After nearly three decades after founding, and leading, the Rubicon Theatre Company, James O’Neil is stepping into his next act.

As Co-Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus, Jim helped transform a regional dream into a nationally respected theater — earning Drama Desk recognition, Ovation and NAACP awards, and, more importantly, the enduring loyalty of a community that learned to gather in the dark and think together.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Jim reflects on:

• Why live theater remains a civic necessity, not a luxury
• The mystery of inhabiting complex characters, from Pontius Pilate to Clarence Darrow
• The tension between artistic risk and financial survival
• The highs, near-misses, and standing ovations that shaped the Rubicon
• And what it means to hand over something you built with your own hands

As Jim and his wife, Caryl Lynn Burns, retire and head to Kansas City to be closer to family, we take stock of a career that proves culture doesn’t happen by accident — it’s made, night after night, by people willing to step into the light. We did not talk about fish species in Lake Malawi, palm oil deforestation or whether the KC Chiefs can get their groove back.

This is a conversation about legacy, community, and why the stage still matters. Check out more about the Rubicon at https://rubicontheatre.org/

What does it mean to build a life in images?

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, I sit down with Ojai-based artist Dennis Mukai, whose career spans commercial illustration, celebrity portrait photography, and a strikingly original fine art practice.

Born in Hiroshima and raised in Southern California, Mukai trained at the Art Center College of Design before building a nationally recognized career as an illustrator and photographer. Over the decades, he has worked with major brands, major periodicals such as Playboy, photographed musicians and actors, and developed a meticulous layered painting technique in which he sands through pigment to reveal what lies beneath — work that feels at once cinematic, nostalgic, and quietly subversive.

We talk about:

• Growing up between cultures• The discipline of commercial art versus the freedom of fine art• Photographing public figures (especially beautiful women) — and searching for the private human inside the persona• Why process matters as much as product• How Ojai’s light and stillness shape his current work• Reinvention, longevity, and what it means to keep evolving

This is a conversation about craft, patience, beauty, and the long arc of an artistic life.

We did not talk about cherry salmon, tiger maple or the architectural highlights of San Miguel de Allende. If you care about art, photography, discipline, or the creative journey itself — you’ll enjoy this one. Check out Dennis' work at ...

https://www.dennismukai.com/

Running a town is an act of stewardship — of land, money, people, and possibility.

Ojai City Manager Ben Harvey joins host Bret Bradigan for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what that stewardship looks like in practice. We unpack the real constraints of municipal governance — housing mandates, fiscal realities, and the delicate balance between preservation and change.

And then we talk music.

From Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers to Okkervil River and Damien Jurado, we reflect on how live music shapes community — and tease some exciting possibilities for Libbey Bowl this coming season.

Because in Ojai, civic life isn’t just policy. It’s culture. It’s memory. It’s the shared experience of gathering under the oaks for a show.

A conversation not just about how towns are run, but how they are felt.

In this special tribute episode of Ojai Talk of the Town - a repost of an episode from 2025 - we honor the remarkable life of Helen Allen, a vibrant and pioneering spirit in the Ojai Valley whose impact will be felt for generations.

Helen — together with her partner Lynne Doherty — co-founded Ojai’s first Pride Walk more than 33 years ago, beginning in 1991/92 with just six marchers down Ojai Avenue and blossoming into a beloved annual celebration of LGBTQ+ community and visibility.

Beyond her role as a pride pioneer, Helen was a dedicated tennis coach, sharing her love of the game with countless children and adults through the Ojai Tennis Tournament and local schools. She was recognized by the Rotary Clubs of Ojai as an Ojai Living Treasure, known around town for her quick wit — “often bad but always funny jokes” — and her ready smile at any corner café, park bench, or community gathering.

In last year’s episode, Helen and Lynne shared memories of building community, the joy of connection, and the importance of passing the torch — which they’ve since done with Queers of the Ojai Valley leading the next generation of Pride.

In this deeply personal conversation, we revisit that interview, celebrate Helen’s legacy, and hear from friends and neighbors whose lives she brightened. Whether you knew Helen well or are just learning her story, this episode reflects on a life lived in full embrace of love, community, and laughter.

Thank you, Helen, for bringing us together — in pride, on the courts, and around the heart of this valley.

This is not a typical episode of Ojai Talk of the Town.

There’s no guest. No interview. No back-and-forth.

Instead, this is a solo piece — a reflection on what the word hillbilly actually means, and what it doesn’t.

In recent years, that word has been flattened into stereotype, weaponized as political shorthand, or worn as a kind of costume. But being a hillbilly is not an aesthetic. It’s not grievance. It’s not dysfunction.

It’s a set of skills.
A relationship to land and labor.
An earned way of moving through the world.

This episode is a personal reckoning with that inheritance — through ice storms, traplines, grave digging, and the quiet discipline of work.

It’s different from our usual format. Slower. More reflective.

If you’re willing to listen closely, I hope you’ll stay with it. If you feel so inclined, copy a link and send it to someone you think might be curious about an obscure American culture that has been miscast and stereotyped, or someone who might share a similar set of cultural understandings. And, as always, give that subscribe button a good hit.

In this special re-release, we’re thrilled to bring back our 2021 conversation with Meredy Benson Rice, a life-long educator, school leader, and celebrated author whose work invites us to rethink what it means to grow, learn, and find wisdom along the way.

Meredy is the author of The Wisdom Palace: A Young Girl’s Journey, a tender, funny, and deeply reflective coming-of-age novel about Isabelle — a shy girl sent to spend the summer with her grandfather, only to discover that friendship, community, and unexpected adventure can open doors to self-discovery she never knew existed. It’s a story about breaking out of shells, bridging generations, and finding wisdom in the most surprising places.

Beyond The Wisdom Palace, Meredy’s work as an educator and administrator has shaped countless young minds. As former Head of Oak Grove School in Ojai, California — a school grounded in inquiry, curiosity, and the principles of holistic education — she has spent decades asking big questions about how we teach, how we learn, and how education can foster not just intellect, but insight.

In our conversation, Meredy shares:

• how her life in Canada, England, and Southern California influenced her writing and teaching;

• the inspiration behind The Wisdom Palace and its lessons for readers of all ages;

• what it really means to educate the whole child — not just the mind, but the heart and spirit;

• and why stories — both inside and outside the classroom — can shape our understanding of ourselves and each other.

Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a lover of literature, or simply someone who believes in the transformative power of curiosity, this conversation will leave you with fresh insights and renewed wonder.

Tune in as we revisit this uplifting talk with Meredy Benson Rice — a conversation about wisdom, storytelling, and the unexpected paths that help us grow. 🎧

In this deep and wide-ranging conversation, we sit down with John-Clark Levin — researcher, author, and thought leader at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence — to explore the hopes and hazards of the technological era we now inhabit.

As research lead for Kurzweil Technologies under futurist Ray Kurzweil, Levin conducts long-term AI foresight and has spoken widely about artificial superintelligence and its implications for society, policy, and human flourishing.

We begin by tracing his journey from growing up in Ojai, the book that changed everything for him (Kurzweil's "The Rise of Spiritual Machines" to some of the world’s most consequential debates about AI. Along the way, Levin shares how his early interests evolved into a professional focus on the future of intelligence and human-machine symbiosis.

A major thread of our discussion centers on Levin’s work engaging the Vatican on artificial intelligence — part of a broader effort to ensure that leading global institutions take seriously the ethical, spiritual, and existential questions posed by AI’s rapid advance. He describes organizing experts and advocates around what some have dubbed the “AI Avengers,” working to bring the possibility and risks of artificial general intelligence (AGI) into high-level ecclesiastical consideration and eventual guidance.

From there we delve into pressing contemporary concerns: the rise of misinformation and disinformation in public life, the risk landscape sometimes referred to as the coming “Slop-acolypse,” and how societies might more effectively marshal truth and trust as AI reshapes information ecosystems.

Alongside these serious themes, we trade stories about less expected moments — including Levin’s Jeopardy! experience, and the intersecting paths of competition, curiosity, and narrative in his life. The host also reflects on his own Jeopardy! memories in light of Levin’s appearance, sparking a candid exchange about learning, memory, and what it means to think like a human — or like a machine designed to mimic human cognition.

We did not talk about Japanese names for salt, Simon Bolivar or Greenland annexation.

This episode is an engaging, thought-provoking journey through the contours of our strange, accelerating age — from Silicon Valley to the Vatican and from the personal to the planetary. Whether you’re deeply invested in AI futures or just curious about the forces reshaping our world, this discussion with John-Clark Levin offers rare insight from one of the field’s most provocative voices.

You can check out John-Clark's twitter account at https://x.com/JohnClarkLevin, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/johnclarklevin/

In this episode, I’m joined by Richard Handley, author of The Hawks Are Not Dying, a novel rooted in real events that helped shape modern Ojai, which could have easily looked very different.

Set in the early 1980s, The Hawks Are Not Dying follows a man who finds purpose — and unexpected romance — while joining a scrappy coalition of activists determined to stop a shopping-center development from destroying the meadows he loves. Along the way, the story brings to life many of the real people who stood up to overdevelopment and helped protect Ojai from becoming another Southern California sprawl, threatened by freeways, gypsum and uranium mines, and unchecked growth.

In our conversation, Richard reflects on the preservation battles that defined an era, the personalities who shaped Ojai’s environmental ethic, and how storytelling can carry civic memory forward. We also explore his work in Western Australia, where he developed education programs with Aboriginal communities — an experience that deepened his understanding of land, culture, and stewardship.

We did not talk about Heath Ledger, barramundi fishing or the Great Barrier Reef.

This episode is a meditation on activism, love of place, and the quiet heroism of people who say “no” when it matters most. Look for "Hawks" at Bart's Books, Poppies Art & Gift, as well as online at Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/Hawks-Are-Not-Dying/dp/B0FP8F23YG

When Daniel Roselle stepped into the role of Executive Director at the Humane Society of Ventura County, he inherited more than a job title. He took on stewardship of a 93-year-old institution at a moment when animal welfare is rapidly evolving — shifting away from a shelter-only mindset toward community-based solutions that prioritize prevention, education, and long-term care.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Roselle lays out his vision for the future of HSVC, including programs designed to remove barriers to adoption, expand training and outreach, and — most critically — keep pets in homes whenever possible. From behavioral support and access to veterinary care to humane education and community partnerships, his approach emphasizes systems that support both animals and the people who love them.

Roselle’s perspective is shaped by an unconventional life path. Having lived in multiple countries and not setting foot in the United States until age 20, he brings a global lens to questions of animal welfare — examining how different cultures relate to animals, how belief systems influence behavior, and why empathy must be paired with realism. That perspective leads the conversation into unexpected but thoughtful territory, including discussions of religious cults, invasive species, and the ethical complexities of conservation.

We also talk about one of the most overlooked — and rewarding — acts of compassion: adopting senior and geriatric dogs, whose capacity for connection often deepens with age. Throughout, Roselle makes the case that animal welfare isn’t just about rescue; it’s about belonging, stability, and community responsibility.

We did not talk about Hawaii's nene geese, English archers at Agincourt, or the New York Times cooking app.

This episode is a thoughtful look at where animal welfare has been — and where it needs to go next. Learn more at the Humane Society's website: https://www.hsvc.org/

Music shapes how we experience film and television — but the way it’s licensed, selected, and paid for is often misunderstood.

In this episode, I’m joined by Adam Taylor, President and CEO of APM Music, one of the world’s most influential production-music companies. APM supplies professionally licensed music for film, television, streaming, advertising, sports, and digital media, with a catalog exceeding one million tracks and partnerships with some of the most respected libraries in the industry.

Adam has spent decades at the center of this evolving ecosystem. In our conversation, we break down how music licensing actually works, the difference between professional production music and so-called “royalty-free” models, how technology and AI are changing music discovery, and what filmmakers, editors, and producers need to understand before they find themselves in legal or budget trouble.

We talk about Ojai's creative economy, "Happy Birthday's" entry into the public domain and how the right choices can make a movie. We did not talk about minke whale populations, Grecian hoplite tactics or the AI Slopacolypse.

This is a practical, eye-opening conversation for anyone working with visual media — or anyone who’s ever wondered how the right piece of music ends up under a scene.

You can check out more about Adam and APM Music at https://www.apmmusic.com/