John Drummond: LEGENDARY reporter

John "Bulldog" Drummond has had a long career and is best known for being a world-class reporter covering breaking news, corruption, and, most notably, the Chicago Outfit. He grew up in Wisconsin and worked in Des Moines, Iowa before coming to Chicago to cover the Illinois legislature for WIND Radio. He worked at WREX-TV, then joined CBS-TV in the late 1960s. His career started in the late 1950s in Iowa at KBIZ and KXEL radio, and he worked at WHO. He remembers when the television medium, aka "The Magic Lantern," was established, and he talks about a lot: why Chicago was exciting to cover, the Machine, the Chicago syndicate, organized crime, Mayor Daley and why he liked reporting during the Daley Era, getting into Sam Giancana's house, how he developed his sources, covering sports and meeting Vince Lombardi, and lots more. No other reporter has so many stories to tell. He was even in the opening scene of The Fugitive!

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). 

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG186.mp3

Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

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Neil Fiorito: from radio to movies!

I first interviewed Neil five years ago, and his work situation has changed since then. He is no longer at the hotel (where I interviewed him early in the morning), and now teaches broadcasting and radio, in addition to doing traffic at WBBM Newsradio. This interview includes breaking news: Neil is going to be in the movie, Never Stop Talking, which will be released at the end of the year. He also talks about his partying parents, his wonderful wife, Chicago, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG181.mp3

Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Twitch, Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

Brian Tallerico: Roger Ebert and more

Brian Tallerico is the Content Editor of RogerEbert.com and talks about TV on Bill Moller's show on WGN Radio. He talks about his career; his interviews with Michael Pitt, Robert Redford, Jodie Foster, Errol Morris, Will Smith, Will Ferrell, Andy Sandberg, and Wes Craven; advice for interviewing; why Shia LaBeouf was his worst interview; what famous people are usually like; the value of criticism and film critics; if bad reviews matter; how he got into the reviewing business and became a film and TV critic; how he stayed motivated before he became part of the special class of critics; how the Internet has affected criticism; how he knew Roger Ebert; what he thinks of the Chicago TV and film scene; what makes a good review, and more. He also is Vice President of the Chicago Film Critics Association and helps organize their film festivals, edits the Magill's Cinema Annual, is the Playstation Guide for About.com, and writes for Film Threat and other sites.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG129.mp3

Roy Leonard: fun success

Roy Leonard has had a long career in media: radio, TV, and online. He talks about his start in the 1940s; his radio work in Salem and Framingham Massachusetts; army radio in Nome, Alaska; his theater background and meeting his wife, Sheila, there; working at WHDH and WNAC in Boston; finding out about WGN from sportscaster Curt Gowdy in the late 1960s; filling in for Wally Phillips; moving to Chicago in the late 60s; broadcasting Chicago Bulls home games with Vince Lloyd; living in Kenilworth; how he helped get Johnny Mathis exposure; the early days of TV and heydays of radio; why he likes Garry Meier's show; how he was the first theater and movie reviewer and interviewer; Kathy & Judy; Larry Lujack's real personality; his good attitude; interviewing John F Kennedy, John Cleese, Timothy Dalton, Henry Fonda, and Tippi Hedren; celebrity worship; his passion for theater; knowing Pearl Bailey, Marcel Marceau and Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits; hosting Family Classics; why he talked about his family on the air; his son Kelly Leonard (a Second City executive); why he retired; what he thought of Garry Meier and Steve Dahl making fun of him on their show; why he put Nick Digilio on the air, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG120.mp3

Nick Digilio: Movie Addict, Radio Host, Stand-Up Comedian, and More

Nick Digilio talks about his gig at WGN radio, how Roy Leonard gave him his big break, his partnership with Garry Lee Wright, his involvement with Factory Theater, why he loves movies, his stand-up comedy, criticism, and more. I also asked him questions that people posted on the Radiogirl Podcast Facebook page.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG75.mp3

Dean Richards: Chicago Media Celebrity

Dean Richards, who became famous beyond Chicago when Mel Gibson called him an a**hole, talks about his radio and TV career, why he was miserable at WNUA, how music radio has been ruined, obnoxious celebrities he's interviewed, which ones were decent, his cancer scare, the perks of fame, fans, WGN Radio, WGN-TV, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG54.mp3

Paolo Cascio: Hollywood Cinematographer

Paolo Cascio (aka PC) is a cinematographer who has worked on big movies and with top talent in Hollywood. He talks about his experiences in the entertainment biz and what you need to achieve your dreams.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG34.mp3