The evolution of LA history, politics and science
Los Angeles has changed exponentially and in many unexpected ways over the last 40 years. AirTalk has been there to help Southern Californians navigate the latest political, historical, and scientific news. We’re joined by some of the most prominent and long-time guests to join the show and help listeners better understand the different facets of L.A. Joining is Fernando Guerra, professor of political science and Chicana/o Latina/o studies at Loyola Marymount University, Dr. Lucy Jones, seismologist and founder and chief scientist at the Lucy Jones Center for Science & Society, a natural disaster risk reduction research organization, and Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and former L.A. city councilmember and county supervisor.
How the show got its start and the people who helped shape it
If you are a long-time listener of AirTalk, you might remember the early days. The show may sound a little different, Larry included, but in many ways it’s remained the same. We talk about the early days of AirTalk with the people who had a hand in establishing the show. Joining is Doug Johnson, vice president of Technology and Operations at LAist who began working at KPCC in 1979 as a part time audio engineer, Kathy Spilos, who worked at KPCC from 1982-1990 and co-anchored the Evening Edition Newscast, and Matt Wright, who worked at KPCC from 1984-1995 as a writer for Evening Edition.
AirTalk and events through the years
Most AirTalk episodes are live from a studio at LAist, but there have been countless times over the decades when AirTalk ventures out into the world. Whether you’re sitting in LAist’s Crawford forum today or joining AirTalk’s annual FilmWeek Oscar Preview show, it wouldn’t be possible without a highly skilled live events team that makes it their mission to curate a special experience. We talk about different events from over the years with Jon Cohn, LAist vice president of Audience & Community Engagement at LAist, Rebecca Stumme, LAist senior producer of Live Programming & Events, and Tony Federico, LAist technical director of Live Programming & Events.
Drew Carey joins Larry Mantle in conversation
There’s nothing like turning on a comforting game show like The Price is Right and seeing a familiar face. For decades, it was host Bob Barker. For the last 18 years, it’s been comedian and actor Drew Carey, who took over for Barker in 2007. So Carey knows a little something about putting together a long-running production. The Price is Right just celebrated its own milestone – 10,000 episodes. Carey is also a long-time listener of AirTalk. He joins Larry in conversation as they discuss what it’s like being a host of two very different but staple shows.
A lot has changed in film and entertainment
First, it was the pandemic, then the writer’s strike, and now the ever-encroaching threat of AI – Hollywood has had its struggles over the years. But what does the future of the industry hold? Will the industry leave LA in search of better tax breaks? Will AI take jobs away from creatives? And after a bleak first quarter, what does the future of movie-going look like? Joining us to share their take on the industry is Tim Cogshell, film critic for LAist with Alt-Film Guide and CineGods.com and Dominic Patten, executive editor for Deadline Hollywood.
Senior Producers give a behind-the-scenes look at the making of AirTalk
Never before in AirTalk’s history have so many senior producers gathered for one live panel. Four of AirTalk's past senior producers and the program’s current senior producer are joining Larry Mantle on stage. They share some of their standout memories, how they navigated stressful moments, and what their favorite part of producing Southern California’s longest-running public radio program was.
