Ten years ago, I found myself being unexpectedly invited to be a guest on a popular US tabloid chat show called Jenny Jones.
They asked if I’d like to do an interview with their London film crew or – wait for it – be flown over to stay for a week in Chicago, all expenses paid.
Needless to say, I took the latter option, and soon found myself Illinois-bound, deep in the chill of a north American winter.
The Jenny Jones show was filmed in Chicago’s WMAQ-TV studios – the very same place where Jerry Springer was being filmed, and I got to get ready for my US TV début in its legendary green room.
Appearing on the show and facing the curiously agitated audience was certainly a singular experience – check out my full account of proceedings here.
I fell in love with Chicago. It’s a gorgeous city, and as a fan of snow, ice and all things c-c-c-cold, I was delighted to be served up generous portions of all three during my stay.
Looking out over a frozen Lake Michigan. It was unbelievably cold when I took this picture and I could barely hold my little Olympus XA 35mm compact camera for shaking.
I also took along a Fujifilm MX-700 digital camera that had a battery life of about 20 photos (reduced to five in the cold), but the XA took the best photos by miles – only the last two pics here were shot digitally.
Night time in Chicago.
Chicago skyline.
Across the swing bridge.
There’s loads more photos from my trip here, although they’re reproduced in a smaller size (when I posted them up, I was still using a 56k modem!).
Related posts:
Deserted 57th Street station, Chicago, winter of ’99
Brixton snow!
Football, women, drugs and the dole. Bluebird Jones 1993
Tom Jones seen in Spillers Records, Cardiff
The best high end digital compact camera
All aboard the Sir Tom Jones express, Cardiff Queen Street
Country walk, drinking and a new camera – Ricoh GRD
Boat with flags in Worthing and chafing bike rides
