In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

Comedic icon Gene Wilder passed away Monday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut. And while he was best known for films like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, Wilder will not only be remembered for his classics.  Morning Shift talks with Matt Hartman, a video store clerk at Odd Obsession in Bucktown and a fan of the late actor to hear about his favorite, and lesser known, Gene Wilder films and why they were so significant for him.

Virtually every giant from the world of jazz recorded in the home studio of Rudy Van Gelder. Considered the greatest recording engineer in the history of jazz, Van Gelder passed away last week at the age of 91. But his influence was so great, it spread beyond the jazz world, and this edition of Reclaimed Soul pays tribute to the man behind the Blue Note sound.

There’s alt-rock, alt-country…but alt-right? The political term, short for Alternative Right, has blown up so much in the past few days that even Hillary Clinton used it during her speech last Thursday to criticize opponent Donald Trump.  But what is the alternative right, and how is it different from everyday conservatism? Morning Shift talks with Buzzfeed News reporter Rosie Gray about the alt-right movement and its growing influence in the 2016 presidential race. 

Morning Shift talks to two people from the university community with differing takes on what’s become known as the “Chicago letter.” Rising junior Matt Foldi is president of the University of Chicago College Republicans and a staunch supporter of what’s laid out in the letter. Tyler Kissinger is not a fan. He’s a recent U of C alumnus who served as the school’s student government president for the past two years. We also open the phones.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu says that “being obsessed with race in America is like being obsessed with swimming when you’re drowning.”  The former immigrants’ rights organizer tries to turn pain into laughter as he tackles politics, gender issues, economic inequality and, of course, race in his own unique way.  Morning Shift talks to Kondabolu about his newly released stand-up comedy album “Mainstream American Comic.”

Harvard professor Richard Light released his book Making The Most of College in 2001 after years of interviews with students. His goal was not to offer up advice on how they could achieve a 4.0 GPA or get a high-paying job right after graduation. Instead, he wanted to figure out how students could have the most meaningful and fulfilling four years in college as possible. Fifteen years later, the book is still as relevant as ever. Morning Shift talks to professor Richard Light about getting the most out of college and more broadly, about how to live wisely.

There’s no denying the 2016 presidential race is interesting, but it’s also historic. This is the first time a woman will be on the ballot for a major party. Rebecca Sive has spent her career as a political strategist trying to get women not only on the ballot, but into office. She lays out guidelines in her book Every Day is Election Day: A Woman’s Guide to Winning Any Office, from the PTA to the White House. Morning Shift talks to Sive about women in politics and more.

In the latest installment in our Working Shift series, we talk with the sustainability manager of Chicago’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Kristen Pratt, about the work she does both inside the museum and in Chicago neighborhoods to promote the principles of sustainability.

Starting in November, the ballpark the Chicago White Sox call home will be called Guaranteed Rate Field, a name, it turns out, that was guaranteed to upset Sox fans and casual onlookers alike. Even though the stadium has officially been U.S. Cellular Field for years, for many South Siders, it will always be Comiskey. Morning Shift talks to historian and Sox expert Richard Lindberg about the history of the ballparks that the White Sox have called home and the violent reaction many have had to the new name.

Elena Delle Donne won 3 state titles, a WNBA MVP award, and now, she can add a Olympic gold medal to her trophy cabinet. With 10 games to go in the regular season, Delle Donne is trying to lead the Sky to the playoffs, and ultimately, a championship. Elena talks about her experience in Rio in an exclusive interview WBEZ sports contributor Cheryl Raye Stout.