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Any pity for the penny? The one cent coin is finally discontinued.

Two 2025 pennies
The last pennies made on display at the US mint in Philadelphia, PA on Wednesday November 12, 2025.
(
The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im
/
The Washington Post
)

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Listen 1:39:02
Today on AirTalk: the end of the penny; why Linkedin posts are so strange; Food Friday: Cook like an Armenian grandmother; FilmWeek: the latest releases; and a new biography of actor Cesar Romero.
Today on AirTalk: the end of the penny; why Linkedin posts are so strange; Food Friday: Cook like an Armenian grandmother; FilmWeek: the latest releases; and a new biography of actor Cesar Romero.

Any pity for the penny? The one cent coin is finally discontinued.

Listen 18:41
Any pity for the penny? The one cent coin is finally discontinued.

Pour one out for the penny. After 232 years, production of the penny has ceased. For some, this may seem abrupt. But the reality is, the relevance of the penny has been in question for decades, along with its decline. In fact, we’ve asked AirTalk listeners what they think of the penny. Should we discontinue it? Or let it live? Turns out, people had strong opinions. Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you again. Was it time for the penny to go? Joining us today on AirTalk is Jay Zagorsky, professor of economics at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and author of the book “The Power of Cash: Why Using Paper Money is Good for You and Society.”

Why does LinkedIn feel so different?

Listen 14:54
Why does LinkedIn feel so different?

Once known as the internet's best resume holder, LinkedIn has blossomed into the business-forward social media platform offering users a corporate glance into their coworkers, friends, and distant colleagues' professional highlights and career achievements. However, over the last few years, LinkedIn has evolved into a bastion of self-promotion, with its “brotery” infused career advice and oversharing former coworkers, leaving many users feeling career advancement is somehow tied to posting personal content. But how much of that is the case? And how exactly did we end up here? Joining us this morning to discuss LinkedIn’s evolution and how we’ve grown to use it is Karen North, professor of Digital Social Media at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. We also want to hear from you! Are you a LinkedIn user that frequently posts? Are you a user that feels obligated to post career updates?

Tatiks is serving authentic Armenian cuisine in SoCal that’ll get you talking

Listen 15:55
Tatiks is serving authentic Armenian cuisine in SoCal that’ll get you talking

Los Angeles County holds the largest concentration of Armenians outside of the country itself, having created an immigrant community whose traditions run deep in the area, despite being thousands of miles away from their original homes. Whether you're Armenian or would like to experience authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, Los Angeles serves as a great place to check out. If you’re looking for authentic Armenian cuisine in the area, there’s a place like Tatiks; the name translates to grandmother in English, which makes sense when you see how comforting the food there is meant to be. The restaurant was founded by Bedros Taslakian and his daughter, Sima Taslakian. It’s managed to find plenty of local success, having locations in Van Nuys, Burbank, and North Hollywood. On this week’s Food Friday, we’ll talk to Sima about the work that’s gone into making their cuisine truly grandma-like.

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FilmWeek: ‘Jay Kelly,’ ‘The Running Man,’ ‘The Carpenter’s Son,’ and more!

Listen 30:30
FilmWeek: ‘Jay Kelly,’ ‘The Running Man,’ ‘The Carpenter’s Son,’ and more!

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Beandrea July review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.

Films:

Jay Kelly In Select Theaters|Streaming on Netflix Dec 5

The Running Man Wide Release

Come See Me In The Good Light Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Apple TV+

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The Carpenter’s Son In Select Theaters 

Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk Laemmle Glendale|Laemmle Monica Film Center

Bunny Lumiere Cinema [West LA]|Available on VOD

Selena y Los Dinos Laemmle NoHo|Streaming on Netflix Nov 17

Bull Run Galaxy Mission Grove Theatre [Riverside]|Available on VOD & Digital Platforms

Serious People Laemmle Glendale|Available on VOD & Digital Platforms Dec 16

Stationed at Home Available on VOD & Digital Platforms

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Being Eddie Streaming on Netflix

Trap House In Select Theaters

Feature: A new biography on Cesar Romero shows the actor’s varied career beyond The Joker

Listen 18:59
Feature: A new biography on Cesar Romero shows the actor’s varied career beyond The Joker

Actor Cesar Romero is probably best known for his role as The Joker in the 1960s Batman series, a portrayal that would later define the character and cast a large shadow over future screen adaptations. But well before Romero put on the green wig and red lipstick, he had a successful and varied career. He acted alongside the Rat Pack in Ocean’s Eleven and Carmen Miranda in Week-End in Havana. Most of his roles fell into the ‘Latin Lover’ stereotype, a mold he did not fit in his everyday life. Yet, despite on-screen limitations, Romero was still able to imbue each character with a sense of humanity. In the new biography Cesar Romero: The Joker is Wild, author Samuel Garza Bernstein goes in depth about Romero’s life pre-Hollywood, his career pre-Joker, and his 1980s renaissance as an A-list TV actor. On FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Garza Bernstein about Romero’s legacy.

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