Archie Gray (Tottenham): I’m going with a fully north London back four. Gray scored and defended really well. He was under a lot of pressure when Tottenham were in bad form and got a lot of stick, but now Spurs are starting to pick up I’m going to give him a bit of credit.
Ezri Konsa (Arsenal): He was a beast. Head it, kick it, throw your body in front of the ball. He defended and fought for the team, getting the job done.
Jan Paul van Hecke (Tottenham): Van Hecke got a goal and he’s really growing into his role at Spurs. I still think he was a little bit overpriced, but all in all he’s had a solid start, coming up with a few goals. Micky van de Ven next to him gives him confidence that he can go and be really aggressive, because Van der Ven will cover him with his pace.
Jurrien Timber (Arsenal): Timber got away with a shirt pull on Alexander Isak and I’m really surprised the ref and video assistant referee (VAR) didn’t look at it. But again I thought he recovered and defended really well at full-back.
Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, said: “From Tue, 10 Nov, bag drop services at all Ryanair airports will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, instead of the current 40 minutes.
“This small change will give the 20 per cent of Ryanair passengers who check in a bag, more time to clear airport security and passport control queues and get to their departure gate before boarding begins, particularly during busy travel periods when airport queues can be longer.
“We remind passengers using airport bag drop services to arrive at the airport in good time and ensure they have checked in and dropped their bags before check-in and bag drop closes 60 minutes before departure.
“The remaining 80 per cent of passengers who check in online and do not check in a bag are unaffected by this change.”
The airline said it will help passengers clear queues at security and passport controlCredit: Alamy
It comes after Ryanair has dropped its hidden charges for families in June.
For adults travelling with children who choose this new seating option, they will be told of their seat allocation after they have checked in for their flight.
For much of Sunday’s game between the Rams and the Chargers, it was impossible to distinguish:
Which team had arrived at SoFi Stadium winless?
The Chargers, who had not won a game since last season, looked the part.
But so did the supposedly we’re-ready-to-make-a-run Rams.
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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 24-9 win over the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
The Rams showed life at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, and that ultimately proved enough for a 24-9 victory in front of 73,621.
Safety Quentin Lake and cornerback Trent McDuffie intercepted passes to foil a Justin Herbert-led offense that went into the game as the NFL’s lowest-scoring outfit and did little to foster reason for optimism.
For a mostly underperforming Rams team that began the season as an overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI, it has turned into a season of firsts.
Consider: For the first time this season, the Rams have won two games in a row.
They did it, for the first time, with two kickers — Joshua Karty and Brandon McManus — active for a game, though the kicking-game problems are far from resolved.
And yet the Rams found a way to win the kind of game they had previously lost. Who can forget their 18-15 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium, a loss in which the Cardinals — like the Chargers — did not score a touchdown?
“Our team is becoming battle tested and finding ways to win those games that maybe we didn’t earlier on in the year,” said Stafford, who completed 17 of 25 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.
McVay had bristled this week when asked if he feared a letdown by his team against a winless opponent.
“I couldn’t care less about what their record is,” McVay said. “I would hope that we’re mature and professional enough to know that we have to be able to have the right focus, concentration, level of urgency.”
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1.Rams safety Quentin Lake intercepts a pass in the first half.2.Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh walks on the sideline in the fourth quarter.3.Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert slides for a short gain against the Rams in the first half Sunday at SoFi Stadium.4.Rams offensive linemen run onto the field before the start of the game.5.Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates with Jordan Whittington and Matthew Stafford after a touchdown in the second half.
Message apparently not received.
The Rams, the NFL’s top offense in yards per game, generated only 24 yards in 15 plays during their first five possessions and were zero for five on third down.
“Couldn’t have started any worse offensively,” McVay said.
For a time, they looked in danger of repeating 2020, when they lost to the 0-13 New York Jets at SoFi Stadium.
“To even establish any sort of momentum or rhythm was nonexistent for us,” McVay said.
But the Rams’ defense stepped up.
“Our job is, ‘OK, if the offense can’t create momentum, how can we create that for them,’” Lake said. “We were able to do that.”
The hapless Chargers also lent a hand.
They fell to 0-7 for the first time 2000, when they finished 1-15.
It was the Chargers’ 10th straight loss dating to last season, and no doubt keeps offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel on the hot seat.
Herbert continued to struggle, increasing his league-leading interception total to 10. He completed 24 of 32 passes for 257 yards.
The Rams led 10-9 at halftime after Williams rushed for a short touchdown in the final minute to cap a five-play, 66-yard drive.
The Chargers’ frustration could be summed up in one play: Receiver Ladd McConkey hauled in Herbert’s desperation 54-yard pass on the final snap of the second quarter … at the one-yard line.
The Rams came out strong to start the second half, Corum breaking off a 23-yard touchdown run for a 17-9 lead. Late in the third quarter, McDuffie picked off a pass, setting up Puka Nacua’s 18-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
As they did in last week’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Corum and Williams proved a valuable combination. Corum rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries and Williams had 56 rushing yards and a touchdown in 16 carries.
The Rams play at Washington next Sunday and at Arizona the following week. They will have a short bye week before playing the Green Bay Packers the night before Thanksgiving.
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua slips a tackle by Chargers defensive lineman Teair Tart on his way to scoring a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
So there is ample opportunity for the Rams to put together a win streak worthy of a star-studded team that was built to play in the Super Bowl in February.
McVay has indicated that the Rams would not be very active as next week’s NFL trade deadline approaches, saying that the team would count on the return of injured players.
But the injured list might continue to grow.
Cornerbacks McDuffie and Jaylen Watson both left against the Chargers because of back and shoulder injuries, respectively.
That did not keep the Rams from breathing a sigh of relief. They had avoided a loss to their winless neighbors.
“It’s not something that we can exhale from,” said Nacua, who caught 11 passes for 80 yards. “There’s still a lot of improvement.”
But for a day at least, they could cling to a hint of momentum.
Rams running back Blake Corum breaks a tackle from Chargers safety Elijah Molden on his way to scoring a touchdown Sunday.
Police used tear gas to disperse protesters as demonstrations entered a third week ahead in cities and towns across France ahead of an expected general strike. The mainly youth-led protests are against the cost-of-living and deteriorating public services.
Here’s a list of key deals reported across sectors this week:
ADT (ADT) agreed to be acquired by Thrive Holdings in an all-cash transaction valued at $15.3 billion, including debt, in a deal that will take the home security provider private.
It’s Halloween and our remaining 11 celebs are sinking their teeth into a spooky line-up of fresh dances on Strictly Come Dancing.
This week there’s a cameo from Sir Ian McKellen during the results show, Nikita Kuzmin as a vampire and there are two unexpectedly brutal twists.
For Halloween, three couples will be in the dance-off instead of the usual two and when one couple gets sent backing the judges will be voting to eliminate them, rather than save.
It’s getting brutal and we’ll be following tonight’s Strictly every quickstep of the way.
Time is rapidly running out for Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who are preparing for one last grueling push to reach voters in the mayoral election by Tuesday. With the UC Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times poll showing a dead heat, the two are expected to fan out across the city over the weekend, hoping to generate some free news coverage, a burst of social media posts and face-to-face contact with voters.
Bass is planning another appearance Saturday with real estate developer Rick Caruso, who was a ferocious critic of the mayor in the wake of the Palisades fire but mended fences with her in recent months. She also has a rally that day in Westlake with organized labor and a tour of small businesses in Boyle Heights with state Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles).
Raman heads Saturday to a Halloween block party in the San Fernando Valley and an event in downtown L.A. featuring workers from Unite Here Local 11, which has sent canvassers to knock on doors on her behalf. On Sunday, her agenda includes a church service in Boyle Heights and a door-knocking event in Northridge.
“This movement is reaching every corner of Los Angeles, and this weekend, we’re taking that energy all over this city,” Raman said.
Mayor Karen Bass speaks to volunteers who are phone banking at her campaign headquarters on Oct. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Bass and Raman had already ramped up their schedules in recent days. The mayor appeared Thursday evening with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, one of her endorsers, at a news conference about streetlight repairs in Hollywood. The following morning she was in Encino, talking to residents frustrated with Raman’s performance in their district.
In an interview with The Times, Bass summed up her packed itinerary using a single word over and over.
“Voters, voters, voters, voters. And that’s what I’ve been doing,” she said. “I’m just exhausted. Voters and media, from early morning until late at night.”
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Raman, for her part, tried to develop an overarching theme around her events, standing outside Department of Water and Power headquarters in downtown L.A. on Tuesday to highlight the issue of soaring electrical bills and heading to Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday to ding the mayor over her oversight of SkyLink, the elevated airport people mover that is behind schedule and $1.4 billion over budget.
Those and other news conferences were built around her promise to provide greater oversight as mayor. But over the weekend, Raman is expected to dial back the policy a bit, heading to two Día de los Muertos events and going trick-or-treating with her twins.
The Garcetti gang stumps for Raman
With the battle for L.A. mayor now in the home stretch, one longtime political figure has managed to stay largely out of the public eye: former Mayor Eric Garcetti, who served at City Hall right before Bass.
We can’t say the same for many former members of Garcetti’s political and government teams. Over the last few months, they’ve been popping up at a number of Raman events, and a few have had pivotal roles with her team as she runs for mayor.
Nithya Raman, center, joins supporters including registered nurse Kerry Cavazos, left, with SEIU 121 RNs, at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on Oct. 20.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Raman has been relying heavily on campaign strategist Jeff Millman, who was a Garcetti advisor on and off throughout his mayoral tenure. She’s turned to Rick Cole, a former Garcetti deputy mayor now on the Pasadena City Council, for policy guidance. And she has Dae Levine, a onetime Garcetti communications director, staffing her within City Hall.
But there’s more. The city’s former heat officer, Marta Segura, who was pushed out earlier this year, appeared at Raman campaign events focused on her support from environmentalists and Latinos.
Former high-level Garcetti advisor Rick Jacobs has shown up for several Raman news conferences, including a recent one celebrating her endorsement from County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. In 2020, a member of Garcetti’s security detail accused Jacobs of sexually harassing him. Jacobs denied harassing anyone. The city paid $1.8 million to resolve the officer’s lawsuit.
Jacobs, a consultant, counts the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters as one of his clients. However, he is not working with their independent expenditure committee supporting Raman.
Other onetime members of Team Garcetti have pitched in financially.
Renee Dake Wilson, a former Garcetti planning commissioner, has donated at least $30,000 to independent expenditure committees backing Raman, plus an additional $3,600 directly to her campaign. Former Garcetti aide Leo Daube, now working for Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, has donated $2,800 to Raman since she entered the race.
Finally, Raman has relied on Jamie York for help with research, matching funds and compliance with city and state ethics rules. York was part of Garcetti’s campaign team in the 2017 election, helping with campaign fundraising.
State of play
— CARUSO CRACKS: After months of hedging, billionaire Rick Caruso revealed that he intends to vote for Bass, following nearly two years of sharp criticism of the mayor’s record. “For the love of LA, I must put the past behind me,” he said. Caruso said it’s not an endorsement.
— RATTLED BY ROBO-RAMAN: Raman’s campaign filed a lengthy ethics complaint against Thrive LA, a pro-Bass advocacy group, over its decision to set up an AI chatbot phone line mimicking Raman’s voice and mocking her record on homelessness. Thrive LA responded by saying it played by the rules and that its satirical chatbot is protected free speech.
— BATTLING FOR SMALL BIZ: Bass and Raman have been sparring over their approach to small business, with the mayor accusing her rival of ignoring those constituents. Business owners offered a more complex picture.
— SWITCHING TEAMS: Political operative Solomon Rivera left his high-level post in the mayor’s office earlier this year, resurfacing a few months later as principal officer with Unidos Con Bass, an independent expenditure group. Ethics experts questioned whether his change in jobs runs afoul of a law prohibiting coordination between outside campaigns and their favored candidates. Rivera’s lawyer said no coordination occurred.
— DSA DELAY: The Democratic Socialists of America once again postponed a vote on whether to rescind the L.A. chapter’s endorsement of Raman, over concerns she hadn’t taken a tough enough stand against Israel.
— OIL-DRILLING BAN: The City Council voted Wednesday to phase out oil drilling over the next two decades, making L.A. the largest city in the country to do so. Bass’ office signed the ordinance Thursday.
QUICK HITS
Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to fight homelessness went to South L.A., focusing on two sections within Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s district.
On the docket next week: Duh! Tuesday is the last day to vote in the election.
Stay in touch
That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.
Energy stocks grabbed the spotlight this week as Wall Street digested a wave of third-quarter earnings, led by major reports from oil giants Exxon Mobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX), and refiner Phillips 66 (PSX).
While uncertainty around energy prices can influence
Although All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. will miss his fourth consecutive game because of a hamstring injury, the winless Chargers are coming off their bye week with some much-needed reinforcements.
“It’s a good thing,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s good to have them back out there. Good work put in. Feel good about the preparation and feel like we’re in a good place, ready to go.”
Harris and McConkey have been the Chargers’ top two receivers when available this season. Harris leads the team in receptions (15), receiving yards (225) and targets (26), while McConkey is right behind him with 13 receptions for 200 yards on 18 targets.
And Alt’s return instantly improves the Chargers’ banged-up offensive line, which has allowed Justin Herbert — who carries a league-worst 29.4 quarterback rating — to be sacked nine times in the two games the offensive tackle has missed.
“Regrouping. Retooling. Thought it was a really good week of preparation,” Harbaugh said.
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and his unit desperately need all hands on deck.
The Chargers are averaging a league-worst 15 points per game and are tied for the second-fewest yards per play (4.6).
“I spend all of my time focusing on the best plan for the players that we have available this week, to attack the defense we have,” McDaniel said. “And then you have to illustrate, in a good manner, what the vision is for how we’re going to play and improve the results.”
McConkey, Harris and Alt returning will help McDaniel’s cause, especially as wideout Brenen Thompson (quad/hamstring) remains out alongside key offensive linemen Rashawn Slater (ankle) and Kayode Awosika (fibula).
Meanwhile, the Chargers’ defense, which allows the eighth-fewest passing yards per game (206.2), must hold the fort again without James, who suffered a rehab setback.
“You can’t replace Derwin,” defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary said. “It’s not possible. He’s one of the best in the league, if not the best in the league.”
That task will be even harder if cornerbacks Donte Jackson and Rodney Shelley, who are both questionable with hamstring injuries, can’t play.
“For us, our message from the offseason to now is: team defense,” O’Leary said. “Play together. We’re not going to put too much on one guy’s plate. … And that’s really just spiked, now that Derwin’s out.
“It’s just a group effort, and I think the guys have done a great job.”
O’Leary’s defense has bent but rarely broken all season.
McDaniel’s offense, however, could use a breakout performance. And with more of Herbert’s primary targets fully healthy, there’s no better time than Sunday.
It’s Halloween weekend and that means it’s time to curl up on the couch to watch a blood-curdling scream erupt — from your television.
In the L.A. area, the forecast is looking pretty grim with showers expected this weekend (I am going to remain cautiously optimistic, however, because I do not want these bags of candy to remain in my house). If it does end up being a rainout, at least there are several very good new series and films to watch. Here are a few suggestions:
One is Peacock’s “Crystal Lake,” the new “Friday the 13th” prequel series starring Linda Cardellini, who spoke to senior writer Greg Braxton earlier this month about taking on the role of Pamela Voorhees (you’ll see Voorhees in a new light). On the occasion of the show’s release, Greg also wrote this handy guide to all the “Friday the 13th” movies, grading each one on a hockey-mask scale to help you choose which to watch.
If you prefer your horror to involve teen angst, I highly recommend Prime Video’s “Carrie,” a new adaption of Stephen King’s iconic novel by Mike Flanagan. We spoke to the horror auteur and stars of the series, Samantha Sloyan and Summer H. Howell, about how it modernizes the story’s terror.
As far as films go, you can’t go wrong with this year’s top two horror hits: Kane Parsons’ ultra-creepy, internet inspired “Backrooms,” which is streaming on HBO Max, and “Obsession,” streaming on Peacock. Fittingly, Inde Navarrette, the star of “Obsession,” will host “Saturday Night Live” on Halloween. And if you want to keep the theme going, Curry Barker, the film’s director, made a surprise release on Thursday of a short called “Mama Bear” on YouTube (be advised, it’s NSFW; watch it in a dark room at night like I did).
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Also in this week’s Screen Gab, Susan House, the showrunner of Hulu’s new reality competition series “The Mob,” stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the show, and our writers recommend a documentary about one of the finest comedy sketch series to emerge from Canada and a workplace comedy series that graduated from the web to streaming.
Before I go, I want to take a moment to remember the legendary actor Patrick Stewart, who died on Wednesday. From his stage work with the Royal Shakespeare Company to his iconic roles as Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” and Charles Xavier in “X-Men,” few actors had Stewart’s range and depth, as television critic Robert Lloyd so adeptly writes in his appreciation of him. To use the words of another “Trek” great, may he live long and prosper in the afterlife. — Maira Garcia
Turn on
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
“SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Heard Of” takes a closer look at the Canadian sketch series. Andrea Martin, left, Catherine O’Hara, Joe Flaherty, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy and Harold Ramis.
(Netflix)
“SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Hard Of” (Netflix)
Speak for yourself, title. Some of us were there from the beginning. But the show is definitely having a moment, with Netflix streaming the entire series, and the documentary “You Had To Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (In a Canadian Kind of Way),” currently in select theaters, featuring future “SCTV” cast members Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas and Martin Short (along with Gilda Radner). Jason Hehir’s “Greatest Show” film does a fine job of outlining the birth and death of what many consider the hipper cousin to “Saturday Night Live,” with lots of great photos and films of sketch comedians in their long-haired youth. The good times, the less than good times, the confusing times are all here, burnished with a warm glow of friendship. Gathered to reminisce are all surviving cast members (including the now-late Catherine O’Hara). Even the rarely seen Rick Moranis participates. (RIP John Candy and Joe Flaherty.) Creating comedy under less than glamorous circumstances, with no live audience or sense of whether anyone in the world was watching, they made the show for themselves and one another. Their instincts proved correct. — Robert Lloyd
Ryan Micho, left, Tommy Armstrong, Grace Reiter, Hyde Healy and Julia Dicesare play co-workers in “Minimum Wage.”
(Netflix)
“Minimum Wage” (Netflix)
The slip-slide from web series to streaming continues with American High’s workplace comedy that began on YouTube and is now appearing, in a slightly longer and moderately gussied-up adaptation, on Netflix. Shot in the now-standard mockumentary style, “Minimum Wage” chronicles life in a dumpy pizza place known as “The Slice Club,” where Grace (Grace Reiter, who recently joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live”) serves as the nominal manager of a wacky team of teenagers who occasionally make and serve pizza. More often, however, they engage in low-stakes antics: dealing with the local high school drama club, planning an ill-conceived birthday party, taking bets on a restaurant breakup or finding themselves stuck on the roof. Most of the cast, including Reiter, appeared in the original web series; this version adds Randall Park as CEO of the “The Slice Club” franchise, who is in mid-divorce and forced to sleep in the restaurant’s basement, and there is a more obvious attempt to underline various “chosen family” themes. They are an engaging, and occasionally hilarious group, and with episodes ranging from 15 to 22 minutes, “Minimum Wage” is an easy binge, or the perfect show to watch while waiting for that friend who’s always late, even when he’s the one who promised to bring the pizza. — Mary McNamara
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
The cast of “The Mob” in Episode 2, from left: Harry Jowsey, Aida Turturro, Shane Parton, Bruno Tonioli, Romeo Miller, Debi Mazar, Demi Engemann, Maria Georgas, Willam Belli and Chelsea Lazkani.
(Andrea Miconi / Disney)
Being in the mob is serious business, and for us normies, the idea of racketeering and plotting whackings is a no-go. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t entertaining to watch it unfold onscreen in iconic films like “The Godfather” or shows like “The Sopranos.” It’s that fandom that led to “The Mob,” the latest reality competition series from Hulu, co-produced by Primal Media and Studio Lambert, the production company behind “The Traitors.” It premiered earlier this week and drops new episodes on Mondays.
The series features 12 players who come from the reality TV world, including Demi Engemann from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Joe Gorga from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Bruno Tonioli from “Dancing With the Stars;” and the acting world like Debi Mazar (“Younger,” “Goodfellas”) and Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”). Each week, they have to compete in games inspired by mob movies and avoid getting “whacked” or eliminated from the competition by the don, the head of the family who doles out cash in exchange for allegiance. It’s hosted by Parker Posey, who is living a very comfortable life in an Italian villa.
Showrunner Susan House, who has led reailty shows like Netflix’s “The Circle,” says “The Mob” is special because it isn’t just about money — though the participants are competing for thousands in cash. “It’s about the power, it’s about family, and it’s about all these human relationships and human dynamics,” she says over video call this week. “Plus, you’re in this beautiful Italian backdrop. You’ve got Parker Posey, there’s some comedy and there’s fun. This sounds cliche, but I do feel like there’s something for everyone.”
She shares what it was like to work with Posey and the rest of the cast and the drama she’s been watching lately. — M.G.
Tell me how the concept for this series came about, and why the mob theme.
The concept was developed by a U.K. company called Primal, and they developed [it] along with Hulu. And I think the mob theme came about because it’s such a lush kind of environment to do a show from, like it’s so cinematic. It has such an amazing place in pop culture. Everyone knows it. It’s about power. It’s about family. It’s about dynamics. All the fun subject matter that makes for a great TV show.
How was it working with Parker Posey as host of the show?
I grew up in the Midwest in Kansas City, and I was a huge fan of independent film. My best friend and I would go to the one art house [theater] that we had growing up, and we loved Parker Posey. I’ve been a huge fan of her since “Dazed and Confused.” And so when she signed on for the show, I called my best friend when I was allowed to talk, and I said to her, “Oh, my God, you’re not going to believe who is hosting the show,” and we both did a little scream. It was just an … incredible moment in my career that I’m doing a show where Parker Posey, she’s iconic to me, was the host. I think that she’s perfect choice, right? She’s unique. She’s artsy. She’s comedy. She’s done drama. She can embrace a character, a setting. It was for me … just like a dream come true.
I’m so excited you said “Dazed and Confused,” because that’s what I associate her with.
When she signed on, I went back and rewatched that movie. I hadn’t seen it in a while. I was just like, oh, my God, she is so good in that.
And “The Mob” is so different. But it seems like she’s trying so many different things in this later stage of her career.
I know, it’s so cool. “The White Lotus,” she was amazing in, and I feel like people sort of rediscovered her in some ways. Maybe younger generations did, and it’s great, it’s amazing. She’s trying all these new things. I just watched “Wild Horse Nine.” She was incredible in that.
The cast of “The Mob” features a mix of actors and reality TV personalities, which I thought was really interesting. How did you land on that combination?
I think the subject matter of the mob is universal, right? It’s about loyalty. It’s about power, it’s about respect, it’s about family, and I think combining all of these personalities, … from acting and reality, is a unique opportunity to get [them] … on one TV show and see how they react. It’s a super-fun dynamic, and it just adds another layer to the show that’s I think unexpected and really fun.
Debi Mazar, who was in “Goodfellas,” and Aida Turturro, who was in “The Sopranos,” add some authenticity to the mob theme. I imagine their casting was purposeful — how did they incorporate that into the show?
I love Debi Mazar so much. I’m also a huge fan of her, not just from “Goodfellas,” but I love the show “Younger.” She’s also just iconic … We joke it’s the summer of Debi Mazar, with all the Madonna and Coachella things [the pair made an appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s set]. I agree, she does bring some authenticity to the show, and she’s definitely of that world. I can’t speak to whether she was playing a character or not. You’re supposed to be yourself. So she wasn’t necessarily [anything] other than Debi, unless she was doing something that I don’t know about. I think Aida is also incredible. She says in the show, I think … in one of the first episodes, “I’m not in the mob.” It’s kind of fun to see her play against type. Like, she is Janice Soprano. But then now we’re seeing the real Aida Turturro and how she plays the game as herself.
Joe Gorga is the family’s first don on “The Mob.”
(Andrea Miconi / Disney)
And you have Joe Gorga, who was picked as the first don of the house, and it felt really perfect because he is from Jersey and he has that voice that you associate with those characters.
That did work out perfectly. It was good because he has a lot of these kind of qualities and stereotypes, but he also is fun and funny. And the show is a comedy in some ways … it’s an homage to the genre. Having Joe as that first don and playing that up a little bit is was fun. We were we were thrilled.
Something people will identify are the allusions to mobster TV shows and movies, like the horse head from “The Godfather.” They’re also incorporated when someone gets whacked.
We’re all huge fans of of that genre, and so many people just wanted to drop these little breadcrumbs for the audience who also love it. Our set decorator, John Sparano, is a huge movie buff. He did things that were like, I don’t think anyone would ever understand this. There was a picture of some pool table balls that were about “The Godfather.” I have to ask him, or it’s like, “No one is going to know these three numbers, John. But OK, I’m glad you’re doing it.” In terms of the whackings, we just thought … this genre gave us the opportunity to have fun with those, make those cinematic and honor those films and and how they did things.
Is there anything you are watching lately that you are recommending to other people right now?
I like the show “War” on HBO Max, and I guess that’s apropos for being a reality TV producer. There’s so much drama, and it’s about a relationship. I’m really enjoying watching that, and I feel very nervous sometimes before the end of the show. I’m like, “Oh, my God, what’s going to happen?”
Halle Berry’s efforts against ex-husband Olivier Martinez’s domestic violence restraining order have proved successful, after two weeks of hearings in Los Angeles.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled to dissolve Martinez’s temporary restraining order against the Oscar winner during a closed hearing on Thursday and denied his request for a protective order, according to a minute order reviewed by The Times. Judge Shelley Kaufman granted Martinez’s restraining order earlier this month after he accused the actor of physically abusing their 13-year-old son Maceo. The court document states that Martinez “did not sustain the applicable burden of proof” in favor of his protective order request.
“We are extremely pleased that the Court has dissolved the [temporary restraining order],” Berry attorney Marina Beck said in a statement to The Times. “As we move forward, Halle is determined to continue to focus on the well-being and best interests of her family.”
While the decision might alleviate some legal tension for the film star, the Thursday filing also stated that Berry’s visitation time remains limited to Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and every other weekend Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. When Berry and Martinez (married from 2013 to 2015) settled their divorce in August 2023, they agreed to joint physical and legal custody of their son. Kaufman modified the terms of visitation, barring the child from staying overnight with Berry, when she granted Martinez’s temporary restraining order.
Martinez’s attorney Patrick Baghdaserians told The Times his client was “very happy” with the judge’s order keeping Berry’s limited visitation. Thursday’s decision was “really focused on the best interests of the minor child,” he said.
According to the filing, Kaufman decided “all other orders regarding custody and visitation remain in full force and effect including holidays and vacation.” Previous legal custody orders will also remain in full force and effect, Kaufman said.
Berry and her son must attend 12 sessions of “safe haven joint therapy” in six months after a therapist has been appointed, the order said. A hearing to appoint that therapist is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Thursday’s judgment came down weeks after Martinez raised scathing abuse allegations in a request for a domestic violence restraining order against Berry filed Oct. 1. Martinez’s request centered on an alleged Sept. 26 incident involving Berry and their son. Martinez alleged the actor “physically abused our son, Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck, and choking him,” according to court documents. His filing also included a declaration of Berry’s alleged history of abuse, and screenshots of his text conversation with Berry following the alleged September incident in which she appears to have written, “I feel terrible about what happened last night.”
Berry’s legal team downplayed Martinez’s restraining order and allegations, telling The Times in a statement, “to say this filing is entirely meritless and deliberately misleading would be an understatement.”
Her attorney added: “In a way, today’s filing is not entirely unexpected from an individual with a well-documented history of erratic, possessive and violent behavior. Fortunately, Halle is used to this kind of outrageous conduct from Mr. Martinez and, while she is deeply saddened, she will not allow it to deter her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests and providing him with the love and support he needs.”
In his request, Martinez also asked a judge to bar Berry from contacting and coming within 300 feet of him and their son. Additionally, Martinez requested that the judge order Berry to refrain from drinking during her agreed-upon parenting time with their son and that she undergo sobriety testing “before, during and after visitation” at intervals the court deems fit. He requested that the judge order Berry to pay legal fees, grant him sole legal and physical custody of the 13-year-old boy and do away entirely with Berry’s visitation time.
After the restraining order, several of Berry’s loved ones voiced their support for the actor. Nahla Aubry, the 18-year-old daughter Berry has kept largely out of the public eye, was among them. Aubry spoke out against her former stepfather Martinez and said of Berry, “I have never witnessed her act violently toward anyone.” She also pointed to a 2012 brawl between her father, Gabriel Aubry, and Martinez.
Berry’s fiancé, Van Hunt, and her attorneys also filed declarations vouching for the “Monster’s Ball” actor. Hunt accompanied Berry during the past weeks’ hearing. Berry and Martinez’s son also testified on the restraining order, despite Berry’s objections.
Times editorial library director Cary Schneider contributed to this report.
Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.
This week’s caption reads:
Illustration shows a visit to the Commandobunker of Kemmel, in Heuvelland, Friday 18 March 2022. After World War II, in the middle of the cold war, several countries including Belgium, France and Great-Britain, decide to build a bunker to coordinate west Europe aerian defence. BELGA PHOTO KURT DESPLENTER (Photo by KURT DESPLENTER / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP) (Photo by KURT DESPLENTER/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
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Just in time for next week’s midterms, Brooklyn-based artist Phil Buehler has unveiled another one of his series of public art installations critiquing modern politics on a stretch of chain link fence between a coffee shop and a bar in Bushwick. The 50-foot-long, 10-foot-high piece, “Wall of Crazy,” features 1,516 of President Trump’s social media posts — selected from more than 70,000 — and arranged chronologically, with color-coded statement categories aligning with the American Psychiatric Assn.‘s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition.
These include: social-emotional incongruity (“Happy Thanksgiving to all including the racist and incompetent Attorney General of New York State”); divine favor/ magical thinking (an AI photo of Trump seated beside Jesus Christ in court); catastrophizing (“This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision”); contradictions and reversals (a 2019 post calling Atty. Gen. Bill Barr “fair and reasonable” vs. a 2023 post calling him “dumb, weak, slow moving, lethargic, gutless and lazy”); hostility, humiliation and threats (calling Tucker Carlson a “very low IQ individual. He could barely get out of college and maybe he didn’t.”); grandiosity (“I am far healthier than Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden, but especially, Kamala”); extraordinary and implausible claims (“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran at levels of military strength and power not seen since World War II”); persecution and victimhood (“Only 25 percent want the president impeached, which is pretty low considering the volume of fake news coverage, but pretty high considering the fact that I did nothing wrong”); and conspiracy thinking (“Wayne County (Detroit) Michigan is one of the most corrupt voting areas in the United States, if not the world”).
In a recent phone interview, Buehler said he made the wall over a period of months beginning in July, using his day-job background in market research and data analysis and statistics to search for patterns in large amounts of data in order to distill it down to something simple. Buehler’s first foray into making a wall of public art came in 2020 with the “Wall of Lies,” which documented more than 20,000 false or misleading claims made by Trump.
A detail shot of the “Wall of Crazy” by Brooklyn-based artist Phil Buehler, featuring 1,516 of Donald Trump’s social media posts.
(Photo from Phil Buehler)
At that time, he said, he was struck by the massive volume of falsehoods. “I wanted to dramatize that in a way that brought the sheer scale of it to life,” he said, noting that the same objective holds true for the “Wall of Crazy.” People have known that Trump tells lies since the 2020 presidential election, Buehler said, adding that it’s a story that is continuously told and has simply become part of the daily news cycle that people move on from.
“Making something into a public artwork brings it back into that cycle because I think it comes into people’s heads in a different way,” Buehler said. Plus, because it’s sandwiched between a coffee shop and a bar, it gets both the thinking morning crowd and the more raucous and celebratory evening crowd. The piece, which is being presented by the independent community radio station Radio Free Brooklyn, has been up for about two days, but will be officially unveiled during a modest neighborhood ceremony today at noon EDT.
“The scale of it is important,” Buehler said. “By attracting your eye and attention and then allowing you to walk up to it and read … Trump’s posts.”
In photos Buehler shared, people are doing just that. Some pass by quickly, others stay immersed for quite some time.
The “Wall of Crazy” is the fifth such collaboration between Buehler and Radio Free Brooklyn. After the “Wall of Lies” came the “Wall of Liars and Deniers” (2022), “featuring 381 Republican election-denying candidates”; then the “Wall of Shame” (2025), “documenting 1,575 January 6 defendants pardoned by Trump”; and “Wall of Tears” (2026), “memorializing 18,457 children documented killed in Gaza.”
The “Wall of Lies” was extensively vandalized by Proud Boy protesters, but the others have been mostly left alone, Buehler said.
“The Wall of Crazy shows how Buehler and Radio Free Brooklyn use public art to spotlight our political climate. Calling out the inflammatory, incoherent, divisive and obscene rhetoric under this administration is critical to democracy,” said Orie Givens, president of the Radio Free Brooklyn Board, in a news release. “Like earlier walls, it captures our political culture and urges action before Election Day: voters can change the country’s direction. And it shows why we must support free media — especially independent outlets — that expose this administration’s actions and impact nationwide.”
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt, wishing us all a peaceful and sane midterm election and a Happy Halloween. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Singer Lila Downs.
(Berenice Bautista / AP Photo)
Lila Downs The singer blends Mexican tradition with jazz, cumbia, folk and contemporary rhythms in a celebration of Día de Muertos, featuring Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and songs from Downs’ new album “Cambias mi Mundo.” 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Hercules vs. Vampires LA Opera presents a musical reimagining of Mario Bava’s 1961 cult film “Hercules in the Haunted World,” starring Reg Park and Christopher Lee, with an original score by Patrick Morganelli, conducted by Blair Salter. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday. United Theater on Broadway, 929 S Broadway, downtown L.A. laopera.org
Kiki Smith “Untethered Journey,” the artist’s first solo show in L.A. in 30 years, includes historical and recent works. Opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Friday; exhibit continues through Jan. 23. Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Drive. deitch.com
SATURDAY
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Organist Brett Valliant performs the score live with John S. Robertson’s 1920 silent horror film starring John Barrymore. 3 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Día de los Muertos Forest Lawn celebrates the Mexican holiday at four of its locations, with marigolds, handcrafted Catrina and alebrijes (spirit guide) artworks and brightly colored community ofrendas (altars), plus folklorico dance and mariachi music performances, arts & crafts, face painting, food and refreshments. A free family-friendly event. Noon-3 p.m. Sunday. Forest Lawn Covina Hills, 21300 Via Verde Drive, Covina, Forest Lawn Cypress, 4471 Lincoln Ave., and Forest Lawn Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Ave.; 5-8 p.m. Monday. Forest Lawn Cathedral City, 69855 E. Ramon Road. forestlawn.com
Harriet Sansom Harris in “Werewolf by Night.”
(Marvel Studios)
Werewolf by Night & Headless Michael Giacchino hosts an evening featuring the premiere of “Headless,” a musical by the Academy Award-winning composer and collaborators Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, based on “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” followed by a live-to-picture screening of his 2022 film “Werewolf by Night,” with Sarah Hicks conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
SUNDAY
Building Bridges: The Master Chorale in Concert With the National Chorus of Korea Two world-class choral organizations team up for a cross-cultural program uniting more than 100 singers. 7 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. lamasterchorale.org
Family Fest: Día de los Muertos A free event featuring activities, festive music, dance and foods. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
TUESDAY
Singer Lyle Lovett.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Lyle Lovett and His Small Large Band The four-time Grammy-winning Texan performs his greatest hits. 8 p.m. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 18000 Park Plaza Drive. ccpa.cerritos.gov
WEDNESDAY
Daniel Passer direct “The Farce Awakens: Ferdeau x 2” at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.
(Odyssey Theatre Ensemble)
The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2 Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer directs “Going to Pot” and “Stark Naked,” two one-acts by Georges Feydeau. Through Jan. 17, 2027. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
The Laugh Track Playwright Wendy MacLeod’s comedy goes behind the scenes of “I Love Lucy,” the groundbreaking 1950s sitcom starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Directed by Brian Shnipper. Through Nov. 22. International City Theatre, 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach. ictlongbeach.org
The SoCal scene
The Endeavour shuttle is on display in launch position at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Exposition Park.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
ICYMI: The best of this week’s L.A. Times arts coverage.
Artist Barry McGee poses for a portrait at Jeffrey Deitch gallery.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
San Francisco artist Barry McGee is back in L.A. after February’s wild takeover of a 99 Cents Only Store. This time he’s staging a show called “Another Round” at Jeffrey Deitch gallery on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins poses in the press room with the award for best revival of a play for “Appropriate” during the 77th Tony Awards.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
London’s Royal Court Theatre announced that playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2025 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning “Purpose,” directed by Phylicia Rashad, will launch its new season in January, marking the hugely successful Broadway show’s first staging outside of the U.S. (“Purpose” opens at Geffen Playhouse next month.)
If you’ve watched anything from “Jesse Watters Primetime” to “The Daily Show” this week, you’re already up to date on the most important issue in America today: the decor of the Cheesecake Factory.
Earlier this week, former President Obama made a quip at a Cleveland rally that President Trump has renovated the White House to look like “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”
Trump lost it. If we’ve learned anything about the president in recent years, it’s that he loves gold as much as he hates Obama. Roll them together in one moment, and the leader of the free world can’t help but freak out. He freaked out so badly, in fact, that he sent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — a guy worth at least $500 million — to eat a French dip cheeseburger at the chain just to prove how great it was.
But if you think this is all a silly back and forth with an unserious administration, think again. Obama is masterful at political strategy, and this wasn’t just a joke. It was rage-bait, crafted for engagement.
Why Saddam Hussein?
The deeper point of Obama’s remarks seemed entirely buried by media coverage that focused on the Cheesecake part. But why Saddam Hussein?
Trump didn’t seem to take issue with being likened to the brutal dictator responsible for killing and disappearing thousands to maintain power. In fact, in all of the rebuttals from Trump and his minions, the Hussein reference hasn’t been mentioned once.
But don’t think Obama choose that reference carelessly, or just for humor.
That ostentatious excess wasn’t just bad taste. It was a show of power. At the same time that Hussein was amassing his wealth and consolidating that cult of personality, his people were broke. Now, I’m in no way saying that Americans in 2026 are suffering the way Iraqis were under Hussein. But there’s a Marie Antoinette-style similarity between Hussein’s narcissist tendencies and Trump’s obsession with all that glitters — from the water in the reflecting pool to the walls of the Oval Office — even as the economy crashes.
Obama clearly understands that: Maybe you don’t want to cut food stamps to millions while you’re slapping up a new ballroom. Obama, after all, could have said the White House looked like Liberace had opened a Cheesecake Factory, but he didn’t. Instead, he chose to insert Hussein, a man whose ego-driven rule came at the expense of his own people.
Which brings me to the absolute brilliance of the joke. Sure, it was funny. Yes, it was quickly picked up as a viral clip.
But more than anything, it got to Trump in a way that was entirely predictable with his unbridled ego, and a way in which Obama almost certainly knew it would. In a way that links him to a dictator who cared more about gilt than people, but in a way so clever Trump himself grabbed the bait and ran with it.
Trump couldn’t stop himself
Hearing his taste criticized, all his beautiful, shiny gold mocked — by Obama of all people — was rage-bait that Trump could not ignore. Trump could not stop himself from responding, and even more, he couldn’t stop himself from demanding others defend him and his gaudy aesthetics.
And the ever-willing members of his cult of personality across government and right-wing media quickly complied — with an attack that Obama surely knew would be the only possible pushback: That he was elitist for making fun of the decor of a wildly popular average-family spot (Obama quickly hit back that the Factory was “his jam” and he, like many parents of teens, myself included, had eaten there numerous times.)
Dozens and dozens of Trump minions parroted the same line for days — how dare Obama mock such a beloved American eatery? How out of touch. How tan-suit, Martha’s Vineyard of him. Trump brought it up at multiple rallies. The official White House social media account posted about it. It was all over the right-wing ecosphere for days.
Never mind the economy, or the war in Iran, or inflation that makes a meal at the Cheesecake Factory increasingly feel like a caviar-and-Champagne night.
Or even this insane comment from Trump about inviting supporters to Mar-a-Lago, his Florida club that makes the Las Vegas Strip look classy, to spend the money he’s promised to them if Republicans win elections: “You’ll be my guest at Mar-a-Lago,” he promised at an Ohio rally. “The problem is that for $5,000, the most you’ll be able to buy is a hamburger and maybe a small dessert. … I’m not even sure you could buy that. No, don’t go there. That’s not a good place if you’re price conscious.”
And Obama’s elitist? That’s bonkers-level disconnection from the audience, but back to my point.
Suddenly, in the middle of a pivotal election, all Republicans are hearing about is the Cheesecake Factory, and how wonderful it is their president is plastering gold all over everything while they are wondering if they’ll be able to pay the gas bill this month.
Granted, the Republicans don’t have a lot of bright spots to focus on as they give their final message to voters. But I am guessing that even the reddest of ballot-clutchers doesn’t want to hear about the Cheesecake Factory, or how much marble Trump has installed at the entrance to the White House. That seems tone-deaf.
Obama’s purposeful provocation completely derailed Republican messaging for multiple, critical news cycles, all because Trump couldn’t stand to have his taste criticized by a guy who has become a bogeyman in his own brain.
Trump had to defend his excess, he couldn’t resist — and in failing to check his own ego, again, he put into the bright spotlight the truth that his followers are increasingly unable to ignore: The only thing that matters to Trump is Trump. Not the economy. Not the war, and certainly not the concerns of voters in the final days of the election.
Obama’s one-liner wasn’t just a zinger. It was political gold, an artful bit of rage-bait trolling that casually took control of the narrative with a well-aimed poke.
A MAJOR UK trainline has launched a huge Black Friday sale – and over 50,000 Brits can travel for half price.
Tickets are available to purchase now with discounted journeys starting from next week.
Great Western Railway has launched a 50 per cent off sale on select journeys for Black FridayCredit: Alamy
Passengers looking to journey through Wales, the South West and the West of England can snap up a major deal this month, as Great Western Railway has launched a huge 50 per cent off train fares.
The Black Friday sale covers trips across the South West, Thames Valley, Cotswolds and South Wales with offers on 60,000 tickets.
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Discounted tickets will be available on travel from November 6 to December 17, 2026.
Head of marketing at GWR, Helen da Costa, said: “Black Friday is a great opportunity to grab a bargain and give yourself something exciting to look forward to before Christmas.
“Whether you’re planning a festive day out, visiting friends and family or simply fancy a change of scenery, our sale offers savings of up to 50% on selected Standard and First-Class Advance tickets.
“With 60,000 discounted tickets available, there are plenty of opportunities to make plans without spending a fortune.”
The sale only applies to Advance Single fares and is non-refundable.
Ticket prices are as low as £22 for a standard fare from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington, or from £32 for journeys to Exeter St Davids.
Travellers will need to act fast if they want to nab cheaper tickets as they must be booked by Monday, November 2.
Customers have also been advised to book early, as discounts are limited and only available on selected routes and services.
Orders can be placed through either the GWR website at gwr.com/blackfriday or via the GWR app.
When NBC’s production team came to meet with Lincoln Riley, ahead of a broadcast earlier this month, the USC football coach greeted the group like old friends.
“Look,” Riley joked, “the Trojan Network is back.”
He certainly should be familiar with the group by now, given that this week’s matchup with No. 2 Ohio State marks the sixth time in nine games that USC will be featured on NBC. That’s already tied for the most any one network has aired a Big Ten team since 2024, when the conference expanded to 18 teams.
“We certainly feel like we’re the voice of the Trojans at the moment,” Noah Eagle, NBC’s lead play-by-play announcer, told The Times prior to USC’s loss to Wisconsin last week.
It’s certainly an ironic match, considering NBC’s longtime affiliation with the Trojans’ bitter rival, Notre Dame. But going all-in on the Cardinal and Gold wasn’t necessarily the network’s plan going into the season, according to Justin Byczek, NBC’s executive vice president of programming and rights management. It just worked out that way.
“It’s effectively a draft, and we’re trying to look at different weeks and prioritize,” Byczek said. “One of the first things that jumped out at us was how important that Oregon game is going to be. So that was something that we had in our back pocket going into the draft.”
When the three networks divided up the Big Ten’s TV games last spring, Byczek said NBC also zeroed in on that game, as well as USC’s matchups with Ohio State and Penn State, knowing both would fit well featured in prime time.
Just by virtue of its geography and its brand, USC makes for a natural fit in NBC’s prime time slot (7:30/4:30 p.m. ET/PT), similar to how FOX’s Big Noon Saturday regularly features Ohio State in its early window.
Those prime-time matchups featuring the Trojans, though, have lagged a bit behind other top teams from the Big Ten and SEC. USC’s matchup with Oregon drew the largest audience of its season to date, with 5 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. That’s the only time this season that a USC game has finished in the top five of the week’s most viewed games, according to Nielsen data.
That’s a conference-wide issue. The Big Ten has only had the week’s most-watched game twice this season, once on CBS (Ohio State-Iowa in Week 5) and another time on Fox (Ohio State-Indiana, Week 7). Otherwise, ABC has dominated, with upwards of 10 million tuning in most weeks to the network’s prime-time game.
So, in order to compete with ABC in prime time, NBC is betting on Lincoln Riley and the Trojans as its West Coast anchor.
“Because they’re intriguing — not only in Los Angeles, but nationally,” Eagle said. “College football fans want to see if they can get over the hump. Can Lincoln Riley get them there?”
That question will no doubt come up on the broadcast this week. And with three Big Ten games still left after that, you can bet it won’t be the last time we hear it asked on NBC.
The defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks added three-time All-Pro offensive lineman Quenton Nelson. The San Francisco 49ers reacquired All-Pro defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. Both teams executed trades with the Indianapolis Colts.
Have the Rams made plans or had trade discussions?
“No,” McVay said. “Based on our situation, I mean the good thing for us is, what you look at is hopefully some of those trades will be guys getting back from injury that haven’t played for us.
“That’s kind of the way we look at it.”
Multiple Rams star players are on injured reserve or are done for the season because of injuries.
Edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL defensive player of the year, has not played since undergoing knee surgery after the season-opening defeat by the 49ers in Australia. He has been eligible to return since before the Rams played the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 18, but McVay said Wednesday that the Rams would not open the 21-day window for Garrett to return.
Tight end Terrance Ferguson, on injured reserve because of an ankle injury, also is eligible to return but will not practice this week.
Defensive lineman Poona Ford is out for the season because of a triceps injury, and defensive lineman Kobie Turner must sit out three more games while on injured reserve because of a groin injury. Star receiver Davante Adams is on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out several more weeks.
General manager Les Snead is known for pulling off unexpected deals — see his trade for Garrett last June. But the Rams lack draft capital and have a league-low $206,406 of cap space, according to Overthecap.com.
So the Rams are apparently looking inward.
“The amount of guys that have not been available, that are key and focal points for really both sides of the football, you look at those guys hopefully being able to return within a month,” McVay said, “and that’s kind of where that value lies for us.”
Snead has a history of making big moves before or at the deadline.
In 2018, they traded for edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. In 2019, they traded for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. In 2021, they signed receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and traded for edge rusher Von Miller.
Last season, the Rams made a low-key move, trading for defensive back Roger McCreary.
McVay acknowledged that “you always think about” possible deals and that the “conversation” might be different if more players were out for the season.
“But the good thing is a lot of the guys that are big, huge parts that we’re missing, we do expect to get back at some point, just not exactly sure when that is,” he said.
Last week, Farmer posted an 9-5 (.643) record. Through the first seven weeks of the season, he is 63-44. (.589).
Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, his record against the spread in Week 7 would have been 7-7 (.500). For the season, his record against the spread is 45-62 (.421).
All times are Pacific and TV reflects broadcasts in the Los Angeles area. The 49ers, Giants, Saints and Texans do not play this week.
The race for mayor of Los Angeles is a dead heat as the campaign draws to a close, with a new poll showing incumbent Karen Bass erasing the double-digit lead previously held by Councilmember Nithya Raman.
Raman and Bass now each have 40% of likely L.A. voters in their camps, with 19% still undecided ahead of the Nov. 3 election, according to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by The Times.
The neck-and-neck contest is a big change from September, when Raman jumped out to an 11-percentage-point lead with support from 39% of likely voters compared with Bass at 28%.
It follows weeks of relentless attacks on Raman by Bass, whom some analysts had predicted would need to campaign more aggressively to close the gap with her challenger.
“It’s certainly a breath of fresh air for Bass to see the race close. She’ll probably feel the campaign is having the effect she wants it to have, which is to put more focus on Raman and put Raman on the defensive,” said Mark DiCamillo, the director of the Berkeley IGS Poll.
Mayor Karen Bass greets phone banking volunteers at her South L.A. campaign headquarters.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
The survey released Wednesday was conducted online in English and Spanish with a sample of 2,197 likely city voters between Oct. 19 and Oct. 25. It has a margin of error of about three percentage points.
“The momentum in this race is with Karen Bass,” said Alex Stack, a spokesperson for Bass’ campaign. “Ever since Angelenos got their ballots, Nithya Raman has made headlines for all the wrong reasons — voters know they can’t trust her on public safety and other key issues.”
The Raman campaign cited high unfavorable numbers for Bass in the poll, and noted that the mayor “still can’t get ahead” in voter surveys.
“Bass hasn’t led a poll since August and an aggregate of all publicly available polls continues to show Nithya in the lead,” the Raman campaign said in a news release.
The leveling off of the race, along with the sharp decline in undecided voters, was spurred largely by conservative voters who chose Republican Spencer Pratt in the primary deciding to vote for the mayor in the runoff, said DiCamillo.
In the September Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times poll, 22% of Pratt voters said they planned to support Bass, while 16% said they favored Raman. That left a whopping 63% of Pratt voters undecided still.
In the new poll, Bass shot up to 41% of the Pratt vote, while Raman dropped to 14% and 45% were still undecided. Pratt hasn’t endorsed either candidate in the race and continues to bash both Raman and Bass on social media.
“The Pratt voters are the biggest insertion,” DiCamillo said. “The question remains, since we’re looking at Pratt voters, 45% remain undecided. Will they vote?”
Raman trailed Bass in every poll during the primary campaign. Neither candidate had ever cleared 40% in any of the polls conducted by Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times.
In the June 2 primary election, Bass received 34% of the vote while Raman received 29%. Pratt placed third with 26%.
In the new poll, Raman shed support in key areas, including among groups that previously appeared to be leaning toward her.
Councilmember and mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman, center, with supporters at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
In the September poll, Raman led among Latinos by 24 percentage points, 45% to Bass’ 21%. In the October poll, Bass was up to 40% and Raman fell to 43%, leaving the two within the margin of error for that key constituency.
DiCamillo said part of that change had to do with the likely voter population becoming more clear as the election neared, and older Latinos appeared to be a larger portion of the electorate.
“The Latino likely electorate now includes more older Latinos; that benefits Bass,” he said.
Black voters, long considered the backbone of Bass’ coalition, solidified behind the mayor, with 71% of likely Black voters supporting her compared with 13% supporting Raman. While Bass led among Black likely voters in the September poll, the already wide margin was much slimmer at that time, at 48% to 20%.
The poll also affirmed a widely held belief among the Bass camp that the San Fernando Valley would tilt toward the mayor over Raman.
Raman was leading in the Valley in the September poll 34% to 26%, but that number flipped on its head over the past month, with Bass now in front of Raman 44% to 33%.
Bass’ surge in the poll was more notable because the mayor’s favorable ratings — which have been in the tank since the January 2025 wildfires — remained underwater, with 65% of Angelenos viewing her unfavorably compared to 64% in the last poll. Only 32% had a positive view of the mayor, up four percentage points from September.
Bass’ attacks on Raman appeared to be having a significant effect on voters’ opinions of the challenger.
For the first time in a poll by Berkeley IGS/L.A. Times this cycle, Raman posted a higher unfavorable rating than favorable, with 49% of likely voters saying they viewed her unfavorably compared to 42% who had positive views of her.
The mayor, her campaign team and her surrogates have stepped up their offensive toward Raman, seizing on any opportunity to hammer the council member over remarks she has made on the campaign trail that they argue make the her unfit for the mayoralty and “not ready for prime time” — a slogan the mayor and her allies have deployed against their rival.
In early October, the Bass campaign slammed Raman over a video she posted with a leftist influencer in which she urged viewers to “stop fascist liars” as a photo of Bass flashed on the screen. Raman criticized both Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell in the video.
Bass accused the council member of calling the city’s police officers fascists. A Raman spokesperson said she was referring to the “Trump administration’s violent kidnappings” as fascist, not the mayor or police chief or officers. The story dominated headlines for days.
The Bass camp also needled Raman that week after photos surfaced of the council member attending a happy hour on the day federal immigration authorities began raids in Los Angeles last summer, though Raman said she attended a protest that same day.
The Bass campaign sent out a news release calling it “Nithya Raman’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week.”
The attacks continued the next week after Raman said during the mayoral debate that the “gold standard” for LAPD’s noncooperation with immigration enforcement took place during the tenure of former LAPD Police Chief Daryl F. Gates.
Gates, a controversial chief accused of racist remarks during his tenure, headed the department during the 1991 videotaped beating of Rodney King and Bass said Raman’s comments showed she was “not really familiar with L.A., especially the Black community.”
Raman retorted that Bass was twisting her words, but later apologized, saying that mentioning Gates was painful for people across L.A.
The poll also asked respondents for the top priorities for the next mayor to address. Reducing the number of homeless encampments was by far the top answer, chosen by 43% of likely voters.
Tied for second place among top concerns was ensuring public safety and building more affordable housing, selected by 29% each.
Protecting immigrant communities was the third-most cited concern, with 21%, followed by balancing the city budget at 17%.
A look at four of this week’s top football games in the Southland:
FRIDAY
Garfield (8-1) vs. Roosevelt (1-8) at East L.A. College, 7:30 p.m.
It’s rivalry week highlighted by the East L.A. Classic that annually draws the most fans for a regular-season game in Los Angeles. Garfield is heavily favored, led by running back Ceasar Reyes, who has gone past 2,000 yards rushing this season. Roosevelt was shut out last week by Bell, so the Rough Riders will need to improve fast. The pick: Garfield.
St. John Bosco (6-2) vs. Mater Dei (6-2) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7 p.m.
Second place in the Trinity League is on the line, along with a top-four seeding in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. Both teams have rising running backs, with Maliq Allen for St. John Bosco and Asir Nembhard for Mater Dei. Let’s see which team can deny the big play. The pick: St. John Bosco.
San Juan Hills (8-1) at Mission Viejo (7-1), 7 p.m.
This is the Alpha League championship game. Mission Viejo’s powerful offensive line allows the Diablos the option to pass or run. San Juan Hills’ defense got a shutout over San Clemente last week. The pick: Mission Viejo.
Bishop Amat (8-1) at Sierra Canyon (9-0), 7 p.m.
Bishop Amat has already taken a big leap in the second season for coach Kory Minor. But beating Sierra Canyon on its home field will be tough. Sierra Canyon’s ability to run the ball with Jaxsen Stokes is key. The pick: Sierra Canyon.
