Larry Mantle: conversations with my son
On a warm March night nearly 40 years ago, I was walking from the studios of KPCC to my car when I was approached with a question that would set my professional course for the next four decades. Our then-General Manager Bob Miller was also on his way to the parking lot. He offered kind words about my on-air work as the station’s News Director and anchor of KPCC’s newscasts. Bob asked if there was something more personality-driven I might want to do. I described a daily interview show I’d been thinking about with a call-in element that would allow me talk about the day’s news with our extremely informed and intelligent listeners.
A month later, AirTalk went on the air.
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At that time, public radio leaders were rather dismissive of call-in shows. This was well before NPR’s Talk of the Nation came and went. The accepted model was closer to Fresh Air, with its focus on professors, journalists, and creatives. That model has, of course, produced greatness, even beyond the tremendously popular and important work of Terry Gross. Nevertheless, I really wanted listeners to be at the center of our program. I could’ve never foreseen the level of support we’ve received throughout Southern California.
Now, as I approach four decades as AirTalk’s host, I’ve been thinking about new opportunities, like podcasting. As more public radio listeners embrace the format, I’ve been wondering what it might allow me to do that AirTalk doesn’t. I asked myself a variant of Bob Miller’s 1985 question, “Would podcasting provide a platform to do work that’s more personal than what I do on the radio each day?” LAist management thought so, and suggested I team with my son, Desmond, to share the kinds of conversations that regularly take place in our home.
It’s hard for me to overstate how much I’ve learned from years of talking with him. Many times I’ve brought into on-air conversations on AirTalk points that Desmond raised at home. I hope that his mother and I helped expose him to a world of nuance and complexity. Desmond certainly gave us an even wider range of questions to consider.
He just finished his first year of law school, and we’ve been able to continue our two decades of back-and-forth on politics, religion, language, law, sexuality and movies. We’re looking forward to bringing these freewheeling, highly personal, conversations to Passing the Mantle listeners.
Desmond Mantle: learning from my father
Growing up, I got two common questions when people found out that my father was Larry Mantle. The first was, “Who the heck is Larry Mantle?” But more frequently, I got this question: “What’s your dad like at home?” The answer is that he’s essentially the same at home as he is on air, so much so that my mom occasionally teases him for sounding like a live announcer when we’re just sitting in our living room. The next question folks would often ask me is, “What’s it like having him as your dad?”
That question was harder to answer because Dad is the only father I’ve had, and with no siblings or first cousins, I had very limited exposure to what another kind of childhood would look like. I went with my parents to jazz concerts, watched classic films with them and talked with them about the world. When Dad would pick me up from school, we’d talk in depth about the subjects he had covered on his show, the material I’d learned in classes and the current events of the day. I vividly remember my elementary school peers being shocked that I watched the news every morning with my parents. But to me, those moments are cherished memories of the only childhood I knew, unusual though it may have been.
Because my father and I are rather unique, it hasn’t always been easy being ourselves. We’re both only children, and although we’re both lucky to have many friends, we’re also well-practiced in the art of being happy while being alone. We both love the same styles of music, the same era of films, the same type of humor and the same kinds of foods. We had to change clothes quickly before one of our Passing the Mantle recordings because we had accidentally dressed identically without communicating beforehand. Though we’re grateful for the love and friendship we receive from those around us, it does sometimes feel like we’re two of a kind — and the only two of that kind.
With that realization has come a tremendous degree of mutual respect. Since I was an infant, my father communicated with me the same way he communicated with adults. Our conversations covered subjects from psychology to philosophy, economics to history and much, much more. I learned plenty of new things in school, and then in college, and now in law school. But to this day, the largest single source of my knowledge is simply asking my dad questions and having him know the answers. As I’ve collected more knowledge, I’ve increasingly been able to inform my father in return.
After so many years of having these conversations, we decided that sharing them with an audience is a great way for us to grapple with intergenerational trends and differences, and show listeners what my dad is like in a more intimate setting.
We’re very grateful for this opportunity. We hope you enjoy!
Passing the Mantle premieres July 8. Take a listen to our first episode.
Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
