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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Gary and Shannon close out the show with What’s Happening, running through the day’s biggest and strangest headlines before Michael and Shannon reflect on Michael’s final day filling in as the so-called responsible adult in the room. The conversation drifts into stories about missing three legged pets, rescuing cats, and the realities of pet ownership.
The hour also includes a #TrueCrimeTuesday discussion centered on the Netflix documentary Evil Influencer, an update from Gary’s Giants fantasy camp, and a standout moment as Board Wizard Elmer debuts his new guided meditation project with a live sample on air. Follow Elmer on Instagram at @h13lmer and find his meditation content on YouTube at @MeditateWithElmer.

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It is a Gary-free show as Michael Monks steps into the co host chair, though Shannon is not exactly ready to give up control. Shannon kicks things off fresh off a red eye from New England, breaking down the Chargers loss, the slow death of hope, and the moment realism finally set in after covering the game and racing back just in time for the show.
Shannon and Michael are then joined by NewsNation National Security Correspondent Lt. Gen. Richard Newton to break down rising tensions with Iran and whether the United States is headed toward deeper involvement.
The hour shifts to Gary’s absence at baseball fantasy camp and Shannon’s rare history of missing work, including her Y2K era story, before the conversation widens to prediction markets. From Polymarket to Kalshi, Shannon and Michael unpack why betting on outcomes has exploded across politics, sports, and entertainment, including why odds were displayed during the Golden Globes and what that says about how much people want a stake in the outcome.

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Shannon and Michael open the hour reacting to Mayor Bass’s appearance on MSNBC, breaking down how she is leaning into attacking President Trump as a political strategy and what that could mean as she looks toward reelection. They dig into how wildfire anger may shape the race and whether Spencer Pratt can move past his reality TV image to be taken seriously as a mayoral candidate.
The conversation then shifts to prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi, especially after the Golden Globes leaned fully into displaying betting odds despite limited regulation and several predictions falling flat. Shannon and Michael explain why this new world of betting looks nothing like the old local bookie model.
The hour wraps with a sharp discussion about a controversial moment during a Jacksonville Jaguars post-game press conference. Shannon calls out a reporter whose fandom appeared to bleed into her questioning, while Michael explains why access and credibility matter and why being a fan is not the job when you hold a credential.

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Shannon and Michael open the hour with #SwampWatch, breaking down the DOJ’s decision to open an investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and why it matters.
From there, the conversation takes a sharp turn as Shannon issues a warning to deli's everywhere after enduring a painfully dry sandwich in New England, arguing that there is no excuse for skimping on condiments.
As the lack of sleep catches up, the hour leans into travel chaos. Shannon and Michael break down the etiquette mistakes that make solo travelers dread flying with couples, from shared space to in flight coordination. Michael explains why his Nintendo Switch is his go to survival tool while traveling.
The hour wraps with updates on iHeart app technical issues, a strange mystery involving a missing dog named Oreo in the building, and the moment the app finally comes back online so listeners can catch anything they missed on the podcast.

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Shannon and Michael close out the show with #WhatsHappening, running through the most talked about stories of the day, including Nikki Glaser’s return as Golden Globes host, a Riverside billboard hijacked with pro ICE messaging, and a Home Alone actor landing in headlines for the wrong reasons, which sparks a brief but memorable detour into prostitution laws.
Then it is time for the #GaSFantasy4Play Recap, as they break down all the Wild Card Weekend madness. From Gary’s dog Peter’s picks to the Panthers earning weakest link status, they react to the chaos so far, preview Steelers versus Texans, and revisit the Chargers’ brutal elimination that Shannon calls the worst way to lose.
The hour shifts gears as Shannon and Michael revisit an earlier conversation about wake-up times and whether getting up at 5am is actually healthy if you are not wired for mornings. They debate why some CEOs and elite athletes swear by it and whether drinking water before coffee really makes a difference.
They wrap the show with some positive iHeart app updates, sleep deprivation fallout, post flight hygiene confessions, Michael declaring himself a sniffer, and one last strange SoCal story to send you into the weekend.

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