After Hours with Rick Kogan

After Hours with Rick Kogan Rick Kogan starts off your week interviewing the people who make Chicago tick. 5-7 p.m., Sundays, W The Voice of Chicago is back on The Voice of Chicago!

Rick Kogan starts off your week with discussion, commentary and interviews with the people - writers, musicians, artists, characters, newsmakers - who make Chicago tick. 9-11 p.m., Sundays, WGN Radio 720 AM.

Judy Markey, made a big impact on radio, teaming with Kathy O'Malley, and wrote admired columns and novels. She died Fri...
09/12/2026

Judy Markey, made a big impact on radio, teaming with Kathy O'Malley, and wrote admired columns and novels. She died Friday choosing to do so her own way. Lots to read at WGNradio. com and here, in this gift link where you'll also find a charming video.

In addition to her popular radio show on her longtime radio home, WGN-720 AM, Markey was a columnist for the Sun-Times and the author of two novels.

What are you doing Sunday? Here's an idea. Come and see me with Howard Reich and Heather Ireland Robinson in conversatio...
09/11/2026

What are you doing Sunday? Here's an idea. Come and see me with Howard Reich and Heather Ireland Robinson in conversation about jazz, our city and Howard's new book. We promise not to sing.

Center Stage (On S. Dearborn St. in Printers Row Park between Polk and Harrison Streets, West Side of Dearborn.) Sunday 9/13, 1pm Howard Reich is the Emmy Award-winning author of ... Read more

Sad. Roger Simon was one of a rare kind, a great columnist, better man, terrific friend and Chicago through and through....
09/10/2026

Sad. Roger Simon was one of a rare kind, a great columnist, better man, terrific friend and Chicago through and through. Read what his many friends and admirers have to say and think good thought about his wife Marcia.

Along with being a long-time columnist for the Sun-Times, he was White House correspondent for the Tribune and pioneered political writing at Politico.

There has never been anyone like him, and so I think you'll enjoy visiting with Mr. T in a new Netflix documentary that ...
09/09/2026

There has never been anyone like him, and so I think you'll enjoy visiting with Mr. T in a new Netflix documentary that has made him mad, even though there is much to enjoy about it.

Seeing Mr. T in “Untold Mr. T: I Pity the Fool,” is to be reminded what a massive star he was and learn of his life after the spotlights dimmed.

It's not my drink of choice-I'm a bourbon guy-but the Martini is being celebrated by a week full of events (https://www....
09/08/2026

It's not my drink of choice-I'm a bourbon guy-but the Martini is being celebrated by a week full of events (https://www.martiniexpo.com/) booze and burgers, history and culture at the Green Mill, Club Lucky and, of all places, the Billy Goat. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/08/column-a-weeklong-celebration-of-the-martini-is-coming-to-town/?share=ucc0tasnohoa6cwttcgg

Chicago’s upcoming Martini Expo will visit such places as Shaw’s Crab House, Duck Inn, Hawksmoor and, of all places, the Billy Goat.

The After Hours-Rick Kogan podcast era begins, with three conversations, about Printers Row Lit Fest, A Nelson Algren ce...
09/06/2026

The After Hours-Rick Kogan podcast era begins, with three conversations, about Printers Row Lit Fest, A Nelson Algren celebration and news of the first Martini Expo. All can be had at

Rick Kogan is the son of legendary newspaperman and author Herman Kogan. He was raised in the city’s Old Town neighborhood and wrote his first story for the Sun-Times at 16. By the mid-1980s, he was on the staff of the Chicago Tribune. He is now a senior writer and columnist.

"The Front Page" is back on stage, at Northlight, a play that changed American theater. Set in Chicago in the 1920 it re...
09/01/2026

"The Front Page" is back on stage, at Northlight, a play that changed American theater. Set in Chicago in the 1920 it remains potent. Say director BJ Jones, "I think it helps explain our era, our politics, our media. And it is so, so funny.”

This gruff and profane comedy was written by two Chicago newspaper guys named Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, set in a world of newspapers that mostly no longer exists.

When Jim Ruddle left the Chicago TV news biz in 1986 he said, “I’m not trying to find work here, there or anywhere.” He ...
08/28/2026

When Jim Ruddle left the Chicago TV news biz in 1986 he said, “I’m not trying to find work here, there or anywhere.” He had decided instead to live full time on his boat and sail calmly into his final decades.

Jim Ruddle may have vanished from local TV screens 40 years ago, leaving town to sail the world, but news of his death brought forth a stream of memories from former colleagues and ratings rivals.

Bob Danon, sitting in his Evanston gallery and frame shop, has always had big ideas and many interests. Read about what ...
08/26/2026

Bob Danon, sitting in his Evanston gallery and frame shop, has always had big ideas and many interests. Read about what he has done and what he's up to in this free link to a story of his life so far, in print Sunday.

He has always had big ideas and interests, from the time I first met him, more than 50 years ago.

Lenny Bruce was her hero, she spent formative time at The Second City here, paved the road for female comics and was an ...
08/25/2026

Lenny Bruce was her hero, she spent formative time at The Second City here, paved the road for female comics and was an original. Taking the measure of Joan Rivers.

Here’s a joke: “I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die, they will donate my body to Tupperware.” Joan Rivers continues to be remembered as a master of stand-up comedy.

Address

160 N. Stetson Avenue
Chicago, IL
60611

Telephone

(312) 981-7200

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when After Hours with Rick Kogan posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share