How does a shy, artistic boy raised in a family of hard-bitten Jackson Hole cowboys become one of the world’s most insightful guides to India’s sacred and tribal arts?

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, Dr. Stephen Huyler joins me to talk about his extraordinary new book, Transformed by India: A Life — his seventh, but the first to tell his own story. Huyler recounts growing up in Ojai as the son of Thacher School’s legendary horseman, "Uncle" Jack Huyler, and the pivotal moment when artist Beatrice Wood recognized his kindred spirit and nudged him toward India. That chance encouragement led to a lifetime of scholarship, deep friendships with Indian artists and tribal communities, and a career bridging East and West.

We talk about his early encounters — from leading a beloved horse to its burial pit as a boy, to pedaling a rickshaw across the Indian border on his 20th birthday — and how those experiences forged a life of empathy, resilience, and wonder. Along the way, Huyler shares how India’s remarkable generosity reshaped his own sense of self, and why its arts and crafts remain vital expressions of humanity today.

Transformed by India has already earned acclaim in India, the UK, and the U.S., with a foreword by the Dalai Lama and an audiobook version narrated by Huyler himself. Join us for a conversation about art, identity, rebellion, and the redemptive power of culture.

We did not talk about cooking with scallion oil, William F. Buckley Jr. or the Brewers-Cubs rivalry. For more information, check out Dr. Huyler's website at https://stephenhuyler.com/

Emmy-winning director and producer Mimi Leder joins Ojai Talk of the Town to talk about the fourth season of Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, premiering September 17. Leder, the show’s creator and executive producer, takes us behind the scenes of one of television’s most talked-about dramas — where the personal battles of anchors, producers, and executives mirror the seismic shifts shaking our real-world culture.

We discuss how this season tackles some of today’s most urgent issues: the rise of artificial intelligence, the growing influence of the manosphere, the struggle of legacy media to stay relevant, and the high-stakes games of corporate ambition. Leder shares insights into the show’s complex characters — whether it’s Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy navigating power and vulnerability, Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson searching for truth in a world of spin, or Jon Hamm’s Paul Marks embodying the allure and danger of tech billionaires.

Leder also opens up about the intensity of bringing these themes to life on set, and how her time in Ojai has been a welcome sanctuary to recover and reflect after grueling shooting schedules. What emerges is a portrait of an artist at the top of her game — using story not just to entertain, but to hold a mirror up to America’s shifting cultural landscape.

If you’re a fan of The Morning Show or fascinated by how art and entertainment capture our collective anxieties and hopes, this conversation is not to be missed. (Note: We did not talk about Anacapa Island spearfishing, Hoyt Wilhelm's knuckleball or the throat singers of the Tuvan.

Keep up with The Morning Show at https://tv.apple.com/us/show/the-morning-show/umc.cmc.25tn3v8ku4b39tr6ccgb8nl6m

1. Los Angeles’ most famous cat changed how the world sees urban wildlife. In this episode, Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation and leader of the #SaveLACougars campaign— joins me to talk about P-22’s extraordinary life, humane euthanasia in 2022, and how his story is reshaping conservation far beyond Griffith Park. National Wildlife Federation+1California Fish and Wildlife

Beth explains what we learned from P-22’s final exam and necropsy, why officials made the call they did, and what it means for aging predators navigating city edges. We also dig into practical tips for safe wildlife encounters here in Ojai; how to avoid “acting like prey,” what to do if you meet a lion on the trail, and why the real risk is usually lower than people think. California Fish and WildlifeUC Davis School of Veterinary MedicineCBS News

Looking forward, Beth updates us on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101, designed to reconnect the Santa Monica Mountains with critical habitat, reduce roadkill, and restore genetic flow for lions, bobcats, deer, and more. She also tells why corridors like this matter for every community, Ojai included. We talk migration pathways, backyard habitat, and how listeners can help build a landscape where people and predators both thrive. Caltranssmmc.ca.gov

Whether you loved P-22 for the Hollywood-sign photo or for the conversations he sparked, Beth’s perspective is a masterclass in coexistence — and a roadmap for keeping wild neighbors wild. We did not talk about radiometric discoveries about the Great Pyramids, Lake Nile perch populations or the Milwaukee Brewer's surprising success.

In this episode of Ojai: Talk of the Town, I ride along with Dr. Christina Sisk and her dedicated vet-tech crew from the Ventura County Humane Society on their mobile spay-neuter clinic. Our destination: a homeless encampment in Oxnard, where veterinary care can mean the difference between a pet thriving or suffering.

Dr. Sisk shares her journey from growing up a farm girl with a deep bond to animals, to competing as an equestrienne in college, and ultimately to leading community-focused programs that go beyond the clinic walls. We talk about the Humane Society’s innovative Pets for Life program, which connects underserved pet owners with resources, supplies, and ongoing care — meeting them where they are, both literally and figuratively.

It’s a conversation about service, trust, and the quiet but transformative power of showing up for those who need it most, whether they walk on two legs or four.

We did not talk about cast-iron cookery, Napoleon's 100 Days or the fascist comedy of Frank Fay.

Check out the Humane Society's "clear the shelter" adoption-fee free event on August 23rd at https://www.hsvc.org/

When Beth Lane was six years old, her mother let slip a family mystery: she had six siblings, all adopted. That cryptic admission set Lane on a decades-long journey to uncover the truth — a journey that culminated in UnBroken, a powerful documentary about how her mother and six siblings, all Jewish children in Nazi Germany, survived the Holocaust with the help of a courageous German farmer and his wife. Hidden in a cramped laundry hut for nearly two years, the Weber children, ages six to eighteen, endured lice, starvation, cold, and constant fear. Their story, once nearly lost to time, now shines as a beacon of resilience and compassion.

In this episode, Lane, an actor, writer, and first-time director based in Ojai, shares the extraordinary path from family secret to cinematic revelation. After reconnecting with the German farmer’s grandson on a research trip, Lane was galvanized to make the film. Drawing inspiration from Shoah and animated Holocaust shorts, she wove archival material, survivor interviews, and gentle visual storytelling into a deeply human narrative. UnBroken premiered at the Heartland Film Festival in 2023, won the Best Documentary Feature Premiere award, and went on to screen internationally before its 2025 Netflix release, where it quickly became a top-five hit.

But more than just a personal project, UnBroken is a call to empathy in an age of division. All profits from the film support the Weber Family Arts Foundation, which Lane founded to combat antisemitism through education and storytelling. As she tells it, the film asks a single, haunting question of viewers: “Would you hide me?” Tune in for this moving conversation about memory, legacy, and the quiet courage that can change the course of history.

Check out the Weber Family Foundation at https://www.theweberfamilyartsfoundation.com/mission

In this special episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, we sit down with the luminous Kitty Winn — award-winning actor, devoted mother, and granddaughter of Gen. George C. Marshall — to trace a remarkable life lived on her own terms.

After winning Best Actress at Cannes for her raw, unforgettable performance in The Panic in Needle Park alongside Al Pacino, and stepping into horror history as Sharon in The Exorcist, Kitty stepped away from the spotlight to raise her family.

Now a cherished member of the Ojai community, Kitty shares stories from her family’s extraordinary legacy, including her grandmother’s rebellious stint with a traveling Shakespeare troupe in the early 1900s. We explore Kitty’s deep commitment to nurturing young artists through the Ojai Film Society’s Student Film Contest, her thoughts on acting, legacy, and why she’s chosen to make Ojai her stage today.

We talked about Kitty's early years in India with her military father, Gen. Marshall's challenges in both World Wars, his post-war importance and much more. We did not talk about Instagram flexibility gurus, Brad Pitt in Formula One or Edward Gibbon's Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire.

It’s a graceful, insightful conversation with a woman who continues to inspire — quietly, steadily, and with uncommon elegance. You can read more about this remarkable woman in Mark Lewis' story in the Ojai Quarterly archives at https://www.ojaihub.com/winns-circle/

What happens when five brilliant, rebellious Romantics take refuge from a climate catastrophe in a lakeside villa — and decide to conjure monsters?

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, we sit down with acclaimed playwright, screenwriter and novelist Jule Selbo to discuss her gripping new play, Mary Shelley: The Year Without Summer, premiering in Ojai on August 8, running through August 17th at Matilija Auditorium, directed by Richard Camp as the Ojai Performing Arts Theater's summer production.

Set in the summer of 1816, amid the eerie aftermath of a volcanic eruption that blotted out the sun, the play captures a charged gathering at Villa Diodati, where Mary Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, Dr. Polidori, and Mary’s stepsister Claire Clairmont engage in a dark game: Who can write the best horror story?

From this stormy retreat, two modern mythologies are born —Mary’s Frankenstein, which redefined horror and science fiction, and Polidori’s Vampyre, the prototype for the seductive bloodsucker that haunts our popular imagination to this day.

Jule shares her insights into dramatizing these iconic figures, why the tensions of that fateful summer still resonate, and how creativity thrives in chaos. A must-listen for literature lovers, theater fans, and anyone who enjoys a good ghost story.

We talk about how these gothic tales speak to the modern imagination, writing for money and much more. (We do not talk about old English desserts, Arthur Rimbaud or folk dancing.)

For more information, check out OPAT's website at OjaiTheater.org or Jule Selbo's site at JuleSelbo.com.

When a mystical optimist and a self-proclaimed cynic start a podcast, sparks fly—and sometimes combust. In this lively, revealing conversation, Ojai-based artists Daren Thomas Magee (the Instagram juggernaut Real Fun, Wow) and musician Jaymee Carpenter (Love Is the Author) open up about the origin story of their podcast Mystical-Cynical, how each season seems to end in a breakup, and why they keep coming back for more.

We dive into the rhythm of creative collaboration, the friction and forgiveness that fuel their friendship, and how life in a small town like Ojai shapes their artistic lives and inner journeys. Along the way, we talk about purpose, pain, laughter, healing — and why Mystical-Cynical resonates so deeply with its devoted listeners.

Whether you’re a seeker, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this episode is a real fun… wow.

Note: We did not talk about gout, dental procedures or Jeffrey Epstein.

Check out Daren's artistry and comic musings on Instagram @realfunwow and Jaymee's @loveistheauthor.

In this episode, we sit down with Kelley D’Angelo, founder and CEO of Lark Ellen Farm and the visionary behind the brand-new Purely Sprouted™ line. What started as personal wellness experiment in her home kitchen in Ojai — driven by chronic aches, low energy, and grain sensitivities — has blossomed into a national success story.

Kelley began in 2015 at the Ojai Farmers Market with her first sprouted granola bites, and Lark Ellen Farm now reaches over 300 stores across the U.S. gofarmhand.com+11accountixsolutions.com+11Lark Ellen Farm+11. In March 2023, she launched Purely Sprouted™ at Natural Products Expo West, introducing nutrient-dense snack mixes and individually portioned nuts in eight crave-worthy flavors — and pledged support to 1% for the Planet Purely Sprouted.

We explore the science behind sprouting: how soaking and germinating nuts and seeds increases nutrient availability, eases digestion, and boosts flavor. But scaling this kind of food business, especially in a small town, hasn't been easy. Kelley shares her experience pitching to investors like the Santa Barbara Angel Alliance Facebook+7Forbes+7Purely Sprouted+7, getting her first pallet shipped (and spilling boxes along the way) , and tackling bank relationships, cash flow stress, vendor contracts, and hiring.

After being selected in 2025 for RangeMe’s “Brands Created by Moms” collection, marking Lark Ellen Farm’s 10th anniversary month, the story’s only getting bigger ForbesLark Ellen Farm+15nosh.com+15Shoutout LA+15. Kelley offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs who want to turn kitchen curiosity into a sustainable brand: from co-packing to financial planning, logistics, and preserving mission alongside growth.

Tune in for an inspiring blend of wellness wisdom, small-town hustle, and the earthy crunch under Kelley's leadership.

We did not talk about drift net dangers, ancient Babylonian gold hoards or the recent NYC mayoral primary election.

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, we dive into the magic of movies under the stars with Brady Hahn and Nick Weissman, two driving forces behind the Ojai Film Society's revitalized Summer Series at Libbey Bowl. Brady, a holistic strategist and community connector, and Nick, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker and producer, share their passion for cinema, community, and curating experiences that resonate long after the credits roll.

This summer, the Ojai Film Society is hosting a stellar lineup of free screenings open to the public, with the theme "Imagine a World," transforming Libbey Bowl into a moonlit movie palace. Highlights include:

• "Sally" – a revealing look at Sally Ride, the pioneering astronaut, who made immense sacrifices for the sake of her private life. June 25th.

• "Neverending Story" – the beloved classic work of that speaks to the power and poetry of imagination. August 8th.

  Plus other classics and soon-to-be-classics through the end of September.

We talk about what makes film such a powerful communal ritual, how Ojai’s creative spirit shapes the selections, and why showing up for stories — together — is more important than ever. We did not talk about walking meditation techniques, Korean banchan or the 1984 California Angels all-star lineup.

So grab your blankets and popcorn. The show is about to begin. Check their website for up-to-date information, OjaiFilmSociety.org