Los Angeles Downtown News - 1-2-23

Mayor Bass talks homelessness with Newsom administration DT

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Staff Writer

Just before the Christmas break, Mayor Karen Bass followed through on her promise to call on local and state resources to address LA’s homelessness crisis. On Thursday, Dec. 23, she met with local and state agencies, including Gov. Gavin Newsom’s secretary of business, consumer services and housing, Lourdes Castro Ramirez, to speak about ways to improve unity and direction in the city’s strategy to house its homeless population.

“This unity is about what is needed to address a problem,” Bass said. “My mission is to move Los Angeles forward, and that requires a new, urgent and strategic approach to addressing the homelessness crisis.”

Throughout her campaign, Bass focused on the issue of homelessness and promised in her inaugural address that she would declare a state of emergency as her first act in office.

After Bass took office on Dec. 12, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved the state of emergency the following day, al-

lowing Bass to immediately lift existing rules and regulations regarding affordable housing and expedite processes to house unsheltered Angelenos.

On Dec. 21, just two days before Bass met with local and state organizations, she signed an executive directive launching In-

side Safe, a citywide housing strategy that aims to shelter people living in existing encampments and prevent tents from returning to the streets of LA. The initiative is housing based, and participants will have immediate shelter and a commitment to permanent housing.

“We are shifting the way the city approaches homelessness, and the Inside Safe initiative represents a change in how we help and house people living in tents and encampments,” Bass said. “The new strategy on homelessness I am bringing to City Hall replaces quick fixes with real solutions.”

Earlier in the month, Bass signed another executive directive that would simplify the approval process for building affordable housing, stating that once an application is submitted, the city must complete the process within 60 days. Once construction has begun, the city must also complete permits within five days of submission.

Homelessness is expected to be a predominant issue throughout Bass’s transition. At the meeting on Dec. 23 with local and state agencies, Bass said it would take a statewide partnership to address the homelessness issue in Los Angeles. Members of the Newsom administration agreed with her sense of urgency.

“All of us are working together with a sense of urgency to remove barriers to the development of affordable housing,” Castro Ramirez said.

LA Mayor’s Office/Submitted

Mayor Karen Bass

Councilmember de León secures $47.5M infrastructure grant for Skid Row

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

At the end of a year that saw LA County’s homelessness count pass 69,000 people, Councilmember Kevin de León has secured $47.5 million in a state infrastructure grant for Skid Row, the largest of its kind in the community’s history. This Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant will help fund a bicycle connectivity and pedestrian safety program as well as improvements for corridors along

San Pedro Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Eighth Street, Ninth Street,11th Street and 16th Street.

“When I was first elected to Council District 14, I made a commitment to improve the human condition of those living in the poorest and most overlooked community in all of Los Angeles — Skid Row,” de León said. “This is a community that is ground zero for homelessness and poverty in our city, a vulnerable community that has faced decades of broken promises. This

grant is one of many ways I’m delivering for my constituents, those who need help the most, giving them the dignity and respect they deserve by providing them with a safer neighborhood.”

The CTC approved the funding in December.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk

ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb

FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

In June 2022, de León allocated $250,000 of Council District discretionary funds to hire a team in partnership with the Bureau of Street Services, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) and Webb Engineering to apply for the California Transportation Commission (CTC)’s ATP funding.

Of the total $47.5 million, $38.599 million will come from state funds while $8.967 million will be a local match from the city. The project, set to be implemented and managed by the Bureau of Street Services, was secured to help improve the lives of Skid Row residents while meeting the city’s greenhouse gas reduction goals by creating over 2.4 miles of bicycle infrastructure and installing 20 bike storage racks, 10 bike

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley

STAFF WRITERS: Luke Hertel, Morgan Owen, Leah Schwartz

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jeff Moeller, Ellen Snortland

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Bergman,Robert Georgeff

ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261

Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548

Denine Gentilella (323) 627-7955

FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

storage lockers, two bike share stations and two e-bike charging stations.

Inspired in part by the guiding principles of the Our Skid Row plan, a resident-driven effort to improve the community, the plan

for the ATP grant’s improvements also includes the planting of over 500 new trees and the installation of over 540 pedestrian lights, which, compared to standard 35-foot streetlights, are 15 feet tall and de -

signed to illuminate sidewalks instead of roads.

“My goal was to deliver what the Skid Row community had been demanding for decades,” de León said. “It was an opportunity to leverage state and city dollars to begin a transformation in a community like Skid Row.”

The program will also build a new public plaza at Eighth Street and San Pedro with benches, lighting and hydration stations, along with 27,000 square feet of reconstructed sidewalks, 57 enhanced crosswalks, four pedestrian beacons, 43 new curb extensions and 76 curb ramps. It’ll also widen sidewalks in the Pinata District and create new bicycle connections from

San Pedro to nearby bike facilities.

“My intention for Skid Row and the surrounding communities is to bring transformative change that gives people the second chance they need at life,” de León explained. “Your ZIP code shouldn’t define the quality of your neighborhood.”

“I am grateful that the council office created a vision for a revitalized Skid Row and for securing the resources necessary to make that vision into a reality,” said Pastor Troy Vaughn, president and CEO of the LA Mission. “This investment will help transform not only the neighborhood, but it will create a better environment for those living on our streets and seeking to rebuild their own lives.”

Luke Netzley/Staff

Skid Row is home to one of the largest homeless populations in the United States.

Luke Netzley/Staff

The new Active Transportation Program grant is the largest infrastructure grant ever secured for Skid Row.

Racing Chihuahuas in Texas

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

After gloating about our room-temperature Christmas weather here in Altadena, my sister, Mary — who lives in Rapid City, South Dakota — almost hung up on me. Telling her I could smell lemon blossoms was kind of mean. Considering it was double-digits below zero in the Black Hills near where she lives, I couldn’t blame her for her not wanting to talk to me. She changed subjects from the weather to talk about a cousin we hadn’t seen in decades; Mary had news.

“I heard from Eunice. Her beloved husband, Bob, died unexpectedly.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. We continued to chat a bit; how Eunice had a good marriage, how she’d stayed in Texas all these years.

“What were they doing in Tyler, Texas, anyway? Eunice had always been a California girl.”

“Well,” my sister said. “This is so weird. Eunice said a really joyful part of her life with her late husband was that they raced Chihuahuas together.”

“Raced Chihuahuas? That’s disgusting! And they’re supposedly evangelical Chris

tians. What’s next? Chihuahua fighting?”

“I know,” Mary said. “It’s just really hard to imagine.”

“Just think how small the jockeys must be! But seriously, this is a case for the animal cruelty people. Just think of those little doggies, shivering while they wait to be let out of the starting gate,” I said.

“I really had a hard time believing it when she said it. Frankly, it took me by surprise.”

“I know. I thought that strict Christians were against gambling. I’ve never heard of such a thing. But think of the names for those dogs: Shiver-me-Timbers, A Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On, or Pea Biscuit,” I said. “Maybe it’s a new Texan thing.”

I added, “Eunice must be thrilled right now, seeing as she’s anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-women’s lib. But dog racing?”

“It struck me as very odd,” Mary said.

“Did you ask her where they race? I mean, what kind of tracks do they use? Did you get any details?”

“No, because I was so stunned, I just didn’t know what to say. Remember, Aunt Beatrice loved little dogs so much. She would be appalled if she were alive and

knew what Eunice was doing.”

I said, “Oh, yes, Bea would be devastated.”

We both went into a reverie for a minute until a torrent of questions flooded out of us.

“The Chihuahuas certainly couldn’t have much stamina, so I doubt they could use Greyhound racetracks,” I said. “What kind of betting goes on? Are there Trifectas? Pee Wee Derbies? Do they ever race against Yorkies or Mini Dobies? Is there a whole network of secret Chihuahua racetracks across Texas and possibly reaching into Mexico? Did our cousin somehow get involved with something dangerous to the dogs and the people involved? These live animal sports characters can get pretty rough. I think I should call the people at Animal Planet — they do great investigative reporting. The ‘Animal Cops’ show used to be really good. I’m sure they’d love to bust a Chihuahua racing ring.”

“You don’t suppose they chase a mechanical rabbit around the track like they do for Greyhounds?” Mary wondered.

“I don’t think so,” I responded. “I don’t think the Chihuahua is a natural rabbit predator. Of course, if you get a Chihuahua angry enough, it might chase a rabbit. But a mechanical rabbit would be bigger than

Ellen Snortland

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most of the racers!”

Thoughts of those little Chihuahuas neck and neck, pounding their little paws into the turf with haunches glistening as they went into the home stretch, made me wonder what the heck had gotten into Eunice. The thought of Chihuahuas being pumped with steroids made me shiver.

“Maybe they hook up Snausages, drag them behind a golf cart and chase that around the track,” I said. “But it just all seems so unlike Eunice. She used to be such a nice person. I can’t see her doing something this unsavory.”

“Me neither. But Eunice said that’s what she and Bob liked to do together. For years, apparently.”

“Are you going to talk to her more about it?”

“I don’t know,” Mary said.

“I want her email address. I think there’s a column here. I just have to interview her about it. But I should probably wait since her husband passed away recently, don’t you think?”

“Yes, that’s probably a good idea. It was interesting talking to her after such a long time. You know, she even has a Texas accent

now. I had a hard time understanding her.”

Something clicked for me.

“Could it be that you aren’t used to her accent, and she might have said that she ‘raised’ Chihuahuas with Bob?”

Silence.

“That makes more sense,” I continued. “Although I was sort of warming up to the idea of Chihuahua racing. I see a whole product line: teeny-tiny sweaters with numbers, floral victory collars and itsy-bitsy silks.”

So in a real-life tribute to Gilda Radner’s beloved “Saturday Night Live” character Emily Litella, I told my sister, “Raising Chihuahuas. Oh, that’s very different. Never mind.”

Note: I haven’t used my cousin’s or aunt’s real names. While I used a smidgeon of “poetic license,” this conversation actually happened. Really.

2023 marks the 30th year that Ellen Snortland has written this column. She also teaches creative writing online. She can be reached at ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

LA Mission serves warm meals and holiday cheer

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Staff Writer

Flurries of fake snow surrounded guests and servers at the Los Angeles Mission’s annual Christmas dinner as thousands gathered to receive a warm holiday meal, blankets and gifts the day before Christmas Eve. Serving meals was none other than LA’s new mayor, Karen Bass, who has made homelessness a featured issue of her transition.

Every year, the LA Mission hosts an annual Christmas dinner in which they serve over 5,000 meals to the homeless community in Skid Row and beyond. Notable members of the community and celebrities come together to serve food, distribute gifts and bring holiday cheer.

“The preparation vested in feeding the large number of individuals who generally attend the holiday meal is massive, yet exceptionally well organized by our on-site chef in collaboration with other signature volunteer chefs,” said Dr. Roxanne Jordan, the VP of program and clinical services for the LA Mission. “It merely

speaks to the years of experience hosting this type of community event and the quality of community partnerships involved in the planning of each event.”

Food distributors for this year’s holiday meal included Clint Howard (“Star Trek” series), Josh Peck (“How I Met Your Father”), Mayra Veronica (Billboard No.1 singer), Kate Linder (“The Young and the Restless”) and Nick Cannon (“The Nick Cannon Show”).

Although the line to get into the LA Mission extended down East Fifth Street and around the block, once guests entered the building it was full of smiles and the smells of a traditional Christmas meal. Inside, volunteers gathered to give complimentary haircuts to guests who wanted to get a fresh trim ahead of seeing family or other occasions.

“We want to get people off the streets in temporary housing,” Bass said. “That’s why I issued an executive directive so that we can get buildings done quickly. We don’t want people languishing in motels and hotels forever.

“I hope everyone is thinking about the 40,000 people that sleep on streets every night and (remember) this Christmas morning, four or five of those will not wake up.”

Following her inauguration, Bass declared a state of emergency in LA to address homelessness and has issued a series of executive orders to make housing more accessible to houseless individuals throughout the city.

LA Mission’s Christmas Dinner on Dec. 23 is only one of many dinners and food distributions the charity puts together each year. On Thanksgiving, they hold a similar annual charity dinner involving celebrities and a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

During lockdown and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit also put together its Race to Feed initiative, where they fed 600,000 meals to families in the program’s first year. This year, Troy Vaughn, CEO and president of the LA Mission, said they hope to double that number.

“We want to go into the highways and the byways to find communities that need help. And we’re going to serve them well,” Vaughn explained. “How are we going to do that? We can’t provide shelter everywhere, (but) people need to eat — they need to be clothed. They need services.”

That is why, Vaughn said, the LA Mission focuses on providing more than just shelter along Skid Row.

Christmas can be a difficult time for underserved communities, observed the LA Mission on their website. The holiday dinner is just one way the mission aims to achieve their goal of service and dignity by spreading holiday cheer and the spirit of giving.

“It is our hope that the community experiences the sense of care, dignity and festivity of these events, all designed with them at the center the day,” Jordan added. “It is great to witness the faces of both our community participants as they enjoy the meal and participate in the various services or fun activities.”

Will Roberts, LA Mission/Submitted

Will Roberts, LA Mission/Submitted

A

Will Roberts, LA Mission/Submitted

Clint Howard takes a bite out of a Christmas roll as he serves dinner to Skid Row’s homeless population.

Will Roberts, LA Mission/Submitted

Mayor Karen Bass serves food at LA Mission’s annual Christmas dinner.

Will Roberts, LA Mission/Submitted

Nick Cannon and members of his family attend LA Mission’s Christmas dinner.

Will Roberts, LA Mission/Submitted

Mayra Veronica and Kate Linder serve meals to Skid Row’s homeless population.

Photographer Rory Lewis captures history in the making

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor

Rory Lewis welcomes guests to his new DTLA Photography Studio.

The British photographer is surrounded by his celebrity and royal portraits. A striking depiction of Sir Patrick Stewart sits above his desk. Actor James Cromwell’s portrait is nearby.

These aren’t the usual headshots. Lewis is a royal and celebrity visual artist specializing in portraiture, photographing many of the world’s most recognized faces, including members of the royal family, the military, government, everyday people and the stars of stage and screen, namely Dame Judi Dench, William Shatner, Sir Ian McKellen, Natalie Dormer and a pantheon of others spanning 20 years. His work has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery & The National Army Museum in London, along with galleries and museums across the globe.

“You are nothing without a compelling subject,” Lewis said.

Lewis explained how he attempts to break the mold of typical risk-averse portraiture which is commissioned within the media industry. Dynamically challenging the established norm and instead injecting moments of spontaneity, and even awkwardness, into his imagery he successfully shuns the aggrandizing and sycophantic result typically seen in portraits of the famous. Lewis’ aim is to strip back the artificial layers of staid portraiture and replace it with strangeness and a sense of quiet.

His love of Caravaggio is evident in his Italian Renaissance-inspired photographs, which are curated on black backdrops, almost like a painting.

“I’m filling a niche,” he said. “I’m known for a unique classical style of portraiture and that’s what I produce. I only produce one product. People laugh but look at Five Guys. They give you a fresh hamburger cooked right there. It’s one product, OK? I offer classical portraits.

“And I’ve always stuck to my guns. I have a unique style, and now I’m bringing that here to Los Angeles, where it has been well received.”

Lewis explained much of the portraiture you see commissioned does not seem very flattering, using filters and removing all the detail of the face.

“For me, it’s all about creating something historical,” he added. “When people look at Sir Ian McKellen in 100 years’ time, you’ll see Sir Ian McKellen’s all his detail.

“With Patrick Stewart, on the day of his photoshoot, I noticed his nose. It looked

like it had been hit in the past. I recognized this because my grandfather was a boxer. Mentioning it to Patrick, he was surprised I distinguished this detail and it is now preserved in his portrait.

“It’s all about keeping these little features.”

Lewis first explored LA in 2014, when the London Times commissioned him to shoot a portrait of William Shatner.

“I became known for working with ‘Star Trek’ actors,” he said. “So I was commissioned to photograph William Shatner. He was my first LA client. So, I flew over from London to Los Angeles — an 11-hour journey and jetlag. William Shatner says, ‘You’ve got 5 minutes.’”

Lewis photographed other interesting faces while on his trip too LA and was impressed by the city.

“It’s a melting pot of the world,” he said. “You meet all sorts of characters. A year later, I brought (my wife) Sasha. She fell in love with the place, especially the weather. It was all because William Shatner brought me here for the first time.

“I was also tickled by the fact that you have all these amazing actors here. So, I wanted to shoot more. I wrote letters and sent emails. One of the actors I contacted was the late and renowned actor René Au-

Rory Lewis/Submitted

Rory Lewis captures Sir Patrick Stewart.

Rory Lewis/Submitted

Sir Patrick Stewart.

berjonois. Capturing his portrait, he fell in love with my style and introduced me to a whole host of fellow actors in North Hollywood and West Hollywood. René started everything for me and set me on course for this move to LA.

Lewis’ recent projects include photographing the 1st Cavalry Division in Texas, the first woman to lead Virginia Military Institute and campaigns for Louis Vuitton in New York and JP Morgan.

“Diversity and inclusion are very important to me,” he said. “In Los Angeles, we have a wonderfully huge, diverse population. Everyday we hear a different language spoken. We’ve made friends from Taiwan, China, Italy. LA, it’s such a cosmopolitan city.”

Lewis grew up in Liverpool and studied history at King’s College in London. While he was studying, he perused Renaissance art and obsessed over cinema.

“I joined the cinema club and, for a couple of bucks a week, I was able to see different movies,” he said. “I thought they we’re going to start off with ‘The Matrix.’ But no, they started off with German expressionist cinema in the 1920s. I saw all this film noir, black-and-white movies.

“I decided I wanted to do something creative. So I picked up a camera. That’s how it began.”

Lewis started shooting at fashion shows, and the models loved the photos, proving

he had an eye for photography.

I set up my first studio in my hometown of Liverpool. It failed because it was my first business.

“But then I learned my lessons and went on and created a better, smaller business and grew it — and it led me here. All roads lead here.”

He’s always been familiar with California, as his parents formerly lived in Palm Springs in the 1970s.

“They decided to come home when my mother was seven months pregnant with me,” he said. “I could have been born in America, but I had to come the hard way.”

The couple is still finding their footing in Los Angeles, discovering new places every day. Sasha focuses on the business side, while Lewis is the creative.

“I like to concentrate on my art now,” he said. “There was a time when I did everything, and that was difficult. I would have to do everything from social media to cleaning to retouching. It came to the point where Sasha needed to join me.

“As a married couple, we travel together. We work together. We’re never out of each other’s company, which is the way it should be.

Rory is excited to offer his portraiture to everybody in LA, his classical, unique style of capturing subjects is quickly becoming renown.

Lewis rorylewis.studio

Instagram: @rorylewisofficial Twitter: @rorylewisphotog

Rory

Rory Lewis/Submitted

Natalie Dormer.

Rory Lewis/Submitted

Cadet Sgt. Class Waters of the Virginia Military Institute.

Rory Lewis/Submitted

Sir Lyndsey Hoyle.

One in every 20 children in California is experiencing homelessness, and the impact on educational opportunities for these students is devastating.

School on Wheels is the only nonprofit that provides free tutoring and mentoring to children from kindergarten through 12th grade living in shelters, motels, vehicles, group foster homes, and the streets of Southern California.

The nonprofit trains and matches volunteers with unhoused students who are provided with one-onone weekly tutoring, school supplies, assistance in entering school, scholarships, and parental support. Make a difference in a child’s life. Become a tutor today! Visit schoolonwheels.org.

We’re honored to serve you and your loved ones. This year give a gi to your community by donating to PIH Health Foundation.

Your compassion and support can brighten the future for our patients, their families, and our entire community. Visit PIHHealth.org/Give2022 to donate.

Happy Holidays from your health and wellness partner – PIH Health.

Last-minute shopping? Find holiday ornaments, and learn a little Downtown history, at LA Tienda at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes!

Completed in 1888, the Vickrey-Brunswig Building is one of LA’s oldest five-story buildings. Built for retail and lodging, later retrofitted for the pharmaceutical trade, LA County acquired the building in the 1930s to house a courthouse, a crime lab and more. Vacated after the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, a rehab in early 2000 brought the building back as a museum, cultural center, and gift shop, located at 501 N. Main Street. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, with free admission. www.laplazatienda.org.

Widely regarded as one of the nation’s most effective arts education providers, Inner-City Arts is an oasis of creativity and achievement in the heart of Skid Row.

It’s a vital partner in transforming the lives of young people in Los Angeles and beyond. Inner-City Arts’ beautiful, award-winning campus inspires all visitors. During the school day, after school, and on weekends, students work with professional teaching artists in well-equipped studios, receiving hands-on instruction in a range of subject areas within the visual, performing and media arts. Support at inner-cityarts.org/donate.

Change a life.

Para Los Niños was established over 42 years ago to provide a crucial safety net for the most vulnerable families in Los Angeles County. Today, as an integrated service or ganization, Para Los Niños brings together education, early interven tion, mental health, public health, community engagement, and lead ership development to serve the whole child, whole family, and com munities in which they reside.

school on wheels

“Working with Diego, I have realized that whatever has happened to me is nothing compared to what this little kid has gone through. He is very resilient, and that thought fills me with patience and a genuine desire to help him.”

– Laticia Wright, Volunteer Tutor

Apply online at schoolonwheels.org.

Serving more than 10,000 people annually across 200 ZIP codes, the unique work of Para Los Niños is not able to operate without the support of individuals. You can be the difference in advancing the opportunity for thousands of children, youth, and families to thrive. Make your gift today at paralosninos.org/donate

Para Los Niños educates and partners with over 10,000 children, youth, and families each year in Los Angeles Get involved today by donating, volunteering, or joining our staff!

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

Steven Page is embracing the BNL catalog

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor

Former Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page knows how to take care of his fans.

Since the start of the pandemic, Page has performed more than 90 “Live from Home” livestream shows with different sets each time.

“I owe it to them to play surprising stuff every time,” Page said via Zoom.

“So, I’ve done every song I’ve ever written — and maybe songs I was embarrassed by — at least once now over the course of this. When you look back on diary entries you made when you were a teenager, you can’t help but be a little bit embarrassed about that. My songs are essentially that.

“In the livestreams, I’ve been playing Barenaked Ladies songs I didn’t write or sing, like ‘Pinch Me.’ It’s been fun. It’s not the kind of thing I would do every day at the in-person shows, but it allowed me to have a new relationship with all of the Barenaked Ladies material as well as my solo stuff. I’m feeling a lot less precious about it.”

BNL singer Ed Robertson lends his vocals to “Pinch Me.”

Page will perform BNL and solo songs during a gig at the The Troubadour on Thursday, Jan. 19. He’ll be joined by Craig Northey from The Odds on guitar and Kevin Fox on cello.

“We’ve been doing it in this format for, I’d say, almost seven years now,” Page said. “And we play everything from the first Barenaked Ladies album all the way to the most recent record — and we have so much fun doing it. I think the audience gets that as well. We just really enjoy being around each other, traveling with each other and playing with each other.”

Page said he constantly reminds himself how lucky he is to still be playing music, as post-pandemic competition is fierce.

“It’s hard out there,” Page said. “Everybody in the world is out on the road right now. So, you’re competing with your peers everywhere you go, which is a strange feeling.”

Sometimes, it just comes down to compromise.

“Recently, we did a show in a venue directly next door to a venue (in St. Louis) where Guster was playing,” Page said.

“We have fans in common, and that seemed very unfair. So, we decided we would trade encores. So, we ran across

the alley, and they played for our audience and we played a song for their audience. Trying to coordinate the timing was a little awkward, but we just texted as we shuffled through the shows.”

Page is touring in support of his latest album, “Excelsior,” his first solo record since 2018. The collection’s 11 tracks were composed and produced entirely by Page, who co-founded Barenaked Ladies before departing on a solo career in 2009.

The lion’s share of “Excelsior” was “workshopped” on the “Live from Home” virtual concert series Page has been conducting via Zoom since 2020 from his home near Syracuse, New York.

“I kept thinking I could make this thing happen by traveling up to Canada and recording it, which I couldn’t do,” he said about the pandemic.

“So, I ended up just doing almost all that myself, apart from some of the drums and the strings that Kevin Fox played. I’ve never really done a record like that where it’s all me. It feels very exposed, and it’s the first album I’ve done where they’re all sole composi -

tions, meaning I haven’t co-written with anybody else. I was proud of it at the very end of it, but I was very nervous about it the whole time making it.”

Page’s songs are personal and thus sometimes difficult to write and perform.

“I’ve been put in a position — partially by me — where I had to be honest about things like my mental health struggles,” he said. “I’ve been doing public speaking about it and writing songs about it for years. But when I was younger, I was writing songs about it, and I think being slightly coy about the whole thing.

“But then I could no longer afford to be coy about it. I realized I was getting such feedback from people about how helpful or liberating or comforting it was for them (fans) to hear somebody else sharing similar experiences and similar struggles. And after doing that, I got less afraid of being honest about the emotional journey.”

His music and lyrics have impacted fans since the early days. Case in point: the BNL song “Brian Wilson, which Page

calls “one of the earliest songs I ever wrote when I was about 19.”

“I wasn’t diagnosed with anything then,” he said about his mental health state. “It’s a real gift to the middle-aged Steven to kind of see what young Steven was willing to explore. At the end of the day, that was a song about the power of music.”

Songs like “Brian Wilson” are comforting and make listeners feel like they’re not so alone, he said.

“With mental health struggles, you feel like you’re the only person who feels that way,” he said.

“Even if you rationally know you’re not in that moment, there’s a feeling of loneliness and isolation and music can create companionship that doesn’t pander.”

Recently, Page opened for The Who on the East Coast leg of the classic rock band’s jaunt. Most of the set featured familiar Barenaked Ladies songs, but fans will hear more from “Excelsior” at the MIM.

“We had about 40 minutes in front of 20,000 people,” he recalled. “I don’t need to go out there and play them my new

David Bergman/Contributor

Former Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page is touring in support of his latest album “Excelsior.”

stuff. I think I needed to go out there and remind them who I am in case they didn’t recognize it. Now, we can settle into playing the hits plus digging into the back catalog and learning some of the new stuff and just feeling like it’s a little bit more freeform.”

Like The Troubadour or the Village Theater at Cherry Hill in Canton, Michigan, Page is focused on playing venues that are serious about music. They tend to work best, he said.

“I mean, we can play anywhere,” he is quick to add.

“I’m happy to play anywhere people want to come to see us. I’m not finicky

about that anymore. If it happens to be a black box or a rock ‘n’ roll bar, that’s fine. I do want the audience to be comfortable. Honestly, my audience is not as young as we once were.

“The romance of standing in the back all night wears off pretty quickly. I spent 30 years of my life in those rooms. I’m comfortable in them, but I’m not that nostalgic about it. I want everybody to feel like they have a comfortable place to enjoy the show. If the venue is a little bit stuffy, we always say people will remember, from seeing me 30 years ago, that that spirit of blowing up the stuffiness will always be there.”

WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 WHERE: The Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood COST: Tickets start at $27 INFO: troubadour.com

Steven Page

Robert Georgeff/Contributor

Steven Page’s trio will perform at The Troubadour on Thursday, Jan. 19.

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

45th annual Chinatown Firecracker celebrates Year of the Rabbit

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

As one of the largest and oldest running races in the country, the LA Chinatown Firecracker has been igniting the city for the past 45 years. This year’s Lunar New Year celebration will feature 5K, 10K, family and pet-friendly runs as well as walking and biking races held on Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19, at the historic Los Angeles Chinatown Plaza.

“We want everybody to have a fun, safe experience, having fun running on the course and sharing in the celebration,” said Raymond Su, board president of the LA Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee (LACFRC).

“Last year we did end up having to cancel last minute as there was a bigger surge with COVID and with some of those health issues we just didn’t want to take too big of a chance. So this year (is about) getting everybody back together and also getting everybody back into the community and down to Chinatown as well to see that businesses are open, people are there and that the community is still thriving.

The Lunar New Year celebration will start in the heart of Chinatown with a lion dance and traditional firecracker lighting. The Firecracker festival will also include vendors and booths along with a new Chalk Art Festival and Boba Garden.

After registration, which is now open to the public, participants will receive a commemorative race bib, finisher’s medal, T-shirt, goody bag and more 2023 Firecracker-themed items. This year, runners will be able to participate both in-person or virtually using the RaceJoy app, which allows users to follow the mapped route with simulated cheers from the crowd.

“There’s nothing like having a hundred thousand fireworks going off, so you’re now wide awake,” said Susan Gordan, who began helping LACFRC with their publicity after running in the Lunar New Year races in the 1990s.

“There is a camaraderie. … It’s perfect for families. It’s a great outing for people who haven’t been Downtown in a while or haven’t checked out Chinatown in a while.

“The new 10K run actually takes you up towards Pasadena, so you really get to see neighborhoods and streets that you normally either wouldn’t see or you’ve been in your car. It’s just nice to get a different perspective of where you

live, to see what’s new, what’s old and to have the folks on the street cheer you on, which is always fun.

“They also have rest stops along the way. … They’ll have fortune cookies in addition to little sports snacks and Gatorade. They really know how to keep you engaged.”

The annual Chinatown Firecracker is produced by LACFRC, a group of volunteers formed in 1978 whose mission is to organize and stage events and programs the promote both cultural awareness and education as well as fitness and personal health.

“Believe it or not, this is not put on by some major company,” Gordon said. “This is put on by a volunteer organization who volunteer all their time to put this together. And the important thing is this group is so about health and service that proceeds from this event go to local schools, elementary schools and other service groups. It’s all about giving back. These are a good group of people and, because it started at Belmont High, many of these folks have been friends throughout their whole lives.”

Past and present countywide recipients of the LA Chinatown Firecracker Giving Back program include Logan

Academy of Global Ecology, Solano Avenue Elementary School, Ann Street Elementary School, Lincoln Heights Tutorial Project and Education Project, Central City Action Committee, Chinese Family History Group of Southern California, API Forward Movement and UCLA’s Asian American Tutorial Project.

Within Chinatown, program recipients include Castelar Elementary School, Alpine Recreation Center, Chinatown Teen Post, Chinatown Service Center, Chinatown Senior Citizens Service Center, Chinese Confucius School, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California and Friends of the Chinatown Library.

“The current committee is mostly made up of people that have grown up in and around Chinatown and also

more extended family and friends,” Su said. “When they started it, it was more of just interests from some of the people in the neighborhood. And I think since then, kind of growing into where it is, we’ve gotten to a point where the proceeds are enough where we can give back to some of the more grassroots-type organizations in the neighborhood.

“We want to see as many people from Downtown especially as possible coming to participate (in the Chinatown Firecracker). If they haven’t come down to Chinatown before, it’s a hop, skip and a jump away from the main Downtown residential areas and we have local businesses that could definitely use some support.”

45th annual Chinatown Firecracker

WHERE: Los Angeles Chinatown Plaza, 943 N. Broadway, Los Angeles

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 18 – 40-mile Bike Ride at 8 a.m.; 20-mile Bike Ride at 8:20 a.m.; 1-mile PAW’er Dog Walk at 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 19 – 5K Run at 8 a.m. and 5k Walk at 8:20 a.m.; 10K Run at 8:45 a.m. and 1K Kiddie Run at 9 a.m.

COST: $28 to $60

INFO: firecracker10k.org

Jonathan Friolo/Submitted

The LA Chinatown Firecracker will take place on Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19, beginning with its traditional opening ceremony at the Chinatown Plaza.

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

Rock camp teaches amateur musicians the ropes

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil admits he was a little skeptical the first time he heard of Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp.

But after participating as a special guest last year, he jumped at the chance to do it again this year.

The camp’s latest offering, A Whole Lotta Rock: From Led Zeppelin to Soundgarden to Stone Temple Pilots, features Thayil; Robert and Dean DeLeo of the Grammy-winning band Stone Temple Pilots; and Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge. It’s set for Thursday, March 16, to Sunday, March 19, in Los Angeles.

Other guests include Monte Pittman (Madonna), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Michael Kroeger (Nickelback), Brian Tichy (Ozzy), Black (Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts), Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio), Tony Franklin (The Firm), Britt Lightning (Vixen), Teddy Zigzag (Guns N’ Roses), Jason Ebs (Peter Criss) and Adam Kury (Candlebox).

Included at Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp are performances at the Viper Room and the Whisky a Go Go, the latter of which features Thayil.

Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp has become part of American popular culture — from a Mick Jagger cameo in “The Simpsons” to “Rock Camp: The Movie.” It extracts ordinary people from their daily lives and allows them to perform with their musical heroes.

“The people who worked around the organization were fantastic. The fans were great. The campers were polite and eager, and many were very talented,” Thayil said.

“We all had friends like this: They hang out in their basements or their bedrooms learning all the Zeppelin songs or Hendrix songs. In the ’80s, it would have been Van Halen. They were the best guitarists you knew in school. We met a few of those dudes. They were really talented.”

Some of the players were nervous because it was the first time hitting the stage or performing with a band. Thayil said it’s a “bit of a challenge but rewarding.”

“Growing up, you hear about rock school, which is still goofy to me,” he said.

“There’s an aspect of attitude and independence and freedom that can’t

necessarily be taught. You can teach people to cooperate in a collaborative manner. That’s perhaps the most important part. That was a good thing. The idea of rock schools or baseball fantasy camps or rock fan camp, something about that seemed awkward growing up. The idea of trying to teach something that might be counterculture or rebellious is counterintuitive of how rock is.”

The COVID-19 pandemic convinced him otherewise. It was a time when peers and friends were suddenly unemployed.

“The crews who worked for us or Pearl Jam, say, had to find other work to do,” he recalled. “Clubs and venues closed. Promoters, security, bartenders, they

were out of gigs. When the offer came in (for camp), I had no good reason to reject an opportunity to work in the pandemic.

“I didn’t think it was good form when your friends are hoping to go on tour.”

Thayil said he really enjoyed the volunteers and camp counselors, as well as the spirit of camaraderie among them.

Speaking of camaraderie, Thayil is playing recreationally again in the band 3rd Secret with bassist/accordionist Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), drummer Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam/Soundgarden), guitarist Jon “Bubba” Dupree (Void), and vocalists Jillian Raye and Jennifer Johnson.

“Krist called me up and said, ‘Hey, there are some old songs you and I did 20 years ago. Want to revisit some of those songs?’” he recalled.

“Matt brought in some demos. There’s no hard push professionally, no management, no accountants, no lawyers. It’s all just for fun. We record songs and post them for streaming.”

It mirrors the attitude Thayil had the first time Soundgarden broke up, he said.

“I didn’t want to call up managers, lawyers, record company people. I didn’t want to have to start again with soliciting,” Thayil added.

“I just played when I could and drank beer and turned the amps up. We were just three guys in an attic with three stringed instruments — well, two and a couple amps — and neighbors who told us to turn it down after 10.”

That relates to Thayil’s best advice he can give to prospective camp participants.

“Don’t stress and don’t overwork yourself,” he explained. “If you overstress and overwork yourself, that’ll affect performance. Don’t worry about the performance. You’re with other people. In reality, you probably have the same kind of jitters on stage as everybody else, unless you’re a complete hot dog.”

Thayil called himself a bit of a hot dog and a little nervous.

“It depends,” he said with a laugh. “If you get a couple beers in me, I’m a little bit more exhibitionistic and hot doggy. Most of the time, I’m a little bit nervous until a few songs go by. It’s pretty cool to share those experiences with the DeLeos and Carmine Appice, one of those great drummers we talked about since I was a kid.”

WHEN: Various times Thursday, March 16, to Sunday, March 19 WHERE: Los Angeles COST: $599 holds a spot INFO: 1-888-762-2263, rockcamp.com

Kim Thayil/Submitted

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil joins students’ bands at the Whisky a Go Go during Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp.

‘Inspiring Walt Disney’ colors The Huntington

By Leah Schwartz LA Downtown News Staff Writer

For most when thinking of Disney movies and its parks, childhood comes to mind — with every memory tinged with a warm, safe glow.

This is especially true for Southern California, where Disney made its home. The connection with timeless Disney classics and Disneyland is palpable.

The Huntington Library’s MaryLou and George Boone Gallery is the third venue to host the exhibition “Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts,” originally shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then at the Wallace Collection in London.

Running through March 27, it all began in 1923 with the inception of Disney Studios.

The exhibit is the first museum exhibition devoted to Walt Disney in this part of the world since 1914, when “Fantasia” was released.

“For those of us in Southern California, Disney is all around us,” said Melinda McCurdy, curator of English art at The Huntington.

“And so I feel like this show here in this place is really special and really important that we’re doing it. This audience is built in.”

Wolf Burchard originally curated the exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. He said “everybody can relate to Disney in one form or another and will have a reaction either positive or negative.”

The exhibit explores Walt Disney’s fascination with 18th-century French and European Rococo aesthetics and decorative arts, inspiring his films and theme parks.

The collection features roughly 50 pieces of 18th-century European design and decorative art, many of which are from The Hun-

tington’s own collection and will be shown alongside hand-drawn production artworks from the Walt Disney Archives, Walt Disney Animation Research Library, Walt Disney Imagineering Collection and the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Born in 1901 under modest circumstances, Walt Disney served as an ambulance driver in France following World War I. It was during this time that he first became enamored with European art. On his second trip to Europe in 1935, he acquired 335 art and illustrated books, a few of which are on display at the exhibit. This collection became a source of aesthetic inspiration for Disney artists for years to come.

Strolling through The Huntington’s gallery, guests will see original storyboard sketches of Cinderella’s iconic transformation.

“The idea of the potential transformation is really important in this exhibition, which of course is part of the fantasy and imagination,” Burchard explained.

Museumgoers will also see hand-drawn scenes from Disney’s arguably most Rococo film, “Beauty and the Beast,” which is set in 18th-century France and was completed after Walt Disney’s death in 1966. The animators nod to the era with the film’s costumes and architecture. An essential reference was the famous ballroom scene, which was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. Burchard recounted how Disney animators decided to establish the ballroom scene.

“I want to make the point that we’re not saying that this is the source of inspiration that Disney artists use and that they tried to replicate that, because they’re obviously creative artists in their own right. They want to create something new,” Burchard said.

“So that’s the starting point. And then

they realize that Belle and the Beast are dancing the waltz, so they turn around in circles. So it would be much better to create a circular or oval room. And that’s what they ended up doing. And this is an important scene in the history of animation because it’s the first CGI interior ever created.”

The exhibit, which aligns with Disney Studios’ 100th anniversary, speaks to how Disney has evolved over the years and its timeless appeal.

“We know the French decorative arts in the hands of incredibly talented Disney artists, inkers and animators have changed the lives of all,” said Christina Nielsen, the director of the art collections at The Huntington.

“This show is incredible for showing the way the historical artworks, several hundred years old that were incredibly vivid and lavish in their time, in the hands of Disney Studios became very lifelike.”

Disney animation studios and 18th decorative art workshops were spaces of collaboration. One Disney film alone is produced by hundreds of animators — just as one decorative art piece might have passed through 40 to 50 artisans.

“So what this exhibition does is that it brings together two forms of artistic expression that may at first seem worlds apart,”

Burchard said.

“On the one hand, you have Disney handdrawn animation made for a large international audience, and then on the other, you have Rococo, decorative works of art made for a small European elite. And yet, when you bring those two worlds together, you will find many areas of overlap in their artistic intuition and workshop practices in the advances they’ve pushed in design and technology.

“Neither of those two forms of artistic expression can be really put into a particular category. People ask, ‘Is animation art?’ This is a question that nobody will ever be able to answer, and the same is true of decorative arts. Decorative arts are really the kind of an underdog in traditional art because they’re not architecture, they’re not painting, they’re not sculpture.”

At the heart of this exhibit and Walt Disney’s vision is imagination, which is the thread that ultimately connects the workshops of the 18th-century artisans to the Disney animators of the 20th century.

“The term ‘magic’ is one that was always associated in the 18th century, with porcelain and then later with Disney Animation. It’s something that the people had never seen before.”

Inspiring Walt Disney/Submitted

Inspiring Walt Disney/Submitted

“Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant,” Disneyland Paris, 1988

Inspiring Walt Disney/Submitted

Miyuki Iga, Cinderella’s Castle, Tokyo Disneyland, 1980

Inspiring Walt Disney/Submitted

“Beauty and the Beast” is honored in the exhibit.

After family deaths, Dry Cleaning finds happiness

By Luke Hertel LA Downtown News Staff Writer

DDry Cleaning drummer Nick Buxton said his U.K. talk rock/spoken word band’s success comes from their age, experience and quite a bit of luck.

The quartet are all in their 30s, something atypical of a new band in the space, and experienced, except for newbie singer Florence Shaw.

Because of this experience, the musicians could select the right members for the band and create a sound they’re proud of.

“We’ve been around the block,” Buxton said. “I think the bullshit indicator was always quite high. We were able to sniff it out quite early.”

Dry Cleaning is now touring in support of its sophomore effort, “Stumpwork.” The band will come to the Belasco on Sunday, Jan. 22. Buxton admits Dry Cleaning is still working on how to express their new songs live, so the concerts are evolving at an alarming rate.

“It’s a new experience taking it out on the road and really getting to learn the songs,” Buxton said. “And so things change around and the set changes and

things get expressed differently and the songs expand and contract. So hopefully, we should be firing on all cylinders by then and I’m looking forward to really getting stuck in.”

Buxton added that it’s not just the set that is changing. They have added touring personnel, who improve the show.

“We’ll have a lighting engineer with us, who’s a really good friend of ours,” Buxton said. “I think he really adds to the show, like the kind of atmosphere that he helps us generate. It’s like really, it’s really important for us like we can feel it on stage.

“You have to work with good people, you really do. You hear it all the time about these bands who signed to major labels, and they get loads of money. And then everything just sucks. It’s kind of all down to the personnel. It’s so important that you just work with people that you like and you trust.”

Luck played a role as well with Dry Cleaning.

“It’s really strange,” Buxton said. “You know, we’ve been really fortunate that we’ve met a lot of really, really good people. Everyone’s been nice to us. And … no one’s trying to, like patronize us or

talk down to us or anything like that. It’s always felt very mutual and respectful and kind to the people that we’ve met.”

“Stumpwork” is the follow up to “New Long Leg,” and saw the band — Buxton, Shaw, guitarist Tom Dowse and bassist Lewis Maynard — return to Rockfield Studios with producer John Parish.

The lyrics were inspired by a variety of topics and people, including artist Maggi Hambling and snippets from the press cuttings library of archivist Edda Tasiemka.

“Stumpwork” was made after the deaths of Maynard’s mother and Dowse’s grandfather, both of whom were supportive of Dry Cleaning. The overall vibe of “Stumpwork” is subtly upbeat, howoever.

And while pursuing a career in music has been a dream come true, according to Buxton, the four band members held onto their previous jobs as long as they could before committing fully to the band.

Buxton was the part-owner of a cabinetry business and said it was tough to leave that position.

“I worked as a cabinet maker, but also I had my own company that I ran

Ben Rayner/Submitted

English band Dry Cleaning will performed alongside Nourished by Time at The Belasco on Sunday, Jan. 22.

with someone,” Buxton said. “So for me, personally speaking, it was really hard, because I had been playing music my whole life pretty much and the opportunity to do it for a living had never really come up before.

“So, I’d always thought that I would just jump at that straight away, but like, it caught me at a time in my life where I wasn’t really able to just jump straight into it because I had a lot of other responsibilities. And … when we got involved with a manager, who laid out a plan for us and suggested the kind of route we might take through the music industry, it wasn’t easy for us to kind of accept that that’s what we all wanted to do.”

Buxton said he knew he wanted to make the career change when the musicians ate at Wimpy, a fast-food retro burger chain popular in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

“The waiter in the restaurant came over and he was talking to us and he was like, ‘Oh, you guys are a band,’” Buxton said.

“We were talking to him, and he asked, ‘What’s the name of your band?’ And we were like, ‘Oh, it’s Dry Cleaning.’ And he was just laughing, and he was like, ‘Yeah, that’s a funny name.’ And I just remember thinking … it kind of brought me back down to Earth a little bit. I was like, ‘You know, I would really

like to do this. I really want to do this.’ We decided at that point that we were going to move forward with it.”

Despite traveling around the world in the last year and a half, Buxton said that he is proud to call South London his home.

“We are, quintessentially, a South London band and absolutely a product of our environment,” he explained. “I think if you were to take us out of that envi -

ronment and to somewhere else, I think you’d get a very different thing at the end of it. It’s a really unique place in the

world.

Dry Cleaning w/Nourished by Time

WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22

WHERE: The Belasco, 1050 S. Hill Street, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $25 INFO: livenation.com

I think we’re all very proud to say we’re from there.”

Ben Rayner/Submitted

Dry Cleaning is currently touring across the world in support of its newest studio album, “Stumpwork.”

For longtime actor, sports have always played a leading role

By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

Clint Howard said it was the principle. The decision could be one of his great sports-related regrets.

As Laker season ticket holders Clint and brother Ron endured some losing seasons driving from their home in Burbank to the Forum. In 1979, things changed.

Rookie Magic Johnson was drafted and teamed-up with the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The franchise was crowned NBA Champs in 1980. Showtime was born.

The Howard Brothers had great seats, until they didn’t.

“We sat in the corner, 12 feet above the basket. They were awesome seats,” Clint said. “After they won, the owner jacked up the prices by $15 a ticket. They skyrocketed. It wasn’t we didn’t have money; it’s just we have a little bit of our dad in us.

“I would like to know what those tickets cost now … probably one of the most foolish moves I’ve made.”

Lakers and winning became synonymous. The franchise secured five titles that decade. Clint the hoops fan transitioned into Clint the sports fan.

He golfed and listened to Rams games on the radio. He played baseball.

“I played high school ball at John Burroughs High School,” he recalled. “I pitched three years, but as a 5-foot, 8-inch guy my curveball was not gonna get to another level.”

A longtime working actor with more than 200 credits on his resume dating back to 1960, Clint has enjoyed a unique journey in Hollywood.

He is recognized, but even those recognizing him generally aren’t quite sure where to place him. He is more than a character actor. It’s like he is a character actor of a character actor.

Clint has had minor roles in popular shows like “Seinfeld” (he was the Smog Strangler) and the original “Star Trek” (kid alien Balok), one of four different “Star Trek” incarnations he has been included in.

In 1994 he starred in the B-horror movie “Ice Cream Man,” a cult classic. Now he is writing and producing another “Ice Cream Man” with a goal to play a crusty old ice cream peddler in 2024.

He has been involved in shows that went nowhere. He has forgotten some roles altogether. But one clearly stands out — the blockbuster film “Apollo 13,” a darling at the 1996 Oscars show.

“It was a spectacular job of directing,” Clint described. “It was very well written, and the cast was superb. It was like the movie gods came down and kissed everything about that movie. I can watch it over and over again and not get bored.

“My role was significant, too, and I felt I made a solid contribution. ‘Apollo 13’ is one of the top five movies I’ve seen.”

The movie’s director (Ron) referenced by Clint is his brother. Ron was also his former

partner on those golden Lakers seats. Most remember Ron from his role as Richie Cunningham in the mega-hit “Happy Days.” Later he found even more success as a director, producer and screenwriter.

Ron and Clint’s passion for entertainment never trumped their love of sports. They were not movie centric; rather they were sports centric.

“My first memory in life is climbing onto my brother’s back as he’s reading the sports page,” Clint said. “He was 7 years old. I was 2. He had the newspaper and would lay down and read the box scores, read me the accounts of local games.”

One of the unique aspects relating to “Happy Days” is Clint played the role of Ron’s brother — yes, a real stretch on the show. They were the Cunningham Boys on the sitcom it became the No. 1 program in 1976 and the show used sport to promote the series. Much to the liking of Clint.

“The ‘Happy Days’ softball team made public appearances,” he said. “We played all around the country, including Anaheim Stadium and Dodger Stadium. We played in front of 50,000 people at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.”

As Clint got older, work on the big screen and the small screen continued, and other interests began. It was competing in golf, though, which became Howard’s true passion. Starting in 1990, in between auditions and actual on-camera work, he played some 150 rounds a year.

“I may have worked a lot but there are many days where the phone is not ring -

ing,” Clint said. “It can be poisonous, so I learned to get out of the house and go play 18 holes.”

Unfortunately, he was forced to give up the game.

“I played for a while with the first artificial hip, but with the second one I could not turn well and only drove the ball 130 yards,” Clint described. “I took the game seriously. It still drives me crazy when I see a golfer who should be a bowler.”

As for those lost nights battling freeways to make tip-off, the Brothers Howard can’t get those lost hardcourt memories back, at a time the Lakers franchise was forging their way into becoming a global brand.

Ultimately, Clint has no regrets. He and Ron are still tight, spending time together in a unique way: Ron has booked Clint in nearly 20 of his movies.

And with so many jobs over the years Clint next appears in “The Old Way” film Howard needs the time to sign residual checks from those countless acting gigs he has enjoyed.

“I have gotten a check for a penny,” he said. “It was a 2 cent gross and 1 cent net. When I got the check in the mail, I called my dad to tell him the other penny went to the federal government

“The lesson is, they always get their money.”

A revenge Western, “The Old Way” hits theatres January 6. It features, among others,

Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Clint.

Clint Howard was two years old when he appeared in five episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show.” He has worked consistently for six decades while closely following his favorite sports teams and chasing around lost golf balls.

Submitted

Like most brothers, Clint and Ron Howard (first portraying young Opie Taylor and then All-American teen Richie Cunningham) could not agree on sports while growing up. Ron has always been a Dodgers fan, while Clint gravitated toward the Angels. They both were Lakers season ticket members at the Forum in Inglewood.