Tony Castro
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NYT bestselling author • American historian • Harvard Nieman Fellow • National Political Writer • LAMonthly.org
Articles by Tony Castro
MICKEY & BILLY | Kirkus Reviews
A blissfully vicarious, heartfelt glimpse into the life of a Manhattan burlesque dancer. A former New York City dancer reflects on her zesty heyday in the 1970s. Discovered on a Manhattan street in 2020 and introduced on Stanton’s Humans of New York Instagram page, Johnson, then 76, shares her dynamic history as a “fiercely independent” Black burlesque dancer who used the stage name Tanqueray and became a celebrated fixture in midtown adult theaters.
The Sad, Sudden Passing of Lucy’s El Adobe Café Heiress Patty Casado
Resurrecting Lucy’s El Adobe Café, a beloved Hollywood landmark facing a hopeful revival, restaurateur heiress Patricia Casado fought to restore her father Frank’s legacy. After years of decline, closure, and a bitter inheritance battle, she leaves a lasting memory of nostalgia and resilience to a part of L.A.’s cherished past.
Tony Castro's America
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POPE LEO: AMERICA'S NEW CONSCIENCE IN A WORLD UNMOORED
By TONY CASTRO IN A WORLD OF POLARIZATION, populism, and moral exhaustion, it feels almost miraculous that a moment of clarity — or perhaps divinely timed disruption — would come not from Capitol Hill, Wall Street, or Silicon Valley, but from the marble balconies of the Vatican. On Thursday, to the surprise of nearly everyone, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel announcing the election of a new Pope — and with it, a thunderclap of history. The man chosen is an American. The first.
A SHEPHERD FOR THE WORLD: REMEMBERING POPE FRANCIS
By TONY CASTRO ROME—The bells of St. Peter’s toll with solemn finality, and the cobblestone streets of the Eternal City feel heavier beneath my feet. I find myself back in Vatican Square, where not that long ago, I stood among thousands, watching Pope Francis extend his hands in blessing. It was a moment of rare connection—one man in white before an ocean of souls, each seeking something: hope, absolution, direction.
Demi Losing the Best Actress Oscar to Mikey Madison is Basically the Plot of ‘The Substance’
Disappointed that the 62-year-old Demi Moore lost the Oscar for Best Actress to a woman more than half her age? You’re not alone. In a Twitter post that has already been viewed more than five million times, a observed what should have been the obvious: “Demi Moore losing to Mikey Madison is basically the plot of ‘The Substance’! . In the summer of 1978, I found myself standing at the front door of an apartment on Kings Road in West Hollywood, feeling a little uneasy.
THE DREAM THAT BROKE MY HEART: MY BRIEF, BEAUTIFUL, AND UTTERLY ABSURD LOVE AFFAIR WITH MILEY CYRUS
By TONY CASTRO Look, I don’t usually remember my dreams. They slip away like a politician’s campaign promises—vague, unreliable, and impossible to fact-check. But last night? Last night, my subconscious handed me an Oscar-worthy epic, a fever dream so absurdly wonderful that even Christopher Nolan would have trouble making sense of it. It was a love story, a tragedy, a comedy—one part A Star Is Born, two parts Looney Tunes.
WHY DO ALL FRENCHMEN THINK THE'RE NAPOLEON BONAPARTE?
The Brits think they sound better than Americans, and the French believe none of their farts stink. But does the Academy of Motion Pictures and their Oscars have to go along with such nonsense? By TONY CASTRO I have been a professional journalist since the age of fourteen. I say that as if I were working in the oldest profession in the world. For me, it has been.
AMERICA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: THE REAL SILENT KILLER
By TONY CASTRO America’s healthcare system is going to be the death of all of us yet. Not immediately, mind you, but slowly, methodically, like a Bond villain with a five-act plan. It’s not a knife-wielding maniac in the alleyway; it’s the polite nurse practitioner who takes your blood pressure, frowns, and tells you to come back in six months.
IT’S A MIRACLE I’M A WRITER
By TONY CASTRO Friends often marvel that I’ve built a life with words. They shake their heads and say, “It’s a miracle you’re a writer.” Honestly, they’re not wrong. Growing up in 1950s Texas, when terms like “mentally retarded” were tossed around casually and public schools had catch-all “special education” classrooms where struggling kids were cast off until they turned sixteen and could legally quit school, my future as a writer—or anything at all—seemed improbable.
The Book of Marilyn by Tony Castro
The Book of Marilyn Details Adult; Mystery/Thriller; (Publish) HOLLYWOOD’S GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL • Late one fateful night in 1978, Los Angeles Pulitzer Prize prize-winning journalist Alex De La Cruz finds himself face-to-face with the story of a lifetime. Standing on his doorstep is Josie Clémenceau, a mysterious middle-aged woman whose timeless beauty evokes the golden age of Hollywood—but her eyes speak of shadows and secrets long buried.
APOCALYPSE LA: A CITY OF ANGELS & DREAMS GONE TO HELL
The city of dreams and make-believe faces a real life nightmarish devastation as the worst fire in its iconic history ravages the homes and communities of the famous and the obscure alike from Malibu and the Pacific Palisades to Hollywood and Pasadena. By TONY CASTRO The apocalypse didn’t arrive in Los Angeles with the bang of an earthquake or the roar of a tsunami—it came on the wings of fire, fanned by winds so ferocious they seemed sentient.
THE CUR$E OF THE CHILDI$H GAMBINO THAT WILL NOW HAUNT THE YANKEE$
By TONY CASTRO I am a lifelong New York Yankee fan, but I fear that I will never see the Yankees win a World Series in what’s left of my lifetime. I was assured of that the moment the Yankees lost slugger Juan Soto to the New York Mets. Call it the Curse of the Childish Bambino. The Boston Red Sox were haunted by the Curse of the Bambino after dealing away Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920.
MARCO RUBIO: THE REPUBLICAN SAVIOR OR TRUMP'S VENEER OF INCLUSIVITY?
Once hailed as the “Hispanic Obama,” Florida Senator Marco Rubio has been appointed by President-elect Trump to serve as Secretary of State, the most prestigious Cabinet position a Latino has ever held in American history and finds himself tasked with playing global chess under a man who prefers Twitter blitzes and swift power moves. By TONY CASTRO It’s been a long time since the cover of Time magazine asked if Marco Rubio was the “savior” of the Republican Party.
THE BETTER ANGELS OF TRUMP'S NATURE: A NEW ERA OR A WILDLY OPTIMISTIC MIRAGE
What if in Trump’s Inaugural Address, the world were to witness one of the most profound transformations in recent political history? Trump proving that even the most polarizing figures can surprise us—and that America, for all its skepticism, is still willing to give second chances. As he continues to redefine himself, maybe he’s rewriting the story of a nation’s second chance, too. By TONY CASTRO It was a frosty January 2025 morning in Washington, D.C., when the unthinkable happened.
HAMILTON & TRUMP: 'THE STORY OF AMERICA THEN, TOLD BY AMERICA NOW'
Many of Donald Trump’s supporters believe that his presidential election returns the nation to an America that’s recognizable to them, even if it exists mostly as an idea, one where their voices are no longer drowned out. By TONY CASTRO In 2015, Hamilton burst onto the Broadway stage, shaking up the American theater scene. Barack Obama was president, and with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop rendition of the Founding Fathers, it felt like America was taking a new, inclusive direction.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S BESTIE AND WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MAN
As Trump ushers him into diplomatic circles, Elon Musk’s power and reach will only grow. He isn’t restrained by political red tape or elections, and he isn’t bound to national allegiances. He’s a one-man state, where Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink are his embassies, his envoys to the world. By TONY CASTRO Elon Musk has always been the poster boy for ambition, audacity, and a hefty dose of chaos.
Tony Castro
As Trump ushers him into diplomatic circles, Elon Musk’s power and reach will only grow. He isn’t restrained by political red tape or elections, and he isn’t bound to national allegiances.... Jenner’s Republican-leaning views, combined with her public journey of gender transition, turn her into something of a walking Rorschach test, with each side projecting their views onto her life... “Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race.
IS CAITLYN JENNER POISED TO BE AMERICA'S FIRST TRANSGENDER?
Jenner’s Republican-leaning views, combined with her public journey of gender transition, turn her into something of a walking Rorschach test, with each side projecting their views onto her life story. In some ways, she may be one of the most “politically incorrect” transgender figures imaginable… By TONY CASTRO Could America’s “First Transgender” title go to Caitlyn Jenner, née Bruce, the former Olympic champion and Kardashian patriarch?
THE POLITICAL COMEBACK OF GIL CISNEROS
Unlike many career politicians, Cisneros didn’t need to claw his way back into politics for financial security or status. His lottery win had taken care of that. And while his early life and career might have pushed him in different directions, his motivation now was singular: he simply wanted to serve. By TONY CASTRO In the sprawling drama of American politics, few stories resonate quite like that of Gil Cisneros.
GAVIN NEWSOM AND THE ART OF BEING THE RIGHT KIND OF DEMOCRAT
The California Governor is the best kind of bridge between America’s ideals and its realities. Newsom possesses a mix of both likability and depth, speaking to voters across race, class, and geography in ways that often feel out of reach for the more symbolic candidates. By TONY CASTRO If ever there were a moment made for Governor Gavin Newsom, this is it.
DONALD TRUMP: GETTING THE LAST LAUGH AND THE PRESIDENCY
Why didn’t Kamala Harris and the Democrats just take the billion dollars they raised for her campaign and hand them over to Donald Trump to help him pay his legal debts and get on with the task of leading the country that his opponents apparently are too inept to understand and win over. By TONY CASTRO Somewhere in the confines of the White House, away from advisors, press, and dignitaries, President Joe Biden is likely stewing over the recent election results.
Joe DiMaggio, Baseball Turns Its Lonely Eyes to You
Baseball doesn’t need a halftime show. In fact, it doesn’t even have a halftime. And when you hear the national anthem, it’s supposed to be a clear transition from standing at attention to sitting back, relaxing, and letting the game happen. Ah, baseball—the so-called “national pastime” that once captured America’s heart as reliably as fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Aaron Judge: A Season of Success, a Fall Classic of Heartbreak
By TONY CASTRO Aaron Judge stands as a behemoth on the baseball diamond, a towering figure whose reputation as a power hitter commands respect from fans and foes alike. Yet, in this 2024 postseason—especially in the World Series—the Yankees star has endured a streak of disappointing performances that defy his usual talent. It’s a brutal twist for a player who has spent the past season etching his name into the annals of baseball history with Herculean efforts at the plate.
Yankee Fans, Only Thing More Dangerous Than Dodger Stadium Is Cedar Sinai Medical Center
The main attraction in the ER waiting room: a guy I’ll call Angry Dude whose vocabulary was impressive if you’re the sort of person who appreciates the many uses of the F-word. It was like a performance art piece titled “F— This Hospital, F— You, F— Everything.” Alright, folks. Let’s get real. If you’re part of the brigade of protesters shouting down Israel on college campuses, I’ve got news for you: America is not impressed.
Sometimes It’s Not the Saint Who Wins— It’s the Sinner Who Sins Just a Little Less
Let me tell you a little story about the miracle of scoundrels. No, I’m not talking about Lazarus rising from the dead, though Kevin de León’s political comeback might be the next best thing. Two weeks ago, you could find him lounging on the edge of political obscurity, one foot out the door, the other planted firmly in a scandal he couldn’t shake off. His opponent, Ysabel Jurado, was riding high on a wave of momentum, having trounced de León in the primary.
JD Vance: The Bipartisan Savior or Trump’s New Disguise?
Something truly miraculous happened during the vice-presidential debate. Was it the arrival of JD Vance, the common-sense, bipartisan-talking, largely agreeable candidate? Who is this man? And—more importantly—is he really running as Donald Trump’s vice president, or is he quietly crafting his 2028 campaign for president? Because, if you ask me, the way things are going, Trump might ride to victory in November on JD Vance’s coattails—and Vance is setting himself up to win again four years later.
RIP, Pete Rose: More Than Just the King of Hits
It’s hard to believe that Pete Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader, the man who turned more singles into doubles than most of us turn coffee into energy, has passed away at the age of 83 in Las Vegas. Pete wasn’t just a good friend of mine; he was also a good friend of my family’s, a fixture in our lives for years, and someone who turned even Little League into a serious affair. No, scratch that—especially Little League.
An Unmarked Grave: Burying All But the Memory of America’s Camelot
Perhaps it will take the death of the last baby boomer—gasping, clinging to an overstuffed armchair and a cherished first edition of Profiles in Courage—to finally bury the myth of Camelot, a myth that has hovered over America for decades like a stubborn, misty apparition. It wasn’t a real place, of course, but that never stopped anyone from trying to find it, or worse, trying to resurrect it.
Shohei Ohtani: The Best There Ever Was
I came to town to promote my books about a legendary baseball player, including one titled ‘The Best There Ever Was.’ I saw a ball game while here. And I wound up, leaving feeling like I had prematurely written that book or that I was meant to write volume two. It was the kind of day that legends are made of, though few of us ever believe we will live to see them. Yet here I was, bearing witness to a feat so unprecedented that even the great prophets of yore would struggle to foretell it.
J.D., You Were Always the Coolest Guy in Town
Over the years, I’d run into J.D. here and there—always at Lucy’s or some place like it. He never changed. The world around him would be swirling with fame and frenzy, but J.D. was always J.D., cool and collected, like a stone in a river that doesn’t get swept away. When I met J.D. Souther, I was fresh to Los Angeles, wide-eyed and ready to take on the world—or at least the corner of it that was the Los Angeles Herald Examiner.
Dinner With Donald & Hannibal: A Presidential Feast
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s not every day that you find yourself with a front-row seat to the strangest conversation since Socrates asked his disciples to pass the hemlock. But here we are, gathered in the dim light of an undisclosed underground bunker—no, it’s not Mar-a-Lago’s wine cellar, but close—where Donald J. Trump sits down for a private chat with none other than Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Yes, that Hannibal Lecter. You know, the one who has dinner with you, and then has you for dinner.
THE GREAT RAT & OPOSSUM HEIST OF CAMPAIGN 2024
I have always believed that nothing brings a neighborhood together quite like a good old-fashioned scandal. And in our cozy, diverse, and mostly serene Southern California community, we now find ourselves embroiled in one of the most scandalous tales since someone suggested avocado toast wasn’t that good. You see, things were peaceful—almost too peaceful—until the new neighbors moved in.
TONY CASTRO: A revived 'Kamalalot' in a coming post-JFK-like White House
If the stars align and Kamala Harris ascends to the highest office in the land, it won’t just be another presidency. No, my friends, brace yourselves for the dawn of a new era—a magical epoch that we might as well call “Kamalalot.” Think of it as Camelot 2.0, a revival of that glittering JFK presidency, only this time, it’s reshaped, rebranded, and revamped for the 21st century, all while giving a nod to the post-Obama political landscape.
Alatorre: ‘I Am Not The Apostle’ - A Retrospective
The Richard Alatorre I knew, the Richard Alatorre who said he had to change the world — and to a great degree, he did just that… that Richard Alatorre dramatically altered the political landscape for Latinos in California and ultimately became The Godfather of Latino Politics. By TONY CASTRO Let us now praise famous men — Richard Alatorre, politician extraordinaire, the Godfather of Chicano Politics in Los Angeles, and friend who died Tuesday morning. He was 81.
'People Used to Stare at Me Because I Was So Beautiful, and Now They Stare at Me Because...'
Roberta Dos Santos Busby, a Brazilian-born exotic dancer, gets too choked up with emotion and can’t finish the thought: That people now stare at her because of the extensive scar tissue from burns on her face, neck and arms. “My life,” Busby said, “will never be the same.” In an interview after a guilty verdict was read against the woman who doused Busby with gasoline and set her on fire, the single mother from Simi Valley talked about how her life was forever changed by the Feb. 5, 2009, attack.
My Old Man and Other Fighting Words
I HAVE BEEN A DEI writer all my life, I suppose, without ever knowing about it even when the invisible branding behind my back by some editors and insecure, fucked up colleagues was there for everyone else to see and laugh about. My response has always been the same: Screw you. I don’t give a shit what do you think. You will never convince me of that. I once saw my old man, a decorated World War II army veteran, beat the crap out of a Texas redneck on Austin Avenue in my hometown of Waco, Texas.
Trump's Midsummer Christmas Carole
The Surprising Agenda of the New President The Better Angels Initiative including a new reality TV show, “Angel Apprentice,” the Ask-Not Challenge includes a call for public service, encouraging citizens to volunteer in their communities, mentor youth, and support local businesses and much more… Who is this new Donald Trump? IT WAS A CHILLY January 2025 morning in Washington, D.C., when the unthinkable happened. As the crowd gathered for the second inauguration of Donald J.
George Clooney’s Exit Strategy: One Foot Out the Window
It’s a scene straight out of a Clooney heist movie, but instead of robbing a casino, he’s plotting an escape from the land of the free and the home of the increasingly conservative ahead of a second Trump presidency predicted by a CNN electoral vote analysis the first night of the GOP Convention.
If Marilyn Had Been A Ferrari...
From the debut of “Magnum PI” in 1980, Hollywood began an unrequited love affair with the Ferrari, objectifying, worshipping it and turning it into a glorified sex symbol much as it did Marilyn Monroe.
MAYBE THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN TAKING GERITOL
President Biden’s troubling condition reminds me of my grandmother’s own cognitive decline in which she didn’t make sense at times, called my dad and me by different names and, worse, had stopped seeing her regular doctor for a quack, who had put her on some new medication that turned out to be nothing more than Geritol. In the early 1950s, two traumatic but separate events happened in my family.
'PRESIDENT' KAMALA HARRIS... THE POSSIBILITY
If He Wins, Joe Biden Will Soon Turn 82 Not long after leaving office, the 38th president of the United States imagined a scenario in which a future president might tragically die in office, creating the opportunity for his vice president — possibly a woman — to make history. Almost a decade after he had left the White House, former President Gerald Ford was asked what advice he could give a young schoolgirl who already had designs on becoming the first woman president of United States.
Can Steve Garvey Win with the Jewish Vote?
He’s in Israel, Home of Faith&Miracles The former Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres baseball star has been in Israel as part of his uphill battle to become the first Republican to win statewide since 2006. But so long as he is still at the plate, don’t count him out. By TONY CASTRO Steve Garvey may not really know California’s political history and how it gives him little chance to upset the heavily favored Adam Schiff in their U.S. Senate race.
Political Pickup Lines & Romancing LA
Can It Be Nearly a Dozen Years Since Antonio Villaraigosa Was Mayor? The man who often gushed when recalling that London’s Guardian newspaper had called him the ‘Latino Tony Blair’ was like a windup toy never too shy to reel off an Oscar-like speech thanking all those who made him who he was. And the list was endless. If he had a failing, it may be that former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa needed to be loved by everyone. He wanted to be everything to everybody.
Xavier Becerra, California is Yours
Is the Sleeping Giant Latino Vote Finally Ready to Get Off Its Butt? The 2026 gubernatorial campaign is quickly shaping up with candidates like Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, State Senate leader Toni Atkins and others already running. So when will the present-day Last Great Latino Hope formally announce that he wants to be governor?
President Villaraigosa? Yes!
The Way It Might Have Been in the 2012 Presidential Election When GOP challenger Mitt Romney was about to derail Barack Obama’s reelection with running mate Marco Rubio, the president dumped Joe Biden in favor of his own Latino Veep candidate — and made history with an unexpected constitutional crisis.
Cesar Chavez in Excelsus
Remembering the Chicano Civil Rights Leader ‘I will forgive them, but I will also keep fighting them with non-violence, with justice and with human dignity — and you must do the same,’ said Chavez. ‘For the moment we stoop to their tactics, the moment we take the law into our own hands, that will be the moment that we become just like they are.
Why Is Joe Biden Losing the Once Faithful Latino Vote?
The most recent CNBC Survey found that in a head-to-head matchup, Trump had a 5-point lead with Latino voters against Biden. The number is remarkable because three months earlier, Biden held a 7-point lead over Trump among Latino voters in the same poll.
Ryan O’Neal, Who Became a Star With ‘Love Story,’ Dies at 82
He was a familiar face in movies and on TV before his breakout performance opposite Ali MacGraw in the 1970 blockbuster. But it was overshadowed by years of personal problems. Ryan O’Neal, the heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in “Love Story” and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in “Paper Moon,” died Friday, his son said.
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