Frenemies of the People

Check out our new podcast featuring friends and colleagues where we discuss current events & news.

#billionaires #budgetbattles #CityHall
On this weeks Can’t Wait, Sounds Terrible!™, #budgetbattles at #CityHall continue; Crain’s Greg Hinz uses the “D” word in laying out the stakes for the Chicago’s Mayor and City Council; Governor Pritzker profiled in the WaPo, are some #billionaires not so bad? Magic Johnson does business in Chicago, a tribute to Judge Bill Bauer and in #SoundsTerrible, Dennis Culloton is going gray, are Eleni and Patrick the cause?

#waymo #pensions
WE HAVE TERRIBLE GOOD NEWS….WE’RE NO LONGER FRENEMIES…WE’RE CAN’T WAIT, SOUNDS TERRIBLE! FOR ELENI…IT WILL ALWAYS BE SOUNDS TERRIBLE, CAN’T WAIT…IT’S REALLY WHAT COMES FIRST…CHICKEN OR THE EGG…plus what’s in a head tax, delaying our way to funding #pensions and show me the #waymo home!

#RIP #mayor #soundsterrible
On this week’s #frenemiesbyCbl soon to be renamed!…Dennis talks head tax with Eleni and Patrick, will the #mayor meet with the opposition alders, is the #mayor’s office picking off the opposition? Fran Spielman’s scoops, we remember Bruce Dold of the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Tribune vs. AI and of course #soundsterrible, Patrick sees more taxes, Eleni is too cold and Dennis had a bad horoscope #RIP
#thankful #Frenemies #CityHall
Happy Thanksgiving! Is a name change coming for #Frenemies @cbl_social to match their #karma. #challenges at #CityHall where the City Budget process is turning into an episode of True Detective…lots of potential mayors weighing in…The Tribune blasts Melissa Conyers Ervin…but praises Gov Pritizker’s latest political stand…The Mayor tries a new message on downtown youth takeovers. … and of course Sounds terrible thanksgiving edition. The crew is #thankful for things that #soundsterrible

This week on CBL’s Frenemies with Eleni and Natalie, Mayor Johnson’s #tax on #jobs, Governor JB has a new #campaign issue: cell phones in schools, but what about guns? #soundsterriblecan’twait for 67

On Culloton + Bauer Luce #frenemiesofthepeople by CBL @Dennis Culloton reports his findings running like Clint at the New York City Marathon and the real race —the one for mayor of the #BigApple and what it might mean for Chicago’s City Hall. @Eleni Demertzis with an update on the Springfield #vetosession where @CTA, RTA and Metra are back in business, @Patrick Skarr brings CSPAN energy and on #cantwaitsoundsterrible, what’s more fun than a truckload of monkeys?? Getting both #death and #taxes and how about #barefootmarathonrunning.

Drop us a complaint or comment, we’ll share it with our many followers! frenemiesbycbl@gmail.com

This week on CBL’s #renemies, Patrick and Natalie Bauer Luce are in secure locations, Eleni and Dennis talk about the fierce opposition to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s business taxes, the fierce leadership of @CTU’s Stacy Davis Gates now coming to the ‘burbs, and maybe asking Zoran Mamdani to hold her beer. @Dino’s is missing from the best tavern style pizza list by the Sun Times, Dennis is concerned with his algorithms, travelers love #Chicago and Eleni and Patrick think they’d love it more if they visited Dino’s on the northwest side.
On this weeks Frenemies by CBL the team discusses if they really should rename this pod “sounds Terrible” because everything does. Plus hang onto your wallets! Lawmakers are returning to session this week.  #CTA and #Metra are raising fares. And there may be socialism in Chicago.  On Sounds Terrible, Can’t Wait…put a weighted vest on.
On this week’s #FrenemiesofthePeople by Culloton Bauer Luce @Dennis gets on his #soapbox; Fair maps in Illinois??; is that a saxophone we hear in River Forest and are robot taxis more terrible for Dennis or Chicago’s Mayor? Like, subscribe and drop us a line to complain at frenemiesbycbl@gmail.com!
On this week’s Frenemies of the People by Culloton + Bauer Luce we love #Naperville but we also love making fun of Patrick Skarr. One list City of Naperville does not top is #unfundedpensions, that’s held #Chicago, we break down the latest then lighten things up to talk the Kennedy Expressway mural. Eleni tries to figure out what’s more terrible, Natalie Bauer Luce is on top of City Hall politics. Dennis Culloton is all about Eden the rescue dog’s election as the dogmayor of Portage Park. Will Eleni and her dog Rocky start dropping opposition research to challenge Eden in the next campaign? Like, subscribe, recommend the Frenemies. Send rude messages to frenemiesbycbl@gmail.com !
On this week’s Frenemies of the People by Culloton Bauer + Luce, it’s still too #terrible for Eleni to talk about any of the really #terrible news…but #filmmaker Sharon Samuels of @bluprnt359.com (http://bluprnt359.com/) joins to talk about her Chicago-based short film “15 Lines,” now being screened at film festivals and to share some truly Sounds Terrible observations. Eleni thinks the world is not doing awesome but did bond with the Chicago Fire cast and is kind of a big deal. Dennis pays tribute to Governor Jim Edgar and Robert Redford, but is worried about groin injuries. Like, subscribe and rate this little podcast and send us an email at frenemiesbycbl@gmail.com
the #FrenemiesofthePeople by CBL blow the lid on no bid contracts at the Vatican by great #Chicago #restaurateurs.100 percent “don’t mean 100 percent” ; why would anyone want to be the Assessor? Reader Mail !; Eleni and Patrick Skarr can read, and #soundsterrible
Join the #Frenemies of the People by Culloton Bauer Luce as @Eleni breaks down the politics of the threats from from President Trump to send in the troops, @Natalie on whether a tough love message can work in the next Mayor’s Race, @PatrickSkarr on whether the next #Mayor’s race for Chicago will require a stretch limo and @Dennis tests the team with a game of “What Sounds More #Terrible”
Today we have the dynamic duo of Eleni and Patrick talking about the CPS budget shortfall and it’s effect on Chicago’s students.
On this week’s Frenemies of the People by Culloton + Bauer Luce, Dennis has a terrible ideas for Texas Democrats but a great idea to raise money for the American Cancer Society; Eleni has a prediction for the #illinoisstatefair; Patrick Skarr analyzes statewide polling and now you can contact Frenemies (frenemiesbycbl@gmail.com) with ideas for how to get Wally’s or Diet Coke to sponsor them.
Eleni and Natalie are back and things are still terrible! Team CBL Frenemies talk about the invasion of Texas Democrats in Illinois and Chicago’s Mayor and his plans to raise taxes. Dennis gets to talk about Booby’s in Niles while Patrick found a job fair for socialists.
On this week’s Frenemies of the People by Culloton + Bauer Luce, it’s Patrick and Dennis talking departures at City Hall, new faces, investigators, nepotism and gorings. We’ve got it all plus the Curse of Skarr.

On this week’s Frenemies of the People by Culloton Bauer + Luce we welcome author of The City Is Up for Grabs, Greg Pratt! We talk about his book and the Lightfoot administration as well as his dog Sadie’s greatest enemies. Natalie had the attack ad that never was; Eleni tries to keep her kids from licking the airplane windows after Dennis says airplane carpeting Sounds Terrible.

Special Summer Edition of CBL’s Frenemies of the People. CBS2’s reporter Marissa Sulek joins us to talk about her journalism career; growing up in Park Ridge and returning home to cover Chicago’s news, including her favorite profile of Kaage’s Newsstand in the Edison Park neighborhood and her love of CBS stalwarts Sunday Morning and 60 Minutes. Dennis thinks Chonkosaurus love sounds terrible, Cianna can’t wait for the humidity and Patrick appreciates authoritative news sources. Speaking of, support local journalism!

Chicago Sportscaster David Kaplan, founder of the REKAP YouTube channel (@rekapdavidkaplan here on Youtube) joins the Frenemies to share his journey from coaching high school junior varsity basketball to multi-media broadcaster who has covered every major sports event of the past 30+ years and of course run into a few politicians along the way. Eleni talks John Wooden with the Kapman, embarrassing her husband. Cianna talks trash about Lebron James. Dennis says hanging from a flying biplane #soundsterrible!

Dennis Culloton plays DJ with a sample of “The Fall of the Velvet Hammer” by former Springfield legislative staffer Mac Hoffman. Eleni Demertzis reflects on the 60-year reign of Speaker Madigan and the performance of Democratic Governors including Gov. Pritzker summoned before the U.S. House Oversight Committee. Patrick Skarr offers his advice to 2026 candidates: be different. Plus: Can’t Wait, Sounds Terrible!

On this week’s CBL’s Frenemies of the People, Eleni Demertzis recaps the Springfield Spring session Natalie Bauer Luce on more #mayoral candidates coming out of the woodwork, Patrick Skarr sticks up for Naperville and #pork and Cianna Reeves has #terrible snack plans and hates paying for #shoppingbags
Breaking news! Eleni breaks down the end of session in Springfield and Dennis has an especially terrible idea.
This week on Culloton + Bauer Luce “Frenemies of the People”: Dennis Culloton offers a non-apology/apology to Eleni Demertzis, avoiding #cancellation, and complains about the #weather and #yachtrock. Rahm vs. JB, tensions in Springfield, Patrick Skarr with #hyperlocal news and Eleni with “#SoundsTerrible, Can’t Wait”
On this week’s Frenemies of the People, we wrap up media coverage of the #ChicagoPope, Patrick and Chicago’s Mayor on the same page; Eleni is a Wally’s influencer, and Cianna is concerned about the Illinois Governor’s nicknames.

Eleni interviews Dennis Culloton on his memories of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan who is being laid to rest this week.

On this week’s Frenemies, are federal juries over public corruption cases? Eleni says its Knives Out for Democratic Illinois politicos while Dennis is worried Late Night Talk Shows are being invaded by Presidential Candidates. Patrick hates the earth and Cianna loses out on her new favorite Chicago pizzeria.

This week’s frenemies, Sen. Durbin’s retirement triggers musical chairs, should Governor Pritzier run for re-election? Patrick endorses Rahm, sort of. “Sounds Terrible, Can’t Wait” and Dennis offers a tribute to former U of I Professor and WMAQ radio news anchor Nancy Benson.

This week’s frenemies, Sen. Durbin’s retirement triggers musical chairs, should Governor Pritzier run for re-election? Patrick endorses Rahm, sort of. “Sounds Terrible, Can’t Wait” and Dennis offers a tribute to former U of I Professor and WMAQ radio news anchor Nancy Benson.