John Williams (born October 19, 1959) is an American talk radio show host at WGN (AM) in Chicago and previously at WCCO (AM) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Early life

Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois, as John William Fillipitch. He attended grade school in different places while his father was in the U.S. Air Force, but the family moved back to Joliet, Illinois, after his father's retirement from the service. Williams graduated from Minooka High School and later from Joliet Junior College, where his father was a school counselor. He eventually graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale as a broadcasting major.

Radio career

Williams worked briefly at WSPY-FM in Plano, Illinois, then spent 10 years at WMBD (AM) in Peoria, Illinois. He also wrote a series of joke books, titled The Spieler Scale of Comedy. After four years at WCCO (AM) in Minneapolis, Williams was hired at WGN (AM) in Chicago in September 1997.

Timeline

Recognitions

Life outside radio

Williams enjoys reading, running (including once around the block outside WGN in long underwear to fulfill a pledge), and playing basketball. He is married, has two sons, and his late dachshund named Fred, who he called "The World's Largest Wiener Dog".