On June 10, 2025, a car drove into a crowd of protesters in Downtown Chicago around 6:15 PM. The protesters were demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Hundreds of people were present when the incident happened. A police officer tried to stop the car, but the driver kept moving through the crowd. It is still unclear how many people were hurt. 2j3c3s

The Chicago Police Department said they were waiting for reports from officers at the scene before deciding whether to charge the driver. Most of the protest in Chicago was peaceful, but some demonstrators fought with police and damaged police vehicles. Because of this, public transportation in the downtown area was temporarily stopped. A Chicago city official posted on social media about the damaged police cars and shared his frustration over what he saw as growing unrest.

The footage was captured by CNN and reported on by Fox. The Chicago protest was connected to a larger movement called “From LA to Chicago: ICE Out!” which opposes increased federal immigration enforcement. The demonstrations came after several days of major protests in Los Angeles, which started on June 7.

Car rams through protestors in Chicago 46471s

The Los Angeles protests were much more violent than those in Chicago. They began in response to increased ICE activity and deportations under President Trump’s istration. Protesters set fires, damaged property, and broke windows at the LAPD headquarters. Some stores were also looted. The violence led to many arrests, and federal authorities called in the California National Guard, even though the state governor disagreed with the decision.

Warning: Video below shows a car ramming protestors

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement about the ICE raids in Los Angeles, saying hundreds of people had been arrested, many of whom had criminal records. The statement gave details about nineteen suspects arrested on June 7, who were charged with crimes including robbery, assault, murder, and rape. The DHS described those arrested as “the worst of the worst” and said the ICE actions were needed for public safety.

Protesters, however, argued that ICE was abusing its power and targeting vulnerable communities. Because Los Angeles has a large population of foreign-born and Latino residents, the protests there were especially intense.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2024, a terrifying incident happened in Chicago, leaving three young children in the hospital with serious injuries. A tow truck driver, while working on South Harvard Avenue, made a shocking discovery: a one-year-old baby lying in the street, their diaper covered in blood.

After looking further, the driver found two more injured children, ages three and five, all with wounds on their wrists. Their mother, 23-year-old Aurionah-Rakii-Karie Parker-White, was also there, showing extreme distress. The driver acted quickly and took all four to a nearby hospital.

Parker-White’s explanation, according to People, was that it was extremely stressful to be a single parent. So, she basically decided to kill her kids. This way, she wouldn’t need to take care of them. This isn’t the first mother to try to kill their children, but it’s always horrifying.

Chicago Mom gives reasoning for trying to murder her kids 3i1w5f

The children were in critical condition and were later moved to the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital for advanced care, where they are now in serious but stable condition. Information from the hospital revealed a deeply troubling story. The five-year-old child reportedly told medical staff that their mother had tried to kill them, saying she wanted to send them to heaven.

After this, officers from the Chicago Police Department quickly responded and arrested Parker-White. She was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated battery against a child. Further investigation, including a recorded confession, showed that Parker-White itted to stabbing her children. She explained in her confession that she was under extreme stress from raising her three children alone and that she wanted to end her own life as well as her children’s lives.

The legal consequences for Parker-White are severe. The charges of attempted first-degree murder could lead to long prison sentences or even life in prison. The prosecution will need to present strong evidence, including the children’s statements, the mother’s confession, and medical records, to secure a conviction. The defense, on the other hand, may explore different strategies, possibly arguing that she was not in her right mind or seeking a plea deal to reduce the charges.

The former Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, was once on top of the world and financially secure but much like a classical Greek tragedy his fall from grace was full of hubris.

So, how did this once-respected politician lose not only the respect of his peers but his fortune? Let’s take a deeper look into his childhood, education, family, and offenses for answers as his net worth is directly tied to his political demise.

Blagojevich was born in Chicago on December 10, 1956 and was far from a nepo-baby. As a child of Serbian immigrants, he worked hard from a young age to help the family by shining shoes and delivering pizzas. He began his college career at the University of Tampa but transferred to Northwestern University. He graduated in 1979 with a degree in history. He continued his studies at Pepperdine University School of Law.

After law school, he clerked for Chicago Alderman Edward Vrdolyak. He then worked as Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney specializing in cases of domestic abuse and weapons. His political breakthrough came in 1992 when he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Four years later, he made the leap to the U.S. House of Representatives where he represented Illinois’s 5th Congressional District.

Blagojevich made history in 2002 when he became the first Democrat elected Governor of Illinois in 30 years. It appeared that he was on the fast track to even bigger success as he made positive changes such as death penalty reform and expanding healthcare coverage. However, whispers were growing about possible corruption inside his istration.

Things came to a head in December of 2008. Those whispers had caught the attention of the FBI who launched an investigation and found enough evidence for his arrest on federal corruption charges. One of the crimes he was accused of was attempting to sell or use Barack Obama’s empty Senate seat for financial and political gain. During his trial, recordings of him saying the opportunity was “f**king golden”  were entered into evidence.

As a result of the Jan. 2009 arrest, he was impeached by the Illinois House of Representatives and removed from office by the Senate. Two years later, the courts also doled out justice after the jury couldn’t reach a consensus on some charges. He was found guilty of 17 charges some of which included fraud, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to solicit bribes. He was sentenced to 14 years in jail but only ended up serving eight.

In 2020 President Trump commuted his sentence. The Illinois Supreme Court was less forgiving, kicking him out of the bar. Blagojevich’s finances took a hit during his legal troubles and it’s believed today that he’s ‘only’ worth $100,000.

Since his release, Blagojevich has tried to reinvent himself and regain his financial stability. He changed party affiliations aligning with the Republican party, even attending the 2024 convention and backing President-Elect Trump.

Since he can no longer work as a lawyer, he has dabbled in public speaking, hosting a short-lived radio show, “Lightning Rod Today” and appearing on Fox News. He has advocated for justice reform though critics say this subject is more of a self-serving way for him to maintain a place in the public eye. Much like Trump, he claims the justice system has been weaponized and he is a victim. Time can only tell if history re Blagojevich, as a cautionary tale or a phoenix who rises from the ashes.

Ah, Chicago, the Windy City. The sprawling Illinois metropolis, known for its gorgeous architecture, ample museums, and liberal lean, has become symbolic of a nationwide divide on immigration.

Declared a sanctuary city in the mid-1980s, Chicago didn’t officially adopt the status until 2012. Since its implementation, it’s weathered a storm of Republican criticism and rapidly increasing waves of migrants from its southern neighbors in Texas. Despite the city’s consistent success, or perhaps because of it, Donald Trump‘s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has announced his plans to target Chicago first for deportations, but local officials aren’t going down without a fight.

Despite Republicans’ best efforts, Chicago has consistently managed to rise above the attempts to punish its sanctuary city status, but the moral battleground is rapidly approaching actual militarization.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott—the absolute pinnacle of “not my f***ing problem” in quasi-human form — has spat on every effort for the two states to collaborate. In early 2023, the Texan “took the border to them,” shipping busload after busload of migrants into Chicago’s city limits, sending as many as 25 buses a day 24/7 for nearly 2 years. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has condemned the push, saying that the migrants were shipped “like cargo in a dehumanizing attempt to score political points.”

Chicago has weathered the storm so far with help from a border closing bill signed by President Biden, a small army of volunteers, and nearly $300 million in spending. Now the city must contend with the Trump istration using it as a pilot program for its mass deportation plans. Trump’s newly appointed border czar, Tom Homan, appeared in the city over the weekend, calling for Governor Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson to “come to the table” while simultaneously bashing them for being “terrible” during a holiday party hosted by the Law and Order PAC and the GOP.

Yes, the best way to convince people to see an issue from your side is to belittle them. “Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks,” he told the crowd. He explained that starting January 20, his plan is to flood the city with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who will be “looking for criminals and gang .”

Johnson has promised to protect the city’s migrant populations and ordered local police not to help federal agents deport Chicago residents. Homan replied, “If he doesn’t want to help, get the hell out of the way,” before throwing out threats of prosecution.

Trump has already threatened to mobilize the National Guard to expedite his deportation plans, promised to withhold federal funding in order to get sanctuary cities — like Denver and Chicago — in line, and wants to end birthright citizenship. And he isn’t the only one. Abbott has threatened Texas hospitals with Medicaid and Medicare funding should doctors advise patients to avoid answering questions about their immigration status. The escalated rhetoric shows a deepening divide between liberals and conservatives, but it’s immigrants who will bear the burden of actual violence.

Since its inception in 2012, the Chicago franchise has expanded dramatically. As it inches closer to its 700-episode milestone, it’s not an overstatement to say there’s a lot of seasons and episodes to catch up on. 

The Chicago franchise focuses on the professional and personal lives of Chicago’s first responders and legal professionals. There are four shows that are interconnected, often featuring crossover episodes that tie their storylines together. Whether you’ve seen one of the Chicago series or all of them, here’s your ultimate watch order guide for the entire Chicago TV series universe.

Chicago Fire 715249

This series is where it all began. Chicago Fire focuses on the brave firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51. The show gives a glimpse into their daily lives, the dangerous situations they face, and the camaraderie that keeps them going. With this as your starting point, you’ll get to know the core of the franchise. It’s the perfect introduction to the world of Chicago’s emergency services.

Chicago P.D. 5z2e4p

Chicago P.D. is the first spinoff series from Chicago Fire. The spinoff centers on the Chicago Police Department’s Intelligence Unit, led by Sergeant Hank Vought. The team tackles some of the city’s most dangerous criminals, all while dealing with the moral and personal dilemmas that come with the job. Chicago P.D. brings a grittier look at crime and investigation, and you’ll start to see some familiar faces from Chicago Fire popping up during some crossover episodes.

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Once you’ve settled into the rhythms of the firehouse and the police department, It’s time to start off on the next series in the franchise, Chicago Med. This series explores the lives of the doctors, nurses, and staff at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. The series highlights the challenges and triumphs in a busy emergency room, with crossovers from characters in Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. Chicago Med will give you a well-rounded view of the city’s emergency response system.

Chicago Justice i376s

Last but not least, we have Chicago Justice. This is the legal drama of the franchise, focusing on the State’s Attorney’s team as they tackle high-profile cases. Sadly, unlike the other shows in the franchise, Chicago Justice’s time in the spotlight was short-lived. Although it only lasted one season, it still brought that signature Chicago energy to the courtroom and is well worth watching, especially if you’ve been following the other shows.

Crossover Chicago episodes 735016

The beauty of the Chicago franchise is the frequent crossover episodes where characters from different shows come together for epic storylines. 

•  Law & Order SVU– season 15 episode 15: “Comic Perversion”
•  Chicago Fire– season 1 episode 23: “Let Her Go”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 1 episode 6: “Convention”
•  Chicago Fire– season 2 episode 20: “A Dark Day”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 1 episode 12: “8:30 PM”
•  Chicago Fire– season 3 episode 7: “Nobody Touches Anything”
•  Law & Order SVU– season 16 episode 7: “Chicago Crossover”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 2 episode 7: “They’ll Have to Go Through Me”
•  Chicago Fire– season 3 episode 13: “Three Bells”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 2 episode 13: “A Little Devil Complex”
•  Chicago Fire– season 3 episode 19: “I Am the Apocalypse”
•  Chicago Fire– season 3 episode 21: “We Called Her Jellybean”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 2 episode 20: “The Number of Rats”
•  Law & Order SVU– season 16 episode 20: “Daydream Believer”
•  Chicago Fire– season 4 episode 10: “The Beating Heart”
•  Chicago Med– season 1 episode 5: “Malignant”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 3 episode 10: “Now I’m God”
•  Law & Order SVU– season 17 episode 14: “Nationwide Manhunt”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 3 episode 14: “The Song of Gregory William Yates”
•  Chicago Fire– season 5 episode 9: “Some Make It, Some Don’t”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 4 episode 9: “Don’t Bury This Case”
•  Chicago Fire– season 5 episode 15: “Deathtrap”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 5 episode 16: “Profiles”
•  Chicago Justice– season 1 episode 1: “Fake”
•  Chicago Fire– season 6 episode 13: “Hiding Not Seeking”
•  Chicago Fire– season 7 episode 2: “Going to War”
•  Chicago Med– season 4 episode 2: “When to Let Go”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 6 episode 2: “Endings”
•  Chicago Fire– season 7 episode 15: “What I Saw”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 6 episode 15: “Good Men”
•  Chicago Fire– season 8 episode 4: “Infection 1”
•  Chicago Med– season 5 episode 4: “Infection 2”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 7 episode 4: “Infection 3”
•  Chicago Fire– season 8 episode 15: “Off the Grid”
•  Chicago P.D.– season 7 episode 15: “Burden of Truth”

Keep an eye out for these crossovers as they’re a great way to see the whole Chicago universe in action, and stay on track of how the stories intertwine.

If there’s one thing Chicago is known for, it’s great hot dogs. The city is teeming with popular and historic vendors, such as Fluky’s, Woody’s Chicago Style, Superdawg, Redhot Ranch, The Wieners Circle, Portillo’s, and Gene & Jude’s.

For hot dog lovers, the convenience of living in the Windy City is undeniable — especially if the staff in the restaurant next door is prepared to throw you a hot dog so you don’t even have to leave wherever you are to get one. That’s precisely what happened in a viral TikTok that’s got s on the popular video-sharing platform talking.

In the 17-second clip, shared by a called “tiff bish” (name @tiffjessup), a group of people are on a balcony across the street from Wrigleyville Dogs. The video is captioned “Chicago things,” and there’s text on the screen saying “pov: you call and ask the restaurant next door to throw you up a hot dog.” What happened next? Well, Wrigleyville Dogs duly obliged.

Moreover, during the video, more text appears on the screen saying, “He said “dont throw it” abt the money loooll,” meaning the restaurant didn’t even accept payment for the delicious snack. The grateful group shouts “you the man” and “thank you sir,” before the video ends with one of them enjoying the hot dog and victoriously saying, “free hot dog.”

Chicago natives responded in droves to express their love for their home city, with comments including, “First thought: this has to be my city,” “I love this place,” “i love my city,” and “God I love this city.” After seeing the ravenous group munching on the free hot dogs, I have to say we love Chicago as well!

Other such comments included, “this is the Chicago i know and love,” “This is so Chicago,” “Chicago is the best,” and “this is why i’m moving back to chicago.”

Many people commented that they instantly recognized the location and exclaimed that “Wrigleyville Dogs is superior.” The sudden spark of recognition and elation at the restaurant’s response to the makers of the TikTok video was present throughout the comments — “I know exactly where this is and I’m so glad they’re chill like this lmao,” “LOVE THAT PLACE!!! love parking there when there’s concerts at the metro lol,” and “That’s Wrigley Hotdogs on Clark st.”

One was quick to praise the fact that the hot dog was free, writing, “Now that’s smart business. Giving you that free hotdog earned him a customer for a lifetime,” while another thought the customer should have paid, saying, “u could put the money in a bag or sumthjn.”

Someone else pointed out that the hot dog recipients should feel obliged to make Wrigleyville Dogs a regular haunt as now they have an “obligation to go at least twice a month and leave a generous tip.” Why? Well, as per the very sound logic, “to show and make sure they stay in business to provide free rooftop delivery.”

Finally, someone devised a novel idea for a future order, saying, “Now play ring toss with the onion rings!”

As per ABC, in 2019, the Time Out Index surveyed more than 34,000 people about food, drink, culture, nightlife, community, neighborhoods, overall happiness, beauty, affordability, and convenience in their home cities. Chicagoans were found to be the happiest people in the world, and the city was ranked first for eating and drinking. The Windy City was ranked as the third-best overall worldwide. Given the exceptional service and kindness we witnessed in the above video, it’s hardly surprising.

Lil Durk was one of the hottest rappers on the planet a few short years ago. He was collaborating with superstars like Drake and J. Cole, and regularly scoring hits on the Billboard charts. The last few years have been difficult for the Chicago rapper, however.

Legal troubles have become just as big a part of Lil Durk’s narrative as his music. He was involved in a case that last three years, and more recently, the rapper was rushed to the hospital, where he stayed for a week. Fans were understandably concerned about Durk’s future, especially given the health problems he’s suffered in the past.

What happened with Lil Durk’s felony charges? 645p1n

Lil Durk’s career was still on the ascent when he was arrested in relation to a non-lethal shooting in 2019. The rapper was taken into custody alongside another Chicago upstart, King Von, and they were hit with multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, participation in criminal gang activity, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, aggravated assault, and the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The prosecution alleged that Lil Durk and King Von robbed and shot a man outside of a drive-in establishment in Atlanta. Both men were detained for weeks before posting bonds for $250,000 and $300,000 bonds, respectively. Despite the severity of these felony charges, the court opted to drop all of them in an October 2022 ruling:

The facts of this case have been reviewed. And although probable cause existed for the defendants arrest, the decision at this time is not to prosecute.

Lil Durk’s attorney, Manny Arora, issued a statement to Rolling Stone following the ruling. He praised the courts, and assured the public that Lil Durk would continue to thrive as a fixture in popular music. “I am glad that the charges from three plus years ago have been dismissed,” he noted. “While it is unfortunate that it took so long to reach the conclusion that we had argued from day one, I’m glad that all involved can now move on.”

Why was Lil Durk rushed to the hospital? 5v6s3h

Lil Durk’s legal troubles may have subsided, but the rapper’s health has been a topic of discussion over the past couple years. He was rushed to the hospital after suffering a serious injury during his Lollapalooza performance in 2022. There was a pyrotechnics malfunction that led to effects going off right in front of the rapper’s face, according to Yahoo. Durk later posted a photo of himself on Instagram with bandages over his right eye.

The rapper also informed fans that he would be taking time off from performing to focus on his health. “Due to the incident that happened at Lollapalooza in Chicago on stage, I’ma take a break & focus on my health,” he wrote in the caption. “I finished my performance yesterday for my fans. Appreciate y’all.”

Despite Lil Durk’s assertion, health troubles persisted. He was once again taken to the hospital in July 2023. TMZ reported that the Chicago rapper was hospitalized for a week before being deemed healthy enough for discharge. The reasons? Dehydration and exhaustion. Durk issued a statement to the outlet, assuring his fans that he was feeling better and would be doing shows once he felt he was physically capable:

After performing and traveling daily I’ve become severely dehydrated and advised by my doctors not to travel due to exhaustion. Once I get my full energy back, it’s back to business which I’m looking forward to.

Fortunately, Lil Durk’s health seems to have rebounded. The rapper has spent the last year putting on shows, and he recently won a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance with the song “All My Life” featuring J. Cole. We hope the good breaks continue.

Foxtrot, a high-end convenience store with more than 33 locations across the country, closed suddenly on April 23 with zero notice to employees. The company, which recently merged with Dom’s Kitchen, appears to be headed for bankruptcy court and even corporate employees were left in the dark about the decision.

In a statement released around 30 minutes before all the stores shut down, Outfox Hospitality (the name of the company after it merged) said it was with a “heavy heart” that it had to “inform you of a difficult decision.”

“After much consideration and evaluation, we regret to announce that Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market will be closing their doors starting on April 23, 2024.  The closure affects 2 Dom’s stores and 33 Foxtrots across Chicago, Austin, Dallas, DC areas. We explored many avenues to continue the business but found no viable option despite good faith and exhaustive efforts.”

Foxtrot appeared in 2016 in Chicago as a delivery app that mostly catered to alcohol drinkers. The company exploded during the pandemic and eventually became a sort of modern corner store, that partnered with smaller brands to offer something new to consumers. It was unusually successful for a while.

The news is especially surprising because the company was expanding so fast. In 2023, Outfox raised $18.6 million and expanded out of Chicago to Austin, Dallas and Washington D.C. Outfox also spent a lot of money securing prime real estate like the Willis Tower. There were tentative plans for expansion into New York and the rest of the country after that.

Two Dom’s restaurants were also closed, a mere six months after the merge and only a few after the hiring of new CEO Rob Twyman. Dom’s debuted in 2021 as a new type of store from the founder of Mariano’s grocery store, Bob Mariano.

In addition to the closings, hundreds of workers are now without a job. Employees told CBS they were blindsided by the news and didn’t have any inkling at all about what was going on behind the scenes at the company.

The company may have also violated labor law because in Illinois, employers have to give employees a 60 day written notice about layoffs or closing as per the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. That’s something that will probably be worked out in court. In it’s statement, the company thanked “each and every one of you for your loyalty and trust in Dom’s and Foxtrot. It has been an honor to serve you, and we will cherish the memories we have created together.”

In the booming industry of organized crime in America, there is one name that’s stood the test of time. Known for his dominance over Chicago, Al Capone is still ed.

Born at the turn of the century in Brooklyn, New York, Capone quickly rose up the ranks of the criminal world under gang leader Johnny Torrio’s watch. During the days of Prohibition, he ed Torrio in Chicago, where the young man would eventually make his kingdom. He eventually took over for Torrio, and under his leadership, Chicago became a hotbed for bootlegging, narcotics, and gambling. Capone was notoriously vicious and influenced voting in the area through intimidation as well as extorting others for “protection” money.

But perhaps Capone became so famous because of law enforcement’s inability to convict him for his crimes. Ultimately, authorities successfully sent Capone to prison for tax evasion. The crime boss served seven years but, once released, began to deteriorate mentally and physically.

Al Capone’s death 3qo3l

Capone’s weakness came about from an unlikely place. Sometime in his youth, he contracted syphilis from his proximity to sex work. Though this wasn’t officially what killed him, it did add to his declining health. Penicillin was the treatment for such an ailment and wouldn’t be invented until World War II. Regardless, Capone did not seek treatment for the microbe, and it continued to fester.

Syphilis became a predominant problem when he was serving his sentence in prison. Capone was confined to Alcatraz, the famous prison on a San Francisco island. Named “The Rock” because it was inescapable, it also made any treatment an unlikely prospect. During his sentence, the disease burrowed into his brain, causing significant damage. This affected his mental capacity more than anything, and he was released from prison due to his instability. This event was the beginning of the end for the gangster who would live the rest of his days in Florida.

He died at the age of 48 in 1947. Officially, Capone’s cause of death was heart failure, following a stroke. Even though he started to get better, he soon contracted bronchopneumonia and died not much later. Many factors went into his demise, but the main source of his decline was venereal disease. Without that diagnosis, his brain would not have suffered as it did. Even though it took law enforcement years to convict him, you might say that it was his hubris that destroyed him.

From the day we arrived on the planet, and — blinking, stepped into the sun — humanity has been obsessed with adorable animals. Just look at Disney, which has built a bazillion-dollar all-consuming corporation off the back of whistling mice and regicidal lions. Speaking of which, the combination of a cute dog and a recreation of one of the House of Mouse’s most iconic movie moments proved to be the highlight of the night for a crowd of Chicago partygoers.

As any native of the Windy City will tell you, Lollapalooza just took place this past weekend so the town has been crawling with music lovers who’ve flocked to check out the four-day festival. Although maybe what they really came for was a glimpse at the pup whose owner seems to believe is the king of Chicago’s dog population – hence their decision to proudly show them off to the world.

As seen in the above TikTok, the owner lifted up his pet to the window, like Rafiki with Simba in The Lion King, getting a cheer from the crowd across the street every time, like they were a bunch of excited animals at Pride Rock. Except in this case, the dog isn’t going to grow up and eat them like Simba would, so their happiness actually makes a lot more sense. Like one commenter put it, “Humans can be so cute sometimes.”

Although copious amounts of alcohol likely had something to do with this crowd’s extreme delight, it is a fact that dogs can have a hugely positive effect on our emotional and physical wellbeing. Studies have found that dog owners are less likely to fall prey to a range of health concerns than those who don’t have pets, including depression, high blood pressure, and even high cholesterol. So owning a dog could really increase the quality — and the circle — of your life.

If you’re good to Mama… you’ll land a role in Chicago, at least if Jinkx Monsoon‘s experience is anything to go by. The two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner, crowned in season five and in All Stars seven, will officially be making her Broadway debut in 2023 in the role of Matron “Mama” Morton, in the Tony-winning Broadway show, Chicago.

Starting on Jan.6, the two-time Drag Race winner will kick-start her eight-week run as Mama, previously popularized and portrayed by Queen Latifah. Besides being sufficiently impressive by the big shoes to be filled on stage, this historical run also marks the first drag artist ever to debut in the New York City theater district as Mama Morton. In an interview via EW, the drag artist doubled down on this never-before-seen feat, and how much it actually means to her, especially after ing her first performance in drag, “All That Jazz.”

“I cannot stress enough that this has been a lifelong dream of mine. To be making my Broadway debut, as my favorite role, in one of my favorite shows — that lifelong dream is coming true and then some. The first number I performed in drag was ‘All That Jazz,’ so this feels almost too serendipitous. But, I never question my blessings, I just thank Hecate for them.”

As the longest-running musical revival on Broadway, Monsoon’s feat is nothing of the ordinary. Chicago is just shy behind Phantom of the Opera as the longest-running broadway show, with its first performance taking place in 1975, with over 930 performances under its name. Since then, the story received acclaimed reviews, and a live-action film starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and of course, Queen Latifah.

The show introduces the story of Roxie Hart, a dancer who murders her lover, and thus, turns her case into a headline-grabbing narrative with the help of a criminal lawyer. Mama is a ing character in Hart’s criminal affair story, presiding over the women’s block at the Cook Country Jail. The current production of Chicago stars Charlotte d’Amboise as Roxie Hart, Lana Gordon as Velma Kelly, Ryan Silverman as Billy Flynn, and Charity Angél Dawson as Mama.

In spite of it being her Broadway debut, the drag artist is entirely comfortable on stage given her past experience. Since receiving her first crown in RuPaul’s Drag Race season five, Monsoon starred in her own Christmas Cabaret show alongside queen Ben DeLaCreme, in the theatrical spectacular The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, with whom she is currently on tour.

With Hulu’s Pam & Tommy series currently airing, Pamela Anderson is making headlines. Anderson had no involvement in the series and is set to release her side of the story with a Netflix documentary, and if that isn’t enough to keep her busy, she’ll also be making her Broadway debut.

She’ll be leading the Ambassador Theatre’s production of Chicago for a limited time from April 12th-June 5th.

Playing one of the leading ladies, Roxie Hart, Anderson will step into the shoes of a housewife with dreams of being a star. Since Chicago is all about how fame can warp your sense of self and how everyone interacts with you, it’s safe to say Anderson has plenty of personal experience to bring to the show.

In an interview with AP, Anderson shared her excitement about taking on the role, “I am inspired by the unexpected. This is it, and I will not hold back anymore. I am letting go. I am ready to see what I’m capable of. For Chicago, I’ll be putting all my cards on the table. I am doubling down — on me.”

Anderson isn’t the only household name who’s taken over the role of Roxie, though, in fact, many famous names have had their turn at the character. Some of these actors include Brooke Shields, Ashlee Simpson, Melora Hardin, Michelle Williams, and Brandy Norwood. Recently, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne’s turn as Hart, which was interrupted by the pandemic, hit a little too close to home as the star was experiencing her own legal woes.

The show is set in 1920’s Chicago and follows the young Velma Kelley and older Roxie Hart, two wannabe vaudeville stars. However, things take a turn when Roxie murders the man she’s been having an affair with after he threatens to leave her. After Roxie is arrested, she sees a way for her to be famous by proving her innocence as the press sensationalizes the trial/ She finds a rival in her cellmate, Velma, and the two fight for headlines.

Chicago producer Barry Weissler had nothing but positive things to say about Anderson.

“Pam is a very moral person, extremely moral. She cares about animals. She cares about the planet. She cares about people. The difference between her as Pam and Roxie is Roxie doesn’t care about anyone but herself, and she doesn’t give a damn about the outside world as long as she can be famous. So Pam comes with totally opposite attributes in life, but she fits because of her celebrity, what she’s gone through in life.”

It will definitely be exciting to see Anderson take on a role that’s both demanding and so different from herself.