Eric Zorn

Chicago, New York

Proprietor of the Picayune Sentinel newsletter. Mincing Rascal. Emeritus Chicago. Tribune columnist. Fiddler. Heterodox liberal. [email protected]

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Articles

Jussie Smollett just can't stop lying!

1 week ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

5-29-2025 (issue No. 195)This week:How can we miss Jussie Smollett if he won’t go away?
Artificial Ignorance

2 weeks ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

5-22-2025 (issue No. 194) This week: Artificial Ignorance — Here’s hoping that the embarrassing news about how the use of AI infected a Sun-Times Sunday supplement will finally wake the public to the sleazy way newspapers’ corporate owners use these supplements to rake in extra money Last week’s winning quip News and Views— Hot takes, fully baked Meet ‘The Biblioracle’ — An interview with the Tribune’s freelance book columnist Land of Linkin’—Where I tell readers where to go Squaring up the...
Brandon Johnson's false statement about Dr. Arwady was probably not a lie, but just more incompetence

3 weeks ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

5-15- 2025 (issue No. 193) That’s so Brandon!— A lengthy update on the misadventures of Chicago’s maladroit mayor, this one focusing on his repeated insistence last week that popular health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady resigned Last week’s winning quip A serious consideration of the implausible idea of the U.S. annexing Canada News and Views — Hot takes, fully baked Land of Linkin’—Where I tell readers where to go Squaring up the news — Where Charlie Meyerson tells readers where to go...
The Picayune Sentinel

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

5-8-2025 (issue No. 192)This week:A programming note — The Tune of the Week is evolvingLast week’s winning quipA memorial salute to Michael Miner, including a remembrance from Mary SchmichBashing Trump— It’s necessary, but polls show not sufficient to move voters into the Democratic columnNews and Views— Hot takes, fully baked on the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Illinois, on what U.S. Rep.
George Ryan's death recalls the Willis family tragedy

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

To read this issue in your browser, click on the headline above. Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. I talk with WGN-AM 720 host John Williams about what’s making news and likely to be grist for the PS mill. The WGN listen-live link is here. Six children of Scott and Janet Willis of Chicago died in a fiery crash on Nov. 8, 1994 when a mudflap-taillight assembly fell off a truck and punctured the gas tank of the mini-van they were riding in on Interstate Highway 94 near Milwaukee.
JB Pritzker gave 'em hell in New Hampshire

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

5-1-2025, Rabbit rabbit (issue No. 191) This week: All about JB’s blockbuster speech in New Hampshire on Sunday Last week’s winning quip News and Views— Hot takes, fully baked That’s so Brandon!— Updates on the misadventures of Chicago’s maladroit mayor Land of Linkin’ —Where I tell readers where to go Squaring up the news— Where Charlie Meyerson tells readers where to go Mary Schmich — Quotes from a Nieman Storyboard interview with Schmich When life gives you lemmas … Nerding on wording:...
Let the wild rumpus start!

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

4-24-2025 (issue No. 190)This week:The battle to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin is officially onLast week’s winning quipNews and Views— Hot takes, fully baked on JB Pritzker’s political future, on the age of 80 in the newsand onthe RTA’s $750,000 ad campaign about its financial woesThat’s so Brandon!— Updates on the misadventures of Chicago’s maladroit mayor, including his decision to insult one of his Democratic predecessors and his interest in restarting gunshot detection technology.
What part of ‘and justice for all’ does the Trump administration not understand?

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

To read this issue in your browser, click on the headline above. Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. I talk with WGN-AM 720 host John Williams about what’s making news and likely to be grist for the PS mill. The WGN listen-live link is here. We’ve known for more than three weeks now that, on March 15, undocumented Maryland resident Kilmer Abrego Garcia "was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error,” according to the U.S. government’s own court filings.
Yes, let's get to the bottom of the Dexter Reed killing in a proper trial

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

4-17-2025 (issue No. 189)This week:Last week’s winning quipResults of my recent reader survey News and Views— Hot takes, fully baked, on the Dexter Reed case, plans for a military parade on Trump’s birthday, the latest assault on the press, granny flats, the “pop-up curfew” proposal, the threat to Harvard’s tax-exempt status and, lastly, the most ominous story so far from Trump the Tyrant.
This issue is so good you will not even [blank] it

1 month ago | ericzorn.substack.com | Eric Zorn

To read this issue in your browser, click on the headline above. Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. I talk with WGN-AM 720 host John Williams about what’s making news and likely to be grist for the PS mill. The WGN listen-live link is here. The Masters tournament — the first of professional golf’s four annual major events — is a compelling event nearly every year, with high drama on the very interesting, very challenging course at Augusta National Golf Club.