AirTalk Nov. 5, 2026

Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses the latest on election races, the Democratic majority's plans for Trump, 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem,' 2028 election, new midcentury bowling exhibit and TV Talk.

The latest on the election races yet to be called

L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman is still leading the race for mayor over incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Today on AirTalk, we look at what the latest election results update means for the mayor’s race and others around the state left to be called with Frank Stolze, LAist civics and democracy correspondent, and Jill Replogle, LAist OC correspondent.

How will a Democratic majority take on the Trump administration?

The midterm election is being called a “blue tsunami” as Democrats took majorities in Congress. We look at what a Democratic majority will mean for the Trump administration and the likely investigations to come with Ron Elving, senior political contributor for NPR.

‘Once Upon a Time in Harlem’

In 1972, director William Greaves gathered surviving figures of the Harlem Renaissance in Duke Ellington’s apartment and shot their conversations on film. David Greaves, director of Once Upon a Time in Harlem, and his daughter and producer Liani Greaves, talk about the painstaking process of bringing their father and grandfather’s footage to life in a new documentary.

It’s not too soon to look ahead to the 2028 election…right?

The “blue tsunami” from the Nov. 3 election has resulted in the Democratic Party controlling both houses of Congress for President Trump’s final two years in office. But just as consequential, the election showed that the president’s grip on the Republican Party electorate has loosened. We discuss how both parties will analyze this election and the next two years of governance in preparation for the 2028 election with Rob Stutzman, Republican political consultant and president of Stutzman Public Affairs.

New exhibit looks at the wondrous neon glow of midcentury bowling

There’s nothing quite like the electric glow of a neon sign, beckoning you towards a business. The Museum of Neon Art regularly highlights some of history’s best examples of these signs, and a new exhibit at the Glendale-based establishment looks at the neon signs that accompanied midcentury bowling lanes. We'll talk with Connie Conway, executive Producer of “Wonder Lanes,” Steve Spiegel and Kathy Kikkert, co-curators of “Wonder Lanes.”

TV Talk: ‘It Gets Worse,’ ‘Black Doves,’ ‘North of North’ and more

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching from Dominic Patten, executive editor at Deadline Hollywood, and Steve Greene, freelance TV critic.