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Monks & Merrill

KFI AM 640 (KFI-AM)

Monks & Merrill, with Michael Monks and Chris Merrill.

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80 episodes
Avg 32 min
English

Episodes 80

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September 23 · 31 min
Next Stop: The Orchards, Anaheim’s Unhappy Place, Hard to "Belieb" and An Uncomfortable Entrance
Hour 1 - California’s high-speed rail project has a new fight over where to put its Merced station: downtown, as originally planned, or about four miles southeast near Highway 99. Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken faces allegations that she made racist remarks to her chief of staff and repeatedly questioned her sexual orientation. Justin Bieber surprised people at MacArthur Park with an impromptu performance, and District Attorney Nathan Hochman quickly celebrated it as evidence of progress against drug dealers. The new Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll shows Raman at 39%, Bass at 28% and 33% undecided. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 23 · 38 min
Who's In Charge? + Fare Enforcement
Hour 2 - Mayor Karen Bass joins Monks and Merrill live in studio, just the night after a new poll was released showcasing Nithya Raman having a lead. The new Berkeley IGS/Los Angeles Times poll shows Raman at 39%, Bass at 28% and 33% undecided. Bass comments on affordability and housing - the defining priority of her administration. Monks and Merrill ask Bass on her own decisions, access to the public record, help for affected families, and whether she applies her campaign criticisms to herself. The Basin estimates that bus-mounted cameras generated $42.8 million in assessed fines during the fiscal year ending in June, though its identification of camera tickets raises a timeline discrepancy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 23 · 30 min
Subscription Dependence, Vintage Clutter, Identification Requested and Read Before Signing
Hour 3 - Wellness influencers are promoting nicotine as a shortcut to sharper thinking and healthier aging, sometimes while holding financial interests in nicotine businesses. Younger consumers are discovering something many of us already have in storage: records, CDs, tapes, and DVDs. CSUN communication studies professor Peter Marston sees nostalgia and a desire for ownership, though growing sales alone cannot tell us how widespread those motivations are. The latest SurveyUSA poll finds financial anxiety alongside substantial Democratic advantages in California’s governor and congressional contests. Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is distancing Proposition 39 from the federal SAVE Act debate while promoting additional voter identification requirements in California. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 22 · 33 min
Hollywood Merger Meltdown, Street-Vending Showdown & California Braces for El Niño!
Hour 1 - KFI reporter, Jason Nathanson joins M&M to break down the controversy surrounding the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and the provocative banner that flew over the Paramount lot. Steve Hilton joins the show to discuss his criticism of L.A. Street vending, his proposed Office of Fun and Freedom, and his views on AI safeguards. Plus, California declares a statewide emergency as officials prepare for potentially powerful El Niño storms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 22 · 32 min
College Degrees, Missing Billions & Movie Theater Mayhem: California’s Latest Headlines!
Hour 2 - M&M breaks down California’s community colleges expanding their bachelor’s degree offerings under new laws signed by Gov. Newsom. California Teachers Association President David Goldberg joins the show to discuss the educators union’s lawsuit alleging billions of dollars in public school funding are missing. Plus, a bizarre Burbank movie theater confrontation involving alleged pepper spray—and LA County’s growing urban coyote population has cities urging residents to learn to coexist with the wildlife. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 22 · 30 min
Homelessness Crackdown, LA’s Housing Freeze & a $35K County Exit Deal!
Hour 3 - M&M looks at San Bernardino’s move to restrict sleeping in parks, streets, and sidewalks, while Los Angeles continues to face a major housing shortage despite developers holding back on new apartment construction. Plus, the LA County Superior Court offers employees up to $35,000 to resign as the court system confronts a budget crunch. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 21 · 30 min
The Hollywood Merger Deal: Who Really Wins?
Paramount and Warner Bros. have settled a lawsuit with 11 states over their proposed merger—but what does the deal actually mean for Hollywood? Monks & Merrill break down the settlement’s provisions on jobs, theatrical releases, U.S. production, blockbuster films, and editorial independence, while exploring what it could mean for filmmakers, workers, movie quality, and California’s economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 21 · 32 min
AI’s Promise, AI’s Risks—and What Comes Next
AI is changing everything—but are we prepared for the risks that come with it? Monks & Merrill explore the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence, from proposed safeguards and “kill switches” to concerns about AI-assisted decision-making, while also looking at how AI could improve medicine and combat fraud. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 21 · 31 min
Homelessness in California: Who’s Accountable?
Monks & Merrill take a closer look at Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis, examining questions about spending, accountability, and the effectiveness of programs like Inside Safe. The hosts also discuss competing approaches from mayoral candidates Nithya Raman and Karen Bass, the role of LAHSA and the DSA, and the broader challenges of addressing homelessness in Los Angeles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 20 · 27 min
Tipping + Uber Driver Demands + Pickleball + Chess in LA
It's Saturday! Oh yeah, that means it's time for MORE Monks & Merrill. In this hour of original content, M&M get into tipping culture, uber & lyft drivers demanding benefits, Pickleball building communities, and the Downtown LA chess world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 20 · 33 min
Ai + Earthquakes
Happy Saturday! It's MORE Monks & Merrill! This weekend, the fellas talk about our eventual AI overlords and the older members of government not being equipped to handle the threats. They also cover the chances of a devastating earthquake in California. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 18 · 32 min
NOAA's Weather Outlook, Nervous Endorsements and No "-alinos" In This City!
Hour 1 - NOAA’s new outlook favors a warmer-than-normal October through December across California, and a potentially historic El Niño is strengthening, giving Southern California good reason to prepare for a wet season. Anthony Artusa, a Meteorologist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), joins the show. Karen Bass’ allies are openly worrying about Nithya Raman. The Los Angeles Times reports a clash over protecting Skid Row dogs, with activists demanding intervention and officials defending their approach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 18 · 32 min
Unhitched and Overcharged, "Jay Leno's Law" and Vespas
Hour 2 - An arbitrator ordered Uber to pay $40 million to the parents of Emily Normandin-Parker, who died after a driver ordered her and her friend out near freeway traffic. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara proposes eliminating marital status from auto insurance pricing. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed “Jay Leno’s Law,” creating a phased smog-check exemption for qualifying collector cars from model years 1976 through 1985. Veteran racer Boris Said wants to build Elsinore Ring, a private motorsports country club near Lake Elsinore with a professional-quality circuit and homes overlooking the action. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 18 · 30 min
City Hall Reckoning, Council in Conflict, Deficit Detention and Grade Expectations
Hour 3 - Activists are demanding Inglewood Mayor James Butts resign after alleging he groped a high school student during a photograph at a City Hall event. San Bernardino Councilmember Treasure Ortiz faces renewed demands to resign after a jury found her guilty of illegally recording the police chief. LAUSD needs to bring recurring expenses into line with its revenue as enrollment falls. California’s largest teachers' union alleges the state deliberately withheld constitutionally required school funding. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 17 · 33 min
Doom For Sale, Deadline Drama and Paramount's Exit Strategy
Hour 1 - California voters head toward November feeling pessimistic about the economy and the country’s direction. Newport Beach must run its own Nov. 3 special election for three resident initiatives after a judge rejected the city’s request for relief. An industry-funded study projects enormous production gains from a hypothetical federal film tax credit, while a Paramount-commissioned analysis examines the economic consequences of a departure from California. KFI's Heather Brooker joins the show to talk more about Paramount’s Warner Bros. Discovery's acquisition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 17 · 30 min
Are Recent Seismic Events a Pattern or Panic? + Searching for Answers
Hour 2 - UC Riverside researchers have developed a method for identifying locked fault regions that could generate enormous earthquakes. Plus, a weekend of earthquake swarms around Lennox and Westmont has added a local concern to headlines about seismic activity around the Pacific. Professor of Seismology at UC Riverside, Gareth Funning, joins the show. Investigators are examining recorded audio and wreckage from the helicopter crash that killed Eliana Moreno, George Marciniw and Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a bystander. Alex Stone from ABC News joins the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 17 · 23 min
D.A. Presser, Aging Into a Target and Running On "E"... Expensive
Hour 3 - District Attorney Hochman has announced in a live press conference today that Bailey Lynn Rios, the woman who drove an SUV causing a deadly Metro bus crash in Chatsworth Tuesday evening, will be charged for second-degree murder, DUI and reckless driving. UCLA researchers project that certain vulnerable Hyundais and Kias will remain unusually attractive theft targets in Los Angeles through at least 2042. Owners have options today, including free repairs, but announcing a fix and protecting every affected car are two different accomplishments. Southern California’s pump prices are climbing fast. GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan joins us to separate the likely hit from the worst-case scenarios. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 16 · 35 min
From SoCal Tragedy to AI Chaos
Hour 1- Monks and Merrill are covering the latest tragedy in SoCal, the NBC4 helicopter crash. We are talking to Will Kohlschreiber and honoring KFI's own Bruce Wayne. PLUS the troubles with AI and data centers. It's all on KFIAM-640. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 16 · 22 min
SoCal Helicopter Crash, Non-Profit Fraud & More
Hour 2- Monks and Merrill are covering the latest with the NBC4 crash. AND the latest in non-profit fraud schemes. All this and MORE on KFIAM-640. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript
September 16 · 32 min
City Hall Lawsuit, a Whistleblower & an Executive Gone
Hour 3 - Monks and Merrill are talking to City Council Member Bill Rush about the lawsuit between Montclair and San Bernardino City Transportation authority. PLUS a whistle blown and an executive gone. We explain that and MORE on KFIAM-640. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Transcript

Showing 61–80 of 80 episodes