He made good on his waste management and highway promises, and oversaw the emergence of Los Angeles as a major city. He was a backer of the Los Angeles Music Center, business districts such as Little Tokyo, and of the Los Angeles Zoo. He also made frequent appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", which boosted his popularity. At the same time, he was a passionate anti-Communist, a critic of the Civil Rights Movement, and an outspoken opponent of desegregation busing and feminism.