Oh, Malort!

Alyssa tells John the history of swimming the Chicago River.  Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: Chicago Magazine: EPA Wants the Chicago River Clean Enough to Swim In WTTW: Chicago River Cleanup NBC5: EPA Orders Chicago, Calumet Rivers Cleaned 2011 EPA Order CBS: Feds: Make Chicago River C...

We talk about an underground abortion community.   Show Notes: The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service HBO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Given the Obama Presidential Center is now open  I thought it would be fun to revisit the history.  Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram SHOW NOTES: Politico: ‘It’s Been Hard Opposing Barack Obama’ WTTW: Are Appeals Court Judges Kicking the Can on Obama Center Lawsuit? WTTW: South Side Coalition Tells Obama Center Obstructionists: Eno...

In this episode I tell Jeff Tischauser from Southern Poverty Law Center about the time the Chicago Tribune created a LGBTQA Moral Panic in the 1970's and how it is alive and well in 2024.  Senate HearingNYT: Chicago Jury to Probe Pornography and Prostitution Involving BoysChicago Sun-Times: A Gay Rates PoliceChicago Sun-Times: Council Panel Announces Porno-Zones OrdinanceChicago Sun-Times: Burke G...

In this episode Alyssa is joined by David Baxter to discuss the history of Pride in Chicago.   Show Notes: Chicago Magazine: A Brief History of Chicago’s Pride Parade WTTW: How Chicago’s Pride Parade Grew from a Small March to a Big Event Out & Proud in Chicago Windy City Times: From a March to a Parade: Chicago's Pride History NPR: Gloria Gaynor: 'I Will Survive' Is 'The Core Of My Purpose' Pink...

Morgan and I discuss the Mirage Tavane.  Show notes: Time: Barroom Sting Chicago Sun-Times : Part 1 Chicago Sun-Times: 40 years later, reporters remember how they bought a bar to expose corruption The Newspaper that bought a Bar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Memorial Day which marks the beginning of boating season.  So we decided to revisit this infamous event.  Show Notes: Chicago Tribune: Band’s driver denies drenching boat Chicago Sun-Times: Tour boat hit with raw sewage // 2 large buses on bridge blamed for discharge that sent 5 to hospital Chicago Sun-Times: Complaint links rock band to dumped sewage // Dave Matthews Band denies involvement...

Alyssa tells John about voter fraud in the 1972 Chicago Primary. Which you never heard about because it didn't matter but it does involve a Pulitzer.  Also, Alyssa got a cat and sprained her wrist this week so the show notes are only the articles referenced in the episode.  Show Notes: Chicago Tribune: Tribune expose wins a Pulitzer: Chicago vote fraud disclosures earn top local reporting award Pu...

Alyssa tells Hugh about visions for the Riverwalk.  Socials: BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes: Chicago Sun-Times: Gondolas to give city a touch of Venice Chicago Reader: Do we really need the Great Chicago Fire Festival? HuffPo: Chicago Riverwalk Expansion: Rahm Emanuel Has Big Plans For River Walk (PHOTOS) Ross Barney Architects: Chicago Riverwalk Loop North News: Building the Chicago Riverwalk – ph...

Alyssa tells Jack Gill from Hardy Focused about Jean Crones an anarchist who tried to kill then ArchBishop Mundelein.   Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes: Mundelein High School:Musical Works Premiered at MHS Chosen for Publication Chicago Tribune: Chum of cook soup suspect, held by police Catholic New Archive: Issue Article CRONES INDICTED New Year Times: CHICAGO ANARCHISTS HELD IN PO...

In honor of of May Day being the 3rd Aniversary of Oh Malort I am rereleasing this episode about the Haymarket Affair where  Molly McAleer  and I talk about the origin of the 8-hour work day.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes:Illinois Labor History Society: The Haymarket AffairEncyclopedia of Chicago History: Haymarket and May DayWTTW: HAYMARKET AFFAIR HANGINGSBritannica: Haymarket A...

Alyssa and David muster all their theatre kid energy to talk about The Merle Reskin Theatre which was a hot topic in the news a few weeks ago and inspired silly outrage.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: WBEZ: Cash-strapped DePaul closes the curtain on Downtown’s historic Reskin Theatre...

In this episode Alyssa and  VanderRob finish their conversation about the absolutely fascinating life of heiress, suffragette, and politician. Ruth Hanna McCormick.  Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: Time: WOMEN: Widow Time: THE CONGRESS: Bucking Female Ruth Hanna McCormick: A Life in Pol...

In this episode Alyssa tells VanderRob about the absolutely fascinating life of heiress, suffragette, and politician. Ruth Hanna McCormick.  Please note this is a two parter.  Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: Time: WOMEN: Widow Time: THE CONGRESS: Bucking Female Ruth Hanna McCormick: A L...

In this episode Alyssa tells Risen about Italo Balbo and the time Chicago had a fascist fever dream.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes:  Chicago Reader: Street honoring fascist Balbo to remain after aldermen cave Chicago Tribune: Chicago cheered as Italo Balbo led a squadron of 24 Italia...

Alyssa tells Vanessa from Reel Relationships about "den mother of the arts" Lois Weisberg.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes:  TimeOut: Life after Lois | Lois Weisberg New York Times: Lois Weisberg, Chicago’s Cultural Connector, Dies at 90 Chicago Magazine: Remembering Lois Weisberg, the...

Alyssa continues telling Morgan about the complicated history of disgraced former Illinois Governor George Ryan. This story is messy but also involves a lot of cameos by unexpected people.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: CNN: George Ryan Fast Facts New York Times: George H. Ryan WTTW:...

Alyssa tells Morgan about the complicated history of disgraced former Illinois Governor George Ryan.  This story is messy but also involves a lot of cameos by unexpected people.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: CNN: George Ryan Fast Facts New York Times: George H. Ryan WTTW: Former Ill...

As we get ready to paint Chicago Green, Alyssa is joined by Risen to tell her the history of St. Patrick' Day celebrations in Chicago.  Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes:  WTTW: Labor of Love: A St. Patrick’s Day Special Chicago Tribune: Vintage Chicago Tribune: The city’s St. Patrick’s Day traditions Smithsonian: The Or...

Did Daley steal the 1960 election for JFK?  Or was it the Mob?  Did dead people vote? Alyssa and John sort through fact and fiction regarding allegations of voter fraud.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.   Show Notes: Chicago Magazine: Two Charts Show Chicago Getting More Democratic New York Times:...

Alyssa tells Matt Drufke from Still Not Friday Comedy about the band Chicago. We both learned a lot.  Come for the subject and stay for the digressions.  Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.   Show Notes: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Chicago The Band DNA Info: Daughter's Film Tells Story of the 'Chicago' Gui...

In this episode, Alyssa tells Risen about a Chicago Tradition known as Dibs.  Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: Chicago Tribune: Let’s make a federal case out of dibs Block Club Chicago: How Did Dibs Become A Thing? Thank Chicago’s Worst Blizzard WTTW:  How Did Dibs Become a Chicago Winte...

In this episode Alyssa tells Vanessa from Reel Relationships about an Indiana Blogger named John Kass. Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram.  Show Notes: Chicago Reader: Be Like Mike Neil Steinberg's Blog: In defense of John Kass Chicago Reader: Mission accomplished: John Kass has been deplatformed Chicag...

Alyssa tells Hugh about the Weather Underground.   Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠BlueSky⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠.  Show Notes: ⁠Time: Protest: The Disruptive Dozen⁠ ⁠Chicago Tribune: DAYS OF RAGE NOW MORE LIKE A CONVULSION THAT BECAME BLIP IN HISTORY⁠ ⁠WTTW: Days of Rage⁠ ⁠New York Times: Bernardine Dohrn Gives Up To Author...

Some people know exactly what the “parking meter deal” refers to but for others this might be a new idea.  Alyssa breaks down the timeline of events which has been dubbed “a lesson in worse practices.”  That is an understatement. Come for the mismanagment stay for the irony. Support the show by subscribing, leaving a five-star review, telling all your friends and following on Twitter, BlueSky, Ins...