Hour 1 - Spencer Pratt addresses controversy surrounding his Los Angeles mayoral run after relocating to Santa Barbara County when his Pacific Palisades home was lost in a wildfire. Questions about his eligibility—sparked by a report from the Los Angeles Times—take center stage as Pratt pushes back hard, calling the coverage misleading. He doubles down on his campaign, discusses his connection to Los Angeles, and expands the issue through his latest “Pratt Stack,” blending politics, media critique, and personal stakes.

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Hour 2 - Spencer Pratt leans into bold promises in his run for Los Angeles mayor, vowing to eliminate homeless encampments and crack down on fentanyl in public spaces. As new polling from UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs shows a wide-open race with 40% of voters still undecided, Pratt frames himself as a disruptive outsider in a city where even incumbents are campaigning on change. The conversation taps into a deeper frustration among voters who question whether anyone at City Hall can truly make the system work again.

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Hour 3 - Professor of Law Andrew Guthrie Ferguson from George Washington University joins the conversation to explore how our own bodies may be betraying our right to privacy in an increasingly surveilled world. We also dive into the latest CSU survey highlighting the need to verify AI-generated content for accuracy, shifts in Orange County’s food landscape that could impact hunger, and the growing scrutiny of data centers in California—examining their threats to public health, energy, and the state’s scarce water resources.

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Hour 1 - The so-called “paradise” of downtown LA hits a snag as the high-stakes battle over Oceanwide Plaza raises serious doubts about whether the deal will close at all. But that’s not the only shocker—Olympic fever is heating ahead of 2028 Summer Olympics, and fans are already reeling from unexpected ticket fees that could derail excitement before it begins.

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Hour 2 - California takes center stage with a whirlwind of political shakeups and Hollywood drama. CNN gears up to host a high-stakes gubernatorial primary debate, while Donald Trump throws his support behind Steve Hilton—adding fuel to an already unpredictable race. Back in LA, city attorney candidates clash over remote work policies, raising bigger questions about the future of public service. Meanwhile, the entertainment industry sees cautious optimism as the Writers Guild of America reaches a new deal with studios—but insiders say the real story is in the fine print. And in a twist straight out of a script, a Baywatch reboot filming in Venice Beach gets shut down just two days into production.

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Hour 3 - The spotlight turns to Los Angeles’ deepening homelessness crisis—and the tough questions surrounding it. Under Karen Bass’s $300 million initiative, reports show nearly 40% of participants have returned to the streets, raising concerns about long-term effectiveness. From a mass brawl at a Venice Beach encampment to growing tensions at a Westlake post office and a grim discovery near Griffith Park, the situation on the ground paints a troubling picture. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s proposed budget takes aim at LA’s homelessness agencies, adding a national political dimension to a local crisis.

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In this Saturday episode of More Monks and Merrill they dive into the issue of California's tourism industry and its impact on local communities. They discuss the city of South Lake Tahoe's decision to allow mushroom homes. The conversation touches on the importance of preserving the character of resort towns and the need for sustainable solutions to the state's housing crisis. They also discuss an epidemic of face eating flies in the SGV and a cluster of squirrels vaping in London. 

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Monks and Merrill Hour 1 (04/03) - The Monks and Merrill Show breaks down falling rents across Southern California and what it means for tenants in a softening market. As downtown L.A.’s real estate landscape shifts—with wealthy renters buying distressed properties—and office vacancies hit record highs, the team explores whether this is a temporary dip or a deeper reset.

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Monks and Merrill Hour 2 (04/03) - The Monks and Merrill Show covers a proposed rare earth mining project near Joshua Tree with expert insight from Virginia Tech’s Aaron Noble, alongside updates on Southern California wildfires. Plus, a look at Rose Bowl upgrades for the 2028 Olympics and new World Cup developments in Los Angeles.

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Monks and Merrill Hour 3 (04/03) - The Monks and Merrill Show welcomes space expert Rod Pyle to break down Artemis II’s journey to the moon and the physical toll of space travel. Back on Earth, the team tackles rising costs—from the possibility of $10 gas to increasing bottled water prices—and dives into a volatile L.A. mayoral race, where 40% of voters remain undecided.

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