About Paige Wiser
I'm a free-lance writer with a full-time job: I'm Director of Communications at Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois. I'm an alum, too, Class of 1988. You should enroll your children there immediately.
In my down time, I'm the TV critic on ABC-7's "Windy City Live." On Sunday nights, I talk entertainment with WGN AM-720's Bill Leff and my former movie-reviewing partner, David Plummer. You can find a lot of my writing at Michigan Avenue magazine. I also free-lance as a muse when I can fit it into my schedule.
During the last couple of decades in the newspaper business, I served as reporter, critic, and columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times. Regular columns included "Planet Paige," in which I wrote about the quirkier side of the news; "Camera Obscura," which celebrated B movies; and "BioFeedback," which distilled celebrity biographies.
I earned my bachelor's degree at Notre Dame and my master's at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism. I'm thinking of putting "philosopher/adventuress" on my business cards.
Contact me
paigewiser@me.comCategories
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Monthly Archives: October 2011
Friday TV highlights, 10/14/11
“Bite of the Living Dead” (7 p.m., Animal Planet): Two people are bitten by snakes; only one lives.
“Dateline, NBC” (8 p.m., WMAQ-Channel 5): If you’re planning to get married, watch this first. I’d just feel better about it.
“Hairy Bikers” (9 p.m., History): Two men motorcycle around America in search of food. In the premiere, they stop in southern Louisiana, where they catch nutria, grind the rodents into sausage, and then bring their own to a jambalaya festival. Mmm!
Thursday TV highlights, 10/13/11
“The Office” (8 p.m., WMAQ-Channel 5): Finally, an Andy-centric episode! We meet his family, played by Stephen Collins, Dee Wallance and Josh Grobin, at Schrute Farms.
“Catholicism” (8 p.m., WTTW-Channel 11): Titled “Amazed and Afraid: The Revelation of God Become Man,” it’s cheaper than a Notre Dame education.
“Millionaire Matchmaker” (8 p.m., WMAQ-Channel 5): Setting up two body-building brothers, one of whom divorced after a six-month marriage, and one of whom has spent the last three years in prison. Patti likes a challenge!
Wednesday TV highlights, 10/12/11
*All times listed are Chicago time.
“America’s Next Top Model” (8 p.m., WGN-Channel 9): The Tyra wannabes model clothes from the Kardashian Kollection in a challenge with Kim, Kourtney and Khloe. Then La Toya Jackson gives the girls advice. Wow. Just . . . wow.
“Happy Endings” (8:30 p.m., WLS-Channel 7): The fabulous Megan Mullally, guest-stars as Penny’s mom.
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., WMAQ-Channel 5): If you were wondering what T.R. Knight was up to post-”Grey’s Anatomy,” here you go. His character is accused of being a serial rapist in several states.
Movie reviews: ‘Real Steel,’ ‘Ides of March,’ ‘Munger Road’
Paige and Plummer fight to the death about whether rock ‘em sock ‘em robots are inherently dramatic.
Talking fall TV on ‘Windy City Live’
I talked with Val Warner about “The X Factor,” “The Good Wife,” “New Girl,” “2 Broke Girls,” “The Office,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Modern Family,” “Pan Am,” “The Playboy Club,” and my favorite, Starz’s “Boss” (pictured).
Movie reviews: ’50/50,’ ‘What’s Your Number,’ ‘Machinegun Preacher’
Paige and Plummer, together again on “Windy City Live.” I liked “50/50″ (pictured), but am not actually advising you to go see it.
Talking with Bill Leff on WGN Radio
Bill Leff (pictured) 
is one of my favorite people, and has one of the best voices on radio. I mean, obviously Orion Samuelson is first, but then Bill. Here we are talking about TV.
Common on AMC’s upcoming “Hell on Wheels”
I interviewed Common for the cover of Michigan Avenue magazine. He was pretty smooth.