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The spotlight on public figures, LA Metro homelessness decline, Michigan elections and more
US singer actress Ariana Grande attends the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on January 4.
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Chris Delmas
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Getty Images
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Jump to
- Do public figures owe us explanations?
- LA Metro sees a large drop in homelessness in transit system
- How do we feel about PDA?
- Michigan’s primary is today: What can it tell us about the state of politics?
- California considers banning 3D printers from making guns and gun parts
- What gets you to the movie theaters?
Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle discusses L.A. Metro homelessness decline, whether public figures owe fans explanations, how people feel about PDA, Michigan's primary elections, the fight over 3D-printed guns and what gets us to the movie theaters.
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Do public figures owe us explanations?
The topic:
Ariana Grande has been in the headlines these past few days, after announcing her intention to step back from the limelight and take some time away from her fans, citing increasing public scrutiny as the reason. Today on AirTalk, we look at how public figures react to public opinion, and what they owe their audience.
The controversy: While Grande has not made clear what the scrutiny she faces is about, fans and outside watchers assume she is referring to the popstar’s weight loss.
Yes, but: There is no confirmation that Grande has an eating disorder. Others are pointing to the cases of actor Chadwick Boseman, who publicly lost significant weight while privately battling cancer before his death in 2020.
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Join the conversation: What do we deserve, if anything, from the popular figures we idolize? Should we expect people, regardless of their status as public figures, to explain their interior lives to us? Or are some things, even if they have outsized effects on others, deservedly private matters that shouldn’t garner public attention? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722, or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Maria Prudente, freelance writer who's written for the L.A. Times, Chicago Tribune and Houston Chronicle
LA Metro sees a large drop in homelessness in transit system
The first phase of the extension will stretch D Line service from downtown L.A. to Beverly Hills.
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Aurelia Ventura
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The topic:
L.A. Metro announced on Monday that the regional transit system has seen a 57% decrease in homelessness since 2024. Today on AirTalk, we ask frequent Metro riders if the data reflects their experience riding on transit.
Background: The announcement comes as the latest regional Homeless Services Authority count shows that homelessness in the region is up 3.4% from last year, with street homelessness up 7.9%.
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Why the drop? Metro says the decline was due to an integrated public safety model, with the agency using both care-based services alongside law enforcement to reduce the number of unhoused persons in the transit system.
Join the conversation: Are you a frequent Metro rider? If so, have you seen a decrease in the number of unhoused people on trains and buses? What is your commute like, and is it any different from how it was a few years ago? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
We reached out to LA Metro for comment, but they didn’t have anyone to comment at the time of the segment.
Guest:
- Joe Linton, editor of Streetsblog Los Angeles
How do we feel about PDA?
Couple, holding hands and talking or walking in park, back and funny joke on honeymoon vacation.
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Jacob Wackerhausen
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
Someone on TikTok recently shared a video of him yelling at a pair kissing on a park bench to get a room. The video got millions of views, and according to a piece in The Atlantic about the incident, garnered comments in support of shutting the PDA-ers down. So — we want to know how you feel about public displays of affection.
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Join the conversation: How do you feel about PDA? Do you embrace it? Do you find it unnecessary? How do you think it can affect a romantic relationship? Join us by calling (866) 893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Michigan’s primary is today: What can it tell us about the state of politics?
Voters go to the polls to cast their ballots in the Michigan Primary election on August 4, 2026 in Lansing Michigan.
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Bill Pugliano
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Getty Images
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The topic:
Michiganders are at the polls today, deciding between two very different visions of the Democratic party in a contentious senate race. On one side, Abdul El-Sayed is backed by major progressive players like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rep. Haley Stevens, who has gained support from significant PACs.
What’s next? Waiting for the results to come in and nine more statewide primaries in August. In order to gain control of the House and Senate, Democrats will have to win competitive elections from Iowa to Maine in November.
Guests:
- Zoe Clark, political director and It's Just Politics host at Michigan Public, a fellow NPR station
- Adam Wren, co-author of POLITICO Playbook who's reporting from Birmingham
California considers banning 3D printers from making guns and gun parts
An ATF official holds a 3D-printed gun in the National Firearm Reference Vault, which holds thousands of guns, at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Services Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Sept. 4, 2024.
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Saul Loeb
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AFP via Getty Images
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The topic:
A new bill working its way through the California legislature would, if enacted, eventually require 3D printer companies to equip their printers with systems to stop the printing of gun parts. Today on AirTalk, we dig into the intentions of the bill, the practicalities of enforcement, and what its supporters say it would do to mitigate gun violence.
Background: California already bans 3D-printed guns, as well as any other “ghost guns” that are created via DIY methods without serial numbers, but AB 2047 would take this a step further and require 3D printer manufacturers to create a way to stop the printing of gun parts at the printer level.
Supporters say … That gun violence from ghost guns is on the rise, and federal data points to a rise in homemade firearm recoveries by law enforcement in recent years, from 1,600 in 2017 to almost 27,500 in 2023.
Opponents say … That bad actors will find ways to get around their 3D printer’s restrictions, and that this law would have the effect of only stopping law-abiding citizens from printing things that are useful but may resemble a gun part, such as a pipe.
Guests:
- Krystal LoPilato, director of policy advocacy at Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on gun violence which sponsors AB 2047
- Solomon Diamond, associate professor of engineering at Dartmouth College
- Cliff Braun, associate director of technology policy and research with the Electronic Frontier Foundation
What gets you to the movie theaters?
What gets you to the movie theater?
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AngelaMacario
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
With at-home streaming so readily available, it can take a lot to convince audiences to trek all the way to their local theater. But a few movies this summer have cracked the code in making the theatrical experience a necessary one.
Movies breaking through: Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s opening weekend swung high above expectations, earning $360 million domestically, the highest domestic debut in history. And The Odyssey has been on a tear since it opened three weeks ago, with screenings sold out a year in advance and IMAX 70mm showings booked through September. But it's not just big names and popular IP that have seen success. The indie horror Obsession saw consistent box office returns week after week, currently sitting at number 9 for the highest-grossing films this year.
Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What gets you to go see a movie in theaters instead of waiting for it to hit streaming? Is it seeing the film in a specific format? Is it the collective watching experience with a packed theater audience? And how far have you gone to see a movie in theaters, either distance or rearranging your life to get a ticket? Was it worth it? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722, or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guests:
- Payton Seda, AirTalk associate producer
- Lindsey Wright, AirTalk senior producer
-
Today on AirTalk: The Dodgers trade, a new Colorado River plan, Gianni Infantino's FIFA future, Adelanto detention center, SoCal military academies and summer jobs. -
Fosselman's Ice Cream Co. has been around for 107 years. Here's how it got its start. -
Today on AirTalk: The future of FIFA, making the most out of retirement, Fosselman's Ice Cream Co, FilmWeek and the IMAX format.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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