Episodes

Reader theater & dance editor Kerry Reid tells the strange story of the "impasse" that might kill Chicago's oldest alternative newspaper. It has to do with Leonard Goodman, the man who wanted to save the Reader, and now will kill it unless he turns the title over to a not-for-profit board. No Reader in Chicago? It's becoming more likely by the day. And then a word or two about King James & Good Night, Oscar. Editor's note: Since this interview took place, Leonard Goodman agreed to turn the title...

Freelance writer Maya Goldberg-Safir makes her Joravsky Show debut, talking about Brittney Griner, the world's greatest women basketball player, who's been locked in a prison in Russia for several months. Why won't Putin let her out? Why is there so much silence about her imprisonment? And what can we do? After you listen to the story, check out Maya's recently published article on Griner in Jacobin magazine. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aldermen blame everything bad on Ed Burke. Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson talks Trump. Particularly, a New York judge's ruling that Trump be held in contempt and fined $10,000 a day. Ben's convinced Trump won't pay the money. Monroe disagrees. And then LeAlan Jones--Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate--returns to talk money. Particularly Elon Musk's $46 billion acquisition of Twitter. He talked bankers into lending him billions of dollars. Apparently, bankers are suckers for the sales pitch of slick-talking rich guys. Speaking of Trump...  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Political scientist David Faris surveys the political scene, which at the moment is bleak for Democrats. As David explains, the time has come for Democrats to stand up for their core convictions and stop apologizing for the values they believe in. Also, a word or two about the worship of wealth. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Word breaks that the Reader will live. Ben riffs. And Maya Dukmasova returns to talk ward maps, Reader & Twitter. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

They hold a public meeting for the casino. Guess what? Nobody wants it in their backyard. Ben riffs. And 15h ward Alderman Raymond Lopez returns to talk about why he's running for mayor. Why he goes on Tucker Carlson's show. Why he's against TIFs. And much more, including policing, casinos and an explanation of how the city council works. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

August 23, 2019. Yes. Pritzker signed another bill. A legal marijuana update. Grading Lori Lightfoot's first 100 days and MORE from the Chicago Reader and their "Love Letter to Chicago Journalism" Streaming Telethon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stacy Davis Gates--president of Chicago Teachers Union--returns to talk all things politics. Specifically, the Republican assault on Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The bizarre case of Richard Irvin. And Brittney Griner, locked in Putin's prison. And a word or two in defense of Isiah Thomas. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great Estelle Harris died. She played George Costanza's mother in Seinfeld. Ben riffs. And Dave Glowacz--from Inside Chicago Government--returns to review the last few meetings. Casinos. Rules. Mayoral control. It's hard not to be cynical in Chicago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Political strategist and podcast host Sameena Mustafa returns to discuss one of her latest projects--a study of political candidates who are women of color. Or, more to the point, the violence and anger they face from the left as well as MAGA. The question is--why are men threatened by women in power? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yesterday, Ben appealed to Len Goodman to do what he had to do to save the Reader. That appeal didn't work. So Ben tries again. And Monroe Anderson returns to talk masks, Trump judges, MAGA & Putin and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Willie Wilson announces he's running for mayor. But he won't say if he voted for Trump. Ben riffs. And political strategist Delmarie Cobb makes her long-awaited return to talk all things politics. Including, why she wants people to vote for David Moore. And how Republicans show their contempt for Black voters. And her appreciation for Senator Cory Booker. And how Republicans spin the media. And why the media should know better. And why she's so proud of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. And memories of Harold Washington on the 100th anniversary of his birth. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben goes to California and gets a massage. What a story. And Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa--the dean of the council Democratic Progressives--returns and he's got a lot on his mind. Ward Map. Casino. Danny Solis. Elon Musk. Mayor's race. And who's got the biggest gas-giveaway card--Mayor Lightfoot or Willie Wilson? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On April 5, 2022, Ben & Maya returned to The Hideout for First Tuesdays. On topic--former House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, the good, the bad & the ugly. Out guests were two people who know a lot about the man people call Mad Dog. Political strategist Alaina Hampton was a campaign aide in the once mighty Madigan political operation. She left after Madigan basically looked the other at her allegations of sexual harrassment by another campaign aide. WBEZ reporter Dave McKinney has been covering th...

In These Times editor/writer Miles Kampf-Lassin returns and we start talking about Jeff Cramer's breakdown over the successful unionizing effort at the Amazon warehouse in New York and wind up talking capitalism. Specifically, why Jeff Bezos and his peers hate unions so much. And then the conversation moves to Biden & the child tax credit. Dem can be their own worse enemies. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my...

Ben & Dr. D riff on a week's worth of news. Pritzker & Bailey & Irvin & Poor Jesse Sullivan. And then Dr. Dr makes the case for Willie Wilson. Ben is skeptical--to put it mildly. And much more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Podcaster Marc Sims returns and the conversation turns to Willie Wilson and Richard Irvin. Will Chicago voters elect Willie Wilson as their mayor because he give out free gas? As for Richard Irvin, he's the more or less centrist-like mayor of Aurora who's recast himself as a MAGA Republican to beat JB Pritker. In his latest commercial, Irvin says, "there's nothing the left fears more than Republicans who look me and think like us." What is he telling us? Marc & Ben riff. See Privacy Policy at h...

On Friday it will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of Harold Washington--the greatest mayor in the history of Chicago. To mark the event, there have been celebrations all over town. Ben riffs. And then Monroe Anderson and Josie Childs join the show to talk all things Harold Washington. Josie Childs is a longtime friend and aide to the late mayor. So she has some great stories to tell. Including a Washington secret. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host of The Fight Podcast, Sergio Vicente returns to discuss Colby Covington, the Trump-loving, MAGA flag-waving UFC fighter, who's trying to make a name for himself by baiting LeBron James with trash talk. Sergio explains what Covington's up to and why he's doing it and whether it works. Then the conversation turns to Will Smith & Chris Rocks at the Oscars. You don't want to miss the conversation... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19....

Anat Shenker-Osorio is a left-of-center political strategist who has spent many years studying messaging. That is--why certain messages resonate and others don't. Not surprising, she's determined that the right is more effective at the left at message. Why is that? She explains--with examples. She's the principal of ASO Communications and hosts her own podcast, Words to Win By. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sun-Times columnist/editorial writer Rummana Hussain returns to talk Will Smith, Chris Rock, toxic masculinity and Tucker Carlson and then one thing leads to another and she explains the destructive side effects of the myth of the model minorities. And a word or two about Chris Rock's white producers joke at the Oscars. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's been busy week. Ben & Dr. D jump right in. Starting with...the mayor's favorite newspaper. Well, it's not a local one. Moving on to Richard Irvin's delicate dance with MAGA. Campaign commercials from Alexi. Too bad he's not running for best basketball player in Illinois politics. Casino games. And Alderman Lopez announces he's running for mayor. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why is it that when Chicago does the right thing, it's generally for the wrong reason? Ben ponders that question. And then Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor makes her long-awaited return. And not a moment too soon. The conversation moves from Republicans attitude toward Black women to the war on crime to Arne Duncan to Lori Lightfoot to what people in Aurora say about Richard Irvin to a whole bunch of other things.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Monroe Anderson's birthday. Ben seeks some words to live by. And then another Chicago legend, Richard Steele--aka, The Real Deal--comes on to offer his advice. Then the topic turns to race. And Clarence & Ginni Thomas. And the upcoming mayoral election. And, wait, more birthday advice. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.