WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

Letterer, illustrator, art director and author Cristina Vanko joins Justin to discuss her latest book, “Adult-ish.” Cristina talks about where this project comes from, what responsibilities go into becoming an adult, the changing face of adulthood and savoring the difficult moments on the way to becoming an adult. 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 Wednesday so that means Greg Flamm is here for “The Swap Meet!” Call up, tell us about your cool, old stuff and Greg will let you know if you are sitting on a gold mine. Can you beat an old, signed check from Dean Martin? Let’s have some fun evaluating your junk! 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

We’ve put together another terrific show for you to enjoy! On tonight’s episode of The Download, The Daily Line’s Mike Fourcher gets us up to speed on all the local political stories that are making news this week, actor and director Jay Chandrasekhar (“Super Troopers,” “Beerfest,” “Dukes of Hazzard”) chats about his new book, “Mustache Shenanigans: Making Super Troopers and other Adventures in Comedy,” rising Chicago artist Mykele Deville tells us about his latest work and an upcoming show at […]

Musician Rufus Wainwright joins Justin to talk about his diverse career, his fondness for playing in Chicago, coming from a great family of musicians and performers, the wide arsenal of material he draws from, the importance of taking on political and social issues in his music, how a lot of songs he wrote years ago have stood the test of time, being drawn to taking risks, the elation he feels after writing a song and his three shows this weekend […]

The tremendously talented poet, activist and hip hop artist Mykele Deville joins Justin to talk about his career, what attracted him to the art form of rap music, the power that art has to help keep you steady, the relationship between the poetry scene and the hip hop scene in Chicago, how sports and arts in the city often have to take a back seat to survival, his role as an activist and what attracts him to the political and […]

The supremely talented comedian, writer, director and actor Jay Chandrasekhar joins Justin to talk about his career, what his life was like growing up in the Chicago area, his short-lived dream of becoming a running back for the Chicago Bears, immersing himself in the Chicago comedy scene while he was in college, the birth of his hilarious and iconic comedy troupe, “Broken Lizard,” the support he received from the Colgate University community when he was performing in New York City, […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the newspaper so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include a suspected gas attack in Syria killing several people and injuring hundreds, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordering a sweeping review of federal agreements with dozens of law enforcement agencies that could lead to a retreat on consent decrees with troubled police departments nationwide, Pope Francis writing a letter to Chicago addressing gun violence, April the Giraffe remaining pregnant, the […]

The tremendous Chicago band Flesh Panthers join Justin in-studio to talk about making music in Chicago,the changes that are coming to the band after losing one of their original members, the importance of band chemistry, the type of music that influences their sound, playing house shows and Chicago’s DIY community, their upcoming show at Empty Bottle and their terrific 2016 record, “Willows Weep.” The band also play (performing as a duo) a few songs including “To the Bone,” “Let it […]

Touché! It’s Monday so that means political analysts Chris Varones and Dave Lundy are back to debate the hottest political issues making news this week. Tonight, Chris and Dave talk about the confirmation standoff of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, the possibility of a “nuclear option,” a report saying that Blackwater founder (and the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos) Erik Prince was part of a secret Trump-Russia dialogue, and Susan Rice, former national security adviser under then-President Barack Obama, allegedly […]

Longtime writer, consultant and political activist Marilyn Katz joins Justin to talk about her amazing career in Chicago politics, participating in Martin Luther King’s march in Marquette Park, how activism has changed over the years, Chicago being an epicenter for the protest movement, creating a media campaign for former Chicago mayor Harold Washington, the influence of the Daley family on Chicago politics, the future of “machine style” politics and her relationship with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Follow Justin on Twitter and […]