John Williams

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, and award-winning journalist and political pundit Marj Halperin. The Rascals start the podcast talking about some sports related boners, both old and new. Moving on to the news, the Rascals discuss President Donald Trump banning media outlets CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. Is this a big deal or just another one of the weekly distractions from the administration? Locally, Chicago mayoral candidate Bill Quinlan is suing Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas for running for mayor while also for running for reelection in their current offices. What to the Rascals think of the lawsuit? The Rascals also make the argument that the city of Chicago should move on from having a municipal election in February. Also this week, JB Pritzker came out publicly about his weight loss journey and his use of GLP-1’s. How do the Rascals feel about Pritzker going public with this information? Also making news locally is the Chicago School Board election. Austin gets us up to speed on everything we should know. Austin also tells us how the CPS operates 158 schools that are at least half empty. And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

We are ‘Keeping it Green’ with 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. 

The great author and Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg joins John Williams to talk about his recent column where he defends his decision to wear pajamas in public.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to [email protected].

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the injury to Caleb Williams, if there is any difference between name-brand medicine or the generic version, the types of vaccines that are available right now, why he believes everyone should get a COVID vaccine, and JB Pritzker publicly announcing that he’s been using weight loss drugs. Dr. Kopin also answers all of your medical questions.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about a controversy he started on Facebook about the quality of the movie ‘9 to 5,’ Governor JB Pritzker going public with his weight loss journey and the use of GLP-1’s, and why he didn’t like Governor Pritzker’s answer about Hasan Piker when he was on ABC’s ‘This Week’ on Sunday.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to [email protected].

Sam Panaytotovich, betting analyst and sports reporter and host at FOX 32 Chicago, joins John Williams to recap a busy sports weekend including the Bears loss to the Vikings, the status of Caleb Williams injury, and how the offense will look if Tyson Bagent start the game on Monday night.

Michael Miller, Economics Professor, Western Washington University and Professor Emeritus at DePaul University, joins John to talk about gas prices, the impact of high fuel has on the overall economy, and the disconnect between economic data and what people are feeling.

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. As the calendar switches from summer to fall, Lou reminds us that it’s time to start those indoor cleaning projects.

Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each Saturday morning at 6 am.