Takeaways From President Biden’s State Of The Union Address
President Joe Biden delivered a defiant argument for a second term in his State of the Union speech Thursday night, lacing into GOP front-runner Donald Trump for espousing “resentment, revenge and retribution" and for jeopardizing freedom at home and abroad. Reveling in the political moment, Biden fired multiple broadsides at “my predecessor” without ever mentioning Trump by name - 13 times in all - raising his voice repeatedly as he worked to quell voter concerns about his age and job performance while sharpening the contrast with his all-but-certain November rival. Biden also highlighted his efforts to fight “shrinkflation” - companies putting fewer pretzels in the jar and less yogurt in sealed cups - and so-called “junk fees” on services. Neither is a prime driver of inflation, but the White House hoped to show consumers that Biden is fighting for them. Congressional Republican leaders showcased one of their newest lawmakers through the State of the Union rebuttal, hoping to make a generational contrast with Biden. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, the youngest Republican woman elected to the Senate, painted a picture of a nation that “seems to be slipping away” and one where “our families are hurting.”
Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by University of Michigan Director of Debate Aaron Kall, who is also editor and co-author of the book “The State of the Union is . . .: Memorable Addresses of the Last Sixty Years”
Small Talk: How The Misunderstood Form of Communication Can Be A Gateway & Not Filler
Small talk over the years has gotten a bad reputation, with lots of folks trying to completely push the format of conversation away for a deeper, thought-provoking alternative. Yet, one could argue that for life's small, daily tasks little bursts of conversation can serve us well. Recent research on the publication ScienceDirect has found that most of this small talk does go well, with short conversations as a daily habit being a method of improving sociability. So what is there to know about small talk and how do we start to treat it more as a piece of social life diet?
Joining us to help make the case for small talk is Debra Fine, author of "The Fine Art of Small Talk." We also want to hear from you: What are some small-talk conversation starters you use with coworkers or with strangers at a social event? Send us your comment at laist.com/airtalk, email atcomments@laist.com, or call 866-893-5722.
Beard Award Outstanding Chef Semifinalist Jeremy Fox
Southern Californian chefs and restaurants are well-represented in the 2024 Beard Award nominations, and here on AirTalk we’ve been talking with a handful of the semifinalists leading up to the announcement of finalists in April. Today on AirTalk, Austin Cross is joined by Jeremy Fox, chef and owner of Birdie G’s in Santa Monica and one of two SoCal nominees in the category of “Outstanding Chef.” Fox describes Birdie G’s as “a fun, American restaurant inspired by childhood memories and family traditions” with an “easy” style.
FilmWeek’s 22nd Annual Academy Awards Preview Show
The Oscars are just around the corner! And that means it’s time for our yearly deep dive into the Oscar nominees. This year, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” takes the lead with a total of 13 nominations, including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Cillian Murphy), Best Director, and Best Picture. It’s followed closely behind by Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” with 11 nominations, Martian Scorecees’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” with 10 nominations, and last year’s surprise billion-dollar box office hit “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig, with eight nominations. With a tight race for several of the categories, including Best Picture and Best Actress, the 96th Academy Awards looks to be a thrilling show spotlighting the best cinema has to offer!
Today on FilmWeek, Larry Mantle is joined by the FilmWeek critics live at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown LA as they highlight the best of each Oscar category, dive into what films they felt were snubbed a nomination, and deliberate over which film will take home the illustrious Academy Award for Best Picture. You can find the full list of nominees here.
