What’s it like to be the voice that generations of Angelenos grew up with — even if they wouldn’t recognize your face?

Larry Mantle has hosted KPCC’s AirTalk for over 40 years, making him one of the most enduring and trusted voices in public radio. Over the decades, he’s interviewed politicians, filmmakers, athletes, scientists, authors — and more than a few unforgettable callers. In this episode, we’ll hear which moments stand out from thousands of conversations, and what’s stayed with him most after four decades behind the mic.

We also talk about the path not taken — including a brief stint as a news director that lasted just three weeks, and even an early brush with the priesthood. But more than anything, we get a sense of Larry himself: warm, thoughtful, curious, and still in love with the art of the interview.

We recorded this one in his natural habitat — the AirTalk studio. He sat where he always sits. I took the guest chair. We put on our headphones… and just like that, we were live.