Culture

For the past twenty-two years, some of America’s funniest people have congregated annually to celebrate one of their own with the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Who else has received the Prize other than this year's Dave Chappelle?

Go behind the scenes of the upcoming digital series FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty, which follows five people experiencing intergenerational poverty to better understand the daily challenges that make their circumstances difficult to escape.

Mark Bazer finds people of all sorts to talk to on his intimate Interview Show, from astrophysicists to comedians to musicians and chefs. Take a look at some of his upcoming guests in a new season.

As a new year and decade begins and the cold of January sets in, here are some highlights to keep you busy, from a comedy-filled ceremony honoring Dave Chappelle to a look at Jane Austen's private life, and more. 

Tonight at 7:00 pm CT, PBS NewsHour and POLITICO host the final Democratic presidential debate of the year, featuring Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, and Andrew Yang.

Cord-cutting WTTW fans: beginning today, YouTube TV subscribers will have access to WTTW’s primary and 24/7 Kids channel on YouTube TV, a live TV and on-demand subscription service that provides viewers with another way to enjoy the content they love on more platforms.

Chicagoans love food. WTTW knows that, which is why so much of our programming and digital content focuses on it. But in the first few months, we’re putting even more of an emphasis on culinary content.

As the end of the year and the holidays approach, here’s a run-down of holiday specials that WTTW is airing, to help you get your holiday cheer on!

An episode of Arthur will play in a new playroom for the children of families attending naturalization ceremonies to become U.S. citizens at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse downtown. 

Caroll Spinney, who performed Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street for almost 50 years, died at the age of 85 on Sunday. Revisit a 2003 interview with him on Chicago Tonight where he tells memorable stories, like the time he got in an argument with Mister Rogers. 

January often has the worst weather of the year, but luckily there are plenty of exciting shows to keep you busy at home, from new dramas to eye-catching food and travel shows, informative documentaries to the return of some favorite series.

Clifford the Big Red Dog and his pal Emily Elizabeth are returning to PBS KIDS for more larger-than-life adventures with new animation, songs, and more.

Don't miss your chance to ride on the bus or train in the CTA's Holiday Fleet, which brings Santa around the city over the next month. 

There's a wide variety of holiday specials as the end of the year approaches, covering everything from the history of Hanukkah to Christmas songs to Tudor feasting to the importance of nature. Find our December highlights here.

It already feels like winter in Chicago, so it’s time to break out the mittens, lace up the skates, and fill your mug with hot cocoa­­—though not necessarily in that order. Here are just some of the things you can do around Chicagoland this holiday season.