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Park Advisory Board Discusses Safety Concerns, Improvements

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Palisades Recreation Center
Photo by Sarah Shmerling

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The Pacific Palisades Recreation Center Park Advisory Board met on Thursday evening, April 18, to discuss a number of items on its agenda, including updates on safety concerns, park improvements and pickleball.

PAB Board Member Maryam Zar spoke about ongoing safety concerns at the park, including fights, fireworks, riding of e-bikes and incidents of vandalism, which she cited have improved in recent weeks, but are still being closely monitored, with plans in the works to bring additional security measures to the rec center.

Zar, on behalf of the advisory board and as president of Pacific Palisades Community Council, has been working alongside city officials, including Recreation and Parks staff, to bring security cameras to and around Palisades Recreation Center.

The latest update the community relayed to Recreation and Parks is that it is not seeking the $1 million-plus in infrastructure updates it would take to power security cameras throughout the park, but instead requesting “hot-spot” coverage from cameras stationed on park buildings via existing infrastructure.

Later in the meeting, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and West Los Angeles Field Deputy for Council District 11 Michael Amster reported that Recreation and Parks was working on an estimate for cameras to be placed on the buildings.

Zar also said she is working with Recreation and Parks to get weekend foot patrol to help mitigate incidents, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. This cost would be around $4,000 per month.

Another avenue of support Zar spoke on is Council District 11, which can provide discretionary funds to Los Angeles Police Department to allow for additional patrols in the area. Zar said that LAPD has been at the park on weekend nights in recent months, with LAPD motor and Beach Detail being diverted to the area to assist.

PAB Board Member Bob Benton reported that parents that are part of Pacific Palisades Baseball Association’s Pony League—which meets later in the evenings—have expressed that incidents seem to be occurring less, with PAB President Andy Starrels agreeing, as he has received fewer emails from community members reporting incidents.

When it comes to two projects PAB has been working on getting at Palisades Recreation Center—an updated, ADA-compliant restroom and playground—Starrels reported that the city has crafted three concept drawings of an accessible playground that are being reviewed, two of which he said “look terrific.”

For the restroom, PAB Board Member Rick McGeagh reported the board asked for a line item budget for updated restrooms, which were previously reported to be estimated to cost $550,000. The request had not been answered at the time of the meeting.

“It’s important to note, plumbing is already there,” McGeagh said about the project, so even though the restrooms would need to be updated, the project would not be starting from scratch.

Amster reported that it has been approved with Recreation and Parks to move forward with the design/cost-estimate for the restrooms.

Starrels later introduced an agenda item regarding pickleball, with Palisadian Polly Badt providing updates on a proposed plan to bring the sport to tennis court #5.

The proposal draft, which was not ready for public consumption, has a set of rules and regulations laid out, which Badt said would be a work in progress, able to be amended as time goes on if issues arise.

The proposal, as is, stated that one court would be striped for both pickleball and tennis, offer more hours than are currently available for pickleball players at the tennis courts, and limit the number of participants on a court at any one time.

As written, the proposed plan would go into effect for a one-year pilot program to see if it is viable. Starrels encouraged Badt to continue working with Recreation and Parks officials for guidance and feedback before the plan is implemented.

The next regularly scheduled meetings of the Park Advisory Board are slated for Thursday, July 18, and Thursday, October 18.

Pali High Auction Gala Reaches Fundraising Goal

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Photos courtesy of Jamee Natella

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The Palisades Charter High School annual auction gala—themed “Pali Runway: Where Style Makes Waves” and hosted by the Pali High Booster Club—reached its fundraising goal to support the school.

“Although it was raining, that did not stop us from achieving well over our goal … to get a new projector in Mercer Hall, which was much needed,” event co-chair Jamee Natella said to the Palisadian-Post of the April 13 event, which, for the first time in its history, included a runway fashion show.

The event was co-chaired by Natella, Mariam Engel and Erika Feresten, with Kristina Burokas as the silent auction committee chair—“who input over 177 auction items manually by herself.”

Items that were part of the auction included a Four Seasons Maui Getaway, Czinger 21C Hypercar Tour and lunch with Jon Voight.

“[Our team] was jam-packed with powerhouse women who all came together in various departments,” Natella described. “We had Emma Ward, who created the choreography for the runway show, and Claudia Barroso, who took charge of the art and photography portion. Our fashion show committee consisted of Ricarda Lindes and Shanika Aarons.”

The host committee included Pauline Hamid, Talia Bolourian, Jeanne Ofek, Donna Clark, Blair Golden and Sepi Nazarian, who led the cleanup crew, with Asal Almay in charge of photography. A sponsorship committee was led by Zenobia Moore, Christine Syquia, Negin Koshki and Christina Lambert, who also served as raffle chair. Beth Greve assisted with marketing and signage.

The event took place at a private residence in Brentwood.

“We centered the auction around school spirit and had students involved throughout,” Natella explained. “We had the orchestra students play at the front of the house, and created our own runway in the back of the house where both students and faculty from Pali High participated.”

Pali merch—including new socks, pajama bottoms, sweatpants, hoodies and more—was redesigned by Bronwyn Major. Major also designed a website for the event, in partnership with GiveSmart.

In addition, art and photography students attended and showcased their work, headed by Pali High teacher Rick Steils, for the auction. There was also a coffee table book with their photography available for purchase.

“A special thank you to the Bolourian family, who opened their beautiful home and allowed us to make the auction the success that it was,” Natella said. “We had a massive team, which all led to the massive success of the Pali Auction Gala for 2024.”

Poetry Scholar, Longtime Palisadian Marjorie Perloff Dies

By
Lily Tinoco
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Marjorie Perloff
Photos courtesy of Nancy Perloff

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Longtime Palisadian and world-renowned poetry scholar Marjorie Perloff died on March 24 in her home in Pacific Palisades, her family shared with the Palisadian-Post.

“My grandmother seemed to have the life-force of 10 people in one,” her grandson, Benjamin Lempert, wrote in remembrance. “In conversation, she overflowed with exuberance, ideas, stories, opinions. It could be hard to get a word in, even when she was in her 90s. She related to the things she was thinking about with intuition and joy.”

Born Gabriele Schüller Mintz in Vienna, Austria, she fled when she was 6 years old—two days after Nazi Germany annexed Austria—on March 15, 1938. Marjorie and her family were exiled briefly in Switzerland, before moving to Riverdale in the Bronx and settling there. When she was 14, she changed her name to Marjorie.

Marjorie went on to attend Oberlin and Barnard colleges, and met Joseph Perloff in 1953—who she would later marry and have two children with, Nancy and Carey Perloff.

“As children, my sister Carey and I remember frequent, very festive dinner parties with elegant food and beautiful people,” Nancy said to the Post. “My mother received her Ph.D. in English from the Catholic University in 1965 and embarked upon a life-long career in teaching and scholarship.

“In her later years, she was an incredible mentor for me as I curated exhibitions on fields related to her line of research. She was a true critic, always honest in her appraisals of my work.”

Marjorie became a professor at Catholic University, where she taught from 1966 to 1971. Later, she taught at the University of Maryland and University of Southern California, and joined the Stanford faculty as a professor of English and comparative literature in 1986.

“No one who spent an hour in Marjorie’s company could ever forget her,” Robert Pogue Harrison, professor of French and Italian at Stanford, said in a statement. “In addition to being the best scholar of modern poetry of her generation, she was multilingual, immensely articulate, and a tour de force of wit and storytelling. She gave greatly more to Stanford than she took from it.”

Marjorie became widely recognized as a world-renowned scholar of poetry. She avidly attended concerts, lectures, symposia at the Villa Aurora and Thomas Mann House in the Palisades.

“She was moreover a great fan of Los Angeles—enjoying going to Disney Hall for the symphony—and was a proud proponent of the city to any and all critics,” Nancy said. “She was also the one who discovered their house on Amalfi, despite an initial concern on my father’s part that it was too far from his Adult Center for Congenital Heart Disease at UCLA.”

Nancy said her mother loved the Palisades, and all it has to offer.

“She loved the natural beauty, especially a view of the ocean through Will Rogers [State Historic] Park, which she could see from her balcony,” she said. “During the pandemic, she carefully observed a lone palm tree visible from her porch. She became so enamored and found it so comforting that she wrote about it in a short column for the Times Literary Supplement.

“Such a multi-talented person is sorely missed by her family and her network of several hundred friends,” Nancy said to the Post. “But her life will live on in her 16 books, hundreds of articles, and a passion for topics, ranging from Frank O’Hara to the TV series ‘Le Bureau.’”

Reuse What You Have: Save Money and Resources

By
the Palisadian-Post
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The Palisadian-Post has partnered with locally founded environmental organization Resilient Palisades to deliver a “green tip” to our readers in each newspaper. This edition’s tip was written by Lisa Kaas Boyle, an environmental attorney and member of the Zero Waste Team at Resilient Palisades.

As the recent run on Stanley Cups revealed, there is a market for “green” products. And buying reusable products, like food storage containers for take-out, is definitely better for the environment than single-use containers that go straight to landfill.

But most of us don’t need to invest in anything new in order to become part of the reuse movement. Here are some ways to reuse what we already have:

Drinking Containers: I use glass bottles with metal lids for to-go bottles. Because they are inert glass, I can fill them with tea or fruit flavored water, and there is no chemical leaching into my drink as with plastic bottles. The Italian tomato sauce and kombucha drinks I get have the perfect sized bottles for my hikes.

Photo by Lisa Kaas Boyle

Produce Bags: While many of us have a large collection of canvas bags for our shopping, we fall short on produce-sized bags. Cloth shoe bags are just the right size.

Clothing: Fashion has a very high environmental footprint. Most of us keep adding to our closet without spending enough time cleaning it out to find what is buried behind the latest purchases. One good method is to display only seasonal clothing and store the rest so we have space to see what we have to wear. Also, donate or sell what no longer inspires so that someone else can reuse these items. Finally, buying second-hand clothing is much easier on the planet and our pocketbooks. We have many excellent vintage and consigned designer clothes in this city. Think about price per wear. I have designer suits I bought second hand that will last forever, while fast fashion may fall apart quickly.

Do you have additional reuse strategies to share? Tag us on Facebook or Instagram: @resilentpalisades.

‘Jimmy Dunne Says’

By
the Palisadian-Post
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Photo courtesy Jimmy Dunne/Shutterstock

The Palisadian-Post presents an homage to Will Rogers’ column, “Will Rogers Says,” with a column by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne—on life in the “greatest town in America.”

Game Night

Here are a few questions to kick around.

I’m picturing you’re with three of your favorite couples—all cozy in your favorite restaurant.

Just poured a drink. This could be something fun to do.

Could be fun with your book club, your brothers or sisters—or your moms and dads.

——————-

Your First Pick

Let’s say you’re dead.

All the people you’ve loved the most in your life that have gone before you—they’re all in one big room.

All smiling across the room at you.

Who are you going to go up to and give a big hug to …

First?

——————-

The One-Yard Line

You’ve got one day to live.

You’re in your hospital room. It’s a lovely room.

You’d love to say goodbye to all the people you love the most.

Rats.

That witch in the hospital is only letting one come into your room that final day.

Who do you pick?

(P.S. If you’re doing this quiz with your wife, probably not a good idea to answer “my college girlfriend.”)

What if the hospital lets two people in? Who’s next in line?

How about if they let in three?

Four?

Five?

——————-

The Envelope

Lucky you.

You get to go back in time—and give the 10-year-old you an envelope.

In the envelope, you get to write three words.

That’s it.

Three words.

Any advice you want. Something you know now—that you want to tip off the 10-year-old you.

What would the three words be?

Maybe three words of advice on how to live life?

Three words about someone to stay clear of in the future? Somebody you dated that was a nightmare? A friend that you wish you had never met?

About a job—or a career move you made—to not repeat?

A bad habit not to do in your life?

Stock market tips? (Maybe three words like … Amazon. Apple. Microsoft.)

What three words would you leave in the envelope for the 10-year-old you?

Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com or jimmydunne.substack.com.

Your Two Cents’ Worth

By
the Palisadian-Post
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Coffee Response

Was just thinking the same thing the other day! Marquez needs coffee.

Coffee Response II

Marquez could use a bookstore too, like a record/music/bookstore.

Books

CVS has lots of great personnel and I like them. But today I went to pick up medication & next to the pick up line is a big display of Choice Books all about God mainly aimed at women & children. Included were pink shiny diaries etc about your daily activities with God. I’m offended. I don’t think I need religion to make my choice about my medication.

Pizza

With all due respect to the 5 you highlighted in your 90272 Magazine we’ve tried them all and the newest addition to our community, Jemma Pizzeria on Swarthmore, is the best!! It’s a shame Jemma couldn’t be ‘reviewed’ like the others. Perhaps a solitary article profiling the owner, Jackson Kalb, a born Palisadian, whom we met at the ribbon cutting, would be in order.

(Editor’s note: This piece was written and submitted before Jemma Pizzeria opened—the Post has published a couple of stories about Jackson Kalb and the restaurant, but stay tuned for more coverage.)

Left Turn Lanes

Left turn lanes are for left turns: Apparently, some drivers think the left turn lane is for gunning it to get ahead of people driving in the proper lanes used for going straight. A trend that seems to be growing in the Palisades, especially among younger drivers on Sunset.

Tree

How was this allowed? Someone hacked this tree when others have been respectfully trimmed. They just sawed large limbs when you need leaves for the tree to breath. So sad.

Signs

I would like to draw attention to the illegally placed political signs that have sprung up along Sunset Blvd. Section 5405.3 of the State Outdoor Advertising Act states that “signs must be placed not sooner than 90 days prior to the scheduled election and is removed within 10 days after that election.”

Got something to say? Call 310-454-1321 or email 2cents@palipost.com and get those kudos or concerns off your chest. Names will not be used.

Palisades Neighborhood News

By
the Palisadian-Post
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Teens Leading Change | Palisades Branch Library

Teens Leading Change—in conjunction with Palisades Branch Library Teen Council and Palisades Charter High School art and photography students—will present their work to the community during two events in May.

First, a kick-off celebration will take place on May 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Teen Area of Palisades Branch Library.

“Guests can view the finished native pollinator garden from the Teen Area,” according to an event description. “Art work and photography will be on display in the Teen Area and the Community Room.”

Then, on May 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Teen Area, there will be an Open House.

Refreshments by Sweet Laurel Bakery will be available both days in the Community Room, provided by Friends of the Palisades Library.

—SARAH SHMERLING

Annual Meeting and Marquez Legacy | Pierson Playhouse

Pacific Palisades Historical Society will host its annual meeting on Monday, May 6, beginning at 7 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse.

“The Annual Meeting will honor the Marquez family legacy and the treasured historian and Palisadian Ernest Marquez, [with] presentations by Randy Young and Sharon Kilbride,” read information provided ahead of the event. “Please join us for this special evening of remembrance and tribute.”

During the meeting, members will be asked to approve the slate of 2024-25 officers.

Attendance is free, but RSVPs are requested at pacificpalisadeshistory.org/events.

—SARAH SHMERLING

Walk & Picnic Lunch | Palisades Recreation Center

Pacific Palisades Democratic Club will host a Walk & Picnic Lunch at George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon on Sunday, April 28, beginning at 12 p.m.

The event was originally slated to take place on Saturday, March 23, but was postponed due to rain.

Attendees are invited to “walk through [the] beautiful new George Wolfberg Park in the Palisades,” followed by a “lunch and talk about the history of the park with a local expert and Wolfberg family member at Veterans Gardens.”

Tickets are $20 for PPDC members and $25 for non-members. To purchase tickets or learn more about the lunch options for the event, visit palidems.org.

—SARAH SHMERLING

Friends and Newcomers Supports SMC | The Village

The Pacific Palisades Friends and Newcomers Community Engagement Committee is seeking donations to support Santa Monica College’s Bodega Clothing Rack.

“Bodega Rack welcomes your donation of gently used clothes for students of all ages, [including] clothes for job interviews, to wear to class or to keep warm at night,” read a statement from the committee. “Please, only clothes that we can hang on a rack.”

BOCA, located at 970 Monument Street, is serving as a drop-off center. The store will give a 20% discount on one item for those who donate.

The committee met with Dr. Lizzy Moore—president of Santa Monica College Foundation—on April 10 to learn how the college’s Food Bodega and Bodega Clothing Rack “provide a holistic system, supporting each student, regardless of their means.”

“The committee built upon the event by bringing donations of their gently used clothing for SMC’s Bodega Clothing Rack,” the statement continued. “The response was overwhelming, with members doing their spring cleaning and bringing clothing donations that will fill the Bodega Rack for the next few months.”

—SARAH SHMERLING

The Doctor Is In

By
the Palisadian-Post
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Q:With summer approaching, we have booked our first international trip since before COVID began. What are some things I can do to make sure we stay healthy and well throughout the trip? Do I need compression socks for an 11-hour flight? Are there specific vitamins I can take before and during the trip to help avoid illness? I’m nervous because I am a rusty traveler!

International travel is one of my personal favorite things to do when I am not working. I love adventures, appreciating new cultures, trying new foods and creating those memories with my family that last a lifetime.

However, maintaining your health while exploring the world is paramount to ensuring an enjoyable journey. From managing jet lag to avoiding common travel-related illnesses, let me share a few essential tips so you can brush off those Covid cobwebs and start living again.

As early as possible before your trip, speak to your healthcare provider about any immunizations you may need depending on your itinerary and what are you are planning to do. Make sure to pack a “just-in-case” kit with over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, allergy medication, antacids and other digestive issues. Don’t forget the hand sanitizer, sunscreen and insect repellent as well.

Your doctor might also consider giving you a prescription for antibiotics depending on your destination, in case of respiratory illness or traveler’s diarrhea. Remember to keep your prescription and essential medications with you in your carry-on luggage given how frequently the airlines tend to “misplace” checked bags these days.

Staying well hydrated on the long plane ride, and avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine, can help ward off jet lag and make you feel more rested upon arrival at your destination.

Another trick to help with this is to gradually adjust your sleep schedule to match your destination’s time zone before you leave. If it is daytime when you arrive, get out in the sunlight and try to stay active until dark. Melatonin may also help with insomnia due to time zone shifts.

As far as needing compression stockings for the plane, they can help prevent blood clots on long flights, but may not be necessary depending on your medical history. It is always good to stretch your legs and walk up and down the aisle a few times to keep the blood circulating.

Practicing safe eating and drinking while still enjoying the local cuisine is an important rule of thumb. Stick to reputable restaurants, avoid consuming raw or undercooked foods, tap water, ice cubes, and unpasteurized dairy products. Of course, my advice varies based on whether you are dining in Denmark or in the alleys of Angola. Wherever you are, wash your hands frequently and carry hand sanitizer with you in case hot water and soap are not immediately available.

Since many destinations may have mosquito-borne diseases, protect yourself with insect repellent containing DEET, wear long-sleeve clothing, sleep under mosquito nets, and avoid the water around dawn and dusk. Malaria pills are essential depending on what part of the world you are going to.

Finally, make sure to pay attention to your mental health. Traveling can sometimes be mentally exhausting. Taking breaks to exercise or meditate, not running from one tourist trap to the other, and slowing down to appreciate the locals can make such a difference in your overall experience.

Hopefully this advice will help ensure a safe and satisfying journey.

The Return of ‘Survivor Palisades’

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Filming in the Palisades
Photos courtesy of Emmett Whitaker

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Several shows with a loyal viewership have had multi-year gaps between seasons.

Fans of Marquez Knolls resident Bill Hader’s “Barry” had to wait almost three years between season two, which ended May 19, 2019, and season three, which premiered April 24, 2022.

“Curb Your Enthusiasm”—created by and starring Palisadian Larry David—just concluded its 12-season run, which was spread out over nearly 25 years, with its biggest gaps between September 2011 and October 2017, then December 2017 until January 2020.

The wait was worth it for Alphabet Streets resident and Palisades Charter High School senior Emmett Whitaker, who, after a nearly four-year break, just released the fourth season of “Survivor Palisades.”

“‘Survivor Palisades’ is a backyard version of the television show ‘Survivor’ that I started at 11 years old, where I bring together various teenagers from across LA County to play the game of ‘Survivor’ in the urban jungle of LA,” Whitaker explained to the Palisadian-Post. “Seven years later and four seasons, I’m still producing my own version of the show I fell in love with at 11.”

The Post last featured Whitaker in 2020, alongside the launch of the third season of the show. Citing the COVID-19 pandemic and being busy with high school commitments, Whitaker said the fourth season was “a bit stalled,” but was released on April 5, following a live premiere with the cast on March 22.

“Viewers can definitely expect the highest level of gameplay we’ve seen thus far in ‘Survivor Palisades,’” Whitaker promised. “So many backstabs, blindsides and big moves. More than that though, we have an extremely personable, passionate cast that are both going to be entertaining to watch navigate through the game and root-able for as they fight to stay alive.”

Season four features “11 brand new castaways,” Whitaker said. They were divided into two tribes: David and Goliath, which was based on “how they believed others often perceived them.” Originally there was meant to be 12 contestants, but Whitaker explained that one got sick, so they had to proceed without her.

“The David tribe is composed of underdogs used to proving themselves and facing adversity in their day-to-day lives, while the Goliath tribe is made up of teens with high levels of success at a young age—competitive athletes at the top level, nationally recognized students, business-starting teenagers,” Whitaker explained.

Production days started filming around 7 a.m., wrapping at about 6 or 7 p.m. Filming for the season was meant to start in March 2020, but had to be delayed due to the pandemic.

“As a full-time high school student involved in a varsity sport, when I got back to in-person school, it became challenging to prioritize editing the fourth season on my own,” Whitaker explained. “So, I took some time off from my childhood project and came back to ‘Survivor’ after finishing college apps. I’m super glad I’ve gotten back into creating this series, as it has really been the passion project of my childhood.”

Whitaker said he felt it was “essential” to finish editing the fourth season, as the show “is really one of the most defining parts” of his childhood identity. As he finishes up high school, Whitaker shared plans of going into film production professionally, with hopes of one day becoming a writer/director.

“After finishing college applications, I knew I had to finish off my series right, to both the viewers, the cast and crew who participated, and to my 10-year-old self who fell in love with ‘Survivor’ and just wanted to create it,” he added.

A fifth and final season of the show is in the works, Whitaker said. It will feature the return of 14 All-Stars: “The best of the best to ever play, coming back for one final battle,” Whitaker said.

When it comes to his crew, Kira Prudente has been a member for seven years, while Brian Chanes, Stratton Chanes and Sammy White have been a part of it for six years.

“I really couldn’t thank anybody more than the Cudzil family, however, who, year after year, have lent me their house to be the set of ‘Survivor Palisades,’” Whitaker said. “From tribal council to challenges to camp life, everything happens there, and without Jerry, Lorie, Sean, Abigail and Emily Cudzil, I’m unsure if this series would even exist.”

Whitaker also said his family has been “unbelievably helpful throughout the series,” that them allowing him to pursue this interest “really speaks to how great they are.”

“Part of the reason why ‘Survivor Palisades’ functions is the family that’s been created around it, as, year after year, I’ve been lucky enough to have the same cast and crew members come back to assist and play in the game,” Whitaker said. “‘Survivor’ fans from all over Los Angeles County have come forth to help, and it’s created an atmosphere … passionate for elevating the show as much as possible.”

For more information, including a link to watch season four and the previous episodes, visit instagram.com/survivor_palisades.

Palisadian Conan O’Brien Globetrots for Latest Travel Show

By
Sarah Shmerling
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Photo courtesy of Max

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Palisadian Conan O’Brien has been globetrotting for his new show, “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” which premiered on April 18.

The MAX original series “follows Conan O’Brien as he visits new friends he made through his podcast, ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,’” according to a synopsis, “and engages in in-depth discussions with viewers from all around the nation and the globe.”

The podcast—co-hosted by Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley—was launched when O’Brien realized, after 25 years at the “Late Night” desk, the “only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him.”

“Over the years, and despite thousands of interviews, Conan has never made a real and lasting friendship with any of his celebrity guests,” according to the TEAMCOCO synopsis. “So, he started a podcast to do just that. Deeper, unboundedly playful and free from FCC regulations, ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend’ is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way.”

Recent episodes of the podcast include “Amish Brotherhood,” where O’Brien speaks with Danielle from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and “Rum and Cokes in the Bathroom,” with Brie in Utah about her post-Mormon experiences.

“Conan O’Brien Must Go” features the comedian surprising guests that were on his podcast—“while also taking in local culture, cuisine and sights.” The first episode was filmed in Norway. Other locations featured in a trailer for the show include Thailand, Ireland and Argentina.

“This is a travel show I’m doing,” O’Brien said in the trailer, “where I visit my fans from around the world.”

The show is a follow up to “Conan Without Borders,” which, hosted by O’Brien, aired on TBS as a series of specials of his talk show, “Conan.” There were 13 episodes, with the series ending due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and end of “Conan” after 11 seasons in 2021.

“There are funny people all over the globe and they all have their own rhythm,” O’Brien said during a conversation with Nick Kroll at SXSW, as reported by Variety. “Everyone in Ireland is a comedian … I love talking to people who don’t know who I am, don’t care. I’m a connection junkie, I like to connect with people. I think this show is my way to get my fix.”

The four-episode series “Conan O’Brien Must Go” became available in its entirety to watch on April 18.

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