1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,040 Speaker 1: Can'f I am six forty. 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 2: You're listening to the John Cobel podcast on the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 3: Mark Thompson for John Cobel. Today and is Friday. It's 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 3: a wet one. We've been on and off rain. There 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 3: have been issues, there have been slides. It continues to 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 3: be wet, and there continue to be some pretty heavy downpours. 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 3: So if you are rolling around today, definitely keep it here. 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 3: We'll try to keep you updated on any sort of 9 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 3: emerging areas of weather related problems. One of the problems 10 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 3: we've had. We've got a lot of stuff going on today. 11 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 3: I'll just quickly mentioned. We will get to this p 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 3: Diddy stuff, which is bizarre today happening in New York 13 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 3: and the court was shocked, and I'll tell you why. 14 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 3: And we'll get to Donald Trump and the tariffs and 15 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 3: him addressing the media at the Justice Department today, So 16 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 3: all of that still to come. Petros joining us bottom 17 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 3: of the hour. We'll talk about the Dodgers. Tokyo has 18 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 3: become Dodgerville and I am so glad we're starting with this. 19 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 3: We're starting homelessness because it is perhaps the issue in 20 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 3: Los Angeles and it's not only the issue in Los Angeles, 21 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 3: but we dump so much money into addressing this issue, 22 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 3: and the notion that this money just evaporates is disgusting 23 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 3: to all of us who are part of the contribution 24 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 3: pipeline that is the homeless industrial complex. So there are 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 3: pushes now for accountability, and there are even pushes to 26 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 3: really essentially reimagine how there'll be a strategy moving forward 27 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,119 Speaker 3: to spend that money. Michael Monks is with us FROMKFI News. 28 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 3: So what is being proposed and what might actually happen? 29 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 4: Michael, Well, you nailed it, because there is a lot 30 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 4: of money that is spent in the City of LA 31 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 4: and the County of LA and in a joint operation 32 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 4: known as the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority that is 33 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 4: governed by both the city and the county, and things 34 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 4: have not been going well according to the books in 35 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 4: recent years. We just had the second scathing aughdit in 36 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 4: the past three month come out that says there's not 37 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 4: very good oversight, there's not even very good accounting practices here. 38 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 4: We are also not seeing if the contracts we're signing 39 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 4: and throwing all this money towards have any goals stated, 40 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 4: We don't know how to measure success of these things, 41 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,239 Speaker 4: because we're just writing checks and paying these third party suppliers, 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 4: these third party organizations, who, by the way, have also 43 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 4: come to both City Hall and the county to say 44 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 4: we're not getting paid fast enough. We are having to 45 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 4: borrow money because we can't keep our own lights on 46 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 4: because of how messed up this system is. 47 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 5: I'm laughing because it's just there's so much money here. 48 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 4: It's so much money, and market is problem on top 49 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 4: of problem on top of problem, with the very base 50 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 4: problem being the fact that there are seventy five thousand 51 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 4: homeless people in Los Angeles County, more than half of 52 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 4: whom are in the city proper. So LA County on 53 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,119 Speaker 4: Tuesday will have a motion brought before them to say, 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 4: we're not so sure about this loss of thing anymore. 55 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 4: We're going to consolidate as many of the services as 56 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 4: we can under our own roof here at the county, 57 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 4: basically creating a Department of Homelessness. We've heard rumblings at 58 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 4: La City Hall that they might be moving in that 59 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 4: direction as well. A city council woman, Monica Rodriguez a 60 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 4: big fan of that, but there's nothing on the table 61 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 4: yet to do so, whereas at the County and I 62 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 4: spoke with Supervisor Lindsay Horvathadeo Hill. Are some of those 63 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 4: reports in the news, and then I have a full interview. 64 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 4: I'll run with her on Saturday night on the show 65 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 4: I do at seven o'clock here on KFI, and she 66 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 4: explains why she thinks this is necessary. But to sum 67 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 4: it up for you, they're saying, look, there needs to 68 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 4: be more oversight, there needs to be more accountability. Mark, 69 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 4: you talked about money, and the money we're talking billions, sure, 70 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 4: and more is on the way. Every time you purchase 71 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 4: something in La County. Starting April one, the sales tax 72 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 4: is going up specifically to support this. 73 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 3: Well, we vote these things in because we so want 74 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 3: to stop the bleeding with homelessness. We all see it's 75 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 3: a blight on our city, on our businesses, on our lives, 76 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: and so we vote these bond measures, we vote these taxes, 77 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: and it is despicable, it's gross that we dump all 78 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 3: this money and direct it this way. And it doesn't 79 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: seem to be as you suggested. Money doesn't seem to 80 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 3: be well accounted for. I'm glad they did the audit 81 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 3: and I'm really glad that there may be a huge 82 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 3: overhaul here because clearly the system you can't work around 83 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 3: the edges here. There's something desperately wrong with this system. 84 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 4: Certainly, and if La County creates its own department and 85 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 4: the city moves in a similar direction, then that would 86 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 4: basically end loss A certainly as we know it. It 87 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 4: looks like under the proposal by Supervidvisor Horvath, which has 88 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 4: been co signed by the Chair of the Supervisor's Catherine Barger, 89 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 4: that there would still be some loss of activities, specifically 90 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 4: related to counting the homeless people. They do that every year. 91 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 4: How many do we have? What do the numbers look like? 92 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 4: Are they're turning up or down? And they did trend 93 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 4: down by the way in the report that was given 94 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 4: last year for twenty twenty three. 95 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 6: But very very modesty. 96 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 4: Yeah, all this money that's being thrown, you've seen a 97 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 4: very modest decrease. And I think because voters approved Measure 98 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 4: A back in November by fifteen points. 99 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 6: By the way, the vote was fifty seven to forty two. 100 00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 6: It wasn't even close that. 101 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 4: Supervis Horvath says, Look, the voters are behind this, The 102 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 4: people of the County want to see success, but we 103 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 4: cannot keep doing it this way because it is not working. 104 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: So it's clear they'll be public they'll be public support 105 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 3: for this. I mean, I think everybody's just their patience 106 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 3: has run out on this existing system. 107 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 6: It's exactly right. 108 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 4: The patience has run out because it's not just about 109 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 4: getting people housed. That's a problem, you know, for someone 110 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 4: to lose their home and to live on the streets. 111 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 4: But it's also the fact that a lot of the 112 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 4: homeless people that you see in La and around La County, 113 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 4: it's not that they were economically depressed. It's not that 114 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 4: they missed last month's rent, right, It wasn't the cost 115 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 4: of housing that got them there. There are mental health issues, 116 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 4: there are drug addictions, and they become at the very 117 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 4: least annoying, at the worst dangerous. 118 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 3: Oh my god, yes, I mean the aggressive nature of 119 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 3: a lot of these people who are on whatever. 120 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 5: I mean, I don't know what, you know, we just had. 121 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 3: You know, if you spend any time on Neighborhood Watch 122 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 3: or next Door or any of these other kinds of 123 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 3: threads that you end up on, I mean, eighty percent 124 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 3: of them are homeless. 125 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 5: Guy on my property. 126 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 3: Homeless guy rang my bell, homeless guy climbed in through 127 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 3: our window last night. I mean it's and so I 128 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 3: mean when does it The fact that they're unhoused people 129 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 3: is just sort of a footnote maybe to some of 130 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 3: the lawlessness involved. So now they're no longer just homeless, 131 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 3: they're criminal. That's exactly right. 132 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 4: And how one of the lack of urgency areas that 133 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 4: I've seen just watching council or supervisors meetings is they 134 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 4: don't take into account the impact that has on the 135 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:34,799 Speaker 4: rest of us. 136 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 6: If you open a business. 137 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 4: It's hard enough to open a business in La right 138 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 4: to get the permits and have enough money to pay 139 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 4: the rent. It's expensive. But to have a constant stream 140 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 4: of basically crazy people or drug addicted individuals coming in 141 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 4: your space and damaging it, or harassing customers and employees, 142 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 4: or defecating on the sidewalk outside, I mean that is 143 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 4: a problem. And so, yes, there is concern about the 144 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 4: homeless people, But there are other effects that the homeless 145 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,679 Speaker 4: people are creating. And that's why I think people's patience 146 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 4: is wearing thin and why you are seeing a pretty 147 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 4: dramatic shift on how this money is going to be operated. 148 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you know, I'm glad you mentioned businesses because 149 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 3: businesses are a huge part of this. I mean, businesses 150 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 3: underwrite our lives here in many ways. And so when 151 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: you start to push businesses out because they just can't 152 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 3: take it anymore, you who do you call? You call 153 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 3: the cops, you called, you know, paramedics, whatever. But meantime, 154 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 3: there are homeless people, or just one homeless person lying 155 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,239 Speaker 3: their face down on the sidewalk in front of your store. 156 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: Front of your business. Seven eleven has become like a 157 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 3: it's this gauntlet of aggressive panhandlers is what I call them. 158 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 4: You know, it's basically like you have to walk through 159 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 4: TSA to go to Walgreens, thank you, Because all of 160 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 4: these businesses need that level of security in order to 161 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 4: maintain a sense of safety. But sometimes the presence of 162 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 4: security guards makes a regular person think what the heck 163 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 4: is going on around here? So you're creating an atmosphere 164 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 4: in LA that does not say, come visit, come spend 165 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 4: money here, because it's all good. 166 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 3: I will say, though, I'd rather have a bunch of 167 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 3: security guards than you know, a bunch of homeless yeah, 168 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 3: because the. 169 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:16,679 Speaker 6: Alternative is much worse. 170 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 4: Yes, Now there are even business Improvement districts across LA 171 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 4: and these are kind of a formal thing that the 172 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 4: property owners and business owners pay an additional tax for the fund. 173 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 4: And yes it's the beautify, but it also funds extra security. 174 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 6: So you see guys on bikes all the time. Now, 175 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 6: they don't have. 176 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 4: Police powers, but those are the ones who will respond 177 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 4: to the businesses. You can't call LAPD and say a 178 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 4: homeless guy's smoking crack outside of my business. 179 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 6: They're not coming. 180 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 3: Sure, Sure, I mean they've got bigger fish to froactly, Yeah, 181 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,959 Speaker 3: I mean it's a big city hang out. For a second, 182 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,719 Speaker 3: Michael Monks is here, and this is a radical proposal 183 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 3: that is needed for a situation that requires a radical solution. 184 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 3: Where is all this taxpayer money going that is directed 185 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 3: to addressing LA's homeless issue. LA County Supervisors are set 186 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 3: to vote April first on whether to overhaul all of 187 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 3: this spending and redirect the vast majority of it from 188 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 3: this LA Homeless Services Authority, and they will essentially take 189 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 3: control of this money for greater accountability. We'll talk more 190 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 3: with Michael Monks as we continue. It's a John Covelt show. 191 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 3: Mark Thompson sitting in on KFI AM six forty Live 192 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 3: everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 193 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 7: You're listening to John Coblt on demand from KFI AM 194 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 7: six forty. 195 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 3: Mark Thompson here for John cole Belt. Got the whole 196 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 3: co Belt crew here. Talk to Eric and Deborah and Ray. 197 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 3: Always great to be here at KFI. And as they say, 198 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 3: it's a wet, wet day and there are pockets of 199 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 3: some pretty heavy rains. So do be careful if I 200 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 3: can be just like another one of those people that goes, 201 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 3: you know. 202 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 5: Please drive carefully. Yeah, yeah, thank you, pack your patience. 203 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, yeah, I got it. Okay. Michael Monks is here. 204 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 3: We're talking about homelessness in LA and the fact that 205 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 3: the homelessness agency may be going away. This is an 206 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 3: LA County Supervisor proposal that would end that LA Homeless 207 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 3: Services Authority, which is a troubled agency that loses track 208 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 3: of hundreds of millions of dollars and we're really sick 209 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: as taxpayers of directing all this money at a situation 210 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 3: that doesn't seem to be improving in any substantial way, 211 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 3: and beyond that, there's no accountability for our money. So 212 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 3: Michael was talking to us about talking to us about 213 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 3: this proposal to essentially eliminate this LA Homeless Services Authority, 214 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 3: as I say, and bring this entire agency and everything 215 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 3: that's regarding homelessness and the funding associated with trying to 216 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 3: stop that bleeding under the supervisor's control. 217 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 5: Isn't that Basically. 218 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 4: That's exactly what they're trying to do, is that they 219 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 4: say there will be more accountability. And keep in mind, 220 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 4: we just talked before the break that voters approved Measure 221 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 4: A last year by a wide margin, which increases the 222 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 4: sales tax in La County and makes it permanent and 223 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,199 Speaker 4: funds directly homeless programs thiscoon of six hundred million to 224 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 4: a billion dollars a year their anticipation. It also has 225 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 4: some affordable housing opponents to prevent people from falling into 226 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 4: homelessness as well and to build more housing. But it's 227 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 4: happening at a time where these audits of homeless programs 228 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 4: are coming out and saying the money that's already being 229 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 4: used are they're not well accounted for, the basic accounting 230 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 4: practices are not good. So these supervisors on Tuesday will 231 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 4: consider this motion and this consolidated County department. Basically what 232 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 4: they're doing is we already have some pieces of this. 233 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 4: We're going to put them all under one roof. We're 234 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 4: going to take some of the stuff that LASA does, 235 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 4: the La Homeless Services Authority and bring that in as well. 236 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 4: LASA itself is also managed by the city, so the 237 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 4: Board of Losses made up by county people and city people. 238 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 4: You take off half of it, and you got to 239 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 4: wonder how much longer can lass elast. Under the motion 240 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 4: being considered on Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors meeting, 241 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 4: they say there will still be a role for some 242 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 4: form of loss. They will administer programs such as the 243 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 4: Greater Los Angeles Continuum of Care. 244 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 6: You know what they do, and that's what I mean. 245 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 6: I mean, there are so many different buckets of your money. 246 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 5: It sounds good, but I right. 247 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 4: But that is the component that does the homeless count, 248 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 4: which we just completed across La County. So it was 249 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 4: supposed to happen back in January, the fires happened, so 250 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 4: they've moved it to February. So they've done the homeless count, 251 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 4: and that's something that they do the city if they 252 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 4: as Council Rodriguez has asked for about a year ago 253 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 4: does the same thing, creates a department of homelessness within 254 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 4: the city. Then, you know, I guess it's good by LASSA. 255 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 4: It looks like under this proposal some loss of staff 256 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 4: would be brought into whatever the county the department is. 257 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 4: Supervisor Lindsay Horbeth told me today that this is not 258 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 4: more government. She says, it will be a smarter way 259 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 4: to deliver the services that voters have clearly demanded. Measure 260 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 4: A includes an element of oversight and accountability. What's been lacking, 261 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 4: according to these audits, is even whether the contracts that 262 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 4: are written have any goals. We write a check, we 263 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 4: give it to an organization, and then we don't know 264 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 4: what they were to do. We learn how to measure 265 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 4: whether it was successful. That's supposed to change, according to 266 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 4: Supervisor Whoorvath, within this new system. 267 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 3: Well, I mean you can't. I don't see how you 268 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 3: defend the current system. It's just not working. And so 269 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 3: Mayor bass As it was just honestly not controlling all 270 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 3: of this, but is a clearly a prominent figure in 271 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 3: all of this. She says, Look, this just creates more bureaucracy. 272 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 5: Lasses. 273 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 3: You know, you just have to tweak LASSA and you know, 274 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 3: build some accountability in I mean, I think she's on 275 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 3: the wrong side of this because we can all see 276 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 3: it's not working. And as you say, with the lack 277 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 3: of accountability, the audits exposing all of this, the reality 278 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 3: is some kind of true overhaul has to happen, and 279 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 3: that's what is proposed here. 280 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 6: That's right. 281 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 4: And keep in mind these two audits that happened. One 282 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 4: happened at the end of last year that was ordered 283 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 4: by the county to audit Lassop and it was not 284 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 4: very flattering. It did not create a picture of confidence 285 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 4: in that organization. The one that came out last week 286 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 4: was ordered by the federal court because there's an ongoing 287 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 4: lawsuit involving just the city and some business owners downtown 288 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 4: who said you're not doing enough for homeless. Get this 289 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 4: stuff cleaned up. That's from five years ago. But this 290 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 4: audit was a was part of that, and it was 291 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 4: supposed to include Maribas's signature inside safe program. Those auditors 292 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 4: this time around added a different layer of confusion, saying 293 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 4: we couldn't even get all the information we needed to 294 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 4: paint a clear picture. Wow, because the city, neither the 295 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 4: city nor Lossa could provide it. That's how poor the 296 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 4: accounting practices is. 297 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 3: Right now, This is an inability to provide it as 298 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 3: opposed to an unwillingness to provide it. 299 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 4: Am I right, that's what it sounds like. I mean, 300 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 4: it's not like anyone's obstructing. They're saying not, we just 301 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 4: don't have that information information that you should have. 302 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 3: And we're talking billions. That's absolutely grotesque. I mean, it 303 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 3: really is. We've had enough of this. I mean, yeah, 304 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 3: you know, it does feel like the homeless industrial complex 305 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 3: where you just dump money in and a bunch of 306 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 3: homeless contractors take it. It's just like the Pentagon kind 307 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 3: of gon. They can't tell you where the money went 308 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 3: to either. 309 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 4: And then it's true when you get budgets this big, 310 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 4: you really need some tight accounting. I mean, you can't 311 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 4: log extra hours here at this radio station without somebody saying, hey, 312 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 4: got some questions about how this went down, or some 313 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 4: questions about what's on the company card, you know. 314 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 6: I mean, and this is just a radio station. 315 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 4: You're talking billions of dollars at these homeless organizations. So 316 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 4: when you think about a program like inside Safe even 317 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 4: that spends millions and millions and millions of dollars. And 318 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 4: you see press releases from the mayor like we've housed 319 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 4: twelve people today. Yeah, I mean, it's seventy five thousand 320 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 4: people across La County counted as homeless, forty thousand of 321 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 4: them or more in La City proper. That's not a rate, 322 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 4: that's not a pace that is going to put the 323 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 4: dent into this that's necessary. 324 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 3: Right, at best, that's inefficient, and at worst it's fraud. 325 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 4: So it absolutely we don't have the information on how 326 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 4: many of them stay housed, sure, how many of them 327 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 4: are moved into housing that is permanent and then they 328 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 4: get their lives together. They're off drugs, they've got a job, 329 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 4: they're able to pay their own bills. 330 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 6: That's not going to happen. 331 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 4: And like I was mentioning in the last hour in 332 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 4: the last segment, it's not just people who lost their 333 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 4: homes through economic hardship and fell into poverty and homelessness. 334 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 4: You have mentally declined individuals and drug addicted individuals who 335 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 4: will never work again. Oh it will never take care 336 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 4: of themselves again. 337 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 3: It's so multifaceted, the homeless crew. I mean, and I 338 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 3: always feel like many of us are just a couple 339 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 3: of personal emergencies away from living in our car, you know, 340 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 3: like I don't feel like I'm a long way from 341 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 3: homelessness ever. Like stuff happens, So as you say, but 342 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 3: it's the stuff happens, and it's then drugs. You can 343 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 3: be addled by any number of things, right of alcohol, 344 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 3: et cetera. And so you begin to see that this 345 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 3: picture of what that homeless crew is represents and reflects 346 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 3: all of those different histories. So it really is a 347 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 3: complicated scene. But look, this doesn't work what we set 348 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 3: up now, So as far as I'm concerned, lossa can. 349 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 4: You know, something new has to happen, thank you, And 350 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 4: this is something that looks new, and you'll see some 351 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 4: familiar faces involved. But this is a strategy that at 352 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 4: least on paper as presented, looks like we hear you, 353 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 4: we know it. Shift has to happen. But more than anything, 354 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 4: you know, we need to see results as a people 355 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 4: in Los Angeles County, and that is what will have 356 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 4: to be measured after some time. Unfortunately, here's a pro tip. 357 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 3: I'd put some personnel around the accounting of it all, 358 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 3: and I think that's important at least tell us where 359 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 3: the money is going. Michael Monks this weekend you'll have 360 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 3: an extended report on. 361 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 4: This is Linday Rbath is my guest on Michael Monks 362 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 4: Reports Saturday Night, every Saturday night at seven right here 363 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 4: on AM six forty KFI. 364 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 5: Well done, sir. 365 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 3: When we come back, Patrose is all about Tokyo and 366 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 3: the Dodgers. It's a John coblt How Mark Thompson sitting 367 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 3: in for John on KFI AM six forty. We're live 368 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 3: everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 369 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 7: You're listening to John Cobelts on demand from KFI. 370 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 3: Just got the word that Deborah's husband is at a 371 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 3: and Deborah will accompany him major award show this evening, 372 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 3: and I'll get to that. 373 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 5: So I mean that along with. 374 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 3: News out of Washington, and we will quickly now turn 375 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 3: the attention to Tokyo as we soldier on. And we're 376 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 3: joined by Petros from Petros and Money at AM five 377 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 3: seventy on the Japan City Tokyo that has become Dodgerville. 378 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 3: Hello Petros, Hello Mark, what's cragging? 379 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 1: How are you? I? 380 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 5: I'm well. 381 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 3: No one puts a smile on my face like Petros does. Oh, 382 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 3: that's sweet of you to say, Well, it's true, it's true. 383 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 3: So what do you want to talk about. I'm not 384 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,959 Speaker 3: in Tokyo. You don't know, did you? Did you one 385 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 3: of the few? Yeah, they did not go. Did you 386 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 3: campaign to be part of that contingent or No? Absolutely not. 387 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 8: Even if I thought they wanted to take me, I 388 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 8: I would be against it. 389 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: But then no one wanted to take me. 390 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,159 Speaker 5: So have you been to Tokyo? No? 391 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: No. 392 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 8: My old my younger brother is married to a Japanese 393 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 8: woman and lived in Japan for some time and speaks 394 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 8: Japanese and his little girl speak Japanese too. 395 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: Uh so he's very immersed in the culture. 396 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 8: I watched some Japanese movies from time to time, and 397 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 8: you know, we all go to sushi or whatever. 398 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 5: But that's that's about all. 399 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: That's all I got. 400 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 8: But yeah, I mean, I'm interested in the place and 401 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 8: and and of course it's a fascinating place and so 402 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 8: very different. And I think a lot of a lot 403 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 8: of Dodger fans and people are shocked that and and 404 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 8: I'm not. But uh, you know, in Japan, you try 405 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 8: to walk into a bar, and it's very common that 406 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 8: they'll say no Americans, No, you can't come in here. 407 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 8: I didn't know that. Oh yeah, that's very very common, 408 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 8: and a few Dodger types are running into that. In fact, 409 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 8: our guy David Vassei, who's out there and and embedded 410 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 8: with the team, and yesterday we had him on the 411 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 8: radio show on five point seventy and he was in 412 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,959 Speaker 8: a limo with a couple of Dodger relievers, Tanner Scott 413 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 8: and Blake Trning, and they're all giggling, and I mean 414 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 8: it just sounded like they're having the time of their lives, 415 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 8: like that is the place to be and you ain't there. 416 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 8: But anyway, Dave, Dave, it's like that movie Lost in Translation. 417 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 8: You know, Dave went on some morning show out there. 418 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 8: Then they taped it the night before and they miked 419 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,719 Speaker 8: him up and had like a camera on him and 420 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 8: sent him into a restaurant where you know, they no 421 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 8: Americans are able to dine and they are screaming no 422 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 8: American at him, and then they let him in because 423 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 8: they found out he was with the show, and all 424 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 8: the people were staring at him sampling all the different foods. 425 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 8: So Dave is just our reporter. So I mean, he's 426 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 8: our radio reporter. I mean, there's there's video of Keike 427 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 8: Hernandez walking down the street and there's hundreds of people 428 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 8: jogging after him, following him with with with phones and 429 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 8: and he's a he's like a bench player. 430 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 5: Yeah. 431 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 3: No, that's what I was hearing, which is why I'm 432 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 3: surprised by this kind of no Americans here thing, because 433 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 3: I thought that. 434 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: Oh, that's common out there. 435 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 5: I know, I didn't really know. 436 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 3: That's because there's an animus toward h toward Americans certain 437 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 3: restaurants or something like that. 438 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 8: There's just a very you know, I mean in most 439 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 8: places you go. I mean like when you go to Greece, 440 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 8: there's Greeks. You know, most people are Greek, you know. 441 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 8: I mean, they don't say you can't come in here 442 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 8: because you're. 443 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: No, no, no. 444 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 8: They'll actually tackle you on the street and drag you 445 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 8: out of their point. But but you know what I'm 446 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 8: saying is, you know, places are immergent and then that's 447 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 8: the Greek culture. But they have they have a very 448 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 8: inclusive I mean, there's a lot of places where tourists 449 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:48,200 Speaker 8: are welcome. There's just many that they're not. And I 450 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 8: think even less so in Korea when the Dodgers went 451 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 8: last year. But but overall it's a joyous experience. Yeah, 452 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 8: it's an absolute uh, just a huge event like here 453 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 8: in LA and Tokyo is a huge city, right, but 454 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 8: here in Los Angeles, we could have the super Bowl 455 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 8: here and you wouldn't even notice. It is true if 456 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 8: no one told you, let alone you know, all the 457 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 8: major award shows and all the other stupid stuff that 458 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 8: we celebrate. You know, this town absorbs events. 459 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 5: It's it's built for it. 460 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 8: Uh, the Olympics maybe a little bit of a different story, 461 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 8: but not really. I mean the town just absorbs it 462 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 8: in that way. Even though Tokyo's a big city and 463 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 8: can do that, I believe. I think the whole town 464 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 8: has caught the blue flu so to speak. Yeah, everybody's 465 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 8: all geeked up. I mean the thing last night was 466 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 8: was crowded. H just the just the open workout was 467 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 8: a zoo, isn't it? 468 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 6: Why? 469 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 3: I mean they really so can you can you hang 470 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 3: over the break real quick? They got to take a 471 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 3: break in them n Not only Tim ran that trick. 472 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 3: I learned it from Tim. We'll talk more with Petros 473 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 3: about what's going on with the Dodgers and really why 474 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 3: there is this feverish inenthusiasm for the Dodgers. More with 475 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 3: Petros and by the way, if you're headed to Tokyo, 476 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 3: apparently no Americans allowed in certain bars and restaurants. We'll 477 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 3: follow up on that as well. It's the co Belt Show, 478 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 3: Thompson sitting in on KFI AM six forty live everywhere 479 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 3: on the iHeartRadio app. 480 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:21,199 Speaker 7: You're listening to John Cobels on demand from KFI AM sixty. 481 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 3: This Dodgers Tokyo series. And I guess what I did learn. 482 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 3: I just went to the hallway for a second, and 483 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 3: Oscar who works here with is at KFI, has corroborated 484 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 3: what Petros has said. And I feel kind of embarrassed. 485 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 3: I wasn't aware of the fact that you it's certain 486 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 3: restaurants and bars, and like they're not small in number, 487 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 3: they won't let you in if you're an American. They 488 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,239 Speaker 3: just don't want to mess with the cross cultural you know, 489 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 3: different languages whatever. It might not just be Americans, and 490 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:49,959 Speaker 3: I have no ideat Yeah, that's right, I'm sorry, thank you, 491 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 3: You're right. It's they want Japanese only. 492 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 8: Guy Gene, I believe, is the name of the word 493 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 8: they have for foreigners. Yeah, but that's pretty widespread there, Mark, 494 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 8: I mean, I wouldn't say that on your air. We 495 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 8: love our Japanese listeners of course, and Torrents, which I 496 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 8: live very close to and do a lot of stuff in, 497 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 8: has one of the largest Japanese communities in all of America. 498 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 8: But yes, that is a reality. Massa even got kicked 499 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 8: out of a bar in Australia. 500 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 5: Oh is that right? 501 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was with the Dodgers. 502 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 3: It's such culture shock because we're so you know, welcoming 503 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 3: of all. You know, there's no bar you can't walk 504 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 3: into here. I mean you might feel awkward in a 505 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 3: couple of places. 506 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:29,879 Speaker 1: Well, I don't know. 507 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 8: You walk into the California Club dressed like I do 508 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 8: to work, you know, Pat Hayden's sitting there, I might 509 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 8: get kicked. 510 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 5: That's true. 511 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: It is a very it's a very very. 512 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 8: Big event in Japan right now and then, and simply 513 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 8: really because of one guy. Yes, there's other Japanese players involved. 514 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 8: The center fielder for the Cubs, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the picture 515 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 8: for the Dodgers, Roki Sasaki is a great picture for 516 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 8: the Dodgers, and both those guys are going to start 517 00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 8: the games on Tuesday and Wednesday at two in the morning, 518 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:03,920 Speaker 8: five seventy against the Cubs. But it's really, I mean, 519 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 8: the fervor, the passion, the absolute pandemonium is because of 520 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:12,239 Speaker 8: Shoho Tani. And now baseball is big of Japan no 521 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 8: matter what. But Shoo tanis arguably the greatest baseball player 522 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 8: that ever lived. He's in his prime and it's in 523 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 8: the moment, and he just won a World Series for 524 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 8: the La Dodgers. Yeah, I mean, it's it's kind of 525 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 8: a gigantic planet's aligning of hype. Sure in a country 526 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 8: where they love celebrity, so it's gonna be pretty cool. 527 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 8: And he was working through an injury last year, so 528 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 8: he could be arguably better this year. Right, Well, this 529 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 8: year he's gonna pitch too, So I mean, he was 530 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 8: one of the great hitters. He won an MVP and 531 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,159 Speaker 8: just hitting yeah, and just being a D eight. So 532 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 8: he's going to pitch to this year at some point, 533 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 8: he's not. They ramped him up as a pitcher and 534 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 8: then paused it because I don't think like is a 535 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 8: very complex way that pitchers go about getting ready for 536 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 8: a baseball season. They do this thing called stretching them out, 537 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 8: you know, making sure that they can pitch you know, 538 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,120 Speaker 8: five six, however many innings you're going to pitch as 539 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,119 Speaker 8: a starter, And they didn't want to start that process 540 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 8: with him until the season actually. 541 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 5: Started, if that makes any sense, I see. 542 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 8: Okay, So you know, he started pitching a little bit 543 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 8: in spring training and it got everybody. Twitter paid it 544 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 8: and then they paused it, which I believe was part 545 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 8: of the plan and that'll resume later. 546 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: But yeah, he's going to be doing what he always does. 547 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 8: Not to mention Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, ti Oscar Hernandez 548 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 8: and Blake Snell, a two time Cy Young Award winner 549 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 8: who they added this year. Not to mention Roki Sasaki, 550 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 8: that young Japanese pitching sensation who at first in spring 551 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 8: training maybe looked like he didn't wasn't going to make 552 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 8: the team, and then all of a sudden he started 553 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 8: pitching in live games and he looked like Superman. So 554 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 8: he's going to start out there. So very exciting things 555 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 8: going on with the AZUL. 556 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 3: So when the uh, this Tokyo enthusiasm as it overflows, 557 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 3: does is baseball the sport there? 558 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 5: Compare? 559 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 3: Because the NFL is the sport in America, and baseball 560 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 3: used to be. I wouldn't you say that in the 561 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 3: sixties and seventies, even, I mean if major League baseball. 562 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 3: I think back to some of the Major League figures 563 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 3: and they were like the biggest figures in sports, Willie 564 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:23,199 Speaker 3: Mazes of the world, you know what I mean. 565 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 8: Yeah, And and baseball maybe to a certain degree, has 566 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 8: made up some traction, especially with the Dodgers and Yankees 567 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 8: playing in the World Series recently. But the number one 568 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 8: sport in the United States of America is pro football, 569 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 8: but they don't have that in Japan. Baseball, Yeah, baseball 570 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 8: is the number one sport, both as a spectator sport 571 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 8: and as a played sport. Baseball was introduced to Japan 572 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 8: in the late nineteenth century, just like us, kind of, 573 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 8: and it quickly gained traction and became a national pastime. 574 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 8: And the np B, which is their their big professional 575 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 8: league is uh is who the Dodgers are going to 576 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 8: play a couple exhibition games against this weekend, and then 577 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:13,640 Speaker 8: they'll do the two games that count, and then they'll 578 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 8: come back and they'll play the Freeway Series against the Angels, 579 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 8: which doesn't count, and then. 580 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: They'll start the season. 581 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,399 Speaker 5: So when does the season start? 582 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: Technically Tuesday? 583 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 5: Oh right, okay, rights, it's an odd thing. 584 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 3: Tuesday is three in the morning. Let me let me 585 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 3: ask you it's true. I mean, if they allowing for 586 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 3: the time change, it'll be live on a five seventy. 587 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 3: Let me ask you about Joeyotani real quick. The uh 588 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 3: you know, he's the crown jewel for all the reasons 589 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 3: they you know, have to do with him being an 590 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 3: incredible athlete, just a great draw for the Dodgers. If 591 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 3: I were management, I'd be doing everything to kind of 592 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 3: minimize any chance of injury. I mean, his mere presence 593 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 3: brings in all kinds of ad dollars and all the rest. 594 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 3: Is there a sense of that petros or I mean 595 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 3: in modern day baseball. 596 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 8: I mean the Dodgers literally have maybe I mean eight 597 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 8: or nine players who are making you know, one hundred 598 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 8: million dollars or something crazy like that. So all of 599 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 8: these guys are very very valuable assets, and there's a 600 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 8: way they go about treating them. But also the guy 601 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 8: as a baseball player, and he wants to play baseball, 602 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 8: so you know, he's a professional and he wants to play, 603 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 8: so he's had these Tommy John. 604 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: Surgeries and such. 605 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 8: But at the same time, you know, you're invested in 606 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 8: him as a baseball player, and he's he's making the 607 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 8: most for you if he's out there playing and winning championships. 608 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 8: But there's a certain real truth to what you're saying. 609 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 8: I mean, you think about just you can't even measure 610 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 8: it what it means to the Dodgers, how much money. 611 00:29:58,360 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 1: Comes in because of him. 612 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 8: I mean there are I mean we've all been to 613 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 8: the outlets where a big giant bus of Asian tourists 614 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 8: shows up, uh, and the part of their tour of 615 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 8: America is to go to the outlets, you know, in 616 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 8: the in the desert or or wherever came Rillo, and 617 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 8: they go and spend millions or however many dollars at 618 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 8: these high end outlets, and it's part of a tour. Well, 619 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 8: it's part of a tour to go to the Dodger 620 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 8: Clubhouse store. And literally every person on those buses is 621 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 8: buying like a three hundred and fifty dollars show a 622 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 8: Tani jersey if you want a T shirt jersey. 623 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: Do you know how much that is? At Dodger Stadium, Wow, 624 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: for one and people are going. 625 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 8: And they and they're these things are not just selling 626 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 8: they're selling out. I mean they could double the price probably, 627 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 8: so I mean you can't you know, when you get 628 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 8: a sports phenomenon. 629 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: I remember remember Robert Griffin, IID sure. 630 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 8: Yeah, he became a commentator and all that, but he 631 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 8: won a Heisman Trophy at Baylor, and Baylor before that 632 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 8: was pretty downtrodden in football for some years. And suddenly 633 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 8: they had a new football stadium, they had a new everything, 634 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 8: and somebody asked like, well, what does this twenty year 635 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 8: old guy, what does his existence mean to you monetarily? 636 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 8: And they said, we couldn't even fathom billions. It changed 637 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 8: the whole outlook. Now, one guy doesn't change the whole 638 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 8: outlook of the LA Dodgers, given that it's one of 639 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 8: the biggest brands in sports. But when you add the 640 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 8: most iconic athlete in the world or top three, you know, 641 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 8: maybe that's not a soccer player for sure, and then 642 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 8: you add one of the great franchises in sports, then 643 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 8: you see what's happening. 644 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: Remember this guy was an. 645 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 5: Angel for six years. Yeh, I forgot it, and nobody cared. 646 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 8: He showed up in spring training with the Dodgers last spring, 647 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 8: and everybody acted like it was new. It's like you 648 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 8: could have seen him down the st read for the 649 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 8: last six years in teen p for God's. 650 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 5: Sake, in our last few seconds. Is that? 651 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 7: What is that? 652 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 3: Is that a failure of marketing? Why why wasn't I mean, 653 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 3: he was already he was recognized as a crowd players. 654 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 8: I mean, he's been an MVP s you know, he 655 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 8: was recognized as the best player in the league. 656 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 5: Why not the crowd though? Why not the why? 657 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 3: I mean. 658 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 8: That the way they Dodgers have they didn't invest enough 659 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:27,600 Speaker 8: in the rest of the team to have victory. And 660 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 8: even if they did, I guess. I mean, there's just 661 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 8: such a drastic and dramatic difference between the brand icons 662 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:40,000 Speaker 8: of these professional sports leagues, like your Dallas Cowboys and 663 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 8: your LA Dodgers and your New York Yankees and your 664 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 8: LA Lakers and New York Knicks, you know, as opposed 665 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 8: to your favorite team, the Orlando Magic. It is brand though, 666 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 8: absolutely Conway's or Conway's chosen sportive kings. 667 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 3: The horse races, Yeah, the real wins. That's on an uptick, 668 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 3: that's with that horse ratio. Sure, Petros Ketchem, Petros and 669 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 3: Money every day on AM five seventy and the game 670 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 3: is Tuesday at three am live on AM five seventy. Petros, 671 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 3: Love you, Thank you for spending a few minutes with us. 672 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 3: Love you too, Love KFI. Have a great day all right, 673 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 3: see you. That's p immt. John back next week. KFI 674 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 3: AM six forty live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 675 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 2: Hey, you've been listening to the John Covelt Show podcast. 676 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 2: You can always hear the show live on KFI AM 677 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 2: six forty from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, 678 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 2: and of course anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.