John Kass


John Kass is an American columnist and editorial board member for the Chicago Tribune. Until summer 2020, his opinion pieces regularly appeared on page 2 of the main news section of the Tribune, instead of on the opinion/editorial pages; this is the spot formerly occupied by Mike Royko.

Early life and education

His Tribune biography reports Kass as the son of a Greek immigrant grocer. Kass was born on the South Side of Chicago, and grew up there and in the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn. He graduated from Harold L. Richards High School in the class of 1974, and was a member of the varsity football team and the yearbook staff. He studied film at Columbia College in Chicago and worked in the student newspaper there but he never graduated.

Career

Kass worked as an intern and later a reporter at the Daily Calumet, and has worked since 1980 for the Tribune. He regularly covers political topics for the newspaper. His columns are syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. Kass also writes about lighter topics, particularly beer can chicken.
Kass hosted, first with Jake Hartford and later Lauren Cohn, a weekday morning talk-radio program on Cumulus Media-owned WLS-AM. His last show was February 26, 2015.

Family

Kass married Betty Castela in Oak Lawn's St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in 1986. They have twin sons. Kass lives in the southwest suburb of Western Springs.