Posted in Encased Meats Episodes Media guests

‘I am my own worst nightmare’: WLUP’s Tim Virgin sits shotgun (Episode 57)

I’ve known and adored fellow radio personality Tim Virgin for a very long time. For this week’s show, Tim met me at Herm’s Palace, a long-standing hot dog joint in Skokie. I had the Polish sausage with pastrami, he had…

Posted in Authors Comics Encased Meats Episodes hot dog joints Movie guests

Temptation, good and evil discussed over hot dogs with Sandy King Carpenter (Episode 54)

You like conflicts? This episode gives you God vs. the devil! Husband vs. wife! Producer vs. professional wrestler! Movie producer/writer/graphic novel creator Sandy King Carpenter sits shotgun to talk about her comic book work (e.g. John Carpenter’s Asylum), working with a…

Posted in Episodes Logan Square Music guests Pizza

The ‘debauchery sensei of Chicago’ talks ghosts, Chicago rock and charity (Episode 51)

This week’s guests are Herb Rosen (owner of Liar’s Club & musician: Rights of the Accused and Beer Nuts) and Kelly Galassi (bartender/charitable soul). We visit Dante’s Pizza at 2825 N. Milwaukee for a trio of ginormous slices. As Kelly…

Posted in Episodes metal Mexican food Music guests Suburbs

Planning the death metal version of ‘Thriller’ over tacos: Broken Hope’s Jeremy Wagner (Episode 50)

“Please tell me there’s a napkin in that bag.” “This is going to be a good week to get the interiors washed” Death metal comes to Car Con Carne, as Broken Hope founder/guitarist/lyricist Jeremy Wagner jumps in the front seat…

Posted in Chicago Episodes Live performances Mexican food Music guests

Toronzo Cannon brings the blues to the backseat (Episode 47)

Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon jumps in the backseat just as his Alligator Records debut, “The Chicago Way” is about to drop. He brings his resonator guitar along to play stunning acoustic versions of “Walk It Off,” “Pain Around Me” and…

Posted in Encased Meats Episodes Suburbs

Recovering from brain surgery, playing piano and eating encased meats: Keyboard king David Allen (Episode 45)

Imagine being told you had a mass on your brain and that it had to come out immediately. Now imagine coming out of that surgery and not having control over one of your arms. That’s what happened to childhood friend…

Posted in Chicago Comedians Episodes Lincoln Park Mexican food

Comedian Paul Farahvar eats burritos, discovers flight attendant party (Episode 42)

“What goes on here? This is like a boarding school.” This week’s episode finds James and comedian Paul Faravhar sitting a few doors down from Allende, a dive-y burrito place in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. As they sit and talk about…

Posted in Authors Encased Meats Episodes Northwest Side

Superdawg with ManBQue’s Jesse Valenciana (Episode 41)

“I am so bloated and full right now, I thought my seatbelt was on.” And so goes Car Con Carne’s trip to legendary Chicago hot dog establishment Superdawg. Jesse Valenciana, founder of meat-loving social club ManBQue, sits shotgun for a…

Posted in BBQ restaurants Episodes Wicker Park

Bomb scares, highbrow content and Phil Collins: Lillie’s Q with co-host “Hot Doug” Sohn (Episode 36)

“Hot Doug” (Doug Sohn) sits shotgun for a trip to Wicker Park. James talks about a bomb scare he lived through in Rosemont. And James and Doug go back and forth about music, from Phil Collins to Sonic Youth. Was…