Steve and Johnnie

Latest Episodes:

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert and the demise of the Cybertruck Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman are back in the the WGN Skyline Studios, live for the first time in a long time! After an extended delay chock full of hurricanes, panhandle home-improvement, and some mysterious crud, the duo are packing a five hour show into a three and a half hour time-slot following Chicago Blackhawks hockey on WGN.

Steve King and Johnnie Putman talked with entertainment reporter Gino Salomone to discuss the ongoing fundraising effort to bring a life-sized bronze statue of legendary film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert to Chicago. Salomone shared details about a special Heritage Auctions fundraiser, Siskel & Ebert Statue: Two Thumbs Up auction, featuring more than 300 Hollywood collectibles, signed posters, lobby cards, and memorabilia, all benefiting the $230,000 campaign. The proposed statue, featuring Siskel and Ebert with their trademark thumbs-up pose and theater seats for visitors, is planned for Prudential Plaza and has the support of both families.

Tom Appel of Consumer Guide Automotive joined Steve and Johnnie to discuss the reported end of Tesla’s Cybertruck production run, the growing trend of keyless vehicle technology, major automotive recalls, and the soaring cost of new vehicles. Tom also detailed the 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Plus and examined how automakers continue to balance technology, performance, and affordability.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8974427/8974427_2026-11-09-182527.64kmono.mp3 More with Tom Appel

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery, Young Sheldon book pre-release, and a Florida panhandle musician Oct 18, 2026

Show notes

After a one-week hiatus due to the landfall of category two hurricane Isaias, Steve and Johnnie are back on the air from Florida’s Gulf Coast in the studios of WKGC-FM in Panama City Florida, following Chicago Blackhawks hockey on WGN Radio.

New York Times bestselling author, host of the Official Big Bang Theory Podcast on HBO Max, Jessica Radloff joined Steve and Johnnie with a pre-release peek at her new book about Young Sheldon, called Young Sheldon: The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy.

Rising singer-songwriter Hanson LeBouf joined Steve King and Johnnie Putman-studio to learn more about the Panama City-area artist and talk about balancing family life with music, performing around the Florida Panhandle, and participating in the area’s growing songwriter community, including the Panama City Songwriters Festival.

Along with sharing some exciting new job news, Steve and Johnnie’s resident computer guru, Dr. Patrick Crispen tackled “disaster Internet” and other tech news.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8828587/8828587_2026-10-18-175727.64kmono.mp3

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Beloved WGN Radio family members and hosts of the Steve and Johnnie show, Steve King and Johnnie Putman, join Lisa Dent from Panama City Beach in Florida to discuss their perspective as Hurricane Isaias makes its way to the coast.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8765097/Steve_and_Johnnie_10_08_2026_2026-10-08-192137.64kmono.mp3

More coverage

Weather

UN climate summit kicks off in Turkey after a disastrous year of extreme weather

.cls-4{fill:#000;}

Storms that caused 1-in-1,000 year flood event in Tennessee and Georgia move up Atlantic coast

.cls-4{fill:#000;}

Tropical Storm Pena forms in the Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii

.cls-4{fill:#000;}

Uninsured and flooded out, a Colorado man worries if life will be normal again

.cls-4{fill:#000;}

Heavy rains flood towns, dozens rescued on Georgia-Tennessee border

.cls-4{fill:#000;} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Lisa Dent

Steve Bertrand talks about his work with I Care International

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Terry Savage: Good news regarding the Dow

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Newsroom Sound Check: 11/09/26

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Treetime’s Kickoff to Christmas with WGN Radio

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Mosque will open itself to everyone on Saturday

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking, The Skokie Theater re-opening, and The Empty Pockets touring Oct 04, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman re-joined live from the the WGN Skyline Studios after Chicago Blackhawks Hockey. This was their last show from Chicago for three weeks. After tonight’s show, they’re heading down to Florida’s Gulf Coast, where they’ll be doing a few shows from the studios of WKGC-FM, in Panama City.

Chris & Monica Matsakis, two of the new owners of one of the Chicago area’s cultural landmarks, The Skokie Theater, joined Steve and Johnnie to talk about the The Skokie’s re-opening on Thursday October 8th and how the new owners plan to honor its historic legacy while relaunching it as a home for both emerging and established artists.

Friend of the show Josh Solomon of The Empty Pockets also had a chat with Steve and Johnnie to talk about the show they’ll be playing at Rate Field before Wednesday’s White Sox game and discuss some of the recording done at Abbey Road Studios for their upcoming album, Dear Billionaires.

Consumer Guide’s Publisher Tom Appel drove-by and updated Steve and Johnnie with the latest on eased fuel economy rules, new road tests, automotive recalls, Tom’s “Car Tunes” & more.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8732354/8732354_2026-10-04-164754.64kmono.mp3 More with Tom Appel

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie: A harvest moon rise, a guitar virtuoso, and Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest Sep 27, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman broadcast live from the the WGN Skyline Studios after Chicago Blackhawks Hockey on a full harvest moon Saturday night. They’re joined by Ron, Bob, Jonathan, and introduce WGN newsman Dimitri Bubaris to prove that he does, in fact, exist.

On Saturday’s night’s show, they got the scoop on the Chicagoland Gluten Free Fall Fest in Long Grove from the fest’s Co-Founder, Sunny Chauhan. Sunny details with our hosts the highlights of the festival including a gluten-free bake off, Exclusively gluten-free food and drinks, food trucks, live music, and much more.

A dear friend of S&J, who just happens to be one of the modern era’s most accomplished and versatile guitarists, Tommy Emmanuel, is coming back to Chicagoland for an appearance in January, he dropped in to catch up with Steve and Johnnie on Saturday night.

Our resident computer guru, Dr. Patrick Crispen had the latest AI updates, and explains what the heck a Googlebook is, unlocks this week in hacks, explains why it is important to only download phone and tablet apps from Google Play and Apple’s app store, and other helpful tips.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8697891/8697891_2026-09-27-182331.64kmono.mp3

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

An upcoming Evanston Space performance, green stickers on a QB helmet explained, and Ford leads 2026 auto recalls Sep 20, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman come in from the rain to broadcast live from the the WGN Skyline Studios for a rejoin after a Nothwestern Wildcats football win in Evanston. They’re joined by Ron, Bob, and Jonathan to catch up on the current conditions at Riot Fest, get caught up on the current films that are trending, and get some fascinating insight on the more technical aspects of getting the Chicago Bears “mic’d-up” for gameday.

Steve and Johnnie are happy to welcome back Chicago-based musician and songwriter Steve Dawson, who treated us to some in-studio performances and stories about songs penned when he was only 17, ahead of his October 11 appearance at
Evanston Space.

Consumer Guide’s Publisher, Tom Appel drives by with his latest road test results, automotive recalls, Tom’s “Car-Tunes” and a lot more.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8671472/8671472_2026-09-20-183512.64kmono.mp3

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie: Alicia Witt in Evanston, rock star photographer’s photo tips, is AI Going to Kill us? Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman are back in the WGN Skyline Studios after a one week holiday hiatus, packing all the content they can fit into a condensed version of the show following a rejoin after Big Ten football on WGN.

Steve and Johnnie kick off the show with a chat with actor and singer-songwriter Alicia Witt in advance of her upcoming Chicago appearance at Evanston SPACE on Saturday, September 26th and details some of the time spent being directed by the legendary David Lynch.

By request, it’s a return visit from Chicago based rock star photographer Will Byington, who stops by to share tips on taking great pictures with your phone and shares the advantage and disadvantages of AI-assisted digital photography.

Steve and Johnnie’s computer guru Patrick Crispen, Director of Educational Technology at Keck School of Medicine of USC, unpacks the story behind Invitations that are actually phishing attacks, the dark web service selling 153M+ Drivers Licenses, this week in hacks, and a lot more.

Finally, Steve and Johnnie share some memories of their dearly departed friend and WGN colleague Judy Markey.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8654106/8654106_2026-09-13-161606.64kmono.mp3

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie: Remembering Dolly, a harmonica virtuoso, and automobile tips & tricks Aug 30, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman broadcast live from the WGN Skyline Studios for a full show packed with reflections on a legend. They kick off the show with a brief chat with Ron from the newsroom about losing Dolly Parton, a historic day in Northside baseball, the Southside’s magic number, and the perplexing timeline of Ted Nugent recordings.

Steve and Johnnie are joined by 2-time Grammy award-winning pianist, diatonic harmonica player, and composer, Howard Levy, live in studio. The trio talk about his time recording with Dolly Parton and his new album, “Heavy World.”

Consumer Guide’s Publisher, Tom Appel brings S&J up-to-date on the guide’s latest road test results, automotive news, and recalls. Plus, a new edition of Tom’s “Car-Tunes” and more.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8628297/8628297_2026-08-30-192537.64kmono.mp3 More with Tom Appel

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

Steve and Johnnie: Storm chasing in Indiana, an Illinois Christmas town, and back-to-school tech tips Aug 23, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman re-join live after the White Sox broadcast in the WGN Skyline Studios for a slightly abridged version of Saturday night’s show. They’re joined by the usual suspects (Ron, Bob, and Jonathan) for a brief chat on AI internet films and and the joy Chicago baseball is bringing us.

Steve and Johnnie talk to Doug Downey, the Mayor of Carlinville, IL, about competing in the Hallmark Merriest Christmas Town contest and the surprise nomination by one of the towns citizens.

Steve and Johnnie also check in with Paul Goddard, who has been chasing storms for the national networks for 15 years and is the man behind the Region News Source, to get an update on progress restoring power and clean up in Northwest Indiana after the area’s devastating storms.

The always informative Patrick Crispen, Director of Educational Technology at Keck School of Medicine of USC, has back to school computer tips, a Windows 10 support update, computer backup suggestions and more.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8609422/8609422_2026-08-23-191522.64kmono.mp3

Steve and Johnnie

Steve and Johnnie: Bronzing Siskel & Ebert

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Hurricane Isaias recovery

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie prep for Hurricane Isaias

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: The White Sox streaking

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}

Steve and Johnnie: Long Grove’s gluten-free fall fest

.cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Click for more

A Chicago Air and Water Show weekend, a new intro, and stories shared with old friends Aug 16, 2026

Show notes

Steve King and Johnnie Putman are live from the WGN Skyline Studios on an overcast Air and Water Show Saturday evening.

Spike O’Dell, personal friend of the show and a former WGN host with a place on the WGN walk-of-fame, joins Steve and Johnnie to bestow upon them a new intro-theme, discuss his recent dabbling in AI-assisted music composition, and share stories from his broadcast history.

Neal Samors, author of “I Can’t Wait Till Next Year: The Agony of Being a Cubs Fan,” talks with Steve and Johnnie about the Cubs’ history and spends a minute on the chapter covering the White Sox, much to S&J’s delight.

Tom Appel, Publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive, speaks to Steve and Johnnie regarding subscription services that may be required to achieve the full horsepower capabilities of your vehicle and more.

https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8595622/8595622_2026-08-16-210222.64kmono.mp3