VERONA, Italy — In fair Verona, L.A., unofficially, takes the torch.
While the Olympic flag passed from Italy to France at Sunday’s closing ceremony, handing off the Winter Games from Milan-Cortina to the French Alps, the flame will burn next in L.A.
In just over two years, the United States will host the country’s first Summer Games since 1996, welcoming an Olympic movement that is surging in popularity but unsteady in a changing world, as the Games return to Los Angeles for the third time.
The Milan-Cortina Olympics are expected to rake in record TV numbers for NBC. They already produced the most-watched women’s hockey game on record when an average of 5.3 million viewers took in the United States’ thrilling overtime win over Canada. The rivalry game contributed to the largest weekday audience for a Winter Games since 2014 with an average of 26.7 million viewers who also watched U.S. star Alysa Liu win the country’s first Olympic gold medal for women’s singles figure skating in 24 years.
The smiling 20-year-old with horizontal stripes in her hair became a sensation in Milan just as 41-year-old mother of two Elana Meyers Taylor did in Cortina d’Ampezzo after the five-time Olympian won her first gold medal in bobsled, jumping into the arms of her nanny and, through tears, signing to her deaf children, “Mommy won.”
No matter protests, politics or planning hurdles, the Olympics sought to remain a stage for those athletes to shine.
“You showed us what excellence, respect and friendship look like in a world that sometimes forgets these values,” International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said to the Olympians in her speech while standing on a platform in the stands placed in front of the Italian delegation. “You showed us that the Olympic Games are a place for everyone. A place where sport brings us together.”
After record numbers from the 2024 Paris Summer Games, the Milan-Cortina Games sold 1.3 million tickets, which, accounting for 80% of the expected tickets, was “beyond our expectations,” Milano Cortina 2026 chief executive officer Andrea Varnier said at a news conference. Of the 63% of international fans who attended the Games, the United States, at 14%, bought the second-most tickets.
Fans filled arenas that were finished just in time in Milan. They withstood snowstorms in Livigno, cheered the debut of ski mountaineering in Bormio and held their breath while multiple skiers got airlifted off the downhill course in Cortina.
The most widespread Games in history created distinct pockets of Olympic spirit separated by hours on trains and miles of winding mountain roads. The Olympics that preached harmony finally united in a single city known for love, beauty and grudges. The Milan-Cortina Games represented seemingly every Shakespearean theme.
Athletes got engaged. Sponsors organized hair and makeup sessions in the Olympic villages, which went through an average of 365 kilograms of pasta and 10,000 eggs a day. A cheating scandal rocked curling.
The closing ceremony set at the Roman amphitheater at the heart of the city that inspired “Romeo and Juliet” celebrated the Games as “beauty in action.” But beneath the glittering gold medals, there was pain.
Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a horrific crash and has already undergone four surgeries on her broken leg. Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified when he refused to compete without his helmet honoring Ukrainian athletes who’ve been killed in the war with Russia.
Artists perform during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Verona, Italy.
(Bernat Armangue / Associated Press)
Already holding the weight of their personal dreams, U.S. athletes faced additional pressure answering questions about the country’s political landscape. After freestyle skier Hunter Hess he said he had “mixed emotions” representing the United States at the Olympics, President Trump called the 27-year-old “a real loser” on social media.
Two weeks later, Hess held his thumb and forefinger in the shape of an “L” to his forehead after his first qualifying run.
Athletes pleaded for assistance navigating an onslaught of social media threats as the Olympic spotlight grows with every Games. Coventry said at a news conference last week that the IOC has a safeguarding unit that monitors the organization’s social media platforms for hateful messages. More than 10,000 such comments were taken down during the Paris Games, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said. The number for the Milan-Cortina Games hadn’t been finalized.
With the largest delegation of any country at the Games, the United States won the second-most medals with 33, including 12 golds, the most Olympic titles for the country at any single Winter Games. The total gold medals surpassed the 10 won in Salt Lake City in 2002, the last time the United States hosted an Olympic Games.
After more than two decades away, the Games will return to the United States twice in the next eight years. L.A. will host the 2028 Games and Utah will have the 2034 Winter Games.
Approaching the final stretch of an 11-year planning period, the L.A. Games confronted another challenge this month when a growing number of local politicians called for LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman’s resignation after racy emails he exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell were revealed in the Epstein files. After initial hesitation, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and other leaders joined the chorus calling for Wasserman’s dismissal.
But LA28 doubled down on his role. The executive committee of the LA28 board stood by Wasserman after a review from an outside legal firm found that the Hollywood mogul’s relationship with Maxwell “did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented.”
As with his 2026 organizing committee counterpart Giovanni Malago, Wasserman would be expected to deliver speeches in 2028.
Embattled Hollywood mogul Casey Wasserman, who is facing mounting pressure to resign from his position at the helm of the 2028 L.A. Olympics, also holds another important cultural appointment on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s board of trustees.
Wasserman, 51, joined LACMA’s board in 2004 when he was 30, two years after he founded his eponymous talent and marketing agency. Just last week, Wasserman announced he would sell his agency after racy emails between himself and convicted sex trafficker and Jeffrey Epstein associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, emerged at part of the Justice Department’s latest release of millions of documents related to the Epstein files.
Wasserman, the grandson of legendary studio exec Lew Wasserman, arrived at LACMA as part of a wave of relatively young additions to a notoriously older board. His addition also heralded the dawning of an era in which LACMA actively sought to strengthen its connections with the entertainment world. In 2011, LACMA launched its glitzy Art + Film Gala, an annual party co-chaired by Leonardo DiCaprio that serves as a melting pot for A-list celebrities and art world stars.
“There was an understanding — the message was there needed to be a change in the board,” museum director Michael Govan told The Times in a 2015 interview. “The board was in extreme need of refreshment.”
Now that Wasserman’s leadership in other roles is being questioned , will his relationship with LACMA follow? LACMA did not respond to a request for comment. Although the board generally meets a few times a year, it may not be an issue that has come to the fore as of yet.
Thus far, LA28 has stood by Wasserman, noting in a recent statement that his emails with Maxwell were sent years “before Mr. Wasserman or the public knew of Epstein and Maxwell’s deplorable crimes … This was his single interaction with Epstein.”
“The Executive Committee of the Board has determined that based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” LA28 wrote.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a recent CNN interview that she believed Wasserman should step down, and that it is “unfortunate” that Olympic organizers remained in support of him.
In a memo to staff at his talent agency, Wasserman wrote that he was “heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.”
I’m arts editor Jessica Gelt with this week’s arts and culture news.
You’re reading Essential Arts
The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
The cast of “Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale.”
(South Coast Repertory)
Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale The classic fairy tale moves to the basketball court in this hip-hop fueled musical adaptation for young audiences with a book and lyrics by Karen Zacarías and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. Directed by Sara Guerrero. Through March 8. South Coast Repertory, Julianne Argyros Stage, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scr.org
Dear Little Friend: Impressions of Galka Scheyer The exhibition from the German-born art dealer’s collection includes portraits and ephemera, featuring such artists as Maynard Dixon, Peter Krasnow, Beatrice Wood and Edward Weston, as well as gifts from the Blue Four artsist, whose work Scheyer championed: Alexei Jawlensky, Lyonel Feininger, Paul Klee and Vassily Kandinsky. Thursday-Monday, through July 20. Norton Simon Museum, 411 West Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. nortonsimon.org
The Industry LAB 2026 The innovative opera company partners with REDCAT for this series featuring new works: a shared program of Guillermo E. Brown’s “The Instrument, Romance, Bee Boy” and Carmina Escobar’s “Our Voice Is Not at the End of Anything” (8 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday); and Matana Roberts’ “spiral resonance: a study in the abstract,” an immersive sound and moving image installation exhibition (noon-6 p.m., daily through March 1) with solo activation performances in the space by Patrick Shiroishi (8 p.m. Tuesday); Ryan Sawyer (8 p.m. Wednesday); Roberts (8 p.m. Feb. 27); Kyp Malone (8 p.m. Feb. 28); and Judith Berkson (3 p.m. March 1). Through March 1, 2026 REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
Wallace Berman/Bruce Conner A pair of solo exhibitions highlighting extraordinary mark-making: “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” salutes the centennial of post-war counter-culture artist Berman with a rare showing of his large-scale photographic collages; “Inkblots and Felt Tip Drawings” focuses on an often overlooked aspect of multimedia artist Conner’s work. A selection of Conner’s experimental films are being exhibited at Marciano Art Foundation (see below). Tuesday-Saturday, through April 25. Michael Kohn Gallery, 1227 North Highland Ave. kohngallery.com
Missa Solemnis Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic are joined by more than 100 voices from the Cor de Cambra of the Palau de la Música Catalana and Orfeó Català of Barcelona for this Beethoven mass that is rarely performed due to its ambitious scale. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Jon Serl: As One, As Many Starting in vaudeville before moving to California and working as a Hollywood voice actor and gardener, Serl became a painter following World War II with a long, expressive career illustrated in this retrospective. Fittingly, the artist had his first museum exhibition in 1981 at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (now UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art). Through June 7. UC Irvine Langson/Orange County Museum of Art, 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. ocma.art
Marco Perego “The Being” is a solo exhibition featuring video, installations and drawings by Italian-born artist. Through April. Jeffrey Deitch, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. deitch.com
Christina Kirk and Norbert Leo Butz, seated, with the cast of “The Recipe.”
(Rich Soublet II/La Jolla Playhouse)
The Recipe Christina Kirk and Norbert Leo Butz star as Julia and Paul Child in the world premiere of Claudia Shear’s play about the world-famous chef. Directed by Lisa Petersen. Through March 22. La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr. lajollaplayhouse.org
Puppet Up! – Uncensored Created by Brian Henson and directed by Patrick Bristow, this irreverent, ever-changing show features the Miskreant puppets plus classic Jim Henson sketches unseen by live audiences for decades. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday; 7 p.m. Feb. 27-28; 5 p.m. March 1. The Montalbán, 1615 Vine St., Hollywood. puppetup.com
SATURDAY Kyreeana Breelin Alexander The interdisciplinary artist performs “We Cool,” a solo autobiographical coming-of-age story fueled by rhythm and movement. 8 p.m. UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd. cap.ucla.edu
Judith F. Baca With “The Great Wall Of Los Angeles: The 1970’s — A Decade Of Defiance And Dreams,” the artist’s organization SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) exhibits the latest complete segment in the monumental work’s expansion. Opening reception, 6-8 p.m.; through April 4. Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Dr. deitch.com
Bruce Conner, “Crossroads,” 1976. 35mm, black/white, sound, 37 min. Digitally Restored, 2013.
(The Conner Family Trust/Michael Kohn Gallery)
Bruce Conner “Recording Angel” brings together seven of the artist’s experimental films, composed of found, scavenged and original footage, and re-cut using his influential rapid-fire editing techniques. Through July 18. Marciano Art Foundation, 4357 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. marcianoartfoundation.org
Patti LuPone The Broadway star marks the 25th anniversary of her concert “Matters of the Heart,” which ran on Broadway and London’s West End and toured the globe. 7:30 p.m. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laopera.org
John Snow The bassist and his band explore “The Poetry in Music” through works by John Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Langston Hughes, Hoagy Carmichael, Bob Dylan and others. 8 p.m. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
Tap Fest: Listen to This! Dancers Derick Grant, Sam Weber and Josette Wiggan join the Colburn’s tap faculty and students for a program exploring the concept of the Tap Artist as both a dancer and musician. 7 p.m. Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
SUNDAY Zhanna Kadyrova A collaboration with Kyiv to LA, an ongoing project supporting Ukrainian artists through a Los Angeles-based residency, and the Thomas Mann House, the solo exhibition “Sliced Realities” explores the artist’s anti-war practice and coincides with the four-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sunday-Feb. 28. Thomas Mann House (1550 N San Remo Drive, Pacific Palisades. vatmh.org
Museums Free-For-All An Southland tradition in which Southern California arts and cultural institutions open their doors for free general admission. Participants include the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Autry Museum of the American West, The Broad, California African American Museum, the Getty Center and the Getty Villa, UCLA Hammer Museum, LACMA, MOCA, Skirball Cultural Center and many, many more. At some locations, tickets are limited and reservations may be required. All-day Sunday. See complete list of participating institutions at socalmuseums.net/free
Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel Colburn Conservatory of Music welcomes the Belgian conservatory and its master-in-residence, cellist Gary Hoffman, for a joint performance of Fauré’s “Piano Quintet No. 1” and Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time.” 3 p.m. Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
Sueño Perro This film Installation by Alejandro G. Iñárritu both marks the 25th anniversary of his debut “Amores Perros” and serves as a “resurrection” using projections of never-before-seen fragments from that film’s production. Through July 26. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, BCAM, Level 1, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
We Hold These Truths: A Celebration of Black History Month Over 100 Years The contributions of Black Americans to the cause of democracy over the years are recognized in this collaboration of performers from across artistic mediums. Featured artists include actor Phil Morris, composer Tamar-kali, dancer Ishaun Jackson-Moaney, the West Angeles COGIC Victory Dance Company, opera baritone Derrick Lawrence and promising talent out of the USC Thornton School of Music, opera mezzo-soprano and producer Raehann Bryce-Davis, poet Alyesha Wise and arts scholar and activist Derrell Acon. 3 p.m. Nocturne Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale. eventbrite.com
TUESDAY Flashback Fun Six Disney classics return to the big screen: “Muppet Treasure Island” (Tuesday); “The Aristocats” (Wednesday); “Dumbo” (Thursday); “The Rescuers” (Feb. 27); “Bolt” (Feb. 28); and “Oliver and Company” (March 1). The El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd. elcapitantheatre.com
Filmmaker Jafar Panahi at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.
(Kate Dockeray/For The Times)
It Was Just an Accident: Live Read Film Independent presents writer-director Jafar Panahi’s “incisive drama,” winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2025 and nominated for international feature film and original screenplay at this year‘s Academy Awards, to the Wallis stage read by a new cast. 7:30 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Haegue Yang “Star-Crossed Rendezvous” pairs two of the Korean-born, Berlin-based artist’s large-scale installations employing utilitarian objects. The first, “Sol LeWitt Upside Down — K123456, Expanded 1078 Times, Doubled and Mirrored” (2015) is a monochromatic installation inspired by the cube structures of the American conceptual artist. Across the gallery, “Star-Crossed Rendezvous after Yun” (2024) is an homage to composer and political dissident Isang Yun (1917–95). Synchronized to Yun’s “Double Concerto” (1977), an array of moving lights animate vibrant geometric structures to create an ever-changing, multisensory experience. The L.A. Philharmonic will perform Yun’s piece on March 10 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a pre-concert viewing of the installation at MOCA Grand. Through Aug 2. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. moca.org
WEDNESDAY L.A. Art Week It happens every February. Thousands of artists, collectors, curators and gallerists descend on the city, swelling an already vibrant local scene with a global reach into a week of discovery, creative adventure and fashion flamboyance. The Big Kahuna, of course, is Frieze Los Angeles (Thursday-March 1. frieze.com), a fair with a primarily contemporary focus, approximately 100 galleries, installations and pop-ups restaurants from around L.A.; Butter Fine Art Fair (Thursday-March 1. Hollywood Park, 1237 District Drive, Inglewood. butterartfair.com) features artists representing the African diaspora; Enzo (Wednesday-Saturday. 1634 W. Temple St. enzolosangeles.com) presents nine New York City galleries in an Echo Park warehouse; Felix Art Fair (Wednesday-March 1. Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Blvd. felixfair.com) showcases exhibitors from around the world in a classic Hollywood setting; the cheekily-named The Other Art Fair Los Angeles (Thursday-March 1. 3Labs, 8461 Warner Dr., Culver City. theotherartfair.com) promises “the bizarre, unexpected, and never normal” with work from 160 independent artists; Post-Fair (Thursday-Feb. 28. 1248 5th St., Santa Monica. post-fair.com) is a dealer-led event in a historic Santa Monica Post Office building; and Start Up Art Fair (Friday-March 1. The Kinney Venice Beach, 737 Washington Blvd. startup-art.com) brings together 150 independent artists, collectors, curators and art professionals. It’s mostly next weekend but we wanted to give you a heads-up. Be sure to watch for Times reporter Malia Mendez’s upcoming preview. Happy art hunting and people watching.
THURSDAY Beethoven and Ortiz with Dudamel Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil are joined by Grupo Corpa and the L.A. Master Chorale for this charged program pairing Beethoven’s “Seventh Symphony” with Gabriela Ortiz’s ballet “Revolución diamantina (Glitter Revolution).” 8 p.m. Thursday and Feb. 27; 2 p.m. Feb. 28-March 1. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Norbert Leo Butz The Broadway star and two-time Tony Award winner (currently performing in “The Recipe” at La Jolla Playhouse, above) will perform excerpts from his signature roles, original compositions from his four solo records and covers from Tom Waits, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen. 7 p.m. Thursday-Feb. 28. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 300 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
Arts anywhere
Something to read, something to hear and something to watch wherever you are.
The Art Book: Mini Format
(Phaidon Press)
The Art Book What’s it like to hold art history in the palm of your hand? Find out with the new Mini edition of this beloved text celebrated for bringing art appreciation to the masses. First introduced in 1994, the updated edition of this A-Z survey features more than 600 artists from medieval times to the present. It’s far from stuffy, including overlooked and contemporary figures including Berenice Abbott, Romare Bearden, Guerrilla Girls and more; plus Takashi Murakami and Wolfgang Tillmans, who The Times happened to interview recently and have L.A. shows (see below). Phaidon Press: 592 pp., $20. phaidon.com
Yunchan Lim
(IMG Artists)
Goldberg Variations Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 2025 Recorded fewer than 30 blocks form where Glenn Gould laid down his own landmark recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, pianist Yunchan Lim’s new album has been topping the classical charts since its release earlier this month. If you missed his performance of the Variations at Disney Hall last October (or if even if you didn’t), this is a must listen. Decca Records: $8-38. Available on vinyl, CD and digital download. deccarecordsus.com
An image from Frederick Wiseman’s ‘Titicut Follies.’
(courtesy of Zipporah Films)
Frederick Wiseman The filmmaker, who died Monday at 96, was a master storyteller and craftsman who mainly inhabited the nonfiction realm of the documentary. His perceptive explorations of public and cultural institutions was unparalleled and he was honored with an honorary Academy Award in 2016. If you would like to revisit Wiseman’s work or want an exhaustive introduction, check out the Frederick Wiseman Essential Films Collection at kanopy.com. Virtually every film he ever made is available and all you need is a public library card (an apt requirement!). His final film, “Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros” from 2023, can be viewed via the PBS Passport membership portal.
— Kevin Crust
Culture news and the SoCal scene
A detail of miniature “sportraits” during a preview of award-winning animator and visual-effects artist Lyndon J. Barrois’ exhibit, “Futbol Is Life” at LACMA.
Jefferson Mays in “Amadeus” at Pasadena Playhouse.
(Jeff Lorch)
A new take on Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus” premiered at Pasadena Playhouse last week, and it may be the Tony Award-winning regional theater’s most lavish production to date. I got a behind-the-scenes tour of the theater’s amazing on-site scene shop to write about what it took to put the set, lighting and costumes together; and Times theater critic Charles McNulty attended opening night. Director Darko Tresnjak, writes McNulty in his review, “treats the play as though it were a tragedy wearing the mask of comedy. He doesn’t resist the melodrama that’s inherent in the material, but he refuses to overindulge it. This production hasn’t convinced me that ‘Amadeus’ is a world classic… But I doubt I’ll have the opportunity to see a better revival in my lifetime.”
McNulty also caught a performance of “Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia,” Beth Hyland‘s new play that recently had its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse, and explores the lives of married writers living in the Boston apartment once occupied by the poet Sylvia Plath and her husband Ted Hughes. “World premieres are risky, and the writing for this one hasn’t yet settled. The play’s split focus, moving between 1958 and the present, is a sign of conceptual ambition. But Hyland struggles to find the pacing and rhythm of her complicated vision,” McNulty writes.
Meanwhile, “Here Lies Love,” David Byrne’s disco musical about the Ferdinand Marcos regime arrived at the Mark Taper Forum in a show directed by Center Theatre Group’s artistic director Snehal Desai. The Times’ Malia Mendez sat down with members of the all-Filipino cast to discuss the ways the show’s exploration of the perils of authoritarianism dovetail with the modern political moment.
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami sits in front of his painting at Perrotin Gallery on Feb. 13, 2026 in Mid City in Los Angeles, Calif.
(Ariana Drehsler/For The Times)
I had the opportunity for a one-on-one chat with artist Takashi Murakami about his solo show at Perrotin, Los Angeles, which features 24 new canvases that explore the connection between the ancient Japanese art of ukiyo-e and Impressionism. A trip to Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France, cemented Murakami’s idea for the paintings.
Contributor Steve Appleford wrote a thoughtful profile on German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, who is currently staging his ninth Los Angeles exhibition at Regen Projects. “In 2000 Tillmans became the first photographer and first non-British artist to win the prestigious Turner Award. Tate Britain staged his mid-career retrospective in 2003 and the Hammer Museum in Westwood mounted his first major U.S. retrospective that same year, which traveled to Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.,” Appleford writes.
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A sketch from architect Paul R. Williams’ archive at The Getty Center.
(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)
Paul Williams, the first Black architect licensed west of the Mississippi, is the focus of a series of upcoming shows to be staged from August through July 2027 at the Getty, LACMA and USC Fisher Museum of Art. Throughout the course of his six-decade career Williams designed more than 3,000 projects, including for clients such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and the Beverly Hills Hotel. The exhibitions will feature architectural drawings, photographs, plans and memorabilia, some of which have never been on view to the public before.
Los Angeles Master Chorale announced Artistic Director Grant Gershon’s 25th anniversary season featuring work by Brahms, Bruckner, Arvo Pärt, Bach, Morten Lauridsen and Orlando di Lasso. Guest artists will include the National Chorus of Korea, composer Eric Whitacre, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, Baroque ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée and theater director Peter Sellars. Subscriptions are available now, and single tickets will go on sale June 1.
The nonprofit arts organization, Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), announced the four artists chosen to receive its 2026 Mohn LAND Grants. They are Shana Hoehn, Angela Anh Nguyen, Harrison Kinnane Smith and Adam Thompson. Winners receive a $5,000 award as well as $5,000 in production funds to use towards a new work commission.
Pressure continues to mount for Casey Wasserman to resign as head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee following the release of a salacious email exchange he had with Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Wasserman is hardly the highest-profile name mentioned in more than 3.5 million pages of documents released Jan. 30 by the Department of Justice in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Nor is he the most frequently mentioned. President Trump outranks him in both categories. And there’s far more egregious behavior by other men alleged in the files (Bill Gates comes to mind).
But Wasserman is the rare case of a wealthy, renown American elite whose empire is crumbling under calls for accountability from the public, local lawmakers and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Bass this week urged Wasserman to resign as head of the committee overseeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games because of his ties to Maxwell. “I cannot fire him,” Bass told CNN’s Dana Bash. “My opinion is that he should step down. That’s not the opinion of the board.”
The LA28 Olympics board of directors has stood by Wasserman, stating they reviewed the documents and support him remaining as chair.
There is no suggestion in the files of criminal wrongdoing by Wasserman, but he did show criminally bad judgment in flirting with Maxwell, who was renowned (along with Epstein) for connecting older men with young women and teens. She was found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offenses in connection with Epstein, and in 2022, she was sentenced to 20 years. Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019 but was found dead in his cell before his trial.
In a 2003 email exchange between Wasserman and Maxwell, he asked, “What do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?” Then in a separate message, he asked, “Where are you, I miss you. I will be in nyc for 4 days starting april 22…can we book that massage now?”
Maxwell wrote back, “All that rubbing — are you sure you can take it?”
Stop reading here if you’re on the verge of vomiting.
Otherwise, continue: “There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practise them on you.” Maxwell also mentioned being in Brazil, and when she asked Wasserman if he had ever been, he responded, “Never … take me!”
Revolting? Yes, but not quite as damning as other exchanges in the files between Epstein and men more powerful than Wasserman.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk repeatedly sought invitations to Epstein’s private island in 2012 and 2013, four to five years after the disgraced financier was convicted by a Florida state court of soliciting a prostitute and procuring a child for prostitution. Epstein served 13 months. His criminal past, however, didn’t seem to bother Musk, who wrote to Epstein in 2012, “Do you have any parties planned? I’ve been working to the edge of sanity this year and so, once my kids head home after Christmas, I really want to hit the party scene in St Barts or elsewhere and let loose. The invitation is much appreciated, but a peaceful island experience is the opposite of what I’m looking for.”
Epstein responded, “Understood, I will see you on st Barth, the ratio on my island might make Talilah [Musk’s then-wife] uncomfortable.”
“Ratio is not a problem for Talulah,” Musk replied.
If only he’d caught half the heat as Wasserman, he might have retreated long enough to spare us from his juvenile X posts or his next monstrosity of a car design. (Let’s face it. The Tesla Cybertruck looks like a giant toenail clipper.)
Yet the American billionaires and influential cabal of men revealed to have had unsavory, immoral or potentially illegal dealings with Epstein and Maxwell have faced little to no consequences for their actions, unlike prominent figures in the U.K. and Europe who have suffered serious blowback.
Former Prince Andrew was stripped of his title and is now simply Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Booted out of his royal Windsor lodgings, was slumming it on the king’s private estate in Norfolk. He was arrested by British police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links with Epstein.
Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the U.S., was fired over his relationship with Epstein. And Norway’s former prime minister, Thorbjørn Jagland, now faces charges over his connections with Epstein.
Here in the United States? By the power of redaction or redemption, Trump still holds office, as does U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the highest-ranking official other than the president to be prominently named in the Epstein files. Lutnick was grilled last week in a Senate hearing about his ties to the late financier and the fact that he visited Epstein’s island in 2012 with his family, despite previously claiming that he’d cut off contact with Epstein in 2005. Trump has stood by Lutnick.
Their varying levels of bad judgment and stupid behavior (at best) have gone largely unpunished. And as we learned during Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi’s hearing, the Justice Department has held “exactly zero powerful men” accountable.
Wasserman is the exception. The grandson of Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman, he has been a formidable Los Angeles sports and entertainment executive and founder of the Wasserman agency. Following the latest release of Epstein files, multiple artists and athletes including Chappell Roan, Abby Wambach and the Dropkick Murphys left the agency, citing ethical concerns. Wasserman announced last week that he is selling his agency, stating that he had “become a distraction” due to the public reveal of the Maxwell emails.
External pressure for him to step down from his lead role on the LA28 Olympic committee continues. Attorney Michael Carrillo, who has represented survivors of Epstein’s sex trafficking, called for the removal of Wasserman at a news conference in West Hollywood on Tuesday. Local elected officials, survivors and other activists also called on Bass, the LA28 board of directors and executive committee, and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to remove Wasserman.
Wasserman, who was integral in the L.A. Olympics bid from its launch in 2015, maintains he had no contact with Maxwell or Epstein in the past 20 years. He said he deeply regrets his correspondence with Maxwell, “which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light.”
It’s an apology with a “yeah, but …”
Perhaps Wasserman will resign and take the fall for cavorting over email with Maxwell. Meanwhile, the rest of America’s wealthy Epstein cabal continue to float above reproach, and reckoning.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in an interview Monday that she does not want embattled mogul Casey Wasserman running the 2028 Summer Games.
Bass told CNN’s Dana Bass that it was “unfortunate” that the organizers of the Los Angeles Olympics are supporting Wasserman amid revelations that he exchanged flirty emails with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell two decades ago.
Bass initially declined to take a position on the drama surrounding Wasserman, saying two weeks ago that it was up to the board of the LA28 Olympics — the nonprofit behind the Games — to decide whether to keep him.
But Monday, Bass offered a new take on Wasserman’s fate.
“My opinion is that he should step down,” Bass said. “That’s not the opinion of the board.”
She said that “we need to look at the leadership” of LA28 and that her job is to make sure that the city is “completely prepared” for the Games.
Wasserman has previously apologized for his correspondence with Maxwell and expressed regret for having any association with both her and Jeffrey Epstein. The exchanges took place before Maxwell’s crimes became known and before she was sentenced to prison for luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by financier Epstein.
Wasserman announced last week that he would sell his sports and entertainment company because of backlash over the email exchanges.
The executive committee of the LA28 board announced Wednesday that it reviewed the mogul’s past conduct and determined that based on the facts and his “strong leadership” of the Games, he should continue to serve as chair of LA28.
The LA28 executive committee — a subset of its broader, 35-member board — said it took “allegations of misconduct seriously.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, carrying the Olympic flag, LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman, front right, and Team USA Olympians skateboarder Tate Carew, second from left, diver Delaney Schnell, rear right, and volleyball player Micah Ma’a, top right, arrive in Los Angeles on Aug. 12, 2024.
(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)
It met Wednesday after hiring outside counsel O’Melveny & Myers LLP to assist reviewing Wasserman’s interactions with Epstein and Maxwell. Wasserman, it said, fully cooperated with the review.
L.A.’s Olympic leaders have yet to reveal who is on the committee. Bass’ office last week said her appointees on the executive committee include entertainment attorney Matt Johnson, real estate developer Jaime Lee and union leader Yvonne Wheeler.
At least 10 L.A.-area politicians, including a third of the 15-member Los Angeles City Council, have called on Wasserman to resign from leading the Olympics, with many arguing the exchanges are a distraction.
City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is challenging Bass in the upcoming mayor’s race is among those calling for Wasserman to step away. Raman previously worked at a women’s rights organization formed in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement before becoming a council member.
Even before revelations about the emails, there were tensions between Wasserman and some Los Angeles politicians concerned that financial shortfalls in staging the $7-billion Summer Games will need to be covered by local taxpayers.
The relationship between the city and LA28 was further strained when the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, published allegations in 2024 that Wasserman was a “serial cheater” who’d carried on affairs with young female staff members. Wasserman, who separated from his wife, Laura, in 2021, has denied the allegations.
Former Mayor Eric Garcetti picked Wasserman, a close friend, more than a decade ago to run the Olympics.
Casey Wasserman, the embattled sports and entertainment mogul who is the face of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, is preparing to sell his talent agency.
In a memo to his staff Friday, Wasserman acknowledged his appearance in a recently released batch of documents related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his companion, Ghislaine Maxwell, had “become a distraction.”
In his memo, which was reviewed by The Times, Wasserman said he was “heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.”
Representatives for Wasserman did not immediately return for requests for comment.
“I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort,” Wasserman wrote to his staff. “It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about.”
“I know what I know, and I am following my gut and my values,” Wambach wrote on Instagram. “I will not participate in any business arrangement under his leadership…He should leave, so more people like me don’t have to.”
Wasserman told his staff that Mike Watts, a longtime company executive, would assume day-to-day management of the firm while he begins the process of selling it.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Wasserman’s staff memo.
Wasserman’s grandfather, Lew Wasserman, was a Hollywood titan who built the studio MCA into a powerhouse that acquired Universal Pictures. Casey Wasserman’s sports and talent agency, also built through a series of savvy acquisitions, has about 4,000 employees.
Wasserman plans to stay in his position leading the LA28 Olympic Committee, which has stood by him. In a recent statement, LA28 noted that the racy emails with Maxwell were sent following a humanitarian mission to Africa two decades “before Mr. Wasserman or the public knew of Epstein and Maxwell’s deplorable crimes…This was his single interaction with Epstein.”
“The Executive Committee of the Board has determined that based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” LA28 concluded.
The messages to Maxwell were part of a massive trove of Epstein-related documents made public by the Department of Justice this month.
In them, Wasserman wrote to Maxwell, who is now serving a lengthy prison sentence for sex trafficking of minors, “I thought we would start at that place that you know of, and then continue the massage concept into your bed … and then again in the morning … not sure if or when we would stop.”
She responded: “Umm — all that rubbing — are you sure you can take it? The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practise them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
Wasserman released a statement saying: “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light. I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
PALM BEACH, Fla. — As Major League Baseball closes in on an agreement for its players to participate in the 2028 Olympics, Commissioner Rob Manfred said the controversy surrounding LA28 chief Casey Wasserman would not impact the league’s final decision.
“Our dealings are not with Casey,” Manfred said Thursday at the MLB owners’ meetings. “Our dealings are with the institution of the Olympics.”
In recently released emails, Wasserman was linked to Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. The board retained a law firm to investigate, the statement said, and the review did not uncover any behavior beyond what was already known: a “single interaction with Epstein” on a plane flight for a humanitarian mission and raunchy emails with Maxwell, both two decades ago, before the “deplorable crimes” of both became public.
“Based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” the committee statement said.
Epstein died by suicide after his indictment on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021.
Manfred declined to say whether he was concerned that an association with Wasserman could be detrimental for baseball.
“I’m going to pass on that one,” Manfred said. “People much closer to that situation are better to opine on that.”
Mark Attanasio, the Los Angeles-based owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, is a member of the LA28 executive committee. Attanasio said he would let the statement speak for itself.
While baseball is not new to the Olympics, the participation of major leaguers would be. In past Olympics, MLB declined to interrupt its season so its players could travel halfway around the world, and Team USA featured minor leaguers and college players.
MLB players already travel to Los Angeles every summer, and Wasserman has pitched Manfred and MLB owners in a variety of meetings on the benefit of using major leaguers at a time the league is focused on broadening its international appeal.
“What an incredible opportunity to elevate the sport in a city where you have one of the great cathedrals of the sport,” Wasserman told The Times last year. “There is no better chance to tell the global story of baseball than from the Olympics in Los Angeles.
“They understand that. We could have another Dream Team, or two, depending on the countries. That is a vehicle to tell the story of baseball around the world, and that is really powerful.”
MLB and LA28 officials have worked out a tentative timeline under which the All-Star Game would be played in its usual mid-July spot in 2028, most likely in San Francisco, followed by a six-day, six-team Olympic baseball tournament at Dodger Stadium.
“I think people have come to appreciate that the Olympics on U.S. soil is a unique marketing opportunity for the game,” Manfred said Thursday. “We’ve got a lot of players interested in doing it, and I feel pretty good about the idea we’ll get there.”
Are the Dodgers good for baseball?
Outfielder Kyle Tucker adjusts his Dodgers cap during his introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 21.
“I think great teams are always good for baseball,” Manfred said. “I think, with respect to this particular great team, it added to what we have been hearing from fans in a lot of markets for a long time about the competitiveness of the game. But great teams are always good for baseball.”
MLB officials have cited that fan concern repeatedly over the last year, prelude to an expected push for a salary cap. Manfred declined to discuss the owners’ labor strategy but said he expected negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement to begin after Opening Day and said he would not talk about MLB proposals until they are presented to the players’ union.
The current agreement expires Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected.
Where can you watch the Angels?
Angels star Mike Trout celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros on Sept. 28 in Anaheim.
(Wally Skalij / Associated Press)
The Angels already are in spring training, and yet their fans have no idea where to watch their games on television this season.
The Angels have agreed that MLB will provide a streaming option, and a team official confirmed they are still deciding whether to let MLB sell their telecasts to cable and satellite distributors or reinvent what remains of the FanDuel Sports channel already part-owned by the team, with the Kings joining the Angels.
The Angels’ situation is not unique. Three years ago, MLB did not provide broadcast services to any team. Today, amid the collapse of the cable and satellite universe, MLB provides broadcast services to 14 of its 30 teams — 15, if the Angels go that way.
In 2028, Manfred would like to sell national streaming packages, in the hope that more bidders would mean more revenue, a particularly acute need for the teams losing revenue as guaranteed rights fees are cut or eliminated altogether. The challenge: how to convince the Dodgers and other big-market teams to sacrifice their still-lucrative local rights so MLB can sell a 30-team package.
“Ideally, I’d love to get there,” Manfred said. “I don’t need to get all the way there to accomplish most of what I am thinking about.”
On Thursday, Manfred cited one way he could get close enough: have rival owners vote to expand the number of games — for the Dodgers or anyone else — that would be classified as national rather than local.
“We can take as many games as we want from any club in a national package,” Manfred said, “with a majority vote of the clubs.”
Chappell Roan has left her booking agency, Wasserman Music, over its founder Casey Wasserman’s ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein and convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
“As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman, the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman,” Roan wrote on Monday in a post to social media. “I hold my teams to the highest standards and have a duty to protect them as well. No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values. I have deep respect and appreciation for the agents and staff who work tirelessly for their artists and I refuse to passively stand by. Artists deserve representation that aligns with their values and supports their safety and dignity. This decision reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust.”
Roan had been represented by Jackie Nalpant, Kiely Mosiman, Adele Slater and Anna Bewers at Wasserman. It’s unclear whether her agents will follow her out the door of the embattled agency; representatives for Roan did not immediately return a request for comment.
Roan is the highest-profile act to leave Wasserman after the release of the most recent batch of Epstein documents. Billie Eilish previously left the agency in 2024 after separate allegations of Wasserman’s sexual misconduct surfaced. For now, the agency still represents other A-list talent including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay and Tyler, the Creator, though many in the industry suspect a wave of departures is coming.
Casey Wasserman — a powerful figure in sports and entertainment who leads Los Angeles’ 2028 Olympics committee and his eponymous talent agency — came under fresh scrutiny after he surfaced in a new batch of federal documents released as part of an investigation into the late sex trafficker Epstein and his associate Maxwell.
Wasserman has said in a statement to media: “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light. I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Wasserman has previously admitted to flying with Epstein on the financier’s private plane on a trip to Africa with Maxwell and former President Clinton. In newly surfaced messages to Maxwell, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence for sex trafficking of minors, Wasserman wrote: “I thought we would start at that place that you know of, and then continue the massage concept into your bed … and then again in the morning … not sure if or when we would stop.” She responded: “Umm — all that rubbing — are you sure you can take it? The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practise them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
Local politicians have called for Wasserman to leave the Olympic committee. “I think Casey Wasserman needs to step down,” said L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Having him represent us on the world stage distracts focus from our athletes and the enormous effort needed to prepare for 2028.”
Last week, Bethany Cosentino, the solo artist and founder of the band Best Coast, left the agency over Wasserman’s Epstein ties, saying: “We are tired of learning, over and over, that men who control access, resources, money and so-called safety in our industry are given endless grace. We are tired of being asked to treat proximity to something horrific as an unfortunate situation we should simply move past — especially when the person involved still holds all the power.”
When Casey Wasserman boarded Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet for a two-week tour of Africa in 2002, he had little inkling he was embarking on a journey that could imperil his fortune.
The 28-year-old scion of Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman was already the heir of a multimillion-dollar philanthropic foundation, the owner of a professional football team and the founder of a growing sports marketing firm. But many saw this as just the beginning for Wasserman, who seemed destined to follow his legendary grandfather as a business, political and culture titan.
He found an opportunity to step onto the world stage when former President Clinton invited him on a humanitarian trip to five African countries to promote AIDS/HIV prevention and economic development in nations racked by disease and war.
Wasserman, a prolific Clinton fundraiser whose grandfather helped him win the 1992 presidential election, was joined by others including his then-wife, Laura, actor Kevin Spacey, Epstein and his longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell.
Casey Wasserman, then a 28-year-old owner of the LA Avengers, is photographed at his office in Beverly Hills in January 2003.
(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Revelations around that trip and Wasserman’s risque emails with Maxwell now threaten his legacy.
A trove of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice offer new details about the journey to Africa and Wasserman’s intimate relationship with Maxwell — an entanglement that has jeopardized his leadership of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
From left, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, then-AEG CEO of Timothy J. Leiweke and Casey Wasserman attend the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting in 2011 in New York City.
(Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images for AEG)
Wasserman boarded Epstein’s jet three years before the family of a 14-year-old girl in Palm Beach, Fla., reported she was molested by Epstein, triggering a decades-long investigation that resulted in Epstein’s 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution and 2019 arrest for sex trafficking underage girls. Wasserman has not been linked to any of Epstein’s wrongdoings.
Wasserman has previously apologized for his correspondence with Maxwell and expressed regret for having any association with both her and Epstein.
In a statement to The Times on Sunday, he said the Africa trip was the only time he met Epstein. “Following that trip, where I never witnessed anything inappropriate, I did not speak to, see him or communicate with him ever again,” he said.
This undated photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice shows Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime confidant of Jeffrey Epstein and convicted sex offender.
(U.S. Department of Justice via Associated Press)
For Wasserman, now 51, the most damaging of the files highlight his relationship with Maxwell, the Oxford University-educated daughter of British newspaper magnate Robert Maxwell. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
“I think of you all the time,” Wasserman wrote to Maxwell about five months after he and his wife left Africa. “So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”
Maxwell, in turn, offered Wasserman a massage that can “drive a man wild.”
Wasserman is one of L.A.’s most influential figures, presiding over a sports marketing and talent agency that represents professional athletes, including star Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and scores of top musicians, such as Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves, Chappell Roan and Coldplay.
“Wasserman is in trouble,” longtime Los Angeles political observer Sherry Bebitch Jeffe said. “These Games are so important to Los Angeles — economically and politically. This will not be helpful to the city if this drumbeat continues and gets louder.”
Movie studio titan Lew Wasserman’s only grandson entered the world in 1974 as Casey Myers.
His parents, Lynne Wasserman and stockbroker Jack Myers, separated when he was 7. His father wasn’t much of a figure in his life and was later charged with money-laundering. Lew and his wife, Edie, filled the gap.
Lew R. Wasserman, chairman of MCA’s board of directors since 1973, is shown in December 1976 at an unknown location. Wasserman became president and chief executive officer of MCA Inc., later known as Universal Studios Inc., the major entertainment and communications company.
(Associated Press)
“Lew was disappointed he never had a son,” Lew Wasserman’s biographer Dennis McDougal told The Times in 2002. “In his typical fashion, by dint of his power and his money and his overbearing personality, he took what he wanted. He essentially stole Jack Myers’ son. By the time Casey was a teenager, the die was cast. He was Lew’s little boy.”
Like his famous grandfather, Casey was drawn to politics and one figure in particular: Bill Clinton.
In 1992, the then-governor of Arkansas was struggling for traction in his presidential bid and his campaign was heavily in debt when a stately door opened for him in Los Angeles.
Lew Wasserman, the godfather of modern-day Hollywood, was willing to help propel Clinton to the White House.
A larger-than-life figure, Wasserman was a onetime talent agent who clawed his way to the pinnacle of power by building an entertainment colossus with movie production, television, music and theme parks. His MCA Inc., which owned Universal, gave a young Steven Spielberg his break that became “Jaws.”
Lew and Edie Wasserman held a splashy fundraiser for Clinton in August 1992 at their Beverly Hills mansion adorned with Matisse and Degas paintings. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Kirk Douglas were among the stars who attended the $5,000-per-plate dinner.
Lew Wasserman and Edie Wasserman attend a party at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on April 20, 1984.
(WWD / Penske Media via Getty Images)
“Lew figuratively — and literally — put his arm around Clinton, and that was very helpful,” said a former Clinton aide who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Clinton mingled with guests and gave a short speech, according to one former MCA agent who was there. Casey later told the Hollywood Reporter it was his first meeting with Clinton. He was just 18.
The event raised $1 million, according to a 1992 Times article. It also marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the Wassermans and the Clintons — one that remains to this day, according to people close to the family.
As Wasserman aged, he was determined that his grandson would have the same high-level political access. “Lew loved Casey and he wanted him to meet a lot of the powerful people,” the former Clinton aide said.
At 21, Casey received his multimillion-dollar inheritance and changed his name to Wasserman. Two years later, he played golf with President Clinton at the Hillcrest Country Club.
After Clinton left the White House, the former president asked Lew Wasserman whether he would host a fundraising luncheon to promote the launch of his foundation.
“My grandfather said yes, ‘but only one thing: I will be there, but Casey is going to host at his house,’” Casey later said. “I was 26 at the time, and thankfully my wife — who wasn’t my wife yet — was around to help with the combined pressure of having the just ex-president and my grandparents there.
“We’ve since built an incredible friendship,” Casey said of Clinton. “I’ve been terribly lucky.”
Laura Ziffren and Wasserman Media Group CEO Casey Wasserman attend a luncheon honoring Casey at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 18, 2015, in Westwood.
(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for National Football Foundation)
Casey Wasserman and his then-wife, Laura, set off for Africa on Epstein’s jet — an aircraft that would one day gain notoriety as the “Lolita Express” — the same year his family’s foundation donated $3 million to the Clinton Library Foundation.
Joining them was an eclectic crew: Clinton and his aides, Secret Service agents, actors Spacey and Chris Tucker, businessman Ronald Burkle, and former Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, along with Epstein and Maxwell.
Several unidentified young women were also on the plane.
Kevin Spacey poses for photographers on the red carpet for the film “Father Mother Sister Brother” at the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, in August.
According to newly released FBI notes based on a telephone interview with an emergency physician who traveled with the group, about four women ages 20 to 22 were on board. Their names were redacted from the file, but according to the physician, one young woman was a masseuse, another a model and a third described herself as a ballerina.
The physician, the report said, “thought it weird that Epstein flew with his former girlfriend, Maxwell, and four other women that no one knew why they were there as everyone else had a purpose.”
According to the FBI, the physician described the jet layout as a cockpit up front, then a seating area where Clinton and his staff sat, a kitchenette, another seating area with couches and a bedroom in the back with a sliding wooden door.
At one point, the physician told the FBI, one of the unidentified passengers shut Epstein’s bedroom door abruptly, as if they “did not want him to see or hear what was going on in that bedroom.” He also said he witnessed Epstein “grab and rub” an unidentified passenger’s buttocks.
There was no evidence that Wasserman or any other passengers — who largely stayed in the front of the cabin — witnessed any inappropriate behavior.
The group’s first stop was Ghana, where they launched a program with a Peruvian economist that would establish a legal property system for the poor. Next was Nigeria, and then Rwanda and Mozambique, where they visited AIDS clinics. In South Africa, they met Nelson Mandela to recognize a project to cut the country’s youth HIV/AIDS infection rate by half in five years.
Spacey told The Times he joined Clinton on the Africa trip to raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS, visit clinics and communities, and spend “an unforgettable day with Nelson Mandela.”
Financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in February 2000.
(Davidoff Studios Photography/Getty Images)
“The work — particularly helping ensure HIV-positive pregnant women received life-saving medication — remains one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” he said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate that such important work has been overshadowed by the fact that the plane was provided by someone I did not know, had no association with, and never saw again.”
The Clinton Foundation did not respond to a request for comment. Clinton is scheduled to testify this month before a congressional committee — a historic appearance by a former president — to detail his dealings with Epstein.
“I have called for the full release of the Epstein files,” Clinton said Friday in a statement. “I have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I’ve agreed to appear in person before the committee.”
After the trip, Wasserman and Maxwell kept in touch, sending each other salacious emails from various cities.
“Where are you, I miss you,” Wasserman wrote on April 1, 2003. “I will be in nyc for 4 days starting april 22 … can we book that massage now?”
“Umm — all that rubbing — are you sure you can take it?” Maxwell wrote on April 2. “The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practise them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
The pair also traded jokes. On April 6, Maxwell told him she was headed to London and could bring him back British staples: KitKat, cheddar cheese or baked beans. He passed.
“Ok, so that combo did not do it for you, what combo would then? she asked.
“You, me and not much else,” Wasserman replied.
In another exchange April 12, Maxwell told him that she was coming to L.A. and planned to stay at the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills. Wasserman replied with a smiley face.
A month after the racy exchanges, Laura Wasserman — daughter of Hollywood legal power broker Ken Ziffren, a close friend of Lew Wasserman — gave birth to the couple’s first child, a son.
Casey Wasserman launched his eponymous talent and marketing firm in 2002, a time when sports media were soaring and athletes increasingly were celebrities. He made a calculated decision to bypass the movie business, recognizing that he would always be measured against his grandfather’s success.
Over the next few decades, the Wasserman agency expanded into a major force in entertainment. Through strategic acquisitions, Wasserman now has about 4,000 employees and has branched out into television and music representation, acquiring a diverse portfolio of clients, including the Barenaked Ladies and the Dave Matthews Band.
His influence stretched further in 2014 when then-Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a close friend, insisted that Wasserman’s fundraising skills and access to movers and shakers made him the perfect figure to lead L.A.’s effort to land the Summer Olympics. Three years later, L.A. secured the role as host of the 2028 Games.
Today, Wasserman is under extraordinary pressure to deliver a spectacular event to uphold the city’s tradition of excellence. The 1984 Games surpassed expectations and even turned a profit, projecting a unified and gleaming image of Los Angeles to the world.
Wasserman takes no salary as chairman of LA28, but he has received benefits, including travel and other expenses. The Games also will showcase, and perhaps boost the fortunes of, his agency’s numerous Olympic athlete clients.
His ties to corporate sponsors, politicians and sports figures have been viewed by civic leaders as crucial to the success of the Games.
Peter Chernin, former president of News Corp., left, and Casey Wasserman, chief executive officer of Wasserman Media Group, walk the grounds after a morning session during the Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2015.
(David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Even before the latest scandal, there were tensions between Wasserman and some Los Angeles politicians who are concerned that financial shortfalls in staging the $7-billion Summer Games will need to be covered by local taxpayers. Other host cities have been left with yawning deficits, prompting local political blowback. LA28 organizers have expressed confidence that the Games will be a success.
The relationship between the city and LA28 was further strained when the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, published allegations in 2024 that Wasserman was a “serial cheater” who’d carried on affairs with young female staff members. Wasserman, who separated from Laura in 2021, denied the allegations.
Wasserman, at the time, was in Paris for the 2024 Games.
The sports mogul — who had helped carry the torch at the 1984 Summer Olympics in L.A. when he was 10 — had been scheduled to join Mayor Karen Bass on the Paris stage during the flag handoff at the glitzy closing ceremony televised around the world.
But Bass, who does not have the personal relationship with Wasserman that her predecessors Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa did, instead stepped up to the stage alone. Then she was joined by gold-medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles, and they handed the flag to Tom Cruise.
Wasserman does not appear ready to bow to pressure from politicians, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who have called for him to step down as head of LA28.
Casey Wasserman, chair of the 2028 LA Olympics organizing committee, and President Trump look at Olympic medals during a signing ceremony at the White House in August.
(Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“This is not about shaming him for his past indiscretions,” Hahn said. “This is about the message we are sending to Epstein survivors and to the world about our values — especially as we work to combat any sex trafficking associated with the Games.”
After the release of the latest Epstein documents, lawyers, art museum executives, a former U.K. ambassador and Slovakia’s national security advisor have resigned, apologized or stepped back from high positions. Britain’s King Charles III stripped his brother Andrew of his prince title and position in the royal family after earlier revelations of his involvement.
“The Epstein files have been so powerful in moving people off the stage,” Bebitch Jeffe said.
But Wasserman appears to still enjoy the support of LA28’s nearly three-dozen-member board, which includes actor Jessica Alba, former movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former Trump White House aide Reince Priebus.
Ultimately, he could weather the Maxwell controversy, hoisting the Olympic flame in 2028 — just like he did as a boy.
Bethany Cosentino, the solo artist and co-founder of the rock band Best Coast, posted an open letter castigating her booking agency Wasserman Music over its founder’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein and relationship with convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
Agency founder Casey Wasserman — also the head of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee — was included in a recently released tranche of federal documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. While Wasserman was long known to have have flown with his then-wife Laura on Epstein’s plane with the disgraced financier, these new documents included sexually suggestive messages between Wasserman and Maxwell, Epstein’s consigliere who is serving a lengthy sentence in federal prison for child sex trafficking.
In a statement to the Hollywod Reporter, Wasserman said, “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light. I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Meanwhile, Cosentino, a Wasserman client since 2021, wrote in a letter posted to social media that her agency head’s response to the backlash was “not enough… Regret without accountability is just damage control.”
“We are tired of learning, over and over, that men who control access, resources, money and so-called safety in our industry are given endless grace,” Cosentino wrote. “We are tired of being asked to treat proximity to something horrific as an unfortunate situation we should simply move past — especially when the person involved still holds all the power.”
“This letter is my public refusal to accept that this is ‘just how things are,’” she continued.
Cosentino specified that she is “In the Sam Hunt business,” referring to her longtime agent. “I am not in the Wasserman business. I have asked to remove my name and the band’s name from the company site. The position Casey Wasserman has put his agents in is inexcusable. This is a call for him to step down and a change of business name be imminent.”
In the messages between Wasserman and Maxwell, Maxwell said she “thought of [Wasserman] at inappropriate moments,” to which Wasserman answered “I think of you all the time… So what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit? I am in NY tonight, youre not, what am I to do? Xoxo cw”
Later, Wasserman wrote “I thought we would start at that place that you know of, and then continue the massage concept into your bed…and then again in the morning…not sure if or when we would stop.” She responded: “Umm – all that rubbing – are you sure you can take it? The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild -I suppose I could practise them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
Wasserman Music is a leading talent agency, representing top acts like Chappell Roan and Kendrick Lamar. Previously, Billie Eilish left Wasserman after reports surfaced of separate incidents of alleged sexual misconduct from Wasserman.
Local politicians have called for Wasserman to back away from the Olympics committee. “I think Casey Wasserman needs to step down,” said L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Having him represent us on the world stage distracts focus from our athletes and the enormous effort needed to prepare for 2028.”
A top Los Angeles politician said Tuesday that LA 2028 Olympics committee chair Casey Wasserman should resign following revelations about racy emails he exchanged with convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell.
“I think Casey Wasserman needs to step down,” said L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who along with other L.A. politicians is working with the LA28 Olympics organizing committee on planning of the Games.
“Having him represent us on the world stage distracts focus from our athletes and the enormous effort needed to prepare for 2028,” said Hahn, who represents an area of south Los Angeles County that includes coastal neighborhoods.
A representative for Wasserman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wasserman and other top officials with LA 2028, which is in charge of paying for and planning the Games, are in Italy for meetings ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Hahn’s comments follow the release of investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein released last week by the Justice Department that include personal emails exchanged more than 20 years ago between Wasserman and Maxwell, Epstein’s former romantic partner.
In emails sent in March and April 2003, Wasserman — who was married at the time — writes to Maxwell about wanting to book a massage and wanting to see her in a tight leather outfit.
She offers to give him a massage that can “drive a man wild,” and the pair discuss how much they miss each other, according to files released and posted online by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a statement released Saturday, Wasserman said he regretted his correspondence with Maxwell, which he said occurred “long before her horrific crimes came to light.”
“I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them,” he said in the statement.
The Daily Mail in 2024 published an extensive story on Wasserman’s alleged affairs during his marriage with Laura Ziffren, whom he divorced. He denied the accusations.
MILAN, Italy — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States is already dominating the narrative in the run-up to the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
International Olympic Committee officials, including President Kirsty Coventry, couldn’t avoid questions relating to ICE and the Jeffrey Epstein files at a news conference in Milan, Italy, on Sunday.
Coventry tried to fend them off by saying it was not the IOC’s place to comment on the issues, but when pressed remarked it was “sad” that such stories were deflecting attention away from the upcoming Olympics.
“I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad, right? But we’ve learned over the many years … there’s always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games,” Coventry said. “Whether it has been Zika, COVID, there has always been something.
“But what is keeping my faith alive is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly the world remembers the magic and the spirit that the Games have and they get to suddenly remember what’s actually important and they get to be inspired, and so we’re really looking forward to that.”
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturday in Milan to protest the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during the upcoming Winter Olympics, although agents would be stationed in a control room and not operating on the streets.
Meanwhile, the latest collection of government files released on Epstein includes emails from 2003 between Casey Wasserman, the head of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, and Epstein’s one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
“From all the information that we have and I believe that the U.S. authorities, as the other authorities, have made all the clarifications needed, so from our side that’s not for us to further comment on that part of the security. But we’re really looking forward to the Games,” Coventry said when asked about the presence of ICE agents in Milan.
She was even less responsive when asked about Wasserman.
“We didn’t discuss it yesterday and I believe Mr. Wasserman has put out his statement and we now have nothing further to add,” said Coventry, who was elected just over 10 months ago as the first female IOC president.
The upcoming Olympics run from Friday through Feb. 22. U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead an American delegation to the Milan-Cortina Games and attend the opening ceremony.
Files published by the US Department of Justice included flirtatious emails between Casey Wasserman and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Published On 1 Feb 20261 Feb 2026
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Los Angeles 2028 Olympics chief Casey Wasserman has apologised for communicating with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell more than 20 years ago, after the publication of a series of personal emails between the two.
New files related to late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell’s former boyfriend, published by the United States Department of Justice on Friday, included flirtatious email exchanges between Wasserman, who was married at the time, and Maxwell dating from 2003.
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Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty in 2021 by a jury in New York on charges including sex trafficking of a minor. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.
“I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Wasserman said in a statement on Sunday.
“I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Maxwell was arrested in 2020 after being accused by federal prosecutors of recruiting and grooming girls for sexual encounters with Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell,” said Wasserman, adding that it took place before her and Epstein’s crimes “came to light”.
The International Olympic Committee, which works very closely with Wasserman in preparation for the Summer Olympic Games, refused to comment on the matter.
“I believe Mr Wasserman has put out his statement and we have nothing further to add,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a press conference before the start of next week’s Milano-Cortina Olympics.
Asked whether the Wasserman emails were a distraction shortly before the Milano Games, Coventry said there had been past Olympics that were dogged by stories prior to their start, such as the Zika virus before the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
“Anything that is distracting from these Games is sad,” Coventry said.
“But we have learned over the many years … there has always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games. What is keeping my faith alive is when the opening ceremony happens … suddenly the world remembers the magic and spirit the Games have,” she said.
Wasserman is a sports and entertainment executive who has been leading the LA28 Olympic project from the bidding phase and currently serves as chairman of the organising committee, which is due to deliver a progress report to the IOC session on Tuesday.
The 2028 Summer Olympics were awarded to the city in 2017.
The latest cache of investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein released Friday include personal emails exchanged more than 20 years ago between Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA28 Olympics organizing committee, and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former romantic partner.
In emails sent in March and April 2003, Wasserman — who was married at the time — writes about wanting to see Maxwell in a tight leather outfit, she offers to give him a massage that can “drive a man wild,” and the pair discuss how much they miss each other, according to files released and posted online by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Representatives for Wasserman did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Friday.
In an email sent on March 14, 2003, Maxwell describes a “tight leather flying outfit” she wore recently and said she was thinking of Wasserman in inappropriate moments. He wrote back, “I think of you all the time … So what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”
She then promises him, “Casey — I will be coming back to NY tom late afternoon. I shall be wearing a tight leather flying suit …”
Newly released Epstein files show emails exchanged between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in March and April 2003.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
The exchange, part of a trove of documents about Epstein released on Friday, reveal that Wasserman was at one time friendly with Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 on five counts related to sex trafficking and the abuse of minors in partnership with Epstein.
Other documents show that Wasserman and his then wife flew on Epstein’s private jet in September 2002 alongside Maxwell, Epstein, former President Clinton, actor Kevin Spacey and several others as part of a 10-day trip to explore the problems of HIV in Africa. (That trip had been documented in a 2003 Vanity Fair story).
During her trial, federal prosecutors established that Maxwell and Epstein — who died by suicide while in federal custody in 2019 — were engaged in a sex-trafficking scheme involving minors from the late 1990s through the early 2000s.
In an April 2, 2003, email to Wasserman, Maxwell offers to “continue the massage concept into your bed … and then again in the morning … not sure if or when we would stop.”
Newly released Epstein files show emails exchanged between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in March and April 2003.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Later that day she writes, “Umm — all that rubbing — are you sure you can take it? The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practice them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
A few days later, Maxwell tells Wasserman that “JE” says she should pick a week to go to Los Angeles and look at properties they can rent in Malibu that summer and offers to bring Wasserman something from Paris.
Wasserman wrote back, “I think you picking a week to be in LA is a really good idea … The only thing i want from paris is you”
The pair continue their exchange on April 6, with Maxwell then offering to bring him food from London such as KitKats, cheddar and baked beans to which he says, “Among all my desires, that combination is pretty low on the list … xoxo”
She asks him what combination would do it for him and he says “You, me, and not else much …”
Wasserman then explains the concept of June gloom, California’s famous seasonal fog, and Maxwell inquires whether it would be foggy enough “so that you can float naked down the beach and no one can see you unless they are close up?”
He responds, “or something like that …”
Newly released Epstein files show emails exchanged between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in March and April 2003.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Wasserman, a UCLA alumnus, is the grandson of Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman. He built his own fortune through his sports marketing and talent agency Wasserman, which represents more than 30 No. 1 overall picks in major sports leagues including the MLB, NFL, NBA and WNBA. In 2023, the agency acquired Brillstein Entertainment Partners, a management production company that represents stars such as Adam Sandler and Brad Pitt and launched hit shows that included “The Sopranos.”
Wasserman was recruited by former Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2017 to help Los Angeles win its Olympic host bid. While Garcetti completed his mayoral term and faded from the Olympic spotlight, Wasserman remains the face of the city’s push to host a successful Games in 2028. He has led every major Olympic update presented to the IOC and met multiple times with President Trump to secure his support.
Wasserman is expected to join an LA28 delegation in Italy for the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the final Games before L.A.
Epstein, 66, was once a well-connected financial consultant who rubbed shoulders with many prominent politicians and celebrities, including Trump and Clinton. He was arrested and taken into federal custody in July 2019 and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.
The indictment alleged that, between 2002 and 2005, Epstein sexually exploited and abused dozens of underage girls at his homes in Manhattan, N.Y., and Palm Beach, Fla., and other locations, by enticing them to engage in sex acts with him for cash. It also alleged Epstein paid several of his victims to recruit other underage girls to engage in similar sex acts.
The latest documents were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was enacted after months of public and political pressure and requires the government to open its files on the late financier and Maxwell. Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said the Justice Department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
Times staff writer Jenny Jarvie and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
