WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

Chicago author and blogger Stacey Ballis makes a return visit to The Download to discuss her latest book, “How to Change a Life.” Stacey talks about being able to write quality material so quickly, the growing “culinary fiction” genre, rethinking the idea of a “Bucket List” and if she ever sees herself getting away from writing about food. 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 […]

We have an amazing and informative show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, Justin speaks with political analyst Charles Lipson about President Trump’s latest threat towards North Korea, activist Hal Baskin reflects on his life…, author Stacey Ballis talks about her new book, “How to Change a Life,” Matt Schaefer tells us about Chicago Acting In Film Meetup and we close the show with Mark Carman giving us a Willson Contreras injury update and breaking down the Bears […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the news so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include the FBI conducting a pre-dawn raid on former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s house, the New York Times reporting that President Trump’s threat to North Korea was improvised, lawmakers heading back to Springfield this weekend to work on the school funding bill, 2 people being stabbed at a Rancid and Dropkick Murphy’s show, Naperville warning its citizens of rabid […]

We have a splendid show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, The Daily Line’s Mike Fourcher gives us the latest on the school funding battle down in Springfield, 47th Ward Alderman and gubernatorial candidate Ameya Pawar tells us why he should be the next governor of Illinois, we introduce you to the awesome Minneapolis-based hip hop collective Doomtree and since it’s Wednesday, The DuPage Picker is here to evaluate your stuff on “The Swap Meet!” Follow […]

Dessa and Paper Tiger from the Minneapolis-based hip hop collective Doomtree join Justin in-studio to talk about the difference between working as part of a collective and creating solo work, what it means to be an independent artist, how a collective is different from a band, why Chicago was a tough market for the collective to crack, the ethos that comes out of the Minneapolis hip hop scene and how the collective has helped them evolve as solo artists. Follow […]

47th Ward Alderman and gubernatorial candidate Ameya Pawar joins Justin to talk about why he wants to be the governor of the state of Illinois, how Governor Rauner preys on people’s economic anxieties, what it means to be a progressive democrat, why the art of the compromise has gone by the wayside, the importance of the laying the foundation for progress, what it means that Speaker Madigan canceled Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair, why he wants to bring […]

Joining Justin tonight at The Big Table is WGN Radio legend and 2015 WGN Radio Walk of Fame inductee Lou Manfredini! Lou sits down with Justin to talk about his great career, how he started out working as a stock boy at a hardware store, the importance of teaching young kids to learn a trade, beginning his WGN career as a guest on Bob Collins’ show, getting bumped for a breaking news story before his first guest appearance, getting mentored […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the news so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include President Trump threatening North Korea, a new report saying climate change is worse than we thought, hackers compromising HBO, Chicago celebrating the anniversaries of the Picasso sculpture and Dave Matthews’ tour bus dumping waste into the Chicago River, the Cubs beating up on the lowly San Francisco Giants, the White Sox taking on the Astros at the Rate, the […]

We have another eclectic show for you this evening. On tonight’s episode of The Download, chocolatier and CEO and founder of Vosges Haut-Chocolat Katrina Markoff joins Justin to talk about her life and building a chocolate empire, Mr. Fix-It himself Lou Manfredini chats about his amazing career and the art of home improvement, the great Robbie Fulks treats us to a few of his tunes ahead of a show he has later this month at Navy Pier and since it’s Tuesday, we […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the news so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include President Trump tweeting during his vacation, CPS laying off 950 people, the city of Chicago suing the Justice Department, West Nile being discovered in mosquitoes in Glencoe, police arresting a thief who allegedly stole 60 phones at Lollapalooza, a class action lawsuit being filed against Dunkin’ Donuts over blueberries, the Miami Dolphins signing Jay Cutler, the Bears getting hit […]