The Ben Joravsky Show
Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day's stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky or on the Reader's YouTube channel—or wherever you podcast. Don't miss Oh, What a Week!--the Friday feature in which Ben & special guests review the week's top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.
Show episodes
Breaking News—Illinois Supremes overturn Jussie conviction. Ben riffs. Peter Cunningham talks lessons learned from the election. As the show’s resident centrist—every lefty show needs one—he says the Dems lost the message battle. Ben says—any old white guy could have beat Trump. And they’re off. Also, Mayor Johnson bud
If you want to know why Chicago’s aldermen are talking tough to Mayor Johnson, think Jake Paul challenging a 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Ben riffs. Monroe talks local and national politics. Including Rahm, Trump, Gaetz, and the NFL. Will football ban players who do the Trump dance like they banned Colin Kaepernick? I think
Morning Joe goes down to Mar-a-Lago. Ben riffs. Ray Hanania explains why Trump won. Before admitting—you’re right, Ben, the women hating vote put Trump over the top. A few words about self hate as a force in politics. And Ray comes out for Mayor Johnson. So it’s now Ben and Ray and the Triibe as the only media folks in
Rummana Hussain and Ben discuss the curious refusal of Americans, including leftists, to acknowledge that hatred of women, especially Black women, prompted millions of voters to vote for a criminal over Kamala Harris. It is a betrayal of Black women. Even if America refuses to admit that. Ben says a demented Joe Biden,
Clearly, the abortion rights movement did not lead to a Democratic triumph. Ben riffs. Julie Lynn elaborates. Bottom line—the strategy of using state by state referendums to lead the charge benefitted Trump. Just like Julie said it would. And if voters think these referendums will protect abortion rights they are serio
David Faris searches for the logic of the voters’s decision to elect Trump. And for Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz, Baby Bobby, Hegseth and so on. Good luck, David. Oh, yes—David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for Slate and Newsweek. His views are his own. See Privacy Polic