With Gary out, Michael Monks fills in and opens the show with a firsthand look at back-to-school traffic chaos after barely making it to the studio. He and Shannon debate whether Metro can actually beat driving and the added stress of commuting in a news vehicle.

The hour lightens with Shannon praising Board Wizard Elmer’s meditation tapes before turning to politics, as she and Monks break down Governor Gavin Newsom’s opposition to a proposed wealth tax and what it signals about his economic stance.

The show wraps with marriage and family therapist Caitlin Harrison, who explains how romance novels and BookTok culture are being used as tools for emotional connection and intimacy.

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Shannon and Michael open with controversy after an LA County Sheriff’s deputy’s Starbucks cup — marked with a pig drawing — led to an employee’s firing, followed by a discussion of the county’s push for so-called ICE- free zones and what that could actually mean.

They’re joined by author and professor Maryellen MacDonald to discuss her book More Than Words and the real-world consequences of Gen Z avoiding verbal communication, from job searches to everyday interactions. The conversation explores how social anxiety has grown beyond shyness and why face-to-face contact now feels daunting for many young adults.

The hour also includes Shannon’s brief sports therapy after a Chargers loss, reflections on social anxiety across generations, and practical advice from Michael’s teaching experience. They wrap with a lighter moment reacting to a Wall Street Journal story about parents going broke over their kids’ sushi habits — and the ease of judging parenting choices from the outside.

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Michael and Shannon open with KFI anchor Debra Mark, who shares back-to-school traffic insights, tips from traffic reporter Will Kolshriver, and what she’s currently watching.

A delayed #SwampWatch follows with the day’s political headlines, including talk of a potential U.S. move involving Greenland, before breaking sports news interrupts with word that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is parting ways with the team.

The hour shifts to a debate over bumper music and the show Heated Rivalry, questioning its realism while laughing at its unexpected cultural impact — including the rise of “hockey butts.”

They wrap with Terror in the Skies, breaking down the growing complications of flying with service animals and why traveling with a dog is anything but simple.

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