LA poised to give hotel and airport workers $30 minimum wage

Los Angeles’ city council voted 12-3 on Wednesday to approve a $30 minimum wage for certain workers in the tourism industry by 2028. The proposal as it stands would affect hotels with more than 60 rooms and companies doing business at Los Angeles international Airport. Because the vote was not unanimous, a second vote will be required next week. Advocates say that low-wage workers live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to keep up with living costs in LA. Some businesses said the ordinance would raise labor costs and force some of them to close. Today on AirTalk, David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times reporter for City Hall who’s been covering this, and Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, which represents hotel and restaurant workers in the city, and Monica Rodriguez, City council member for Los Angeles district 7

AI Series: AI is now on the dating apps. What does this mean for the future of relationships?

Hinge, Bumble, and Tinder have all recently added AI tools to their platforms to assist users in their pursuit to find love. Hinge’s AI feature in particular helps users craft messages to potential dates, offering critiques. Some people use third party tools like ChatGPT to help write messages for them or create desirable dating profiles. Dating apps have been losing users and money for some time now. Many see the shift towards AI as a hail mary for online dating, but others worry it will only exacerbate the problems inherent to the format, such as catfishing, lying, and not presenting an authentic self. Today, as part of our week-long AI series, we delve into how AI is affecting dating culture and the way we communicate to romantic partners. Joining us is Kathryn Coduto, assistant professor of media science at Boston University, and Liesel Sharabi, associate professor of the Hugh Downs School Of Human Communication at Arizona State University. We also want to hear from you! Have you used AI to flirt on a dating app? If you found out someone used AI to court you, would that change your perception of them? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

Colin Blunstone and Robert Schwartzman talk 'Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary'

For those who grew up during the British Rock Invasion of the 1960s, you’re probably familiar with many of the names who made their way through the U.S. charts, one such being the psychedelic rock band The Zombies. For a lot of younger generations— their name might not ring a bell— but it might not take too long into their hit song Time of the Season to understand just how important of a band they are. A new feature by filmmaker and musician Robert Schwartzman titled Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary tells the life and legacy of the band, with in-depth interviews with band members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent. Today on AirTalk, we’ll discuss the new documentary with filmmaker Robert Schwartzman and The Zombies frontman, Colin Blunstone.

Newsom unveils revised state budget amid $12 billion deficit

On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his revised state budget plan where he also announced that the state is facing a $12 billion deficit amid rising healthcare costs and a “Trump slump” — a mixture of tariff disruptions, an unpredictable market, and declining tourism in the state. The new budget, which retains the state’s earlier $322 billion spending plan, looks to cut costs by pausing state-funded health care for undocumented immigrants living in the state. Additionally, the budget aims to fast track the contentious $20 billion Delta Tunnel Project as well as cut some of the red tape around housing development in the state. Joining us to talk about the revised budget and what it means for the state is Jeremy B. White, reporter covering California politics for Politico. Also joining us is Dan Walters, political columnist for CalMatters.

Questlove on 50 years of Saturday Night Live musical talent

For 50 years and nearly 1,000 episodes, Saturday Night Live has held up a mirror to America and offered viewers a chance to laugh along with the absurdities of the week. Many of Hollywood’s favorite actors like Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy got their start on the storied program. But it’s not just actors who can get their big break on SNL. Each episode ends with a musical performance by a guest act. These musicians, while often already pretty famous in their own right, have used the platform in the past to make political statements, riff on television censorship laws, or show fans what they’re really capable of. Renowned musician DJ Questlove, who is the bandleader for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, has worked through the show’s 50 year catalogue of musical acts, interviewed cast members and musicians, and more to highlight the program’s melodic side in Ladies and Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music. Today on AirTalk, Questlove joins Austin to talk about his documentary, and the musical moments that have made SNL, SNL.

TV Talk: ‘Poker Face’ Season 2, ‘Murderbot,’ ‘Devil’s Plan: Death Room,’ and more!

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching with Kristen Baldwin, TV critic for Entertainment Weekly and Hanh Nguyen, executive editor of Culture & Food at Salon.com, an independent news publication.

TV Shows:

• Poker Face Season 2 (Peacock)
• Murderbot (Apple TV)
• Devil’s Plan: Death Room (Netflix)
• Forever (Netflix)
• Overcompensating (Prime Video)
• Karen Read Murder Retrial (Law&Crime Network on YouTube)