December
2004 Shows
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WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 1ST
Extension 720 takes a seat on the bench tonight for the Northwestern
Wildcats basketball game at 8:30 p.m.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 2ND
JEWS IN AMERICA
The incomparable comedian Woody Allen once mused: “I was
thrown out of college for cheating on a metaphysics exam. I looked
into the soul of the boy sitting next to me.” All joking
aside, Jewish humor and the Jewish presence has made a lasting
effect on the soul of America. As part of an ongoing celebration
of the fourth century of Jewish life in this country, we examine
how Jews have affected the American psyche. Joining Extension
720 tonight is ANDREW HEINZE, professor of American history, director
of the Swig Judaic Studies Program at the University of San Francisco,
and author of the new book 
Jews
and the American Soul: Human Nature in the 20th Century.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 3RD
A CELEBRATION OF JAZZ
Tonight is an evening of music on Extension 720 as we celebrate
the pioneers of jazz with two jazz experts. Our guests include
MICHAEL DREGNI, columnist, reviewer and feature writer for Vintage
Guitar magazine, as well as author of the new book 
Django:
The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend, which details the
life of eminent jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. He will be joined
by JOHN MCDONOUGH, jazz critic and writer for Downbeat
magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Apart from Reinhardt,
we will focus on such great jazz pioneers as Jelly Roll Morton,
Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 6TH
POLITICAL BLOGGING
Web logs, better known as “blogs,” have become a familiar
and invaluable presence on the Internet and in the world of journalism.
For the first time, bloggers were given press credentials at the
presidential conventions, and blogs are now often the best source
for breaking news or stories that are not being covered in the
mainstream press. Tonight, we delve into the blogosphere with
three local political bloggers: CHRIS KANIS of The
Spoons Experience, PEJMAN YOUSEFZADEH of Pejmanesque,
and STEVEN ANTLER of Econopundit.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 7TH
A NIGHT OF CHICAGO WRITERS
A two-part program tonight as Milt chats with two great Chicago
writers. First, “hats divide generally into three classes:
offense hats, defensive hats, and shrapnel,” or so observed
British journalist Katherine Whitehorn. There once was a time
what the hat made the man, but the days of the fedora are gone,
mostly thanks to a sartorially conscious president named John
Fitzgerald Kennedy. Tonight, we will explore the evolution of
men’s fashion with NEIL STEINBERG, a columnist for the Chicago
Sun-Times and author of the new book Hatless Jack: The President,
the Fedora, and the History of American Style. During the second
hour, a recorded edition of Extension 720 will air featuring the
great Chicago author HARRY MARK PETRAKIS discussing his new book
The
Orchards of Ithaca.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 8TH
IS WAR DEAD?
War is forever evolving, from the meeting of great armies during
the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the massive slaughter of
both World Wars, to the guerilla tactics of Vietnam and the Gulf
Wars. But is war as we have known it for thousands of years over?
Tonight, we examine that very question with JOHN MUELLER, national
security expert and professor of political science at Ohio State
University. Mueller’s latest book is 
The
Remnants of War, and he will be joined by JOHN MEARSHEIMER,
professor of political science at the University of Chicago, to
discuss whether nations are beginning to transcend the “regression
into murder.”
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 9TH
ORGANIZED CRIME TODAY
The Godfather, Goodfellas and The Sopranos
have all fictionalized and mythologized the organized crime
of the Italian Mafia. It was, perhaps, the most powerful crime
organization in the United States, but that is no longer the case.
Tonight, we closely examine the state of organized crime as it
exists in America today, with our panel of three crime experts
are PATRICK HALPERIN, a former Federal Task Force Member and an
expert on the Russian mafia, TOM KIRKPATRICK, president of the
Chicago Crime Commission, and TED McNAMARA, an FBI agent who works
on organized crime cases.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 10TH
THE MOVIES OF THE YEAR
Another year of movies has come and gone, and tonight we will
examine the best and the worst movies of 2004, from highly anticipated
movies that flopped to hidden gems that were unduly overlooked.
Our regular panel of reviewers—GENE PHILLIPS, PENELOPE MESIC,
and JOSH LARSEN—will weigh in on the year in film.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 13TH
THE SECULARIZATION OF THE HOLIDAYS
When did “Merry Christmas” become “Happy Holidays?”
Why must children in the public schools have a winter vacation
instead of a Christmas break? The holiday season is increasingly
a secularized time, with Santa Claus becoming the central figure
in this time of materialism. Tonight, we will be exploring this
trend and some of the legal and Constitutional reasons behind
it with COLLEEN CONNELL, executive director of the Illinois American
Civil Liberties Union, and JOHN MAUCK of Mauck & Baker Attorneys
at Law, who specializes in religious law.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 14TH
THE YEAR IN CHICAGO
Extension 720 takes a look back at the year in Chicago
politics, as well as developments statewide, with two experts:
WGN Radio's own political analyst PAUL GREEN and DICK CICCONE,
former managing editor of the Chicago Tribune.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 15TH
A recorded edition of Extension 720 will air after the Northwestern
Wildcats basketball game at 8:00 p.m.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 16TH
THE YEAR AT WGN
As 2004 draws to a close, we once again welcome into the studio
three of WGN Radio’s favorite on-air personalities to discuss
the events of the past year as only they can. Be sure to tune
in as KATHY O’MALLEY, STEVE COCHRAN, and RICK KOGAN will
discuss WGN Radio’s 80th anniversary year and their own
adventures and misadventures in pursuit of radio excellence.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 17TH
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
Sherlock Holmes remarked in A Study in Scarlet, “You
know that a conjurer gets no credit when once he has explained
his trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working,
you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual
after all.” However, tonight on Extension 720, we will be
examining the method and the genius of the world’s most
famous detective. And so the game is indeed afoot as we celebrate
the publication of 
The
New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories
with its editor, LESLIE KLINGER and local Baker Street Irregulars
TOM JOYCE and DON TERRAS.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 20TH
A recorded edition of Extension 720 will air after the 8:00 p.m.
Northwestern Wildcats basketball game.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 21ST
A LOOK AT THE TORAH
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are known
to Christians as the first five books of the Old Testament and
to Jews as the Torah—the five books of Moses. Tonight, we
will examine these scriptures in a new light with ROBERT ALTER,
professor of Hebrew and comparative literature at the University
of California, Berkeley and author of a new translation and commentary
of the Torah. This new work, 
The
Five Books of Moses, highlights not only the true meaning
of the text but also its beauty and poetry.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 22ND
RESTAURANTS OF THE YEAR
After the 7:00 Northwestern basketball game, Extension 720 celebrates
the best and worst restaurants of 2004 with restaurant critics
DON ROSE and PHIL VETTEL of the Chicago Tribune. Be sure
to tune in for what will certainly be a program for the gourmand
in all of us.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 23RD
THE BEST OF EXTENSION 720 2004
Once again, Extension 720 takes a look back at some of the most
interesting guests of the past year. In the past twelve months,
our studios have hosted major political figures such as Richard
Perle, Robert Reich and Joseph Califano; journalists like Sir
Max Hastings, Bob Schieffer, and Jack Germond; academics including
Martin Marty, Stephen Greenblatt; and Paul Bloom and countless
other fascinating people. Tonight, producer MAGGIE BERNDT will
host a sampling of highlights from some of our best programs of
2004.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 24TH
Extension 720 will not air at its regular time due to WGN's annual
holiday programming. But be sure to listen for Milt's handpicked
Baroque Holiday Music that will air periodically throughout this
special programming.
MONDAY,
DECEMBER 27TH
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Tonight, Extension 720 takes a look back at some of the most important
domestic and international events of the past year. From the re-election
of George W. Bush to the continuing war in Iraq, our panel of
experts from the Chicago Tribune will discuss all the
major news events of the past year. They include foreign editor
KERRY LUFT and associate managing editor for national news JOYCELYN
WINNECKE.
TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 28TH
THE BOOKS OF YEAR
Tonight, Extension 720 celebrates the best and worst
books of 2004 with three close friends of the program: RON GROSSMAN,
features writer at the Chicago Tribune, ELLEN HUNT, language
expert and former head of the science writing department at Children's
Memorial Hospital, and ROCKY KOLB, professor of astronomy and
astrophysics at the University of Chicago and director of the
Particle Astrophysics Center at Fermilab.
WEDNESDAY,
DECEMBER 29TH
INSIDE THE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Tonight on Extension 720, we go into the archives of
three major Chicago libraries. Joining us to discuss the art and
science of collecting and maintaining historically important materials
are RUSSELL MAYLONE, head of the Charles Deering McCormick Library
of Special Collections at Northwestern University, ROBERT KARROW,
curator of special collections at the Newberry Library, and ALICE
SCHREYER, director of the Special Collections Research Center
at the University of Chicago.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 30TH
OPEN LINE
On the penultimate night of 2004, Extension 720 opens the lines
to hear our listeners’ comments on the many events of the
past year. Be sure to call in early to share your reflections
on the past year and your predictions for 2005.
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 31ST
TAPES FROM THE VAULT
Extension 720 is taking the night off to celebrate the New Year,
but some recently recorded tapes will air. Check back to this
website for updates on which fresh tapes will be played.
Archive
of previous show topics:
