Me Your Questions for Ray Romano and Everyone Else Behind TNT's "Men of a Certain Age"

I wasn't sure what to make of TNT's "Men of a Certain Age" at first. A dramatic comedy on TNT, the "we know drama" network? A much more serious Ray Romano? A much less serious Andre Braugher? A non-quantum leaping Scott Bakula?

Then I checked it out -- and was immediately drawn in. Sure, I'm 10 to 15 years younger than these guys, but I'm fast approaching being a "man of a certain age" myself. And the show's compelling mix of middle age angst and humor (this is from "Everybody Loves Raymond" sitcom vets Romano and Mike Royce, after all) easily makes it my favorite show on TNT.

I'll be moderating a SAG Found ation panel on Tuesday all about "Men of a Certain Age" and featuring stars Romano, Braugher and Bakula, as well as Royce. Got any questions for the stars or creators? Hit me up on email or leave a suggestion below.

"Men of a Certain Age" returns to TNT with six all-new episodes beginning Wednesday, June 1, at 10 p.m.

Reclaiming the Streets with CicLAvia -- Well, for One Morning, At Least

What if car-dependent Los Angeles gave way to bikes, strollers, rollerblades and walkers for one glorious morning and afternoon? Turns out tens of thousands would show up.

Bicyclists and pedestrians took back 7.5 miles of L.A. streets on Sunday, as the second CicLAvia attracted crowds of all shapes and sizes. They were rewarded with the novelty of traveling down several L.A. streets -- such as 7th and Spring Streets -- from East Hollywood to Boyle Heights, sans traffic.

Blogger Kid brought along his bike, while Maria and I, with Blogger Toddler 2.0 in the stroller, rushed to keep up. (Next time: Rollerblades.) We easily found street parking downtown at 5th and Hill, and from there it was just a two-block walk to 7th (which, you may remember, the Toddler and I explored last fall as part of the Los Angeles Conservancy's tour). We strolled down 7th, then up Spring (near City Hall), where crowds were strong.

It was one of those great Los Angeles moments. Some pics:















If you missed this Sunday's CicLAvia, don't worry -- the organizers are planning the next one for later in the year.

Here's a YouTube video from CicLAvia, summing up Sunday: