Are we living in the most debaucherous era? To figure it out Alyssa and Risen Lady Heathen travel back to early 1900’s Chicago to discuss a long forgotten degenerate tradition and pollical fundraiser known as the “First Ward Ball” AKA “the orgy.” Think “Eyes Wide Shut” meets “The Purge."

Show some love by hitting subscribe and leaving a five-star review like men trying to do a shoesies and tell all your friends like a shocked journalist covering the First Ward Ball. 

Show Notes: 

Chicagology: The First Ward Ball

Chicago Tribune: DECEMBER 15, 1908

Chicago Politics Ward By Ward

The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld

Mayors, Madams, and Madmen

Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul

Chicago Magazine: The $12 Million Minute and Chicago’s Historic War on New Year’s Eve

Encyclopedia of Chicago:Era of "Hinky Dink" and "Bathhouse John" :

Episodes Referenced:

Oh Malort: Drunk Elephants: Or A Glimpse into Chicago Politicians

Oh Malort: The Everleigh Sisters: Best Lil Whorehouse in the World.

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Alyssa updates John about the insanity that was Danny Solis' testimony. Words cannot express the plot twists. 

This is a stand alone episode in the saga that is USA V. Michael Madigan. 

Learn about briefcases of cash in China, prostitutes, pot, and more.

Corruption Guest Stars Include:

(In no particular order)

Operation Greylord, Roberto Caldero, Juan Gaytan, Martin Sandoval, Luis Arroyo, Chicago's Former Main Post Office, Dan Burke, Patty Solis Doyle, Brian Hynes, Ed Burke, Lunch Pale Pete, and Hillary Clinton

Show Notes:

Chicago Tribune: City aids Solis brother’s firm

Chicago Sun-Times: Political operative Roberto Caldero sentenced to nearly 5 years for bribery scheme

Chicago Tribune: ‘Sir, you’ve been with prostitutes right?: FBI mole Daniel Solis on hot seat in Madigan corruption trial

Chicago Tribune: Out-of-the-blue request from Madigan sparked new direction in corruption probe, ex-Ald. Solis testifies

WBEZ: Timeline: Key moments in the Michael Madigan federal corruption trial

Chicago Sun-Times: Jurors hear Madigan ally McClain puzzling over political squabble hobbling Chinatown project: ‘There’s something fishy here’

Chicago Sun-Times: USA v. Michael Madigan (All Articles)

Chicago Tribune: Ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a historic FBI mole, exits stage alone after testimony in Madigan corruption trial

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In this episode we talk about Fred Hampton who is perhaps the most important Civil Rights Activist you have never learned about in school.

Show Notes:

History Channel: The 1969 Raid That Killed Black Panther Leader Fred Hampton

Biography: Fred Hampton

Chicago Tribune: In 1969, charismatic Black Panthers leader Fred Hampton was killed in a hail of gunfire. 50 years later, the fight against police brutality continue

Southside Weekly: Fifty Years of Fred Hampton’s Rainbow Coalition

Chicago Reader: The Neutralization of Fred Hampton

BuzzFeed: You Can't Kill A Revolution: The FBI's Assassination Of Fred Hampton Proves America's Obsession With Dismantling Black Leaders

Chicago Sun-Times: Teach the real legacy of Fred Hampton and the Black Panthers to inspire our youth

New York Times: Chicago Journal; Seeking New Harmony, But Finding a Racial Rift

Chicago Tribune: SOME HAVE 2ND THOUGHTS ON MAKING PANTHER`S DAY

Chicago Tribune: Fred Hampton Way?

Chicago Magazine: How Fred Hampton Gave Way to Obama

Vox: Why the US government murdered Fred Hampton

The Murder of Fred Hampton

The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther

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Two geeky gals discuss an exhibit at the Chicago History Museum with some fun digressions.

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Alyssa is joined by David Baxter (Thank You Five, Friends of the Countess, The Twelve Months of Christmas) to discuss the history of Grease.  

NWI Times: Grease has deep, dark Chica routes

Telegraph: Grease at 50: ‘The Pink Ladies? They’d kill you if you looked at them wrong’

Chicago Tribune: Bring back our own, original R-rated 'Grease'

Yahoo: Everything you didn't know about 'Grease,' from the $171 stage version to the original name of the T-Birds

WTTW: Grease Premiere at Kingston Mines

Chicago Tribune: ‘Grease’ gets its grit back

Chicago Reader: The Original Pink Ladies

Time Out: Writer/composer Jim Jacobs shares his favorite Chicago memories

The Independent: Donna Mills

Playbill: Restored and Raunchy, The Original Grease Begins Performances in Chicago, Where It All Began

Chicago Tribune: The original ‘Grease’ was born in Chicago, wild, funny and new in 1971

The Independent: INTERVIEW / Did you get very far? Aha, aha . . .: Jim Jacobs was happy writing ads and taking bribes. Until Grease. Tell me more, tell me more, pleads Sabine Durrant

Chicago Reader: Exactly how bad are the bad kids of The Original Grease?

Chicago Tribune: `GREASE’ IS HIS WORD

NYT: Think 'Grease' Is the Word? A Lawsuit Says It's 'Piracy'

A Theater of Our Own: A History and a Memoir of 1,001 Nights in Chicago

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I am joined by The Pat Whelan from BestEveningEver! to discuss Peter Schivarelli best known as the manager for the band Chicago and owner of now defunct hot dog stand Demon Dogs; however there is so much more. His story involves Streets and Sanitation, No-Show jobs, the Blizzard of 1977, dead bodies, and lawsuits. It is so Chicago it hurts! 

We also have some fun digressions. 

I laughed until I cried.

Show Notes:

Chicago Sun-Times: 43rd Ward aide under fire // TV catches sanitation chief doing errands on city tim

Chicago Tribune: SCHIVARELLI TO RETIRE AMID JOB CONTROVERSY

Chicago Reader: Schivarelli’s Beef

Chicago Tribune: CTA carryout order: Demon Dogs to go

SCHIVARELLI v. CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY (2005)

SCHIVARELLI v. CBS INC WBBM (2002)

Chicago Tribune: EX-SNOW CHIEF SHOOTS INTRUDER

Chicagoist: The Bill Comes Due For Demon Dogs

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In this episode, Alyssa gets Morgan Stringer's takes on three upcoming Chicago lawsuits: Thompson V United States, The Hoover Case, and Hubbard Inn. 

Directly related discussions include: a dead banker found in the master bedroom of a client, Demon Dogs, the band Chicago, Streets and Sanitation, SCOTUS, Real Housewives (SLC and OC), and Coffeezilla.

It is a wild ride.

SHOW NOTES: 

Chicago Tribune: 11th Ward hopeful labors to grow the Daley legacy

Chicago Sun-Times: At crooked Bridgeport bank, executive blew the whistle, but no one did a thing

Chicago Sun-Times: Dead CEO of failed Bridgeport bank in the spotlight as embezzlement trial begins

Chicago Sun-Times: Ex-boyfriend of daughter of failed Chicago bank executive guilty in death of her fiancee in San Diego

Chicago Sun-Times: Why did Bridgeport bank president kill himself in customer’s Park Ridge home?

Eater: Hubbard Inn’s TikTok Lawsuit Won’t Stop as Judge Denies Motion to DismissChicago Tribune:

Chicago Tribune: CHANNEL 2 SUED OVER AD CAMPAIGN

FOX 32: Judge allows Hubbard Inn’s defamation lawsuit to proceed amid viral TikTok claims

Chicago Sun-Times: Patrick Daley Thompson on prison life: ‘It was horrible, absolutely horrible’

WBEZ: U.S. Supreme Court to hear appeal of Patrick Daley Thompson, heir to Chicago political dynasty

Chicago Sun-Times: Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson guilty on all counts

NBC: Hubbard Inn sues woman for defamation after viral TikTok

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 In this episode Alyssa tells Ben Panko about the 1992 and 2021 versions of the movie Candyman and the urban legends which surround it.  

Show Notes:

Chicago Tribune: Cabrini-Green and a horror film that captured the fears of public housing

Vox: How a tragic unsolved murder and a public housing crisis led to Candyman

Chicago Reader: How a story about the horrors of housing projects became part of a horror movie

Chicago Reader: They Came in Through the Bathroom Mirror

Horror News Network: Cabrini-Green: The True Horror of ‘Candyman’

AIC: Horrorella Talks Tolstoy, Beethoven and Candyman with Writer-Director Bernard Rose!

Chicago Tribune: BLACK SLASHER `CANDYMAN` DRAWS FIRE OVER `RACIST` DEPICTIONS

WTTW: Why ‘Candyman’ Continues to Hook Audiences Nearly 30 Years LaterVulture: Candyman Is a Soulless, Didactic Reimagining

Chicago Magazine: The Return of Candyman

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Alyssa updates John Zinn about the Madigan trial which organically invokes William Shakespeare, Steven Sondheim, and David Axelrod and others.  

Stay for the Putin comparison.

Show Notes:

Chicago Sun-Times: David Axelrod deliberates on the case against Michael Madigan

Chicago Sun-Times: The case against Mike Madigan, laid out in explosive court documents

Chicago Sun-Times:Madigan judge has experience with Shakespeare, Michael Jordan — and law used to target ex-House speaker

Chicago Sun-Times: Woman whose sexual harassment claims rocked Springfield may be one of first witnesses in Madigan trial

Chicago Sun-Times: Mike Madigan, once Illinois' most influential powerbroker, now faces federal corruption trial

G. Robert Blakey

Chicago Tribune: Our Culture of Corruption

Chicago Sun-Times: The politics of picking a Madigan jury: Prospects asked how they view 'politicians for life'

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Alyssa is joined by Molly McAleer from Mother May I Sleep With Podcast and Trend Lightly to discuss "The Steve Bartman Incident" and some parallels to the 1986 Red Sox.  

In case you don't know, on October 14th, 2003 during the NLCS the Cubs imploded and for years one man was blamed.  

Show Notes:

MLB YouTube: The Steve Bartman Incident

Sports Illustrated: What happened to Steve Bartman?

NYT: Steve Bartman Remains Invisible, 10 Years Later

NPR: Cubs Fans Try To Make Up For Sending Another Cubs Fan Death Threats In 2003

Bleacher Report: Chicago Cubs: 10 Things That Would've Changed If There Was No Bartman Incident

The Guardian: This article is more than 7 years old Steve Bartman, America's most infamous fan, receives Cubs redemption

ESPN: A convenient scapegoat

HuffPo: Steve Bartman Incident: 10 Years Ago Monday, The World Met This Poor Guy

Reuters: Winning helps Chicago Cubs fans forgive Bartman 12 years later

NYT: Cubs Survive a Bartman Moment and Are Headed to the Playoffs

The Guardian: The forgotten story of (but not by Chicago Cubs fans) … Steve Bartman

Fox Sports: Fan dressed as Steve Bartman at a Cubs-Marlins game

Business Insider: Even Bernie Mac's Career Went Downhill After The Steve Bartman Incident

MLB: The 'Curse of the Bambino,' explained

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