Episodes
"Hellhole Darren" and Monroe Anderson & Aaron Cohen
MAGA gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey has been calling Chicago a hell hole. Now, he's moved here. Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson returns to explain the behavior of Robert Sarver, the billionaire owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team who thinks it's okay to use the N word. And writer Aaron…
Mueze Bawany--Up Against The Machine
Millennials have been calling for new blood in the Democratic Party. Well, meet Mueze Bawany, 35-year-old Chicago Public School high school English teacher and basketball coach who's running for alderman of the 50th ward. He's up against incumbent Alderwoman Debra Silverstein who knows a thing or a…
"Ramsey Lewis, RIP" and Brian Costin on "Corporate Welfare" for the B…
The great Ramsey Lewis died at age 87. Ben riffs. And Brian Costin from American Prosperity for Illinois joins to talk Bears stadium handout. Yes, American Prosperity is a Koch Brothers organization. And Brian is conservative. And he used to work for the Rauner administration. And so on and so fort…
Oh, What A [Past] Week: "DB, JB & LL"
Ben & Dr. D riff on a week's worth of news. Starting with...mayoral politics. Mayor Lightfoot calls Paul Vallas a Republican. Vallas says not fair. Then Darren Bailey jumps into the mayor's race--sorta. That gets Ben explaini...
Henry Davis, Jr.--Indiana Injustice
President Biden offers student debt relief. Everyone starts complaining. Ben riffs. And South Bend councilman Henry Davis, Jr returns. He talks about police dealing with mental health crises. And Indiana ‘s upcoming senate race. Can Dems win? And who’s worse—Indiana, Chicago or Michigan when it co…
John Nichols & Richard Steele
Ben returns from a week in Michigan, where MAGA is taking a page from the Daley book--as in Richard J. Ben riffs. John Nichols makes his debut on the show. Political columnist for the Nation and author of a dozen or so books--including Coronavirus Criminals--he talks all things Wisconsin politics.…
Natalie Moore--The Billboard
WBEZ reporter Natalie Moore talks about her play, The Billboard. It's about the fight over abortion in Englewood, on the city's south side. And what happens when...well, let Natalie tell the story. A reminder--you can buy Natalie's book--the Billboard--at any bookstore in town. See Privacy Policy …
Live At The Hideout--Terry Cosgrove & Megan Jeyifo
Ben and Maya welcome folks back to The Hideout for the August edition of First Tuesdays. On the agenda, nothing less than the future of abortion rights in Illinois post Dobbs. Our guests--Terry Cosgrove, executive director of Personal Pac, and Megan Jeyifo, executive director of the Chicago Abortio…
Nora Wiltse--Libraries Without Librarians
Chicago Public School librarian and activist Nora Wiltse considers this question. Why would a city, as rich as Chicago, allow most of its schools to be without librarians? They have a library. But no librarians. Do they want their children to lack critical thinking skllls? To believe whatever they'…
"Stepping Down" and Monroe Anderson & Mark Wallace
Alderman Tom Tunney is the latest alderman to announce he's not running for re-election. Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson returns to help Ben dissect Senator Roy Blunt's response to a basic question about whether it's legal for Donald Trump to take secret documents out of the White House. Blunt, a Re…
Mike Nowak--Destruction's Door
Environmentalist, radio man and gardening superstar, Mike Nowak returns to talk environment. And the news, to put it mildly, is not good. We are, as Barry McGuire once prophesied, on the eve...oh, you know the song. It's cause of man's greed and stupidity and stubbornness, etc. On the bright side..…
Rummana Hussain--Springsteen In Oslo
Sun-Times columnist/editorial writer Rummana Hussain and Ben ask the question: Was the Kansas abortion referndum the moment we look back and say--that's when we knew that something had changed? Or...oh, let's not think about the or. Then Rummana tries to defend Mr. Springsteen for charging thousand…
"Oh, What A [Past] Week"--Merrick, Mar-a-Lago, Maga & Mensa
It's that time for Ben to review a week's worth of news. Dr. D is on a much deserved vacation. So joining Ben is Chris Schrage. And away they go, talking Merrick Garland and his warrant to search Mar-a-Lago. MAGA's reaction. The Republican Party in Illinois trying to find it's way on Trump. This is…
Mike Allemana--The 101 Of The Chicago Jazz Festival
Mike Allemana is one of our great jazz guitarists. He's also a jazz professor at the University of Chicago. And this conversation is like 101 of the Chicago Jazz Fest, as Mike explains the styles of the stars in this year's festival. Starting with...himself. Mike will be opening act on the Big Sta…
Delmarie Cobb--Changing Tides
The feds raid Trump's Florida home--MAGA's outraged. Ben riffs. And political consultant Delmarie Cobb returns to talk all about it. The raid, that is. And MAGA's outrage. And the precised choreography of the MAGA outrage response. And then it's on to Kansas. And messaging abortion rights. And crim…
David Faris--President Godfather
Political scientist David Faris returns to try and make sense of the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago, MAGA's reaction to that raid and Trump pleading the fifth in another case. It only makes sense if you view Trump as a mob boss. Which is sort of how Trump views himself. Also, what's with MAGA's obsession w…
"Bad Ad" and Monroe Anderson & Robert Tutman
MAGA runs an an anti-Pritzker commercial that darkens Mayor Lightfoot's skin. Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson returns to talk Trump. What motivates MAGA? Fear? Hate? Love for Donnie? Legendary CBS Cameraman Robert Tutman joins the conversation. Was the darkening of Mayor Lightfoot intentional? Can y…
Kaplan & Pogorzelski--the Political Know-It-Alls!
The political know it alls--Jacob Kaplan and Danny P--return to talk politics. And, man, there's a lot of politics to discuss. Jacob is the executive director of the Cook County Party and Dan is the recent winner of the Democratic primary for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Kansas. Dems ru…
Miles Kampf-Lassin--A Bill Capitalists Should Love
Details are starting to emerge about the faulty warrant used by police to justify the deadly raid on Breonna Taylor's apartment. Just as MAGA is crying about Mar-a-Lago. Ben riffs. And Miles Kampf-Lassin--writer/editor from In These Times--returns to talk about the Mar-a-Lago raid. Then he does a d…
Best of Ben: Monroe Anderson, Micah Uetricht & Brandon Johnson
August 28, 2019: Pritzker talks the Thompson Center. Lori Lightfoot gives her own 100 day mayoral review. Legendary Chicago Journalist Monroe Anderson unpacks the latest trump news. Jacobin Writer Micah Uetricht talks his new Bernie book. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson tells us why he is …
Dave Glowacz--City Council Antics
Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas hangs out with MAGA. Ben riffs. And Dave Glowacz--from Inside Chicago Government--returns for another segment of City Council Follies. Actually, Ben just made up that title. Playing clips from th...
Once Upon a Time in 2019-- Adams & Buddy & Mims
August 4, 2019--Sergio Mims is the Director of The Black Harvest Film Festival. Chris Buddy and Christopher Adams are both film Directors. And they can't stop talking about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19…
Oh, What A [Past] Week: "Cool Heads & Soft Hands"
It's that time to talk about the week. And Ben & Dr. D have a lot to talk about, Including--campaign commercials from Darren Bailey, Lori Lightfoot and JB Pritzker. Ben explains why he is so upset by Bailey's Holocaust commen...
Monroe Anderson & Tom Brune--McDermott's Revenge
Darren Bailey reveals his inner anti-Jewish bias, comparing abortion to the Holocaust. Then he apologizes (sorta). Then he backs off from his (sorta) apology. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talks about yesterday's stunning win for abortion rights in Kansas. And Tom Brune--Washington bureau chief for Ne…