The longtime talk show — now in its 18th year — begins its fall season with two favorite guests, with more to come!

DANIEL BISS

Democratic Nominee for Congress, IL-09, and Mayor of Evanston

Daniel is the Democratic candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District and the current mayor of Evanston. He grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, and moved to Chicago to join the University of Chicago’s mathematics faculty after completing his Bachelor’s degree at Harvard University and his Ph.D. in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He was first drawn to activism at the age of 25, speaking out to oppose the Iraq War and organizing support for progressive candidates and ideas. Through that work, Daniel became more engaged with the critical issues facing Illinois, leading him to run for state legislature.

After serving in both the Illinois House and Senate, Daniel was elected mayor of Evanston in 2021.

KATHLEEN ROONEY

Novelist/Poet/Editor, Author of the New Novel “Man Overboard!”

Kathleen Rooney’s is the author of five novels, including, most recently, “Man Overboard!” Kathleen is also a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, as well as a founding member of Poems While You Wait, a team of poets and their typewriters who compose commissioned poetry on demand. She teaches creative writing and literature in the English Department at DePaul University, and her recent books also include the national best-seller “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” and the novel “Cher Ami” and “Major Whittlesey.” “Where Are the Snows,” her latest poetry collection, was chosen by Kazim Ali for the X.J. Kennedy Prize.

ANDREW SA

Country Crooner, Debut Album “American Rough”

Andrew Sa’s earliest music memories are of sitting in cars. Crammed together with his siblings in the cab of his father’s ‘86 Ford F150 listening to the Eagles, Reba McEntire, and top-40 country hits, driving around Fremont, California. At home, occasionally, his dad would slide his old Gibson Les Paul out from under the bed, a secret relic from a past life as a touring musician, and play for them while they sang. Years later, after Sa’s mother remarried and started her own karaoke company, Sa suddenly found himself ushered onto stages as a 10-year-old and encouraged to warm up the crowd, a few hits already tucked under his belt. “For some reason I always picked the sad Patsy Cline songs,” an early sign of Sa’s penchant for aching country ballads that would eventually find its way onto American Rough, Sa’s debut album on Bloodshot Records.

ERLING WU-BOWER

Chef-Partner of Maxwells Trading, 4X James Beard Best Chef: Great Lakes Finalist

Erling Wu-Bower is Chef-Partner of Maxwells Trading and co-founder of Underscore Hospitality. Erling’s leadership in the kitchen has established him as a four-time James Beard Foundation “Best Chef: Great Lakes” Award Finalist. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree In Philosophy, Erling spent more than a decade rising through the ranks of the One Off Hospitality Group in leadership positions at avec, The Publican and Publican Quality Meats. Erling’s baseline passion is for those that work with him and the community that it takes to run a hospitality enterprise.