What happened at Dodger Stadium?
A crowd of protesters thinned out Thursday afternoon outside Dodger Stadium, where Los Angeles Police Department officers had earlier formed a line at one of the entrances. Protesters, media, and an L.A. City Council member had arrived at the stadium after rumors circulated on social media about Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles using the stadium's parking lots. The tense scene came days after the Dodgers organization faced growing questions about its position on ICE raids from fans. The team was expected to make an announcement about the issue today. On Thursday afternoon, the official Dodgers X account said the team denied ICE personnel entry into the stadium. On X, ICE contradicted the team: "False. We were never there." The social media account of the Department of Homeland Security also weighed in, saying the vehicles were for the Customs and Border Protection: "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement." An LAist reporter saw a Border Patrol patch on a masked agent outside the stadium. ICE and CBP are both part of Homeland Security. An LAPD spokesperson couldn't comment on which agencies were present at the stadium, referring only to "federal vehicles."
Today on AirTalk, we tell you what happened and clear up some of the confusion with LAist watchdog correspondent Jordan Rynning.
What makes a great commencement speech great?
As June enters its twilight and summer comes into full swing, the last remaining campus-bound college students around the country are leaving for the summer — some of them for the last time. Graduating from college isn’t just an academic feat; it’s also a time for reflection, introspection, and celebration. Graduation ceremonies attempt to capture all of these emotions, and often rely on commencement speakers to do just that. Some speakers choose to intertwine life advice with humor, while others acknowledge the fraught realities of the world students are graduating into. There are many ways to go about a commencement speech, and today on AirTalk, we’re looking at what goes into these orations. Joining the program to explain how these speeches are crafted, their value, and more is Aaron Kall, director of debate at the University of Michigan Debate Program, and Steven Cohen, professor of business communication for Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and author of the book Public Speaking: The Path to Success. We also want to hear from you! What’s a commencement speech that has stuck with you? Maybe it was laugh-out-loud funny, or perhaps it offered you new insights on life. Tell us about it by calling 866-893-5722 or emailing us at atcomments@laist.com.
Got a sweet tooth? Pasadena’s newest bakery has you covered
The talk of the town for Pasadena lately has been the new bakery on the block, BadAsh Bakes. Even if you aren’t a Pasadena resident, you’ve probably seen head chef and baker Ashley Cunningham’s cinnamon rolls, cookies, and banana pudding pop up on your social media feed. Cunningham opened the bakery and cafe last month, but her desserts have been on people’s radar for a few years now. Her desserts first drew attention on social media when she worked as a private chef, showcasing the meals she made for celebrity clients. But it was always her baked goods that really stood out. So, she began operating a ghost kitchen, delivering her cookies to anyone who wanted them. Now the people are coming to her. Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by head chef, baker, and owner of BadAsh Bakes, Ashley Cunningham, to find out what makes her sweets so delicious.
FilmWeek: '28 Years Later,' 'Elio,' 'Tatami,' and More!
Guest host Austin Cross and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell, Peter Rainer, and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
Films:
- 28 Years Later Wide Release
- Elio Wide Release
- Tatami Laemmle Royal [West LA]
- Everything’s Going to Be Great Laemmle Town Center 5 [Encino]| Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
- KPop Demon Hunters Laemmle Glendale|Streaming on Netflix
- The Damned Laemmle Royal [West LA]
- Hi-Five In Select Theaters
- Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project VOD on June 24
- Don’t Tell Larry Laemmle Royal [West LA]| Laemmle Town Center [Encino]|VOD on June 20
Celine Song talks ‘Materialists,’ modernizing rom-coms, and love triangles
Celine Song, writer-director of the new film Materialists, uses a similar framework that garnered her a lot of admiration from moviegoers. In her feature directorial debut, Past Lives, the lead character Nora struggles to manage a love triangle, only for her to discover what the differences are between these lives she’s romanticized. In Materialists, Lucy deals with a similar problem, although the film spends a lot more time on why we date, and the equations we come up with in our head to find ‘the one.’
Today on FilmWeek, we’re joined by Materialists writer-director Celine Song, and getting a sense of how she created this world that reflects today’s dating culture.
