Brendan Hunt joins DIBS for a wide-ranging conversation about growing up in Chicago, the emotional impact of Ted Lasso, and returning home for his deeply personal one-man show, The Movement You Need at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. From Boom Chicago in Amsterdam to the global phenomenon of Ted Lasso, Brendan reflects on the moments, music, and relationships that shaped him.

The episode dives into Brendan’s lifelong connection to The Beatles, especially “Hey Jude,” and how their music became intertwined with family, grief, and fatherhood. He also opens up about his mother’s alcoholism, therapy, and how The Movement You Need became both a love letter and a way to process complicated memories with humor and honesty.

Mallory and Nick also talk with Brendan about:

• The lasting influence of Chicago’s improv scene and Boom Chicago
• Why Ted Lasso became a source of comfort for so many people
• The cultural rise of women’s sports and what’s ahead in Season 4
• His “Sox fan, Cubs sympathizer” philosophy
• Why Chicago’s wit, humor, and people make it unlike anywhere else

Plus: Paul McCartney stories, Dutch humor, Malört discourse, and one of DIBS's most heartfelt conversations yet.

Tickets to The Movement You Need

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

This week, we sit down with Michael Alter, principal owner of the Chicago Sky, to talk about what it really takes to build a professional sports franchise from the ground up, and why investing in women’s sports is about so much more than the game.

From launching the Sky as an expansion team to winning the 2021 WNBA Championship, Michael shares the highs, the challenges, and the moments that made it all worth it. We explore the league's evolution, the explosive growth of women’s basketball, and how the Sky became a cultural force in Chicago and beyond.

We also talk about the realities behind the scenes, from building a brand without an NBA counterpart to navigating media narratives to protecting players in the age of social media. And at the core of it all is a bigger mission: creating visibility, opportunity, and inspiration for the next generation of female athletes.

In this episode, we cover:

• The origin story of the Chicago Sky and why Chicago needed a WNBA team
• What it takes to build a franchise from scratch, including branding, hiring, and early challenges
• The 2021 championship run and why it meant more than just a title
• How the WNBA is evolving, from expansion teams to global growth
• The dark side of sports: social media, player safety, and online abuse
• Why women’s sports are finally getting the attention they’ve always deserved

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

This week, we’ve got DIBS on Kathryn Erbe.

Kathryn Erbe is a celebrated stage and screen actor whose career spans Broadway, film, and some of television’s most iconic series. Many audiences know her as Detective Alexandra Eames on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, but her work reaches far beyond that role—from HBO’s groundbreaking drama Oz to beloved films like D2: The Mighty Ducks and What About Bob?

A longtime member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble, Kathryn returns to Chicago to star in The Dance of Death, a riveting and darkly funny psychological thriller adapted by Conor McPherson from August Strindberg’s classic play. Performing at the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre, the production blends biting humor, emotional intensity, and extraordinary physical performances.

In this episode, Kathryn shares:

1. How she landed on Broadway just six weeks after graduating from NYU Tisch
2. The surreal experience of joining Steppenwolf Theatre, a company she once read about as a teenager, dreaming of becoming an actor
3. Behind-the-scenes stories from Oz, one of HBO’s most groundbreaking early dramas
4. What it was really like filming Law & Order: Criminal Intent for ten seasons alongside Vincent D’Onofrio
5. Why theater and the shared experience of live performance feel more important than ever after the pandemic
6. The deeply personal story of how theater helped transform her life after a difficult adolescence

Kathryn also talks about the physical demands of performing The Dance of Death, even revealing she’s currently performing the show while recovering from a broken foot.

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

We’re joined by Michael Hitchcock—Northwestern alum, Western Springs native, and a quietly legendary force behind some of the most influential comedies of the last 25+ years. From interning at WBEZ, CBS 2, WGN, and learning Chicago media from the inside, to finding his creative home at The Groundlings in Los Angeles, Michael’s career is a masterclass in craft, longevity, and being “in everything you love” (often before you even realize it).

We talk about Michael’s iconic run with Christopher Guest, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration, and how that ensemble, improv-driven style didn’t just shape comedy, it helped rewrite the rules of how comedy films get made. Michael shares what it was like returning to Best in Show 25 years later, why it still holds up, and what surprised him most about dog show culture.

Plus, Michael takes us inside two of the biggest streaming hits of the moment: Nobody Wants This and The Lowdown on FX/Hulu, a modern noir with sharp dialogue, an all-star cast, and an awards-season buzz that’s building fast. We also dig into his experience on Glee, from appearing on-screen to writing and producing across multiple seasons—what it’s like creating TV at peak cultural impact, and how music rights actually work when you’re pulling off ambitious episodes with major artists.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Growing up in the western suburbs and falling in love with Second City and Chicago theater
2. The surprising connection between community theater and landing Waiting for Guffman
3. The Groundlings, character comedy, and the Chicago vs. LA comedy difference
4. The legacy of Best in Show and why it’s still a cult classic (and then some)
5. Behind the scenes of Nobody Wants This, The Lowdown, and Glee

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

Chicago runs on voices you feel like you’ve known forever, and Melissa Forman is one of them. In this episode, we sit down with the legendary morning host of 93.9 WLIT-FM (Light FM) to unpack what makes Chicago one of the biggest radio markets in the country, why authenticity is the only currency that works here, and how radio still builds real community in a world that’s more “connected” than ever.

Melissa takes us from Glenbrook to U of I, then into the early days of learning the craft the hard way—reel-to-reel, carts, stunts, brutal hours, and the kind of on-the-ground experience today’s broadcasters rarely get. We also talk about how the industry has evolved: how technology changed show prep, how programming and playlists actually work, and why structure doesn’t have to mean losing your voice.

And yes, we go complete Chicago radio nerd. Melissa shouts out the icons who shaped her, shares the artists who gave her true “how is this my life?” moments (Dennis DeYoung included), and explains what she’s learned after decades on-air: at its best, radio isn’t just entertainment, it’s companionship, comfort, and a daily check-in that matters more than people realize.

In this episode, we talk about:

1. Why Chicago is one of the biggest radio markets, and why we’re so loyal to the voices we hear every day
2. How the “Chicago holiday station” tradition became a citywide ritual (and why it starts when it starts)
3. The real reason holiday songs repeat (and what “Top 40 philosophy” has to do with it)
4. Radio then vs. now: carts, reels, stunts, and the end of the farm system
5. Authenticity in Chicago: why this city rejects “national” energy and demands the real thing
6. Community on-air: how Melissa uses her platform to make listeners feel seen, safe, and heard
7. Melissa’s formative influences: Brandmeier, Dahl, Landecker, and more

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

This week, we got DIBS on Jeff Mauro, Food Network host, comedian, musician, and proud Chicagoan who built a career by blending two hometown obsessions: comedy and sandwiches. Jeff takes us from a big Italian-American kitchen to Taste of Chicago, from Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding to the Food Network Star stage, and shares what it really takes to turn a point of view into a long-lasting career.

We talk about growing up in the Chicagoland area with food at the center of everything, the moment Jeff realized humor was his superpower, and why he never stopped chasing the dream, even when he was ready to be “good” with a normal life. He also breaks down Chicago sandwich culture (yes, we go there), what people still get wrong about Italian beef, and how food TV is evolving in the age of YouTube, influencers, and short-form clips.

Jeff is also bringing a live, variety-style show to City Winery Chicago on January 22, a night of stories, music, food, and off-the-cuff comedy that feels like the most Jeff Mauro thing possible.

In this episode, we cover:

1. Jeff’s Chicago upbringing and why food was always the epicenter
2. How comedy became his superpower in third grade
3. Moving to LA and finding the Chicago community out west
4. The long road to Food Network Star and what finally made it click
5. Why “being famous” is not a career and what creators miss today
6. Sandwich King's origins and the power of a clear culinary point of view
7. Hot dog as a sandwich debate (with a surprisingly poetic answer)
8. Jeff’s current favorite Chicago sandwich picks
9. Food Network’s shifting landscape and why live performance is the next wave
10. Why Jeff loves Chicago: grit, beauty, authenticity, and zero tolerance for nonsense

Episode Resources:

1. Jeff Mauro live at City Winery Chicago — January 22
2. Mauro Provisions (including Jeff’s Jardiniera, now available at Whole Foods across the Midwest and Walmart)

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

This week, we got DIBS on Chris Candy, actor, musician, and executive producer of the new Amazon Prime documentary John Candy: I Like Me. From Planes, Trains, and Automobiles to Uncle Buck to Home Alone, John Candy helped define Chicago on screen for a generation. Now, his son Chris is pulling back the curtain on the man behind the roles: the working actor, the dad, and the human being who was as generous off-camera as he was hilarious on-camera.

Set against the backdrop of the holidays, when John Candy movies are basically required viewing in Chicago, this conversation dives into grief, legacy, and what it means to share a parent with the world. Chris talks candidly about losing his dad at just eight years old, why the family waited three decades to make a documentary, and how I Like Me became his way of both honoring and finally processing that loss.

If you grew up on John Candy movies, love Chicago holiday classics, or are navigating your own “Dead Dad Club” grief, this one’s going to hit you right in the feelings.

In this episode, we cover:

1. How John Candy: I Like Me came to life, from early ideas to teaming up with Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds
2. Why the Candy family saw this as the definitive documentary and decided now was the right time
3. What it was like for Chris to grieve in public and privately at the same time
4. The emotional weight of revisiting his dad’s life through old footage, friends’ stories, and fan memories
5. Macaulay Culkin’s powerful recollection of working with John on Uncle Buck and how John treated kids on set
6. The Chicago DNA running through John’s most iconic roles and why the city still feels like “America in one place”
7. How comedy, kindness, and vulnerability can all coexist in one person
8. What Chris hopes people remember about his dad after watching the film
9. The strange, tender camaraderie of the “dead dads’ club” and why talking about grief matters
10. Why John Candy felt like someone audiences could trust, especially kids watching him on screen

About John Candy: I Like Me

John Candy: I Like Me is an intimate look at the beloved actor’s life, career, and inner world, from his early days on SCTV to Hollywood stardom. Featuring interviews with friends, collaborators, and family, the film explores not just the characters we love but also the man who played them and the son still learning who his father was.

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

A Red Orchid Theatre is one of Chicago’s most intimate and fearless stages, with just 60 to 70 seats, no distance between actor and audience, and storytelling that asks you to lean in. This week on DIBS, we sit down with Kirsten Fitzgerald, longtime ensemble member and Artistic Director of A Red Orchid Theatre, to talk about the craft, community, and Chicago spirit that have kept the company pushing artistic boundaries for more than 30 years in the heart of Old Town.

Kirsten takes us from growing up in Lake Bluff and discovering theater as a calling, to training in the Midwest, to returning to Chicago in the mid-90s and finding her artistic home at A Red Orchid after seeing a production in 1995 that changed everything. Along the way, she shares the company’s origin story, founded by Guy Van Swearingen, Michael Shannon, and Lawrence Grimm, why the name A Red Orchid carries deeper meaning than most realize, and what it takes to build art that lives right on the edge of something honest.

In this episode, we cover:

• The making of an actor: The first productions that blew Kirsten’s mind, why theater felt like a real calling in high school, and how Midwest training helped shape her craft.
• Returning to Chicago: Coming home after grad school, building a sustainable acting life, and how her day job at Thresholds turned into theater-driven work through games, interviewing skills, and social practice.
• How A Red Orchid started: The founding story, the Old Town space, and how a firefighter's schedule, a DIY mindset, and a rented room turned into a company that’s lasted more than 30 years.
• Why the room matters: What it means to do theater with 60–70 seats, how intimacy changes performance, and why audiences sometimes need time to sit and process before they can even stand up.
• Choosing a season as an ensemble: How the company reads year-round, votes on plays, balances classics with new work, and builds seasons around urgency, relationships, and what’s “eating at” the group.
• What’s coming next: Kirsten’s excitement for Birds of North America (which she’s directing), the themes she’s drawn to this season, and why she wants everyone to “just walk in the door.”

Purchase tickets to Birds of North America here.

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman