The Bob Sirott Podcast from 720 WGN

On August 13th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Comedian Pat McGann joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about the White Sox giveaway dedicated to Pope Leo XIV, if they did anything special with the Pope’s seat at the park, as well as the atmosphere at the sold out stadium. He also shares details about his upcoming shows and what it’s […]

Amy Rynell, executive director of Active Transportation Alliance, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about this year’s Bike the Drive event, the history of the event, and how long the course is. She also discusses the landmarks you will see along the way, how to register, and the discount code you can […]

Blockbuster Blake Stubbs joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to discuss the latest prediction for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and a preview of “The End of Oak Street.” He also shares an update on why Rod Stewart canceled weeks of concert dates and what the WGA thinks about the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Uncle Remus Founder Celebrates 100th Birthday With West Side Giveaway, Foundation Launch: Gus Rickette Sr. was born in Mississippi in 1926. After moving to Chicago as a teenager, Rickette worked his […]

Owner of Deep Roots Native Nursery Jake Hayes, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about how he started his business and how he started growing the plants. He also shares a couple of ways to get rid of buckthorn and answers listeners’ questions.

Anna Davlantes, WGN Radio's investigative correspondent, joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for Bob Sirott, to share what happened this week in Chicago history. Stories include the debut of Ringling Bros. at Soldier Field and the induction of Ernie Banks in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for Bob Sirott, to talk about the jury selection for the Tupac Shakur murder trial and a Texas law that bans the sale of halal foods and the wearing of hijabs in public schools. She also shares details about a lawsuit against Gibson’s Steakhouse in […]

On August 12th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Paul Nolte, Senior Wealth Advisor & Market Strategist for Murphy & Sylvest, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about what you should do first if you win a large sum of money and the latest jobs report numbers. He also explains what the state of the economy was like during the pandemic […]

Consumer technology journalist and host of WGN Radio's Techishly Jenn, Jennifer Jolly, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about how she uses ChatGPT to save on school supplies and how you can create your daily schedule with AI. She also shares how much is typically spent on back-to-school gadgets and how you can get the […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Back To School With Block Club: Learn how you can help to provide books to CPS students. Congress Theater Rave Goes Viral — But Alderman Says […]

Blockbuster Blake Stubbs joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about what Brad Pitt thinks about AI in Hollywood movies and the work that he’s done with AI. He also shares details about the death of Tedde Moore and the “Game of Thrones” play in England.

On August 11th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Emergency medicine physician and associate chief medical officer for Northwestern Medicine's Central DuPage Hospital Dr. Jeffrey Bohmer joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about other foods that are linked to the cyclospora outbreak and if this is something that will go away on its own. He also discusses the popularity of protein-rich […]

Brookfield's Galloping Ghost Arcade co-founder Doc Mack joins Wendy Snyder (filling in for Bob Sirott) to talk about how he discovered his passion for video games and building up the largest video game arcade in the world. He also discusses his upcoming appearance at Fan Expo Chicago and what games you’ll be able to play […]

Jon Hansen, host and executive producer of the Block Club Chicago Podcast, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Jon has details on: 22 Years Later, Dave Matthews Bus Poop Incident Makes Chicagoans Laugh — And Groan: Dave Matthews' tour bus emptied its 800-pound septic tank on people […]

Blockbuster Blake Stubbs joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to talk about another successful box office weekend for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” as well as how Seth Rogan’s “The Invite” did. He also shares his review of “One Night Only” and update on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.

On August 10th, 2026, Dave Schwan shares today's potential market drivers:

Thing To Do Editor at TimeOut Chicago Lauren Brocato joins Bob Sirott to talk about their list of the best burgers in America and how Chicago ended up in the number one spot. She also shares how their writers curated the list and some of her other favorite burgers. Bob lists some of the pop-up […]

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: State, City Sue South Side Vegetable Oil Plant Over ‘Foul Odors,' Pollution: Pullman Innovations in South Deering — already the subject of a class-action suit filed by fed-up neighbors — has […]

Cindy Pearlman Gaber, senior writer for the New York Times and entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, joins Bob Sirott to talk about what’s new at the movies today, Jim Carrey’s role as George Jetson, and a second wedding for Tom Holland and Zendaya. Jason Lesniewicz, senior director of cultural tourism at Choose Chicago, […]

Marianne Murciano, Bob Sirott's wife and founder of Savvy-Planet, joins Bob to talk about how you can prepare for wildfire season. She shares details about how you can prepare a smoke kit, run an air purifier, and check for air leaks. Marianne joins Bob for a weekly segment Fridays following the 8:30 am newscast. For more […]

On August 7th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Joseph Lindsley, Editor in Chief of Under Fire News, joins Bob Sirott to discuss what it’s been like to spend his summer outside of Ukraine and how it’s given him a new perspective on the war with Russia. He also talks about the issue of Russia’s army recruitment strategies and their recent attacks on Kyiv.

Quinn Myers, reporter for Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Quinn has details on: Thousands Of Books Are Piling Up In Chicago Libraries Due To Staffing Shortage: The backlog has librarians scrambling to find space and keep track of books in the system. Library workers say it's a ripple […]

President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Steve Bernas joins Bob Sirott to talk about why it’s important to log out of public computers, the scam within a scam, and deepfake AI videos that advertise supplements and healthcare. He also shares details about fake emails from streaming services and why you should wait before taking a picture […]

Cindy Pearlman Gaber, senior writer for the New York Times and entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, joins Bob Sirott to share details about the new season of “Ted Lasso,” Jane Seymour’s new series on Acorn TV, and a box set from Elvis Costello. She also discusses the health update from Patti Scialfa and […]

Duston Detrick, Vice President and Business Banking Relationship Manager at Associated Bank, joins Steve Grzanich on this week's Thought Leader conversation to discuss banking trends shaping 2026, including digital banking and AI-powered fraud detection, as well as small business growth strategies and market confidence. Detrick also shares insights on how businesses can adapt and compete in the evolving economy.

On August 6th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Anna Davlantes, WGN Radio's investigative correspondent, joins Bob Sirott to share what happened this week in Chicago history. Stories include Hillary Clinton’s Democratic nomination, the very first Lollapalooza, the Green Bay Packers’ loss to a college team in 1963, and more.

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus has details on: Riot Fest Offering Free Tickets To Douglass Park Neighbors Thursday: Riot Fest is hosting a ticketing and job hiring event Thursday in Little Village, where neighbors who live near Douglass Park […]

Dr. Aileen Marty, Infectious Disease Specialist and Professor at Florida International University, joins Bob Sirott to talk about the latest health news. Dr. Marty shares details about a new weight loss pill and the potential of a deadly fungus to spread in healthcare settings.

Cindy Pearlman Gaber, senior writer for the New York Times and entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, joins Bob Sirott to talk about how Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is influencing books sales, the current top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100, and Ellen Pompeo’s new project. She also shares details about Carson Daly […]

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to discuss why an Illinois court denied the Trump Administration access to Illinois voter records and a few of the new laws Governor Pritzker signed. She also talks about whether or not Dr. Fauci can be held in contempt by the Senate and the drop of charges […]

On August 5th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Paul Nolte, Senior Wealth Advisor & Market Strategist for Murphy & Sylvest, joins Bob Sirott to talk about the strong personal spending and wage growth numbers, as well as what we can expect to hear from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh in the near future. He also discusses AI’s influence on the rest of the economy […]

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joins Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provides details on: Boat Marooned At North Avenue Beach Finally Back On The Water 2 Weeks After Getting Stuck In Sand: The boat “Sea No Evil” washed ashore July 19 after being abandoned […]

Social media strategist Scott Kleinberg joins Bob Sirott to talk about how you can use tech to enhance your everyday life, starting off by decluttering your home screen and managing your notifications. He also shares details about changing the size of your phone’s text and an easy “power move” to make searching files on your […]

Cindy Pearlman Gaber, senior writer for the New York Times and entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, joins Bob Sirott to discuss if we will see a “Barbie” sequel, a remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair,” and Ridley Scott’s version of “Treasure Island.” She also shares details about how Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman […]

On August 4th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:

Certified Consulting Hypnotist Shawn Mossell joins Bob Sirott to talk about the importance of meditation, how you can stay in the moment as you meditate, and why giving yourself permission to relax is important. He also discusses why it’s a good sign if you fall asleep while you meditate, as well as leading us in a […]