Chuck Mertz

Submitted by admin on June 5, 2007 - 4:33pm. ::

Chuck Mertz

Chicago, IL

44 years old

"I actually cashed a check from Fox News."

Chuck made it to the third round of voting.

Recent Blog Posts

  • [Chuck] This is not about Radio!

    WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9th - On vacation, the world stops. No phones or TV. The only contact is a radio on the alarm clock and the newspapers at the gas station past the Cut River Bridge and the county airport. Sure, news creeps into your life, but it's usually 36 hours late. I remember Elvis and Groucho dying and the Tigers losing 19 in a row. But basically, all you have access to is day-old wire stories. This time of year, the Detroit papers will be focused on their city's pathetic Dream Cruise wherein they re-enact the white flight out of Detroit in the fanciest of cars. They start at the border, drive north, come back south, hit the border again and flee - again. more...

  • [Chuck] The Things They Buried

    Showing absolutely no respect for one of our most faithful audiences, Vietnam veterans, I am stealing the title and concept of Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried." Here, in "The Things They Buried," I reveal unto you what is unearthed in my office, finally, during vacation. once given the chance to organize my office. ... THE THINGS THEY BURIED under stapler, review copies of books ... under a tape dispenser, postcards promoting the new dave zirin book ... new taller speakers out of position on a coAster and notebook ... under dust a gordian knot of electircal chords. more...

  • [Chuck] Blahhhhgg

    Top ten entrants Carrie Kaufmann, Anne Glickman and myself were on WBEZ's '848': here's a link ... http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Program_848_Segment.aspx?segmentID=125... With my first scheduled two week vacation from the on-air part of our radio show in six years, you would think I would finally have the time to blog. Guess again. During each of the next two Saturday's shows, August 11th and August 18th, I will call in with a travelogue of sorts at around 10 AM (US central) on WNUR 89.3 FM Chicago and online at http://www.wnur.org and http://www.thisishell.net. So I have to be writing the entire vacation - or at least a few hours right before I go on the air - each of the next more...

Q & A

Why should you be on Public Radio?

Because right now I'm a bitter, blind, gap-toothed radio show host — and I could fix at least one of those problems by getting a show on Public Radio.

Who is your favorite host and why?

WBEZ's Jerome McDonnell, since he's the only one smart enough on Public Radio to get our show... at least that's what Jerome tells us.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

That I actually cashed a check from Fox News, and I've been doing radio for 28 years without getting paid.

Entry Comments

"Chuck is a planetary treasure. He treats his guests and listeners with respect. His integrity is impeccable. I am a better informed human being because of his tireless efforts and his refusal to compromise his singularly effective approach to interviewing his guests."
— tomq
"Intriguing but kind of sent me into a panic attack."
— drewbasci

Judges' Comments

"On to the next round - smart and fun."

Round 1 (Completed) Entry:

This is Hell!

Round 2 (Completed) Entry:

"Race"

Round 3 (Completed) Entry:

The Art of the Interview
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