John Williams

Liz Shulman, English teacher at Evanston Township High School and in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, joins John Williams to talk about her recent piece in Slate about the use of cell phones in school classrooms and to give us an update on Evanston Township High School adopting a new cell phone policy […]

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Join John Williams and the cast of The Mincing Rascals at Winter’s Jazz Club (465 N. McClurg Ct.) on Wednesday, June 12 for a live taping of the podcast – plus Robert’s Pizza and jazz guitarist Andy Brown. Tickets are $42.75, inclusive of all fees. Get tickets here. Doors to Winter’s Jazz Club open at […]

Henry Fuguitt, a former employee at Dom’s Kitchen & Market in Chicago, joins John Williams to share his experience of how he found out that the business would be abruptly closing.

Brigette DeMarzo, Director, Quality and Patient Safety, Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the history of the Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, the type of patients they typically see, how they differ from hospitals most people are familiar with, the technology that is used to assist patients in their recovery, and the […]

Restaurateur and serial entrepreneur Eric Schlickman joins John Williams (from Italy!) to talk about how long he’s been in the restaurant business, why he left his job as an architect to open restaurants, his passion for Wheaton, the multiple restaurants that he runs in Wheaton, how business has been post-pandemic, the support he has received […]

IndyCar/NASCAR driver Conor Daly joins John Williams to talk about the upcoming Indy 500, his previous experiences participating in the race, and the premiere of the new season of the documentary series ‘100 Days to Indy‘ on the CW.

It’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we take a ride to the other side of Lake Michigan and chat […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner talks with John Williams about what you should know about heart health and eggs, and how, in most cases, cholesterol in food does not negatively impact your cholesterol levels. Dawn also answers all of your nutrition questions.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, Cate Plys, former staff writer at the Chicago Reader and political op-ed columnist at the Sun-Times and Tribune, and political pundit Marj Halperin. A lot of news to get to this week and the […]

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Grass is growing, so it’s almost time to start your weekly lawn maintenance!

Elder law attorney Kerry Peck joins John Williams to answer all your questions about elder law, trusts, wills, and elder abuse. Congratulations to Peck Ritchey for being named the legal education partner of the Alzheimer’s Association. Kerry explains the importance of having your estate planning in order when you are capable of making decisions. The time to […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Australian sleight-of-hand artist and magician Harry Milas joins John Williams to talk about The Unfair Advantage, his new show that exposes the secrets of card cheating. The Unfair Advantage is showing at Steppenwolf’s Merle Reskin Garage Space and has been extended through May 19th. Get your tickets here.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins Jon Hansen in for John Williams to discuss what ‘forever chemicals’ are and whether or not we should be concerned about them. Dr. Kopin and Jon also discuss ‘Ozempic babies’ and the effects the weight loss pill have on people who stop using […]

Kathryn Bronsky, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Policy Manager, joins Jon Hansen in for John Williams to talk about USDA hungry pests such as the spongy moth that can damage U.S. agriculture and forests. Listen in while Kathryn explains how these invasive pests are affecting the Midwest and why spongy moths are best eliminated as […]

Attorney Rich Lenkov, Capital Member, Downey & Lenkov, and co-host of “Legal Face-Off” on wgnradio.com, joins Jon Hansen in for John Williams to talk about the the latest news surrounding former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump’s hush money trial as well as sharing updates about how the Supreme Court weighs bans on homeless people sleeping outdoors. […]

Kim Kuipers with Kuipers Family Farm joins Jon Hansen in for John Williams to share details about the Midwest Tulip Fest happening this spring at the farm. Listen in as Kim shares details on how much longer they will have their tulips in bloom and what other activities are available during the festival.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins Jon Hansen in for John Williams to discuss whether or not we should be able to have the ability to recall a politician. Listen in while Eric and Jon dive deeper on the topic and weigh both possible outcomes.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

WGN-TV News Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter Ben Bradley joins John Williams to talk about Ben’s story surrounding Dolton’s Mayor, Tiffany Henyard, and what the accusations are. The two discuss how the issues are surrounding more than just the Village of Dolton but also Thornton Township, where Henyard is Supervisor.

Daryl Pass, Senior Manager of Recovery Support Services, Kenneth Young Center, joins John Williams to talk about what the Kenneth Young Center does and whom they serve, the various services they provide, the effort to have free access to Narcan, the stigma around the way we classify addicts, and how they’re working to help those who […]

Dr. Paul CarraDonna, Northwestern University, Plant Biology & Conservation, Assistant Professor of Instruction, and Chicago Botanic Garden, Research Scientist, joins John Williams to discuss Earth Day, it’s lack of national importance in today’s world, and how people can help the effort taking care of the Earth.

Craig Bolanos, Co-Founder and CEO of Wealth Management Group, joins John to talk about inflation data stalling out, what stubborn inflation means for the economy, what good investors should know right now, when the Fed might cut interest rates, and why he believes this is a buying opportunity to compound wealth. Call Craig now to see how […]

Dr. Amar Pattani, family dentist at Main Street Smiles at 312 W Main Street in Barrington, joins John Williams to talk about why you should not rinse after brushing your teeth, especially at night. And as always, Dr. Pattani answers all of your oral health questions!

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

John’s former producer Elif Geris checks-in to give an update on her life in Los Angeles, how she’s been doing since she left WGN, what it’s like to pursue music as a career, and to share a new song that she just released. Listen to “Should We Be Dead” on all of the streaming platforms!

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL 8) joins John Williams to talk about movement on his legislation that would require the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner, how that bill is tied to aid for Ukraine and Israel, and China’s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis.

It’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we head across Lake Michigan and visit with Linda Hart, Executive Director, Holland […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, and Cate Plys, former staff writer at the Chicago Reader and political op-ed columnist at the Sun-Times and Tribune. The Rascals start this week’s show talking about the protest earlier […]

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. What should you be doing to your lawn right now?

Segment 1: Mark Hamrick, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com, joins John to talk about persistent inflation, how consumers are being impacted by inflation, what it means to have a robust economy, what is good about the economy right now, how we are slowly getting the economy back to normal, and how many rate cuts could we […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Anthony Whaley, Vice President, Ticket Sales, Chicago Sky, joins John Williams to talk about last night’s WNBA draft and the excitement over the upcoming Sky season. How are tickets selling? Can you still get tickets to see the Sky face Caitlin Clark? Anthony breaks it all down.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about his frame-by-frame analysis of the events that led up to the Chicago police shooting Dexter Reed.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the best ways people can lose weight, differences between the common cold and seasonal allergies, if you can still develop allergies later in life, and a new study that found that pregnancy complications are linked to increased risk […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Dr. Joel Ostrow, professor, comparative and international politics, Benedictine University, joins John Williams to explain the current conflict between Israel and Iran.

Mark Lach, Creative Producer for “Titanic: The Exhibition,” joins John Williams to share stories and artifacts on the 112th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Due to popular demand, The Titanic Exhibition is extending until July 7th. Get your tickets here. Bonus: After their on-air interview, John Williams continues his conversation with Mark Lach […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Bob Passmore, Department Vice President, Personal Lines, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, joins John Williams to explain why auto and home insurance rates are surging.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Spring has officially sprung, so it’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we once again head to the great state […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner talks with John Williams about the social media viral recipe called “OATZEMPIC.” What should you know about this recipe and should you try it? Dawn also answers all of your nutrition questions!

Tom Fortino, Founder and Principal, Alpha Wealth Group, and host of “This Week in Wealth” on WGN Radio, joins John Williams to talk about rising insurance rates, what is going on with the markets this week, what he takes from the inflation data released this week, when we are likely to see the Fed cut interest rates, and […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, political pundit Marj Halperin, Brandon Pope, host of ‘On the Block‘ on WCIU, and Cate Plys, former staff writer at the Chicago Reader and political op-ed columnist at the Sun-Times and Tribune. The Rascals start the show talking about COPA releasing the video […]

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Spring is here and Bob tells us what you need to do to get your lawn ready for the summer.

Andrea Kersten, Chief Administrator, Civilian Office of Police Accountability, joins John Williams to discuss the details surrounding the March traffic stop where Chicago police shot and killed Dexter Reed.

Kelly Leonard, Vice President, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development at The Second City and host of the “Getting to Yes, And…” podcast, joins John Williams to talk about his recent chat with Harvard business professor Michael Norton about his new book “The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Criminologist Dr. Scott Bonn joins John Williams to talk about his upcoming one-man theatrical show at City Winery, “Why We Love Serial Killers.” Dr. Bonn tells John what the show is like, why are we drawn to such dark individuals, if there is a common thread among serial killers, why the majority of his audience […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about the Civilian Office of Police Accountability releasing video of a March traffic stop where a man was shot and killed by police. Eric and John also talk about the popularity of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and women’s college basketball.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about yesterday’s solar eclipse and if the hospital is seeing any patients with eye damage, what you should know about seasonal allergies this year, and the prices of weight-loss drugs.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Comedian, storyteller, director and actor Mike Birbiglia joins John Williams to talk about, “Please Stop the Ride,” his new show coming to the Chicago Theater later this month. Mike tells John about having eclipse fever, his desire to go to a Cubs game while he’s in town, how he mined material for this new show, […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Daniel de Visé, author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, joins John Williams to discuss his new book, “The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic.” Daniel tell John why he wanted to write a book about the Blues Brothers, the great friendship between Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, […]

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Spring has officially sprung so it’s time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, John is joined by Tinley Park Village Manager […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner talks with John Williams about the importance of getting back to a healthy routine after indulging in unhealthy foods, what you should know about the salt content in food, where most of the salt we eat comes from, what can help balance sodium, and what other ingredients we need to […]

Northwestern basketball great Boo Buie joins John Williams and WGN Sports Director Dave Eanet to talk about his incredible career at Northwestern, how he will go down as one of the best players to ever play at Northwestern, the amazing support the team received from students and the community, being able to make the NCAA […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

After 4 weeks, 7 rounds and 271,351 votes, the 2024 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament sponsored by Career Vision has its champion. Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast co-host Michael Piff joined John Williams to call the owners of the winning pizza place. Listen to the segment below: https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4591566/4591566_2024-04-04-151706.64kmono.mp3 Antioch Pizza Shop won by just 1% of the […]

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, political pundit Marj Halperin, and Cate Plys, former staff writer at the Chicago Reader and political op-ed columnist at the Sun-Times and Tribune. This week the Rascals discuss the LSU women’s basketball team not being on the court during the playing of […]

Roman Somogy, third year optometry student at Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Optometry, joins John Williams to talk about his path to eventually becoming an optometrist, what you can learn about the body by studying eyes, and what we need to know about safely viewing the solar eclipse.

Mortgage and real estate expert David Hochberg joins John Williams to tell us what you should know about reverse mortgages. David also answers all of your real estate questions. David hosts “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm on WGN Radio. You can call him at 855-56-David, or check out the Team Hochberg […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Matt Farley, the prolific singer-songwriter who has released 25,000 songs, joins John Williams to talk about why he releases so many songs on Spotify, how he is able to support himself by maximizing SEO, his definition of ‘art,’ how many songs he typically writes a month, the discipline it takes to write so many songs, […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about the controversy surrounding the LSU women’s basketball team not being on the court during the national anthem before their game against Iowa, what concerns him about the group that Alderman Sigcho-Lopez spoke alongside during a protest against the DNC, his Tweet Madness bracket, and […]

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the challenge of properly diagnosing patients, why some people aren’t losing weight while taking weight loss drugs, and the decrease in the amount of flu and COVID they are seeing.

Marge Sipla, Speed Jokes Spirit Animal, joins John to tell us her favorite jokes of March! And, as always, John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!