WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

We have an extremely entertaining show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, The Daily Line’s A.D. Quig and Heather Cherone tell us the Illinois political stories we need to be paying attention to with just a week before the Primary Election, former Better Government Association President and CEO Andy Shaw and new BGA President CEO journalist David Greising talk about the future of the investigative watchdog organization, poet Jose Olivarez chats about this weekend’s Louder Than […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the news so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include Secretary of State Rex Tillerson being fired, Governor Rauner vetoing a gun store licensing bill, kids walking out of school to protest gun violence tomorrow, Ms. Lauryn Hill performing at the Pitchfork Music Festival, the Bears reportedly signing free agents Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton and Lettuce Entertain You opening a four-level restaurant space to the riverfront. Follow Justin […]

Gerald Brennan, founder of Tortoise Books, joins Justin to discuss his goal of taking on the publishing industry. Gerald talks about being an independent publisher, the frustration with the traditional publishing industry, when he decided to become an independent publisher, what it takes to run a publishing company, what separates them from a traditional publishing company, where he finds authors, what it takes to be a good publisher and his upcoming event at Bookends & Beginnings in Evanston. Follow Justin on Twitter and give […]

We always love when one of our favorite guests returns to the show!  Al Gini, The Download’s resident philosopher, joins Justin to discuss the concept of aging and growing older. Professor Gini talks about what the great philosophers thought about age, how we can better prepare ourselves for getting older, the importance of keeping the mind flexible as we age, the key to a successful aging process, why a healthy lifestyle is essential, the need to overcome boredom and apathy and the importance of […]

We have a marvelous show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, Justin speaks with Michael Salvatore of Heritage Bikes about creating a community and the business of manufacturing bicycles, our resident philosopher Al Gini returns to the show to chat about how we can age without getting old, Gerald Brennan from Tortoise Books talks about his effort to take on the traditional publishing industry, we introduce you to the great Chicago artist Ajani Jones and since […]

The tremendous Chicago hip hop artist Ajani Jones joins Justin to talk about his career, when and why he made the decision to devote his life to music, the anxiety involved in starting a career in music, how he wouldn’t have been able to be successful without the support from his mother, what attracted him to poetry and the soulful part of music, the artists that inspired him growing up, his relationship with the great Chicago label Closed Sessions, the […]

WGN‘s Adam Hoge joins Justin to chat about the the beginning of NFL free agency, the players the Bears have already cut, the amount of money the Bears have to spend on free agents and who the Bears might look to sign this offseason. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday from 7 pm. to 11 pm on @WGNRadio

“Chicago Newsroom” host Ken Davis and commentator and comedian Aaron Freeman join Justin to recap all the stories that were making news this week including the Stormy Daniels/President Trump saga, the upcoming 2018 Primary Election, President Trump saying he may meet with Kim Jong-un of North Korea, the NRA filing suit after Florida Governor Rick Scott signs a school safety bill, Alexa laughing for no reason, a Yahoo story about how President Obama backed down from a counterstrike against Russia, Block Club Chicago becoming Kickstarter’s most-funded […]

Theresa McGarry Lakawitch and Morgan McGarry of the Martin McGarry family, one of the 2018 South Side Irish Parade honorees, join Justin to talk about their late father being honored at the upcoming South Side Irish Parade, their favorite memories of the parade, what it means to them to represent their family at this parade, the disease that took the life of their father, the lessons they have taken form their dad, what they miss about their father now that […]

We have an incredible Hump Day edition of The Download! On tonight’s show, The Daily Line’s A.D. Quig chats about the top local political stories making news this week, Justin introduces you to the Martin McGarry Family, the 2018 South Side Irish Parade honorees, award-winning author Beth Finke makes a return visit to tell us about teaching seniors to tell their life story, Joey Cranford talks about the new Chicago Magic Lounge and since it’s Wednesday, we end the show with a […]