WGN - The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast

The tremendous actor William Petersen joins Justin to share his feelings as the Cubs are set to play a World Series game at Wrigley Field. William talks about the great players they have on the team, watching most of the games on television while he’s working in Los Angeles, some of his earliest memories of going to games at Wrigley Field, how the Cubs heartbreak over the years have bonded Cubs fans, the changing expectations of Cubs fans as the […]

Bill Savage and Liz Garibay join Justin to talk about the history behind some of the iconic bars in Wrigleyville. Bill and Liz talk about what the Chicago saloon scene was like back in 1908, how the bars during that time were centers of information for the neighborhood, when the genre of the “sports bar” came in to popularity and how the bar culture in Wrigleyville has changed over the years. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like […]

The esteemed newsman Walter Jacobson joins Justin to talk about his life of being a Cubs fan, listening to the 1945 World Series on the radio, going to the Cubs games as a young kid and his time being a bat boy for the Chicago Cubs during the 1952 season (and then begging to be the bat boy for the visiting teams in 1953). The best. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin […]

We have another incredible show to prepare you for this weekend’s World Series games at Wrigley Field! On tonight’s show, Justin chats with the one and only Walter Jacobson about his time as a Chicago Cubs bat boy, Jerry “The Bleacher Preacher” Pritikin talks about his life as a long-suffering Cubs fan, “SNL’s” Horatio Sanz and “Superbad” actor Joe Nunez talk about spending a few weeks in Wrigleyville in anticipation of the Cubs World Series games, Colleen Hennemen, the world’s […]

Actor Ike Barinholtz (“The Mindy Project,” “Sisters,” “Suicide Squad”) joins Justin to talk about this magical Cubs season. Ike talks about being a die-hard Cubs fan, growing up in Wrigleyville, remembering the great Cubs teams of 1984, 1989, 1998 and 2003, living a few doors down from Wrigley Field when he was an adult, how Wrigleyville has changed since he lived in the area, the camaraderie of Cubs fans all over the country and what it means for him to […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the newspaper so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include alderman still being upset about not getting face-value Cubs World Series tickets, some Wrigleyville bars stepping up to let patrons know that they won’t have a cover charge this weekend, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin getting hacked, the FCC coming up with digital privacy rules to help consumers, Twitter laying off 9% of its workforce, the […]

The great actor Joe Mantegna joins Justin to talk about the Chicago Cubs making the World Series, creating the iconic play, “Bleacher Bums,” what the Wrigley Field bleachers were like in the late ’70’s, the success of “Bleacher Bums” in other parts of the country, the role that futility plays in the the show, how this current team has wiped the slate clean and what it means for him that the Cubs have finally made the World Series. Follow Justin […]

Janine Mileaf, Executive Director of The Arts Club of Chicago, joins Justin to talk about the history of the club and how for the past 100 years the club has played a vital role in showcasing modern art and culture from Chicago and around the world. Joining Janine in-studio is Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang and Grammy Award-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird to perform a piece specially-commissioned for The Arts Club of Chicago Day on Saturday, October 22nd.   Follow Justin on […]

The Daily Line‘s Mike Fourcher joins Justin for his weekly visit to talk about all the local and national political stories making news this week. Tonight, Mike talks about the FBI probing Alderman Willie Cochran for alleged misuse of campaign funds, Cook County looking to increase the minimum wage and last night’s debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Follow Justin on Twitter and give him a like on Facebook. The Download with Justin Kaufmann airs Monday through Friday from 7 pm […]

The Carry Out is the nightly segment where Justin reads the newspaper so you don’t have to. Tonight’s top stories include the fallout from last night’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, forces in Mosul moving on ISIS, a former NSA contractor allegedly stealing classified documents, “Hamilton” opening in Chicago, Nintendo announcing a new gaming system, the Cubs gearing up for game 5 of the NLCS, the Bears playing the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football, the Blackhawks […]