As heard on December 17 - December 21, 2001 on AirTalk
Monday, December 17
Open Phones
Larry Mantle takes listeners' calls.
Modern Sex
Is modern sex without meaning? Larry Mantle speaks with senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute,
Kay Hymowitz, who takes a critical look at the repercussions of sexual liberation. Did the battle for
liberation truly liberate? Or are we better off prude? Larry explores these questions and more.
Tuesday, December 18
Melissa Gilbert
After a tight and contentious race, actress Melissa Gilbert began her term last month as 23rd President
of the Screen Actors Guild. Larry Mantle talks with Gilbert about her agenda as President, which
includes bringing film production back to Los Angeles.
The Vivendi/Usa Networks Deal
Larry Mantle discusses the Vivendi / USA Networks media deal with editor and chief of the Hollywood Star News, Alex Ben Block.
The Alzheimerçs Epidemic
Since 1975, the number of Americans diagnosed with Alzheimerçs has risen from five hundred thousand
to five million. Another eighty to one hundred million people may succumb to it over the next 50 years,
worldwide. Larry Mantle talks with David Shenk author of The Forgetting (Doubleday) about
the reasons for the troubling increase and what research underway to find a cure.
Wednesday, December 19
Recent L.A. City Council Decisions
Larry Mantle speaks with Councilmember Jan Perry about the preliminary approval to ban smoking in
most areas of city parks as well as the L.A. City Councilçs deal to provide 150 public toilets in exchange
for advertising signage.
Travel Segment
Travel experts Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman join Larry Mantle to share their trademark travel tips,
including five great travel destinations for the coming year, great travel gadget gifts, travel to the Winter
Olympics and more.
Travel gadgets recommended by Paul and Elizabeth: Bucky Travel Pillow and Eye Shades; Inflatable
Travel Pillow by Travel Komfort Kollar; Ear Plugs by Howard Leight or 3M; Earplanes; Lexan
travel cup and immersion heater; Tilley canvas hats; 3M Ultrathon Insect repellant; Small Seiko
travel clock; Zelco currency converter; Fulton collapsible travel umbrella; MityLite or Maglite
small flashlight; The Hello Series of Guidebooks (Wilson Publishing) to Under $100
a night hotels by Margo Classe; Hollywood Remains to be Seen: A Guide to Movie
Starsç Final Homes (Cumberland House) by Mark Masek.
Thursday, December 20
Rose Parade Security
More than one-thousand officers will be deployed for the upcoming Rose Parade and Rose
Bowl game, as local, state and federal authorities beef-up security in Pasadena in response
to the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Larry Mantle talks with Pasadena Police Division
Commander Mary Chander.
Pasadena Art Center Open New Campus
Pasadena Art Center College for Design has purchased ten acres in the heart of Pasadena and plans to
build a new campus. Art Center plans to build additional classrooms, a museum and public education
facilities. Renowned L.A. architect Frank Gehry has agreed to redesign the historic Glenarm Power
Plant already on the site. Larry Mantle talks with Art Center President Richard Koshalek about
the decision.
Orange County Edition
Host Larry Mantle talks with Chris Reed of the Orange County Register about the
latest news in Orange County. Topics include: El Toro Continues, Irvine Company Redux,
OCC Political Science Professor Reinstated, D.A. Rackauckas' Rough Year Continues,
and Sludge Blues.
Top Science Stories of 2001
Larry Mantle talks with resident skeptic and editor of Skeptic Magazine Michael Shermer about
Discoverçs 100 top science stories of 2001.
Friday, December 21
The Ambassador Hotel
Last week escrow closed on LAUSDçs purchase of the Ambassador Hotel, ending a 10-year
tumultuous legal battle over the historic hotelçs future. Preservationists want the Ambassador
saved and converted into a school. But some within LAUSD say thatçs financially unfeasible and
that it makes more sense to raze it and build a new structure. What will be its fate? Larry
Mantle talks with Ken Bernstein of the Los Angeles Conservancy and Caprice Young, member
of the Los Angeles School Board.
National Education Reform Bill
President Bush is eager to sign a massive education reform bill, just passed by the House
and Senate, which will provide much-needed funding to low-performing Southern
California schools and set deadlines for improvement. Larry Mantle talks with Los
Angeles School Board member Caprice Young, and testing expert Eva Baker
from UCLA.
FilmWeek
Host Larry Mantle together with critics Jean Oppenheimer of Screen International, Lael Lowenstein of Variety,
Andy Klein of the New Times L.A., F.X. Feeney of the L.A. Weekly, and Charles Solomon, animation critic at
Amazon.com, discuss the week's latest film and video releases. This week's selections include: Lord of the Rings,
A Beautiful Mind, The Majestic, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Happenstance, and A Song for Martin.
