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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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HOW DOES A 6-foot-2 point guard whose self-described weight is “175 soaking wet” rank right up there with the NBA’s best big men in paint scoring?

“Because motherf—ers can’t stay in front of me,” Ja Morant told ESPN aftering pondering the question for about as long as it takes him to get from the 3-point line to the rim with a clear lane.

Morant laughs, but there is truth to his jest. The Memphis Grizzlies‘ 23-year-old superstar became the first guard to lead the league in points in the paint in at least 25 years last season, doing so with a repertoire of moves to get around, under and sometimes over even the tallest defenders in the league.

Morant’s blink-and-he’s-gone burst, ability to change directions at full speed and ballhandling skills are certainly significant factors in his interior scoring dominance. So are the bunny-like hops that allow him to occasionally dunk on 7-footers in traffic.

But it’s too simple to point only at the spectacular as an explanation for how one of the league’s smallest players routinely dominates where size and strength typically reign supreme.

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Consider one early November game, where on four separate plays, Morant displays the combination of explosiveness, finesse, feel and film study that makes him such a unique force in the paint.

“People look at that athletic stuff, but that happens once a game or once every two games,” Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane said of Morant’s highlight-reel dunks and ahead of the team’s game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday (8 p.m. ET on NBA TV).

“But he finishes with 26 points and 20 of them are in the paint, so it’s like, how the hell did he get the other 18?”

IN THE OPENING minute of the Grizzlies’ Nov. 11 home win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant goes to work.

He uses a screen from bruising center Steven Adams — the NBA’s version of a run-blocking right tackle — near the left sideline about 30 feet from the basket. Anthony Edwards can’t work around it, giving Morant the opportunity to isolate against Rudy Gobert with a runway in front of him.

Morant stays in first gear as he dribbles slowly down the middle of the floor, seemingly waiting for the right split second to accelerate. Gobert tries to remain an arm’s length from Morant, but is most concerned about protecting the rim, aware of potential backdoor cuts for lobs or layups as well as the threat of Morant attacking.

“Obviously, he’s very athletic and a very crafty finisher, but he can really pass,” Gobert said. “The lob, the pass to the shooters — as a defense, when the guy who’s got the ball in his hands most of the time can find the open man, that’s what separates the good from the great.”

As Morant crosses the free throw line, Gobert gives just a little too much cushion. Morant leaps off two feet in front of the dotted line — going up, up, up — and releases a right-handed floater just above the three-time Defensive Player of the Year’s outstretched arm. Swish.

House music never went out of style, but not everybody knows about its culture, its history, or even its existence—and a legion of those newbies fell for house this year, thanks to new dance-oriented albums from superstars Drake and Beyoncé. The latter recruited figures from across house history for Renaissance, including Chicago native Honey Redmond, better known as Honey Dijon. She’s been spinning records for nearly a quarter century and part of the scene for even longer—she recently told the New York Times that she snuck into the Muzic Box, the 80s club where Ron Hardy reigned, at age 13. When she moved to New York City in the late 90s, she carried the imprint of the first couple waves of Chicago house, and over the decades to come, her DJ skills made her an international phenomenon. Classic Chicago house—with its effusive melodies, its joyous queerness, and its welcoming euphoria—is all over Dijon’s second album, November’s Black Girl Magic (Classic Music Company). Sleek, urbane keys and light-on-its-feet electronic percussion root the album’s insistent pulse, creating a magical elixir that can persuade you any surface is a dance floor. Black Girl Magic foregrounds vocals, and Dijon has recruited a panoply of guests (including Compton rapper Channel Tres and Ruff Ryders affiliate Eve) whose every ringing syllable lets everyone who’s listening know they’re welcome to the party. I’m a sucker for “C’s Up,” where Chosen Few member Mike Dunn invites you to take a trip on Lake Shore Drive, delivering his lines in a low, sultry rumble that promises thrills he can’t even describe; it’s a reminder that the journey Dijon took to become a global dance ambassador began in Chicago.

Honey Dijon DJ Heather and Shaun J. Wright open. Sat 12/17, 11:30 PM, Metro, 3730 N. Clark, $35 at the door, sold out online, 21+

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House music never went out of style, but not everybody knows about its culture, its history, or even its existence—and a legion of those newbies fell for house this year, thanks to new dance-oriented albums from superstars Drake and Beyoncé. The latter recruited figures from across house history for Renaissance, including Chicago native Honey Redmond, better known as Honey Dijon. She’s been spinning records for nearly a quarter century and part of the scene for even longer—she recently told the New York Times that she snuck into the Muzic Box, the 80s club where Ron Hardy reigned, at age 13. When she moved to New York City in the late 90s, she carried the imprint of the first couple waves of Chicago house, and over the decades to come, her DJ skills made her an international phenomenon. Classic Chicago house—with its effusive melodies, its joyous queerness, and its welcoming euphoria—is all over Dijon’s second album, November’s Black Girl Magic (Classic Music Company). Sleek, urbane keys and light-on-its-feet electronic percussion root the album’s insistent pulse, creating a magical elixir that can persuade you any surface is a dance floor. Black Girl Magic foregrounds vocals, and Dijon has recruited a panoply of guests (including Compton rapper Channel Tres and Ruff Ryders affiliate Eve) whose every ringing syllable lets everyone who’s listening know they’re welcome to the party. I’m a sucker for “C’s Up,” where Chosen Few member Mike Dunn invites you to take a trip on Lake Shore Drive, delivering his lines in a low, sultry rumble that promises thrills he can’t even describe; it’s a reminder that the journey Dijon took to become a global dance ambassador began in Chicago.

Honey Dijon DJ Heather and Shaun J. Wright open. Sat 12/17, 11:30 PM, Metro, 3730 N. Clark, $35 at the door, sold out online, 21+

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Join Andersonville residents and celebrate the holidays the Swedish way, with St. Lucia and the Lucia Procession. Lucia girls, in white robes and candle crowns, will be crowned at noon at the temporary Nordic House in the Wrigley building downtown (400 N. Michigan). Later, there will be a procession up Clark Street in Andersonville, starting from the Swedish American Museum (5211 N. Clark) at 4:45 PM, followed by a 5 PM musical performance near the christmas tree at 1500 W. Catalpa. More music, readings, and a final St. Lucia procession starts at 7 PM at Ebenezer Lutheran Church (1650 W. Foster). All events are free with no tickets required. (TA)

Wow, what a nice leisurely day for some go-go dancing. At 1 PM, 60s dance expert and Old Town School of Folk Music faculty member Krista Ortgiesan will be teaching an hour-long workshop on far out dance moves from the era at the school (4544 N. Lincoln). Don your most comfortable workout attire (although don’t be shy about any sequins) to shimmy and shake through the afternoon. It’s only $20 to join ($18 for members). Can’t make it today? Don’t worry! This class occurs monthly, and there’s a holiday edition next week! (MC)

Last month Gossip Wolf let us know about Chicago rapper Matt Muse’s Love & Nappyness Hair Care Drive, an effort he’s led over the last four years to raise funds and arrange donations of personal-hygiene and hair-care products to Englewood’s Maria Shelter as well as Saint Leonard’s Ministries, a west side organization providing services to formerly incarcerated people. The drive ends today, and culminates this evening in the Long Hair Don’t Care Show, an evening of music featuring Muse, Tobi Lou, Senite, and DJ Ca$h Era at Thalia Hall (1227 W. 18th St.). The concert, open to those 17+, starts at 7 PM; tickets are available at Ticketweb. (SCJ)

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Join Andersonville residents and celebrate the holidays the Swedish way, with St. Lucia and the Lucia Procession. Lucia girls, in white robes and candle crowns, will be crowned at noon at the temporary Nordic House in the Wrigley building downtown (400 N. Michigan). Later, there will be a procession up Clark Street in Andersonville, starting from the Swedish American Museum (5211 N. Clark) at 4:45 PM, followed by a 5 PM musical performance near the christmas tree at 1500 W. Catalpa. More music, readings, and a final St. Lucia procession starts at 7 PM at Ebenezer Lutheran Church (1650 W. Foster). All events are free with no tickets required. (TA)

Wow, what a nice leisurely day for some go-go dancing. At 1 PM, 60s dance expert and Old Town School of Folk Music faculty member Krista Ortgiesan will be teaching an hour-long workshop on far out dance moves from the era at the school (4544 N. Lincoln). Don your most comfortable workout attire (although don’t be shy about any sequins) to shimmy and shake through the afternoon. It’s only $20 to join ($18 for members). Can’t make it today? Don’t worry! This class occurs monthly, and there’s a holiday edition next week! (MC)

Last month Gossip Wolf let us know about Chicago rapper Matt Muse’s Love & Nappyness Hair Care Drive, an effort he’s led over the last four years to raise funds and arrange donations of personal-hygiene and hair-care products to Englewood’s Maria Shelter as well as Saint Leonard’s Ministries, a west side organization providing services to formerly incarcerated people. The drive ends today, and culminates this evening in the Long Hair Don’t Care Show, an evening of music featuring Muse, Tobi Lou, Senite, and DJ Ca$h Era at Thalia Hall (1227 W. 18th St.). The concert, open to those 17+, starts at 7 PM; tickets are available at Ticketweb. (SCJ)

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The Chicago Cubs got off to a big start this offseason. Jameson Taillon and Cody Bellinger are great places to start as they try to fill things out. Both of them are just good depth players at this point in their careers but having them certainly won’t hurt the team.

However, they are supposed to start as a base for some other big-time free agents that are supposed to follow. So far, things have not really been falling in line for them as much as we thought they were going to earlier in the off-season.

It started when Trea Turner signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He would have been absolutely perfect for the Cubs but that never came to be.

Over the weekend, we learned that Xander Bogaerts is leaving the Boston Red Sox to join the San Diego Padres. That was one of the targets mentioned for the Cubs as he has ties with Jed Hoyer. Now, he goes to a big-time national league team that believes they can win big.

The Chicago Cubs missed out on starting pitcher Kodai Senga in free agency.

Now, late on Saturday, it came out that Kodai Senga is going to the New York Mets. That was a big-time Chicago Cubs target as it was clear that they wanted him. He would have been absolutely perfect for the Cubs in their attempt of rebuilding their rotation.

Kodai is going to go to this Mets team where he will be a big part of a brilliant rotation right off the bat. They gave him a five-year contract at 75 million dollars. Senga has an opt-out after the third year. He was dominant in Japan and now he will look to bring that stuff to New York City.

The Mets are a wagon right now. They keep adding to their payroll as they attempt to build this mega team. Their owner, Steve Cohen, will buy whatever he has to buy in order to bring the Mets a World Series championship.

Neither Chicago baseball team has ever seen their organization do anything close to that. It would be fun if either team signed one of these guys but the Mets just take them all. There is nothing in the rules against it.

The Cubs are in danger of this offseason going so poorly based on expectations. Adding Bellinger and Taillon was nice but they lost Willson Contreras to their biggest rival which brings it down a bit.

There are still good options out there like Carlos Rodon, Dansby Swanson, and Carlos Correa but nothing is guaranteed yet. If they miss on all of them, this offseason will go from all the hype to all of the disappointment.

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