Artist Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is in Chicago for his 2026 tour with two sold-out shows at Soldier Field. 

While many fans are feeling the excitement, former fans are reflecting on their relationship/connection with him after years of controversy from antisemitic rhetoric to anti-Black remarks and extremist associations. 

Countries like Russia, Poland and the UK have gone as far as barring him from entering and cancelling his tour dates and festival appearances. 

Earlier this year – before dropping his new album – Ye published an apology in the Wall Street Journal saying he "lost touch with reality” after suffering brain damage in a car accident years ago that eventually led to a bipolar type-1 diagnosis.

But can people really redeem themselves after causing so much harm from their actions?

Say More dives in.

GUEST: Arionne Nettles, WBEZ news editor

President Trump’s executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario is overwhelmingly unpopular among Americans. It’s the latest in the president’s renaming efforts. In Chicago, landmarks like Lake Shore Drive and the Sears Tower have been renamed, but many locals say they won’t change what they call them.

Say More asks a historian about the legacy of name changes and the fights over them, and opens the phones to hear from listeners. Plus, we reflect on the legacy of feminist icon Gloria Steinem.

GUESTS: Jennifer Brier, professor of Gender and Women’s Studies, University of Illinois Chicago

Kevin Schultz, professor in the Department of History, University of Illinois Chicago

According to a 2023 study, more than half of employees surveyed say they’ve considered taking a break from work to avoid feeling burnt out and support their mental health and wellbeing. 

For students, gap years spent abroad helped them build soft skills like adaptability, communication and creative problem-solving.

Gap years and sabbaticals aren’t always about travel and adventure; some people spend the time volunteering, working and saving or building skills. 

Say More asks listeners about their experiences taking a gap year or sabbatical.

GUEST: Sandy Furth, certified educational planner, World Student Support

The House was gavelled into a brief session yesterday following a five-week break. By mid-September, both the House and Senate will return for fall legislating. As the nation’s lawmakers head back to D.C., what topics do Chicagoans want to be addressed first?

Say More takes your calls and hears what Congress is working on right now from a political reporter on the ground. 

GUEST: Arthur Delaney, Huffington Post senior reporter covering Congress

A proposed privately funded express train would shuttle passengers from the Loop to O’Hare International Airport in 15 minutes. The $2.25 billion battery-powered train line would run on existing tracks from the Old Post office to O’Hare. 

Say More asks: If you had $2.25 billion dollars to spend on an urban development innovation what would you do? Improve sidewalks? Smart roofs? Maybe a fleet of bullet trains? 

GUEST: Mark Bennett, director of planning central region, Speck Dempsey

The protein-maxxing trend is taking over the internet. Whether you’re trying to gain muscle or lose weight, there’s a seeming obsession with making sure you’re getting enough protein. But is this all protein actually good for you? When is it too much? 

Say More hosts sit down with a dietitian and asks you to share your experience. 

GUESTS: Bethany Doerfler, MS, RD, GI research specialist and clinical dietitian, Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center

Dana Buccheri, owner and trainer, StrongWithDana

As we shift from beach reads to cozy fall book lists, Say More asks listeners what everyone is reading, and what we’re looking forward to reading this fall. And Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith debate the question: do you read differently depending on the season?

Guest: Greta Johnsen, host of the Happy to Be Here podcast 

Greta suggests:

Land by Maggie O’Farrell 

Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel 

Ply by Hernan Diaz

Mary suggests:

Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead

The Keeper by Tana French

The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore

Pat suggests:

Dead Man’s Walk by Larry McMurtry

On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle 

Listener suggests:

Razor Blade Tears by SA Cosby 

The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin – part of Three Body Problem trilogy

Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo 

Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

Fire and Clay by Will Quam 

My Friends by Fredrick Backman

Legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2026. She was hospitalized just four days prior.

In a recent interview on Aug. 21, Parton said, “I’m still healin’, I’m still workin’! You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”

Say More hears from listeners about the impact of Dolly Parton on their lives.

GUESTS: Lydia Hamessley, Eugene M. Tobin Distinguished Professor of Music, Hamilton College; author, Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton

Chris Jones, editorial page editor and chief theater critic, Chicago Tribune

S. Mayumi "Umi" Grigsby, executive director, Share Our Spare – Chicago partner for Dolly’s Imagination Library 

Tens of thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis have been confirmed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention since earlier this year.

Now, it seems like we’re seeing more and more warnings of foodborne illnesses. From listeria-tainted cold cuts and salmonella-laced jalapenos to screw worms in beef cattle and dog food contaminated with metal – the recalls seem neverending.

Say More opens the phone lines to hear how people are adapting and checks in with an expert on food safety to get tips and the latest information.

GUEST: Brian Schaneberg, executive director, Institute for Food Safety and Health at IIT

You can’t go through social media without seeing an influencer telling you how to fix your life, or your job, or your body. Sometimes it’s great advice. Sometimes it’s NOT. 

Today on Say More. have you ever been influenced to do something you would later regret? We dig into the social media economy that’s fueling bad influencers. 

GUEST: Prof. Rima Touré-Tillery, associate professor of marketing at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business