MacArthur fellow Josh ‘Don’t call me genius’ Kun digs beyond Hollywood to discover L.A.’s many cultures

By Patt Morrison

Sept. 28, 2016 5 AM PT

USC’s Josh Kun is one of five new Southern California winners of the MacArthur Foundation’s “genius grants.” His mother used to be a docent at the La Brea Tarpits, and in his research, Kun has taken up spelunking into the musical, political, literary and gustatory culture of L.A.

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Patt Morrison

Patt Morrison is a writer and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, where as a member of two reporting teams, she has a share of two Pulitzer Prizes. Her public broadcast programs have earned her six Emmys, her two non-fiction books were bestsellers and Pink’s, the Hollywood hot dog stand, named its veggie dog after her.