This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
Final LA mayoral debate cancelled. What neat stuff are you building with AI? And more
Adam Miller, Nithya Raman and Rae Huang at the first major mayoral debate of the 2026 election.
(
Kavish Harjai
/
LAist
)
Jump to
Today's show: Austin Cross, filling in for AirTalk host Larry Mantle, discusses the latest on the L.A. mayoral race, why this year’s California gubernatorial race is a little different, favorite DVD commentaries, President Trump's China trip, the popularity of the Las Vegas Sphere, and cool AI stuff you're doing. Cross is LAist's local Morning Edition host and also hosts Friday AirTalk.
Have a question or comment about a segment? Want to pitch us a story?
Fill out the form below, and please include an email address so we're able to follow up if necessary! We're not able to respond to every inquiry, but all submissions are read and reviewed by our production team.
Final L.A. mayoral debate cancelled — the state of the race
The topic:
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman dropped out of a televised forum between mayoral candidates slated to happen this week, leading the organizers to cancel the event. With no more broadcast events scheduled before the June 2 primary, we look at the state of the race.
Context: Spencer Pratt, another leading candidate for the job, had previously declined to join the forum. A televised debate between the top three candidates last week showed Pratt’s prowess in handling screen time.
Guest:
- Noah Goldberg, reporter covering Los Angeles City Hall for the Los Angeles Times.
This year’s gubernatorial race is different
The four major candidates for California governor in 1998: Dan Lungren, left, Al Checchi, Jane Harman and Gray Davis.
(
Kirk McKoy
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
The topic:
With more than 60 people on the ballot for California governor and eight candidates making it onto the televised debates — is the oversaturation of choices helping or hurting voters when it comes to making a decision? How does this year compare to past races?
Sponsored message
One reference point: Many point to the 1998 gubernatorial race as a similar primary. That election had 17 candidates on the ballot, with Gray Davis ultimately winning.
Join the conversation: Has there been a prior gubernatorial election that had you overwhelmed or indecisive? Tell us about it by calling (866) 893-5722 or emailing atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Dan Walters, political columnist for CalMatters
Why were DVD commentaries so popular?
The topic:
One of the perks of owning a movie on DVD was the addition of bonus features, where audiences could get a glimpse of how their favorite films were made.
What are your favorite DVD commentaries?
(
Pressmaster/Getty Images
/
iStockphoto
)
Sponsored message
History: The first “running commentary” where someone talked over the duration of a film was in 1987 with the Criterion Collection’s re-release of 1933’s King Kong. Ronald Haver, a film historian, provided the commentary track, describing it as a “lecture.”
Join the conversation: What was your favorite DVD commentary? Maybe it was one you listened to more than you watched the film. Or perhaps it was a commentary that changed your perception or gave you greater appreciation for the movie. Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Wade Major, film critic for LAist’s FilmWeek and CineGods.com and author of Hollywood Heretic on Substack. He has also been featured in several film commentaries.
What does a successful China trip look like for President Trump?
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping arrive at a state dinner in 2017 in Beijing.
(
Pool
/
Getty Images
)
The topic:
President Donald Trump is on his way to Beijing for multiple days of talks with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping.
Sponsored message
More details: The trip, rescheduled due to the war with Iran, comes nine years after the last presidential trip to the country — by Trump during his first term. The two leaders are expected to discuss the war with Iran, trade tensions and AI.
Why it matters: With the war in Iran dragging on past the president’s original timeline and the president’s rhetoric displacing allies, contemporary China presents itself to other countries as a stable alternative to U.S. hegemony.
Guest:
- Evan Medeiros, director of Asia Studies at Georgetown University. He previously served for six years on the staff of the National Security Council as Director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia during the Obama administration.
The Las Vegas Sphere’s immersive experience
Phish performs at the Las Vegas Sphere.
(
Rich Fury / Sphere Entertainment
/
Getty Images
)
The topic:
The venue that was created as a new form of live entertainment has become the highest grossing arena in the world. Since its opening three years ago, the Sphere has offered the residencies of legendary bands such as the Eagles, U2 and Phish.
Sponsored message
The tech: The venue’s screens resemble that of a planetarium, standing 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide, functioning with the largest and highest-resolution LED screen on Earth.
Why it matters: More Sphere-like arenas are coming. So what does the future hold for immersive tech and entertainment?
Join the conversation: Have you been to the Sphere? What’s been your favorite immersive venue and why? Share your experience with us at (866) 893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guests:
- Glen Nowak, associate professor of architecture at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
- Joel Veenstra, chair of the department of drama and head of stage management at UC Irvine.
What neat stuff are you building with AI?
Have you tried vibe coding?
(
gorodenkoff/Getty Images/iStockphoto
/
iStockphoto
)
The topic:
AI companies are expanding beyond chatbots and into coworking, coding and design. Today, we’re turning the mic over to listeners to hear about the cool stuff they’ve been building.
Context: AI research is veering more towards “agentic” AI, where autonomous systems do much more planning, decision making and work on their own. A few hours with the newest AI models can net you a computer project that would have taken days or weeks in the past with a minimal learning curve.
Also: Nicole Nguyen, personal tech columnist at the Wall Street Journal, recently took one of these models for a spin and vibe-coded her own app with only a few headaches.
Join the conversation: So what are you building, and how is AI helping? Give us a call at (866) 893-5722 or you can email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Guest:
- Nicole Nguyen, personal tech columnist at the Wall Street Journal; her recent piece is "I Vibe-Coded the App of My Dreams and Only Lost My Mind Twice."
-
Today on AirTalk: Hantavirus; U.K. politics; Soap operas; Tech layoffs; The D Line Extension; and puberty -
Today on AirTalk: Cybersecurity breach affects thousands of schools; what is the best advice from your mom? Food Friday; FilmWeek; and all the changes coming to the Oscars. -
Today on AirTalk: Ban on pretextual police stops? CA insurance commissioner’s race; TV Talk; and California gubernatorial candidates Steve Hilton and Matt Mahan.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
