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The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Steve Bertrand, host of the Steve Bertrand on Books podcast and proprietor of Steve Bertrand Travel, and multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope's Screening Room (stay tuned for some BIG news from Brandon). This week, the Rascals begin the podcast honoring the life and legacy […]
Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus
Kelly welcomes Scott Curran back to the podcast. He is the founder and CEO of Beyond Advisers and a former general counsel of the Clinton Foundation. His new book is called “Better Good: A Simple System for Creating Lasting Impact.” “Betting against good is betting against the best parts of human nature.” “To see philanthropy […]
Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/24/26): Dan Proft, co-host of “The Morning Answer” radio program 5-9 a.m. on WIND AM 560, joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to discuss how he’s getting blamed for the demise of the Republican party in Illinois for some reason, what happens when Illinois Democrats realize the whole system is collapsing […]
Unravel the chilling 1954 UFO mystery that pitted the Doublemint Twins against the CIA! In this captivating episode of My Dark Path, host MF Thomas dives into the extraordinary story of Marie and Mildred Maier, the original Doublemint Twins, whose encounter with an alien signal shook Chicago and exposed a shadowy government cover-up. On November 28, 1954, during a live WGN radio broadcast, the sisters recorded eerie, high-speed tones—described as a coded message resembling Jingle Bells—after host Jim Mills invited extraterrestrials to respond. What followed was a web of deception involving the CIA, fake Air Force officers, and a relentless UFO skeptic, Dr. Leon Davidson, who uncovered the truth.This episode of My Dark Path explores the Maier's journey from advertising fame as Wrigley's Doublemint Twins to accidental UFO hunters. In June and August 1954, the sisters captured mysterious objects in photographs during a solar eclipse and at the Baha'i Temple, images that baffled experts and fueled their fascination with the unexplained. Their WGN recording, detailed in a rare 1955 Journal of Space Flight article, caught the CIA's attention, leading to a covert operation to seize the tape. Posing as Air Force officers, CIA agents George O. Forrest and Dewelt Walker visited the sisters, claiming the signal was mere Morse code from a U.S. radio station. But was it?Enter Dr. Leon Davidson, a Los Alamos scientist who believed UFOs were a CIA-orchestrated psychological warfare tactic. In 1957, Davidson contacted the Maiers, exposing inconsistencies in the CIA's story and accusing the agency of fabricating UFO sightings to manipulate public perception during the Cold War. His dogged pursuit—writing to CIA Director Allen Dulles and confronting fake Air Force officials—revealed a deeper conspiracy. The CIA's 1997 report, The CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90, later admitted mishandling the case, confirming Davidson's suspicions of agency involvement.Set against the backdrop of 1954's UFO frenzy—sparked by Aviation Week's report of two mysterious satellites orbiting Earth—this episode uncovers a time when Cold War paranoia, public obsession with flying saucers, and government secrecy collided. From the 1952 Washington, D.C., UFO sightings to the Pentagon's scramble to dismiss the satellites as natural asteroids, the Maier sisters' story is a microcosm of a nation grappling with the unknown. Why did the CIA go to such lengths to bury a single tape? Were the sisters' photographs and recording evidence of extraterrestrial contact, or part of a larger psychological operation?Join My Dark Path as we navigate this tangled tale of UFOs, government lies, and the unrelenting quest for truth. MF Thomas weaves archival research, declassified CIA documents, and the Maier's own words to bring this forgotten chapter to life. Perfect for fans of The X-Files, true crime, and historical conspiracies, this episode will leave you questioning what the government isn't telling us. For all references and music, visit https://www.mydarkpath.com/73-doublemint-twins-vs-the-cia0:00 - The Doublemint Twins and the Alien Signal0:56 - The 1954 Satellite Mystery3:57 - The Hoaxer: Richard Miller's Fabricated Contact11:05 - The WGN Radio Experiment14:22 - The Original Doublemint Twins18:45 - The Journal of Space Flight Report21:19 - Anomalies at the Baha'i Temple23:09 - The Eerie Jingle Bells Recording26:38 - CIA Operation: Recovering the Evidence29:36 - Dr. Leon Davidson's Quest for Truth34:44 - Deciphering the Robertson Panel37:09 - The Final Confrontation with the CIABuy MF Thomas' novels on Amazon. Like Clockwork https://amzn.to/417lOzy Arcade https://amzn.to/4aTpisx A Sickness in Time https://amzn.to/41apSPK Seeing by Moonlight https://amzn.to/4gySl5WConnect with usInstagram: @mydarkpathpodcast Twitter/X: @mfthomasauthor Email us: explore@mydarkpath.com Visit us: www.mydarkpath.com Subscribe: www.patreon.com/mydarkpath
On November 22, 1987, Chicago sportscaster Dan Roan was recapping a Bears game when WGN suddenly went black. Fifteen seconds later, millions of viewers were staring at a man wearing a rubber Max Headroom mask. Twenty-eight seconds later, he vanished. Then, two hours later, he did it again—this time hijacking a Doctor Who broadcast for ninety bizarre seconds of distorted jokes, obscure WGN references, and a woman with a flyswatter. The FCC and FBI investigated, but nearly forty years later, nobody knows who did it. Tonight, we investigate the Max Headroom signal intrusion: one of the strangest unsolved crimes in television history, committed by someone who may have known far more about WGN than he should have. YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HauntedAmericanHistoryTikTok - @hah_podcasthauntedamericanhistory.comPatreon- https://www.patreon.com/hauntedamericanhistoryHAH DISCORD - https://discord.com/invite/bJdbpH3hQm Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Steve Bertrand, host of the Steve Bertrand on Books podcast and proprietor of Steve Bertrand Travel, and award-winning journalist and political pundit Marj Halperin. The Rascals start the podcast talking about the CTU filing a defamation lawsuit against the Illinois Policy Institute (as well as […]
Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus
Kelly has a fascinating conversation with New York Times bestselling author David Epstein about his new book “Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better.” “Multitasking is the act of distracting yourself.” “It is usually bad to be a maximizer.” “Too often, we reach for a dream when what we need is a textbook.”
Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/17/26): Businessman and philanthropist Willie Wilson joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to talk about why he wants to run for Chicago mayor again, who he thinks is ‘mentally ill’ for questioning his reasons, and what he thinks about people running for two offices at once. Plus, Kasso wonders if Michael […]
Joe Fontana spent a decade chasing a punk rock music career and another six years trapped in a soul-crushing corporate job that caused his leg hair to fall out from stress. Broke and with a baby on the way, he packed up his life, moved into his in-laws' basement, and took the ultimate leap of faith.He borrowed $21,000 from his mother's savings, scrapped his original restaurant idea, and launched Fry the Coop. Today, that single chicken sandwich shop has exploded into a fast-casual powerhouse with 11 locations, over 200 employees, and $15 million in annual revenue.In this episode of the UpFlip Podcast, Joe sits down with Ryan Atkinson to break down the exact roadmap he used to scale from an empty cash register to an eight-figure empire. He reveals why hiring a publicist was the ultimate cheat code to hitting his first million, how treating customer service like "vanilla ice cream" scaled him to $5M, and the painful $12,000 accounting mistake that taught him why you must watch your financials like a hawk.Whether you want to open a restaurant or scale a local brick-and-mortar, Joe drops the unvarnished truth on what it takes to survive and thrive.
On August 13th, 2026, Steve Grzanich shares today's potential market drivers:
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack. The Rascals start the podcast this week talking about why Cate thinks the Air & Water Show is stupid and dangerous. What about […]
John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com.
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! Today, Bob joins Jon Hansen to answer all of your lawn and garden questions.
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack. The Rascals start the podcast this week talking about why Cate thinks the Air & Water Show is stupid and dangerous. What about […]
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! Today, Bob joins Jon Hansen 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.
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack. The Rascals start the podcast this week talking about why Cate thinks the Air & Water Show is stupid and dangerous. What about […]
Pat Brady, SVP of Mercury Public Affairs, former chairman for the Illinois Republican Party, joins Lisa Dent to discuss the results of the Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota primaries and what it means for politics in the area. He later shares his thoughts on the recent candidates who lean further left than traditional Democrats.
Chief Meteorologist at WGN-TV Demetrius Ivory and WGN-TV weather producer Bill Snyder join Lisa Dent to talk about the weather. Together, The Forecasters discuss the wreckage Demetrius saw as he chased a tornado that went through Tinley Park, Country Club Hills, and Homewood Flossmoor. They add that these tornadoes went unseen due the rain creating an area […]
Monica Gordon, Cook County Clerk and Chief Election Administrator for Suburban Cook County, joins Lisa Dent to talk about the need for more election judges on National Poll Worker Recruitment Day. She addresses the training procedure as well as how payment works for those looking to become a judge. Later, both Monica and Lisa stress […]
Chicago muralist Asend joins Lisa Dent to talk about the completion of his mural featuring Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, located in Fulton Market. Given the multiple storms that have hit the area, he addresses how he and other artists manage to avoid having the rain ruin their progress. Later, Asend discusses how the Bears have […]
Mayor Brandon Johnson joins the Lisa Dent Show to discuss his signing of an executive order establishing a series of enhanced regulations on AI data centers to ensure that they will not disrupt neighborhoods, city infrastructure, and its natural resources. His executive order also creates a task force designed to be a multi-tiered board reviewing […]
During the height of the Cold War, an unlikely meeting between President Ronald Reagan and President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev in Reykjavík, Iceland, resulted in the two forging a unique trust that eventually led to the end of the Cold War. Director of The Brink of War, Michael Gunn, joins Lisa Dent to […]
Steve Hindi, President of SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness), joins Lisa Dent to discuss what backyard rodeos are and how animals are being abused at these events. SHARK is a Geneva-based investigative group that uses drones obtain video and expose different rings committing animal abuse. They then take the evidence to the authorities for […]
Mickey Raphael, harmonica player for Willie Nelson since 1973, joins Lisa Dent to highlight their appearance at the Outlaw Music Festival at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on Tuesday, August 25th. He explains the band’s start in Nashville, how Willie maintained his kind personality throughout their entire career, and how the environment of the […]
Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist emeritus, joins Lisa Dent to discuss the severity of the damage caused by the previous days’ storms. His sentiments echo those of both Demetrius Ivory and Bill Snyder as he mentions the over 193 tornado touchdowns, the 80-100 mph wind gusts, and the extremely limited visibility due to the rain. […]
Lisa Dent checks in with the newsroom to hear their stories including how watermelon might be good for reducing blood pressure, Travis Kelce’s thoughts on his and Taylor Swift’s wedding, and the complaints about the new Buffalo Bills stadium.
Recreation Supervisor at the Batavia Park District, and long-time dog owner, Kathy Freedlund joins the Lisa Dent Show to chat about how she added a new ‘stick library’ to her neighborhood. She highlights the excitement that both pets and pet owners feel upon finding it on their walks.
Illinois Comptroller, Susana Mendoza joins the Lisa Dent Show to talk about her run for Chicago Mayor where she highlights her six terms as State Representative as well as how she stepped in to the position of Comptroller during the worst fiscal crisis in Illinois’ history. She also addresses how a Mayor could aid in […]
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 […]
Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus
Kelly sits down with Amos Winter, the Germeshausen Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His new book is called “Global by Design: How to Create Innovations That Scale, Travel and Transform.” “Become a tempered dreamer.” “Technology is not the […]
Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the FDA approving a new mRNA flu vaccine.
Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about 21st Century phone manners, why he texts people before he wants to call them on the phone, what he’s paying attention to in Wisconsin primary election, the PR battle that Democratic candidates will have to face with the rise of socialist candidates.
John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com. Update: Today’s Speed Jokes were canceled because of severe storms that blew through the area.
Film critic Michael Phillips, host of the Filmspotting-produced podcast, ‘The Movie Racket with Michael Phillips,’ joins John Williams to talk about the first season of his new podcast, his thoughts on the movie ‘Once’ after the passing of Glen Hansard, the box office success of movies like ‘Michael,’ ‘Spider-Man,’ and ‘The Odyssey,’ and to talk […]
John Williams brings you another round of Speed Jokes. Keep sending yours to JohnWilliams@wgnradio.com. Update: Today’s Speed Jokes were canceled because of severe storms that blew through the area.
Film critic Michael Phillips, host of the Filmspotting-produced podcast, ‘The Movie Racket with Michael Phillips,’ joins John Williams to talk about the first season of his new podcast, his thoughts on the movie ‘Once’ after the passing of Glen Hansard, the box office success of movies like ‘Michael,’ ‘Spider-Man,’ and ‘The Odyssey,’ and to talk […]
Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about the FDA approving a new mRNA flu vaccine.
Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, joins John Williams to talk about 21st Century phone manners, why he texts people before he wants to call them on the phone, what he’s paying attention to in Wisconsin primary election, the PR battle that Democratic candidates will have to face with the rise of socialist candidates.
Senior National Correspondent for NewsNation Brian Entin joins Lisa Dent to discuss how a woman in Florida was scammed out of $25,000. The scam involved her being called by people claiming that she had skipped out on jury duty and needed to pay a bond or face being arrested. To further intimidate her, they revealed […]
Sister Mary Jo Sobieck joins the Lisa Dent to talk about Tuesday night’s White Sox “Pope Night” at Rate Field where she will be throwing the ceremonial first pitch. She shares her history as a 3-sport athlete and how her God-given talent, as she would put, has led her to be chosen to throw the […]
Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/10/26): Charles Lipson is back, joining John Kass & Jeff Carlin to discuss why ‘democratic socialism’ is on the rise in the United States, who is pushing this shift within the Democratic Party, and what it means for the future of the republic. Charles is the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of […]
Bond Almand, ultra-endurance cyclist, joins John Williams to talk about Bond’s Extreme Journey, a 10,000-mile bike ride to every NFL stadium! Bond explains why he’s doing the ride, the amazing things about crossing the country by bike, how many miles he’s riding per day, the partnership with Extreme Networks, and the scariest moment he’s seen […]
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. Today, Lou offers some tips on caulking, filling, and paint touch-ups. And as always, Lou answers all of your home improvement questions! Listen to HouseSmarts Radio on WGN each Saturday morning at 6 am.
Andrei Turea, Co-owner & CEO, Green Attic Roofing, joins John to talk about how business has been going with all the storms, the biggest roofing problems people are dealing with right now, why solar makes financial sense, what to know about solar incentives from the state of Illinois, and how Green Attic Roofing will guide you […]
"Baron de Dios!" Jessica has some thoughts on how Dan let his dog escape through the elevator, and she also shares some insight on eating steak nude, the Kyle Shanahan mistake by WGN, her Cubbies, and the Cleveland Sirens. Plus, Tony heads over to the nude restaurant and delivers his Top 5 Whoppers and Top 5 Things His Dad Will Call You If He Doesn't Remember Your Name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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 start the podcast this week talking about Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch apologizing for his actions that made a staffer uncomfortable […]
Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/03/26): This week, Dr. Cory Franklin – who spend over 25 years at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, joins Jeff Carlin to make sense of what Dr. Anthony Fauci did wrong, why he’s in the hot seat now, and when – if ever – modern science & medicine will recover from […]
We look at at Randy's "first debut" of his Frozen Reviews, WGN in Chicago made a hilarious mistake, Dillon broke down 'A Toxic Love Story', Randy's Comments of the Week, and This Weekend in Fun. Support us on Patreon and receive weekly episodes for as low $5 per month: www.patreon.com/circlingbackpodcast Watch all of our full episodes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6GWLSnyJKGMDIWsYC0RBG2?si=f9e2bcc01d2a4573&nd=1&dlsi=dd35daf7973642a1 Watch all of our full episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/washedmedia Shop Washed Merch: www.washedmedia.shop • (00:00) Fun & Easy Banter • (10:30) Randy's Frozen Review Debut • (27:25) Damn WGN • (39:30) Dillon watched ‘A Toxic Love Story' • (57:50) Randy's Comments of the Week • (1:07:15) This Weekend in Fun • (1:15:10) Run it Back Support This Episode's Sponsors: - Poncho: Go to https://ponchooutdoors.com/STEAM for $10 off your first order and free shipping. - Squarespace: Check out https://squarespace.com/steam for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch, use OFFER CODE: STEAM to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. - Bonobos: For 25% off your order, head to https://bonobos.com/steam and use code STEAM. - Meridian Putters: Head to https://meridianputters.com/ and use our code STEAM20 for 20% off your entire cart at checkout. - Fitbod: Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE for seven days at https://fitbod.me/steam Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices