Cedar Fair And Six Flags Will Merge To Create A Playtime Powerhouse
Cedar Fair and Six Flags are merging to create an expansive amusement park operator with operations spread across 17 U.S. states and three countries. The combined company, worth more than $3.5 billion, will boast 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It will also have entertainment partnerships and a portfolio of intellectual property including Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Peanuts. Amusement parks have seen an uptick in revenue but have struggled to raise attendance since the pandemic, even as other entertainment sectors have bounced back. A tie-up between two huge players is expected to at least lower costs. Joining us to discuss the merger is Will Feuer, reporter for the Wall Street Journal.
The Role Radio Plays In Times Of War
The BBC World Service has announced an Emergency Radio Service for Gaza as the region faces violence and Israeli airstrikes. The service, Gaza Daily, aims to provide listeners in Gaza with the latest developments on the Israel-Hamas war, safety information and where to seek humanitarian resources like food and water. This is not the first time radio has been used as a vital communication tool in times of distress and war. In many countries, the traditional radio set remains the primary or only source of important information, as reported on by the Associated Press. Today on AirTalk, Liliane Landor, director of the BBC World Service, and Derek Vaillant, professor of media and communication and affiliate professor of history at the University of Michigan and author of “Across the Waves: How the United States and France Shaped the International Age of Radio” join to discuss the new emergency service and contextualize radio’s role historically. If you have questions, call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
Are Bargain Burgers Better? We Put The $6 Smash Hit Smashburger To The Test
There’s one thing better than a delicious burger: a cheap, delicious burger. That’s the idea behind Bartz Barbecue – which sells $6 smash burgers at weekly popups outside the Alondra Park golf course in the middle of Lawndale. Owner Dustin Bartz had an epiphany while at Costco one day; he noticed American Wagyu ground beef selling for $5.99 a pound. Smash burgers, he thought. Bartz’s inspiration was brilliant in its simplicity: use the pop-up model to address the food cost pinch we were all struggling with during the pandemic. It would become a crash course in restaurant economics for Bartz as well as his followers on IG, with Bartz going as far as to post the actual prices he pays for goods and services and how he passes on those savings to customers. Joining us today for some burger tasting is Gab Chabrán, LAist associate editor for Food and Culture, and chef Dustin Bartz, the brilliant mind behind the bargain burgers.
FilmWeek: ‘Fingernails,’ ‘Four Daughters,’ ‘Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project’ And More
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Christy Lemire, Andy Klein, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms:
“The Marsh King’s Daughter” Wide Release
“Fingernails” Select Theaters & Streaming on AppleTV+
“Rustin” In Select Theaters & Streaming on Netflix Nov. 17th
“The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes” Multiple AMC Locations
“Four Daughters” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
“What Happens Later” Select Theaters
“Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning” Select Theaters Nov. 8th & 9th
“Quiz Lady” Streaming on Hulu
“Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” Laemmle Royal [West LA]
“The Stones and Brian Jones” One Night Only, Laemmle Theaters Nov. 7th
FilmWeek Feature: The Depiction Of Girls And Young Women In Anime with Charles Solomon; The Future Of Marvel With Variety Editor Tatiana Siegel
In the first half of this week's FilmWeek Feature, Larry sits down with LAist film critic and animation expert Charles Solomon to examine how Japanese animation portrays girls and young women — and how that might differ from Western animation. Afterwards, Larry speaks with Variety’s Executive Editor of Film & Media Tatiana Siegel about the ongoing complications both on the screen and behind the scenes for Marvel Studios. You can read Tatiana's recent write-up on Marvel at Variety.
