Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Father and two daughters Jeffery M Leving
    Father’s Fight to Protect his Abused and Badly Beaten Daughters Dads' Rights
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings addressing the Orland Township Democratic Organization Wednesday Oct. 12, 2022
    Hastings announces $75,000 grant for Olympia Fields Bicentennial Park renovations Illinois Legislature
  • Alleged Member of Chicago Street Gang Charged With Soliciting the Murder of Senior Law Enforcement Official Involved in “Operation Midway Blitz” Crime
  • IIEC Logo
    The Energy Omnibus Bill will increase rates over the rest of this decade as Illinois families and businesses toil under higher utility costs Business
  • Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Polish hero of the American Revolution. After arriving in America in 1776, Kosciuszko joined the Continental Army. As a skilled engineer, he made significant contributions to the war by designing fortifications for several strategic places such as Philadelphia, West Point, and Saratoga. Kosciuszko later returned to Poland to lead his native military in a 1794 uprising. In Detroit, Courtesy of WIkipedia
    Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago Cook County
  • On Saturday, October 4th, Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar hosted the Fifth Annual 16th District Dia de los Muertos Resource Fair at his district office. Partnering with Commissioner Aguilar were the Village of Lyons, Lyons School District 103, Teamsters Local 777, and Rincon Family Services.
    Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar Hosts Fifth Annual Dia de los Muertos Family Resource Fair  Cook County
  • Jesse Jackson Jr July 2025
    Jesse Jackson Jr. Launches Candidacy for Congress Civil Rights
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to Celebrate Diwali by Recognizing Indian Community Leaders Cook County
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Statement of US Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and Federal Law Enforcement Leadership in Chicago on Ongoing Criminal Immigration Enforcement Operations Chicago
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    The 5 Most Common Mistakes Homeowners Make with Property Taxes Cook County
  • Road construction cement truck. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Hastings: $123 million in IDOT projects will improve South Suburban roads through collaboration with local leaders construction
  • Source: Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
    Ratepayers will lose in the rush to approve battery storage electricity legislation in Springfield Business
  • Joyful reunion photo courtesy of Jeffery M. Leving & Assc law firm
    Leving Team Prevented a Father’s Wrongful Separation from His Child Dads' Rights
  • CTF Illinois Orland Park, 18230 Orland Pkwy, Orland Park, IL 60467
    Hastings, Giannoulias announce opening of temporary driver services facility in Orland Park Baby Boomers
  • Emagine Theater Pink popcorn
    Popcorn with a purpose: Emagine Theatres brings back Pink Caramel Corn to support Pink Fund during Breast Cancer Awareness Month Business
Pat Tomasulo "Man of the People" Logo, WGN TV Saturday nights at 10 pm

Tomasulo’s Man of the People offers refreshing chuckles in mad, mad, mad, mad world

Posted on January 22, 2018August 20, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Tomasulo’s Man of the People offers refreshing chuckles in mad, mad, mad, mad world
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Tomasulo’s Man of the People offers refreshing chuckles in mad, mad, mad, mad world

“Common sense perspective” returns to American TV late night comedy in Pat Tomasulo’s “Man of the People” on Saturday nights at 10 pm on WGN TV. Tomasulo is the only host on TV offering original comedy that isn’t driven by the boring and simplistic humor darts thrown at President Donald Trump. It doesn’t take talent to make fun of Trump! That’s why Tomasulo is different. He has real, refreshing comedic talent.

By Ray Hanania

WGN’s award-winning sports announcer and very own standup comedian Pat Tomasulo launched his new weekly comedy show this weekend, “Man of the People,” and it teams with belly laughs and a lot of original humor, a rarity in late night talkshows.

Tomasulo joined WGN’s morning news and entertainment team in 2005, absorbing the comedic talents of WGN’s Morning News anchors and comics themselves, Larry Potash and Robin Baumgarten.

It’s not surprising that he has launched his own show, “Man of the People” on WGN TV broadcast every Saturday night at 10 pm with a studio audience — as Tomasulo points out in his funny bits, he revives the in-studio audience action that made WGN so famous for more than four decades, ending in 2001 with the retirement of Bozo’s Circus in 2001.

What aging, addled and Alzheimer-stricken Baby Boomer hasn’t yearned for that kind of refreshing humor, while grouping for a freshly wrapped absorbent Fitrights or Depends underwear? Fitrights? Late nights? Who remembers  differences while piling through reams of pages from the latest updates on Medicare and Social Security regulations and forms?

Pat Tomasulo "Man of the People" Logo, WGN TV Saturday nights at 10 pm
Pat Tomasulo “Man of the People” Logo, WGN TV Saturday nights at 10 pm

WGN’s Mornings with Potash and Baumgarten have given news reporting a very important infusion of badly needed humor, making it one of the country’s most entertaining and fun-to-watch news broadcasts in America. Tomasulo suckled on years of Potash and Baumgarten puns and today fits into that equation like a hotdog without ketchup.

Tomasulo’s tenure at WGN has been a rehearsal for his own show, ever since joining Potash and Baumgarten, who are always encouraging the young grad from the College of New Jersey. Any school of higher learning named after the state that gave us Jersey Shore, JWoww, Vinny and Snooki has to offer the promise of true everyday humor embedded deep in the bowls of American comedy.

I love the show. I’m tired of all the political nastiness that has swallowed late night and weekend comedy. It doesn’t take much talent to bash President Donald Trump into worn-out jokes and one liners. Stephen Colbert is the worst. At least Jimmy Kimmel adds a personal sympathetic tear-jerker every-once-in-awhile to break up the monotony of Trump bashing.

Tomasulo’s humor is original and funny. He does a great comedic monologue called “The Voice of Reason.” Original humor, not a rip-off of internet political rantings, “The Voice of Reason” hit many issues that couch potatoes in America have been afraid to ask about. Like teenagers getting high by eating laundry soap pods. He gives audiences a badly needed “commonsense perspective” on everyday life, everyday life that everyday people who are often forgotten in the national talkshow jousting, can identify with and enjoy.

I have always been in love with WGN’s Morning News show with Potash and Baumgarten. They’re funny and they encourage everyone on their team to be funny, too. Naturally funny. Tomasulo was nurtured in that environment with Potash’s and Baumgarten’s “mom and pop” comedy duo.

The show is filled with original skits, original comedy and comedy that you will enjoy for everyone, whether you support Trump or hate Trump, or whether you enjoy snorting Tide or just a doobie now and then.

Here’s the show’s recent press release:

Not since 2001, when The Bozo Show was wrapping up it’s 40-year run, has WGN-TV’s famed Bradley Place studios seen a regularly scheduled television show featuring a studio audience. Starting this Saturday night, echoes of laughter and applause will once again echo through the hallways of WGN, with the premiere of Man of the People, Pat Tomasulo’s new show produced by WGN News. The show, taped in front of a studio audience, is a topical comedy show that will have Pat Tomasulo breaking down the week in news, current events and pop culture through a common sense perspective to the “everyman viewer.”

“It’s going to be the greatest, local, weekly, late night television show in history,” jokes Tomasulo. In as much serious that he can muster, Pat says that in years of doing bits for WGN Morning News, from the now-famous “I’m Tom Freakin’ Skilling” moment to his viral take on the Olympics seen round-the-world, he has honed what he calls a very “common sense perspective” that is present throughout his comedy. One of the few bits that will carry over from WGN Morning News is his “Voice of Reason” segment where he takes on a subject and begs society to come to its collective senses. The topics range from replying all on e-mail to the world of online dating. While the show will not have guests as a regular occurrence, when an opportunity to have some fun or do a bit presents itself, guests will appear. In fact, says Pat, “our very first show will feature a Chicago television luminary.”

To help pull off the endeavor, WGN hired TV veteran Doug Karo to be the executive producer of the show. Karo has served as executive producer and showrunner for shows on TBS, truTV, SYFY, and Comedy Central. One of Chicago’s Very Own, Karo is a native of Elmhurst and graduated from Columbia College. Says Doug, “it’s great to be back in Chicago, working in such a legendary building as WGN-TV, working with such a great talent as Pat, and producing what we hope will be a fun and funny show.”

The show tapes Friday afternoons, and will air the very next night at 10:00 on WGN. Tickets to come and see the show are free, and can be booked at manofthepeople.com/tickets.

Man of the People will air every Saturday night at 10pm starting this Saturday, with a few “special times” at 10:30 and 11 due to WGN Sports commitments. You can follow Pat on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Complete shows as well as comedy bits will be posted to the Man of the People You Tube channel.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist with the Southwest News Newspaper group of seven newspapers, and a former Chicago City Hall reporter who departed in 1992 when then Mayor Daley nullified the English language. A standup comedian, Hanania can be reached by email at [email protected] or by visiting his website at www.TheDailyHookah.com where he spits fire and brimstone every week. You can also find his bio on the FBI’s Top 15 Most Wanted website online.)

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Father’s Fight to Protect his Abused and Badly Beaten Daughters - October 9, 2025
  • Hastings announces $75,000 grant for Olympia Fields Bicentennial Park renovations - October 8, 2025
  • Alleged Member of Chicago Street Gang Charged With Soliciting the Murder of Senior Law Enforcement Official Involved in “Operation Midway Blitz” - October 8, 2025
NPV: 44
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Blogger, Comedy, Commentary, Editors Pick, Entertainment, Opinion Tags:humor, Larry Potash, late night comedy, laughs, Man of the People, Pat Tomasulo, Robin Baumgarten, standup comedy, WGN TV, WGN TV News

Post navigation

Previous Post: Woman legislators join in endorsing Marie Newman for Congress
Next Post: Two Major Chicagoland Construction Groups Merge

Related Posts

  • money $20 dollar bill, dollars, cash
    Comptroller’s Office comments on Pekau Administration’s “resolution”   Blogger
  • Blockbuster Video store logo. Courtesy Wikipedia
    Last Blockbuster Store & Last Blockbuster Mansion Business
  • Preckwinkle supports Cook County’s Arab American community Blogger
  • Nitro Circus
    Nitro Circus’ “You Got This” tour comes to Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium in Spring Entertainment
  • National Hellenic Museum display room
    National Hellenic Museum opens exhibit on refugees Education
  • Refat and Miriam Zayed. Photo courtesy of the Zayed family
    Miriam Zayed passing mourned by Chicagolands Arab, Muslim community Blogger

More Related Articles

Daenerys Targaryen. Photo courtesy of HBO The Mother of TV Shows Game of Thrones comes to an end Blogger
Mahnoor Ahmad candidate for Congress Illinois 6th District Many good candidates on March 19 Democratic primary ballot Blogger
Larry David, creator fo Seinfeld and the hit HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Larry David stole my life and put it on TV Blogger
Windy City BluesFest from facebook Windy City Blues Society launches Blues Festival in Lyons Chicago
William O. Lipinski former Congressman from Illinois (5th and later 3rd District). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Right from the Middle: Newt Gingrich helped fuel America’s political polarization Bill Lipinski
Patrick J. Kennedy Courtesy of Wikipedia At-risk populations need to be priority beyond vaccine Blogger

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Children of divorce caught in the middle during the holidays
    August 27, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    We Can Help You Understand Your Property Taxes—In Nearly Any Language
    August 8, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Father and two daughters Jeffery M Leving
    Father’s Fight to Protect his Abused and Badly Beaten Daughters
    October 9, 2025
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings addressing the Orland Township Democratic Organization Wednesday Oct. 12, 2022
    Hastings announces $75,000 grant for Olympia Fields Bicentennial Park renovations
    October 8, 2025
  • Alleged Member of Chicago Street Gang Charged With Soliciting the Murder of Senior Law Enforcement Official Involved in “Operation Midway Blitz”
    October 8, 2025
  • IIEC Logo
    The Energy Omnibus Bill will increase rates over the rest of this decade as Illinois families and businesses toil under higher utility costs
    October 8, 2025
  • Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Polish hero of the American Revolution. After arriving in America in 1776, Kosciuszko joined the Continental Army. As a skilled engineer, he made significant contributions to the war by designing fortifications for several strategic places such as Philadelphia, West Point, and Saratoga. Kosciuszko later returned to Poland to lead his native military in a 1794 uprising. In Detroit, Courtesy of WIkipedia
    Cook County Treasurer Pappas showcases Polish photographer’s first-ever American exhibit and honors Polish American Heritage Month in Chicago
    October 8, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme