The Late Night Happy Hour with Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

It's among the more iconic movies of the last 30 years, one that launched the careers of a host of actors, as well as its director, Richard Linklater. Few movies have the enduring popularity and loyalty "Dazed and Confused," and on Wednesday's Happy Hour we're joined by Melissa Maerz, author of the incredible new oral history of the movie, "Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused." (Out next week!)

We cover everything from the movie's origins to the legend of how Matthew McConaughey found his way into the film. How accurate are some of those stories? What was it like on set, and off, for this incredible group of young actors? How was Linklater able to make a movie that bleeds authenticity and universality, despite making it hyperspecific to his high school experience?

Why did it develop into a true cult classic?

It's a great conversation about a genuinely fantastic book for anyone who loves that movie, or is interested in a pivotal time in recent Hollywood history.

She's one of the best Lakers writers around, and Sabreena Merchant joins the LNHH Tuesday to set the stage for a crazy moment in NBA history. Compressed offseason, compressed preparation, draft process and trade season. How will all of this impact the Lakers? Will they play the load management game more aggressively in years past (our guess... yes!)

Who comes back? Where do they get their depth if a player like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leaves? Who might they target in a trade (and what can they actually offer?), and how big a gap might exist between the Lakers and everyone else in the West.

Given potential plans to have teams play in quasi-geographic bubbles, the Lakers stand to see an awful lot of the Pacific this offseason. How might Phoenix look different if Chris Paul was there?

Finally, we finish with a remembrance of Alex Trebek, who hosted Jeopardy! for more than three decades before dying last weekend of cancer. Sabreena was a contestant, and shares her experience on the show, and with Trebek.

What's it like to host more than 5,000 episodes of SportsCenter? What are the challenges as a woman working in a very, very (very) male dominated world? How does a TV professional find an authentic voice in a highly pressurized environment? Not many people can answer all of these questions, but the great Linda Cohn can.

The legendary TV and radio personality joins the Late Night Happy Hour, talking about her long career, growing up on Long Island as a big hockey and football fan, and more.

How does fandom change when you cover the teams for a living? When you get to know the athletes themselves?

The Kamenetzky Brothers spend a great hour with Cohn, who tells some fantastic stories about missteps along the way, playing college hockey and a flower bouquet sent to her... without much love behind it.

He's one of the best young voices in broadcasting, and a great guy to boot. J.B. Long, voice of the Los Angeles Rams, joins the Late Night Happy Hour. We start on what it's been like to broadcast to empty stadiums, particularly when that stadium is something as impressive as the team's new building, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

We cover his broadcast career, and the experience of working with Bill Walton on hoops games. It's everything it seems like on TV.

Looking at the Rams, what happened vs. Miami? Are they closer to that team, or the one that was 5-2 headed in? We'll find out more over the course of a tough second half schedule, but there's reason to believe the Rams are very good... and need to be better against better competition.

What kind of identity do they have on offense? How has the defense been remade under Brandon Staley?

Finally... a game!

Did you hear? There was an election on Tuesday. We're all still living through it. But while our collective focus has been on national politics, there's been a lot going on in LA and southern California more broadly.

To explain it all, KPCC Senior Politics Reporter Libby Denkmann joins. We talk about the mechanics of California politics. What happens locally when the top-of-the-ticket race is a foregone conclusion out here and there are no Senate races? What drives turnout? Could a Republican ever win statewide office anymore?

In a season where polling has come under fire, how does that work in California? How much about different races, from Congress to ballot initiatives, did we know - or think we knew - before Tuesday?

And speaking of which, why is California so dependent on ballot initiatives as a form of governance, and how does it complicate the life of those trying to do the governing?

Plus, we talk about elections for things like City Council, or the County Board of Supervisors. How much attention to people pay to these types of offices? More importantly, how much attention should they be paying? (Spoiler alert: a lot.)

Finally, it's a game of Kraken trivia, to honor the new NHL expansion team in Seattle, Libby's hometown.

His main gig is covering the Warriors for The Athletic, but when Golden State was eliminated early this year, he was assigned to the Lakers for the stretch run and the playoffs. What was it like to learn a new team like that? What did he see, coming in with fresh eyes maybe the rest of us missed?

From there, we get into what the Lakers might do this fall, ahead of the fast approaching season. Do they have the assets for a Jrue Holiday trade? (No.) Victor Oladipo? (Probably?) What about the cash to sign Danilo Gallinari? (Nobody knows yet...)

This, naturally, leads to a conversation about Kyle Kuzma, because in any trade for a name player, he likely goes back in exchange. How good is he, with how much appeal around the league?

How good will Golden State be this year, anyway? What will they do with their pick?

Finally, a Game of Slaters.

He's one of the best in the business, and Monday Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic joined the show talking about the strangest college football season anyone has ever seen, and his new book "Flip the Script: Lessons Learned on the Road to a Championship," written with former USC and current LSU coach Ed Orgeron.

First, on the current CFB season. We start on a great story, the rise of Coastal Carolina up the rankings... but what does that actually mean in a year like this one? How does anyone know who is really good? (Spoiler alert, they don't). Should players even be on the field during a pandemic? How will this season be remembered, ultimately?

From there, it's the career of Ed Orgeron. How he became a master recruiter, and why USC abandoned him when it seemed like he had the head coaching job following Lane Kiffin. What did it say about him, and more importantly, USC, that it all fell apart? Did Orgeron ultimately dodge a bullet?

Finally, what does the future hold for current USC coach Clay Helton?

It's an episode that'll make you hungry.

Farley Elliott (@overoverunder), senior editor at Eater LA and author of "Los Angeles Street Food: A history from Tamaleros to Taco Trucks" joins talking (spoiler alert) street food and the LA food scene, broadly.

It's a fascinating conversation that gets into the city's history, what makes it unique from a food standpoint, where it is now during the pandemic, and where it might go after. In a dark time for restaurants, Farley has some encouraging thoughts on the future of family owned, small scale restaurants that are so critical to our neighborhoods.

We get deep into the city's burger culture, and what people want when they want a burger. And where would you eat if the authorities granted you a final meal before demanding you leave town?

Great stuff in this show, particularly for those interested in LA's food culture and history.

His analysis is some of the best on the web, and tonight Ted Nguyen of The Athletic joins the show. We start with Justin Herbert, and why he's been so effective for the Charges so fast... especially surprising for many who weren't so hot on the guy while he was quarterbacking at Oregon. Will his play be enough for the Chargers to make a run?

How about the Rams? At 5-2, the defense is playing well, with standouts up front (Aaron Donald) and in the secondary (Jalen Ramsey). What is defensive coordinator Brandon Staley doing to find success with his group?

Where do the Rams stand in the NFC hierarchy? Could all four NFC West squads make the playoffs?

We also check in on the Raiders, Tompa Bay and the train wreck that is the NFC East.

On the first night in a long time where there weren't big sporting events being played... man alive, there was a lot of sports to discuss. ESPN's Jorge Sedano joins the show, and off the top we talk Justin Turner and the post-COVID celebration that overshadowed much of the conversation around the Dodgers first World Series in 32 years.

Did he do the right thing? (No.) Is it understandable that he didn't? (Sure.) Why was he allowed to do it? (Harder question.) There's much to unpack, here.

Turning to the NBA, what will the Darryl Morey Era look like in Philadelphia? Is that a good fit, and what does it say about the arms race in the NBA to compete with the most elite teams like the Lakers?

Which team by the way, is most likely to close the gap between the rest of the Western Conference and the purple and gold? "

FInally, Jorge tries valiantly to explain why Florida things always happen in Florida.