John Williams

Emily Austin, Associate Professor of Classics and the College, The University of Chicago, joins John Williams to talk about Christopher Nolan’s new movie ‘The Odyssey’ and what we should know about the original text of the poem.

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou says that it’s time for dead branch pruning. Lou also answers all of your home improvement questions. Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each Saturday morning at 6 am.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Michael Evans Behling, star of The CW's hit drama ‘All American,’ joins John Williams to to talk about how many times he’s been to the Chicago area having grown up in the Midwest, what the show ‘All American’ is all about, the transitions in the show over the course of 8 seasons, his experience running […]

America's Toy Scout, Joel Magee, joins John Williams to take some calls and answer questions about your old toys. Do you have any collectibles sitting around that house that could be worth money? Joel has the answers. Joel will be in the Chicago area this week and you can find all the details here.

Niall Stanage, White House Reporter, The Hill, joins John Williams to talk break down President Trump’s speech about election interference.

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou talks to John about the best temperature to set your thermostat at for maximum efficiency and how to improve the indoor air quality in your home. Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each Saturday morning at […]

It's time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature for 2026! Are you trying to come up with some quick getaway ideas that are only a quick trip from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we head up to beautiful Grand Rapids and chat with […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg (on his birthday), Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack and Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. The Rascals begin the podcast by talking about government transparency regarding the health and welfare […]

Dr. Chitaru Kurihara, thoracic surgeon and surgical director of the Lung Transplant Program at Northwestern Medicine, joins John Williams to share details surrounding the first known quadruple-organ transplant involving retransplanted lung that Northwestern surgeons performed.

Elder law attorney Kerry Peck joins John Williams to answer all your questions about elder law, trusts, wills, and elder abuse. Listen in while Kerry discusses trust planning and how to set yourself up for success, how to spot elder-targeted fraud, how to teach your parents how to spot phishing attempts, and more. Kerry also answers listeners […]

Jeremy Foster, Manager of Pollen Bank at the Chicago Botanic Garden, joins John Williams to talk about the rare Amorphophallus Titanum, also known as “corpse flower,” that is currently in bloom at the garden, and why people flock from miles around to experience the pungent smell of the rare flower.

Craig Bolanos, Co-founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the markets, President Trump's handling of the housing assistance bill and the gradual impact on housing inventory and borrowing costs. Craig and John also cover gas prices, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, SK Hynix and SpaceX. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8516200/8516200_2026-07-15-151700.64kmono.mp3

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Bob reminds us to join him and WGN Radio’s Mr. Fix-It this weekend at Lurvey Home & Garden in Des Plaines, on Saturday, July 18th […]

Dr. Michael Bauer, Medical Director, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, gives updates on the cyclosporiasis parasite outbreak, shares what Legionnaires disease is and details its rapid growth in number of cases, discusses why tick season might be the worst it has been in the US, and more.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about the sexual abuse accusations against the Rev. Michael Pfleger, Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden death this past weekend, the House voting on making daylight saving time permanent, and more.

Michael Peregrine, Retired Law Firm Corporate Governance Attorney and Chicago Tribune columnist, joins John Williams to talk about his latest column in the Tribune about Richard Speck on the murder anniversary.

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tackle the pesky moss, mildew, and stains that can show up on the exterior of your home and how to clean them. As always, Lou takes texts and calls from devoted WGN listeners!

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Nick Offerman, actor, comedian, carpenter and writer, joins John Williams and special guest “Mr. Fix-It” Lou Manfredini to preview Iceboy!, a new musical 40,000 years in the making now running at Goodman Theatre. Nick talks about his talented wife Megan Mullally, the star of the show, and how she spent years getting the production ready […]

World-renowned paleontologist, educator and author Steve Brusatte joins John Williams to talk about his new book, The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present, and breaks down how modern birds are “living dinosaurs.” Steve will appearing in Ottawa at The Abbey at The Ottawa Arts Center, Sunday, July 12, for a […]

Amie Parnes, senior political correspondent for The Hill, joins John Williams to explain embattled Maine Democrat Graham Platner's exit from the Senate race, the current scramble to replace him, and what the fallout means for Democrats' chances of flipping the Senate.

Hector Corona, founder of City Kids Camp, joins John Williams to give an update on camp this year from weather‑challenged activities to powerful connections between inner‑city kids and visiting police officers. To learn more, visit citykidscamp.org

Enjoy this edition of “The Best of Speed Jokes.” What was your favorite joke of the week? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com!

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about what you should do if you want to crave less junk food and the diet that is best for high blood pressure. Dawn also answers all of your health and nutrition questions.

It's time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature for 2026! Are you trying to come up with some quick getaway ideas that are only a quick trip from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we take a drive towards the picturesque Starved Rock State […]

Chicago Tribune theater critic, author and editorial page editor Chris Jones joins John Williams to talk about today’s editorial that implores Mayor Brandon Johnson to stop demonizing business and to focus on things that Chicagoans really care about.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Steve Bertrand, host of Steve Bertrand on Books and proprietor of Steve Bertrand Travel, and award-winning journalist and political pundit Marj Halperin. The Rascals begin the podcast asking Steve Bertrand his thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling on transgender athletes. Next, the Rascals talk about the city […]

Isa Alvarez, Northwestern Medicine Scholar, joins John Williams to talk about the Northwestern Medicine Scholars Program, what it was like being in the inaugural class of the program, how the Scholars Program helped with her preparation for college, when she first became interested in medicine, the mentors that provided support throughout her journey, the interaction […]

Susan Resko, CEO and President at Josselyn, joins John Williams to talk about their mission of providing quality outpatient mental health care, the work they do with Northwestern Medicine, why someone might reach out to Josselyn, the importance of having better awareness about mental health therapy, the various types of services they offer, some of […]

Dr. Quentin R. Youmans, Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Cardiologist, Northwestern Medicine, joins John Williams to talk about heart health, why he encourages patients to start small when on the path to better heart health, why it’s important to bring heart health screenings into the community, what you should know about the early signs of […]

Dr. Dinee Simpson, Transplant Surgeon and Chief Health Equity Executive, and Ann Hall, Vice President of Administration, Northwestern Medicine, join John Williams to talk about the launch of the Kathy Schreiber Community Health Institute, the importance of community health at Northwestern Medicine, why moving barriers to care matters, what the term ‘community health’ means and […]

We are ‘Keeping it Green’ with Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape Co. in Wheeling and a certified landscape professional with the National Association of Landscape Professionals, joins John Williams to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Bob talks about the large amount of rainfall we had and why you should make sure your trees […]

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.

Dr. Michael Bauer, Medical Director, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, talks to John Williams about the importance of donating blood due to a shortage of Type O blood, how some users of weight loss drugs lose their sense of taste, the other health benefits of weight loss drugs, and what we should know about […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about President Trump intervening in the World Cup, a new candidate announcing a run for Chicago mayor, another scandal involving Graham Platner, and why he’s not a fan of the Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.