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AirTalk

AirTalk for December 20, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden sit during a meeting with Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew in the Oval Office of the White House December 16, 2013 in Washington, DC.
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden sit during a meeting with Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew in the Oval Office of the White House December 16, 2013 in Washington, DC.
(
Alex Wong/Getty Images
)
Listen 1:39:47
Today on AirTalk, we'll hear President Obama's parting words for 2013 in a live press conference. Then on FilmWeek we'll review all of this week's releases--including Spike Jonze's 'Her' and 'Anchorman 2.' Then, should great voice performances earn acting awards?
Today on AirTalk, we'll hear President Obama's parting words for 2013 in a live press conference. Then on FilmWeek we'll review all of this week's releases--including Spike Jonze's 'Her' and 'Anchorman 2.' Then, should great voice performances earn acting awards?

Today on AirTalk, we'll hear President Obama's parting words for 2013 in a live press conference. Then on FilmWeek we'll review all of this week's releases--including Spike Jonze's 'Her' and 'Anchorman 2.' Then, should great voice performances earn acting awards?

President Obama live news conference: Parting thoughts on 2013

Listen 52:29
President Obama live news conference: Parting thoughts on 2013

Before the First Family can depart for a Christmas vacation in serene Hawaii, President Barack Obama will stand before the White House press corps for the ritualized year-end news conference.

The pressing questions will focus on the immigration-legislation limbo, reforms of the National Security Agency, and, of course, the Affordable Care Act. Last night, the Obama Administration made the surprising, if not confusing, announcement that Americans who had their health plans cancelled would be exempt from the requirement to sign onto a health plan.

RELATED: Watch Live: President Obama to hold year-end news conference

Why make the change now? How will it affect what’s thought to be his legacy law? What will the President want to remember, and want to forget, about 2013? What should he focus on for 2014?

Guests:

Kitty Felde, KPCC Washington Correspondent

David Mark, Editor-in-Chief, Politix.com (with an x!); Former Senior Editor, POLITICO

Filmweek: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Her, Walking With Dinosaurs 3D and more

Listen 31:36
Filmweek: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Her, Walking With Dinosaurs 3D and more

Larry and KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Her, Walking With Dinosaurs 3D and more. TGI-Filmweek!

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Her

Walking With Dinosaurs 3D

Guests:

Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and producer and host for IGN's DigiGods.com

Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com

Charles Solomon, animation critic for KPCC and author and historian for amazon.com

Scarlett Johansson in 'Her' - Should vocal performances get major awards recognition?

Listen 15:42
Scarlett Johansson in 'Her' - Should vocal performances get major awards recognition?

Here’s an announcement you won’t hear at the Oscars: “And the nominees for best voiceover actor are…”

A new row has erupted over the exclusion of voiceover performers in key industry awards, in part due to the buzz surrounding Scarlett Johansson’s role in the new Spike Jonze movie ‘Her’. Johansson  plays ‘Samantha’ a computer operating system who is the object of  Theodore’s affections,  played by Joaquin Phoenix.

Earlier this week, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association told the makers of ‘Her’ that Johannson’s role is ineligible for a Golden Globe nomination. Warner Brothers has since appealed against the decision.

Johansson isn’t the first actor to be snubbed for their dulcet tones. Andy Serkis - the voice of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings franchise - was also disqualified from award consideration in previous years..

If a performer doesn’t appear on screen, should they still be considered for a best actor nomination? Should a new ‘best voiceover’ category be added to the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes to reflect the growth in high profile voice performers?