Chicago Humanities Festival: Recent Episodes
Chicago Humanities Festival
The Chicago Humanities Festival connects people to the ideas that shape and define us, and promotes the lifelong exploration of what it means to be human. We present more than 100 events annually, in venues across the Chicago area and digitally across the world. This podcast brings you some of the best programming we have to offer from our current season and our 30 years of archives. To see more, visit our website at chicagohumanities.org.
The inspiring Oscar winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter looks back on her career as depicted in Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther in conversation with Jacqueline Stewart, the Director and President of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
This episode originally aired on September 12, 2023.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
PHOTO: Ruth E. Carter at the Music Box Theatre as part of the Chicago Humanities 2023 Spring Festival.
Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther, Ruth E. Carter
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Emmy-nominated design expert Bobby Berk swings by Chicago Humanities, in a program recorded just three weeks before his announcement of leaving the popular Netflix makeover show Queer Eye in October of 2023. He chats with Emmy-nominated host Matthew Rodrigues of NBC Chicago Today in a conversation filled with how to build habits in your home, decorating tips, and some behind-the-scenes Queer Eye drama.
SHOW NOTES Watch the full conversation here. Read the podcast transcript. CW: Light profanity
PHOTO: Matthew Rodrigues and Bobby Berk at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival at Francis W. Parker School in 2023.
Bobby Berk, Right at Home
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
QZKLHSGLZSYSLOUW
The New Yorker’s Asher Perlman swings by the Chicago Humanities Tapes studio to chat with podcast host Alisa Rosenthal about the inner workings of comedy writing for cartoons, plus graphic memoirist James Spooner with artist Damon Locks live from the Ramova Theatre on books “Black Punk Now” and “The High Desert.” SHOW NOTES
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Profanity in the second program
PHOTO: Alisa Rosenthal and Asher Perlman chat via Zoom
Asher Perlman, Well, This is Me
Asher Perlman office hours information via Patreon
PHOTO: James Spooner and Damon Locks
James Spooner, Black Punk Now
James Spooner, The High Desert
damonlocks.black
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
This one's for the math nerds, teachers, and forever students. Mathematician Eugenia Cheng, the Scientist in Residence at the Art Institute of Chicago, explores the surprising way that the logical quality of math is revolutionary in a time when humans can struggle to understand other perspectives in this conversation with Golden Apple award-winner Luke Albrecht from 2017.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Accessible math concepts
PHOTO: Eugenia Cheng and Luke Albrecht on stage at the Fine Arts Building at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in 2017.
eugeniacheng.com
Eugenia Cheng, Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of Mathematics
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
King: A Life has just won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in biography, and it was penned by Chicago’s own Jonathan Eig. He sits down with the Interview Show’s Mark Bazer for an engrossing conversation digging into never before heard information from Martin Luther King’s FBI files as well as King’s lasting impact on America. This program was recorded live at Chicago Humanities in May 2023.
Purchase tickets to 5/21/24 Doris Kearns Goodwin with Jonathan Eig here.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
PHOTO: Jonathan Eig and Mark Bazer at the Chop Shop at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in 2023.
Jonathan Eig, King: A Life
Washington Post 5/10/23, MLK’s famous criticism of Malcolm X was a ‘fraud,’ author finds
Playboy Magazine January 1965 Alex Haley Interviews Martin Luther King, Jr.
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Today’s bonus episode brings us Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith in conversation with Parneshia Jones, the Director of Northwestern University Press. Smith, the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States, shares of the times she looked to her ancestors for guidance - or rather, how they found her.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
Tracy K. Smith, To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
New York Times investigative reporter and author Max Fisher chats with The Verge editor at large David Pierce about a ‘50s era female Soviet scientist, her study of foxes, and what they have to do with social media today in our first ever mini episode: one great story from one great program.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
Max Fisher, The Chaos Machine
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Dr. Todd Boyd aka the Notorious Ph.D. is in the Chicago Humanities Tapes studio today, joining host Alisa Rosenthal for an exclusive conversation on how hip hop influenced everything in American pop culture from the ‘70s to today, including film, TV, fashion, and politics.
SHOW NOTES:
Snag tickets to Dr. Todd Boyd live in Chicago here.
Read the podcast transcript.
PHOTO: Alisa Rosenthal and Dr. Todd Boyd interview via Zoom.
Dr. Todd Boyd, Rapper’s Deluxe: How Hip Hop Made the World
WATCH:
Sylvia sings “Pillow Talk” on Soul Train 1973
The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” 1979 music video
Lauryn Hill wins Album of the Year at the 1999 Grammys
Three 6 Mafia wins Best Original Song at the 2006 Oscars
Obama brushes shoulders 2008
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
This one’s for the theater kids! Lin-Manuel Miranda comes to you live from Chicago’s 3,563-seat Civic Opera House in this exhilarating conversation from our archives. He joins Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones to chat Hamilton, songwriting, and all things Puerto Rico.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Light profanity.
PHOTO: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Chris Jones at the Civic Opera House at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival in 2016.
Learn More About Lin-Manuel Miranda:
www.linmanuel.com
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Hear MSNBC's Rachel Maddow go deep into the rough and inspiring American past in a conversation with Northwestern University’s Professor Kathleen Belew. Topics include Henry Ford, media literacy, and optimism for 2024.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
PHOTO: Rachel Maddow and Kathleen Belew on stage at Northwestern University at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival in October 2023.
Rachel Maddow, Prequel: An American Fight Against Facism
Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra
Kathleen Belew, Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Acclaimed poet and author Sandra Cisneros graces our ears with a cacophony of creative inspiration, images of Mexico, and poems that glide in and out of Spanish. She chats with author and professor Daisy Hernández live at Northwestern University, in a conversation that will leave you running for your pen.
Read the podcast transcript.
PHOTO: Sandra Cisneros. Photo credit Alan Goldfarb.
Sandra Cisneros, Woman Without Shame/Mujer sin vergüenza
Books by Daisy Hernández
sandracisneros.com
Macondo Writers Workshop
Subscribe: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Beloved actor Henry Winkler sits down with his friend and Barry co-star D’Arcy Carden as they chat Happy Days, school survival, fly fishing… and a little bit of shark jumping.
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Profanity.
PHOTO: Henry Winkler and D’Arcy Carden on stage at Francis W. Parker School at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival in 2023.
Henry Winkler, Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond
Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chicago-humanities-tapes/id1534976656
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Welcome to your dream dinner party guest list, curated from two recent programs: Chef José Andrés interviewed by Mark Bittman, followed by Chef Anna Voloshyna interviewed by Chef Rick Bayless - in two uplifting chats on beans, borscht, and the unifying power of food.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Light profanity
Photo: José Andrés and Mark Bittman at the First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival in October 2023.
José Andrés, The World Central Kitchen Cookbook
Mark Bittman, The Best American Food Writing 2023
World Central Kitchen
Photo: Anna Voloshyna and Rick Bayless at the Newberry Library at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival in October 2023.
Anna Voloshyna, BUDMO! Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen
Rick Bayless cookbooks
annavoloshyna.com (sign up for her mailing list for her foolproof khachapuri recipe)
Aneyla Restaurant, Chicago
Humanitarian aid to Ukraine:
International Aid Legion
Zeilen Van Vrijheid
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
We’re giving you a well-rounded comedy education today with talks from two famous/infamous American film directors: Harold Ramis on the AFI 100 Funniest American Movies and John Waters on a career from trashy b-movies to Criterion approved trashy b-movies.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Language, LANGUAGE
Watch Harold Ramis’ full program here.
AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Laughs
Photo: Harold Ramis at the Chicago Humanities “Laughter” Festival in 2009
Photo: Harold Ramis, Joe Flaherty, Brian Doyle Murray, John Belushi and Gilda Radner in 1974, via NYPL Digital Collections
Watch John Waters' full program here.
John Waters, Liarmouth: A Feelbad Romance
Photo: John Waters portrait by Greg Gorman
Photo: Divine and John Waters in 1981, by Roxanne Lowit
We have three tales of intrigue from the dark depths of the Chicago Humanities annals, featuring selections from YouTube’s Caitlin Doughty of “Ask a Mortician” about if cats will eat your eyeballs when you die, New School faculty member and author Kristen J. Sollée from her lecture “Witches, Sluts, Feminists,” and a section of a short ghost story by Chicago author Amy Giacalone from the compendium “Ghostly,” compiled by author Audrey Niffenegger.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Profanity, discussion of taboo topics
Photo: Caitlin Doughty, Kristen J. Sollée, and Amy Giacalone
Watch Caitlin Doughty and Mark Bazer's whole program here
Caitlin Doughty, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? and Other Questions About Dead Bodies
@AskAMortician YouTube channel
Watch Kristen J. Sollée's whole program here
Photo: Victoria Woodhull "Mrs. Satan"
Kristen Sollée, Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive
Watch the entire Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Audrey Niffenegger program featuring Amy Giacalone here
Audrey Niffenegger, Ghostly
Amy Giacalone website
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Actor, environmentalist, and all around mensch Ed Begley Jr. is in the house! We have a Chicago Humanities Tapes first, with our man of the hour joining podcast host Alisa Rosenthal in studio for an exclusive chat about his new memoir To the Temple of Tranquility… and Step On It! Topics include ‘70s-era electric cars, his friendship with Tom Waits, and the best vegetarian soups.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
Photo: Ed Begley Jr. and Alisa Rosenthal chat over Zoom.
Ed Begley Jr., To the Temple of Tranquility… and Step On It!
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Today’s episode features a first: two programs from the same speaker at different moments in history - Patti Smith: as interviewed by Jessica Hopper in 2019, and back again in 2022, telling stories and singing live with guitar accompaniment from her son Jackson.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversations from 2019 here and from 2022 here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Light profanity.
Photo: Patti Smith at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival at the Symphony Center.
Photo: Patti Smith at the Music Box Theatre with a photo of Maryam Mirzakhani.
Photo: Patti Smith at the Music Box Theatre with a photo of a porcelain bird.
Patti Smith, Year of the Monkey
Patti Smith, A Book of Days
Jessica Hopper, The First Collection of Criticism By A Living Female Rock Critic
Episode photo by Steven Sebring
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Today’s episode features two programs from multi-talented Black women on how to capture what it is to be human in two different art forms. We’ll hear from best selling author, voting rights advocate, and history making Stacey Abrams in conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper on her latest thriller novel Rogue Justice, followed by the inspiring Oscar winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter as she looks back on her career as depicted in Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation of Stacey Abrams with Jake Tapper here.
Read the podcast transcript.
Photo: Stacey Abrams at the Vic Theatre and Ruth E. Carter at the Music Box Theatre as part of the Chicago Humanities 2023 Spring Festival.
Rogue Justice: a Thriller, Stacey Abrams
All the Demons are Here: a Thriller, Jake Tapper
Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther, Ruth E. Carter
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Join legendary singer/songwriter Joan Baez at Chicago’s historic Old Town School of Folk Music for an intimate chat on music, art, activism, and the kind of insider musician stories you can only get from the ‘60s folk revival scene icon. Interviewed live on stage by Justin Richmond of the music podcast Broken Record.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Profanity
PHOTO: Joan Baez author photo
PHOTO: A page of upside down drawings from Joan Baez’s book Am I Pretty When I Fly?
Joan Baez, Am I Pretty When I Fly?: An Album of Upside Down Drawings
Joan Baez I Am a Noise trailer
Joan Baez, “Diamonds and Rust”, “A Song for David”, “Sweet Sir Galahad”
Tina Turner, “Steel Claw” live
Bill Lee
Harry Belafonte, “Day O (Banana Boat Song)”
The Kingston Trio
“Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round”
Albert Grossman
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Bayard Rustin
Ira Sandperl
Justin Jones, The People’s Plaza
Joan Baez’s “What can I do?” recommended organizations Facebook post
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Happy Pride Month! YouTube star and transgender activist Gigi Gorgeous chats with her bff Gottmik, the drag performer, makeup artist, and first transgender male to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race, about friendship, sex, and all things trans. Actor and Miss Gay USofA pageant winner Aurora Sexton interviews the two icons with thoughtful humor and plenty of tea.
SHOW NOTES:
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Profanity, consensual deadnaming and discussion of hate crimes. Get into it!
PHOTO: Gigi Gorgeous, Aurora Sexton, and Gottmik at the Chop Shop at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in 2023.
PHOTO: Gottmik and Gigi Gorgeous at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival post-event book signing and photo op at the Chop Shop in 2023.
Gigi Gorgeous & Gottmik, The T Guide: Our Trans Experiences and a Celebration of Gender Expression―Man, Woman, Nonbinary, and Beyond
Learn more about the many trans/queer icons that were name dropped:
Courtney Act, Laith Ashley, David Bowie, Lina Bradford, Candis Cayne, Sasha Colby, Divine, Jazz Jennings, Hayley Kiyoko, Adam Lambert, Amanda Lepore, Sarah McBride, Kim Petras, Alok Vaid-Menon, John Waters
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Join actress Selma Blair (Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions) and filmmaker Rachel Fleit (Bama Rush) for an inspiring and honest conversation about living with multiple sclerosis, crafting your story into a writing, and those funny and defining moments from childhood such as Blair’s “Parmesan Cheese Incident.”
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Language, references to self-harm and sexual assault, alcoholism, and a very good dog on stage.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988 lifeline.org.
Photo: Selma Blair and her security dog work the book signing and photo op line after her event at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival at the Field Museum in 2022.
Photo: Rachel Fleit, Selma Blair, and her security dog on stage at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival at the Field Museum in 2022.
Selma Blair, Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up
Watch Introducing, Selma Blair
Keah Brown, The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love with Me
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Learn cooking tips and fresh insight from James Beard Award-winning chef and Top Chef judge and contestant Kwame Onwuachi, interviewed by Chicago comedians Dario Durham and Sara Faddah of the podcast 77 Flavors of Chicago. Topics also include the history of collard greens, what his mom makes for him when he's home, and the coolest person he's ever cooked for.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Profanity.
Photo: Dario Durham, Sara Faddah, and Kwame Onwuachi at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in 2022.
Photo: Kwame Onwuachi at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in 2022.
My America: Recipes From a Young Black Chef (2022)
Notes From a Young Black Chef: A Memoir (2019)
Jerk chicken recipe
Nail polish line
77 Flavors of Chicago podcast
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Academy Award winning actress Jessica Lange joins Chicago theater critic Chris Jones for a lovely and inspiring chat about her stunning black and white street photography, acting in the golden age of ‘70s cinema, and that time she was roommates with Grace Jones.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Gentle profanity (she’s a New Yorker)
Learn more: Jessica Lange, Dérive
Photo: Jessica Lange at the Chicago Humanities Fall Festival
Photo: Jessica Lange, cover image Dérive
Photo: Jessica Lange, Hudson River Pier from Dérive
Photo: Jessica Lange, vow renewal from Dérive
Photo: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Behind the Gare St Lazare (1932)
Photo: Sam Shepard and Jessica Lange (1984)
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Gain intimate access to the sold out evening with Simu Liu, the star of Marvel's first ever Asian superhero movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Join Liu, who you may also know from the very bingeable Kim’s Convenience, for a conversation with Joanne Molinaro (aka “The Korean Vegan") at Chicago’s historic movie theater the Music Box, where topics include being an Abercrombie model, inspirational tips to keep going in your pursuit as an actor, and a thoughtful perspective on a difficult early family dynamic.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Playfully PG.
Photo: Simu Liu and Joanne Molinaro on stage at the Music Box Theatre.
Simu Liu, We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story
Joanne Molinaro, TheKoreanVegan.com
TikTok @thekoreanvegan
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
If you’ve been up at night wondering how to save democracy and communicate effectively with people on the opposite side of the political spectrum, tune into MSNBC on-air political correspondent Anand Giridharadas in conversation with Washington DC Bureau Chief for Mother Jones David Corn for a powerfully hopeful chat on the state of American and effective organizing.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: Strong language, in the name of democracy.
Photo: Anand Giridharadas and David Corn on stage at Northwestern University.
Anand Giridharadas, The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy
Newsletter The.Ink
David Corn, American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy
Newsletter Our Land
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
What do you do if you’re too weird for stand-up, dream of being an action star, and are all around nice to be around? You have an incredible career in show biz like Bob Odenkirk. Opening up about the highs and lows of Hollywood with fellow SNL alum Tim Meadows, join two legends for a fun night out where topics include the ‘90s Chicago comedy scene, dads, and writing for Chris Farley.
SHOW NOTES:
Watch the full conversation here.
Read the podcast transcript.
CW: A light peppering of f-bombs throughout.
Photo: Bob Odenkirk with Tim Meadows on stage at the Music Box Theatre.
Bob Odenkirk, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir
Bob Odenkirk, A Load of Hooey
Matt Foley sketch on SNL
Original Matt Foley sketch at Second City with Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk, and Tim Meadows
Photo: The Second City cast 1989.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Instagram • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
Take a peek into the best moments of the best chats from 30+ years of Chicago Humanities with our new culture-filled podcast - Chicago Humanities Tapes. Join host Alisa Rosenthal as she looks for the answers to humanity’s biggest questions by picking the coolest moments from our current season along with programs from our incredible archive dating back to 1991. Listen on your favorite podcast platform or direct from chicagohumanities.org/explore/podcast/.
Chicago Humanities creates experiences through culture, creativity, and connection. Want to be the first to know about upcoming events so you can see your favorite speaker live and in person? Head over to chicagohumanities.org to join our email list.
We’ve got to thank comedian Abby McEnany and writer Samantha Irby for both achieving fame and keeping it real. McEnany has adapted her Chicago’s iO Theater one-woman show into the semi-autobiographical Showtime series “Work In Progress”—the “coming of age story of a 45-year-old self-identified queer dyke”. Irby’s latest essay collection Wow, No Thank You, chronicles her “bourgeois life of a Hallmark Channel dream,” including turning 40, getting married, and moving out of Chicago. Come celebrate Pride and representing queer joy with McEnany and Irby. This program was livestreamed on June 25, 2020.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate
Season 1 of "Work In Progress" is streaming now on Showtime.
Order Samantha Irby's book Wow, No Thank You. online at Seminary Co-Op: https://www.semcoop.com/wow-no-thank-you
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
The slogan of Roman Mars’s popular podcast 99% Invisible—“always read the plaque”—is a reminder to look for the stories lurking within. In their new book The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, Mars and his co-author Kurt Kohlstedt focus their appreciation for the hidden dimensions of everyday design on the cityscape. Mars, Kohlstedt, and YouTuber and author Hank Green (A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor) will reveal the stories of us in the places we inhabit. This program was livestreamed on October 8, 2020.
This week’s programs presented with the support of Bank of America.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate
Order the book The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
While many know Margaret Atwood for her dystopian novels The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and the MaddAddam trilogy, her distinguished career began via another medium: poetry. Audiences eagerly awaiting Atwood’s return to the form will not be disappointed with her first collection in over a decade. Dearly is an introspective and intimate reflection on love, loss, and the passage of time. Come hear the singular voice and mind of Margaret Atwood at play, reflecting on the role of writing in helping us to understand our past and prepare for the future. Atwood is joined in conversation by CHF Marilynn Thoma Artistic Director Alison Cuddy. This program was livestreamed on November 8, 2020.
This program is generously underwritten by Ellen Stone Belic.
Women & Children First is Chicago's feminist bookstore, celebrating and amplifying underrepresented voices since 1979.
This week’s programs presented with the support of Bank of America.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
There are three stages of life, reflects the visionary theater director, writer, and actor André Gregory: “Youth, Middle Age, and You’re-looking-great!”. In This Is Not My Memoir, Gregory (now 86 years old) shares memories from the making of his seminal film My Dinner With André and ponders having “reached the age of You’re-looking-great”. Gregory is joined in conversation by stand-up comedian and SNL alum John Mulaney whose alter ego from the hit Broadway show Oh Hello! made a hilarious appearance at Film Independent’s 2019 adapted table read of Gregory’s My Dinner with André. This program was livestreamed on November 18, 2020.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate
Order the book This Is Not My Memoir online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/not-my-memoir
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Shannon Lee, daughter of iconic martial artist and actor Bruce Lee, is an executive producer on Cinemax’s Warrior (Season 2 now airing Friday’s at 10pm), which brings her father’s vision for a TV show about Chinese immigrants during the Tong Wars to fruition. Lee is also the author of Be Water, My Friend, a book of Bruce Lee’s philosophy and advice “demonstrating how martial arts are a perfect metaphor for personal growth”. Join Shannon Lee at CHF to talk about keeping her father’s legacy and influence alive on our television screens and bookshelves, and what we can learn from Bruce Lee’s vision. Lee is joined in conversation by sociologist and pop culture expert Nancy Wang Yuen. This program was livestreamed on October 30, 2020.
Check out the trailer for Season 2 of Warrior: https://youtu.be/V_wSj_1fWtY
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate
This week’s programs presented with the support of Fifth Third Bank.
Order the book Be Water, My Friend : The Teachings of Bruce Lee online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
“Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter,” wrote Alicia Garza in a 2013 Facebook post after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag that emerged in response to the post, and the following movement (co-founded by Garza), remains as important today as it was then, with people across the country continuing to protest state-sanctioned violence against Black people. Garza returns to CHF to discuss her debut book The Purpose of Power, which details the two decades of organizing experience that guides her activism. Garza is joined in conversation by writer, pleasure activist, and social justice facilitator adrienne maree brown. This program was livestreamed on October 29, 2020.
This annual lecture is supported by the Doris Conant Endowment for Programs on Women and Culture and is presented in partnership with 826CHI.
This week’s programs presented with the support of Fifth Third Bank.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/donate
Order the book The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/purpose-power
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
After his high profile tenure as the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana and a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Pete Buttigieg has turned his gaze to the future. In his new book Trust: America’s Best Chance, Buttigieg identifies what he sees as a crisis of trust “in our institutions, each other, and the American project”, arguing that our success or failure depends on addressing these systemic concerns. Buttigieg is joined by Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot for a conversation about trust and distrust in this turbulent moment for American democracy. This program was livestreamed on October 16, 2020.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
This week's programs presented with the support of Southwest Airlines.
Order the book Trust: America's Best Chance online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/trust-america...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Nick Hornby’s latest novel Just Like You updates the meet-cute genre for a modern love story: Lucy, a 41 year old almost-divorcée, stands in line at a butcher shop watching her neighbor flirt with a much younger man behind the counter. It’s not exactly the stuff of dreams, but Lucy isn’t looking for romance (at least not yet). Join Hornby (High Fidelity) and Ayelet Waldman (The Mommy-Track Mysteries) for a chat about what it means for authors and characters to throw out the old scripts in order to try something new. This program was livestreamed on October 27, 2020.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
This week’s programs presented with the support of Fifth Third Bank.
Order the book Just Like You: A Novel online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/just-you
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Popular accounts of the 1960s-era civil rights movement are often reduced to the story of two extraordinary visionaries: Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. In his book The Sword and the Shield Peniel E. Joseph argues that by focusing on their differing doctrines of self-defense versus nonviolence, we’ve been blind to the scope of their shared activism and communion. Join Joseph and Jonathan Eig, author of a forthcoming biography on King, for a conversation about how the legacies of these civil rights leaders informs the current struggle for racial justice. This program was livestreamed on October 14, 2020.
This week's programs presented with the support of Southwest Airlines.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Order the book The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/sword-and-shield
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
With the 2020 presidential election drawing near, Deon Taylor, the visionary film director and co-founder of Be Woke.Vote is focusing on fighting voter suppression by getting out the vote among Millennials and Gen Z communities of color. Believing that voting provides young people with voices and power, Taylor hopes to inspire the next generation to participate in both local and national elections. At CHF Taylor will discuss the importance of voting and his new film, the psychological thriller Fatale. Taylor is joined in conversation by Chakena Perry, Chairwoman of Cook County Young Democrats and Board President for Chicago Votes action fund. This program was livestreamed on October 29, 2020.
This program is presented in partnership with Kennedy-King College.
This week’s programs presented with the support of Fifth Third Bank.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
David Axelrod and Mike Murphy are two of the nation’s foremost political observers and practitioners. Having run the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain respectively, they’ve experienced the highs and lows of an election season from all the angles—front row, in the fray, and behind the scenes. Smart, witty and unconstrained by orthodoxy, Axelrod and Murphy will join in conversation with Jim Warren (NewsGuard, formerly Chicago Tribune) to analyze the internal dynamics and general mood as President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden head into the last week of a tumultuous, unprecedented and often confusing race for the White House. This program was livestreamed on October 27, 2020
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
This week’s programs presented with the support of Fifth Third Bank.
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
In this time of social and political upheaval, poet and writer Eileen Myles is seeking to transcribe what feels like a series of ever changing moments into linguistic permanence. “Time itself has a kind of optic quality,” they note in their new book For Now (Why I Write), “it really takes so much time to become a writer and you have to be able to roll in time itself”. Join Myles and author Lynne Tillman for an intimate conversation about how the creative process can help us live in and through the present. This program was livestreamed on October 13, 2020.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
This week's programs presented with the support of Southwest Airlines.
Order the book For Now (Why I Write) online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/now-5
Before Emmy award-winning filmmaker, writer, and actor Mark Duplass made a name for himself, he dreamed of producing a “genre-less anthology” series. His vision came to fruition with HBO’s Room 104. Created by Mark and Jay Duplass (HBO’s Animals and Togetherness), the late-night, half-hour anthology series tells a unique and unexpected tale of the characters who pass through a single room of a typical American chain motel. While the setting stays the same, every episode of the series features a different story, with the tone, plot, characters, and even the time period, changing with each installment. Join Duplass and Room 104 executive producer and director Sydney Fleischmann to talk about their passion project’s final season and what they have learned throughout their creative process. This program will be moderated by Collider Film, TV & Theme Parks senior reporter Christina Radish. This program was livestreamed on September 28, 2020.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Connect on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChiHumanities
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagohuman...
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chihumanities/
Many white Americans are ill-equipped, unpracticed, and uncomfortable talking about race. In her new book Just Us: An American Conversation, award-winning author Claudia Rankine urges her readers to break this cultural silence around race, thereby making visible the history of whiteness. She offers an imperative: we must forge restorative justice by finding the courage to acknowledge, challenge, and speak about white privilege and supremacy. Rankine is joined in conversation by author Eula Biss. This program was livestreamed on September 24, 2020.
This annual lecture is presented in honor of Esther S. Saks and her 90th birthday in celebration of her lifetime commitment to culture, curiosity, and social justice and is presented in partnership with Leadership Greater Chicago.
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Order the book Just Us: An American Conversation online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/just-us-ameri...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Connect on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChiHumanities
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagohuman...
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chihumanities/
Homeland Elegies is Pulitzer-winning playwright and novelist Ayad Akhtar’s lyrical response to post-9/11, Trump-era American politics. Drawing on his perspective as the child of Muslim immigrants, Akhtar pens an elegy to the American dream. Part memoir, part fiction, this novel about a father and son searching for belonging paints a picture of disillusionment. Akhtar is joined at CHF by Obama-administration alumnus and founder of Interfaith Youth Core Eboo Patel to discuss his latest book and what it means to call a country home. This program was livestreamed on September 23, 2020.
This program is generously underwritten by Anita and Prabhakant Sinha and is presented in partnership with PEN America.
Order the book Homeland Elegies: A Novel online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/homeland-elegies
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Connect on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChiHumanities
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagohuman...
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chihumanities/
Comedian, actor, writer, and SNL alumnus Colin Quinn brings his signature wit to bear on the workings of representative democracy. Comparing the process to hosting a wedding, Quinn argues it involves too many people, it can’t possibly live up to everyone’s high expectations, and the guests with the “biggest envelopes” end up monopolizing your time. In his new book Overstated, Quinn undertakes a coast-to-coast roast of all fifty states, pointing out the hypocrisies of American ideals when compared to the reality of our union. Join Quinn (Red State Blue State and Unconstitutional) and comedian David Spade (SNL) at CHF for a big-picture, big-laughs conversation about his vision of America’s true potential. This program was livestreamed on September 22, 2020.
Order the book Overstated: A Coast-to-Coast Roast of the 50 States online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/overstated-co...
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Connect on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChiHumanities
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagohuman...
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chihumanities/
As the Emmy-award winning host of the long-running public media program Latino USA Maria Hinojosa has focused on uncovering Latinx stories that are often rendered invisible by mainstream media. Hinojosa’s new memoir Once I was You continues her reporting on two fronts: her own personal journey as an American immigrant and the larger political history of immigrant, women’s and civil rights. Hinojosa will be joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas (Dear America). This program was livestreamed on September 21, 2020.
Order the book Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America online at Seminary Co-op: https://www.semcoop.com/once-i-was-yo...
Donate now to support programs like this: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/don...
Explore upcoming events: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/
Connect on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChiHumanities
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagohuman...
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chihumanities/