>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

Whitfield.

Harrington Junior is running for U.S.

Senate.

We hear his thoughts on the issues facing Illinois residents.

>> knowing the know >> A Chicago native John.

See Riley is Mister Romantic.

He's and says studio to tell us about finding connection.

>> Because we are the 7th cav a little world.

>> And we remember the godfather of Stepan Sam Chapman.

First off tonight, Cook County's state's attorney says AR 15 platform rifles have been used in 7 out of 8 of the nation's deadliest mass shootings.

>> And democratically elected lawmakers should respond with legislation that keeps the public safe.

That's part of the argument.

Eileen Burke's office made in a brief filed with the U.S.

Supreme Court this week.

She and her staff will be defending the county's ban on assault weapons before the court in early December.

Challengers to the law say that AR 15 and similar rifles can't be banned because they are in, quote, common use owned by millions of Americans for self-defense, hunting and target shooting Burke's office also argues there in practical for self-defense due to their heading us and size.

If you're heading into the loop this weekend leave early CTA says all elevated stations in the loop on the brown, green, orange and pink lines will be suspended this weekend starting at 04:00AM Saturday through 02:00AM Monday.

Some pink line trains will be rerouted to the blue line.

And riders are asked to consider shuttles or bus routes for many pink and all green orange and brown line stops in the loop.

The CTA says suspension is for crews to perform track maintenance, red and Blue Line Service will not be affected.

While we didn't get that Crosstown World Series that many of us had hoped for.

Some of the Cubs and Sox players are still getting recognized.

Sporting News is out with their annual MLB Awards.

The player of the year going to Cubs outfielder peak row Armstrong PCA became only the 7th player in league history to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases.

White Sox skipper Will Venable.

Now American League Manager of the Year after leading the Sox to the playoffs following the team's 3 consecutive 100 loss seasons, making the All-Star teams were Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth Cubs.

3rd baseman Alex Bregman and of course for Armstrong while they aren't the MLB's official honors the awards by Sporting News are chosen by their players, managers and executives.

Whitfield, Harrington junior on why he's running for U.S.

Senate.

That's right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexandra and John Nichols family.

The Joyce Foundation.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donuts.

>> Illinois voters will see more than Juliana Stratton and on Tracy's names on the ballot for U.S.

Senate third-party candidate with Field Harrington Junior is running as the nominee of the American Center Party, which he calls a middle ground for Illinois residents who are unsatisfied with polarizing politics.

He's a pastor and former financial services professional with the campaign centered on affordability, health care access and government reform and Whitfield Harrington Junior joins us now to talk more about his campaign.

Thank you for joining us.

>> Thank you for having me.

Brand so you served as a pastor for many years.

You've got business experience, but no political experience.

What made you want to be the next U.S.

senator from Illinois?

>> Well, I don't have political experience as a politician, but I do have public service experience.

And also I grew up the South where the civil rights movement.

My father was also instrumental in the civil rights movement as a civil rights leader.

He was chairman of the NAACP and the county that I grew up doing the actual civil rights movement.

So are some some of the things that I experience and my youth growing up on the my father and then also be involved the campaigns as well as most people start out in politics.

You get sick on your feet wet by being a public servant and being a servant to someone who was already in office.

>> You don't support the platforms of many Democratic and Republican politicians.

As we mentioned, you're running to help build the American Center Party.

What are some of the principles of that party?

>> One of the things that want to focus on American Center Party is making certain that we prioritize the struggles and challenges that Americans right now.

Both the Democratic and the Republican Party, they used to present a vision to the American people and how they wanted to move the nation forward.

And you don't see that anymore.

What you see is just give a are going to bicker.

And and I'm pretty sure it's on full display all across the country.

So what we want to do is we want to begin to present a vision that people can go and look at the vision that we have for the nation, whether it's on the Senate level state level, the local level so people can gauge the vision that we have and see if this is something they want to support because I'm a pastor and I believe when there's no vision, the people perish.

>> Affordability is a top issue for voters across the country.

You've said it's also your top Priority Day one in office.

What would you start working on to make life more affordable for Illinois?

Ends.

>> First thing that I would do is I would send a message to the president of United States.

You need to end the war in Alright, respectfully and probably as quickly as possible.

And number we need to get the prices of order and the way that we do that is we do that by banning speculation from individuals who work in coal markets who have no legitimate reason to actually take possession of the core that can purchase If we can get those individuals out of the or mark, we will see instant decline in the price of coal and everybody will feel the ripple effects of bringing down the price of gold in our economy.

President Trump has been a point of contention for the Democrat and the Republican candidates in this Juliana Stratton and on Tracy.

>> What are your thoughts on President Trump and his policies?

>> of things I want to say is I applaud the president is to desire is to make America great again.

was his motive.

But one of the things that I think he has be questioned about his methods and some of the things that I think people are sort of pushing back from on the methods in which and and I think, you know, as a senator, you have to be willing to work with whoever is to present the printing is going to be the president for the next 2 years.

So we can't go in Washington and hold our breath for 2 years and hope someone from your party gets elected as the president.

But we have to work president meant Or any other elected official.

We have to work with that individual.

>> One of the places where the president has taken some criticism in Illinois is, of course, his immigration enforcement tactics, Illinois being a sanctuary state.

And we also the harsh immigration crackdown with operation Midway Blitz about a year ago.

How should Illinois respond to the Trump administration's mass deportation push and how would you approach immigration and reform?

A lot more.

>> When we get to a point to where we decide that we want to particular laws, we're moving from being nation moving towards being a flawless society to live nation.

That's on the path to becoming a lawless society.

So number one, if we have laws on the books and we think there and just and that's changing because we have laws on the books that should be enforced and we should enforce as it comes to immigration.

We have immigration laws that needs to be in force.

But that doesn't mean you have to and forced in a manner that's disrespectful.

You shooting people in the streets and you just going to end extreme to get the message court to get your math out to where you're throwing people out for just a minute of the things I think we still need to ensure that America is a place where people want to migrate to there's this talk about we need a real path to citizenship.

I disagree a real path to citizenship already exists.

All right.

That's a long.

And so we need to re-evaluate whether or not we should be focusing on workmanship allowing people who are here who haven't gotten the citizenship status yet to simply be able to work in the and still stay on the path that has already been established to become citizen.

Let's find ways to make that pass shorter.

So people will find it easier to come to America the legal way rather than the illegal way.

>> Over the past several years, Illinois has become a safe haven for abortion rights.

More people traveling here than any other state for abortion care where you stand on that issue.

>> I am pro-life candidate base, my beliefs, anything personal, but because I base my buildings on the scriptures and that's where intend to continue to stay in on that matter.

>> Ok, elected, you said that you would work to make the first year of community college free.

How would you propose to fund that?

>> One of the things that think it's worth mentioning that there's a similar program that happening right now in Tennessee.

It's slightly different.

And the reason being it's a lot of things that are going to the Department of Education from as far as the budget is concerned.

I think we need to take a look at the overall mission of the Department of Education.

Right now, President Trump is trying to delete the organization, Democrats of trying to keep it propped up.

But my perspective is we need to re-evaluate the Department of Education.

And the first thing I think that we need to do is we need to make certain that people will benefit from the Department of Education, all the students and the teachers.

All right.

Everybody else should get in line behind us.

And I think this is one of the ways that we can take just a portion of the revenues that has been given to the Department of Education and find a way to make the first year of 2 year college is not for your 2 years.

And this is going to create a competitive nature along universities to be able to compete when a parent can see that they can send their child to a junior college for the first year for free.

Right?

And that's going to become competitive competitive for other universities to make certain that they're bringing their price down as well.

then we think about There are other nations in the world that we spent trillions of dollars over the decades.

Defendant.

They have their college students going school for.

that is you.

We'll get money to strangers, to money, to our own children, to go to school.

right.

That's where we'll have to leave with Field Harrington Jr.

Thank you so much.

Best of luck election in just under 2 weeks.

>> Thank you very much.

Up next after John C Riley heads back home to Chicago.

>> actor >> and performer John G Riley has had a storied career from pulling at People's Heartstrings in the film adaptation of the musical Chicago to making comedy classics like Step Brothers.

And now touring his own vaudeville show, Mr.

Romantic.

>> you know, you lost no >> relied too?

>> Riley has been performing as Mister Romantic for about 4 years now and is bringing the carrier character back to Chicago.

Audience is just in time for the holidays and joining us now is Chicago native John.

See Riley, welcome home.

It's good to have you here.

Thank you very much.

It's great to be at W t Tw.

Isn't it, though?

Yeah, this was a super channel for me.

Growing up.

>> It was Monte Python or Dr.

Who I claudius.

I mean, this channel really shaped a lot of my taste as a kid.

giving your career is what you're for a lot of good So let's talk about Mister Romantic.

The show opens with your character again.

Mister Romantic appearing out of a steamer trunk as we saw with the only knowledge that he's got to put on a show and he's got a fall in love with someone that night.

>> That's right.

How did you find inspiration for this?

Well, inspiration was really all the songs that I sing in the in the show.

Yeah.

I call the kind of an emotional magic show and the way >> or of show.

But really it's us character that the improvised around the songs, these incredible timeless love songs, most of them from the American songbook and we did it.

That's SEP most last November.

And it was a big hit.

We think played 3 or 4 nights there and we're going to play again this December from, you know, December 10th 13th in it was really, really special to get back to step of a place where I've performed before.

lot of friends there.

And it was really cool to bring the show, which is a very theatrical show to a theater all.

We all can play music venues and stuff like that.

yeah, it's a really special show.

It's a show about empathy and love and connecting with people and loving people.

Even if you don't know So, yeah, it's been a very fulfilling few years with the show as mentions like you said, you've been doing this show for a few years now and you've said that no night is ever the same.

>> What might change from night to night?

Well, the songs we mix the songs up.

So if you came last year, that's going to be a lot of new songs that we do.

But also the show, you know, I go out into the audience and I try to meet someone in the audience to try to get them to fall in love with me.

And I will explain how but >> I fail every time totally appropriate that whatever happened.

somehow iPhone love the whole audience.

yeah, so yeah, its really guided.

It's a lot of improvisation.

You not go out into the crowd and then meet people and talk with them and, you know, it sounds kind of silly, maybe at first like talking about people about being a lover, trying to get them to fall in love with you.

But when you talk about what love is and and could you love someone forever, the conversation gets surprisingly deep, really fast.

But I keep it really like there's a lot of joking around and pantomime some brilliant musicians that I have with me.

This quartet of musicians and we're taking it all over the world to this point.

Have to say we have like 100% betting batting average with audiences by the end of the night, everyone really feels connected and and willing to give love a trial, which was the whole point of doing this show.

You know, yes, what was going to ask account?

What has the reception from our audience has been like?

And have you had any success?

Has anybody fallen in love with during?

Well, like I said, show is kind of way so that I do.

It's this eternal quest.

>> And in order for it to stay eternal, I do feel of the show, but again, also succeed every show, too, because if there's a lot of love generate in the audience, I was just thinking a few years ago like, well, the world's going to be kind of a hard place and empathy is kind of gone out of fashion.

And I thought, well, what can I do about that?

And I've never been great at picket signs are running for office or anything.

So I thought, well, I can and dance and I can tell people I love them and maybe that's my contribution.

And so far it really ought insist really, really responded.

You can feel people soaking it up like just the song's alone.

You can feel them soaking it up like a sponge, you and first to come like this going to be a smart Erwin ever like this.

John Riley in it, it's not John Riley.

It's Mister Romantic and then you see the shoulders, relax and they realize the show really does have this innocent mission of trying to connect us.

Also.

I really hope people come out this up and see it again.

It's a it's a really special place to see the show.

I've had Mr.

Cellophane stuck in my head.

Oh, of course.

Your number from the musical and it Mr.

Romantic in some way an extension of hymns are absolutely, you know, when I did and Chicago, the musical.

>> It was nominated for an Oscar all this attention.

40 has this incredible song was a self and >> and I thought I I grew up doing musicals on the South Side Dana, ton of them.

And I thought, wow, I really like playing this kind of character.

And he is also vogl Cook sort of character in Chicago.

I thought, well, I should take it on tour, but he only has one So I started collecting songs over the years that I thought were in that same pocket of like, you know, a vaudevillian guide with his heart on his sleeve.

Just looking for love.

And it took a long time.

It took 20 years to get the courage and the songs that I felt really we know held up in that kind of environment.

So, yeah, it's it's it's been an incredible thing.

I have to say.

You know, I have a pretty good movie career.

I've done really well in my life.

And this is a way to kind of give back to audiences and connect with people again and then share my heart with people.

Sounds like it is also a labor of love.

Absolutely.

absolutely.

We have a clip from just over 20 years ago was the last time that you were in the Chicago tonight studio.

And here you are talking about being back in Chicago with Bob >> You know, because I have these landmarks in my life that happened.

He write it gives me some sense of perspective.

You know, come back.

I see my mom's old John look the same.

She comes up to the hotel.

We have some room service and catch up and it it really shows you how lucky I am.

Every time I come back to Chicago because you know, I wasn't shows ever going to leave Chicago and Europe's I've seen the world.

You those does mom say that, John, how much does this cost?

That's sure.

But we were over the room last night.

That's like, you know, like the sports page from my mom looking at how much the health >> Chicago hot dog, Thinkpad documents will be $12.

Yeah.

Cries of only got up then yeah, my mom passed away since the interview.

So it's bittersweet to see it.

>> But I have to say, you know, one of the people who inspired me to do this show is my mom.

She taught me a lot of these songs around the player.

Piano on the piano in our house, a lot of these old classics about love.

So it's really like carrying on her mission.

My mom was a really loving person who thought of everyone first all the time before herself.

So it was a selfless, selfless mission.

She was on and she's definitely passed on to me.

Yes, on the stage with you, it sounds like.

>> I'm getting to a couple of your other projects before we have to let you go.

You've been leaning into, as you said, projects about empathy and interconnected human experience.

And you became an executive producer for the short documentary, Stalin Boys.

About middle school students and one particular who's very interested in Joseph Stalin.

And they make a play about Joseph Stalin.

Briefly, tell us about that documentary.

What Drew you to their story?

>> Well, as on The New York Times, one of these op talks, if they present a New York Times and The New York Times website and I clicked on it and I was like, wow, that kid reminds me of myself of the theater kid growing been doing plays since I was 8 years old and that imaginative kind of inspired like passionate, you King was something I really related to.

So, you know, I just told a few people about it.

I sent the film around.

And next thing I know the filmmakers reached out to me like would you help us get a little wind in our sails?

You know, we're trying to get and Oscar nomination for the short film.

And I thought, Yeah, I mean, it's about these kids in this dusty little town called marathon, the middle of Texas.

And they and they put on this kind of historical playing about Joseph Stalin.

sounds crazy and it is crazy.

But it's really a portrait of young imagination.

And also these teachers that are incredibly supportive and encouraging.

And now these people like they went to this little town of became teachers and it just reminded me, you know, everyone starts from a small place.

I started from the field house at Market Park on the southwest side doing plays I thought like that's what these kids These kids need a hand up to.

So I decided out, put my name on.

And if meant that the makes more people watch, it's great.

You know, that's a future.

Jhansi Riley.

Maybe.

Alright.

will have to leave it.

A pleasure to have you back in studio Johnson right.

>> Thanks so much public.

Thank you very much for having me back.

John G Riley as Mister Romantic will be at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, December 10th through the 13th.

>> Up next, we remember the Godfather of Stepan Sam Chapman.

The godfather of Step and Sam Chapman has died.

The longtime DJ is credited with coining the term and being a part of making Chicago the step in capital of the world.

Tonight we revisit our 2025 conversation with Chapman on the history of the beloved and style.

>> A site on the West that Bob and Lauer, MGM grand from there.

It just exploded.

>> Before stepping became step in, it was known as bopping.

But DJ.

Sam Chapman coined the phrase in the 1960's after admiring a friend's moves on the dance floor.

Braver would be dancing with the lady and he'd be.

>> And I would say step on.

Draper said Draper and the word stepping.

Next thing I knew I would put on a flyer.

Its popularity expanded and other fellow West Siders became inspired to host parties to resist the disco era.

We had nowhere to go.

>> So I had this idea that, hey, I'm going to keep music alive.

A woman fondly known as Black Mary Harris hosted 7 events for more than 60 years.

>> At 17 years old, she says she became a residential sweetheart for a social club and the environment inspired her to host her own party's.

We almost got shut down.

Because we have so many people up there before graduating to big venues and clubs across the South side, Harris and her crew used whatever location was available.

Anybody that had a basement that we could use.

>> We would pay them a certain amount of money and fill out those index Carr's pass some mild and had a DJ.

And we just danced all night.

It took me almost 4 years to get one party off the ground and look what that party has turned into.

We are all over the >> Harris says hosting a steppers event doesn't require much but a few essentials.

The music had to be off the chain.

>> And the venue had to be bathrooms.

Good parking a good dance floor.

>> Stepping requires a certain skill set.

They work on a practice.

These moves.

>> Over and over and they get them down it.

They perfected.

>> In other cities have adopted step in.

Chicagoans can always claim the original set.

We are the cav a little world.

>> Nobody can do it like Chicago because first of all, Detroit.

>> But Chicago, we do.

It's 7 days a week, every day.

And all of my be packed.

>> And even as new dances Emerge, Chapman remained confident that step will never leave the dance floor.

But it has the stepping And I said we haven't even scratched surface because I'm noticing.

And grandparents that he's in children, they babies to step.

>> Sam Chapman unexpectedly passed away overnight, according to ABC 7, Chicago, he was 85 years old.

We have more about his life and legacy on our website.

And that's our show for this Thursday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5.37, for the week in review.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert a and Clifford law, offices personal injury, law firm.

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