Eric On Air

Kim Eldridge (President) and Tonya Hewitt (Vice-President) of Indivisible NWI join Eric On Air to talk about the importance of social justice, civic engagement, how these issues impact us, and the role that Indivisible NWI plays in that regard.

Jake Hansbury returns to talk more about Labor Rights history including the impact of Big Bill Haywood.  We also touch on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Panthers, as well as several mutual aid initiatives in Northwest Indiana.  

In this week's episode of Eric On Air, Eric shares his journey with battling cancer over the last 15 years. 

Haneefah Khaaliq has been a cause-driven leader her entire life. Now she is driven to provide a different type of leadership for Hoosiers in the U.S. Senate, a more inclusive one that gives a voice to ALL HOOSIERS. As of the date of this interview, she is the only challenger looking to take on incumbent U.S. Senator Todd Young (R) in 2022. In this episode we go over Haneefah Khaaliq's background, goals, objectives, platforms, and her thoughts on Indiana's current U.S. Senators: Todd Young (R) and Mike Braun (R). 

Mike Repay (Lake County Commissioner 3rd Dist) joins Eric On Air to talk about what the County Commissioner does, his accomplishments, objectives, his reasons for supporting Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. for Congress, cars, and what changes are needed within the Democratic Party in Lake County. 

Jake Hansbury from NWI Solidarity joins Eric On Air to talk about Eugene V. Debs and his place in Indiana and U.S. History, as well as provide the history and clear up misconceptions about Socialism and Anarchy, as well as their fit in modern society.  

Josh Sumrall (Big Jefe), a rising star on the NWI comedy scene chats with Eric On Air about his background, his influences, and his upcoming Amazon Prime Comedy Special. Big Jefe also gives his takes on our hometown of Hammond, Indiana including Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., the First Baptist Church, and so much more.

Andy Jones shares how The Flying Aarons came to an end (an unsavory story). We also learn more about Andy's time with The Fake Thing, Working at Playboy, the success of the Pod of Thunder Podcast, and more in this super-sized episode of Eric On Air. 

"America's Little Brother" Andy Jones (co-host of Pod of Thunder) brings his brand of humor and musings to Eric On Air to talk about his time at WJOB-AM 1230 as the voice of Purdue Calumet Basketball, his early rock band baptism with "The Pillagers", the rise and fall of the "Greatest Local Band Ever"... "The Flying Aarons", and some other random things.  Too much great content for just one episode...so pace yourself and start with Part 1!

WARNING some of the audio files in this episode contain racial slurs and ethnic/racial offensive content! Republicans are telling Democrats its time to heal, but do they mean it? Are Republicans the cause of the hurt? We go over key speeches from Donald Trump Jr. , Rudy Giuliani, and Donald Trump from the January 6th “Stop the Steal Pep Rally". We will also listen to actual audio from former Republican President’s Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, as they share their thoughts on Blacks, Jews, and the Irish...including the introduction of the Republican Super-Villain “The Welfare Queen”, and an explanation of “The Southern Strategy” from Lee Atwater.

A new Era in America begins with a new administration. Biden and Harris take on a divided nation (with division within in their own party as well). We take a “Facts of Life” approach of taking the good and the bad looking back on 50 years of Biden’s work as a public official in the federal government. We also talk about DC Statehood, and why Indiana Congressional Rep D1 Frank Mrvan should reconsider his current stance.

Social Justice Warrior returns to Eric On Air as the first guest of Season 2. Topics include: Social Media bans, Los Brown Berets, Justice for Jamal Williams, Capitol Chaos/Coup, Social Justice, Nickelodeon, and more.

Season 2 kicks off with a discussion about the domestic terrorist attack our nation’s capitol that took place on January 6, 2021.  We dive into “ignorance”, and how to deal with friends and family that are enablers of hate.

The Season Finale for Season 1 of Eric On Air. We look back on 2020, and ahead to a much better 2021. That being said a mere year change will not be an automatic fix to the ills of 2020…

Writer and Movie Aficionado Peter Aranda joins Eric on Air to give their unique takes on Holiday Classics like: Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Love Actually, and Home Alone. As well as icons like Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey. We take on the hard-hitting holiday issues…like… Why is Santa a jerk in the classic Rankin Bass Specials? Should Die Hard, Gremlins, and Trading Places be classified as Holiday Films? Tune in or be put on the naughty list!

Dick Allen’s numbers are Hall of Fame caliber, however racially-charged critics have prevented him from getting there as of the airing of this podcast. Aside from Allen’s individual accomplishments in baseball, he played a vital role in the development of Hall of Famers such as Mike Schmidt and Goose Gossage. If that wasn’t enough Former White Sox GM Roland Hemond credits Dick Allen with saving the Chicago White Sox franchise. All of this while overcoming social and racial injustice. Join us as we pay tribute to one of baseball’s all-time greats.

David Masciotra writes for Salon, No Depression,  the Atlantic, Los Angeles Review of Books, and the Washington Post. Now he's joining Eric On Air to give us a sneak peek at his new book "I Am Somebody: Why Jesse Jackson Matters. 

Scott Costello whom serves as Director of Behavior Health for a Regional Hospital continues the discussion on Mental Health. Focusing on diagnosis/misdiagnosis, addiction, and treatment.

Scott Costello returns to Eric On Air to talk about Suicide prevention and awareness. Scott will be discussing the risk factors, warning signs, myths, and intervention. DISCLAIMER, PLEASE NOTE: This episode should not be a replacement for seeking professional help. If you are contemplating suicide, or know somebody who is. If you or they need somebody to talk to right now, there are two recommended resources. 1-800-suicide  {1-800-784-2433). There is also 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). If you are at the point where you are about to commit suicide please get yourself to your local hospital’s ER, if you can’t drive or get transportation call an ambulance, call 9-1-1.

For 17 years The Towle Theater has played a vital role in the renaissance of downtown Hammond.  Like many organizations, Covid-19 has forced the Towle to cancel shows and close their doors.  Join Eric On Air as Towle Theater Managing Director Jeff Casey talks about their plans to safely re-open The Towle if all goes well in 2021, and how we could help The Towle Theater stay afloat until that time.  We know times are tough and not everyone could contribute.  Remember, many small donations combine to make a significant contribution, so please donate what you could.  To donate click here: https://www.towletheater.org/fundraiser2021

Jerry Davich from the Chicago Tribune, and author of: "Crooked Politics in Northwest Indiana", "Lost Gary", "Connections: Everyone Happens for a Reason" joins Eric On Air to talk about his career as a writer, the aforementioned books, and the political landscape.

Connie Wachala and Alex Bazan join Eric on Air to talk about thier organization Highland Neighbors for Sustainability, the global and local impact of climate change, and the steps they are taking, and steps we should be taking to protect our planet. 

Join Eric On Air for a special look at the 2020 Election.  Could the wrong winner provide a scary future for our nation? Find out in this episode. We are talking about being a better informed and educated voter, The Electoral College, Polling, U.S. Presidential Race, Race for Indiana Governor, U.S. Congressional District 1 Race, the Blue Shift, the Red Mirage, and more.

Ryan Farrar runs the gamut with Eric On Air, as we talk about: Ryan's Congressional run, his interactions with fellow candidates, progressives, semi-progressives, his time as an American Idol contestant, nudist colonies, severed heads, his new album, and a WORLD PREMIERE of his latest Track "BIG HEAD".

Indiana Gubernatorial candidate Dr. Woody Myers joins Eric On Air for a one on one conversation about the pressing issues facing Northwest Indiana, the state, and our nation.  Topics covered include: the environment, jobs, healthcare, education, cannabis, Covid-19, and working with those across the aisle for the greater good.

Scott Houldieson joins Eric On Air to tell us the historical and current importance of Union Labor, and our environment. 

Allencia Ballard makes her case for why she should be elected to the Highland School Board.

On a Special Episode of Eric On Air, we bring you The IndivisibleNWI Town Hall with Dr. Woody Myers. Dr. Woody answers questions from IndivisibleNWI and Region Residents about what he’ll bring to the table as Indiana’s next governor.

Nic Dulin joins Eric on Air for a hair-rasing conversation about how Covid-19 is impacting: stylists, cosmetologists, and barbers.  A little White Sox/Cubs conversation and more...

Scott Costello joins Eric On Air to talk about his Congressional Run, The Green New Deal, the Working Class, and Mental Health.  Does the Truth have a venue? Find out Costello's thoughts on that...

We are talking with Purdue Northwest Student and Social Justice Leader…Alex Watkins. Join us as we talk about Black Lives Matter, Justice for Jamal Williams, and more.

Sarah Ferraro talks with Eric on Air about GOTV efforts, including safe voting, and being an educated voter. 

20 years ago Mike gave Eric his first on-air opportunity as a guest of his show on WJOB 1230-AM, coming full circle Mike is a guest on Eric's show.  Mike shares his experiences as a wedding DJ, his career in radio up and down the dial, his time at George Rogers Clark High School in Hammond, IN, his weight loss journey, the Chicago White Sox, Covid-19, and politics. 

How good was Episode 6's talk with Glenn Johnson? So good it went into episode 7! Join us for the remainder of our conversation, where we will be focusing more on Glenn Johnson’s experience with Lake Ridge Schools, including Covid-19, Budgets, Referendums, and what’s in Glenn Johnson's future.

What happens when 2 political rivals meet again...face to face...or...rather social distanced via web audio recording...find out as Glenn Johnson joins me to talk about the Lake County Recorder Campaign, as well as his fight against Voter and Candidate Suppression. 

Talking with Chris Chyung (Indiana State Rep). In 2018 Chyung made headlines as the 25 year-old, first-time candidate that defeated his more seasoned Republican opponent. In doing so Chris became the state's first Asian-American Rep.  Will Chris be re-elected to represent IN D-15 in November?  We will talk about that, healthcare, Covid-19, the economy, the potlical youth movement,  predatory lending, the environment, and a related Netflix series. 

Talking with Luke Bohm, candidate for Indiana State Senate (D-5).  Luke talks about his campaign, his plans if elected, and we manage to sneak in a little sports talk.

Join us as we talk with teacher, social justice advocate and community leader Krissy LaFlech.  We will be talking about teaching, marketing, Covid-19, Black Lives Matter, Sackurday, yes Sackurday, not a typo, and Yardzee...yes Yardzee, not a typo...

Check out Eric's take on Coivd-19, the unwanted guest that will not go away.  How did we get here?  What could we do going forward? 

Welcome to the Pilot episode of Eric On Air.  I kick things off by laying out the show's format which will be a range of topics from pop culture to politics. Then talk about my experience behind the mic in the form of an unpaid internship at WJOB 1230 AM in Hammond, IN, The maiden voyage wraps up with my take on 1990 Film "Pump Up the Volume" with Christian Slater.