
John Williams and journalists from WGN Radio other Chicago media outlets discuss news of the week on The Mincing Rascals podcast from WGN Plus
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 102 | Founded | 11 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | News | |||

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972, multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room, and award-winning journalist and political... more
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn of The Picayune Sentinel, Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972, and Steve Bertrand, host of Steve Bertrand on Books and proprietor of Steve Bertrand... more
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn of The Picayune Sentinel, multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room, and Steve Bertrand, host of Steve Bertrand on Books and proprietor of Stev... more
The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, and award-winning journalist and po... more
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Love you guys, and have been listening for a decade or so. Your takes on Chicago news are priceless, and keep me in touch with my beloved hometown.
But oh my lord, your Trump takes have me fast forwarding to keep me from turning you off altogether. Please stick to what you do best.
During today’s (Feb 11) session you talked about the SAVE America Act and drifted into the Real_ID. Steve mentioned (as I recall) that the process in applying for Real_ID was onerous, difficult. I beg to differ. I’ve been retired for over 14 years and got the Real_ID when I was not renewing my license. It took about 60-90 minutes. But I prepared by having all of the required documentation.
And, John, did you say you still don’t have a Real_ID? I’m surprised!
On a note of praise, I never mi... more
I found the Mincing Rascals as a libertarian/fiscal conservative Chicagoan looking for an outlet that highlighted the fiscal insanity that is Chicago and the state of Illinois. Typically I would rate this podcast a 4/5 stars for providing a forum for Austen Berg to provide fiscal insanity to the discussion with the other guests who personify the political decisions that pushed the city and the state into the fiscal quagmire that it’s in. Unfortunately, recently the guests (sans Austen) seem to b... more
Enjoy unfettered whinnying? Listen away. It would be nice to have both sides of the content offered. This is NOT Chicago. This is just and echo chamber for loud left crying and is completely intellectual dishonest. The level of spin is so rich it’s easy to see why they don’t want opposing views which would be easy to call them out. Do better!
Last episode - look at how Kimmel's comments are parsed so thoroughly and cautiously by John Williams to try and absolve him from exactly what he was trying to say.
Now compare that to how Zorn, Pope and that crazy loon Marge treat quotes/mis-quotes from Charlie Kirk.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.









Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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A weekly panel discussion featuring Chicago journalists and policy analysts who dissect regional and national politics through a local lens. Episodes frequently cover state governance, urban policy, and media narratives, blending policy analysis with sharp banter on topics like elections, public safety, budgeting, and major Chicago developments. Noteworthy is the mix of seasoned local reporters and national commentators, which often yields a candid, opinionated, and data-informed conversation that ranges from hard policy to cultural touchpoints, all anchored by a moderator who steers brisk, respectful debate. This show is likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy topical political analysis with a distinctly Chicago-centric viewpoint and a wil... more
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The Mincing Rascals launched 11 years ago and published 102 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Mincing Rascals include:
1. Cate Plys
2. Steve Bertrand
3. Jon Hansen
4. Austin Berg
5. Eric Zorn
6. Marj Halperin
7. Gregory Pratt
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