Kal Raustiala is a professor at the UCLA School of Law, director of the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations, and coauthor of The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation. Before talking about how copycats can drive creative industries, he explained in the Zócalo green room how duck fat ice cream can be delicious, which heist film is his favorite, and why he doesn’t mind if someone else gives his lecture.
Where do you watch UCLA football?
I don’t.
What’s the best dessert you’ve eaten recently?
Duck fat ice cream, at a place called Wong in New York.
What’s your greatest irrational fear?
Rats.
What’s the last board game you played?
Candy Land, but I have little kids.
What is your favorite heist movie of all time?
The Italian Job. The original. … I take that back—The Thomas Crown Affair. The original.
How do you pass the time in L.A. traffic?
Usually listening to KCRW.
What’s your favorite Supreme Court decision?
I’m not really that kind of lawyer. I know most lawyers do. I can’t say I have a favorite decision.
What’s your favorite advertising jingle?
I don’t have one, because I usually listen to KCRW.
What are you reading right now?
I’m in the middle of the new Lyndon Johnson book [by Robert Caro]. I’ve kind of been in the middle of that for six months.
Do you mind if I go on the lecture circuit with your talk tonight?
As long as you got my name right and attributed it to me.