Remembering KTLA Reporter, Host Sam Rubin
Longtime KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin died last week at age 64. The station announced his sudden death Friday during KTLA's "Morning News" program. A cause of death could not immediately be confirmed, but it was characterized as sudden. In a statement on the social media platform X, the station called Rubin a giant in the local news industry and a fixture of Los Angeles morning television for decades. "His laugh, charm and caring personality touched all who knew him. Sam was a loving husband and father: the roles he cherished the most. Our thoughts are with Sam’s family during this difficult time," the station wrote. Rubin had been with KTLA since 1991. Before his time on Channel 5, Rubin worked at KTTV, where he also covered Hollywood. His colleagues were visibly shaken as they mourned his death on air Friday afternoon. "Lived life to the fullest. We don’t know what exactly happened. But we know it was sudden, because we were just with him yesterday,” morning news anchor Frank Buckley said. “He was born to be a broadcaster,” KTLA reporter Eric Spillman added. “There’s just nobody who compares with him.”Rubin is survived by his wife and four children.
Today on AirTalk, KTLA Reporter Eric Spillman, who worked with Sam on KTLA’s “Morning News” program, joins us to help remember him. If you have memories of Sam, share them with us live on the iar at 866-893-5722, or by emailing us at atcomments@laist.com.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here
Neurodivergence: Understanding The Spectrum, Provider Shortages And Self-Diagnosing
Neurodiversity is a term that has become ubiquitous in the past couple of years. It was first coined in 1997 by sociologist Judy Singer to explain a span of cognitive and neurological differences in the human brain. The term encompasses everything from Tourette's syndrome and dyslexia to autism and ADHD. While there is lots of research on these disorders, the focus tends to be on children, not adults. Many adults with neurodivergence struggle to get a diagnosis for a number of reasons. This week on AirTalk we’re covering neurodivergence for various angles. On today’s program we’re joined by Vanessa Bal, associate professor of applied psychology at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Lawrence Fung, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and Karissa Burnett, licensed psychologist at Divergent Pathways.
Your Blue Bin Bulletin: Navigating Recycling
Recycling can be confusing! Navigating all the different types of plastics, paper products and metals to figure out the exact ones your city will accept (and in what condition) is complicated, even for the most devoted among us. What can you actually put in the big blue bin, and what’s just wishful thinking? Our intrepid LA Explained reporter Caitlin Hernández has a guide out today on laist.com. They join us today on AirTalk to talk about their piece. Also with us to talk recycling is Kate O'Neill, professor in the department of environmental science, policy and management at UC Berkeley. If you have questions, give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Where 'Drake V Kendrick' Stands In A Long History Of Rap Beefs
In one of the biggest beefs in recent hip-hop history, Drake and Kendrick Lamar are feuding — to the point that police were asked about their feud after a security guard was shot outside Drake’s Toronto mansion on Tuesday. But it wasn’t always this way. Over a decade ago, the pair collaborated on a few songs: On Drake’s 2011 track “Buried Alive Interlude,” on Lamar’s 2012 release “Poetic Justice,” and on A$AP Rocky’s “(Expletive) ’ Problems” that same year. Today on AirTalk, we explain the beef, talk about the history with feuds and the ripple effects across the music industry and culture. Joining to discuss is Tia Tyree, professor at Howard University, and Allie Martin, an ethnomusicologist who explores the relationships between race, sound, and gentrification, she’s an assistant professor of music at Dartmouth.
With files from the Associated Press
