Chicago Stories

Mayor Emanuel turned the tables on Val Warner, co-host of the Chicago's popular Windy City LIVE daytime talk show, to ask her everything from parenting, faith, and family, to how she got her start, and the secrets of a good interview.

Mayor Emanuel stepped inside the mind of economist Steven Levitt, co-author of the wildly successful "Freakonomics" series, to hear how he comes up with questions, rationality vs. incentive, the value of change, public policy, the new ideas he's exploring, and why he became an economist in the first place. He also reminds the Mayor of a conversation they had over 20 years ago.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Mayor Emanuel have a lot to say about preparing Chicago's students for the future. Listen in as the two Clinton Administration alums talk digital training, corporate leadership, female empowerment, and making the world a better place through technology, along with some of the hard lessons learned along the way.

On this week's Father's Day episode, Mayor Emanuel was honored to be joined by his own father, Dr. Benjamin Emanuel, for a special conversation on parenthood, as well as a look back on his dad's life and long career. Tune in as Dr. Emanuel shares stories about his journey to Chicago, his role in Israel's War of Independence, fighting City Hall against lead paint, what he's most proud of as a parent, and, of course, what it was like to raise Rahm.

"Chicago Stories" is celebrating its first birthday with CTA bus driving, world-touring blues artist Toronzo Cannon. Tune in as he talks to Mayor Emanuel about writing songs on his route, the difference between West Side and South Side blues, how he balances his passion with the rest of his life, and much more. He even plays a few songs for good measure.

Nashone Greer-Adams is doing amazing things. Mayor Emanuel had the privilege to be joined by the founder of Little Angels Learning Center in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood to talk about the importance of early-education, serving the whole family, her own personal journey, and her plans for the future.

Fresh off their wins on "Top Chef" and "MasterChef Junior," Mayor Emanuel sat down with Chicago culinary wizards Joe Flamm and 11-year-old Beni Cwiakala to learn about their signature dishes, their favorite restaurants, and conquering cooking's toughest arenas.

He’s adopted Chicago as his home, and Chicago is better for it. You know Steve Cochran as the host of his eponymous morning show on WGN Radio, but hear him as Mayor Emanuel’s guest as they discuss Steve’s own story of adoption and the importance of family — a topic close to the Mayor’s heart. They also talk about the dangers of labeling fake news, the “corruption report,” and how to stay optimistic about the future. 

Iran, North Korea, Syria, China, Russia, and much more. Mayor Emanuel sat down with Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and former U.S. ambassador to NATO, to help make sense of the news, its major players, and how America's role in all of it is changing in the age of Trump.

Phillips Academy High School has won two football state championships in the last three years and has no plans on stopping. Not bad for a team that finished 2-7 as recently as 2010. Tune in as Coach Troy McAllister tells Mayor Emanuel how it happened, his plans for the future, and how success on the field has supported even greater success off the field.

Rainn Wilson took a break from his star turn at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre to stop by City Hall and talk to Mayor Emanuel about acting and service, his Baha'i faith and his current play "The Doppelgänger (an international farce)," and, of course, his iconic role on "The Office" as Scranton's most beloved paper salesman/beet farmer.

Auschwitz survivor Fritzie Fritzshall shares her firsthand account of the Holocaust with Mayor Rahm Emanuel in this special live podcast episode at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. She’s joined by Susan Abrams, the Museum’s CEO, on the 75th Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, who shares more about important exhibits including the Take a Stand Center featuring interactive holograms of survivors’ stories. Raw, powerful and emotional.

After a Cinderella story for the ages, Loyola Ramblers basketball coach Porter Moser took a break from his busy off-season to talk to Mayor Emanuel about his whirlwind ride. Tune in as Coach Moser shares memories from the Final Four run, learning from failure, winning the right way, and, of course, Sister Jean.

50 years ago today, the world lost one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time. The death of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sent shock waves around the globe, and nowhere more so than right here in Chicago. To commemorate this anniversary, Mayor Emanuel was joined by one of Chicago's own civil rights leaders, Rev. Dr. B. Herbert Martin of Bronzeville's Progressive Community Church, to look back on Dr. King's life and legacy, his campaign in Chicago, and to take us back to that tragic moment in 1968.

Peter Sagal is a man of many interests, which you’d expect from the host of NPR’s long-running “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” Listen as Peter and Mayor Emanuel look back on his unlikely career, the growth of news and comedy, and swap stories on marriage, running, his dinner with Stormy Daniels, and everything else that comes to mind.

David Eigenberg may not be a real Chicago firefighter, but he works with them to play one on T.V. Tune in as Mayor Emanuel talks to the "Chicago Fire" and "Sex and the City" actor about first responders, Chicago's bravest, and everything that makes this city tick.

Entrepreneurial guru Howard Tullman sits down with Mayor Emanuel in Chicago Stories’ first live podcast to dive into Chicago's surging innovation scene, taking a look back at his story of reinvention, 1871’s world leading expansion, and how Chicago became the global tech hub it is today.

Tom Skilling loves the weather, but his focus has increasingly turned to the urgency of climate change, or as he also puts it, "climate disruption." Tune in to hear his discussion with Mayor Emanuel about his remarkable career, the importance of following your passion, as well as the serious impact of climate change and what we can do about it.

George Saunders is a man of many careers and characters, but his voice has only one home. Tune in as Mayor Emanuel sits down with the acclaimed essayist, short-story writer, and first-time novelist as they talk about "Lincoln in the Bardo," creativity, kindness, and, of course, Chicago.

Ben Austen’s new book “High-Risers” focuses on Chicago’s infamous Cabrini-Green complex, the people who lived there, and the past, present and promise of public housing as a metaphor for cities and America at large. Mayor Emanuel sits down with the journalist and writer to discuss affordable housing, neighborhood community development, and much more.