Today marks 10 years following the mass shooting in San Bernardino, we look back

Today marks 10 years following the mass shooting in San Bernardino, we look back

December 2, 2015, marks the day when 14 people lost their lives in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, which at the time was one of the deadliest shootings and terrorist attacks in American history. Following the attacks and the resulting mourning from an entire community, state legislators did look to further regulate guns by banning assault weapons and detachable magazines. Although gun control was one topic of conversation to come out of the attack, politicians, including at-the-time Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, used the tragedy as a moment to push for anti-Muslim policies. Today on AirTalk, we’ll look back at the event and its legacy with Brian Levin, founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism and professor emeritus at California State University, San Bernardino.

New research into tattoos’ impact on immune response

Today, 32% of American adults have tattoos. While they are popular, the health effects of having them are still debated. Now, new research suggests that tattoos may interact with our immune system in complex ways. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looks at how tattoo ink travels through the body and affects antibody responses after vaccination. Joining us today to look at this new information and what people with tattoos should know are Santiago F. González, professor of infection and immunity at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Switzerland and one of the co-authors of the study and Dr. Melvin Chiu, dermatologist at USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

Commercials are starring more celebrities — how is it affecting the acting job market?

It’s the holiday season! And nothing says the holidays like big, flashy commercials. But, with fewer eyeballs on traditional linear TV, companies have had to shift their tactics to make a lasting impact. One way is hiring A-list celebrities to star. George Clooney for Nespresso, Ben and Casey Affleck for Dunkin’, and of course, Samuel L. Jackson for Capital One, are all examples of celebrity marketing. While successful, these types of commercials have pushed out many middle-class actors who rely on commercial work to make a living. Other companies have forgone actors altogether, now creating commercials using AI. Elaine Low, staff writer for the Ankler, wrote a piece delving into how the commercial landscape has changed and its effects on the acting job market. She joins us to discuss.

LA Times: UCLA Football has found their new head coach

James Madison’s Bob Chesney is expected to be hired as UCLA’s new football coach, according to multiple reports Monday. The Bruins have not yet announced a deal with Chesney, whose No. 19 Dukes are 11-1 heading into the Sun Belt Conference title game against Troy on Friday. With a win, James Madison has a chance to be in the College Football Playoff. UCLA finished 3-9 this season under interim coach Tim Skipper, who replaced DeShaun Foster three games into the year. Foster went 5-10 as the stopgap replacement for Chip Kelly, who abruptly left the Bruins in February 2024, well after the year’s coaching cycle had concluded. The high-priced Kelly’s underwhelming six-year tenure was the latest football disappointment for the Bruins, who have just three 10-win seasons and no conference titles in the 21st century. UCLA has had seven losing seasons in the last decade and is 6-12 in conference play in its first two seasons in the Big Ten. The 48-year-old Chesney has stellar credentials after going 20-5 in two standout seasons at James Madison as the replacement for Curt Cignetti. Before that, the Pennsylvania native went 44-21 in six seasons at Holy Cross in the FCS. Today on AirTalk, we break down what this decision means for UCLA athletics with Ben Bolch, LA Times staff writer covering UCLA sports.

A look at what the next fiscal year has in store for California

As the state with the biggest economy, California’s fiscal highs are high, but our budgetary lows are equally as low. In late November, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analysts’s Office released their annual fiscal outlook for the new fiscal year, showing a nearly $18 billion deficit. Higher than expected spending outpacing revenue, even as the state basks in strong income tax collection due to AI investments in silicon valley, is in part to blame. The office also anticipates an even larger deficit in the following fiscal year. So what other factors are leading to our current economic situation, and is there good news on the horizon? Joining Larry to break down what we’re seeing out of Sacramento is Gabe Petek, legislative analyst for the California Legislative Analyst’s Office.

DACA recipients become the latest target for immigration crackdown

DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is an Obama-era program that shields hundreds of thousands of people who came to the United States as children. The program was designed to protect its recipients, commonly referred to as “Dreamers,” from immigration arrests and deportation. It also allows them to legally work in the U.S. Previously, if their status was in jeopardy, they would receive a warning and would still have a chance to fight it before immigration officers detained them and began efforts to deport them. But, since the beginning of this year, the Trump administration has targeted DACA recipients as immigrants in the U.S. face increased vetting, including of their social media, when they apply for visas, green cards, citizenship, or to request the release of their children from federal custody. The administration has also sought to deport foreign students for participating in pro-Palestinian activism. Joining us today on AirTalk to check in on the DACA program and immigration enforcement are Valerie Gonzalez, AP reporter following immigration and DACA, and Pratheepan Gulasekaram, professor of law at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he specializes in constitutional and immigration law.