John Williams

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou says it’s time to get a jump on servicing your HVAC system and to get your chimney inspected. Lou also answers all of your home improvement questions.

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

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

David Spade, the hilarious comedian, actor, and podcaster, joins John Williams to talk about the roles he’s probably most known for, how some of his famous SNL catch phrases are still used today, the podcast he’s doing with Dana Carvey, his work with the nonprofit, Farm 2 Veteran, the Illinois-Based nonprofit dedicated to feeding America’s heroes in need. David will be performing at The Field Museum later this month in support of Farm 2 Veteran. Click here for tickets!

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 opinion piece in the Boston Globe that shows how AI is impacting the relationship between students and teachers.

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the ‘circus’ that was the RFK Jr. hearings yesterday, and today’s jobs report that shows a stalling labor market.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to [email protected]!

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 trip down I-57 and visit with Terri Reifsteck, Vice President of Destination Branding and Development at Experience Champaign-Urbana! Terri talks about the University of Illinois being at the foundation of their community, the vibrant arts and culture scene, the amazing international and farm-to-table restaurants in the area, the best places to stay when you visit, the endless opportunities for outdoor activities, and all the events they have planned for fall!

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about the benefits of using weight loss drugs, how to build a healthy and delicious burger, if potatoes are healthy, how you can lower your risk of diabetes, and to answer all of your health and nutrition questions.

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

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, Publisher of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room, political pundit Marj Halperin, and longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys! The Rascals kick off the podcast talking about the the level of crime in Chicago and if the problem merits the deployment of the National Guard. Where are the Rascals on Chicago violence, the National Guard, the messaging by Democrats, and how Chicago crime is perceived by those outside of Chicago? JB Pritzker has recently lost some weight (some might say in preparation for a run for president) and declined to answer when he was asked if he’s using weight loss drugs. Do the Rascals find anything wrong with his answer? Last week, there was a mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school. Was the gender identity of the shooting suspect needed to tell the story? President Trump said that he’ll give Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom. What are the Rascals thoughts on this? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?