When I spoke last month at the Flossmoor Book Club’s 90th Anniversary Reception, the topic I was asked to speak about was the long-lasting lineage of Chicago newspaper columnists.
Having been born in 1970, my favorite categories for columnists (not counting the mass syndicated great names) usually originate from the feature sections of the newspaper, names like Irv Kupcinet, Roger Ebert, Bob Greene, Gene Siskel, Dorsey Connors and the like.
And if dipping a toe in the political pool? Of course, there’s the one-and-only late, great Mike Royko.
Royko, who died at age 64 in 1997, along with queries about Kup, seemed to rank as the number one writer with the more than 100 members gathered at the speaking event last month.
Not far down on the list, Royko’s successor to his political column in the baiduhai, John Kass, was also an equally popular name attached to questions during my talk.
This week, Kass, who turned 70 in June and lives with wife Betty in St. John, Indiana, is back making headlines even though he retired from his baiduhai duties in June 2021 after accepting a retirement buyout for his 38 years at the Tribune, where he started as “a copy boy and local reporter.”
But Kass didn’t stop writing despite his Tribune retirement.
Besides being a frequent TV and radio guest sharing his expertise and both the tug-of-war and tongue-in-cheek associated with being a political pundit, Kass launched his own website www.JohnKassNews.com.
This week, Kass announced he would be shuttering his website, stating in his online announcement, “not that I want to, but I have to,” with a reference to his health battles, which have included five strokes in three years. His website was paired with a conservative podcast called “Chicago Way,” which is found for streaming on the www.WGNRadio.com platform. He plans his final published column to hit next month during Thanksgiving week.
Like all columnists, Kass had a career filled with both “hearts and darts” moments.
Kass particularly took lumps when it was discovered he and his wife purchased their 2,448-square-foot, four-bedroom St. John house for $296,500 in 2020. Previously, the couple had lived in the west suburb of Western Springs, and later, in a three-flat home in the northwest neighborhood of Chicago.
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Some readers, along with some of the frequent columns against Kass’ prose, reasoned it was hypocritical for Kass to brand his pen/sword as a Chicago metro columnist and yet not live in Chicago or even Illinois.
BULLY FOR THEM
It was in December 2023 when the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority in Hammond hosted the ultimate “A Christmas Story” fan event in honor of the 40th anniversary of “A Christmas Story,” our Indiana claim-to-fame film associated with the writing of Hammond author Jean Shepherd. Movie lead Peter Billingsley led the celeb parade of guests for “Ralphie & the Gang Come Home: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Reunion” at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority Welcome Center. He was joined by Scott Schwartz, who played “Flick,” Ian Petrella, who was “Little Brother Randy,” R.D. Robb, who played pal “Schwartz,” Yano Anaya, who was bully sidekick “Grover Dill,” Dwayne McLean, who was cowboy dream sequence bad guy “Black Bart,” and last, but not least, the department store grumpy Santaland slide elves who were played by Drew Hocevar and Patty LaFountain.
But missing was actor Zack Ward, who played “the yellow-eyed street alley meanie” Scut Farkus, always depicted in a scowl and wearing his raccoon cap.
Ward, age 56, is finally back in Northwest Indiana along with his onscreen toady “Grover Dill,” played by Yano Anaya, who is now 54. The duo will make a guest appearance to meet fans from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Crown Antique Mall, 595 East 110th Ave. in Crown Point. Fees for autographs, meet-and-greet photos and signed photos and memorabilia start at $20, with more information available at www.CrownAntiqueMall.net or 219-779-9767.
FUNNY TV FACE
Comic Tom Arnold, now 67, is headlining one exclusive comedy show at Art Theater in Hobart at 8 p.m. Jan. 14 with tickets now on sale. Arnold was married to Roseanne Barr from 1990 to 1994 and had a co-starring role on her hit ABC sitcom “Roseanne.” The couple, who sported matching tattoos as part of their short-term marital bliss, were popular headline fodder for the tabloids, chronicling their frequent antics and publicity-fueled stunts on and off camera. Tickets start at $31, available by calling 219-400-2232 or at www.brickartlive.com.
The Art Theater website makes no mention of Roseanne, now age 73, and bills Arnold as “an actor, writer and comedian with a career spanning over 35 years, having appeared on ‘The Jimmy Kimmel Show,’ ‘Howard Stern,’ ‘Saturday Night Live’ and was a co-host on ‘The Best Damn Sports Show Period,’ and in addition to his numerous television appearances, has been in more than 150 films.”
Seating for Arnold’s comedy show is general admission, and the show is recommended for anyone over 17. For an additional fee, there is a “meet and greet” after the show.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and radio show host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at [email protected].