Birth date: Aug. 22, 1936.
Birthplace: I was born in Spencer, W.Va., and I grew up in New Martinsville, W.Va.
Occupation: Freelance journalist.
Current home: Chicago.
Marital status: I’ll be married for three years on Feb. 14 to Sandy Callaway.
Children: Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway, both Broadway and cabaret singers.
Car: A dark green 1998 Honda Accord coupe.
Working on: My one-man show, “John Callaway Tonight,” opens March 16 at Pegasus Players, and I’m the host and senior editor for “Chicago Stories” on WTTW-Ch. 11.
I stay home to watch: “The West Wing.” It’s the presidency as we all wish it were.
The last good movie I saw: “Traffic.”
The book I’ve been reading: “Paris to the Moon” by Adam Gopnik.
Favorite meal: Vichyssoise, soft-shell crab, Caesar salad and a dry white wine. It’s so retro.
Personal hero: The late Ernest Becker, the author of the great book “The Denial of Death.” It’s about the meaning of life and it is the best take on it that I’ve ever read.
I’d give anything to meet: Anna Deavere Smith, the great actress/playwright. She created a whole series of roles based on people she met. She’s also one of the great interviewers.
I’m better than anyone else when it comes to: The no-step drop kick in football. I’m going to do it on stage.
The two things I can’t stand: Cynicism and human cruelty.
If I could change one thing about myself: I’d cut out my late-night work life and become a morning person, which would lead to a change in my diet and a reduction in my weight. That’s my theory, anyway.
My fantasy is: I’m a club singer, singing Cole Porter and George Gershwin.
Most irrational act: Hitchhiking to Chicago with 71 cents in my pocket and not knowing one person in the city. I was 19, I’d dropped out of college and I came to the big city.
My most humbling experience: Failing in two previous marriages.
The three words that best describe me: Smart, handsome and self-deluded.
