WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.879 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand Love. 2 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:08.919 AM radio talk radio streaming of course now through the 3 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:13.400 iHeartRadio app. You can leave a recorded comment there. You 4 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:15.800 can give me a call if you feel strongly about 5 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:19.000 anything you've heard over the past hour. So one eight 6 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.399 hundred five two oh one five three four you heard 7 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:27.600 from the news from Eileen Gonzalez and others. Pope Francis 8 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:30.760 remains in critical condition today in the hospital in Rome. 9 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:35.119 Blood test show early kidney failure, but the story is 10 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:39.399 that he remains alert and quote well oriented and even 11 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:40.799 attended Mass today. 12 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:42.799 He's eighty eight years old. 13 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.799 He's battling pneumonia and what's been described as a complex 14 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:51.679 lung infection. He's been Pope since twenty thirteen. And to 15 00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:54.200 talk more about this, we're joined on the phone by 16 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:54.920 Tom Gibbons. 17 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:55.240 Father. 18 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:58.759 Tom Gibbons is the vice president of Polished Productions, which 19 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:01.600 is a Catholic media company here in Los Angeles and 20 00:01:01.640 --> 00:01:05.640 also serves at Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Westwood. 21 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:08.519 And I believe we have a good mutual friend. Father, 22 00:01:08.599 --> 00:01:11.200 Thanks for coming on with us, Oh. 23 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:12.879 Great, thanks for having me. Phil appreciate it. 24 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:17.519 So what are you hearing sort of on the inside, 25 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:20.719 if you will, beyond what we already know about the 26 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:22.359 pope's condition anything. 27 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:25.959 Well, I mean, I think what I've been talking with 28 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:29.480 some friends in Rome, and I think everyone is just 29 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:31.040 kind of like an a wait and see. 30 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:31.640 You know. 31 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.120 One of the things that we know about this pope 32 00:01:34.439 --> 00:01:39.239 is he's very very strong willed. It doesn't surprise me 33 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:42.920 that he's still alert as he's going through all this. 34 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.840 He's always been a pope who's had a lot of 35 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:47.439 things to do and wanted to get a lot of 36 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:51.040 things done. So but you know, I also know this 37 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.879 is a pope is a very very spiritual man. Of 38 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:57.680 course he is because he's the Pope. But you know, 39 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.040 I think he's also someone who is a man of 40 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:05.719 deep prayer and is also just open to whatever happens, 41 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:08.319 you know, and whatever is god God's will for him. 42 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:11.520 So I think he's been aware that he's been sick 43 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:13.719 over the last couple of months. 44 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:16.240 He's been he. 45 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:21.000 Promoted, he extended the term of his dean that would 46 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:24.520 that would be the person that should put France's past, 47 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:28.800 would manage the College of Cardinals in any conclave. So 48 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.039 I think he intends to. I think it's this, it's 49 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:36.319 this like halfway space between. He intends to keep on going, 50 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.240 and he's also open to God's. 51 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:40.039 Will, whatever God's will is. 52 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:42.360 And I think that's kind of the balance that I 53 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:43.719 think we're all kind of living in. 54 00:02:43.719 --> 00:02:44.680 Right right right. 55 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.360 One point four billion Catholics in the world. The United 56 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:51.560 States has three hundred and forty one million in the 57 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:55.319 Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which includes La of Ventura and 58 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:56.759 Santa Barbara Counties. 59 00:02:57.159 --> 00:02:59.680 I believes the largest in the in the world with 60 00:02:59.800 --> 00:03:01.719 fin million men. 61 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:02.800 I believe that's correct. 62 00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:06.319 Yes, So everybody here in Southern California that's a member 63 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:09.240 of the archdiocese, and of course beyond that, is paying 64 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:13.319 close attention to this. I mean, what impact does a 65 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:17.479 pope have on the day to day life of Catholics 66 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:18.680 here in southern California. 67 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.960 Well, I mean the pope is is somebody who I 68 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:27.919 think what the one of the main impacts that any 69 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.520 pope has is that wherever we're from, it reminds us 70 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:36.360 that we are part of this parish family, whatever our 71 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:40.919 parish would belong to, UH are our bishop, our archbishop 72 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:45.639 Gomez reminds us that we're part of this larger archdiocesan family, 73 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:47.960 and the Pope reminds us that we're part of this 74 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:49.199 larger world family. 75 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:51.599 You know that he's the figure, you. 76 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:54.439 Know, as Archbishop Gomez is our as our like kind 77 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:57.599 of father figure here in Los Angeles, like you know, 78 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:00.719 the pope is. You know, you go to to poland 79 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:03.280 there's a picture of the Pope, you go to a 80 00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:05.319 church in Africa, there's a picture of the pope, Like 81 00:04:05.319 --> 00:04:09.159 it reminds us, you know, that the Catholic Church really is. 82 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.879 You know, the word Catholic means universal, and I think 83 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:15.800 the pope is whomever the pope is really reminds us 84 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:19.160 of that, and especially particularly this pope, because this pope was, 85 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:22.199 as we all know, was the first pope from the 86 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:26.120 Western hemisphere, you know, or from the America. So I 87 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.439 think it's also that he serves as yet another reminder 88 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.600 of that universality of the church. 89 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:35.639 Now, I believe his predecessor was the first pope in 90 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:40.079 like hundreds of years who actually resigned due to advanced 91 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:43.000 age and health reasons. I mean, would it be appropriate 92 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:46.000 at some point to expect a resignation of someone is 93 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:48.920 in such poor health or that's really not a discussion 94 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:51.439 for right now, I you. 95 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:53.639 Know what I mean. I think it's it's a fair question. 96 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:57.879 I mean, it's funny because before Pope Benedict, that's not 97 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:01.399 a question anybody would have been asking. But you know, 98 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:05.600 I know that question has come up, and so I think, 99 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:09.000 you know, I mean, what we everything we are hearing, 100 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.879 uh from a prod about Pro Francis's condition is that 101 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:20.399 he is absolutely is enduring many serious physical element ailments. 102 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:21.720 But mentally he is still there. 103 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.360 And I'm not suggesting that Benedict was not there when 104 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:27.399 he resigned. He was, you know, he was fully a 105 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:30.199 lot and I think he he made his decision for 106 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:31.040 different reasons. 107 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:33.680 So I think it's something. 108 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:37.160 My guess is you know that it's something Pop Francis 109 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:39.839 might be open to, but I think it's I also 110 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:42.399 kind of know that he's someone who likes to keep going. 111 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:46.279 So he's in a wheelchair. 112 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:49.720 Did this and he's in He had. 113 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:51.759 A great quoto. Did you see this? The church is 114 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:54.680 governed using the head and the heart, not the legs. 115 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:59.439 That's a very po Francis thing to say. And one 116 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:02.079 of the reasons Pope Francis went into a wheelchair is 117 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:04.040 because for a very long time he had been suffering 118 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:08.800 from sciatica, so in many ways that like his current 119 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.360 lung issues have been a problem, but it's really been 120 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.079 and he started doing wheelchair just to kind of ease 121 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:17.240 off his back a little bit in many ways, so 122 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:19.279 we could kind of not think about it back so 123 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.720 much so he could keep on doing the work that 124 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:22.920 he's been doing in the Vatican. 125 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:26.199 Well, we of course hope that he recovers. 126 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:30.519 But you mentioned the term Conclave, which is particularly timely 127 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:33.759 today because today is the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The 128 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:36.920 movie Conclave is up for an award as his Ray 129 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:42.360 Fines the star of Conclave, and that movie most recently 130 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:44.759 gave so much of those who saw it a real 131 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:48.439 insight into the role of selecting a new pope. I'm 132 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.319 read that it was very historically accurate, although the movie 133 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:54.240 itself was somewhat controversial. Did you do you mind if 134 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:56.000 I ask you to just see that movie and what 135 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:56.800 did you think of it? 136 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:58.879 I did see the movie. 137 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:01.199 You know, it's kind of like living in la you're 138 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:03.160 kind of like you want to you know, sometimes we 139 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:05.160 see stories in the news and we think it's part 140 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:06.519 of like an Oscar campaign. 141 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:06.920 And I. 142 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:10.639 Don't know everything that's going on in the Vatican, but 143 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:13.079 I feel very confident in saying that what's going on 144 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:14.680 in the back again has nothing to do with an 145 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.439 Oscar campaign for cockpway. 146 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:18.959 No I know, was that was that a Was that 147 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:20.720 an accurate movie about the process? 148 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:24.720 I think there is a lot about the movie that 149 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:27.759 is pretty accurate. They bring in all the cardinals, you know, 150 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:33.839 how they are sequestered. I think one of the I 151 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:36.560 think there was kind of like a moment and there's 152 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:38.800 like one scene where I think there is a question 153 00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:43.120 as to whether Ralph race Finds character broke the seal 154 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:45.639 of confession, and I don't think that would have happened. 155 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:49.199 But I think that, you know, there's usually you know, 156 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:51.240 we like to think that there's not a lot of politicking, 157 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:55.279 but you know, sometimes there is, and so I think 158 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:57.680 it's and it was also like a great representation of 159 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:01.240 bringing in everyone together. So have I ever, I think 160 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:02.120 they got a lot wrong. 161 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:05.560 I think they got the opportunity to meet the Pope. 162 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:07.040 I did I did? 163 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:08.639 What did you say to him? 164 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:11.480 It was it was pretty amazing. 165 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:17.839 In twenty eighteen, Oscar Romero was being candidized in our 166 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:20.920 production company. Paul's Productions had originally done the film Romero 167 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:22.199 in nineteen eighty nine. 168 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:23.439 Starring Rold Julia. 169 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:27.519 So I had the opportunity during Romero's canonization to present 170 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:30.240 a DVD of the film Romero to the Pope. 171 00:08:30.360 --> 00:08:30.680 Wow. 172 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:34.080 And you know, I think when people go to Italy, 173 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.039 it's like that's kind of one of their their main things. 174 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:37.120 They want to meet the Pope. 175 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:39.120 And I kind of knew somebody who was able to 176 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:42.080 kind of slip me in and it was just a 177 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:46.320 really special, you know, experience. And I think and everybody, 178 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:49.679 almost everybody who says this, who meets the pipe, says, 179 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:50.159 you know, at. 180 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.039 Some point the Pope will say to the person, and 181 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.000 he did say to me, pray for me. 182 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.000 And I think that's you know, because I think, you 183 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:58.840 know that the Pope is somebody. 184 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:01.080 Who the Bishop of Rome, he's the weight of. 185 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:03.159 His world, the weight of the world on his shoulders, 186 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:06.279 and he's also aware of how much he needs and 187 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:07.480 we all need God's. 188 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:07.639 Help for that. 189 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:10.799 So I think it's I'm sure like those words are 190 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:13.679 very true today. Is you know, the Pope is always 191 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.480 encouraging us to pray for one another, and you know, 192 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:19.320 I am so grateful that how many people are praying 193 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:22.159 for the Pope today, particularly in is a physical situation. 194 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:25.120 Well, thank you so much for talking with me. 195 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:28.360 Father Tom Gibbons from Paula's Productions in Saint paul the 196 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:31.600 Apostle Catholic Church in Westward, a beautiful church. 197 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:34.279 I've been there. Love to talk to you off the air. 198 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:36.360 I got a great joke which I think you'll like, 199 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:41.200 about growing up in a mixed marriage. And also, do 200 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:43.960 you know the name Rabbi Harold Kushner? 201 00:09:44.039 --> 00:09:46.679 By any chance, I am aware of that. 202 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:49.600 Rabbi Harold Kushner was a rabbi of my temple growing 203 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:54.120 up in Natick, Massachusetts, and after a personal tragedy, wrote 204 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:57.120 the book the international best seller called When Bad Things 205 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.000 Happen to Good People, which was sort of an ex 206 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.519 explanation about how you can believe in God and yet tragedies, 207 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.360 whether it's the loss of a child or something else 208 00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:11.080 or a fire, can how you can justify that? 209 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:15.720 And I read that book and I love that book. 210 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:18.120 Very power non you know, for people of all religions 211 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:21.639 right right, and had quite an impact on me growing 212 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:24.519 up as a youngster in Hebrew School and then Hebrew 213 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:25.080 High School. 214 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:26.120 Rabbit Harold Kushner. 215 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:29.600 So if people are out there are struggling with any issues, 216 00:10:30.679 --> 00:10:34.440 when bad things happen to good people, definitely help well. 217 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:36.039 One of the good people, Tom Gibbons. 218 00:10:36.279 --> 00:10:37.960 Very nice to meet you on the phone, and look 219 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:39.600 forward to talking to you again in the future. 220 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:41.840 Great, look forward to talking to you. Thanks so much. 221 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:45.840 You're listening to KFI A M six forty on demand. 222 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:52.240 There's so much going on in southern California every day 223 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:57.159 that it's just sometimes overwhelming, right. I mean just the 224 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:01.279 things we've talked about here, the Pope, safety, I mean, 225 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:05.440 the fires, the fire chief, the mayor, the governor. I mean, 226 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:09.159 this is a Sunday afternoon, just another another day, right, 227 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:15.279 and it's filled with interesting characters and politics aside. Okay, 228 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:19.279 politics aside, which is a big aside. One of the 229 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:22.279 most interesting characters that we've come across in recent years 230 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.600 is Elon Musk. 231 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:25.960 We're gonna talk more about that in just a minute. 232 00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:27.120 But I am. 233 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:30.679 Told that we've had some listeners who have actually left 234 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:33.279 us some messages on the art iHeartRadio app. 235 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:34.720 Right, let's listen to one of them. 236 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:40.159 So it's always wonderful when you are on. I appreciate you, 237 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:44.480 but I wanted to add another category to news junkies. 238 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:49.039 It's people who like me who just listen at the 239 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:52.799 ear I stay up on everything, but I don't write 240 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:56.320 emotionally control me and I listen to all side. 241 00:11:57.759 --> 00:11:58.440 Well, that was great. 242 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:00.279 That was when I was talking earlier about sort of 243 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:05.759 three broad categories of people news junkies that pay attention 244 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.000 to everything, and then there's the complete opposite, which are 245 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:10.320 people that just tune out because that's too overwhelming, and 246 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:12.600 then sort of in the middle or people might have 247 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:16.720 like a special interests. So I appreciate that. Let's listen 248 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:18.039 to one more and then we're going to go back 249 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:19.000 to ELNG. 250 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:22.320 How is it that the mayor of la was the 251 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:27.159 only person in the city, county, state, or the nation 252 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:32.000 that did not hear about the extreme danger to wildfires 253 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:36.519 in southern California that were about to hit us? Was 254 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:40.200 she busy packing her bags for her trip to Africa? 255 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:46.120 So that is a great, great comment. So my friend 256 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:49.519 and colleague Alex Michaelson, who's the anchor on Fox eleven News, 257 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:51.879 who's a frequent guest here on KFI, he did an 258 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:54.519 interview with Mayor Bass earlier in this week, and in 259 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:58.360 the interview, which was her first extended sit down interview 260 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.080 with a TV reporter since since the fires, she basically 261 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:05.960 said that she was unaware of the extreme nature of 262 00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:08.639 the fire threat and the wind threat, even though her 263 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:13.080 own ex slash Twitter account was tweeting out like specific 264 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:16.399 warnings about that and everybody knew about it. But her 265 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:20.000 contention is that in the past, the fire chief has 266 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:23.559 actually called her personally to alert or to the severity 267 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:26.919 of the threat, and this time that didn't happen. So 268 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:30.879 that was to me a really just hard to believe 269 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:34.399 and hard to believe that she would even say that 270 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:38.320 and expect people to accept that it faced value definitely 271 00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:42.360 a mark against her in her critique of her leadership 272 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:47.919 since the fires. So back in two thousand and nineteen 273 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:53.519 for Fox Livenus, I'm in federal court. Elon Musk was 274 00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:58.240 on trial a defamation suit. Do you remember the story 275 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:02.320 about the young boys that were trapped in a cave 276 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:06.159 in Thailand in June of twenty eighteen, and Musk was 277 00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:09.039 one of those involved in the rescue attempts and he 278 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:15.720 was accused of defaming a British expert by using a 279 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:18.440 slur which I don't necessarily have to repeat, but he 280 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:21.840 actually was in federal court and we're all waiting outside 281 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.840 on the sidewalk, I think on Temple or First Street 282 00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:26.639 in downtown Los Angeles, trying to get a shot of 283 00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:29.320 Elon right, because you can't go into the courtroom, and 284 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:31.720 you can't even go onto the property with cameras outside 285 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:34.840 Federal Court and down in all federal courts. So we're 286 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.559 all on the sidewalk and this tesla pulls up right, 287 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:40.440 this blacked out windows tesla pulls up in the front, 288 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:42.080 and we're all like, oh, there's Elon's gaining A couple 289 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.720 of bodyguard looking dudes get out with the sunglasses and 290 00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:46.559 the suits and everything, and we're waiting for Elon to 291 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:47.840 get out. We're waiting for you Lon to get out. 292 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:50.639 We're waiting for you Lin to get out. He never 293 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:53.879 gets out, only for all of us losers in the 294 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:56.799 media to realize that it was a diversion and that 295 00:14:56.919 --> 00:15:00.840 Elon had been dropped off around the block and came 296 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:05.360 in with a huge group of bodyguards on foot and 297 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.080 behind us, all while we were distracted by the tesla 298 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:11.799 that pulled up in front my brief Elon story, and 299 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:15.840 then in court we're allowed to go in court as observers, 300 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:19.000 not with the cameras, And I remember thinking to myself, 301 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.919 this guy is really a piece of work. He wouldn't 302 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:27.279 answer one question straight. Are you a wealthy man? Well, 303 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.600 it depends on what your definition of wealth is. Well, 304 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:31.559 how much money do you have? Well it depends you know, 305 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:32.559 money is relative. 306 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:33.440 I mean, go on. 307 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:36.240 Whatever question the lawyers would ask him, he would never 308 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:40.600 give a clear answer. This is the plaintiff's attorneys. He 309 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:44.799 ended up winning that case. He was not found responsible 310 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:47.840 for defaming that that British expert. But I've always kind 311 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:49.879 of kept track of Elon, and of course now as 312 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:56.600 the co president, he's really interesting. And you know, nobody 313 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.120 questions the validity or the merits. I shouldn't say nobody, 314 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:02.120 but few people would question the merits of trying to 315 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:06.519 eliminate waste and fraud from government expenditures. 316 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:10.759 But I just every day it's like, really, So. 317 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:14.679 He sends out the request to all federal employees send 318 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:17.759 an email with five things that you accomplished this week. 319 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:20.600 I think the deadline to send that email in is tonight. 320 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:26.200 Failure to send the email will be considered a resignation. 321 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:31.320 So then, just to make things more confusing, the FBI 322 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:36.039 and the entire Department of Justice apparently is saying to 323 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:37.639 its employees. 324 00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:41.879 Just ignore that, you know, don't worry about it. So 325 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:44.039 who's running the store here? 326 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.120 I mean, do we have like a well fought out 327 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:52.240 organized effort to trim waste and fraud and excessive expenditure 328 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:55.360 in the federal government? Or is Elon just sort of 329 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:58.360 making things up as he goes along? And President Trump 330 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:01.000 may or not be aware of it. He's firing all 331 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:04.440 the generals at the PENT I mean, it's just on 332 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:05.759 the national. 333 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:07.319 Federal level, it just filters down. 334 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:09.400 Like you wonder, it's the same questions we've been asking 335 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:13.119 the state local level. It's like who's in charge? Like 336 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:16.200 where does the bucks stop? Does anybody actually have like 337 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:19.279 a coherent strategy here? Or they sort of making it 338 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.119 up as they go along. It's not very reassuring. All Right, 339 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:25.079 we're gonna take a break. When we come back, we're 340 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:27.640 gonna get back to the fire coverage with James Rainey 341 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.960 from the La Times. 342 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:33.799 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand, Happy. 343 00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:36.319 To be joined right now by a veteran LA Times reporter, 344 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:40.359 Award winning writer and reporter, James Rainey. Jim, thanks for 345 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.680 coming on with us to talk about Malibu and the 346 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:45.880 fires and the coverage by the LA Times. 347 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:47.680 My pleasure are great to be here. 348 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:48.920 I appreciate your time. 349 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:55.079 On January twelfth, you wrote of such a powerful piece 350 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:58.119 I believe it was called My Elusive Malibu Life, in 351 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:01.680 which you wrote about going back back to Malibu to 352 00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:05.240 see if your family home of fifty years I believe, 353 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.799 had survived the fire. 354 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.839 And it was so well written and so emotional. 355 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:15.759 What do you remember if people haven't read that, share 356 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:17.720 a little bit about what that process was like and 357 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:18.799 what that peace was like. 358 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:22.920 If you would, Yeah, well, thanks so much for saying that, Phil, 359 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:27.880 I really appreciate that, it would say. I mean, you 360 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.200 know this. You've been a reporter I think here as 361 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:34.759 long in southern California as I have, and sometimes the 362 00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:39.279 stories get really personal. So on that day, we had 363 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:42.039 had a strange experience because I now live on the 364 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:46.039 east end of the city. I live in the Pasadena area, 365 00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:48.359 and we had a bunch of people evacuate to our house. 366 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:51.680 The first night of the fires all coming from the 367 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.960 Altadena fire, and one of those families ended up losing 368 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.279 the house. I spent the whole first morning up early 369 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.319 and ran out to the scene of the Altadena fire 370 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:05.000 and was just sort of rushing around doing what we do, 371 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:09.240 talking to fire victims in Altadena. And it was and 372 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:13.160 I realized that given where our family home was up 373 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:16.799 this canyon in Malibu, that it also was threatened. So 374 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:18.519 in the back of my mind this whole time, as 375 00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:22.039 I'm talking to other folks about the loss of their houses, 376 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:26.400 I kind of realized that we were under threat with 377 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:29.920 this house. And you know, we've been through so many 378 00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:32.759 fires out there. When we moved in there, I was 379 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:35.279 a kid. I was ten years old and lived there 380 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:39.440 until I went away to college, and so you know, 381 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:43.480 this is an incredible place to grow up. Right, We're 382 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:46.599 less than half a mile from the beach, up a canyon, 383 00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:51.960 ocean view, pretty idyllic, and we had dodged i'd say 384 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:58.359 at least a dozen wildfires, really serious ones, over the 385 00:19:58.359 --> 00:20:00.200 course of I mean it's hard to believe now half 386 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:04.319 a century, and in fact, the ninety three fires, my 387 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:07.480 parents were sure that their house had burned down and 388 00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:09.759 I was able to go up there with my press 389 00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:12.319 pass and find that it hadn't, so this time I 390 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:15.720 went up there. Going up pch you've probably been up there. 391 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:19.839 It's something that most of your listeners haven't seen yet, 392 00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:23.839 but they will eventually. And it's pretty shocking once you 393 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:27.559 get past the Panga Canyon headed up Highway one, and 394 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.720 as I got closer and closer to Carbon Canyon, which 395 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:34.440 is where our family houses, I had a pretty sinking 396 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:38.440 feeling in the pit of my stomach that our luck 397 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:42.960 had run out. And sure enough, went around the big 398 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:46.000 band right before where our house has been. It was 399 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:49.480 built in the forties, and you could see what now 400 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:52.759 in a lot of these neighborhoods looked more like tombstones. 401 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:56.160