WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

It’s Wednesday so that must mean (an optimistic) Mike Fourcher from The Daily Line is here to break down what did and what did not get done down in Springfield this week. Mike talks about the Illinois House not taking up budget bills on the last day of the scheduled session, Governor Rauner’s rhetoric about cutting government waste and what happens with the state budget moving forward. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin […]

It’s time for one of the best hours of the week! Greg Flamm aka The DuPage Picker is here to evaluate your memorabilia! Go down to your basement or up to your attic, look around for that old collectible that has been collecting dust for decades and let Greg tell you how much it’s worth! It’s The Swap Meet! Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday from 7 […]

We have another exceptional show for you this evening! On tonight’s episode of The Download, The Daily Line’s Mike Fourcher recaps another contentious week in Springfield, legendary musician Mike Watt talks about his career in punk rock, Chicago Tribune investigate reporter Michael Hawthorne tells us why President Trump is expected to pull the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, Download Nation tells us about their best celebrity sightings (Elvis! Horace Grant! Cosby!) and since it’s Wednesday, we end the show with […]

Legendary punk rock musician Mike Watt joins Justin to talk about his amazing career, the connection he has to Chicago, Chicago’s rich punk rock history, the bands that inspired him when he first started out, why he wears flannel shirts, the politics of playing the bass guitar, feeling like he’s a part of the vaudeville tradition of artists, how the Minutemen’s influence on other bands kept growing long after the band ended, what he looks for when he collaborates with […]

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 slamming Germany’s trade surplus, President Trump urging the Senate to loosen its rules to make it easier to pass legislation by simple majority, the budget saga continuing in Springfield, the deadline approaching for other potential bidders to come forward to purchase the Sun-Times, Google trends releasing America’s most misspelled words, the Cubs getting swept by the Dodgers […]

Scott Smith, The Download’s new media correspondent, joins Justin to talk a variety of media stories making news this week including tronc possibly facing competition to purchase the Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune pulling the plug on The Mash, TV viewers turning off the 10 p.m. local news and Snapchat revolutionizing the way we watch news. 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 […]

Mary-Kate Arnold and Dylan Schaefer of the Otherworld Theatre join Justin to talk about the history of their theater, the challenge of producing science fiction for the stage, how they avoid moving into camp territory, the types of audiences they see at the theater, the pressure they have on them to get the story right, trying to make theater accessible for everyone, catering to a younger audience and their current production of “The Rogue Aviator.” Follow Justin on Twitter and […]

David (Blackbird) and Anna Posey (The Publican) of Elske restaurant in Chicago join Justin to talk about their careers in food, how they became interested in Danish cuisine and culture, what they learned from One Off Hospitality and being in other kitchens, the correlation between food and art, what it’s like working with your spouse in an intense, pressure-fueled environment, the challenges of opening their own restaurant and the drive it takes to be the best. Follow Justin on Twitter […]

It’s Tuesday night so that means it is time to come together and collectively complain and bemoan about #TheWorst things in society…for prizes! Tonight, Justin is joined by first time The Worst contributor Alex Kumin and the always hilarious Adam Burke! Do you know what’s The Worst? Liking your own posts on Facebook. 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

It’s The Download’s “It feels like Monday, but it’s already Tuesday” edition! On tonight’s show, Justin chats with The Download’s new media correspondent Scott Smith about the future of the Sun-Times and the 10 p.m local news, Pete Kadens, Director and CEO of Green Thumb Industries talks about what’s next for the cannabis industry, David and Anna Posey tell us about running the Danish-inspired restaurant Elske, we learn about the only science fiction and fantasy theater in Chicago and since […]