Episodes
A Tour De Farce The History of The Three Stooges on tour
April 25, 2024 01:08Author of the book, The Complete History of the Three Stooges on the Road, as well as the owner of the Stoogeum, Gary Lassin joins your host John Landecker on the program to breakdown his book about the Three Stooges. Listen below as John and Gary get into the history of the comedy legends.
The John Landecker Food Fight: Doritos vs. Cheetos
April 23, 2024 02:49Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. Listen below as your host, John Landecker, takes the side of Cheetos. And segment cohost Dan Levy takes Doritos. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
The John Landecker Food Fight: Portillo’s vs. Buona
April 18, 2024 13:34Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. This time, it’s personal. Two Chicago beef spots enter, one comes out the champion. Listen below as your host, John Landecker, takes the side of Portillos. And segment cohost Dan Levy takes Buona. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and […]
Rebecca Fyffe welcomes cicadas to the city
April 18, 2024 13:27Director of Research at Landmark Pest Management Rebecca Fyffe joins your host, John Landecker, to give us the rundown on what to expect with this summer’s emergence of cicadas. Rebecca shows off her Cicada Paradea painted sculpture and read some children’s books about none other than cicadas. Listen below as John and Rebecca break down […]
Rebecca Fyffe Welcomes Cicadas to the City
April 18, 2024 13:27Director of Research at Landmark Pest Management Rebecca Fyffe joins your host, John Landecker, on the show to give us the rundown on what to expect with this summer’s emergence of Cicadas. Rebecca shows off her Cicada Paradea painted sculpture and read some children’s books about none other than Cicadas. Listen below as John and […]
Debts rise among consumers with an unhealthy mentality
April 17, 2024 22:54Your host, the legendary John Landecker, is joined by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, an Emmy-award-winning broadcaster and one of America’s top consumer experts. He’s been protecting us for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, NBC News, and The TODAY Show, among others. He is currently a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization […]
Rod Pyle sheds some light on Voyager 1
April 17, 2024 22:47Editor in chief of Ad Astra magazine Rod Pyle joins your host John Landecker on the show to talk about his time on the Galapagos Islands, some news about Voyager 1 and it’s strange communication issues, also some recent news that developed about a “nearby” black hole that is lurking in our Milky Way.
Steve Dale: Most dog bites are preventable
April 12, 2024 14:21John Landecker is joined by Chicago’s Very Own pet advocate and WGN host Steve Dale to help educate us about dog bites. Dog Bite Prevention Week is upon us and Steve shares his expertise on how to properly prevent a dog from biting you. He tells us about some of the signs and how to […]
Northwestern Students are revolutionizing the way students travel to college campuses
April 12, 2024 01:48Grayson Donnelly and John Hileman, Northwestern Students with The Garage at Northwestern University, join John Landecker to talk about their startup, SPLIT, which isrevolutionizing the way students travel to and from college campuses. Listen in whilethe guys share details on how they are set to compete in a ‘Shark Tank’-stylecompetition in Minneapolis, with a shot […]
‘Hundreds of Beavers’ screening in Chicago
April 11, 2024 21:28John Landecker is joined by Mike Cheslik, director and co-writer of a new silent film called ‘Hundreds of Beavers,’ reminiscent of the Buster Keaton era. Listen below to hear Mike and John discuss this unique film, how it was made, and where they plan to go next. You can find more information about the film […]
The John Landecker Food Fight: Coffee vs. tea
April 10, 2024 02:06Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of coffee. And segment cohost Dan Levy takes tea. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
Best bets for the Final Four
April 04, 2024 02:55WGN Radio’s John Landecker welcomes New England Sports Network Betting Analyst Sam Panayotovich to discuss the top trending sports topics of the week. John and Sam talk about Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, the Chicago Bears, the men and women’s March Madness Tournaments, the best betting odds for this weekend’s Final Four, and more.
Blockbuster Blake Stubbs in defense of physical media
April 04, 2024 02:53WGN radio host John Landecker welcomes Blake Stubbs, the John Landecker movie expert. Blake talks with John about the popularity of movies on streaming services compared to physical copies. Blake discusses the difficult accessibility of physical copies for movies in today’s world. Blake and John also talk about whether post-censorship is helping or hurting the […]
Kansas’ Ronnie Platt talks extension of 50th-anniversary tour
April 04, 2024 02:50WGN Radio’s John Landecker welcomes the lead singer of the band Kansas, Ronnie Platt. Joining Ronnie Platt is Antenna TV‘s Creative Director Corey Scarborough and Antenna TV’s Executive Producer Todd Muench to talk about Kansas. Platt is a Chicago native who was the former lead singer of the band Shooting Star as well as the […]
John Landecker Food Fight: Popeyes vs. KFC
April 02, 2024 02:22Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of KFC. And segment cohost Dan Levy takes Popeyes. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
Halfway to Halloween Film Festival
March 28, 2024 02:45WGN Radio’s John Landecker is joined by Ryan Turek, Vice President of Feature Film Development at Blumhouse. Ryan produced movies such as Black Phone, Halloween, Insidious: The Red Door, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and more. Ryan talks about AMC’s Halfway to Halloween event which will take place at over 100 AMC theaters in 40 cities […]
A Night at Mister Kelly’s Exhibition
March 28, 2024 01:44WGN Radio’s John Landecker welcomes on Executive Producer David Marienthal and Exhibit Curator Alison Hinderliter to highlight A Night at Mister Kelly’s Exhibition at the Newberry Library in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Mister Kelly’s featured top-notch jazz and standup comedy personalities, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, and more. Check out the exhibition […]
Chicago Tomato Man’s three new strains and annual plant sale
March 28, 2024 01:28Bob Zeni, the Chicago Tomato Man, joins WGN’s John Landecker to discuss his annual plant sale and the new tomato plants that are a must-need for customers this spring. Bob explains how listeners can order their tomatoes and what conditions they grow best. Visit Bob’s website to learn more.
The John Landecker Bar Fight: Road House
March 27, 2024 09:05Prepare for the first-ever Bar Fight; this is a new topic for the debaters as they tackle another great debate. Okay it might not be the fight of the century but it’s a very entertaining listen. They recently remade Road House, the Patrick Swayze classic. John and Dan watched both and gave their opinions on […]
John Landecker Food Fight: Gyro vs Philly Cheesesteak
March 27, 2024 09:00Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of the guy roh? the gee row? no? Gyro! And segment cohost Dan Levy takes the Philly-based Philly cheesesteak. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
007 science: Inventing the world of James Bond
March 19, 2024 14:28Kathleen McCarthy, Director of Collections and Head Curator at the Museum ofScience and Industry, joins host John Landecker to discuss the new and exciting exhibit all about inventing the world of James Bond. Listen to hear about some of the iconic gadgets, tech, and storylines and how they came to be real both on and […]
John Landecker Food Fight: Hummus vs. Salsa
March 19, 2024 14:17Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of the chick pea-based spread Hummus and segment cohost Dan Levy takes the ever-popular salsa. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
Steve Dale and Dr. Lori Teller talk about virtual visits for your pets
March 15, 2024 03:06Renown host and friend to our pets Steve Dale and the excellent Dr. Lori Teller join your host John Landecker to talk about the importance virtual visits and why you should only see your vet virtually. Steve and Dr. Teller are on for a full hour to talk about a variety of topics to help […]
Recalls on products and big banks try to block Biden junk fee limit with Herb Weisbaum
March 15, 2024 02:16Your host, the legendary John Landecker, is joined by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, an Emmy-award-winning broadcaster and one of America’s top consumer experts. He’s been protecting us for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, NBC News, and The TODAY Show, among others. He is currently a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization […]
Antenna TV Nostalgia Stories March episodes
March 14, 2024 01:26Corey Scarborough and producer Todd Muench join John Landecker in the studio to talk about the Antenna TV Nostalgia Stories Podcast, which features interviews from stars like Tim Kazurinsky, Mike Love, Nancy Allen, Don Barnes, and more! Listen to Todd and Corey talk about the process of getting these interviews and how much they mean […]
John Landecker Food Fight: Egg salad vs. tuna salad
March 12, 2024 02:09Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of tuna salad and segment cohost Dan Levy takes egg salad. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
National Consumer Protection Week with Herb Weisbaum
March 08, 2024 02:23Your host, the legendary John Landecker, is joined by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, an Emmy-award-winning broadcaster and one of America’s top consumer experts. He’s been protecting us for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, NBC News, and The TODAY Show, among others. He is currently a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization […]
John Landecker Food Fight: Starbucks vs. Dunkin’
March 07, 2024 03:22Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. This time it involves the two big coffee chains, Dunkin’ and Starbucks! Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of Starbucks and segment cohost Dan Levy takes Dunkin’. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
Lisa Hilton headlines Chicago Lighthouse Jazz Benefit
February 27, 2024 15:34WGN host John Landecker is joined by acclaimed award-winning pianist Lisa Hilton to discuss the Jazz Night Benefit on March 12 at Winter’s Jazz Club. Hilton and her quartet will perform at the event, with proceeds benefiting the life changing programs offered by The Chicago Lighthouse. This years performance marks Hilton’s ten year anniversary performing […]
The John Landecker Food Fight: Whopper v. Big Mac
February 27, 2024 02:48Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. This time it involves the Whopper versus the Big Mac! Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of McDonald’s Big Mac and segment cohost Dan Levy takes Burger King’s Whopper. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and […]
‘Heads Up’ Miracle on Ice Bobbleheads available now
February 23, 2024 14:52Phil Sklar, Co-Founder and CEO National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, joins your host John Landecker to talk about the new bobbleheads that the museum released in honor of one of the greatest sporting events in American history. Listen below as John and Phil go over the truly unique and clever way of commemorating […]
Shop around for car insurance with Herb Weisbaum
February 21, 2024 02:57Your host, the legendary John Landecker, is joined by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, an Emmy-award-winning broadcaster and one of America’s top consumer experts. He’s been protecting us for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, NBC News, and The TODAY Show, among others. He is currently a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization […]
The John Landecker Food Fight: Cinnabon vs. Auntie Anne’s
February 21, 2024 02:40Food Fight is back, and this week we tackle another great food debate. This time it involves Cinnabon vs. Auntie Anne’s! Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels and segment cohost Dan Levy takes the big glazed Cinnabon. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and […]
Andy Masur breaks down the Big Game
February 13, 2024 03:42WGN Sports reporter Andy Masur joins John Landecker to talk about the key moments and storylines of the game.
The John Landecker Food Fight: Buffalo Wings vs. Mozzarella Sticks
February 13, 2024 03:04Food Fight is back and this week we tackle another great food debate. This time it involves Buffalo Wings vs. Mozzarella Sticks! Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of Buffalo Wings and segment cohost Dan Levy takes Mozzarella Sticks. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
Car scams are out there: Here’s what to look for!
February 09, 2024 02:38Your host, the legendary John Landecker, is joined by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, an Emmy-award-winning broadcaster and one of America’s top consumer experts. He’s been protecting us for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, NBC News, and The TODAY Show, among others. He is currently a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization […]
Coyote mating season is upon us
February 09, 2024 02:06Steve Dale, WGN Radio host and animal expert, joins John Landecker on the show to give us the top dog names of the year. Later on, we hear from Steve about coyote mating season and what we can expect. Did you know that of all cities in the United States, Chicago has the largest wild […]
Cicadas are back in hordes this year
February 07, 2024 03:05Director of Research at Landmark Pest Management Rebecca Fyffe joins host John Landecker on the program to explain the cicadas extremely rare emergence as we have two different broods coming out at once. The last time this happened, Thomas Jefferson was president.
Maple: Pig in the Windy City
February 07, 2024 02:18No there isn’t a new Babe movie hitting theaters this summer. However, thanks to the efforts of Chicagoland Pig Rescue, there are foster pigs that need help in their health journey. Listen below as your host John Landecker speaks with one of the volunteers, Kendra Savage, who is currently fostering an adorable pig named Maple. […]
The John Landecker Food Fight: Mimosa vs. Bloody Mary
February 06, 2024 17:24Food Fight is back and this week we tackle another great food debate. This time it involves morning drinks; Mimosa vs. Bloody Mary! Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of the Mimosa and segment cohost Dan Levy takes the Bloody Mary. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
What makes an effective Super Bowl ad?
February 02, 2024 04:26For 20 years, a Northwestern professor and his students judge ads on their effectiveness.
Anthony Mongiello and his ‘stolen dough’
February 02, 2024 04:18Anthony Mongiello, A.K.A “The Big Cheese,” joins John Landecker to discuss the incredible story about how his patent for Stuffed Crust Pizza was allegedly stolen by Pizza Hut. His story is highlighted in the movie Stolen Dough which is available on Amazon Prime.
Rod Pyle: The Ingenuity’s final flight, and ‘Let’s Go To the Moon, Part Two’
January 31, 2024 01:40Rod Pyle, Editor in Chief of Ad Astra Magazine and host of ‘This Week in Space‘ Podcast, joins host John Landecker to talk about the final flight of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter. The little chopper started as a ‘what if’ project and became so much more. After the break, we hear all about the second race to […]
The John Landecker Food Fight: Donuts vs. Brownies
January 30, 2024 03:03Food Fight is back and this week we tackle another great food debate: Donuts vs. Brownies! Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of the brownies and segment cohost Dan Levy takes the delicious dunkable donut. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won
Your Hometown Waukegan: Drip and Culture’s Adam Carson
January 26, 2024 01:29John Landecker is joined today by Adam Carson, the founder of Drip and Culture, a socially-minded coffee company that was founded recently but holds a strong presence in the Waukegan community. Adam and his wife run the coffee shop, the supermarcado it resides in, and the art studio upstairs, not only to service the community’s […]
The Rumore Report: Polka Roots in Chicago
January 25, 2024 23:56Your Host John Landecker is joined by Chicago Tribune reporter and friend of the show Kori Rumore to discuss her latest Vintage Chicago Tribune article on Polka Royalty in Chicago!
What to expect for tax season, the end of overdraft fees, and digital subscriptions
January 24, 2024 03:52Your host, the legendary John Landecker, is joined by Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, an Emmy-award-winning broadcaster and one of America’s top consumer experts. He’s been protecting us for more than 40 years, having covered the consumer beat for CBS News, NBC News, and The TODAY Show, among others. He is currently a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization […]
Blockbuster Blake on Oscar Nominations
January 24, 2024 02:41The start of the year means looking back at the last year of film because it’s time for Oscar nominations. John Landecker is joined by our good friend Blockbuster Blake Stubbs to talk about some of the well-deserved nominations and some of the absurd snubs John and Blake thought deserved more.
The John Landecker Food Fight: Thin Crust vs. Deep Dish
January 24, 2024 02:07Food Fight is back and this week we tackle another great food debate: Thin Crust vs. Deep Dish. Listen below as your host John Landecker takes the side of the classic thin crust and segment cohost Dan Levy takes the Chicago classic Deep Dish. Check out Dan’s podcast Barguments! Listen below to hear the debate and who won!
Discover Green Bay
January 05, 2024 18:48Though our cities have a bitter football rivalry, does that mean we can’t explore all that Green Bay has to offer? No! Join Dane Neal as he fills in for John Landecker this evening and welcomes Nick Meisner, Vice President of Digital Marketing and Communications for Discover Green Bay, on to the show to tell […]