Justin’s Newsletter: December 2025
Vol. 5, Issue 12
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Annus Horribilis
“You’re on Earth, there’s no cure for that.”
—Samuel Beckett, Endgame
Unreal how many times I said “what a fucking nightmare” this year. Truly the worst year in quite a while. The Eaton Fire obliterated my family home, my hometown, the landscape of my childhood, the foundation of my life. The district I represented on the Altadena Town Council was essentially completely wiped out. America reinstalled the wannabe dictator who won’t go away and began its quite possibly irreversible descent down the slippery slope of suckiness. I lost a mentor/father figure, a friend, and perhaps worst of all, my first dog. I turned 40 — unavoidably psychologically devastating, of course. Those are just the highlights.
What’s to say it’s going to get better in 2026? That’s not how entropy works. I’ve no use for false hope. So I’m just constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. I fully expect truly awful things to happen next. Then again, the past decade has certainly been a bit of a “silly season,” so it’s nothing new, necessarily. What does the new year hold in store for us? Can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I’m here for it. Despite it all, I love life and I love my life and I consider it a downright tragedy that I don’t get to keep it and the ones I love forever. Enjoy it while it lasts. Happy New Year lol!
My Year in Review
It wasn’t all bad, of course. It’s never just one thing or another. It’s a medley of experiences, a potpourri of nuance. In 2025:
My Paradise Springs book was translated into French and published in France. This was the first time one of my books was translated into a foreign language. I also held two successful Paradise Springs book events, at the Linda Vista Library in Pasadena and at Paradise Springs itself, which was covered by Pasadena Now.
I served as a panelist at LitFest in the Dena, on a panel discussing Pasadena as a character.
I won a couple journalism awards and was nominated as a finalist for several others, including:
A 1st place Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media for my TV show, “Well Read.”
A 3rd place award in the One-on-One Interview, Arts/Culture Personalities category at the LA Press Club’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards this month. Seth Rogen, his wife Lauren, and Larry Mantle received honorary awards, with introductions by Evan Goldberg and Henry Winkler. Seth Rogen and I got awards at the same ceremony, no biggie!
Finalist in the Talk Show (Professional Producer) category, and in the Talk Show (Community Producer) category, and in the Culture & Lifestyle (Community Producer) category at Alliance for Community Media West’s WAVE (Western Access Video Excellence) Awards.
Finalist in the Obituary category and in the Local Political/Government Reporting in Broadcast category at the 67th annual LA Press Club Southern California Journalism Awards.
Pasadena Media to put together this news brief about my awards and work this year.
I was quoted extensively in this front page LA Times story about my family’s situation in the Eaton Fire, and how we and everyone else west of Lake Ave. did not even get an evacuation warning until it was far too late.
I was also quoted in this Pasadena Now story about Altadena, and my initial reflections in the days immediately after the fire were published in Culture Honey Magazine, as were my wife’s.
I was interviewed extensively by Pasadena Media for this special episode about Altadena and the Eaton Fire, “Arroyo Now: Rise from the Ashes.”
I was interviewed for a yet-to-be-released documentary about the fire and its impact on Altadena’s Little League.
I was interviewed for a yet-to-be-released podcast about Jack Parsons, whose rocketry discoveries helped launch JPL.
I was interviewed for a City of Pasadena project about preserving Pasadena’s history.
I wrote an article about the band Bright Eyes for Pasadena Now.
I was interviewed by Brian Biery on his show “Power of One” about the state of journalism and about my career.
I wrote an article about Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Troubles, Brexit, Kneecap, Gerry Adams, and more for Culture Honey Magazine.
Two versions of my obituary of Sidney Kirkpatrick appeared in Pasadena Now and the Village Times Herald (Long Island, NY). I spoke at his memorial service, which you can view here.
I attended a screening of a movie I performed in, 1996’s “Jingle All the Way,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, and Rita Wilson. The director, Brian Levant, did a Q&A with American Cinemateque after the screening, and he introduced me to the sold-out audience and showed never-before-seen footage of the opening scene featuring me.
I traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico, to attend the Dia de los Muertos festival and parade, visit the Mummy Museum, and dine with the Mayor.
I traveled with officials from the Metropolitan Water District and the City of Pasadena to inspect and explore water infrastructure, from the Hoover Dam and down along the Colorado River back to SoCal. I also went on an “earthquake tour” with Dr. Lucy Jones of Caltech. And I toured the Northrop Grumman facility near Palmdale where they assemble jets.
I attended the very first Irish citizenship ceremony at the Irish consulate in San Francisco.
I wrote, produced, and hosted 12 more episodes of my award-winning TV show “Pasadena Monthly,” featuring interviews with former Congressmember Katie Hill, retiring Pasadena City Manager Miguel Márquez, Caltech President Dr. Thomas Rosenbaum, and many others.
I released two more episodes of my other award-winning TV show “Well Read,” featuring James Bond continuation author Raymond Benson and novelist A.J. Hartley, who has co-authored numerous books with blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge.
I was a subject of this new (and positive) review of “Problem Child 3,” which I starred in.
I neared completion on my book about Mad Mike Hughes, the flat earther daredevil rocketeer who reached for the stars! Stay tuned in 2026.
What’s Up With Me
It was so much fun to watch a screening of “Jingle All the Way” on the big screen with director Brian Levant, who introduced me to the sold-out audience, told stories about shooting the movie, and showed us never-before-seen footage of the opening scene that I performed in.
Watch the latest episode of “Well Read with Justin Chapman.” This episode features A.J. Hartley, the prolific author of dozens of books including several with blink-182’s Tom DeLonge. Watch the full episode here.
Watch the latest episode of “Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman.” This episode features a review of the month’s top stories, a history segment, and an exit interview with Pasadena City Manager Miguel Márquez, who has announced his retirement. Read more here.
Around Town
Great Reads
Here are some recommendations for interesting books I’ve read recently:
Buster Crabb: Ian Fleming’s Favourite Spy, The Inspiration for James Bond—Don Hale
One of the great unsolved mysteries of the Cold War: what really happened to frogman Lionel “Buster” Crabb? Crabb was a British naval frogman and bomb disposal expert in World War II. The movie “The Silent Enemy” was based on his exploits. Then, in 1956, when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was visiting the UK during a highly sensitive time in East-West relations, someone in British intelligence ordered Crabb to dive under and inspect the hull of the Soviet cruiser, the Ordzhonikidze, in Portsmouth Harbour. He never returned. The incident was extremely embarrassing for the British government, with implications that reverberate straight through to today. Classified files on the case won’t be released until 2057. This book sheds new light on the under-covered story.
The Daily Dad: 366 Meditations on Parenting, Love, and Raising Great Kids—Ryan Holiday
I just finished this book by Ryan Holiday of the Daily Stoic, which includes one reflection on dadhood for each day of the year. Highly recommended for any dads out there. It helps to put it all in perspective, which is needed now more than ever.
Spotlight on My Past Stories
Speaking of dadhood, check out past episodes of my and Brad Steele’s podcast, Dadding.
And read all of my journalism here.