In 1960s Los Angeles, after the catastrophic Watts riots, an outsized character emerged — one who found an unexpected way to unite people across race and class. Odds are you’ve never heard of him. From L.A. Times Studios, the team behind “Dirty John” and “Man in the Window,” comes “Larger Than Life,” a docu-series about Big Willie Robinson, a 6-foot-6, muscle-bound street racer who preached peace a quarter-mile at a time. Cops and criminals, movie stars and miscreants, even Crips and Bloods — out at the drag strip, Big Willie could get them all to see eye to eye, easing tensions and making L.A. a safer and more unified place. For a time, he was a celebrated figure in L.A. — but today his legend has faded. What caused him to fall into obscurity? Reported, written and hosted by Daniel Miller from the L.A. Times. Produced by L.A. Times Studios and Neon Hum Media.
17 Available Episodes (17 Total)Average duration: 00:17:01
Jan 28, 2025
Introducing: Crimes of the Times
00:01:00
L.A. Times reporter Christopher Goffard of “Dirty John” is back with another riveting podcast from L.A. Times Studios. In “Crimes of the Times,” Goffard goes deep behind the scenes of a new story each week, cutting through common myths and misconceptions to uncover what really happened in the most compelling cases from L.A. and beyond.
Jan 16, 2025
Introducing: Boiling Point
00:01:27
Climate change is battering California. Can the state find a way forward? Listen every Thursday as award-winning L.A. Times columnist Sammy Roth breaks down the many complexities of today's climate challenges and solutions with top experts in the field.
May 25, 2021
L.A. Times presents The Trials of Frank Carson
00:06:11
One lawyer saw a broken system. But the system saw a vigilante killer. From Christopher Goffard, the Los Angeles Times reporter and host behind the hit podcasts Dirty John and Detective Trapp, comes a new eight-episode true crime podcast, The Trials of Frank Carson. This story of power, politics and the law centers around Carson, the famously caustic defense attorney, who dedicated his life’s work to the very thing that has turned against him — the justice system.
Truth can be as strange as fiction. Such is the case with a top-secret program that brought Nazi scientists to America. From L.A. Times Studios comes "Paperclip: America's Nazi Scientists," a podcast paid for by Amazon Studios and inspired by its Emmy-eligible dramatic series “Hunters." Starring Al Pacino and Logan Lerman. Join host Michael Ian Black as he teams up with a Cold War scholar to explore the truth about Operation Paperclip.
This is a paid podcast funded Amazon Studios. The Los Angeles Times newsroom was not involved in the production of this podcast. The views expressed on this podcast are not necessarily the views of Amazon Studios or the Los Angeles Times.
Jan 29, 2020
Introducing WeCrashed
00:05:36
The Rise and Fall of WeWork is a stunning story of hope and hubris. WeWork was the poster child for a new economy. Its founders wanted to revolutionize everything about the way people lived their lives. Its charismatic founder Adam Neumann had an intoxicating vision for the company — but did it ever match the reality?
For decades, Bill Cosby brought warmth and laugher across the country, cementing his image as “America’s Dad.” But behind that disguise was the real Bill Cosby – the monster who preyed on women by promising them mentorship, only to then drug and violate them. Hosted by Nicki Egan, the lead investigative journalist on this case, the series features jurors, lawyers, and over a dozen survivors telling their story together for the first time. “Chasing Cosby” is the definitive take on the rise and fall of America’s Dad. Listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/qSv5GA6K.
Nov 19, 2019
Introducing Detective Trapp
00:08:32
Anaheim investigator Julissa Trapp is not like other detectives. She’s the only woman on the homicide squad, and a skilled chameleon: undercover cop in vice stings, crime-scene commander, patient confidante of killers. A master interrogator, she invokes her personal experience – and deepest griefs – as a tool to elicit confessions. When a young woman’s body is found at a trash-sorting plant, Trapp learns the murder may be linked to the disappearance of three other women in nearby Santa Ana. Trapp embarks on a dark journey that brings her face to face with a man who takes “a little piece of her soul.” Listen now at wondery.fm/largerthanlifeDT
Oct 08, 2019
Introducing American Elections: Wicked Game
00:06:50
American Elections: Wicked Game is a new podcast from the host of Wondery’s American History Tellers (Lindsay Graham) that will explore all 58 presidential elections, leading up to the big day in November 2020. From the inevitable election of George Washington in 1789, to Donald Trump’s surprise electoral victory in 2016, we’ll attempt to discover if there ever was a “good ol’ days,” or if presidential politics have always been played dirty. Listen now at: wondery.fm/AmericanElectionsW
Aug 30, 2019
Introducing Joe Exotic: Over My Dead Body Season 2
00:05:45
Joe Exotic is a man who loves his animals and the zoo he created for them. But Joe has a nemesis in the animal world named Carole. And as much as they both love to save animals, Joe and Carole are hell-bent on destroying each other.
Episode 7: Big Willie Robinson’s decision to make himself into a myth ends in tragedy. An effort to understand his legacy leads to a harrowing street race in Compton, and, ultimately, a question: What does it really mean to be larger than life?
Learn more about the story, sign up for new episode alerts and go behind the scenes atlatimes.com/LTL
Jan 28 | 00:01:00
Introducing: Crimes of the Times
Jan 16 | 00:01:27
Introducing: Boiling Point
May 25 | 00:06:11
L.A. Times presents The Trials of Frank Carson
May 26 | 00:08:34
Introducing Paperclip: America's Nazi Scientists
Jan 29 | 00:05:36
Introducing WeCrashed
Jan 14 | 00:08:14
L.A. Times Presents Chasing Cosby
Nov 19 | 00:08:32
Introducing Detective Trapp
Oct 08 | 00:06:50
Introducing American Elections: Wicked Game
Aug 30 | 00:05:45
Introducing Joe Exotic: Over My Dead Body Season 2
Aug 06 | 00:36:00
The Last Race | 7
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