Oh, Malort!

In this episode, Alyssa tells John Zinn about the legacy of Bozo.   Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes: Chicago Reader: Our Town: Bozo the Clown Chicago Reader: The Bozo Chronicles BOZO AT THE CIRCUS - A Capitol Record-Reader (1946) Classic Chicago Magazine: Bozo, America’s Favorite Clown LA Times: Waiting for Bozo: In Chicago, they take a clown seriously. People: How David Arquette an...

Happy Labor Day.  In this episode Alyssa tells Molly McAleer about the Haymarket Affair and the origin of the 8-hour work day.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes: Illinois Labor History Society: The Haymarket Affair Encyclopedia of Chicago History: Haymarket and May Day WTTW: HAYMARKET AFFAIR HANGINGS Britannica: Haymarket Affair WCCO: Good Question: How did we get the 8-hour work day...

Alyssa tells Ken Guy the history of Riverview ParkSubscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials: ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠BlueSky⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Email⁠ Show Notes:  ⁠Chicago Tribune: Photos: Remembering Riverview Park⁠ ⁠Chicago Tribune: Remembering the Chicago amusement parks that filled summertime with thrills and spills and water⁠ ⁠Chicago Tribune: Remembering Riverview Park, 50 ye...

Alyssa is joined by Hugh Hugh Yeman to discuss the community policing effort known as WhistleSTOP.  SHOW NOTES: Chicago Sun-Times: Ann Landers Chicago Sun-Times: Carson City Chicago Sun-Times: 5th Ward Chicago Sun-Times: Community Policing Chicago Sun-Times: Ann Landers 2 Chicago Sun-Times: For Protection on the Streets just whistle Chicago Sun-Times: Raising a Ruckus on Street Crime then Acting A...

I am joined by Vanessa from Reel Relationships to talk and the history leading up to the first Cubs Night Game.  It is not as simple as turning on the lights.  In this episode we name drop all the expected political players, talks about the idea of making Wrigleyville dry and discover the Block 37 of sportsball. Show Notes: Chicago Sun-Times: 100 years ago: The bombing of Chicago’s federal buildin...

Twenty-one years ago a driver working the the Dave Mathews Band dropped 800lbs of poop which landed on a boat full of people enjoying an architecture tour. Alyssa tells ⁠Molly McAleer⁠ and Captain Scoot all the details. 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...

I am joined by Vanessa from Reel Relationships to talk and the history leading up to the first Cubs Night Game.  It is not as simple as turning on the lights.  Chicago Sun-Times: 100 years ago: The bombing of Chicago’s federal building History. Com: Why the Star-Spangled Banner is Played At Sporting EventsCBS Chicago: On this day 36 years ago: Lights go on for Cubs at Wrigley Field for first time...

After enlisting the assistance of Chat GPT to attempt to write a script--which was a fail-- Alyssa is joined by David Baxter to talk about Mayor Carter Henry Harrison III. Show Notes:Chicago Magazine: Has a Chicago Mayor Ever Been Assassinated? PBS: Carter Harrison (1825-1893)Chicago Sun-Times: This week in history: World’s Fair ends in tragedyChicago Reader: The mayor’s assassinClassic Chicago Ma...

In this episode Alyssa tells David Baxter about a maritime tragedy worse than the Titanic which happened 205 years ago SHOW NOTES: ⁠Coast Guard⁠ ⁠Smithsonian: The Eastland Disaster Killed More Passengers Than the Titanic and the Lusitania. Why Has It Been Forgotten?⁠ ⁠Curbed: Demolition of the former Harpo Studios building closes a chapter of Chicago history⁠ ⁠History. Com: Hundreds Drown in Eastl...

In this episode, Alyssa tells Pat about a man once dubbed "Chicago's Crazy Uncle." Show Notes: Chicago Reader: The Professional Chicago Tribune: Missing Natarus, his dwindling breed Chicago Reader: Democracy’s Shining Lamp CBS: Local News New Rule: Carriage Drivers Must Clean Up Horse Pee WBEZ: Ald. Ed Bus: My dinner with Burton Natarus Chicago Tribune: IN-LINE SKATER’S DEATH RAISES FEARS ABOUT A...

Alyssa and John Zinn bust out their coconuts and gallop down memory lane while discussing the history of Broadway In Chicago.  SHOW NOTES: ⁠BROADWAY IN CHICAGO? WELL, NOT EXACTLY⁠⁠`Whorehouse' revival a shadow of its past glory⁠ ⁠Chicago Sun-Times:`Broadway in Chicago'⁠ ⁠Chicago Tribune: Goodbye Oriental, hello James M. Nederlander Theatre — the story behind the name change Feb. 8⁠ ⁠Broadway World...

Alyssa tells Planko about Illinois Separation. Show Notes: New City: Postcard from Forgottonia: The land that time chose not to remember Chicago Tribune: Meet the people working to kick Chicago out of Illinois ABC 20: Group is looking to secede the state of Illinois from Chicago WGLT: McLean County Libertarians Host Illinois Separation Founder Chicago Magazine: Hands Off, Indiana The Forgottonia P...

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 EventOut & 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...

While John was busy saving democracy Alyssa recaps Madigan's sentencing for Morgan with a few digressions including the writing styles of SCOTUS justices and is someone trying to kill R. Kelly.   Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes: Chicago Sun-Times: R. Kelly News Chicago Sun-Times: USA V Michael Madigan Chicago Tribune: An expert at rounding up support, ex-Speaker Michael Madigan lean...

After talking about Larry Hoover, Alyssa decided to read the book written by rapper cops  ⁠The Slick Boys⁠ and tell Scoot all about it.  SHOW NOTES: ⁠The Slick Boys: A Ten Point Plan To Rescue Your Community By Three Chicago Cops Who Are Making⁠ ⁠Medium: Hip Hop Cops⁠ ⁠Chicago Tribune: GOOD COP, BAD COP⁠ ⁠Chicago Sun-Times: Cops hip to gangs⁠ ⁠Chicago Sun-Times: Seinfeld date rumor nothing to talk...

Last week Trump commuted the sentence of Larry Hoover.  In this episode Alyssa tells Jack Gill from Hardly Focused about the man and what happens now.  Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Larry Hoover has come up in the episodes about Cabrini Green: Episode One Episode Two Episode Three We also talked about his 2024 hearing in This e...

Alyssa tells about a chap dubbed "Spider Dan" who, among other things, scaled the Sear Tower using suction cups on Memorial Day in 1981.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes:  Chicago Tribune: ‘Spider Dan’ wowed Chicagoans with his scaling of skyscrapers WTTW: Spider Dan Climbs Chicago Chicago Fire Department:Chicago Fire Dept. Spider Dan Climbs the Hancock building ABC 7: 'Spider Dan'...

In this episode Alyssa tells Vanessa from Reel Relationships about the legacy of  The Berghoff.   Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials:Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes: CNN: Gloria Steinem, In Her Own Words Chicago Tribune: Historic Berghoff to closeNPR: The Berghoff, A Chicago Institution, to Close JStore: “No Unescorted Ladies Will Be Served” Chicago Tri...

Earlier in the week, before the hot debate was does the Pope prefer the Cubs or the Sox, Trump took time in the Oval Office to talk about the Obama Presidential Center.  After months of seeing weirdos on the internet spreading theories about what is happening with this project I thought I would tell Hugh about the history and dispel some...inaccuracies.  Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and te...

Alyssa finishes telling  Morgan Stringer about the plight of Abraham Bolden. Related topics include: the JFK assassination, possible weaponization of the government, people being sent to facilities with possibly no release date. Additionally, we're gonna discuss some recurring characters from the Fred Hampton trial. Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials:Twitter, ...

Alyssa tells  Morgan Stringer about Abraham the first Black Secret Service Agent to serve in the White House.  Related topics include: the JFK assassination, possible weaponization of the government, people being sent to facilities with possibly no release date. Additionally, we're gonna discuss some recurring characters from the Fred Hampton trial. Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell al...

Alyssa tells Ken Guy the history of breweries in Chicago.   Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials: Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Episodes mentioned:  Block 37 1855 Lager Beer Riots. Show Notes:  Serious Eats: A Brief History of Beer in Chicago Provi: Chicago Beer History: A Timeline The New Chicagoan: History: Old Style is Not Chicago's Beer and Other Chicago Beer...

In this episode Alyssa tells Pat about James Caesar Petrillo. He has a bandshell named after him in Grant Park but what do we really know about the man?  Answer, he is an idiot.  Listen to learn all the ways this becomes evident.   We also talk about tube socks and Van Halen. Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials: Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Show Notes:  Lea Act...

Alyssa tells David Baxter the real life story behind the musical Chicago.   Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials: Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram Check out Other Episodes: Grease: The OG Broadway Transfer William Hale "Big Bill" Thompson: Illinois Most Corrupt Politician Show Notes: Chicago Tribune: Silent 1927 'Chicago' to make a musical comeback Chicagology: Mauri...

After they reminisce about workplace email hijinks, Alyssa gives John an update on the Mike Madigan trial, the closing of the Hard Rock Cafe, and the takeover of the Kennedy Center then they take a trip to Zion, Illinois which was founded as a theocracy.  Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell all your friends.  Socials: Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram   Show Notes: AP: The Earth is Flat Cracke...