Armen Madikians – Daily Bruin

Former UCLA basketball player Brad Wright rediscovers his love for the game after health scare

September 18, 2011 – Brad Wright spent his college years in the ’80s shooting hoops alongside UCLA stars like Bill Walton and Reggie Miller. An Angeleno born and raised, as a youngster Wright wasn’t always sure if he was good enough to play basketball on a professional level. But he earned a full scholarship to UCLA and once his time there was up, he went on to play in the NBA.

A few years ago, doctors told him they’d found tumors in his body. He wasn’t sure if he would survive the ordeal. But he did, and now he’s back in the basketball business as the commissioner of the Venice Basketball League. The job has provided a way for Wright to restart the shot clock on his life and set his sights on a new challenge.

[4:24]

Kanye West’s and Jay-Z’s collaboration Watch the Throne makes its mark but fails to revive hip-hop

August 15, 2011 – Watch the Throne is the highly anticipated full-length album from hip-hop superstars Kanye West and Jay-Z. Does it dazzle above and beyond the loftiest expectations ““ the album art itself is dazzling enough ““ or does it fail to impress? Album artwork courtesy of Universal Music Group. [5:45]

Long Story Short: UCLA students share their stories of campus

May 30, 2011 – A guitar-playing man named Rich Nixon is a regular in Westwood village, occupying the same bench twice a week to serenade the city by day. By night, students run through apartment parties and end the night at Bruin Cafe. As we say on the show, everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours?

Long Story Short airs Mondays at 6:00 p.m. on UCLAradio.com. Listen to the whole episode here or visit our broadcast archive.

[11:31]

Indie movie 'Touching Home' doesn't quite hit all the bases, but it does produce an expressive story

December 22, 2010 – Touching Home is a story about two twin brothers who love baseball, with a dream to make it in the pros. But their alcoholic dad stands as a reminder of their troubled past. Senior Reporter Armen Madikians shares his thoughts on this new indie flick, which is playing at the Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in West Hollywood this week. [4:05]

UCLA alum Richard Best's past success in sustainable architecture influences plans for the future

September 20, 2010 – Richard Best received a master of architecture degree from UCLA in 1982 after studying under the world-renowned architect Charles Moore. Since his time at UCLA, he’s been engaged in many sustainable architectural projects and has even been a contestant on a reality TV show. And his plans for the future are even more ambitious. [4:36]

UCLA student groups come together to host Middle Eastern Comedy Show

May 19, 2010. Bruins for Israel, Students for Justice in Palestine, and the Middle East Peace Coalition are hosting UCLA’s Middle Eastern Comedy Show. The goal is to get students to forget about their political differences and come together for a night of fun. Armen Madikians and Betty Huang report. [3:46]

Bikers and non-bikers alike gather for Bike Night at the UCLA Hammer Museum

The biking culture in Los Angeles is relatively unknown to most Angelenos. But on April 8, the Hammer Museum celebrated all things bicycle at the second-annual Bike Night. Bike Night was coordinated by HSA, the Hammer Student Association. Not only did the event give recognition to the growing cycling community in Los Angeles, but it also served as a forum for bikers to come together and enjoy a night of music, art and food. If you’re thinking about attending some events at the Hammer, you should check out their events calendar at http://hammer.ucla.edu/calendar.