We dive into the world of Chicago pizza, the perils of small business ownership, family drama, family trauma, and what constitutes a good tip for a delivery driver with Johnny Berger, author of a zine on these very topics called Jake's Pizza: 40 Years in the Pizza Business, and Other Stories. Jake's Pizza also happens to be the name of the pizza joint that Johnny's family ran in Franklin Park, Illinois for 57 years before its unceremonious demise in November of 2023. We talk to Johnny about what happened; about his forays into comedy, filmmaking, and writing; and about what comes next.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of William "Bill" Berger July 13, 1936 — May 12, 2024.
Buy a copy of Jake's Pizza at heykidscomics.net!
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Eric Ottens
Johnny Berger of Jake's Pizza