Big John Howell
@johnhowellradio.bsky.social
Chicago Radio Host/Podcaster. Berklee College 1982. Hack golfer. Dog Lover...
In this episode, John Howell and Rick Telander dig into the essential hypocrisy: every league, every network, every commercial break insists gambling is entertainment, until someone gets caught. Then, suddenly, it’s “a serious violation".
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/dont-go-do...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/dont-go-do...
Don’t Go Downstairs: Sports, Scandals, and the Return of the Mob Mindset
“If you have a gambling problem, come early and bring the title to your house. Free drinks.”
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:08 PM
In this episode, John Howell and Rick Telander dig into the essential hypocrisy: every league, every network, every commercial break insists gambling is entertainment, until someone gets caught. Then, suddenly, it’s “a serious violation".
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/dont-go-do...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/dont-go-do...
If you were anywhere near a radio in the late 1970s or 1980s, you heard Jerry Hey's horn & arrangements — even if you didn’t know it. John Howell sits down once again with Dave C. Norman for an insider’s conversation about Hey’s life & legacy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
Dave Norman on Jerry Hey and the L.A. Studio Sound
“It’s not just having the horn section. It’s knowing how to record them, how to make it pop. That’s what Jerry did — he made brass sound like lasers.”
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:37 AM
If you were anywhere near a radio in the late 1970s or 1980s, you heard Jerry Hey's horn & arrangements — even if you didn’t know it. John Howell sits down once again with Dave C. Norman for an insider’s conversation about Hey’s life & legacy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
This week on The Chicago Smokehouse, John Howell and Rick Telander take aim at what might seem like a niche topic — bad behavior at the Ryder Cup — but turns it into something much bigger: a diagnosis of America’s national mood.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-shocki...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-shocki...
The Shocking (But Not Surprising) Ryder Cup Fans
Trumpism didn’t invent the new national tone — it just gave it permission to take center stage
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 11:30 PM
This week on The Chicago Smokehouse, John Howell and Rick Telander take aim at what might seem like a niche topic — bad behavior at the Ryder Cup — but turns it into something much bigger: a diagnosis of America’s national mood.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-shocki...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-shocki...
On this week’s episode of The Chicago Smokehouse, Big John Howell and Rick Telander lit up the mics with memories, reflections, and a few cigar puffs as they paid tribute to one of Chicago’s most beloved athletes: Ryne Sandberg.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/rememberin...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/rememberin...
Remembering Ryne Sandberg
It’s hard to overstate what Sandberg meant to the Cubs, and to Chicago sports culture as a whole
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:21 PM
On this week’s episode of The Chicago Smokehouse, Big John Howell and Rick Telander lit up the mics with memories, reflections, and a few cigar puffs as they paid tribute to one of Chicago’s most beloved athletes: Ryne Sandberg.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/rememberin...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/rememberin...
Reposted by Big John Howell
The ruling itself is remarkable, but it closes with something I've never seen: a 12-page assessment of Trump himself as an ignorant bully, braggart and threat to free speech and the republic writ-large. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
September 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The ruling itself is remarkable, but it closes with something I've never seen: a 12-page assessment of Trump himself as an ignorant bully, braggart and threat to free speech and the republic writ-large. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Trumpet geeks, jazz fans, and anyone curious about the creative grind—this episode is for you. John Howell talks with friend and powerhouse trumpet player Dave C. Norman to talk range, tone, studio politics and why “higher & louder” isn’t better.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
Dave Norman on Chops, Sound, and the Art of Making Music
"Every time a trumpet player comes up to me, they're always asking about how to play high notes. There's not one person ever who came up and said, 'How do I get a beautiful sound?'"
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
September 9, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Trumpet geeks, jazz fans, and anyone curious about the creative grind—this episode is for you. John Howell talks with friend and powerhouse trumpet player Dave C. Norman to talk range, tone, studio politics and why “higher & louder” isn’t better.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/dave-norma...
This conversation feels like a scene from a political satire—but it’s not fiction. John is joined by #ColbyHall of #Mediaite, to break down the spectacle of Trump’s “peace summit” with #Putin. Also #GavinNewsome’s brilliant trolling…Enjoy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
Colby Hall Unpacks Trump’s Alaska Fumble—and the MAGA Media Meltdown
“Trump said there would be consequences if he didn’t get a peace deal. He got nothing. And then sat down with Hannity and celebrated ‘getting along.’ That’s not diplomacy—it’s cosplay.”
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
August 18, 2025 at 8:58 PM
This conversation feels like a scene from a political satire—but it’s not fiction. John is joined by #ColbyHall of #Mediaite, to break down the spectacle of Trump’s “peace summit” with #Putin. Also #GavinNewsome’s brilliant trolling…Enjoy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
Big John Howell welcomes bestselling author #WilliamElliottHazelgrove to discuss his book “Dead Air”. The infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast and the parallels between 1938’s gullibility and today’s “fake news” ecosystem. Enjoy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/panic-on-t...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/panic-on-t...
Panic on the Airwaves: Orson Welles, War of the Worlds, and America’s First Viral Hoax
How a 23-year-old’s Halloween broadcast fooled millions—and what it still teaches us about fear and media
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
August 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Big John Howell welcomes bestselling author #WilliamElliottHazelgrove to discuss his book “Dead Air”. The infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast and the parallels between 1938’s gullibility and today’s “fake news” ecosystem. Enjoy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/panic-on-t...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/panic-on-t...
Big John Howell reunites with #ChicagoTribune political reporter #RickPearson. Conversation picks up right where it left off: a deep and often funny exploration of Illinois politics, redistricting reform efforts, and the enduring legacy of Mike Madigan.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/redistrict...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/redistrict...
Redistricting, Reform, and the Return of Rick Pearson
Why redistricting matters to voters (even if it sounds boring)
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
August 2, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Big John Howell reunites with #ChicagoTribune political reporter #RickPearson. Conversation picks up right where it left off: a deep and often funny exploration of Illinois politics, redistricting reform efforts, and the enduring legacy of Mike Madigan.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/redistrict...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/redistrict...
The #MAGA Mascot Distraction: Smoke, Fire, and Trump’s Culture War Playbook.
The resurrection of racist team names to the enduring grift of American demagoguery. Plus, the #MAGA minions aren't all deplorable, but they're not persuadable...Enjoy
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-mascot...
The resurrection of racist team names to the enduring grift of American demagoguery. Plus, the #MAGA minions aren't all deplorable, but they're not persuadable...Enjoy
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-mascot...
The Mascot Distraction: Smoke, Fire, and Trump’s Culture War Playbook
From Trump’s resurrection of racist mascots to the enduring grift of American demagoguery
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
July 30, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The #MAGA Mascot Distraction: Smoke, Fire, and Trump’s Culture War Playbook.
The resurrection of racist team names to the enduring grift of American demagoguery. Plus, the #MAGA minions aren't all deplorable, but they're not persuadable...Enjoy
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-mascot...
The resurrection of racist team names to the enduring grift of American demagoguery. Plus, the #MAGA minions aren't all deplorable, but they're not persuadable...Enjoy
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/the-mascot...
In this episode, Howell is joined by mortgage industry veteran #DavidHochberg for a wide-ranging—and fiery—discussion on the state of the U.S. economy and the political smoke screens obscuring the truth. Also: Bigger loss: #hulkhogan or #ChuckMangione?
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/inflation-...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/inflation-...
Inflation, Interest Rates, and Intellectual Dishonesty with David Hochberg
“That pot of boiling water is not 32 degrees—stop telling people it is.”
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
July 26, 2025 at 7:56 PM
In this episode, Howell is joined by mortgage industry veteran #DavidHochberg for a wide-ranging—and fiery—discussion on the state of the U.S. economy and the political smoke screens obscuring the truth. Also: Bigger loss: #hulkhogan or #ChuckMangione?
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/inflation-...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/inflation-...
More fun with Sir John Dempsey. We discuss #ScottyScheffler and his win at #TheOpen. Also covered AppleTV's #Stick starring #owenwilson. I'm told it's a "delightfully meandering conversation conducted via rotary phone and powered by dry wit".
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/scotty-sch...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/scotty-sch...
Scotty Scheffler, Golf Greatness, and the Apple TV Series “Stick” with John Dempsey
Also, who is more attractive: Rory McIlroy or Tiger Woods?
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
July 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
More fun with Sir John Dempsey. We discuss #ScottyScheffler and his win at #TheOpen. Also covered AppleTV's #Stick starring #owenwilson. I'm told it's a "delightfully meandering conversation conducted via rotary phone and powered by dry wit".
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/scotty-sch...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/scotty-sch...
Another insightful conversation with the grizzled, legendary sportswriter #RickTelander. We cover: #SammySosa returning to Wrigley, #Steriods, #LeeElia and his classic rant, and when it's time to #euthanize pets (and other family members)...Enjoy it.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/sammy-ster...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/sammy-ster...
Sammy, Steroids, and Saying Goodbye
Rick Telander and Big John Howell on second chances, ethics in baseball, and the pain of losing a beloved dog
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
July 24, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Another insightful conversation with the grizzled, legendary sportswriter #RickTelander. We cover: #SammySosa returning to Wrigley, #Steriods, #LeeElia and his classic rant, and when it's time to #euthanize pets (and other family members)...Enjoy it.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/sammy-ster...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/sammy-ster...
Back w/Rick Telander to talk sports and gambling. Long before Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was indicted or your cousin could bet on Little League from his phone, Pete Rose was baseball’s gambling pariah. Great conversation, enjoy....
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/pete-rose-...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/pete-rose-...
Pete Rose, Perfectionism, and the Price of Redemption
Big John Howell and Rick Telander go deep on “Charlie Hustle”
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
July 11, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Back w/Rick Telander to talk sports and gambling. Long before Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was indicted or your cousin could bet on Little League from his phone, Pete Rose was baseball’s gambling pariah. Great conversation, enjoy....
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/pete-rose-...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/pete-rose-...
Really enjoyed talking with #ColbyHall from #Mediaite about Trump, Epstein, MAGA media mouths and the monster they created. Colby also illustrates the conundrum #FoxNews faces: Play to Trump or their audience? And why are Tucker & Levin fighting? EOTW?
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
Colby Hall: Epstein, MAGA Media, and the Monster They Made
The politics of weaponizing conspiracy theories—and then losing control of them
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
July 11, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Really enjoyed talking with #ColbyHall from #Mediaite about Trump, Epstein, MAGA media mouths and the monster they created. Colby also illustrates the conundrum #FoxNews faces: Play to Trump or their audience? And why are Tucker & Levin fighting? EOTW?
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/colby-hall...
Rick Telander and I cover a lot of ground in this episode: The Chicago Sun Times scandal, Arnold's Terminator, Hemingway & Hunter, Casey & Buddy and Woody's fear of ejaculation. We meander a bit, but hey, it's a podcast....
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/fake-stori...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/fake-stori...
Fake Stories, Real Rants, and the Rise of the Machines
In the future, we'll all just sit around the house and watch pornography
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
July 5, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Rick Telander and I cover a lot of ground in this episode: The Chicago Sun Times scandal, Arnold's Terminator, Hemingway & Hunter, Casey & Buddy and Woody's fear of ejaculation. We meander a bit, but hey, it's a podcast....
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/fake-stori...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/fake-stori...
Here's an edition of Trumpeters & Troubadours. Yes, a bit self-indulgent, but Jazz Trumpet geeks will enjoy my discussion with Wayne Naus. Buddy Rich & Maynard Ferguson stories too. Including a Buddy "Bus Tape"...Enjoy....
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/wayne-naus...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/wayne-naus...
Wayne Naus: A Trumpet, A Tour, and a Touch of the Spirit
Trumpeters and Troubadours
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
July 2, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Here's an edition of Trumpeters & Troubadours. Yes, a bit self-indulgent, but Jazz Trumpet geeks will enjoy my discussion with Wayne Naus. Buddy Rich & Maynard Ferguson stories too. Including a Buddy "Bus Tape"...Enjoy....
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/wayne-naus...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/wayne-naus...
Enjoyed talking with legendary Chicago reporter Ray Long about Mike Madigan. White Sox fans will enjoy the story of Madigan literally stopping the clock, including classic radio play by play. Enjoy, Ray's terrific...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/velvet-ham...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/velvet-ham...
Velvet Hammered: Ray Long on the Rise and Fall of Michael Madigan
"He couldn’t give up the power—and that’s what cost him everything."
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
July 1, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Enjoyed talking with legendary Chicago reporter Ray Long about Mike Madigan. White Sox fans will enjoy the story of Madigan literally stopping the clock, including classic radio play by play. Enjoy, Ray's terrific...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/velvet-ham...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/velvet-ham...
On this GabCast I'm joined by Rick Telander and John Dempsey to discuss RT's book/movie Heaven Is A Playground. Really great, albeit lengthy, conversation. Demps' knowledge about RT's career is both impressive and somewhat disturbing.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/heaven-is-...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/heaven-is-...
Heaven Is a Playground—The Book, the Movie, and the Memories
"There’s only one basketball, and you’re both trying to shoot."
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
June 18, 2025 at 8:31 PM
On this GabCast I'm joined by Rick Telander and John Dempsey to discuss RT's book/movie Heaven Is A Playground. Really great, albeit lengthy, conversation. Demps' knowledge about RT's career is both impressive and somewhat disturbing.
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/heaven-is-...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/heaven-is-...
Sir John Dempsey joins me to recap the US Open: J.J. Spaun. Fair play. Rory. Locker room tantrums. Cheating. Throwing clubs. Demps' ace. LIV bust outs. J.J.'s wife and gambling...Enjoy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/golf-talk-...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/golf-talk-...
Golf Talk, Grit, and $4.3 Million Putts with John Dempsey
How JJ Spaun went from "Who?" to U.S. Open Champion
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Sir John Dempsey joins me to recap the US Open: J.J. Spaun. Fair play. Rory. Locker room tantrums. Cheating. Throwing clubs. Demps' ace. LIV bust outs. J.J.'s wife and gambling...Enjoy.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/golf-talk-...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/golf-talk-...
My latest GabCast w/Rick Telander and John Dempsey. Rick's fascinated by rats & John's terrified. The conversation meanders a bit: Pestilence, Willard, Michael Jackson, McHale's Navy and Rain Man...Old men rambling....
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/of-mice-me...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/of-mice-me...
Of Mice, Men, and Michael Jackson (with John Dempsey)
A Smokehouse Episode Crawling with Insight
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com
June 12, 2025 at 7:10 PM
My latest GabCast w/Rick Telander and John Dempsey. Rick's fascinated by rats & John's terrified. The conversation meanders a bit: Pestilence, Willard, Michael Jackson, McHale's Navy and Rain Man...Old men rambling....
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/of-mice-me...
chicagosmokehouse.substack.com/p/of-mice-me...
Fans of #ChuckBerry, The Lovin' Spoonful, #Badfinger, #danhampton and the #US99 Born to Boogie Band (1989-2006) will enjoy this conversation with my long time friend #mikearturi. Those were the days my friend...we thought they'd never end...Enjoy...I did.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/buddy-rich...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/buddy-rich...
Buddy Rich, Chuck Berry, and the Tightest Jeans in the Business: A Conversation with Mike Arturi
“The show would end, we’d pack up the gear, walk across the street, and watch what we’d just taped on TV. That’s how we did it.”
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
June 7, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Fans of #ChuckBerry, The Lovin' Spoonful, #Badfinger, #danhampton and the #US99 Born to Boogie Band (1989-2006) will enjoy this conversation with my long time friend #mikearturi. Those were the days my friend...we thought they'd never end...Enjoy...I did.
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/buddy-rich...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/buddy-rich...
The Lost Tapes: 1998 US99 Chicago. Surprise Bday calls from Waylon Jennings and Larry Lujack. I was so young and exuberant...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/waylon-luj...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/waylon-luj...
Waylon, Lujack: Birthday Surprises from Legends
Try not to sound like a young dork when talking to your heroes like I used to and probably still would
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
June 4, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The Lost Tapes: 1998 US99 Chicago. Surprise Bday calls from Waylon Jennings and Larry Lujack. I was so young and exuberant...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/waylon-luj...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/waylon-luj...
This is a fine, provocative read on the struggle of the media’s attempts to stay relevant, trustworthy and profitable. I’ll discuss this with Rick Telander on our next Chicago Smokehouse podcast…I’ll be utilizing ChatGBT generated questions. Will he notice?
www.fox32chicago.com/opinion/what...
www.fox32chicago.com/opinion/what...
What the Sun-Times’ AI blunder says about the future of journalism: Telander
Rick Telander reflects on the Sun-Times’ post-buyout struggles and AI scandal, warning of the dangers of cutting corners in journalism.
www.fox32chicago.com
June 3, 2025 at 8:38 PM
This is a fine, provocative read on the struggle of the media’s attempts to stay relevant, trustworthy and profitable. I’ll discuss this with Rick Telander on our next Chicago Smokehouse podcast…I’ll be utilizing ChatGBT generated questions. Will he notice?
www.fox32chicago.com/opinion/what...
www.fox32chicago.com/opinion/what...
In an era of overheated political rhetoric and polarized debates, the issue of immigration remains the most emotionally charged topics. I welcome philosopher and environmental ethicist Phil Cafaro to discuss:
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/how-many-i...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/how-many-i...
How Many Is Too Many? Phil Cafaro Makes the Progressive Case for Reducing Immigration
“Protecting the environment means stabilizing our population. And that means we have to make some tough choices.”
bigjohnhowell.substack.com
May 27, 2025 at 9:09 PM
In an era of overheated political rhetoric and polarized debates, the issue of immigration remains the most emotionally charged topics. I welcome philosopher and environmental ethicist Phil Cafaro to discuss:
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/how-many-i...
bigjohnhowell.substack.com/p/how-many-i...