WGN - The John Williams Uncut Podcast

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, and recently retired newsman Steve Bertrand, host of the ‘Steve Bertrand on Books‘ podcast. This week the Rascals kick off the podcast talking about Chicago […]

Recently retired newsman, the great Steve Bertrand, joins John to tell us everything we need to know about his new ‘Steve Bertrand on Books‘ podcast.

Ryan Kelly, Co-Chairman, Chicago Auto Show, joins John Williams to give us all the details on the 2026 Chicago Auto Show!

Carl Prouty, “The Technologist” at Abt Electronics in Glenview, tells John what we should know about door security camera technology in light of the recently released security images of the “person of interest” in the Nancy Guthrie case. How do these security systems work? Where do the images live once they are recorded? How are people notified […]

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

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about pacemaker technology, and a new study about coffee intake and dementia risk.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about average babysitting rates in the state of Illinois, a new ordinance that would authorize Chicagoans to take pictures of bus, bike lane, and crosswalk parking violations, what he thought of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, and to share his thoughts on the […]

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 about how proper attic insulation is the single best way to improve the energy efficiency in your home. Lou also answers all of your home improvement questions! Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each Saturday morning […]

Sam Panayotovich, Fox Sports Betting Analyst and co-host of the sports betting show ‘Chicken Dinner,' joins John Williams to recap the Super Bowl and to review some of the best wagers he made for the game.

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

Connell McShane, anchor of ‘NewsNation Live with Connell McShane,’ joins guest host Tom Gimbel to talk about the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie and the racist meme that President Trump posted on his Truth Social account.

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!

State Representative Amy Briel (D-Ottawa) joins John Williams to clear up some information regarding a proposed bill that would require permits and possibly pay up to a $5 fee for open burning in unincorporated areas.

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about what we should know about new Trump Accounts. Craig also explains why the market has been dipping lately, why he remains extremely bullish on 2026, what he thinks of gold prices, and what he wants investors focused on right now.

Sam Panayotovich, Fox Sports Betting Analyst and co-host of the sports betting show ‘Chicken Dinner,' joins John Williams to talk about some of his favorite bets for the Super Bowl game between the Seattle Seahawks v. New England Patriots.

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, multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope's Screening Room, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. This week, the Rascals kick off the podcast talking about JB Pritzker donating $5 million to Juliana Stratton’s senate campaign? Is this anything? […]

WGN Radio News Director and Olympic correspondent Ryan Burrow joins John Williams to tell us what we need to know about the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. And make sure to listen to Ryan's podcast, “Quest for Gold,” so you are fully prepared to watch this year's games!

Longtime Chicago radio veteran Harvey Wells, founder, Lower Tech Bills, talks to John about how he helps customers lower their internet, cell phone, and television costs. Today, Harvey tells us what you need to know about watching this year’s Winter Olympics.

Mortgage and real estate expert David Hochberg joins John Williams to talk about U.S. condo prices plunging, and why student loan delinquencies are exploding. Also joining John and David in-studio today is Stacey Wahlberg, President & Co-Founder, Cal's Angels! Stacey tells John the personal story about how Cal’s Angels started, how they fund cancer research […]

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

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the most common causes of knee and joint pain, new data suggesting that flu cases are rebounding, the rare medical condition that the great Catherine O’Hara discovered many years before her death, and if we need to […]

Andrei Turea, Co-owner & CEO, Green Attic Roofing, joins John to talk about why they started the company, their focus on energy efficiency, the way technology is continuing to evolve, the opportunity for commercial property owners to turn their roofs into an asset, what you should know about various rebate programs, how business has been […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about a number of stories making news this week including Governor J.B. Pritzker $5 million donation to Juliana Stratton’s senate campaign, and journalist Don Lemon getting arrested by a team of federal agents after he’d offered to turn himself in.

State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) joins John Williams to talk about new legislation that would authorize a pilot program for autonomous vehicles in some Illinois counties.

Marge Sipla, Speed Jokes spirit animal, cataloger and Member of the Speed Jokes Committee, joins John Williams and the gang to give us her favorite Speed Jokes of January 2026! What was your favorite joke this month? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com

Chris Holtmann, Head Coach, DePaul's Men's Basketball, joins John Williams to talk about the early success the team has had this year, how attendance has improved since he took the helm, how wins and losses impact his family, the work he’s doing to turn around the program, the importance of recruiting kids that are a good fit […]

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. Lou explains why now is the perfect time to check ALL the filters in your home. 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.

Connell McShane, anchor of ‘NewsNation Live with Connell McShane,’ joins John Williams to talk about the big stories of the week including Don Lemon being arrested, a new pick for Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Donald Trump posting about Alex Pretti.

Dr. Amar Pattani, family dentist at Main Street Smiles at 312 W Main Street in Barrington, joins John Williams to answer all of your general dentistry questions. Should you wet your toothbrush before applying toothpaste? Should you have a soft or firm toothbrush? How important is flossing? Dr. Pattani gives us all the answers.

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!

Lyric Opera of Chicago Music Director Enrique Mazzola joins John Williams to talk about the job a conductor does, if he considers himself a performer, what we should know about the Lyric Opera, how it’s one of the most important cultural centers in the city, the importance of telling stories, how programming at the Lyric […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about the best and safest way to do a plank, the variety of sit up exercises you can do, and the best menu ideas for your Super Bowl party.

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, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals begin the podcast talking about the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota over the weekend. […]

Elder law attorney Kerry Peck joins John Williams to answer all your questions about elder law, trusts, wills, and elder abuse. Kerry explains why it’s a good idea to look into long-term care insurance, how you can obtain a will of a deceased parent, and when you would likely need an executor of a will.

The great writer, director, and actor Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned in ‘Groundhog Day') joins John Williams to talk about the film and the festivities the city of Woodstock (where the movie was filmed) has planned for Groundhog Day this year. Stephen talks about working with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis, the importance of injecting a film with surprises, how many […]

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

Christopher Parente, Partner, Cheronis & Parente, joins John Williams to talk about why Marimar Martinez, who was shot and wounded by a Customs and Border Protection agent during Operation Midway Blitz, wants body camera footage and other evidence related to the incident to be released to the public.

WGN Radio News Director and Olympic correspondent Ryan Burrow joins John Williams to tell us what we need to know about the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. And make sure to listen to Ryan’s podcast, “Quest for Gold,” so you are fully prepared to watch this year’s games!

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about how someone typically catches a cold, the flu shot preventing you from getting really sick, the American Academy of Pediatrics departing from the CDC with childhood vaccine revisions, and colorectal cancer now being the leading cause […]