Episodes

Historian Rosemary Feurer & Elliott Gorn talk Chicago's radical past. Particularly the successful effort to pay tribute to Mother Jones, the turn-of-the-last-century radical. Yes, radical. She didn't hide from it. Will Chicag...

Sun-Times columnist Lynn Sweet tries to hold MAGA strategist Dan Proft to the same rules and standards real journalists must follow. Ben riffs. And Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson talks about running for mayor. He explains why he's the progressive candidate in the race. What it means to be…

The Bears make their first move toward convincing Arlington Heights residents to pay for their football stadium. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson returns to explain a few things about Chicago history that Mayor Lightfoot may not understand. Such as the Evans/Sawyer split that divided Black Chicago and ha…

Elon Musk gets ready to fire hundreds of Twitter employees. Ben riffs. And Troy LaRaviere talks Musk, Trump & Ye. And more… See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pr...

Singer/guitarist Andrea Bunch and activist Alicia Hurtado—of the Chicago Abortion Fund—talk about the fight for reproductive rights in the aftermath of the midterms. The fight is not over—even in Illinois where abortion is legal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv…

After about 20 years as an organizer, Amisha Patel is taking a break--she's stepping down as executive director of the Grassroots Collaborative. She talks about the struggles to try and force Chicago mayors to do the right th...

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson announces he’s running for mayor—will confused MAGA voters line up to support him? Ben riffs. Historian Sean Dinces, author of Bulls Market, talks about Chicago’s history of giving handouts to sports franchises. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv…

Radio show host gives a primer on QAnon.

The British Prime Minister steps down. Ben apologizes for riffing on it. And Micah Uetricht, editor/writer for Jacobian, manages to defend the New York Times. Is Ben unfair to the Times? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-…

Sun-Times columnist Rummana Hussain talks capitalism. Specifically, Twitter employees getting fired because Elon Musk needs to use their salaries to pay back the money he borrowed to buy the company. Which he paid too much for. Crazy… See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California…

Ben & Maya host November's First Tuesday show at a new location--the Nighthawk on Kimball. On tap--the coming elections. Especially judicial. Especially the Supremes. No, not the Diana Ross Supremes. But the seven justices ...

The Tribune reports that dozens of public officials are members of the Oath Keepers. Ben riffs. And former state Rep. Julie Hamos returns to talk about the upcoming elections to the Illinois Supreme Court. Specifically, why these should be top-of-the-ballot races as opposed to bottom-of-the-ballot …

More weather news--most of it bad. Ben riffs on the difference between Democrats and MAGA when it comes to each other's tragedies. And Rummana Hussain--Sun-Times columnist/editorial writer--asks the question: What's in a name? Particularly in the case of Nikki Haley. Rummana explains why she's on T…

Trump & Kanye unleash their hate. Ben riffs. Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor returns! And she's got a lot on her mind--Trump, Kanye, property tax, budgets, and the hate Chicago has for poor people. Also, a prediction about the mid...

Writer & radio show host Salim Muwakkil returns. At last! To talk Pharoah Sanders. And Kanye West. And is it time to panic? Nothing is left untouched. The phenomenal realm. The spiritual realm. Does the creator really have a ...

Guess what! Dr. D returns from paternity week to help wrap up the news. News item one. He's a proud papa. Guess the D stands for daddy. Also, JB v. DB in the final debate. Mayor Lightfoot targets Vallas. Is Vallas as bad as Trump? And, who will represent lefties in the mayor's race--Brandon Johnson…

.Sun-Times runs a story about residents in Belmont Cragin never seeing their elected officials. Ben riffs. And community organizer Dixon Romeo returns to discuss Obama Center community benefits agreement, city's programs for Black vendors and how to fight MAGA propaganda. And then a mini deep dive …

President Biden drops an F bomb! Ben riffs. In These Times editor/writer Miles Kampf-Lassin returns to talk about the midterms. What Democrats must do to forestall Armageddon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my…

Election results prove voters don’t care if a candidate is a smooth talker. So why are mainstream reporters obsessing over John Fetterman’s debate performance? Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talks Putin, Griner, Fetterman & polit...

The President of the Los Angeles City Council gets caught on mic making racist comments--almost like she's from Chicago. Ben riffs. And election lawyer Adolfo Mondragon returns to talk about racism and bigotry and colorism in the Hispanic community. Also, what is up with Congressman Jesus Garcia? W…

Some how every football “expert” in Chicago predicted the wrong outcome to Mondays’s Bears/Patriots game. Ben riffs. Maya Dukmasova talks about the future of First Tuesdays. And Kelly Garcia, Reader staff writer, talks about her latest articles. Including Chicago’s audacious experiment in democracy…

.Political scientist David Faris returns to explore the MAGA psyche. Do MAGA true believers truly believe the insanity they spout? Are they actually feeling guilty? Is it a case of bad guys not wanting to be seen as bad? Is their change-the-subject strategy working? And what's with Ron DeSantis? …

Another week, more news. Ben & Chris riff away. Including...a new pol that shows JB leading DB. The different respnses by Dems & MAGA to polls. Michael Madigan in trouble—again. Avondale ranked a cool neighborhood. Its only a...

Sergio Mims dies at age 67. Ben pays tribute to a dear friend and super podcast guest. And director Joe Winston talks about Punch 9, his sensational documentary about Mayor Harold Washington. A word of advice…run don’t walk to see punch 9. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif…