WGN - The John Williams Uncut Podcast

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the likelihood we see an interest rate cut in December, why the stock market likes the idea of a rate cut, where people should be putting their money considering the volatility in the market, why consumer sentiment is down, his thoughts […]

Dr. David J. Gunkel, Distinguished Research Professor, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Chair – Department of Communication, Northern Illinois University, joins John Williams to talk about AI generated music, what the AI landscape in the arts is like right now, how human artists are using AI in their music, the ethical problems that come with AI, who […]

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!

NewsNation Now anchor Connell McShane joins John Williams to talk about President Donald Trump meeting New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, the Coast Guard changing their swastika policy, President Trump telling a reporter, ‘Quiet, piggy,’ and President Trump accusing several Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behavior,” after they posted a video telling military and intelligence officers to “refuse illegal orders.” […]

Kimberly Bares, CEO, Magnificent Mile Association, tells John Williams to tell us everything we need to know about this year's Magnificent Mile Lights Festival! Kimberly also talks about the economic impact and what it means for the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.

Judy Socha, who has organized the Addison blood bank for over 50 years, joins John Williams to talk about her personal connection to blood drives, the importance of people donating blood, why she continues her mission to help bring in blood, the wonderful people that she has met on her journey, the amount of blood they […]

It's time once again for our Best of the Midwest feature! Are you trying to come up with some holiday vacation ideas that are only a quick getaway from the Chicago area? Well, John Williams has some great recommendations for your trip! Today, we head north and visit with the always delightful Stephanie Klett, President […]

Author and registered dietician nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner joins John Williams to talk about the three things she’s going to add to her Thanksgiving routine, how to add color to your Thanksgiving meal, the most important tip to enjoy a healthy Thanksgiving, and how to R.E.S.E.T. your health the next day and beyond!

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

John Williams talks with Jeff Nydegger of JeffBuysYourHouse.com and Chris Kasper, both veterans of the U.S. Army. The two became friends while serving in the 864th Combat Heavy Engineer Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington. In 2003, while attached to the 101st Airborne, the two were among the first to cross the border into Iraq. They […]

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, political pundit Marj Halperin, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. This week, the Rascals start the podcast talking about Illinois launching Mobile ID for iPhones. Are the Rascals on board with the new technology feature? Next, Mayor […]

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias joins John Williams to talk about Illinois implementing Mobile IDs. Secretary Giannoulias explains how the digital technology works, why this technology is both convenient and safe, where you can use your digital ID right now, when the mobile ID will come to Android phones, and if passports will be coming to your […]

Tameka Patterson, MSW, LSW Divisional Pathway of Hope Project Manager, The Salvation Army, North and Central Illinois Division, joins John Williams to talk about the work she does at the Salvation Army, what they do to help families in tough circumstances, how many people they typically serve in a day, how each family they help […]

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, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about it being cold and flu season and the importance of getting your flu vaccine. Dr. Kopin also talks about a new study that showed daily music listening being linked to a big drop in dementia risk, the […]

Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about his choice for ‘Word of the Year,’ Border Patrol leaving the Chicago area, and the Chicago City Council Finance Committee rejecting Brandon Johnson’s head tax proposal.

Jen Jolly, tech reporter and founder of Techish.com, joins John Williams to talk about some of the top tech trends for 2025 and the best gadgets for the holiday season.

John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours 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. This week, Lou offers tips on how to prep your house if you are hosting Thanksgiving. Lou also answers your home improvement questions about window cleaning, outside hoses, and fruit flies. Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each […]

WGN Radio Senior Digital Strategist and Bracketologist Michael Piff joined John Williams to give an update on our inaugural Chicagoland Christmas Traditions Tournament, sponsored by Treetime Christmas Creations, and breakdown the Final Four, which includes Illumination at the Morton Arboretum, Lake Zurich’s Miracle on Main Street, the Chicago Botanic Garden Lightscape and Holiday Magic at […]

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

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 […]