Jobs numbers, the drop in border crossings, Trump’s pick for ambassador to Russia - we round up the latest news in politics; will Uber rebound from its 2017 scandals and what is the brand’s holding power with millennials?; plus, Larry and KPCC film critics review new films, such as “Kong: Skull Island” and “Personal Shopper.” TGI-FilmWeek!
What to make of the jobs numbers, 40% drop in illegal border crossings, Jon Huntsman, and all you may have missed this week
We’re halfway through the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency and a lot has happened.
Larry talks with POLITICO’s breaking news reporter about today’s job numbers, the 40% drop in illegal border crossings, Washington and Hawaii’s challenge to the new Trump EO and Jon Huntsman’s appointment at ambassador to Russia -- all the news you may have missed before heading into the weekend.
Guests:
Louis Nelson, POLITICO Breaking News Reporter
Neil Irwin, senior economics correspondent for the New York Times; he wrote the article, “Should Trump Get Credit for Good Jobs Numbers?”
Examining Uber's two-star beginning to 2017, and what it does next
It may still be top dog when it comes to ride-sharing services in the U.S., but Uber’s reputation is in need of some serious repair work after a tumultuous end to 2016 and start to 2017.
Let’s rewind to just before the new year, in December, when Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was tapped to be part of an economic advisory panel for the Trump Administration, an offer he originally accepted. This didn’t sit well with some of Uber’s clientele, which launched a massive social media campaign to #DeleteUber, which has left the Uber app with a two out of five-star rating on Apple’s App Store. Kalanick announced in early February that he was withdrawing from the council.
Later that month, video surfaced of Kalanick in a tense argument with a driver for UberBlack, Uber’s higher-end black car service, over the impact Uber’s pricing model changes had on his financial stability. Kalanick has since publicly apologized and said he would be seeking help developing leadership skills.
Just days later, news broke of Uber’s use of software called ‘Greyball,’ which helped them identify and track law enforcement and others who might not help business. Most recently, Kalanick announced he’d be hiring a chief operating officer to help him lay out his vision for the future of the company.
We’re also taking a look at how people felt the need to see Uber in a certain way, as more than just a service, but as a social cause behind which to stand. Is this behavior specific to millennials, many of whom look for jobs that not only provide money and benefits but also give a sense that you’re contributing to a larger force of change?
Guests:
Carolyn Said, San Francisco Chronicle reporter covering business, tech, and the on-demand economy; she tweets
Jason Dorsey, founder of the Center for Generational Kinetics, a research firm specializing in millennial and Gen Z marketing; he tweets
FilmWeek: ‘Kong: Skull Island,’ ‘Raw,’ ‘Personal Shopper’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend’s new movie releases including:
- "Kong: Skull Island" in wide release
- "Personal Shopper" at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark
- "Raw" at Nuart Theatre
- "The Sense of an Ending" at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark
- "Burning Sands" at iPic Theaters Westwood (also on Netflix)
- "Brimstone" at Laemmle’s Music Hall
- "The Other Half" at Laemmle’s Monica Film Center
- "The Ottoman Lieutenant" at AMC Burbank Town Center, ArcLight Sherman Oaks, Laemmle’s Playhouse and other select theatres
- "My Scientology Movie" at ArcLight Hollywood
Critics' Hits
Tim: "The Sense of an Ending"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYLNTQGpNQ0
Claudia: "The Other Half"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv5BJOpoBYM
Mixed Feelings
Tim: "Kong: Skull Island"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44LdLqgOpjo
Claudia: "Personal Shopper"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqMpkGOW9g&t=46s
Misses!
Tim: "Raw"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udkwT3p28Sw
Claudia: "The Ottoman Lieutenant"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BJyAgU5Yr8&t=25s
Guests:
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association; she tweets
Tim Cogshell, film critic for KPCC and Alt-Film Guide; he tweets
Unmasking the peak of the Hollywood blacklist surrounding beloved classic ‘High Noon’
The 1952 western classic had all the elements of a Golden Age film: an unsung town hero played by the legendary Gary Cooper, his beautiful lover and heroine, later marked as Grace Kelly’s first role on the big screen, and an epic and courageous battle to stay true to oneself against all odds.
But despite being a favorite film among American presidents, its conception surfaced during the height of the Hollywood blacklist: anyone believed to have ties to Communists would be weeded out from the industry - actors, directors, screenwriters and more. The first group of professionals to be rounded up were “The Hollywood Ten,” blacklisted on Nov. 25, 1947, in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
“High Noon’s” screenwriter, Carl Foreman, did testify before the committee about his previous membership in the Communist Party, but after refusing to surrender any names, the screenwriter was also blacklisted from the industry and he later fled the United States.
Author and veteran-journalist Glenn Frankel highlights new details in his book “High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic” and speaks to host Larry Mantle about the film’s evolution through politically turbulent times.
Guest:
Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of “High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic” (Bloomsbury 2017)