WGN - The John Williams Uncut Podcast

Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing, The Adler Planetarium, joins John Williams to explain why Chicago recently saw one of the most vivid Aurora Borealis displays in decades. Michelle breaks down how solar flares and coronal mass ejections trigger auroras, why this event reached as far south as El Salvador, and why your phone can detect colors […]

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the latest news stories of the day including the Epstein files, immigration, and how the economy is shifting under the Trump presidency.

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 34th annual Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival returns on Saturday, November 22, filling Chicago's iconic avenue with holiday wonder, glowing lights, and the joyful kickoff to the season. There in full celebration mode will be Lifeway Foods offering delicious samples of Lifeway Kefir during the day. At night, they’ll unveil a sparkling parade float, […]

Nat and Mikey, two schoolteachers from England, took a bold leap and a year off from their classroom to explore America the slow way… by hitchhiking, canoe, and curiosity. They landed in Denver, made their way to Montana, bought their first-ever canoe, and have been paddling down the Missouri into the Mississippi on their way […]

In this brief but heartfelt segment, John Williams honors his friend and fellow broadcaster Steve Bertrand for his years of service and his extraordinary presence on the airwaves. Bob Kessler also joins in to share memories and pass along well wishes. This segment is a celebration of friendship, craftsmanship, and the unmistakable spark Steve has […]

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 the The Last Ward, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. The Rascals begin the podcast talking about ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ leaving Chicago. The Rascals discuss the government’s immigration […]

Jennifer Valade, Veteran Support Services, Salvation Army NCI Division, joins John Williams to talk about the services they provide to veterans, the needs of the veterans that they serve, the difficulty some veterans have in reaching out for help, how they encourage veterans to ask for help, what makes the Salvation Army’s services unique, the […]

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.

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

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about President Trump announcing a deal to lower the price of weight loss drugs, why iron deficiency in adults may be more common than thought, and what can be done to improve access to physicians.

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about why he’s disappointed in the Democrats that voted to end the government shutdown, the possibility that ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ is coming to an end, and President Trump posting that military troops should go to Michigan Avenue to fight crime.

Mortgage and real estate expert David Hochberg joins John Williams to share his thoughts on the Trump administration proposing 50-year mortgages. David says that the option of 50-year mortgages could be beneficial to some, but it probably is not the best idea over the long run. David hosts “Home Sweet Home Chicago” on Saturdays from 10am […]

WGN Radio won in three categories at the 2025 Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) Silver Dome Awards, including two honors for the WGN Radio newsroom. The awards, which recognize the top-tier in Illinois broadcasting were announced on November 6 at a reception held at the InterContinental Hotel in Chicago. WGN Radio received the following Silver Dome […]

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

John U. Bacon, best-selling author of ‘The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald,’ joins John Williams to talk about the history of the ship Edmund Fitzgerald, why the man Edmund Fitzgerald didn’t want the ship to be named after him, the magnificence of the ship, what the Great Lakes were like […]

The great Mr. Fix-It, Lou Manfredini, joins John Williams to tell us the projects we need to be working on this week. With the early November snow, Lou offers some tips to winterize your home. What should we do once the snow clears? And as always, Lou answers all of your home improvement questions. Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN […]

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

Music Director Enrique Mazzola, who is conducting ‘Carmina Burana' at Lyric Opera of Chicago, joins John Williams to talk about what we should know about ‘this show ‘Carmina Burana,’ the meaning of the ‘O Fortuna’ piece, what makes this production special, the melodies being very accessible and memorable, how the music is appropriate for all […]

Phil Mikhaylov, co-founder / CEO, Unicorn Auctions, talks to John about their auction platform for spirits and wine. Phil explains how the auctions work, how the prices vary for the auction items, how they acquire the bottles that go up for auction, and the world’s first appearance (at auction) of the Very Very Old Fitzgerald Blackhawk 15 […]

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about what’s weighing on the market this week, how the government shutdown has been impacting the economy, his thoughts on the Supreme Court hearing on the Trump administration’s tariff power, why he thinks the Fed will cut rates again in December, the […]

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the latest on the government shutdown and the SCOTUS hearing about President Trump’s power to impose tariffs.

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!

Christina Shutt, Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, joins John Williams to talk about how long the library and museum has been around, the humble roots Lincoln came from, what the White House was like during Lincoln’s presidency how many artifacts of Lincoln-related items are at the museum, some of the highlights […]

Peter Greenberg, ‘Eye on Travel‘ host and CBS News travel editor, joins John Williams to talk about the Trump administration announcing that the FAA will reduce flights at dozens of airports across the country in the wake of the government shutdown. What should we expect if we are traveling this weekend?

David Schultz, Distinguished University Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies, Hamline University, joins John Williams to talk about the Supreme Court hearing arguments surrounding President Donald Trump's ability to impose global tariffs.

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 the The Last Ward, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. The Rascals begin the podcast breaking down the top stories from yesterday’s elections across the country. Are we […]

Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, President of College of DuPage (COD), joins John Williams to talk about the relationship he has with Innovation DuPage, some of the companies that they have supported, how many companies they have accelerated because of their work, the importance of empowering small businesses in the community to grow and thrive, and what […]

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.

Mortgage and real estate expert David Hochberg joins John Williams to talk about interest rates dropping, why he’s so upset with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s “real estate tax debacle,” the strategy being used by D.R. Horton Homebuilders, his concern over inflation, the labor market, and credit card debt, and what his forecast is for […]

Anthony Bowers, Major, Divisional Youth and Candidate Secretary, Assistant Camp Administrator for the Salvation Army’s Wonderland Camp, joins John Williams to talk about the work he does with the Salvation Army, when he decided to join the Salvation Army, the most important part of the Wonderland Camp, how long the camp lasts, some of the […]

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 Rep. Chuy Garcia announcing at the last minute that he won’t run for reelection leaving the door open for his chief of staff to win the seat. Eric also breaks down election day across the country. What are the races we need to […]

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the importance of getting vaccinated for flu and COVID (especially for the older population), and a new study that shows the risk of a heart attack triples within the first few weeks after a Covid-19 infection. […]

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 October 2025! What was your favorite joke this month? Keep sending your jokes to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com

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. Harvey breaks down the battle between YouTube TV and Disney. To request a free Tech Check: hmwellsradio@gmail.com or call 312-307-1700.

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 fall is a great time to reseal your asphalt driveway. What do we need to know if we want to tackle that project? And as always, Lou answers all of your home improvement […]

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

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about the latest on the government shutdown, President Trump urging Republicans to kill the filibuster, SNAP benefits expiring, and the latest on the ICE raids taking place throughout Chicago.

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!