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PODCAST

The Ben Joravsky Show

Chicago journalist Ben Joravsky starts each show by riffing on the news of the day with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty. Then he talks politics with activists, elected officials, journalists and all sorts of political know-it-alls. We talk Chicago, Illinois, national (lots of national), international and lefty politics. Find The Ben Joravsky Show wherever you download podcasts.

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All Episodes

00:49:06

State Rep Kam Buckner--Not One Day

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/06/09

Michael Madigan approaches his sentencing date for”corruption”. Ben riffs. Kam Buckner joins the conversation, talking Madigan sentencing, Bears stadium (lots on that), RTA funding, and advice for Gov Pritzker. Also, who he supports in the senate race and a Juliana Stratton trivia contest. Kam is a state rep from Chicago and former offensive lineman for the University of Illinois. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

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00:57:54

David Faris--Bye, Bye Musk

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/06/06

Musk exits stage MAGA. Ben riffs. David Faris sums up the legacy of Musk. Which smells like it sounds. Also, The Big And Beautiful Bill Act. Don’t need bill if you have act. But don’t tell Trump. And a dissertation on the low-information voter as opposed to the bad-information voter. And the problem with Dems falling in line. David is political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for Slate. His views are his own.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and

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00:52:57

Monroe Anderson--Pardon Me

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/06/05

Another day, another Trump pardon. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson takes a Trump pardon trivia quiz. Sample question...which pardoned felon was the sheriff who took $75,000 from business men for badges? As opposed to the married couple who defrauded banks into giving them $36 million in personal loans. And so on. The Sun-times says Mayor Johnson "fans flames of political war vs. Trump." Has the Bright One gone MAGA? Monroe deconstructs the headline. And makes a prediction about the next big

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01:05:48

Gregory Pratt--The Radicalization of Lori Lightfoot

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/06/04

Former Mayor Lightfoot takes to the Hideout stage and finds her inner Bernie Sanders. Every ex-mayor has one. Okay, not Rahm. Or Daley. But still. Ben riffs. Gregory Pratt annotates Lightfoot's comments on such subjects as Gavin Newsom, Mayor Rahm, Lincoln Yards, the 2020 summer of disorder and the best way to deal with Trump. Also what did the mayor say to Greg when they ran into each other on the street. Greg is a reporter for the Tribune and the author of the City Is Up For Grabs, a book

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01:04:16

Mick Dumke--Revenge of the Nerds

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/06/02

The Trump bunch at Homeland Security and ICE withhold arrest records from the "Dr. Phil" raids in Chicago. Ben riffs. And Mick Dumke explains what he's doing about it. In this case--tag teaming with Matt Topic, FOIA lawyer extraordinaire, to file a federal suit in an attempt to force the feds to turn over public records. Everything you need to know about ICE, Homeland Security, FOIA law and Dr. Phil. Okay, not him. But all the other stuff. Also, a few words about Bruce Springsteen's stand

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00:56:33

Oh, What a Week!--The Bright One Fans the Flames

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/30

Ben and Dr D dissect all the news that's worth dissecting. Including...Round II of Trump v Mayor Johnson. In which the Sun-Times sides with Trump. Man, liberals aren't what they used to be. Also, Mayor Rahm throws Joe Biden under a bus, even though Joe saved what's left of Rahm's career. Just call him Rahm the Ungrateful. Bears learn about TIFs. Hoping Arlington Heights funds their stadium. In election-related news, Raja plays humble. Casten endorses Biss. Kat gets threats. And JB sorta

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00:49:17

Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette—Ignorance Is Bliss

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/29

A New York Times poll shows that the less voters know about Trump, the more they like him. Ben riffs. Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette talks waste and fraud. He’s spent his working life in pursuit of bi-partisan solutions to waste and fraud and what has he received for his efforts as of late? His recommendations get ignored by the Trump administration and he’s been vilified and maligned by Musk’s cultists, of the human and robot variety. Dylan is vice president of Policy and Government Affairs for

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00:57:33

Jeff Jenkins--Canine Kindness

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/28

Somehow MAGA Chicago took an already horrific hate murder of two Jewish people and made it worse. Ben riffs. Jeff Jenkins talks about federal budget cuts that have threatened the Midnight Circus, which he stages in parks throughout Chicago. Why would Trump cut funding for a circus that brings laughter, joy and kindness to people? It's part of his mindless cuts to The National Endowment for the Arts. Also, Jeff talks about Canines for Kindness, his dog-rescue program. He brings rescued and

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01:09:18

Charles Henderson--Memorial Day Message

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/26

Trump plans a big ol' parade. Ben riffs. Charles Henderson returns to talk the state of America on Memorial Day. Including...Trump's newfound "pacifism". Why Kamala Harris lost. Would Biden have done any better? Royko's Boss. The GI Bill then and now. Congressman John Rankin's not-so-pretty legacy. And Ben's Rhode Island past. Charles is an Army Desert Storm vet and an activist in Chicago.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

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01:08:33

Oh, What a Week!--Donnie vs Brandon

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/23

Ben and Dr D tell you everything you need to know about the week's worth of news. Including...Dolton wants to buy the Pope's house. Call it eminent domain, people. Jake Tapper promotes his book. Is he a salesman or a newsman? Property taxes going up. Trump trolls Mayor Johnson and the mayor trolls Trump. Ben wants too know--why won't MAGA show love for Brandon for bringing NASCAR to Chicago? Also, senate and congressional campaign updates. Is Dan Biss really an Evanstonian just cause he's

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00:55:58

Monroe Anderson--Original Sin

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/22

Harvard proposes to replace one kind of diversity with another—anything to talk Trump into stop taking away their federal funding. Ben riffs. Monroe explains what Trump really means by diversity. Also, a few words about Original Sin, the new book about a Joe Biden's dementia. How can you cover up something that everyone sees? And why do reporters--like the authors of this book--let sources, who have nothing of significance to lose by being quoted, hide behind anonymous quotes? .See Privacy

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01:01:06

Alden Loury--Boom City

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/21

Chicago's population went up. Ben riffs. Alden Loury clarifies and explains the demographics. He goes on to annotate and explicate his Sun-Times column about his experience as a homeowner in Auburn Gresham on the South Side. His conclusion? "The tried-and-true beliefs we hold about American capitalism just don't apply quite the same for Black Americans." Alden is a columnist for the Sun-Times and an editor for WBEZ. His views are his own. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and

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01:00:05

Adolfo Mondragón--The Gift Hangar

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/19

Qatar gives Donnie a $400M luxury jet. Ben riffs. Adolfo Mondragon returns! The professor is in the studio--law professor, that is. Take out your pens and notebooks and take notes as the lawyer who took constitutional law from President Obama talks habeas corpus, the emolument clause and ordo amoris. Also, a few words about JD Vance, the pope's MAGA brother and Babe Ruth. Adolfo is a lawyer in Chicago.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

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01:05:55

Oh, What a Week!—The Big Schakowski

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/16

Ben and Dr. D consumed all the news so you don’t have to! You’re welcome. Let’s start with…the new parking meter deal, same as the old parking meter deal. Ben’s advice to city hall reporters—call Mick! Mayor Lightfoot returns. Scrapheap Rahm dumps on Biden. The senate race update. Robert Peters wins over Bernie. And it’s Wilmette versus Evanston in the race to replace Congresswoman Jan, aka The Big Schakowski. Apologies Coen Brothers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and

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01:02:08

Miles Kampf-Lassin--Clock Out

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/15

The city forces whoever runs Trump Towers to open its sidewalks to the public. Ben riffs. Miles Kampf-Lassin talks May Day protests and tariff madness--turns out there is no logic to MAGA's trade policy. And the great trade-off capitalism offers American workers: Lower wages for lower prices. Thanks to Trump there will be lower wages and higher prices. An ode to a four-day work week. Miles is a writer and editor for In These Times.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and

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01:00:44

Delmarie Cobb—In Memory of Mike

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/14

Mike Miner, one of Chicago’s great journalists, died this month. Ben pays tribute. Delmarie Cobb explains how the media really works in this town. It isn’t always pretty. The blasphemy of Trump. Stephen A Smith asks Trump a question about Harvard. And Trump responds by talking about riots in Harlem. What? In this case, Trump knew what he was doing. Delmarie is a political strategist and media consultant.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

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00:55:14

David Faris--Not MAGA Enough

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/12

Apparently, Trump’s nominee for surgeon general is not nutty enough for MAGA. Ben riffs. David Faris explains MAGA’s strange double standard on vaccines. They hate Covid shots but are ok with flu shots. If MAGA hates mandates, why are they so passive about the Real ID? Is there any logic to anything MAGA does? A mea culpa about lefty illogic. Speaking of nutty illogic, Trump’s recent pronouncement on tariffs. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for

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01:08:04

Oh, What a Week!—Da Dolton Pope

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/09

Ben and Dr D get biblical. Well, they talk about the new pope. Or more specifically—is he from Chicago or Dolton or Holland, Michigan? Also, since when did Chicagoans get so religious? Fran Spielman asks Mayor Johnson the tough question: Did you lose weight by dieting or taking diet pills? And the Real ID. Is it real or fake? Finally, the update on the senate race. Who’s in? Who’s sitting on the fence? And what activities did Dick Durbin do in high school?See Privacy Policy at

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01:04:12

Rummana Hussain--Donnie The Pope

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/08

MAGA says Trump should be pope. Ben riffs. Rummana Hussain talks about the new hate. Out in the open. Even in Glenview. Maybe it’s not so new after all. Also a guide to the north shore, including Evanston, Lincolnwood and Northbrook. Why do suburbanites feel entitled to access libraries, parks and beaches in Chicago, while keeping Chicagoans out of their towns? Rummana is a columnist for the Sun-Times. Her views are her own.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California

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00:46:22

Sylvia Ewing--It Starts With You

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/05/07

Trump calls Bezos to say--Jeff, old buddy old pal, don't mention the tariffs, if you know what's good for you. Ben riffs. Is a tax a tax if we don't think we're paying it? Sylvia Ewing talks strategies to follow to keep from losing your mind while saving the country. A few words about our the country's way of cutting off its nose to spite its face. A question for older Dems--how can we miss you, if you don't go away? Sylvia is Vice President of Journalism and Media Engagement at Public

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2,377 results

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