COVID-19 AMA: Whether You Should Get Another Booster, Plus Are We Past The Omicron Peak?
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Sam Torbati, co-chair of the department of emergency medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Topics today include:
- What we know about the new BA.2 Omicron variant. Here’s why scientists are on alert
Omicron was in California before it was named Omicron, according to sewage samples
- What else wastewater is telling us about the Omicron surge
- Health officials say L.A. County is past the Omicron peak
- San Francisco eases mask, vaccination proof rules as Omicron surge recedes
- Rams-49ers football, Lunar New Year pose new COVID-19 challenge for California
- Should you get a second booster shot?
As LA City Council Looks To Phase Out Oil Wells, We Discuss The Oil Economy’s Local History & Impact
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted this week to support a ban on new oil wells. The vote also directs the city to commission a study that would assist in the effort to phase out existing wells. The push to decrease oil production follows a long history of drilling in the city. Oil extraction was a major contributor to Los Angeles County’s economic boom in the 20th century. At the same time, these wells have caused lasting health effects to nearby residents, and the fight to end their operation can be traced all the way back to the 1940s, when Venice residents pushed to stop residential oil drilling according to professor emeritus of history at San Diego State Sarah Elkind. While the move to end oil drilling in Los Angeles is a major win for environmental justice advocates, it also raises questions about how long the process will take, and the legal challenges that may exist in shutting down the industry locally.
Today on AirTalk, Larry talks about the latest news with Los Angeles city councilmember Paul Krekorian, executive director for Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA Martha Dina Argüello and tracks the history of oil wells with professor emeritus of history at San Diego State Sarah Elkind.
Third And Goal: Rams And 49ers Battle For Gridiron Bragging Rights In The Golden State
The Super Bowl is February 13th at SoFi Stadium, but for a lot of California football fans, this Sunday’s NFC Championship game in Inglewood has as much weight as the big game itself. It’s the Rams versus the 49ers at SoFi Stadium – in-state rivals facing off with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Today on AirTalk, we convene the football edition of “The Triple Play” – let’s call it “Third And Goal” – with Larry, Nick Roman, host of KPCC’s “All Things Considered” and A Martinez, host of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
You can read Nick’s piece about the Rams’ Super Bowl dreams here.
FilmWeek: ‘New Worlds: The Cradle Of Civilization,’ ‘The Ice Age Adventures Of Buck Wild,’ ‘The Fallout’ And More
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell, Amy Nicholson and Charles Solomon review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.
- “New Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization,” Wide Release starting February 2
- "Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes,” VOD (including Vimeo, iTunes & Amazon Prime Video)
- "The Conversation," Landmark’s Nuart Theatre (West LA); Expands to Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 (Pasadena) on February 4
- "The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild,” Streaming on Disney+
- "Sundown," In select theaters, including the Alamo Drafthouse (DTLA), The Landmark Theater (West LA) & AMC Sunset 5 (West Hollywood)
- “The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert,” In select theaters, including the TCL Chinese Theatres + IMAX (Hollywood), AMC Century City 15, and AMC Del Amo 18 (Torrance) on January 30; Limited release February 11 through February 13; Streaming on Disney+
- “The Fallout,” Streaming on HBO Max
- “Gintama: The Very Final,” VOD (including Amazon Prime Video & Google Play)
- “Swingers,” Laemmle’s Town Center 5 (Encino) & Laemmle’s Royal (West LA)
- “Rifkin’s Festival,” The Landmark Theatre (West LA)
- “Nightmare Alley: Vision in Darkness And Light,” Wide Release
- “A Taste Of Hunger,” Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 (Pasadena) & Laemmle’s Royal (West LA); VOD
Sundance Wrap Up With John Horn
The 38th annual Sundance Film Festival is wrapping up this weekend. It was all online for the second year in a row, due to COVID-19, but in keeping with a much longer-running tradition, the festival once again highlighted independent films that spoke truth to power. Several documentaries this year focused, in part, on problems within the entertainment industry itself. KPCC’s John Horn talked with several directors, including Nina Menkes about her documentary “Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power.”
Why Guillermo Del Toro Wanted To Release Two Versions Of ‘Nightmare Alley’
Guillermo Del Toro’s latest drama “Nightmare Alley” stars Bradley Cooper as an ambitious carney who has a knack for swindling. The film was originally released in color, but you can now see it on the big screen in black and white. KPCC’s John Horn talked to Del Toro, who also co-wrote the film, about how the black and white release is meant to affect the audience. You can see “Nightmare Alley: Vision In Darkness And Light” in theaters now. It’s rated R.