Houli’s Hooley Sat. July 4, 2026

Houli’s Hooley Sat. July 4, 2026

This week on the Houl’s Hooley summer is in full swing, and so is the madness. Paddy shares the emotional whiplash of watching his son Mike crush his first over-the-fence home run of the season before ending the tournament with a broken thumb. His daughter Charlotte has returned from her NYU songwriting program with fresh songs, new inspiration, and plenty of New York stories, while the lads somehow convince themselves they belong on the guest list for Taylor Swift’s rumored wedding. From there, it’s classic Hooley chaos. Fourth of July fireworks spark a debate over whether today’s kids could handle the M-80 era, beloved callback Trough restaurant returns with even more questionable menu ideas, Buns restaurant somehow expands its business model, and the boys pitch the unforgettable “Ice Cream Steak” to upscale restaurants everywhere. It’s another gloriously goofy hour of family stories, summer nostalgia, ridiculous inventions, and three Chicago Irish eejits making each other laugh. Sponsored By: Fox’s Pizza (Mokena and Orland Park), Flood Bros., Madden Funds and Local 150 Engineers

Houli’s Hooley Sat. June 27, 2026

Billy is out this week, leaving Paddy and Clay to hold down the fort and immediately launch an investigation into whether Bill’s mysterious illness was actually caused by eating ten egg rolls in one sitting. The “Egg Roll Ghost” quickly becomes the leading suspect, and the show never fully recovers. From there, the boys bounce from summer baseball road trips to Paddy’s latest civic vision: transforming Little League into a full-blown entertainment experience complete with walk-up music, PA announcers, and a mascot named Woody—a talking tree sporting a Fonzie jacket. Somehow this naturally evolves into Paddy’s campaign for mayor, a one-day festival called Paddy Land, and several ideas that would almost certainly require legal representation. The conversation eventually finds its way to Paddy’s daughter Charlotte’s songwriting adventure in New York, where Paddy proudly reflects on watching his daughter chase her dreams, before the lads dive headfirst into alien conspiracies, wondering if extraterrestrials are quietly hiding in a government barn waiting for the right moment to introduce themselves. They wrap things up with World Cup predictions, classic rock, and the usual reminder that no topic is too ridiculous if you’re willing to argue about it long enough. Sponsored By: Fox’s Pizza (Orland Park and Mokena) Flood Bros., Madden Funds and Local 150 Engineers

Houli’s Hooley Sat. June 20, 2026

This week on The Houli’s Hooley, Paddy, Bill, and Clay welcome a special guest to the bunker: Clay’s 11-year-old son Brody, who confidently predicts a monster football season while somehow sounding like the most composed person in the room. The lads kick things off with the White Sox taking it to the Yankees before immediately becoming armchair general managers, dreaming up trade-deadline deals that would make absolutely no financial sense. Then it’s off to the Little League Home Run Derby, where local slugger “Husky” launches 19 moonshots and Paddy briefly transforms into the Commissioner of Bat Regulations, wondering if anyone bothered to read the rulebook. Along the way, Paddy discovers that being the only sober dad at the ballpark has somehow earned him neighborhood sainthood, Charlotte settles into life at NYU while Paddy relives his own “Freshman F-Up Program” days, and the boys debate the greatest baseball pump-up songs of all time, with Van Halen getting the respect they deserve. The episode closes on a heartfelt note as Paddy pays tribute to Chicago comedy legend Tom Dreesen, remembers one of the true gentlemen of the business, and thanks young Brody for surviving an hour with three middle-aged Irishmen who still think every conversation should end with baseball, classic rock, and questionable life advice. Sponsored By: Fox’s Pizza (Orland Park and Mokena), Flood Bros., Madden Funds and Local 150 Engineers

Houli’s Hooley Sat. June 13, 2026

This week on The Houli’s Hooley, Paddy, Bill, and Clay reunite after Bill’s successful facial surgery following his infamous golf-ball mishap. He’s recovering well, though he’s developed a newfound appreciation for sour Airheads, Dove ice cream bars, and generally eating like a 12-year-old. Paddy proudly recaps Charlotte’s debut benefit concert, thanking the community for helping support her upcoming NYU Songwriters Workshop adventure. The sentimental moment lasts approximately 30 seconds before the show veers directly into madness. The lads discover the existence of the Pillow Fighting Championships, a real sport airing on ESPN, which somehow inspires an even worse idea: the Underwear Huffing Championships, a completely fictional sporting event that quickly takes on a life of its own. There is also plenty of baseball talk, as Paddy reflects on coaching youth sports and the stress that comes with it. That leads to a passionate pitch for neighborhood Wiffle Ball leagues, which the boys believe could become the next pickleball for middle-aged men. It’s baseball, busted faces, combat pillows, fake sports, and another hour of classic Chicago Irish American nonsense. Sponsored By: Fox’s Pizza (Mokena and Orland Park), Flood Bros., Madden Funds and Local 150 Engineers

Houli’s Hooley Sat. June 6, 2026

This week on The Houli’s Hooley, we’re dipping into the vault while Billy continues recovering from his recent facial surgery following his now-infamous encounter with a rocket-shanked golf ball. Rather than leave the airwaves silent, we dusted off one of our favorite episodes: the long-awaited Return of Clay O’Brien. Originally recorded after a mysterious two-year disappearance that may or may not have involved a monastery, witness protection, or simply avoiding Paddy’s phone calls, Clay rejoins Paddy and Billy and immediately picks up right where he left off. The chemistry is instant, the conversation goes sideways almost immediately, and nobody makes a serious effort to stay on topic. The gang covers everything from Paddy’s first year nicotine-free and his aggressively Western Yellowstone-inspired wardrobe to Clay’s liberation from corporate life and the daily struggle of pretending to be a normal professional adult. Along the way they wander through youth baseball politics, workplace nonsense, background checks, hair transplant dreams, and a surprisingly deep dive into Valiant Thor, the alleged alien who supposedly lived at the Pentagon. Add in social media paranoia, St. Patrick’s Day survival strategies, and three middle-aged men trying to make sense of an increasingly ridiculous world, and you’ve got a classic Hooley time capsule. Most importantly, Billy is on the mend and expected back behind the microphone soon. Until then, enjoy this trip back to one of our favorite episodes featuring the triumphant return of the prodigal son, Clay O’Brien. Sponsored By: Fox’s Pizza (Mokena and Orland Park), Flood Bros., Madden Funds and Local 150 Engineers