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The Real Story with Jeanne Ives and Amy Jacobson

The Real Story with Jeanne Ives
Illinois
Chicago
Donald Trump
Illegal Immigration
Biden Administration
Illinois Politics
Iran
ICE
J.B. Pritzker
Kamala Harris
Election Integrity
Trump Administration
Charlie Kirk
Chicago Bears
Mike Madigan
JB Pritzker
China
Pritzker
Democratic Party
Property Taxes

It is time to look at the world of politics from a different perspective. The Real Story with Jeanne Ives and Amy Jacobson asks insightful questions of those influencing government and those impacted by government.

PublishesDailyEpisodes166Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Recent Guests

Martin Pryb
Retired Chicago Police Department officer and writer
Crooked City (substack)
Episode: Teen Takeovers: Pastor Corey Brooks Has a Solution; Aldermen Say No Payout For Foxx Certificates of Innocence; FREE FOR ALL FRIDAY
Dan Ugaste
Republican spokesperson on the House Financial Services, Financial Institutions Committee; Assistant Minority Leader
Illinois House of Representatives
Episode: IL Credit Card Swipe Fees Changing, State Rep. Dan Ugaste Explains; Nonsense Bills in Springfield
Bill Hupp
Chair of the Trustees of the American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust
Episode: Pritzker/Johnson Feud; American Battlefield Trust; The Start of the American Revolution
Dan Davis
Historian, principal for Interpretation and Special Projects with American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust
Episode: Pritzker/Johnson Feud; American Battlefield Trust; The Start of the American Revolution
Jeannie Hedgepeth
Teacher from District 211 fired over free-speech Facebook comments; interview guest
Arlington Heights/District 211
Episode: King Pritzker Gives Our Money Away; D300 Sued for Transition of Student Without Parent Knowledge; Teacher Jeannie Hedgepeth Sues D211
Steve McClurg
State senator, Central Illinois
Illinois Senate
Episode: Illegals Encouraged to Sign Up to Vote, State Sen. Terri Bryant Discusses; FREE FOR ALL FRIDAY
Mark Glennon
Commentator, involved in Ukraine trip coverage
Independent journalist / commentator
Episode: Mark Glennon on His Trip to Ukraine; Sheila Weinberg: How Bad Are the Pensions; Are You Afraid of Hantavirus?; What is a Menstrual Equity Activist?
Regan Deering
State Representative, 80th district (Decatur)
Illinois General Assembly
Episode: Springfield Update w/ State Rep Reagan Deering:Obama Center Opening- Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein
NYU Professor of Law
New York University / University of Illinois Chicago
Episode: Springfield Update w/ State Rep Reagan Deering:Obama Center Opening- Richard Epstein

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 31 ratings
  • Two old ladies

    Two old ladies complaining. They dislike everything and everyone.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Southsidewhitesoxfan
    United States4 months ago
  • Excellent show. Thanks!

    Great show by Ives

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dowup
    United Statesa year ago
  • Good series but poor recording/playback quality.

    This podcast series is on point and definitely look at the policies, failures and successes of government bodies in Illinois.

    The only issue I’ve encountered is that the recording quality has gotten poorer with almost each episode in recent weeks.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    My_Opinion_2
    United States4 years ago
  • Facts not Fiction

    Detailed inside info on politics and human stories behind the headlines. Never miss an episode in order to stay informed in your community. Great stuff.

    Detailed, sometimes granular, explanations of state and local policies and actions that are informative and allow people to formulate democratic actions plans to help their communities. This show is the enemy of the political machine and of political slight of hand.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mzaenger
    United States4 years ago
  • Jeanne is a smart cookie!

    Jeanne is a smart cookie!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    loudes13
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests range from candidates to watchdogs, offering diverse perspectives.
Audience values accountability and investigative-style political dialogue.
Listeners appreciate deep dives into local governance and policy details.
Shows strong, opinionated take on Illinois politics with on-the-ground interviews.
Some criticisms about audio quality and production consistency.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

King Pritzker Gives Our Money Away; D300 Sued for Transition of Student Without Parent Knowledge; Teacher Jeannie Hedgepeth Sues D211
Q: Okay, and so the status of the case right now is?
The case has progressed through the courts with various motions and appeals, and the Supreme Court recently denied hearing it for the next session, leaving the outcome to continue through lower courts.
King Pritzker Gives Our Money Away; D300 Sued for Transition of Student Without Parent Knowledge; Teacher Jeannie Hedgepeth Sues D211
Q: So tell us your backstory for those who aren't familiar with what happened to you.
Jeannie Hedgepeth explains she taught for 20 years, faced dismissal after Facebook posts during a period of social unrest, and describes the ensuing legal fight and the broader implications for teacher speech rights.
IL Credit Card Swipe Fees Changing, State Rep. Dan Ugaste Explains; Nonsense Bills in Springfield
Q: Dan, what is going on with this bill and why is it considered unworkable for Illinois?
The bill would force banks and merchants to separate the sales tax and tips from the payment itself, eliminating the customary interchange-fee structure, which would require a wholesale change to payment systems across the state. This creates practical and technical hurdles, and Illinois would become the only state doing this, with systems not built to handle such a split.
Illegals Encouraged to Sign Up to Vote, State Sen. Terri Bryant Discusses; FREE FOR ALL FRIDAY
Q: Can you explain why you think there is a problem with the DHS voter registration forms being mailed to non-citizens?
The claim is that pre-filled voter registration forms are sent to non-citizens, bypassing citizenship verification, which could lead to ineligible registrations and undermine election integrity.
IL's Most Privileged Take to the Streets on May Day; Pro-Aborts Get Checked by SCOTUS While IL Dems Expand Access
Q: What did you take away from the May Day protests and the reactions around them?
The hosts frame the protests as privileged labor activism tied to political messaging, emphasizing safety concerns and the impact on students and schools.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Real Story

What is The Real Story about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show focuses on state and local politics with a strong Illinois lens, blending analysis of election results, policy debates, and governance with caller interactions. Episodes frequently feature interviews with candidates, watchdogs, and policy experts, spanning topics from crime and public safety to education funding and transportation. Notable strengths include a brisk, opinionated dialogue, a willingness to challenge official narratives, and accessibility for listeners who want concrete takeaways on how politics impact daily life. A standout characteristic is the mix of high-profile guests and hyper-local insight, which can be highly valuable for listeners seeking practical, on-the-ground political analysis and campaign context.

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How many listeners does The Real Story get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Real Story have?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Real Story?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Real Story:

1. Chicago's Morning Answer with Dan Proft
2. The Shaun Thompson Show
3. The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast
4. Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis
5. Red Eye Radio

How many episodes of The Real Story are there?

The Real Story launched 5 years ago and published 166 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Real Story?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Real Story from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Real Story?

Recent guests on The Real Story include:

1. Martin Pryb
2. Dan Ugaste
3. Bill Hupp
4. Dan Davis
5. Jeannie Hedgepeth
6. Steve McClurg
7. Mark Glennon
8. Regan Deering

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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