📝 Grading DNC speeches

DNC Day 3: Tim Walz Accepts VP Nom

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had a squad of high-profile politicians and celebrities take the stage before he accepted the vice presidential nomination Wednesday. Oprah Winfrey, former President Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg all gave speeches last night. [Block Club]

• Learn about Oprah’s Chicago roots. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

How Protests Have Shaped DNC

Ahead of the March on DNC coalition’s second protest and Vice President Kamala Harris’ convention closing speech tonight, we hear from protesters on why they’re out marching. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Thank Chicago for ‘Demure’ TikTok Trend

It’s been a big month for Jools Lebron, who went viral for sharing she goes to work “very demure.” The Chicagoan not only made her late night show debut this week but can also now afford her gender transition surgery. Lebron did skip the DNC Monday because she had a “wig appointment.” [People]

We all know Vice President Kamala Harris has been busy this last month. But so has comedian Allison Reese, who has gone viral for her spot-on impression of the VP, her iconic laugh, and the phrase “n’kay.”

Reese trained in Chicago’s comedy scene for years, and it's where she first developed her Harris impression for a showcase.

Ahead of Harris’ big speech tonight, Hey Chicago caught up with Reese.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’d you learn in Chicago that has been foundational in this moment as your Harris impression gets so much attention?

“I've always been enamored by political comedy. One of the reasons why I went to Chicago was because I wanted to take advantage of the scene that was ready to satirize.”

“When I was in Chicago, I did a lot of shows that were news based. I did a show called 'Whirled News Tonight' [at iO Chicago], where we would get headlines and do improv based off of the news that week that the audience had picked out. I've done sketch shows that were centered around news at the Revival [when it was] on the South Side.”