‘Ali: A Life’; Sexual Harassment In Bars; NPR’s Sam Sanders

On this encore edition of the 21st:  Writer Jonathan Eig joins us to talk about his book on Muhammad Ali. Plus, what should bar managers do when customers are sexually harassed? And, we're joined by Sam Sanders, host of NPR's 'It's Been A Minute.'

Today’s sports headlines and columns are filled with opinions about what athletes should and shouldn’t do when it comes to their political beliefs: Should they refuse to stand during the national anthem? Should they refuse an invitation from the White House? 

It wasn’t so long ago that Muhammad Ali forced Americans to asked a similar question: Should athletes fight in a war they don’t believe in?Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War in 1967, telling a Chicago Daily News reporter: “I don’t have no [personal] quarrel with those Viet Congs.” It would be one of his most famous quotes. After Ali officially filed paperwork to excuse himself from service as a conscientious objector, he went on to become on of the most famous anti-war figures of all time. 

Chicago-based reporter and writer Jonathan Eig details the life of boxer Muhammad Ali in his book, Ali: A Life. Today, we revisit our conversation with him.

Plus - 

Your local bar: it’s where everybody knows your name, right? But, the reality of nightlife isn’t always so cheery. Mix alcohol with crowds of people — often amorous ones — and you’ve got a potent cocktail. 

Chicago Tribune reporter Alison Bowen relays some of these unsafe scenarios in her recent feature for the paper in which she asks the question, “What should bartenders do when a customer feels unsafe?” It’s a timely question, especially as we’ve seen our social media feeds filling up with the #MeToo hashtag these past few months. 

Alison Bowen joined us in our Chicago studio to talk about these issues of bar safety. Louie Mendicino was also on the line. He’s the General Manager of the Cobra Lounge in Chicago, as well as the head of bar operations for Riot Fest.

And - 

Whether you wanna talk politics, Drake or find out how to talk to your parents as an American immigrant — or get NPR’s Nina Totenberg to start singing opera — there’s one NPR host who can help.

You may know Sam Sanders from the NPR Politics podcast or his own show It’s Been a Minute, which you can catch online or on a couple of public radio stations throughout Illinois, including our home station, WILL.

We caught up with Sam, who was in Chicago for a live show back in May.