What’s New at OC World
January 6, 2026
I remember well the first time I met Marshall Kaplan when he had just arrived to Orange County from the University of Colorado. He was in my office at UC Irvine, along with Paul Merage, for whom Marshall was guiding and directing some of Paul’s early Foundation work; I served as a member to his Children First Foundation. We immediately hit it off, because his educational interests aligned perfectly with mine . . . we were both committed to making real, the American Dream for immigrant and marginalized populations.
Of course, Marshall was also a firm believer in the First Amendment, and that is what I believe drew him to become one of our trusted advisors for OC World. His concern for protecting our constitutional rights and for assuring the integrity of our local news and public media programming made him an extremely valuable advisor.
His passion, faith, and intellect made him a friend for life, and we at OC World will miss him dearly . . . this liv tov.
Manuel Gomez
Photo: (l-r): Marshall Kaplan, Manuel Gomez, Paul Merage, and Scott Hays from Marshall’s 90th birthday celebration this past February.
Robo-Quarterback Todd Marinovich Discusses Football, Addiction, and Art as a Form of Therapy
This 28-minute documentary-short chronicles the life and ongoing recovery journey of Todd Marinovich, a former NFL quarterback whose promising career was tragically derailed by a highly publicized battle with drug addiction. The documentary delves into the immense pressure Marinovich faced as a “robo-quarterback” groomed for stardom from a young age, and the subsequent spiral into addiction that nearly cost him everything. The narrative arc highlights a profound turning point in his life and his discovery of art as a form therapy.
His book. “Marinovich: Outside the Lines in Football, Art and Addiction” has recently been released. We hope this program will help others who suffer from substance abuse issues.
For subscribers of our OC World newsletter, a pre-screening of the program is now posted on our YouTube Channel.
For KLCS-PBS viewers, a special late-night pre-screening will broadcast 10:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve 31 December. The program will run again on “prime time” early 2026.
OC World won three awards at the 18th Annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including first place for Soft News Feature, TV/Streaming (Under 5 Minutes) for its program “Down for Dance”. Judges commented that it was an “excellent feature… concise and heartfelt” that perfectly delivered an “inspiring story… that empowers people through arts and culture,” making it a polished and moving piece of journalism.
OC World was additionally honored with two third-place awards: Soft News Feature, TV/Streaming (Over 5 Minutes) for Giving Days in OC, and Best Use of Social Media to Tell or Enhance a Story for Early IMAX Camera with Greg MacGillivray.
Last year, OC World received a second-place honor in the category of Documentary or Special Program, Short (Under 30 Minutes) for Surviving the Trauma of Relationship Violence, and a third-place honor for Soft News Feature, Music/Arts/Culture (Over 5 Minutes) for “The Power and Awe of Music”.
Honorees included Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen (Visionary Award for humanitarian work), Marlee Matlin (Impact Award for influential contributions to culture and society), Kasi Lemmons (Distinguished Storyteller Award), Larry Mantle (Luminary Award for career achievement), and Paul Anka, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards are open to journalists covering arts and entertainment throughout the U.S., including international reporters, with entries from organizations such as The Hollywood Reporter, CBS Sunday Morning, Rolling Stone, Variety, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, ABC News, The New York Times, Reuters, and KNBC.
🎬 Watch all our programs on our YouTube channel and subscribe: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ocworldtv
OC World Collaborates with Student ‘Heroes’
For 30 years, The My Hero Project in Laguna Beach has provided millions of students access to a safe, commercial-free online venue where they can discover and share essays, art, audio, and films that celebrate positive role models worldwide. The My Hero project has used media, art, and technology to celebrate the best of humanity by uplifting students of all ages to realize their own potential to make positive change in the world.
To date, My Hero has reached 197 countries and has over 125 million participants. It has also created an interactive workbook and database that guides young creatives through creating a story and provides a platform to promote their work via film festivals, events, and educational resources.
This is OC World’s first collaboration with The My Hero Project. Click here to watch on the OC World YouTube channel.
The MY HERO Project is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to celebrating unsung heroes through stories, art, music, and film. Learn more at myhero.com.
Check out the profile and Q&A with MY HERO Co-founder and Director Jeanne Meyers at the OC World Media Club website.
‘OC Effect’ Documentary Featured
In Chapman University Course
The OC Effect’s documentary on the Surf-Skate Business Evolutions of Orange County, produced by Scott Hays and Terry Corwin, has become part of the curriculum in a course titled “The History and Impact of the Surfing Industry,” taught by Amy Hurley-Hanson, Ph.D., at Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business and Economics. The course examines the history of surfing informed by “current historical scholarship and through perspectives from history, economics, physics, marketing, and leadership.”
Surf-Skate Documentary Receives Honors
The OC Effect’s documentary on the Surf-Skate Business Evolutions of Orange County, produced by Scott Hays and Terry Corwin, received the “Audience Award / Best Feature Film / Documentary” at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival. Additionally, the documentary will be screened at a “Special Surf Night Celebration of Films” for the Oceanside International Film Festival.
