With Halloween fast-approaching, This American Life has attempted once again to tackle the most terrifying of all subjects these days: the economy. How bad is it and how much worse can it get? Prepare to be scared!
Competing in the next season of Bravo's "Top Chef" is Chicagoan Radhika Desai, executive chef of Between Boutique Café & Lounge. Let's hope she can bring home the title, just like Stephanie Izard did last spring.
Considering the ongoing financial industry crisis, now seems like a good time to point to This American Life's episode, "The Giant Pool of Money." And here's a perspective on whether the bail-out will affect the city's foreclosure rate.
There is a genetic mutation that puts its carriers at much higher risk of getting breast or ovarian cancer. Chicago filmmaker Joanna Rudnick tested positive for it at age 27. Her new documentary, "In the Family," debuts on PBS this week; WTTW will air it at 9pm on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Tune in.
Wondering where to watch the vice-presidential debates on Thursday? Time Out has a list of viewing parties for you.
The Third Coast International Audio Festival has just announced the winners of its 8th Annual TCF/ Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition. Click here to listen to excerpts from the winning audio documentaries.
...this time courtesy of Jason Fried: The Mike Wallace Interview.
Edward Lifson digs up a video of Frank Lloyd Wright on the game show "What's My Line?" in 1956. [via]
Mister Roger's Neighborhood may be going off the air, but his cousin Jolly Roger is back for today.
Congratulations to everybody at This American Life: the TV version of the radio show won two Emmys at this weekend's Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The ceremony will be broadcast on Saturday, September 20 on E!
BET airs "R. Kelly Speaks," his first televised interview since the ending of his trial for, well, you know. Tuesday, September 16 at 10pm ET/9pm CT. [via]
Noble School Charter Prep gets a spotlight from NPR this weekend for its successes and 100% graduation rate (which is more than New Trier's, ahem).
Abby Ryan, one of the few traffic reporters ever to have a cult following, leaves the air today, a result of Shadow Traffic eliminating live traffic reports. Read her own brief goodbye on her MySpace page. You can still catch her final reports this evening on WBEZ.
It wasn't just the Marshall Fields and the Potter Palmers who rebuilt Chicago after the Great Fire. WBEZ-FM reports on the women who helped raise the city from the ashes.
I enjoy Steve Dahl on the radio (or for those with lots of time, on a podcast), but I find his tweets are delightful too if you're short on time and want a few chuckles.
If you're setting your Tivo for the weekend, don't neglect to catch the Chicago chef Michelle Garcia of Bleeding Heart Bakery compete in the Food Network Challenge: Tag Team Cakes on Sunday at 8pm. The chefs didn't know who they'd be paired with for the competition, but if this snapshot of the final product is any indicator, I say it was a productive (and likely, delicious) pairing.
Michelle Obama will be a guest at "Paula's Party" on the Food Network. Besides sharing details about life on the campaign trail, Michelle will learn how to make host Paula Deen's Fried Shrimp and Creole French Fries. Put on your eating pants and tune in on Saturday, September 20 at 7:00 pm ET/CT.
Well, "Peacock Network," anyway. E!'s Kristin Dos Santos reports that Oprah is thisclose to appearing as herself on NBC's 30 Rock this fall.
Those "America's Next Top Model" auditions are at the Congress Hotel -- which has been under a strike for the last five years. UNITE HERE! let us know it's planning an extra special protest against the crossing of the picket line. Head on down at 10am to watch the fun. UPDATE: The auditions have been moved to the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.
The newest cycle of America's Next Top Model is just getting started and they're already scoping out the locals for the next season. ANTM is holding an open call for Chicago beauties this Saturday. To see what sort of stunning creatures the scouts will be looking for, check out this season's contestants.
Restaurant empire Lettuce Entertain You is branching out beyond food with a two-hour internet radio show featuring Mike North, who left WSCR in June. The show debuts Monday, Sept. 8, from 9 to 11am on WildfireRestaurant.com, and will be available as a podcast on iTunes and North's website later in the day.
We've all missed out on getting seat tickets for Oprah's 10am Wednesday taping in Millennium Park, but show up at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion that morning and get a shot at lawn seats.
The winners of the recent design-a-T-shirt contest for This American Life have been chosen.
Today, Wikipedia is featuring former Elgin native Earl "Madman" Muntz -- engineer, entrepreneur, grandfather of the 8-track tape player (among other inventions), and the original television saleslunatic.
You may not have any memories of the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, but your parents might. Tell them that Chicago Public Radio wants to hear their stories. (In the meantime, Vocalo.org really wants to hear from you.)
In June, PBS determined that, starting in September, they would cease daily broadcasts of Mister Roger's Neighborhood and provide member stations with single episodes, to be shown only on weekends. Naturally, many fans are up in arms, including local cartoonist Chris Ware, who wrote a very thoughtful letter of protest to PBS.
Chicago Public Radio's Chicago Matters series takes a look at our water system, and how it gets from Lake Michigan to our faucet.
Chicago's favorite women on wheels, the Windy City Rollers, will be giving you a wake-up call when they appear on Fox News Good Day Chicago (Ch. 32) tomorrow at 8:10 and 8:30 a.m. They'll be skating around the newsroom promoting their upcoming match as well as "some other exciting news" according to their release. If you miss it, you can check it out on the Fox-32 website.
Do you remember Chicago's Kids TV?
"The balcony is closed." Roger Ebert comments further on the end of "At the Movies."
GB's own Lauri Apple is interviewed in a piece about found and recycled clothing for Chicago Public Radio's "Chicago Matters: Growing Forward" series.
Roger Ebert announced his departure from the Disney-owned "At the Movies" film review show, following Richard Roeper's announcement yesterday. Ebert and Gene Siskel's estate own the "two thumbs up" trademark, and Ebert vows "the thumbs will return." Stay tuned.
Congratulations to This American Life: the TV version of the award-winning radio program garnered 5 Emmy nominations yesterday. Tune in this September to see how many the program wins...
The official rules for the This American Life T-shirt contest are up. Start designing, because your deadline is July 28.
What does your neighborhood sound like? Share it with Chicago Public Radio's Soundmarks project.
Brad Flora of WindyCitizen posts a counterpoint to his own recent boosterism on "Chicago Tonight."
Got an idea for a shirt befitting "This American Life?" You could win $1000 and see it up for sale in TAL's webstore.
Got the Genus Edition of Trivial Pursuit memorized? Test yourself this weekend by trying out to be on "Trivial Pursuit: America," a new TV game show. (Thanks, Mitchell!)
Whether you're headed to the show tonight or not, tune into Vocalo.org at noon today to catch a live interview with hip hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash.
Step back in time on the charmingly old-school Chicago Television History website.
This must have been in one of those auto messages that I ignore, but the venerable ad-skipping recording device, Tivo announced late last month that it will partner with the Chicago Tribune to bring subscribers the recommendations of Trib TV Columnist Maureen "The Watcher" Ryan.
Chicago's own Chef Stephanie Izard is a finalist on "Top Chef," and she's going to be answering reader questions on the Tribune's website starting at 1pm tomorrow. Here's an interview with her to get your interrogation juices flowing.
Funnyman Harvey Korman, originally a Chicago boy, Carol Burnett Show performer, Mel Brooks troupe member, and voice of the Great Gazoo has passed away at the age of 81.
Our local superstation rebrands, now symbolized by a walleyed Nagel girl.
The Center on Halsted will host a screening for "Dottie's Magic Pockets," billed as the first children's program for kids in gay and lesbian families. The show features puppets as well as real-life families. Bert and Ernie approve.
A Chicago couple is competing in the Today show's Race to the Altar contest. Check out their website and decide if you want to vote for them.
I'm not sure what this would be useful for, but if you'd like to have a list of the most recent Chicago Public Radio stories on your blog, they now have a widget you can add to your blogroll, one for news and one for arts stories.
Tom Cruise will be visiting Harpo Studios May 5, and a group of anti-Scientologists will be waiting for him.
Teaser for Season 2 of This American Life, which premieres May 4 on Showtime.
Ellen DeGeneres is bringing her show to Chicago May 3, and the suggestions of what she should do while she's here are, so far, pretty suburban. Cheesecake Factory!? Give her some better ideas, somebody. (Thanks, Veronica!)
Just under 10% of WBBM's staff has been cut, including anchor Diann Burns, other prominent on-air personalities and support staff members.
This American Life fans rejoice: May 1st is the date when you will be able to see the live stage show in NYC beamed to movie theaters across the country. Chicago fans will get to choose between two different theaters carrying the satellite feed of the show: City North 14; and River East 21. Tickets for the event will go on sale April 4.
WTTW is developing a new show, called "IL-informed," starring sketch comedy troupe Schadenfreude, and its pilot is being shot tomorrow. If you've got the day off, you should head over and be a part of the audience! They're taping from noon to 4pm at the WTTW studios, 5400 N. St. Louis Ave. Contact producer (and ex-GB staffer) Paris Shutz to reserve your spot: pschutz@wttw.com or 773-509-5443.
Padma Lakshmi, host of everyone's favorite reality television chef competition, apparently has a dangerous job. Also, "out of principle," she won't say "pack your knives and go" to people on the street. So, um, don't ask her to say that when you see her walking around town.
Those ubiquitous Sonic hamburger commericals may finally have some relevance to the Chicago area when the company opens their first regional outlet in Aurora. All of which mean the two guys in the commercials, Chicago improv giants TJ Jagodowski and Peter Grosz, may finally be able to purchase some of the food they've been shilling.
If you missed tonight's premiere of the Chicago edition of Top Chef, we have your recap ready in Drive-Thru.
Featured on Top Chef tonight: Chicago's "great food tradition!!" And...molecular gastronomy.
Peter Sagal now has a blog in case you don't get enough when listening to his radio show. It's on his own site. (And Peter, the sound-on-rollovers is just tacky. I'm not sure what your marketing people told you, but they lied.)
The male winner of the "American Gladiators" final battle is from Chicago.
Chicagoan Dave Glowacz is best known as Mr. Bike, but he's breaking new ground as Mr. Radio. Of particular note are his health care section and interviews with the Reader's Ben Joravsky, in which he asks for "The Rest of the Story" about "The Works."
Male, single and shameless? Bravo wants you for its latest reality show, "The Dating Project." Show up at Chaise Lounge Feb. 16 for your chance to date an unspecified celebrity.
The Oprah Store officially opened over the weekend. No word yet if her bra is available there.
If your name is John Smith, This American Life would like you to email them at johnsmith@thislife.org with a few words about yourself. They may include you in an upcoming show about people with your name.
Sound Opinions hosts Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis are scheduled to be on Monday night's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," no doubt talking about Sunday night's Grammy winners.
As This American Life prepares to release the DVD of its Showtime series this week (and as Ira Glass prepares to show up at Borders on Tuesday night), there comes word that the show is considering putting on a live stage show, which would be beamed across the country to movie theaters. Interested in seeing such a show? Then please consider taking a short survey about the event.
Channel 2 morning anchor (and former reporter and anchor at WGN) Randy Salerno died last night in a snowmobile accident in Wisconsin.
It's official: The next incarnation of "Top Chef", which was based in Chicago this time, will debut on Bravo on March 12. Three of the contestants have Chicago ties (as it should be).
Gapers Block contributor and FoundClothing head findatrix Lauri Apple will appear tomorrow, Jan. 24, on Jonathon Brandmeier's 97.9 FM morning show between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Apple will discuss her website, which was recently featured on WTTW's nightly news magazine.
Proving that he has possibly the biggest pair around, Drew Peterson (along with his lawyer) has proposed holding a "Win A Date With Drew" contest with longtime Chicago radio personality Steve Dahl. Guess Peterson's not waiting until the ... ahem... divorce to missing wife Stacy becomes final to start dating again.
If you've seen that odd, Blair Witch Project-ish TV commercial for SeeItNext.com that is running on the local television stations, you may have visited the website and found a lone prompt to leave your email address for a February 4th reveal of the mystery behind the commercial. What's really going on here? The most popular theory suggests that the commercial is a viral advertisement for General Motors' presentation at the upcoming February 7-18 Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place. And If the future is a GM car, I'm sure it won't be a much-needed reprise of the EV1.
GB staffer Lauri will be on "Chicago Tonight" er, tonight to discuss her website, Found Clothing. UPDATE: Oops, looks like it's been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 21.
WBEZ has given quiz show "Whad'Ya Know?" its walking papers. The Madison, Wis.-based show aired on Chicago Public Radio for 22 years.
Local hip-hop artists The Ivy League will be rockin' your television during a commercial break on MTV's new year's extravaganza ... if you have Comcast. Check out other NYE music news in Transmission.
Our own David Schalliol joined Steve Rhodes from the Beachwood Reporter and Margaret Lyons from Chicagoist on Outside the Loop Radio's 2007 "year in review" episode. Have a listen!
A venerable holiday tradition returns: the Sound Opinions holiday music mix. Over at the Sound Opinions Website they've posted both the complete mix by contributor Andy Cirzan (aka DJ lo-fi) and this weekend's program where hosts Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis discuss the mix.
Yikes. WGN is looking for hot mom-daughter combos to publicize the new CW reality nightmare "Crowned." So if you and your totally hot mom want to with $1,000, tell them in 50 words or less why you deserve to win.
So is it Channukah or Hanukkah or...? You'd better figure it out fast because it starts tonight. WBEZ has a brief interview with a local rabbi who tries to bring you up to speed. His description of how to pronounce the word is also worth a listen.
FuzzyMemories.tv is a treasure trove of vintage Chicago television clips. Until Dec. 25, they're featuring a holiday-themed clip every day -- lots of Christmas parades from the '80s so far!
It comes around every year, and even though it might annoy you, you know you're going to watch it: the "Favorite Things" episode of Oprah airs tomorrow, and this year's recipient of the coveted gifts is a group of people from Macon, Georgia, as that city reportedly has the nation's highest percentage of viewers tuned in to her show.
While Q101 has always been 101.1 FM, the station recently added the ".1" to their logo.
Berwyn, rubber chickens and B-movies. Chicago's very own Svengoolie (aka Rich Koz) has a blog. I know somewhere down there Jerry G Bishop is smiling.
Eager to cram The Little Drummer Boy down our throats as early as possible, WLIT-FM has lit the Yule log and started their all-Christmas music format NOW, instead of their previously planned Nov. 9 kickoff. They beat WCKG-FM, which is set to switch to an all-Christmas music format later today, to the (Holiday) punch by a few hours. Among the first songs played on WLIT: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow … indeed.
Tune in to WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" er, tonight at 7pm to catch representatives from Gapers Block, Chicagoist and the CTA Tattler discuss blogs and current events.
Fans of Chicago House music should be excited to see this trove of mix sets from WBMX in the '80s.
In celebration of Tuesday's release of Peter Sagal's The Book of Vice, Chicago Magazine has a profile of the author and public radio persona that includes an inside look at the production of "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me."
24/7 Chicago is a new TV show telling us about the "secrets of the city." No network yet, but sign up for their mailing list to hear it first.
Hey, if you're watching the finale of Bravo's "Top Chef" tonight, tune in to Drive-Thru too, where Shylo will be live-blogging with plenty of snarky commentary.
Did you catch Homer and Mr. Burns in Chicago? (Thanks, Dubi!)
The Tribune notes the passing of Kenneth Weisner, who owned Victory Auto Wreckers and came up with the much-remembered TV commercial where the car door falls off.
Chicago Public Radio's "Hello Beautiful" interviews lawyer, author and MacArthur Grant recipient Stuart Dybek on this weekend's show; last week they talked with Patrick Welch, founder of the "micromentalist" art movement (whom we profiled earlier this year).
Sad that Harry Carey wasn't around to watch another Cubs race to the playoffs, but you can still bring a little of him into your home. (Sad also that Stoney's not in the booth for this, but wait 'til next year, maybe.)
The fourth season of the Bravo TV show Project Runway, which premieres November 14, will have a Chicagoan among its competitors. Click here for Steven's biography. He works for the Museum of Science and Industry and is fearlessly wearing a lavender knit polo shirt in his bio picture. Make it work!
Chicago-based Inkling Markets, the creator of prediction market software, has started a partnership with Viacom to launch Bet The Emmys-- your chance to trade contracts on who will win each category. The Office is the current pick in Outstanding Comedy Series.
That's right: "American Gladiators" is returning to TV after an 11-year hiatus. And they're looking for both gladiators and contestants here in Chicago. Show up at the Windy City Fieldhouse Sept. 16 for your chance.
The upcoming season premiere of The Simpsons centers around Homer, trying to land a job that lets him travel in luxury jets. Along with guest stars Stephen Colbert (Homer's "life coach") and Lionel Richie, one of the cities they'll be visiting is Chicago (or, as Mr. Burns calls it, "The Miami of Canada").
With a whopping $2.3M budget, WTTW11's most expensive production to date showcases musician David Broza, performing atop an Israeli fortress at dawn. The show (which also features Jackson Browne and Shawn Colvin) airs tonight at 7:55PM in Chicago only (everyone else sees it in December).
An interesting look behind the scenes at The Wiener's Circle, courtesy of This American Life. Audio is most definitely NSFW, so throw on those headphones!
This American Life and the "avatar of contemporary quirk," Ira Glass, take center stage in Atlantic Monthly's recent critique of the quirky side of pop culture. [via]
This Saturday afternoon, open auditions for two reality shows that actually still hold my attention for more than three minutes will be held in the city. If you and a family member, coworker or friend are looking to lose weight, The Biggest Loser will be holding auditions at the NBC building (although if you can't make it, you can send in a tape by 9/4). If you are attractive and prone to rage, tears, or both, America's Next Top Model will be at the Crowne Plaza looking for their next contestants. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire will also be looking for fresh meat at Medieval Times this Friday.
Movie trailer watchers and late night WBEZ listeners familiar with Ken Nordine may want to check out his website Word Jazz, which includes a blog with unusual poems starting with "Maybe the moment" and a podcast of his late night stylings.
Vocalo.org, the new radio station from Chicago Public Radio, just launched on the web and the dial at 89.5 FM. Vocalo is "a gathering place, on-air, on the web, and in the community. It’s also a new broadcast format that celebrates the cultures and communities of the Chicago region." Here's an inside-baseball look at what WBEZ is looking to do.
Chicago the Lion invites you to visit the Muppet Wiki page for Illinois. That's right: the Muppet Wiki.
Last night's free taping of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" included a rare public appearance by U.S. Attorney extraordinaire Patrick Fitzgerald. He was pretty circumspect about his involvement in high-profile cases such as the Libby trial, but Fitzgerald did confirm rumors that he accidentally left a lasagna in the oven for several months.
Congratulations to Chicago Public Radio and This American Life; the television version of everybody's favorite radio program has received three Emmy nominations! Since they got nominated for Creative Arts Emmys, not Primetime Emmys, their big night will be Saturday, September 8. Mark your calendars...
This weekend, the Music Box is being invaded by that other form of moving pictures: TV. The first-ever Chicago TV Pilot Competition showcases comedy television pilots based on ideas from Chicagoans. It even comes with its own commercial, by FoGB Steve Delahoyde.
Human Weapon is a new History Channel series, featuring MMA fighter and Chicago native Jason Chambers. Along with cohost Bill Duff (a former pro football player/wrestler) the two travel the world to train and fight with masters from a myriad of disciplines like Muay Thai, Stick-fighting, and Savate street-fighting. Lots of videos and images on the site. Series premieres this Friday, July 20 at 10PM.
Seems that it's against the laws of television to have a reality TV show without a Chicago entrant, but VH1's Rock of Love is taking it to the max, where lots of natives are vying for the attention of Bret Michaels from 80s hair band, Poison. Meet Tiffany and Kelly of Chicago, Jes of Naperville, and Jessica of Elk Grove. Bonus: Erin, former Miss Hooters of Illinois.
After receiving over 1,000 submissions, the Public Radio Talent Quest, a nationwide search for a new voice in NPR programming, has been whittled down to ten lucky semi-finalists, three of whom are from Illinois! You have until Monday, July 2 to vote for who of this bunch will advance to the next stage of the five-part contest, so visit the website and listen to their promising submissions.
Technofiles rejoice, here's your chance to both contribute to something good and avoid waiting in line overnight. Chicago Public Radio is giving away a free 4GB iPhone every hour between 6am and 7pm tomorrow, Friday the 29th. Pledge any amount and you're automatically entered into the drawing all day.
Why does Chicago Public Radio need a satellite bureau a few miles from their home base? It's vital in part because Humboldt Park and Navy Pier can often seem like different planets. Last January reporter Chip Mitchell was set up in a mini office/studio at Division and Campbell, and the stories on his CPR bio page showcase the station's push toward community based reporting.
Fans of Chicago Public Radio's program Hello Beautiful! will no doubt be saddened by the news that host Edward Lifson has left the station. At least it's for a good reason: according to his blog, he was accepted as a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. And you thought he was just a radio host!
Radio Free Chicago alerts us to the fact that Hyde Park radio station WHPK has recently started Webcasting. Tune in to their audio stream for your daily dose of classical music, rock, folk, international, and public affairs programming.
Theatre, meet Radio: Chicago Public Radio's Sylvia Ewing has joined Steppenwolf as producer of "cultural intersections." The new position will oversee such projects as the CPR-Steppenwolf "Traffic" series of live performances recorded for radio, for which Ewing was one of the producers.
On Wednesday, Q101 became the first radio station to play the new White Stripes album. Two hours later, a very displeased Jack White called the station.
Chicago Public Radio's new station, Vocalo.org, is semi-live. DJs are streaming periodically on the site, and you can sign up to submit your audio clips.
The Mayor's Office of Special Events is looking for a few enthusiastic bike commuters to be rah-rah on camera during the NBC morning show. Show up at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning at NBC Plaza at Michigan and the River. Stick around for a couple hours or segments. Dress bikey and bring your bike, of course. RSVP to Anne Davis.
A big, diva-esque mea culpa for not reporting on the news that Jaslene Gonzalez from Chicago is "America's Next Top Model." Jaslene beat out a mail-order Russian bride from Texas who repeatedly made out with her husband via telephone. For the ultimate in catty commentary on this Chi-town gal's big win, you've gotta check out Television Without Pity's recaplet.
Chicago Public Radio documents a town with more than 50% of its residents in the United States, many of whom are in Chicago. With the help of a Hometown Club (founded by a Chicago immigrant), for every migrant dollar donated, local, state and federal governments donate a dollar each. In this way, dollars from the United States fund town projects and are hoped to curb out-migration.
On the This American Life Website they report the good news that Showtime has picked up the TV version of the radio program for a second season. Production on Season 2 starts at the end of summer, and episodes will show up late next year.
The Third Coast Audio Festival has teamed up with the Dollar Store for this year's Shortdocs series: create a two- to three-minute audio story about one of three items found at a dollar store and send it in by Aug. 30. (I'm working on one for that sweet mug.)
Last Thursday, the Max Weinberg's band on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" performed an "improvised" song about the coyote who wandered into the Loop Quizno's. [via]
Speaking of public radio (which we were, see below), we've got to give a shout out to Ira Glass and the crew at This American Life for their Peabody Award win. The lauded episode, "Habeas Schmabeas" explored life for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and what it meant for prisoners there to be denied the right of habeas corpus. You can download the episode on TAL's site or snag it off TiVo Podcasts.
Would you like to be snarked at by Nina Garcia and Michael Kors? Cool. Then you should totally try out for Bravo's Project Runway. Auditions will be held at the Westin Hotel next Tuesday.
Who knew that Vote For the Worst, the subversive element in the American Idol universe, has a Chicago connection?
Reading Rainbow is still at it, LeVar Burton is still the host, and they're having a contest...with prizes! WTTW is calling for storybook submissions for the Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. Kindergarteners through third graders have all the fun.
This American Life debuts a site redesign.
The first episode of everyone's fave public radio-based storytelling hour airs tomorrow night on Showtime. But if you don't have SHO, what are you gonna do? Write in and tell us if you know of any public viewing parties, 'kay?
Can you feel the excitement? The TV version of This American Life debuts Thursday night on Showtime. Can't wait? Check out some Chris Ware animation (Flash video player link) from the show.
Someone smart at the Tribune asked its arts and architecture critics what prompted them to reevaluate artists in their disciplines. Some second looks include the Trap Door Theatre, William McDonough and Walker Evans.
As if the Trump Tower wasn't bad enough by itself, now Chicagoans may soon have to deal with the possibility of seeing its namesake hanging out around town. The Sun-Times is reporting that The Donald and crew will probably be shooting the next season of The Apprentice here. This latest report has The Wind gearing up for its impending showdown with The Hair.
If you ever watched a televised sporting event and saw the camera linger over an attractive female attendee in the crowd, you have Chicago native Andy Sidaris to thank. He died at 76 in Los Angeles. Later in life he specialized in making action films with Playboy Playmates under the "Bullets, Bombs, and Babes" label. Take a look at his nsfw website, YouTube profile, and MySpace.
Chicago Public Radio debuted a clean new website design this evening.
If you're taking the Kennedy north from Downtown, make sure you look to your left near the Diversey exit. You'll see the one and only billboard in America for This American Life: The TV Show. This long-time public radio staple makes its debut for cable on March 22.
Repeat after me: "I'm the loneliest man in town." Sad, huh? Well, it could be your ticket to Tony-the-Tiger-esque fame as the newest incarnation of the Maytag Man. You may have missed your chance here in Chicago, but it's not too late to hop a plane to New York and give it a shot. You, yes you, could be the next Gordon Jump!
This American Life, the TV Show, debuts in a month (March 22, specifically) on Showtime. Check out the trailer here. (Still tickets available for the live performance at the Chicago Theatre March 1, btw.)
Friend of GB Greg writes, "Peter Sagal of Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me was a lively guest on the Penn Jillette radio show yesterday, talking about the foie gras ban, Jack & Jeri Ryan, his own show, and other things of Chicago interest. For those who missed it, it's now up on the podcast."
The Tribune is suing Fox News over the network's use of the name "Red Eye" for its late-night talk show — which is currently called "Gary Gutfield's Show" on Fox News' website, although the URL hasn't changed.
Remember the "City of the Future" competition? The entry from local architecture and design firm UrbanLab won! One summary video is posted, and another is to be posted shortly.
Remember the Bud Light Super Bowl ad in which the fist bump is replaced by the face slap as "the new thing?" NYC sketch comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U'Know cried foul, claiming a remarkable similarity between the commercial and a sketch of theirs titled, um, "The New Thing" that had been submitted to Bud.TV. Commenters at NYC comedy blog the Apiary figured out that Bud's ad agency, DDB Chicago, also runs Bud.TV; yesterday the Apiary's Chicago sister site the Bastion posted a purported statement from DDB denying any connection. View the videos side by side at Gawker and draw your own conclusion.
Further evidence that Todd Stroger's hirings/firings are making national news, ABC will broadcast World News Tonight with Charlie Gibson from Chicago next Monday and Tuesday. Actually, as Rosenthal writes in the Tribune, Evanston native Gibson is in town for other reasons. Oh yeah, and there's that Senator Whatsisname announcing his presidential bid this weekend.
This American Life embarks on a short cross-country live show tour in a few weeks, and they've included a stop at the Chicago Theatre in their schedule. The show will be their first Chicago show in 4 years, and will include a screening of behind-the-scenes footage from their upcoming TV show. Tickets go on sale tomorrow; full details on the event are in Slowdown.
The producers of the upcoming TV version of Chicago Public Radio's "This American Life" were at the Sundance Film Festival this past weekend, showing some clips of the program and talking about the TV adaptation of the radio series. (The Sundance Channel posted an interview with the producers on YouTube which includes some short clips.) A brief note posted at the TAL Website gives us a date for the debut of the series: Thursday, March 22. Mark your calendars!
The Mount Prospect Costco turned away disappointed fans and at least one camera crew after it stipulated that William "Refrigerator" Perry could only sign Costco-bought items. (Video has additional details.)
Who says the days of frenzied media consolidation are on the wane? Clear Channel was recently sold to a consortium that has also been poised to purchase TribCo. While the deals and the numbers have yet to be finalized, it appears that 2006 was a record year for radio ownership shifts in Chicago.
If you haven't yet seen the Leo Burnett-created Allstate ad with the car that plunges into the Chicago River from the Marina City parking deck, the companies have posted both the 30-second and 60-second versions and a behind-the-scenes video at YouTube. YouTube blocked at work? The videos and a "how'd they do that?" FAQ get their own mini-site at Allstate.com, too.
Feder reports that Jerry Springer "bodyguard" Steve Wilkos, a former Chicago cop, will be getting his own show on NBC later this year. It will be filmed in the NBC Tower studios, like Springer, and will feature Wilkos "offering advice and doling out his version of justice," i.e., headlocks.
If you come across a bottle of this stuff in the next few days, be a sport and add a photo to the GB flickr pool. [via]
The History Channel recently asked designers to submit concepts of their cities 100 years in the future. Teams from Chicago, New York and Los Angeles are now facing off for the grand prize. Check out and possibly vote for Chicago's entry from UrbanLab today.
Well, so much for that. Jason Pisarik made it 33 hours and 5 minutes in the ESPN Zone Couch Potato Contest, long enough to solidly beat the competition, but far short of the world record of 69 hours and 48 minutes.
Over at the ESPN Zone, four guys -- including defending champ Jason Pisarik of Lombard -- settled into black leather recliners and got ready for some serious vegging. Their mission is to sit and stare at a television for as long as they can, getting up only for 15 minute breaks every eight hours. If one can last until 8am Thursday, he'll set a new world record.
Trib TV critic Maureen Ryan names Shawn Ryan (no relation) "Chicagoan of the year in television" for his role on "The Shield." In the meantime, Keep Going's Geary Yonker would like Jim Belushi to quit playing The Face of Chicago on TV.
Evanston-based Pop Matters has a great story about the making of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
After much controversy, WBEZ released its 2007 schedule last month. It's important to note that music, the focus of most of the debate, was not eliminated. The Tribune provides an opinionated but informative summary.
If you were watching that killer Bears v. Rams game last night on ESPN's Monday Night Football. Your heart might have jumped a bit when Senator Barack Obama came on to address viewers. It was just a tease of course, which ended with the donning of a Bears cap and a big smile. Catch it [YouTube].
Chicagoist did some investigating into the Channel 5's LeeAnn Trotter departure from the station "Good Eats" segments and ethical concerns regarding her restaurant "reviews." [Correction/Update: Trotter's not leaving the station, and Chicagoist has a follow-up story up now.]
Just in time for the impending format overhaul at WBEZ, the National Endowment of the Arts has issued a harsh rebuke of National Public Radio. With their growing tendency to sideline music programming, a report by the agency charges, NPR stations are effectively shrugging off their cultural mission.
Oprah may do for pizza what she's done for so many novels, with a little help from Chicago Magazine food writers Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby: on yesterday's show, her friend Gayle King began a quest for the best pies in the country, based on Pollack and Ruby's book, Everybody Loves Pizza. (Read our review and interview with the authors here.)
Starting in January, local listeners will finally get to hear the Talk of the Nation as Chicago Public Radio adds the NPR call-in show to its daily line-up. Evenings will be spent encoring programs possibly missed during the day -- Eight Forty-Eight and Fresh Air, for example -- while late nights will be dedicated to news from around the globe: national radio from Australia, Poland, China and elsewhere, alongside the venerable World Service. See the new schedule here, and consider supporting the fall membership campaign while you're at it.
Local radio guys Mike Stephen and Andy Hermann (you may know them as "Broham" and "The Count" from The Nick Digilio Show on WGN) have teamed up to bring us Outside the Loop: Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine, a weekly podcast every Thursday highlighting local newsmakers, artists, musicians, and other folks doing great stuff in Chicago. And it's free -- wee!
Or as Crain's puts it, Holy cow! For the first time in recent memory, the Sox beat the Cubs in overall TV ratings on WGN, WCIU and Comcast Sports Net. The Cubs still sold more tickets than the Sox; of course that was mostly at the beginning of the season...
After some previous conflicts with people setting up their own podcasts of This American Life, the radio program has decided to start making shows freely downloadable for one week after they air. Visit the TAL site to subscribe to the program's official podcast; the free downloads start next Monday.
MTV's "My Block," a show that takes viewers through the neighborhoods where artists came from, not just their nouveau-riche cribs, takes a tour through Chicago today. Here's a video preview of the episode.
insideChicago can provide you with another fix. It currently produces two programs: STOP! Police, a weekly news of the weird podcast, and insideChicago, an offbeat arts and entertainment video podcast that is published twice a week.
My hero for the day is the person who posted this video excerpt of one of the strangest shows on CAN TV, "Beauty of Fashion with Malia".
Right now (at 9am) Mario Wallenda is attempting to cross the Chicago River on a high wire near the Merchandise Mart. A member of the famous Flying Wallendas circus troupe, Mario was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident in 1972, so he's crossing in a specially made motorized wheelchair. It's all a stunt for The Loop's Brandemeier show. UPDATE: Felix Jung has lots of photos and commentary from the behind the scenes.
Its post-Mancow marketing campaign suggested that Q101 was going to fix "what's wrong in Chicago." Never mind endless corruption, a Red Line that barely moves or other social ills; by their estimation, the biggest challenge we face as a city is that morning radio stinks. Like Katie Couric's recent CBS debut, today was to be the day that everything changed. Well, maybe. Color Metblogs unconvinced.
Spotted the taxi ads asking What's Wrong With Chicago? Turns out it's Q101 doing the asking, and their answer is there's no good morning radio show. That the radio station would present their replacement for Mancow as the answer to all the city's ills is mildly disheartening, especially when the audio clips provided, ostensibly as previews, are the same tired song parodies and flaming-Lance-Bass jokes found on every morning show in America. The show premieres Monday the 18th.
NPR's Present at the Creation provides unique insight to some Chicago-related icons. Our fair city pops up in some obvious place like Animal House, A Raisin in the Sun , and Nighthawks, but it's also there for Cracker Jacks!
It's Pledge Drive time again at Chicago Public Radio, and while no one likes having their Morning Edition interrupted, you've got to admire the good humor and energy of the staff. Ever wonder what that call center (and the donated, oft-referenced breakfast pastry) looks like? Check out the Pledge Blog.
Starting today, our Slowdown partner Eight Forty-Eight will begin airing "Writers' Block Party," a monthly "multimedia variety show." Hosted by author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, the radio- and web-based program will feature words, music, audio, video, art from various contributors. If the show were an animal, we understand it'd be a baby penguin, and who doesn't love a baby penguin? (Speaking of Chicago Public Radio, Wendy Turner is blogging the pledge drive. The station's fiscal year ends this week; help 'em out, yeah?)
I admit it: I'm a Svengoolie fan. But I haven't kept up with his show as his movies have strayed away from classic horror/sci-fi and gone more towards, say, Witchouse 2: Blood Coven. That's why I was pleased to see today's announcement, posted in the Video section of WCIU's revamped Website, that Sven will start showing some classic horror films this fall. Get ready to see the classic versions of Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman and The Bride of Frankenstein starting in October.
What's Chicago Public Radio's secret radio project? Can't tell you, but there's a nice big hint in this week's issue of Time Out.
As it plans to replace music with more news and documentary shows, WBEZ has been the subject of some controversy. Which may be why it's soliciting opinions of a very specific sort: if you could act as Chicago Public Radio programming director, what would you put on the weekday schedule? And when? Throw in your $.02 with the Build Your Own Program Guide.
Last fall, Shylo profiled "the ass that goes POW," otherwise known as local burlesque performer Michelle "Toots" L'Amour. After starting out with a cast of, well, lots, she's now a semi-finalist on NBC's America's Got Talent, vying to win some prize or the other. Check out last night's performance (although maybe not at work?), and vote to send her on to the finals here.
Remember when you donated items to independent community radio station WLUW in June? Well, those items are now for sale to raise money for the station. Some particularly interesting finds are an autographed Mekons guitar, a drawing by Archer Prewitt, and a Fugazi/Shellac/The Ex ticket printing plate.
Do you dream about sitting side-by-side with Edward Lifson or "identifying and researching mid-level and major donor prospects"? If so, become a Chicago Public Radio intern! WBEZ extended its fall deadline, but you don't have much time: applications are due on the 28th.
Two weeks after Mancow was unceremoniously dropped by Q101, he's resurfaced in a couple places. He's temporarily taping his syndicated radio show at WLS-AM studios, and in a somewhat bizarre twist, he's going to be appearing on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight," doing occasional commentaries alongside such high minds as John Callahan and Carol Marin.
One last Gay Games controversy before they go: hometown girl Jody Watley was here to perform at the event's opening ceremonies last week, and she stopped by R&B station V103. Before her on-air interview, Watley was told she couldn't mention the reason she was in Chicago, only that she was appearing at a Virgin Megastore to do a signing. Talk about the down-low. [via]
Did you listen to Mancow yesterday morning on Q101? Me neither. But what we missed was the shock jock's last broadcast on the station. "Best of" shows started running today, and James VanOsdol fills in with "on shuffle" alt rock starting Monday. "I wish my old station luck, but no looking back. I have huge plans and huge ideas," Mancow said -- the first of which is finding a new studio to broadcast from.
In 2002, BBC Radio 4's Thinking Allowed visited Chicago to do a five-part series about the city in the spirit of early Chicago School sociologists. With interviews from prominent Chicago academics, musicians, and public thinkers, the programs are surprisingly fresh four years later.
Missed local burlesque legend Michelle "Toots" L'amour's appearence on "America's Got Talent" last week? YouTube's got you covered. Warning: excessive and gratuitous leering by David Hasselhoff.
It appears that This American Life has switched to a slightly more open format to publish their older episodes, streaming mp3. This allowed some people to link to the site and create an unofficial podcast of the show. WBEZ didn't dig this. While they won points for being polite and nicely asking for the offending bits to be taken down, more than one TAL fan (one, two) was asked to stop linking to the feeds. We're happy with the new format, but still want it on our iPods. Shouldn't subscribers be able to do that without paying $4 an episode?
Another place to catch Radiohead is on Sound Opinions on Chicago Public Radio this weekend. They scored an interview with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood this week, complete with some songs played on the studio piano. Catch it at 7pm Saturday or online later.
You like independent music. You like independent radio. But maybe you're a little broke and wish you had money to support something like WLUW but you don't. But you do have a great t-shirt signed by The Pogues that you don't want anymore. Or maybe you make bags suitable for carrying your records home from the record store in. If you've got something of value that you're willing to donate to WLUW so they can auction it off on eBay to raise money during the first week of July, send a description of the item as well as the expected value to Nicole Burnham.
According to the New York Times, Chicago Public Radio's Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me podcast is "among the Top 20 most popular downloads ranked by iTunes."
Chicago Public Radio's website now features "Chicago Amplified," a service that provides audio material from a variety of partner organizations, like the Illinois Humanities Council, the Field Museum and the Community Media Council. Stream or download usual suspects like Studs Terkel and Ira Glass, as well as more esoteric fare like authors on Auschwitz or the Underground Railroad. (Also new on the site, GB's Slowdown keeps Eight Forty-Eight listeners busy.)
Last August, StoryCorps visited Chicago, and Dave and I stopped by to chat with a few of the first local participants. Today, a year after the project sent Airstream trailers on the road, founder Dave Isay appeared on NPR's Talk of the Nation, discussing the program and noting its roots in Chicago-based radio documentary "Ghetto Life 101."
Think you've got what it takes to be a superstar chef? Prove it on Monday, May 22, when Bravo's "Top Chef" reality TV show brings its casting call to the Rock Bottom Brewery at State and Grand. Show up with your resume and be prepared to whip up something tasty.
The Third Coast International Audio Festival has announced its 2006 ShortDocs Radio Experiment: "99 Ways to Tell a Radio Story." Short (two and a half minutes is the limit) audio documentaries are due by September 8, and the gimmick is that all submissions must start with the same sentence, incorporate a rhythmic noise, and include an exclamation. The idea for this comes from France. Hmmm. Aspiring radio documentarians can find out more here.
NPR's All Things Considered yesterday included an interview with John Malkovich, in which he discussed simultaneously acting in and producing Art School Confidential, being perceived as a movie villain and more. But most interesting was his description of jobs he had before he became a famous actor, including bus driver for a North Shore day school and "head cabbage cutter" at a fast food restaurant in Northbrook Court. (Speaking of Art School Confidential, our own Steve at the Movies, aka Capone, interviewed director Terry Zwigoff for Ain't It Cool News.)
In advance of this week's tapings at the Chicago Theater Tuesday-Friday, there's lots of coverage of Conan O'Brien's local connections. The Sun-Times runs down "Late Night's" Chicago chops for us, while the Trib reminisces about the short-lived comedy review Conan starred in at Victory Gardens back in 1988 (here's their review from back then.) And Maureen Ryan has a lengthy interview.
"It's only something that is inside my blood. Outside, I'll be the boss." Thembi Ngubane is a 19-year old South African with AIDS. You may have heard her moving AIDS Diary on NPR's All Things Considered last month. As part of her 5-city US tour, you can see her tonight at HotHouse. Details in Slowdown.
Wow, Fox News Chicago is going through some changes. Channel 32 didn't renew the contracts of veteran anchor Walter Jacobson or weatherwoman Michelle Leigh. Walter doesn't mind the break (mp3), but Michelle is less happy. And fans have set up a petition to hopefully save her job. (Thanks, Stephe!)
If you missed tonight's special broadcast of the first episode of Chic-A-Go-Go, catch (or TiVo) it tomorrow at 3:30pm. The show is looking back as it looks forward; this is the start of its 10th season, during which it will present a Chic-A-Go-Go Heritage Award each week "to an artist or group that has made our city such a cultural goldmine." Check out the first few winners online, illustrated by Derek Erdman.
If you're lucky enough to get tickets to the Chicago taping of the Late Night with Conan O'Brien show on May 12, you'll hopefully be in for a political treat. Barack Obama has just been added to the show's guest list (still subject to change). The week's other guests include local rap star Common, local band Wilco and Chicago movie star John C. Reilly. Join the thousands already vying for tickets at the show's Chicago info. page.
Public radio program Worldview is recruiting a commentator for its 2006 World Cup coverage. Is it in you? Read the application details at the show's website, and let the footy begin.
A Chicago police officer is a finalist in an "all star first responder" contest on "America's Most Wanted." Alphonsus O'Connor saved a railroad police officer's life after a man pulled a gun and started shooting. Help him win the award (and $10,000 prize) by voting before May 8.
New York Magazine on This American Life's arrival in the Big Apple. Gapers Block on its departure from the Windy City.
In the wake of the Tribune's article over the weekend and other expressions of exasperation, Daniel Ash, a vice president at Chicago Public Radio, reached out to explain his organization's plans for the future. Read him interviewed at Chicagoist. [One listener who's not disappointed: Trib blogger Steve Johnson.]
Just got the weekly email update from This American Life, which includes the very interesting fact that they've gotten rid of the site's RealAudio archive streams in favor of streaming MP3 format. So if you've been having problems with playing RealAudio, check out the new streaming MP3 goodness!
Chicago Public Radio recently announced plans to move all of its frequencies toward "conversation;" as the Tribune reports, that's got jazz fans singing the blues. Have your say in CPR's listener forum.
The Webby Awards nominations are out, and there are a couple local contenders: Congratulations to AccuRadio (Radio), Freakonomics (Best Copy/Writing),
