Amanda Chicago Lewis

Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World's Most Infamous Sex Tape

Porn, guns, the mob and one very disgruntled electrician: how the superstar couple's most intimate moments went global

Whitewashing the Green Rush

How black people are being shut out of America's weed boom

Wax Is Weed’s Next Big Thing And No One Knows If It’s Safe

California dispensaries say butane hash oil, or “wax,” now accounts for 40% of sales — despite potential health risks and home lab explosions on the rise....

The Prisoners Fighting California's Wildfires

As climate change makes the role of inmate firefighters in California increasingly crucial, Americans are beginning to ask whether the type of low-level offenders...

The Dark Side of Medical Marijuana's Miracle Drug

Certain compounds in cannabis have serious medical potential for everyone from cancer patients to children suffering from seizures. But patients and parents have...

Weed Businesses Can’t Put Their Money In Banks, So They Put It In Bongs

Shut out of legitimate financial institutions, marijuana entrepreneurs are finding unusual ways to park their cash.

The Essence of the Japanese Mind: Haruki Murakami and the Nobel Prize

British oddsmakers Ladbrokes gave 64-year-old Japanese novelist...

Goodbye To Shakedown Street, The Grateful Dead’s Traveling Drug Bazaar

Grateful Dead concerts have long attracted a carnival of drug hustlers and self-reliant hippies to a parking lot bazaar known as Shakedown Street. But at the first...

Ministers in Maseratis: A New Reality Show About L.A. Preachers Living Large

Bishop Noel Jones doesn't consider himself a rich man.

Everyone Wants A Marijuana Breathalyzer But No One Knows If That’s Possible

Investors, state governments, employers — everyone wants a functional marijuana breathalyzer to test whether someone is high at a given moment. But that may not be possible.

The Complete Tinder Glossary

As a rule, I don’t download time-sucking games onto my phone. Tinder is the exception.

Chanel West Coast: The Other White Female Rapper

It’s a Tuesday afternoon in late June, and rapper/reality TV star Chanel West Coast is walking briskly through the Grove...

Apple And Instagram Crack Down On Weed Entrepreneurs

Big social media and tech companies are cracking down on illegal drug-related activity on their networks. Entrepreneurs seeking to take advantage of America’s...

When Pigeons Stand in Traffic Lights: An Ode to 'Her Birdjesty'

In a city where green means go, yellow means go faster and red means go left, few take the time to examine the traffic signals.

Linda Didn't Know Her Dad Was a Serial Rapist. Then She Discovered Joel Engel's New Book

When you investigate the life of a rapist based on a decades-old case file, you don't expect to be confronted...

Is 'Indie' the New 'Hipster'?

As a young L.A. high school teacher, I share a generational moment with my students but often view them as daft friends or little siblings...

When Your Favorite Marijuana Bar Has to Close

The rabbi used to come to the bar almost every day.

Market Research Mambo: Secrets of a Focus Group Aficionado

"If you're really strapped for cash, you can sell your blood plasma," Buster Ringling says.

Romany Malco Loses Himself in His YouTube Alter Ego

Romany Malco's publicist calls L.A. Weekly the day after our interview with her client to tell us that he may have, you know, stretched the truth a bit.

UCLA Professors Say eHarmony Is Unscientific and Its Customers Are 'Duped.' Here's Why.

"If you're gonna make scientific claims, act like a scientist. Or don't make scientific claims."

Weed on Wheels: Marijuana Delivered to Your Door in 40 Minutes or Less

Fueling your pot habit wasn't always easy...

How the Disappearance of a Gas Station's 'Magic Gas' Sign Pissed Off All of Echo Park

When Victor Abraham's friend Stan bought a troubled gas station...

The Man Devoting His Life to the Silver Lake Trader Joe's Parking Lot

Egee Mabolis considers managing the notoriously screwed-up parking lot at the Trader Joe's in Silver Lake to be his sacred duty.

Living on Mars Time: What If Your Day Lasted 24 Hours, 39 Minutes and 35 Seconds?

Kirsten Siebach didn't want to go to the party.

How to Become Famous for Smoking Weed and Being Hot

Madzilla is here to pick up her money.

Why Drive to Vegas? Mayra's Wedding Chapel Is Right Here in East Hollywood

Here comes the bride, all dressed in cream satin, with a sparkly brooch on her hip.