What’s New

Today and tomorrow are two of a slate of Free Admission Days offered by the Field Museum (1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.) through November. Illinois residents with proof of residency (valid photo identification plus a copy of your lease, library card, utility bill, or a check stub from work) receive free basic admission, which gets you into all the general admission exhibitions like “Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories,” and a full-size replica of a Pawnee earth lodge. The museum is open daily from 9 AM-5 PM with last admission at 4 PM, so if you can’t make it there this week, check out the Field’s website for future free days and visitors information. (SCJ)

The Janes is a documentary about the Jane Collective, an underground abortion network that operated here in Chicago during the 60s and 70s, and at 7 PM, a collection of Bucktown residents are hosting a screening in Holstein Park (2200 N. Oakley). The event kicks off with commentary about reproductive autonomy and getting involved in the local fight to preserve Roe v. Wade and expand abortion access nationally. Speakers include some of the former Janes, the movie’s producer (Daniel Arcana), representatives from local reproductive health service providers, and Alderman Scott Waguespack. The movie will start at 7:45 PM, and you should bring blankets, lawn chairs, snacks, or other necessities that make an outdoor screening comfortable for you. (MC)

The Frunchroom, the well-loved storytelling and performance event centered in tales about the south side, returns to Beverly Arts Center (2407 W. 111th St.) tonight with a packed lineup of special guests. Writer Tara Betts, founder of the Whirlwind Learning Center, Off the Beaten Podcast host Dion McGill, writer Joe Meno, and hip-hop musician and writer Psalm One will take the stage to share words about their unique experiences traveling through Chicago. It all starts at 7:30 PM, and a $5 donation will be requested at the door. (SCJ)

Reader associate editor Jamie Ludwig wrote last week about British performer Yola, whose most recent record Stand for Myself “intertwines vintage soul and pop with her familiar Americana and country influences plus a hefty dose of rock.” Yola headlines a show tonight at Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport), which starts at 8 PM with opener Peter One, a musician originally from Côte d’Ivoire, who, like Yola, is now based in Nashville. Advance tickets are still available for this 17+ show. If you go, check to see if there’s chalk art on display by Thalia Hall’s resident artist Anna-Michal Paul, who Reader senior writer Leor Galil spoke to last month for our Chicagoans of Note column. (SCJ)

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Today and tomorrow are two of a slate of Free Admission Days offered by the Field Museum (1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.) through November. Illinois residents with proof of residency (valid photo identification plus a copy of your lease, library card, utility bill, or a check stub from work) receive free basic admission, which gets you into all the general admission exhibitions like “Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories,” and a full-size replica of a Pawnee earth lodge. The museum is open daily from 9 AM-5 PM with last admission at 4 PM, so if you can’t make it there this week, check out the Field’s website for future free days and visitors information. (SCJ)

The Janes is a documentary about the Jane Collective, an underground abortion network that operated here in Chicago during the 60s and 70s, and at 7 PM, a collection of Bucktown residents are hosting a screening in Holstein Park (2200 N. Oakley). The event kicks off with commentary about reproductive autonomy and getting involved in the local fight to preserve Roe v. Wade and expand abortion access nationally. Speakers include some of the former Janes, the movie’s producer (Daniel Arcana), representatives from local reproductive health service providers, and Alderman Scott Waguespack. The movie will start at 7:45 PM, and you should bring blankets, lawn chairs, snacks, or other necessities that make an outdoor screening comfortable for you. (MC)

The Frunchroom, the well-loved storytelling and performance event centered in tales about the south side, returns to Beverly Arts Center (2407 W. 111th St.) tonight with a packed lineup of special guests. Writer Tara Betts, founder of the Whirlwind Learning Center, Off the Beaten Podcast host Dion McGill, writer Joe Meno, and hip-hop musician and writer Psalm One will take the stage to share words about their unique experiences traveling through Chicago. It all starts at 7:30 PM, and a $5 donation will be requested at the door. (SCJ)

Reader associate editor Jamie Ludwig wrote last week about British performer Yola, whose most recent record Stand for Myself “intertwines vintage soul and pop with her familiar Americana and country influences plus a hefty dose of rock.” Yola headlines a show tonight at Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport), which starts at 8 PM with opener Peter One, a musician originally from Côte d’Ivoire, who, like Yola, is now based in Nashville. Advance tickets are still available for this 17+ show. If you go, check to see if there’s chalk art on display by Thalia Hall’s resident artist Anna-Michal Paul, who Reader senior writer Leor Galil spoke to last month for our Chicagoans of Note column. (SCJ)

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Thanks to CNN, this weekend I went right from Lyric Opera’s season-opening production of Ernani—featuring Charles V of Spain—to the pomp and circumstance surrounding the launch of Charles III of England.

Castles, crowns, cannons—it was all of a piece.  

And that did something I hadn’t anticipated: it brought an evening of seldom-seen Verdi to life.  

ErnaniThrough 10/1: Fri 9/16 7 PM, Wed 9/21 2 PM, Sun 9/25 2 PM, and Sat 10/1 7:30 PM, Lyric Opera, 20 W. Wacker; lyricopera.org, 312-827-5600, $40-$330

As we’ve had occasion to note before, sometimes, when things are rarely seen, there’s a reason. In this case, following Lyric’s relatively new music director Enrique Mazzola (in his second season) down the rabbit hole of all things early Verdi takes us to an opera plot so blatantly melodramatic it had some in the audience snickering when they should have been shocked.

This is the dreaded territory of unintentional humor. Victor Hugo, who wrote the play that inspired Ernani, couldn’t disassociate himself fast enough.

Laughable fealty to irrelevant codes of honor? Yes. Unbelievable reversals? Yes. A king so smitten he risks an empire just to get into the pants of his (seemingly pretty ordinary but off-limits) object of desire? Yes!

We should no doubt cut Verdi and his librettist, Francesco Maria Piave, some slack; this 1844 opera was their first collaboration. They might not even be responsible for the pop-up ghost. But the story is so ludicrous, they might as well have had their King Charles imagining life as a tampon.

Who would believe it?

There’s no chemistry in this stand-and-sing production, directed by Louisa Muller. But there’s some fine singing of a difficult bel canto score, especially by tenor Russell Thomas as the title character, and two familiar alumni of Lyric’s Ryan Opera Center: baritone Quinn Kelsey as the king, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as a villainous uncle. All three aspire to bed, er, wed, the woman in question, Elvira, who’s powerfully, if not always sweetly, sung by soprano Tamara Wilson. The Lyric Opera chorus looks as good as it sounds in sumptuous costumes by production designer Scott Marr, and the excellent Lyric Opera orchestra is conducted by Mazzola.

Thank you Brits! Long live the King! (And if you’re leaving a bouquet in honor of your “late sovereign of happy memory,” as I heard it put this morning, please remove the wrapper. Flowers are beautiful; wrappers are trash. Critics can’t stop noticing.)

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Jordan Wimby, aka The Melanin Martha, returns to Monday Night Foodball tonight with a prix fixe plate of “classic and reimagined” soul food, including crispy fatback and microgreens and a sweet fried buffalo chicken thigh. Advance orders are sold out, but a limited amount of food will be available for walk-in ordering. Get there early if you can; MNF kicks off at 5 PM at the Kedzie Inn (4100 N. Kedzie). Stick around for a custom cocktail collaboration created by Wimby and Kedzie owner Jon Pokorny. (SCJ)

If all the world’s a stage, then your dramatic atlas for the next couple of weeks is International Voices Project, opening tonight at 6:30 PM at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio). Now in its 12th season, IVP (the brainchild of executive director Patrizia Acerra) offers six free readings of plays in translation by writers around the world. This is the first in-person presentation since the COVID-19 shutdown (they offered a digital version in 2020 and 2021), and IVP partners with other local companies to make the work come alive. Tonight’s reading, for example, is of Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga’s The Mapmaker, presented in association with Water People Theater. Blanca, a woman in present-day Warsaw, hears the story of a ghetto cartographer who decided to map the dying world around him, and goes in search of this legendary artifact. The readings are every Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 through 9/28; the other plays are The Shroud Maker, by Palestinian-born playwright Ahmed Masoud and loosely based on the real story of a woman on the Gaza Strip who makes shrouds for the dead in the besieged territory; Give Me a Happily Ever After, a look at the “bumpy ride” of life by Norway’s Marius Leknes Snekkevag; Turks, Fire by German playwright Özlem Özgül Dündar, based on the deadly 1993 arson attack in Solingen, Germany, in which young men with neo-Nazi ties set fire to the home of a Turkish immigrant family; a trio of plays from Ukraine (Call Them By Their Names, The Peed-Upon Armored Personnel, and A Dictionary of Emotions in War Time by Tetyana Kitsenko, Oksana Gritsenko, and Elena Astasyeva, respectively); and Totentanz: Black Night, Black Death by Poland’s Ishbel Szatrawska, set during COVID quarantine in Bergamo, Italy. Though performances are free, the lineup is subject to change and reservations are required, so check out ivpchicago.org for information and tickets. (KR)

If you’re looking for some music tonight, there’s a few options featuring musicians and ensembles that our writers have previously covered. Reader contributor Monica Kendrick told us last year about French multi-instrumentalist and dark synth artist James Kent, who performs as Perturbator. Kent co-headlines a bill tonight at Park West (322 W. Armitage) along with the LA noise rock band Health; opener Street Sects starts at 7 PM. Tickets are still available for this 18+ show. And the noise doesn’t stop: head over to the Beat Kitchen (2100 W. Belmont) to catch Austin, Texas via Chicago band Glassing play with local power noise makers Meth. and Chicago collective Anatomy of Habit. That show is open to those 17 and older, and starts at 8 PM. (SCJ)

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Jordan Wimby, aka The Melanin Martha, returns to Monday Night Foodball tonight with a prix fixe plate of “classic and reimagined” soul food, including crispy fatback and microgreens and a sweet fried buffalo chicken thigh. Advance orders are sold out, but a limited amount of food will be available for walk-in ordering. Get there early if you can; MNF kicks off at 5 PM at the Kedzie Inn (4100 N. Kedzie). Stick around for a custom cocktail collaboration created by Wimby and Kedzie owner Jon Pokorny. (SCJ)

If all the world’s a stage, then your dramatic atlas for the next couple of weeks is International Voices Project, opening tonight at 6:30 PM at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio). Now in its 12th season, IVP (the brainchild of executive director Patrizia Acerra) offers six free readings of plays in translation by writers around the world. This is the first in-person presentation since the COVID-19 shutdown (they offered a digital version in 2020 and 2021), and IVP partners with other local companies to make the work come alive. Tonight’s reading, for example, is of Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga’s The Mapmaker, presented in association with Water People Theater. Blanca, a woman in present-day Warsaw, hears the story of a ghetto cartographer who decided to map the dying world around him, and goes in search of this legendary artifact. The readings are every Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 through 9/28; the other plays are The Shroud Maker, by Palestinian-born playwright Ahmed Masoud and loosely based on the real story of a woman on the Gaza Strip who makes shrouds for the dead in the besieged territory; Give Me a Happily Ever After, a look at the “bumpy ride” of life by Norway’s Marius Leknes Snekkevag; Turks, Fire by German playwright Özlem Özgül Dündar, based on the deadly 1993 arson attack in Solingen, Germany, in which young men with neo-Nazi ties set fire to the home of a Turkish immigrant family; a trio of plays from Ukraine (Call Them By Their Names, The Peed-Upon Armored Personnel, and A Dictionary of Emotions in War Time by Tetyana Kitsenko, Oksana Gritsenko, and Elena Astasyeva, respectively); and Totentanz: Black Night, Black Death by Poland’s Ishbel Szatrawska, set during COVID quarantine in Bergamo, Italy. Though performances are free, the lineup is subject to change and reservations are required, so check out ivpchicago.org for information and tickets. (KR)

If you’re looking for some music tonight, there’s a few options featuring musicians and ensembles that our writers have previously covered. Reader contributor Monica Kendrick told us last year about French multi-instrumentalist and dark synth artist James Kent, who performs as Perturbator. Kent co-headlines a bill tonight at Park West (322 W. Armitage) along with the LA noise rock band Health; opener Street Sects starts at 7 PM. Tickets are still available for this 18+ show. And the noise doesn’t stop: head over to the Beat Kitchen (2100 W. Belmont) to catch Austin, Texas via Chicago band Glassing play with local power noise makers Meth. and Chicago collective Anatomy of Habit. That show is open to those 17 and older, and starts at 8 PM. (SCJ)

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Thanks to CNN, this weekend I went right from Lyric Opera’s season-opening production of Ernani—featuring Charles V of Spain—to the pomp and circumstance surrounding the launch of Charles III of England.

Castles, crowns, cannons—it was all of a piece.  

And that did something I hadn’t anticipated: it brought an evening of seldom-seen Verdi to life.  

ErnaniThrough 10/1: Fri 9/16 7 PM, Wed 9/21 2 PM, Sun 9/25 2 PM, and Sat 10/1 7:30 PM, Lyric Opera, 20 W. Wacker; lyricopera.org, 312-827-5600, $40-$330

As we’ve had occasion to note before, sometimes, when things are rarely seen, there’s a reason. In this case, following Lyric’s relatively new music director Enrique Mazzola (in his second season) down the rabbit hole of all things early Verdi takes us to an opera plot so blatantly melodramatic it had some in the audience snickering when they should have been shocked.

This is the dreaded territory of unintentional humor. Victor Hugo, who wrote the play that inspired Ernani, couldn’t disassociate himself fast enough.

Laughable fealty to irrelevant codes of honor? Yes. Unbelievable reversals? Yes. A king so smitten he risks an empire just to get into the pants of his (seemingly pretty ordinary but off-limits) object of desire? Yes!

We should no doubt cut Verdi and his librettist, Francesco Maria Piave, some slack; this 1844 opera was their first collaboration. They might not even be responsible for the pop-up ghost. But the story is so ludicrous, they might as well have had their King Charles imagining life as a tampon.

Who would believe it?

There’s no chemistry in this stand-and-sing production, directed by Louisa Muller. But there’s some fine singing of a difficult bel canto score, especially by tenor Russell Thomas as the title character, and two familiar alumni of Lyric’s Ryan Opera Center: baritone Quinn Kelsey as the king, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as a villainous uncle. All three aspire to bed, er, wed, the woman in question, Elvira, who’s powerfully, if not always sweetly, sung by soprano Tamara Wilson. The Lyric Opera chorus looks as good as it sounds in sumptuous costumes by production designer Scott Marr, and the excellent Lyric Opera orchestra is conducted by Mazzola.

Thank you Brits! Long live the King! (And if you’re leaving a bouquet in honor of your “late sovereign of happy memory,” as I heard it put this morning, please remove the wrapper. Flowers are beautiful; wrappers are trash. Critics can’t stop noticing.)

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You may have heard about Backpage, a website where you could find ads for just about anything you can think of. That’s because it made national headlines a few years back because some unsavory people were using it for questionable reasons. That said, many people used Backpage legitimately such as buying or selling regular goods like you can do on popular sites such as OfferUp.

While Craigslist is one possible (and popular) alternative to Backpage, it no longer has personal ads either. So, read on to learn more about twenty of the best Backpage alternative websites. First, we’ll cover Backpage alternatives in terms of meeting people for casual dating or hookup purposes (like Tinder), then we’ll cover alternatives for buying and selling goods.

11 Backpage Alternatives for Meeting People and Dating

A lot of people appreciated Backpage for its personal ads page as a way to find other people looking for “casual” encounters. So, we’re going to start off by looking at some of the best Backpage alternatives when it comes to casual online dating or finding hookups.There’s a large variety here, so you’ll want to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have some of the same issues that plagued Backpage and ended up getting that site taken down. So, please take into account the following disclaimer:

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that might have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution when using largely unvetted public sites or Backpage-type websites. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

1.) Tinder

This one doesn’t really require an introduction, as just about everyone and their mom has heard of Tinder. It’s gone global and is now the number one dating app in the world in terms of registered accounts, largely due to its popularity with millennials and gen Z. In case you’re unfamiliar, Tinder is a pretty straightforward app. You see random profiles in your area, with photos and a little bit of text. You then swipe right to indicate your interest, or left, if you don’t. Then, you’ll be matched with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on your profile. From there, you can start messaging and go from there. As with the other sites, there’s a free version as well as a paid tier (Tinder Gold) for additional features and unlimited swiping.

2.) Ashley Madison

You’ve probably seen ads for Ashley Madison on *ahem* those websites. That’s because this site is all about connecting adults who are looking for casual hookups. One big plus for Ashley Madison is that it really prioritizes discretion. For example, if you decide to become a paying member, your credit card statement will simply read “Online services.” And you will probably want to do that if you’d like to take advantage of everything this website has to offer, including features such as “Traveling Man,” which lets you reach out to people from the area you’ll soon be visiting. Check out our full Ashley Madison review.

3.) Adult Friend Finder

When it comes to alternatives to Backpage for romantic encounters, Adult Friend Finder is easily one of the top choices. It cites itself as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Personals Community,” and it has a staggering amount of people signed up—over 100 million accounts, in fact. Just as with Ashley Madison, there’s a free option but it’s rather limited compared to the paid subscription tier. There are chatrooms, vlogs, messaging, and a (paid) feature called Stories that lets you discuss your dream dating life so other people can see if they share the same vibe or goals. Click here to read more about Adult Friend Finder.

4.) Kasual

Kasual, formerly known as Yumi, is a cool Backpage alternative because it’s really unique. Instead of getting matched up via algorithm or swiping, you get connected randomly to a person and the two of you can begin talking right away and see if there’s a connection. This app is available for Android and iOS, and the free version is pretty complete. If you like, though, you can always opt for the Premium membership. Ultimately, Kasual is a breath of fresh air compared to many hookup sites like Tinder because it’s ultra-focused on casual hookups (hence the rebranded name).

5.) Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish, or POF, refers to the old dating mantra that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—in other words, don’t sweat being single or getting broken up with, because there are a whole lot of people out there (billions, in fact). You can use POF as a website or app, which is kind of nice. It’s a pretty typical dating site, where you get matched up with people based on shared interests. They also have a nice video-date feature that may make you feel safer (especially women) about meeting up with someone after seeing them over video first.

6.) Pernals

Logo

Pernals is an app that’s all about personal ads. It allows you to create your own personal ad for free so you can state exactly what you’re looking for (a relationship, casual hookup, friend, etc.). Pernals even lists itself as a direct alternative to Backpage classified ads. They feature relationship categories like Backpage’s personals page used to: platonic, woman seeking woman, woman seeking man, man seeking woman, etc. It’s only available as an app, which you can download either with Google Play or the Apple Store.

7.) Bedpage

Bedpage is another Backpage alternative. Although it features many different categories, the ones that may be of most interest to people looking for a Backpage alternative would be the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. You should definitely proceed carefully with this site, however, as there are no doubt many people trying to use it to scam people and/or conduct illicit activities.

8.) Doublelist

Doublelist is another site that’s similar to Backpage. One slightly annoying aspect is you have to sign up in order to browse their site, which leads with the tagline “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious!” So, it isn’t hard to know what most people are looking for with Doublelist. They claim to have more than three million users in the U.S., however, so there might be a good chance you can find something that you vibe well with. As always, watch out for catfishers and other scammers.

9.) Oodle

Oodle has features very similar to old personals sites, with categories such as “Men Seek Women,” “Women Seek Men,” etc. There are also some filters including age, which can be nice if you want to narrow things down. There don’t appear to be a ton of people using this site, but it might be worth a shot. At least for my area, there are a lot more men posting on it than women, so depending on what you’re looking for it might not be a great option.

10.) Locanto

Locanto has a similar set up to Oodle and the other Backpage personals imitations. For example, there’s a “Casual Encounters” category with lots of subcategories. You can post a personal ad to let people know what you’re looking for. Like with Oodle, it appears to be mostly men posting and some of the female postings seem rather scammy. As long as you use your best judgment, Locanto could end up being a solid option for meeting people.

11.) eBackpage

Ebackpage is—you guessed it—a Backpage clone that’s just about identical to Bedpage in terms of its look. Like Backpage, there are personal ads available, and like Bedpage, there are both “Dating” and “Adult” categories with the usual options. This site didn’t appear to have many people posting, however. In the “Women seek men,” section, for example, the last posts were from May 2021. You can give this site a try but be aware that there are plenty of scammers on it.

9 Backpage Alternatives For Posting Classified Ads

While the above websites and apps all have the goal of connecting people for dating purposes, Backpage was really a one-stop shop for everything. So, this next batch of Backpage alternatives will focus on sites where you can post ads for buying and selling goods, whether that’s an electric guitar, Playstation, couch, or other items.

1.) Craigslist

If you’re in the U.S., Craigslist probably doesn’t need much introduction as it’s been a household name for a while. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Craigslist. As with any of the sites listed in this review, you have to watch out for scams, but in general I’ve had dozens of easy, smooth transactions with people in my community. Although Craigslist no longer has a “personals” page in the wake of the Backpage scandal, it’s definitely one of the best places to go if you’re looking to buy or sell something in your area.

2.) Offerup

Offerup is a website for the buying and selling goods, whether that’s shoes, clothing, headphones, guitars, furniture, you name it. While you can use it on your desktop, the app itself is a bit better. Also, unlike Craiglist, there is an option for shipping, so you can find stuff from all over the country as long as the person is willing to ship whatever it is that they’re selling. As a buyer and seller, this opens you up to more options. Another cool feature with Offerup is there’s a “free” section so you can take advantage of what people are trying to just quickly get rid of.

3.) Pennysaver

PennySaver is another popular website for those of us out there who are always trying to save money. You can look for real estate listing, cars and motorcycles, jobs, services, even pets! There are a ton of different ways to save money through the PennySaver, which has been in operation for more than fifty years with its original printed classifieds and mailers. This is another great Backpage alternative with a local focus so you can save money whether that’s on a plumber of dining out.

4.) Kijiji

Kijiji is the perfect Backpage alternative if you just so happen to live in Canada. Since it’s a Canadian site, you can browse in English or in French, plus there’s a Kijiji Autos page just for people looking to buy or sell their car. As with Backpage, you select your region and then your city. You can find just about anything on Kijiji, as with PennySaver, so that means getting deals on cars, apartments, services, and pets.

5.) Geebo

Geebo bills itself as “Safe Community Classifieds.” To this end, Geebo has a “Scams & Shams” page that encourages its users to follow certain safety practices, such as purchasing locally, meeting in public, bringing a friend, and following your gut. These are good rules to apply in general to all the sites reviewed here, but it’s nice that Geebo goes out of its way to try to encourage a safer experience. Geebo also has a job portal that can help you potentially find your next employee—it does seem like an expensive service, however, at $299 for 1 month of access.

6.) Gumtree

Gumtree is the Craigslist of the U.K., so if you happen to live there then this is definitely one of your top options. You can peruse job listings, cars, gaming consoles, apartment listings, etc. Gumtree also has an option to rate people who you conduct business with, which is a nice feature as you’ll have a better sense of whether or not someone is trustworthy before you start engaging with them. In general, Gumtree has solid online reviews, as people appreciate the easy-to-use interface.

7.) Free Ads Time

Free Ads Time is a global classifieds website, which is nice because you can potentially use it all over the world wherever you go. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to have many active users, as I could hardly find any postings for my city (a relatively good-sized one). As with most of these sites, Free Ads Time has all the usual categories, meaning that you can look for apartments or houses to rent, roommates, jobs, pets, cars, furniture, clothes, etc.

8.) Want Ad Digest

Want Ad Digest is like Penny Saver in that it goes back some 50+ years. This site has a specific focus on the East Coast, catering to states such as New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, etc. You can use Want Ad Digest to find watches, electronics, cars, campers, even farm equipment! It’s got all the usual categories that you’re accustomed to finding on other sites, with a special focus on cars, trucks, powersports, trailers, boats, and the like.

9.) LetGo

The basic idea of LetGo is right there in the name, encouraging us to let go of what we have so that others might enjoy it. LetGo is a newer app that shares a fair amount in common with OfferUp (see above). This means that it’s only accessible via mobile app (iOS or Android). Like OfferUp, LetGo is all about letting you access the “secret economy right in your neighborhood,” as their website says. As with Gumtree and OfferUp, you can rate other users on the site who you transact with, which makes these sites feel a little safer than some of the others reviewed here.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are a ton of options in terms of Backpage alternatives. If you read all of these reviews, however, you can see that that definitely doesn’t mean that they’re all created equal. In fact, some of these are much better than others.

In general, if you’re in the U.S., your best bet is probably to stick with one of the major dating or hookup sites, such as Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, or AshleyMadison (or another one that’s similar to those). And if you’re looking to buy and sell stuff, then your best bet is to probably stick with OfferUp or LetGo. If you’re in Canada, then Kijiji, and if you’re in the U.K., then Gumtree.

Some of the other sites may be okay, but a fair amount seem to host quite a lot of scams, so remember to be extra careful if you’re using one of the lesser-known sites. Make sure you follow basic common sense and never send strangers any money before you’ve actually met with them and have verified that everything is legit. When in doubt, trust your gut and stay safe out there!

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Have you ever wanted to explore swinging? For the uninitiated, “swinging” is when you engage in group sex and/or swap sexual partners within a group. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’re in the right place!

Thanks to the internet, it’s never been easier to find other swingers. There are dozens and dozens of sites out there that you can use, and we’ve put together the top fifteen for your convenience.

So, read on to learn more about fifteen of the best swinger dating sites around!

Best Swinger Dating Sites for Couples To Find Group Sex in 2022

RankSiteBest For1.AdultFriendFinder Best overall2.SDCThe original swinging site3.SeekingBest for sugar swinging4.Ashley MadisonBest for polyamorous5.TinderBest mainstream app6.BuddyBang Most open-minded7.Pure AppBest for fantasies8.ALT Best for alternative swinging9.SwingLifeStyleBest for long term options10.FabSwingersBest pure swinging site11.3FunBest for threesomes12.FeeldMost judgement free users13.SwapfinderBest wife swap14.KasidieBest swinging camaraderie15.Reddit R4RBest completely free option

1.  AdultFriendFinder – Best overall swinging site

When it comes to swinging, AdultFriendFinder is our #1 pick. It’s simply the best overall, and we’ll tell you why.

AdultFriendFinder has been around for a while, and they also focus on the niche of swinging and open relationships. This means that you can go to the AFF site knowing full well that you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Want a threesome? Want a wife swap? Whatever you might want, AdultFriendFinder is one of the best bets around. 

Swinging Tip: AdultFriendFinder has a huge community, so be sure to be transparent about what you want. This will help prevent you from wasting your time (or anyone else’s). 

Pros:

Straightforward sex-oriented siteMakes finding like-minded people an easy process

Cons:

Relatively expensive compared to some sites/appsThe free membership is heavy on the ads

2.  SDC – The original swinging site 

SDC, or Swinger Dating Club, may be able to lay the claim to the original swinging site. That’s how long they’ve been around and, like SwingLifestyle, don’t let the site fool you. This is a large community dedicated to swinging.

Swinging Tip: SDC has been around for a while, and while it might not have the bells and whistles of newer sites, it still maintains a large swinging community. 

Pros:

Various communities to exploreOpen-minded and swinger-focused

Cons:

Some old and deactivated accountsLess than intuitive site

3.  Seeking – Best for sugar swingers

Some swingers also like sugar relationships, which is when a (typically) older person will lavish money and attention on a younger person in exchange for their company, dates, and anything else they agree to.

If you’re looking for a sugar baby or daddy to join in on your swinging fun, then Seeking is the best place for you. It’s got a huge community and is one of the fastest growing sites around. While the site has tried to go a bit more mainstream lately, they still have a niche focus on sugar relationships, which can definitely include swinging.

Swinging Tip: You may have better luck using Seeking as a sugar couple, because there’s a lot of competition among would-be sugar babies. 

Pros:

Free signups for womenFavorable woman-to-man ratio for menRelatively safe way for swingers to find a sugar baby or daddy 

Cons:

Fairly expensive Hookups may feel somewhat transactional

4.  Ashley Madison – Best for poly-curious

Ashley Madison is notorious for its slogan that encourages affairs (“Life is short. Have an affair”). So, you know what you’re getting with this site.

That said, it can also be a great option for finding swingers, whether or not it involves cheating. Ashley Madison simply attracts the kind of people who are more likely to get down with swinging and other fun. 

Another nice thing about Ashley Madison is that it really prioritizes discretion, meaning you can have your fun without blowing up your whole life (or at least have less of a chance of doing so). 

Swinging Tip: Buy more credits if you want a lower cost-per-credit ratio. (This system is fairly common for hookup and swinging sites.) 

Pros:

Women can use it for freeDiscretion prioritized Judgment-free space

Cons:

Site actively advocates cheatingCan get expensive for men

5.  Tinder – Best mainstream app

Pretty much everyone and their mom knows Tinder at this point, so you probably don’t need much of an explanation from us. That said, not many people realize that a mainstream app like Tinder can also be a great avenue for swinging. 

You may have to wade through a lot of people, but there are definitely people on Tinder who are looking for swinging and other “no-holds-barred” type action. 

Swinging Tip: It’s important to realize that not everyone on Tinder is looking for swinging or even casual hook-ups. To avoid wasting time, be super transparent about what you’re looking for.

Pros:

Crazy huge userbaseMany people looking for non-committal arrangements

Cons:

Lots of fake profiles and spammersAlmost too many people to wade through

6.  BuddyBang – Most open-minded community

BuddyBang isn’t a difficult concept to grasp, thanks to its very evocative name. The nice thing with BuddyBang is that it’s all about casual hookups, and many of the people in that boat are down to try swinging.

So, while BuddyBang isn’t a “pure” swinger site, it’s worth a shot to find other swingers there. 

Swinging Tip: Be prepared for people who are super ready to get down to business. If that isn’t what you’re after, then you may want to look elsewhere. 

Pros:

Active usersSuper direct vibe

Cons:

Annoying ads on the free tierPeople may be too direct

7. Pure App – Best for fantasies

Pure is similar to Ashley Madison in that it’s all about “shameless dating.” You don’t have to worry about being too kinky or anything like that here.

This makes Pure a great option for people who are into swinging and other non-mainstream sexual activities. 

The app also has some solid features that help improve safety and security, meaning you can rest easier when using it. 

Swinging Tip: You may not have much success with Pure if you are in a small rural area, as it hasn’t quite taken off as much as some of the other sites reviewed here. 

Pros:

Focus on privacy Easy to join and get goingGood for fantasy fulfillment

Cons:

Relatively small user baseBetter if you’re in an urban center

8.  ALT – Best for alternative and BDSM swinging

ALT is for the kinky ones out there, and we mean the really kinky ones. If you’re into swinging and also alternative and BDSM stuff, then ALT is probably your best bet.

The great thing about this site is you can be completely yourself. No matter what you’re into, you’re likely to find someone who shares your kink or fetish. 

Plus, there are plenty of people looking to find other swingers on here, making it a great all-around option. 

Swinging Tip: If you’re into swinging but not necessarily BDSM and other kinky stuff, ALT may be a little bit too much for your taste. 

Pros:

Sort by kinksBrowse NSFW contentWatch cam shows

Cons:

Bots and scammersPremium account required to really get the most out of the site

9. SwingLifestyle – Best for long term swinging

SwingLifestyle may have a super basic looking site, one that you will recognize if you used to hang out on internet forums back in the day, but it’s a legit swinger site.

People have been flocking to SwingLifestyle for years, and you really know what you get with this community: an unabashed desire to find other swingers.

Most users join this site for long-term swinging options, not just a one night stand.

Swinging Tip: Don’t be turned off by SwingLifestyle’s old-school look. Give it a try and you may be pleasantly surprised.  

Pros:

Large swinger-focused communityVarious groups and forums to join

Cons:

Unappealing, old-school siteMay not have the size of community it once did

10. FabSwingers – Best for pure swinging

FabSwingers has actually gotten quite a bit of press, but not necessarily for the best reasons. That’s because it’s caused quite a stir in the UK due to various public figures (politicians, policemen, etc.) getting caught up while using the site.

For the average Joe, however, you’re not likely to run the risk of much trouble, so feel free to take advantage of the big swinger community going on at Fabswingers. (As always though you should be mindful of your privacy and image.) 

Swinging Tip: Don’t get turned off by the old-school site. While it could use a tuning up, it still has everything you need to find other swingers and get swinging. 

Pros:

Large community100% focused on swinging

Cons:

Has a bit of a negative reputationSite could use an update

11. 3Fun – Best for threesomes  

If you’re into swinging, chances are you’re open to threesomes. If so, 3Fun is a site that’s all about that one thing—threesomes. So, you have a great chance here to find other people looking for casual hook-ups. 

There’s also a nice feature that lets you sign up as a “couple,” meaning your account can be used from two different phones simultaneously, helping make it easier to find a third person for your threesome.

Swinging Tip: 3Fun is threesome specific, so if you’re looking for bigger group sex groups, then you may need to look elsewhere.  

Pros:

Oriented toward swinging via threesomesCool features

Cons:

Narrow niche Messaging feature could use work

12. Feeld – Most judgement free site

Feeld is similar to 3Fun in that it’s all about connecting open-minded people who may be looking for threesomes and other group sex activities.

One nice feature with Feeld is its all about a sex-positive vibe and inclusivity, meaning that everyone is welcome and no one is judged. It’s definitely a good place to check for other swingers. 

Swinging Tip: As a heads up, the sign-up process requires Facebook, and the site’s premium version doesn’t currently function with Android. 

Pros:

Super sex-positive platform Open-minded user community 

Cons:

Android users locked out of premium versionTo verify your profile, you need a Facebook account

13. Swapfinder – Best wife swap

SwapFinder is another site dedicated specifically to swinging and swaps. This means that you’ll be embraced by a community with the same desires as you, which is always a comfort.

SwapFinder may not have the household name status as a Tinder or even AdultFriendFinder, but it has a streamlined site and a growing community, making it worth your while. 

Swinging Tip: Use the array of filtering features on SwapFinder for optimal results! 

Pros:

Many filtering optionsIntuitive site

Cons:

Free tier not super robustRelatively small userbase

14. Kasidie – Best camaraderie

Kasidie is unique among this list—actually, it’s kind of like Reddit—in that it’s a dating platform but also a social networking site/app. The cool thing about that is you might find more than just other swingers, you might even end up with some super cool new friends! (Or even both?).

Kasidie has a pretty intuitive site and it’s been growing well in recent years. Since people there are generally open-midned adults and swingers, you’ll be in good company! 

Swinging Tip: Keep in mind that Kasidie isn’t purely about swinging. It may be what has brought you all to the site, but you can also have non-sexual discussions as well. 

Pros:

Unique platformSwinger focused

Cons:

Relatively small userbase so farMight end up finding more friends than swingers

15.  Reddit R4R – Best 100% free option

If you’re after someone to join your swinging group, or hoping to find one yourself, you might as well give Reddit’s personals forum a try. That’s because it will cost you absolutely nothing to give it a shot and make a post (or respond to others).

This isn’t really a swinging site or app, just a subforum of a popular site. You will find a good number of people on here, though, so you just might get lucky. 

Swinging Tip: This Reddit subforum is all about making a good first impression, so take your time in putting together a good post to communicate who you are and what you’re looking for. 

Pros:

Totally freeNo subscriptions or memberships necessary

Cons:

Fairly competitiveEvery man for himself (no priority membership or anything like that)

FAQs About Swinging Sites

Is it safe to use swinging apps?

Overall, it’s perfectly safe to use swinging apps. It’s not really any different from using Tinder or Hinge or Bumble or any other dating app. That said, you should always be careful to avoid getting scammed online or, even worse, getting harmed by someone in-person. 

How do you stay safe using swinging apps?

It’s vital to trust your instincts and proceed with caution. The first time you meet someone it’s best to meet in a well-lit public spot (like a coffee shop). You can also let a friend or family member know that you’re meeting someone new and give them your location. These are little things that can make a big difference in keeping you safe. 

Are there any free swinging apps?

There are more free swinging apps if you’re a woman, because many of them provide free memberships to women. If you’re a man, you will have less luck in finding free sites, though some platforms do exist (like the r/R4R subreddit). 

Can women use swinging apps for free?

Yes, in fact, women can use many different swinging apps for free. 

Final Takeaway

Swinging may have gotten particularly famous in Western culture in the 1970s during that era of “free love,” but it’s more popular than ever.

Helping swinging grow in popularity is the fact that millions of people can find each other easily over the internet. With niche sites like the ones reviewed above, you don’t have to waste any time in finding a community with like-minded individuals.

So, what are you waiting for? If you want to get swinging, simply check out the sites reviewed above. Whether you’re a swinging couple looking for others or all on your own, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for!

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You may have heard about Backpage, a website where you could find ads for just about anything you can think of. That’s because it made national headlines a few years back because some unsavory people were using it for questionable reasons. That said, many people used Backpage legitimately such as buying or selling regular goods like you can do on popular sites such as OfferUp.

While Craigslist is one possible (and popular) alternative to Backpage, it no longer has personal ads either. So, read on to learn more about twenty of the best Backpage alternative websites. First, we’ll cover Backpage alternatives in terms of meeting people for casual dating or hookup purposes (like Tinder), then we’ll cover alternatives for buying and selling goods.

11 Backpage Alternatives for Meeting People and Dating

A lot of people appreciated Backpage for its personal ads page as a way to find other people looking for “casual” encounters. So, we’re going to start off by looking at some of the best Backpage alternatives when it comes to casual online dating or finding hookups.There’s a large variety here, so you’ll want to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have some of the same issues that plagued Backpage and ended up getting that site taken down. So, please take into account the following disclaimer:

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that might have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution when using largely unvetted public sites or Backpage-type websites. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

1.) Tinder

This one doesn’t really require an introduction, as just about everyone and their mom has heard of Tinder. It’s gone global and is now the number one dating app in the world in terms of registered accounts, largely due to its popularity with millennials and gen Z. In case you’re unfamiliar, Tinder is a pretty straightforward app. You see random profiles in your area, with photos and a little bit of text. You then swipe right to indicate your interest, or left, if you don’t. Then, you’ll be matched with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on your profile. From there, you can start messaging and go from there. As with the other sites, there’s a free version as well as a paid tier (Tinder Gold) for additional features and unlimited swiping.

2.) Ashley Madison

You’ve probably seen ads for Ashley Madison on *ahem* those websites. That’s because this site is all about connecting adults who are looking for casual hookups. One big plus for Ashley Madison is that it really prioritizes discretion. For example, if you decide to become a paying member, your credit card statement will simply read “Online services.” And you will probably want to do that if you’d like to take advantage of everything this website has to offer, including features such as “Traveling Man,” which lets you reach out to people from the area you’ll soon be visiting. Check out our full Ashley Madison review.

3.) Adult Friend Finder

When it comes to alternatives to Backpage for romantic encounters, Adult Friend Finder is easily one of the top choices. It cites itself as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Personals Community,” and it has a staggering amount of people signed up—over 100 million accounts, in fact. Just as with Ashley Madison, there’s a free option but it’s rather limited compared to the paid subscription tier. There are chatrooms, vlogs, messaging, and a (paid) feature called Stories that lets you discuss your dream dating life so other people can see if they share the same vibe or goals. Click here to read more about Adult Friend Finder.

4.) Kasual

Kasual, formerly known as Yumi, is a cool Backpage alternative because it’s really unique. Instead of getting matched up via algorithm or swiping, you get connected randomly to a person and the two of you can begin talking right away and see if there’s a connection. This app is available for Android and iOS, and the free version is pretty complete. If you like, though, you can always opt for the Premium membership. Ultimately, Kasual is a breath of fresh air compared to many hookup sites like Tinder because it’s ultra-focused on casual hookups (hence the rebranded name).

5.) Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish, or POF, refers to the old dating mantra that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—in other words, don’t sweat being single or getting broken up with, because there are a whole lot of people out there (billions, in fact). You can use POF as a website or app, which is kind of nice. It’s a pretty typical dating site, where you get matched up with people based on shared interests. They also have a nice video-date feature that may make you feel safer (especially women) about meeting up with someone after seeing them over video first.

6.) Pernals

Logo

Pernals is an app that’s all about personal ads. It allows you to create your own personal ad for free so you can state exactly what you’re looking for (a relationship, casual hookup, friend, etc.). Pernals even lists itself as a direct alternative to Backpage classified ads. They feature relationship categories like Backpage’s personals page used to: platonic, woman seeking woman, woman seeking man, man seeking woman, etc. It’s only available as an app, which you can download either with Google Play or the Apple Store.

7.) Bedpage

Bedpage is another Backpage alternative. Although it features many different categories, the ones that may be of most interest to people looking for a Backpage alternative would be the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. You should definitely proceed carefully with this site, however, as there are no doubt many people trying to use it to scam people and/or conduct illicit activities.

8.) Doublelist

Doublelist is another site that’s similar to Backpage. One slightly annoying aspect is you have to sign up in order to browse their site, which leads with the tagline “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious!” So, it isn’t hard to know what most people are looking for with Doublelist. They claim to have more than three million users in the U.S., however, so there might be a good chance you can find something that you vibe well with. As always, watch out for catfishers and other scammers.

9.) Oodle

Oodle has features very similar to old personals sites, with categories such as “Men Seek Women,” “Women Seek Men,” etc. There are also some filters including age, which can be nice if you want to narrow things down. There don’t appear to be a ton of people using this site, but it might be worth a shot. At least for my area, there are a lot more men posting on it than women, so depending on what you’re looking for it might not be a great option.

10.) Locanto

Locanto has a similar set up to Oodle and the other Backpage personals imitations. For example, there’s a “Casual Encounters” category with lots of subcategories. You can post a personal ad to let people know what you’re looking for. Like with Oodle, it appears to be mostly men posting and some of the female postings seem rather scammy. As long as you use your best judgment, Locanto could end up being a solid option for meeting people.

11.) eBackpage

Ebackpage is—you guessed it—a Backpage clone that’s just about identical to Bedpage in terms of its look. Like Backpage, there are personal ads available, and like Bedpage, there are both “Dating” and “Adult” categories with the usual options. This site didn’t appear to have many people posting, however. In the “Women seek men,” section, for example, the last posts were from May 2021. You can give this site a try but be aware that there are plenty of scammers on it.

9 Backpage Alternatives For Posting Classified Ads

While the above websites and apps all have the goal of connecting people for dating purposes, Backpage was really a one-stop shop for everything. So, this next batch of Backpage alternatives will focus on sites where you can post ads for buying and selling goods, whether that’s an electric guitar, Playstation, couch, or other items.

1.) Craigslist

If you’re in the U.S., Craigslist probably doesn’t need much introduction as it’s been a household name for a while. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Craigslist. As with any of the sites listed in this review, you have to watch out for scams, but in general I’ve had dozens of easy, smooth transactions with people in my community. Although Craigslist no longer has a “personals” page in the wake of the Backpage scandal, it’s definitely one of the best places to go if you’re looking to buy or sell something in your area.

2.) Offerup

Offerup is a website for the buying and selling goods, whether that’s shoes, clothing, headphones, guitars, furniture, you name it. While you can use it on your desktop, the app itself is a bit better. Also, unlike Craiglist, there is an option for shipping, so you can find stuff from all over the country as long as the person is willing to ship whatever it is that they’re selling. As a buyer and seller, this opens you up to more options. Another cool feature with Offerup is there’s a “free” section so you can take advantage of what people are trying to just quickly get rid of.

3.) Pennysaver

PennySaver is another popular website for those of us out there who are always trying to save money. You can look for real estate listing, cars and motorcycles, jobs, services, even pets! There are a ton of different ways to save money through the PennySaver, which has been in operation for more than fifty years with its original printed classifieds and mailers. This is another great Backpage alternative with a local focus so you can save money whether that’s on a plumber of dining out.

4.) Kijiji

Kijiji is the perfect Backpage alternative if you just so happen to live in Canada. Since it’s a Canadian site, you can browse in English or in French, plus there’s a Kijiji Autos page just for people looking to buy or sell their car. As with Backpage, you select your region and then your city. You can find just about anything on Kijiji, as with PennySaver, so that means getting deals on cars, apartments, services, and pets.

5.) Geebo

Geebo bills itself as “Safe Community Classifieds.” To this end, Geebo has a “Scams & Shams” page that encourages its users to follow certain safety practices, such as purchasing locally, meeting in public, bringing a friend, and following your gut. These are good rules to apply in general to all the sites reviewed here, but it’s nice that Geebo goes out of its way to try to encourage a safer experience. Geebo also has a job portal that can help you potentially find your next employee—it does seem like an expensive service, however, at $299 for 1 month of access.

6.) Gumtree

Gumtree is the Craigslist of the U.K., so if you happen to live there then this is definitely one of your top options. You can peruse job listings, cars, gaming consoles, apartment listings, etc. Gumtree also has an option to rate people who you conduct business with, which is a nice feature as you’ll have a better sense of whether or not someone is trustworthy before you start engaging with them. In general, Gumtree has solid online reviews, as people appreciate the easy-to-use interface.

7.) Free Ads Time

Free Ads Time is a global classifieds website, which is nice because you can potentially use it all over the world wherever you go. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to have many active users, as I could hardly find any postings for my city (a relatively good-sized one). As with most of these sites, Free Ads Time has all the usual categories, meaning that you can look for apartments or houses to rent, roommates, jobs, pets, cars, furniture, clothes, etc.

8.) Want Ad Digest

Want Ad Digest is like Penny Saver in that it goes back some 50+ years. This site has a specific focus on the East Coast, catering to states such as New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, etc. You can use Want Ad Digest to find watches, electronics, cars, campers, even farm equipment! It’s got all the usual categories that you’re accustomed to finding on other sites, with a special focus on cars, trucks, powersports, trailers, boats, and the like.

9.) LetGo

The basic idea of LetGo is right there in the name, encouraging us to let go of what we have so that others might enjoy it. LetGo is a newer app that shares a fair amount in common with OfferUp (see above). This means that it’s only accessible via mobile app (iOS or Android). Like OfferUp, LetGo is all about letting you access the “secret economy right in your neighborhood,” as their website says. As with Gumtree and OfferUp, you can rate other users on the site who you transact with, which makes these sites feel a little safer than some of the others reviewed here.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are a ton of options in terms of Backpage alternatives. If you read all of these reviews, however, you can see that that definitely doesn’t mean that they’re all created equal. In fact, some of these are much better than others.

In general, if you’re in the U.S., your best bet is probably to stick with one of the major dating or hookup sites, such as Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, or AshleyMadison (or another one that’s similar to those). And if you’re looking to buy and sell stuff, then your best bet is to probably stick with OfferUp or LetGo. If you’re in Canada, then Kijiji, and if you’re in the U.K., then Gumtree.

Some of the other sites may be okay, but a fair amount seem to host quite a lot of scams, so remember to be extra careful if you’re using one of the lesser-known sites. Make sure you follow basic common sense and never send strangers any money before you’ve actually met with them and have verified that everything is legit. When in doubt, trust your gut and stay safe out there!

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Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

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