What if Mike Birbiglia and Terry Gross just, like, hung out? more ›

Rick Bayless appeared on NPR's Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! this week, where he discussed his upcoming theater project, Mexican cuisine and the works of Dr. Seuss. more ›

Usually we like to keep our sensational Ira Glass headlines based in reality since they are so much funnier that way. But yesterday A.V.Club Chicago uncovered this little bit of comedy genius lampooning everyone's favorite NPR host. more ›

Like his fellow Midwestern singer-songwriter, Devin Davis, Andrew Bird recently covered a beloved musical Muppets classic. Behold the idiosyncratic, whistle-and-fiddle-happy existentialism of "Bein' Green," featured on an upcoming Muppets tribute album and premiered by NPR last Thursday. more ›

Look, it is no secret around these parts that I'm not exactly "into" sports. But when big ol' sporting events roll around I can appreciate their impact on pop culture and I can really appreciate the parties that spring up around them! So it's lucky for me -- and all other non-sports fans trying to not stand out at a Super Bowl party as they wolf down free beer, pizza, fried chicken and chips while everyone else yells at the TV -- some of the kind folks over at WBEZ have put together a video to help people NOT stand out at a Super Bowl party. Thanks to Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag for putting this together! more ›

Consumerist and NPR tipped us off to this story last Friday - apparently the blueberry-like objects in many cereals, frozen muffins and other processed products have absolutely nothing to with blueberry's at all! Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised, but while we generally assume that the "marshmallows" in cereal are fake (especially since they taste like chalk) when something is masquerading as fruit, we assume it has something to do with fruit. Not so. The blueberries, which are noted on the nutrition label as "blueberry flavored chrunchlets" or something similar, are actually made of "sugars, soybean oil, red #40 and blue #2." more ›

Last Thursday, we were invited to dine at Everest, sampling some dishes from Joan Nathan's Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France. Yesterday, NPR released its list of the best cookbooks of 2010 and, in a show of great judgement, Nathan's book was on the list. We had a chance to meet Nathan and eat her food, and learned about the rich Jewish history of France. more ›

Check out this hip-hop ode to NPR. Double plus points for rhyming "Wertheimer" with "Chilean miner." more ›

Coming on the heels of our mediocre standings in the Travel and Leisure "America's Favorite Cities" survey, Daniel Boulud's appearance on NPR's Marketplace was a little balm for our souls. After a discussion of how people shouldn't give up on fine dining, even in a recession, Jeremy Hobson asked DB what his favorite food city in America was, outside of New York. We'll let DB speak for himself. "Ah, that I'm going to get really hurt if I said that, but I would say then certainly Chicago is the most amazing city with New York." Listen to the whole story online. more ›

It has been more than a year since Asian carp threatened to invade Chicago’s waterways and Lake Michigan. Their takeover of the media has been far more of a certainty. But it is becoming clear that the ugly, jumping, invasive fish is making a very real and lasting cultural mark in Chicago. You can see it in quick pop-culture references; like Rahm’s soon-to-be-legendary parting gift and iconic posters. But the fish have been bubbling down into more significant cultural spheres as witnessed by the scars on our local culinary scene and some upcoming documentary projects sure to excite all your fishy fantasies. more ›

Bummed Talk Of The Nation and Afropop got booted in the latest reshuffle of the WBEZ schedule? Want to know why there's only 5 episodes of Radiolab listed? Bummed you have to wait until the afternoon to hear Terry Gross spar with guests like Gene Simmons? Acting Program Director Steve Edwards explains all. more ›

We all remember the famous appearance by a coyote in a Loop Quizno's a few years ago and we also know it wasn't the first such sighting. Now a report on NPR's All Things Considered confirms what we always suspected: an army of coyotes is quietly amassing itself for a ruthless take-over of the city. Okay, it's not that bad, but still, there are an awful lot of coyotes hiding around the city. more ›

Whack-ass weather be damned, it's summer, and Millennium Park is plowing ahead like we aren't in the middle of the lousiest warm season in twelve years. The gems continue Thursday evening with a free taping of "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!" more ›

Ah, the public radio fundraising drive. We love NPR - and we've got a whole heap of love for the badasses at WBEZ - but sometimes we get a bit miffed with the interruptions asking us for money. Well, our pals at the BEZ have come up with a pretty clever campaign that not only raises money to help keep them on the air, but keeps us entertained to boot. They've launched WBEZ20, a new website featuring videos, comments, and other interactive features while at the same time asking readers to donate $20 to help keep the station going. It's a pretty great idea and will help keep their programming interruption to a minimum. more ›

This American Life is hitting the road to record some live shows this spring. Ira and crew will be hitting the Chicago Theatre on April 19 for a live recording. Per the Theatre's website, "The performance will include extra-special visual components, and feature audience favorites Dan Savage, David Rakoff, Starlee Kine, Mike Birbiglia and Dave Hill." Sounds good to us! Tickets go on sale this morning in...about half an hour, so get your clicking fingers ready! [via Gapers Block] more ›

WBEZ announced two new additions to its Saturday afternoon line-up. Definitely Not The Opera and Ideas will run from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and replace the canceled Weekend America. more ›

Was this a slip? Was someone supposed to muzzle this unwitting sap before he spilled the beans? No matter what, we now know that the hit WBEZ show has arranged to film a pilot episode has been talking with CBS about maybe making it into a series. more ›

Despite being one of the city’s most notorious warm-weather tourist hubs, Millennium Park just keeps bangin’ out some rather impressive locally oriented programming. This week is no exception, as the Park celebrates Blockbuster Week, a celebration of some of Chicago’s “most beloved cultural gems.” Two highlights, both of which come at no charge to you: more ›

. The Peabody board describes the show thusly: "A zippy update of one of broadcasting's long-ago staples, this live quiz show reminds listeners of the week's news even as host Peter Sagal and various panelists make witty sport of it." more ›

Funny Ha-Ha is a guaranteed good time. Tonight's edition at The Hideout features a host of writers, but seems to be "headlined" by Eric Zorn. We love Zorn, but find it kind of funny his credit is "Chicago Tribune Columnist & Blogger" while Claire Zulkey's is "Blogger & TV Critic for The Onion & Los Angeles Times." more ›

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Bill will chill has been answered with the announcement of the former president's campaign itinerary. Next stop on the legacy-tarnishing express: Edwardsville, IL. Hillary's more controversial half will be campaigning in the small town near St. Louis tomorrow morning, hosting a "Solutions for America" rally at Southern Illinois University at 7:45 a.m. more ›

We first heard of Acrassicauda through a story on NPR, describing the trials and tribulations of these heavy metal band of Iraqi refugees. They were recently hunkered down in Damascus, but got out in the nick of time when Syria started ejecting all Iraqi refugees, and not the group is in Istanbul ... trying their damndest to keep from getting sent back to Bagdhad. more ›

Intonation is back! And they’ve partnered with the MCA to put on a big ‘ole party as part of the museum’s 40-year celebration. Even better? The whole show is as free as air. Intonation’s Rock/Art kicks off on tomorrow at 1 p.m. with a whole slew of local bands, representing some of the most notable sounds to come out of Chicago in the recent past. When you get there, check out the new Sympathy... more ›

Winner of a special prize at the Berlin Film Festival, #12 on Metacritic's All-Time High Scores and one of the first 50 films chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry, Killer of Sheep has always been a film more talked about than seen. Until now. This week you'll probably be hearing a lot more about it, because twenty years after it was finished it's finally getting a release; it opens Friday at the Music Box. more ›

What's Carl's Itinerary? more ›

NPR Host Peter Sagal — Again
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A.O Scott’s review of the new Michael Moore movie begins with a very astute observation; namely, that whenever Moore’s name is brought up it is inevitably attached to adjectives such as “polarizing,” “controversial,” “provocative,” and “muck-raking.” And that it is the media itself which perpetuates the use of these adjectives. Would one describe Steven Spielberg as “polarizing?” Spielberg has two films in the top ten highest-grossing films of all time and no one describes him that way. Yet (among documentaries) Moore has two films in the top five. How “controversial” can a filmmaker be and yet sell so many tickets? We just think he’s a filmmaker possessing a keen instinct for issues that get people riled up, which is a good thing. more ›

We're not sure if she got the idea from the teens who were on NPR or not, but state senator Carol Ronan is taking on the "alcopops". more ›

After careful thought and consideration about whether he will run for President in 2008, Senator Barack Obama announced today that he will begin even more serious thought and consideration today. more ›