Jerry Nunn talks origins, career, and “just going for it.”
“I’m from the south and don’t know how to tell a short story!” My email exchange with Jerry Nunn ended on this note. It was sure a sign of what was to come but it was also more than that. It was like a wink or a nod in my direction letting me know he’s got plenty of stories to tell which, looking at his archive of work, was more than obvious.
As an entertainment reporter, he’s had the pleasure of sitting literal inches apart from major celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Diana Ross, and the late Joan Rivers. His website has a trove of articles covering everything from travel to TV.
Although he came to Chicago to pursue a career in theater after graduating from Kentucky University in 1993 with a degree in performing arts, he’s landed himself dead center in writing. His 16-year long career started by chance when he accepted a job in sales at the Windy City Times.
“People will ask me how I got a job like this, but I just came up with it. Nobody handed it to me,” Jerry says of starting his journalism career writing a restaurant column for the Windy City Media Group back in 2004. It was here, during an interview with singer-songwriter, Taylor Dayne, that he realized had an aptitude for one-on-one interviews.
Later, he joined the team at GoPride around 2010, an LGBTQ+ Chicago-based lifestyle and entertainment publication. “They gave me a lot of freedom.” GoPride is also the host of Jerry’s website Nunnontherun.com.
This kind of life can get hectic, especially because Jerry balances an administrative position at the Tribune with his freelance journalism. He likes the comfort of the day job but admits that it can get in the way sometimes. “You have to really want to do it,” Jerry says as he explains how he must duck out to a movie screening during lunch and put in 14-hour days.
However, Jerry isn’t daunted by the workload. He says his background in the arts gave him an ability to think on his feet which is much needed when he can have as many as 3 to 4 interviews a week.
It’s a career, Jerry says, that requires sacrifice and giving up weekends to photograph an event, transcribe interviews, and meet deadlines. He doesn’t regret his path though; every story is rewarding to him. His favorite interview, by the way, he says was with Carol Burnett.
I asked Jerry about his past, growing up in Tennessee, coming from a conservative home, and eventually finding acceptance in the LGBT community. “Being gay is not the same as it was back when I was a kid. It’s so amazing that I can promote LBGT artists now,” Jerry prefaces with before explaining that he was closeted all of his time in school.
It was when he started writing for the Windy City Times that being gay became an asset to his life and career. Jerry promotes LBGT artists Chicago in magazines, on the radio, on podcasts, and on the radio. In the words of Joan Rivers, “If you write about me Jerry, I know the LGBT community will come to my show.”
He doesn’t just interview LBGT artists and allies simply because they are of the community; he only interviews the people he wants to interview which gives his articles a feeling of intrigue and authenticity.
Since he has such an incredible amount of experience in the industry, I asked Jerry about what it’s like in journalism and reporting. He told me that it was important to never say “no,” especially when one is first starting out. He also added that it’s crucial to do research for every interview. “These artists will tell you, ‘do your homework.’ [If you don’t know] These artists will scold you.”
Lucky for Jerry, he’s always been a bit of a go-getter. Ever since his days juggling multiple shows as a theater major, he’s been able to keep himself focused and motivated to get the job done.
Getting the job done, as it turns out, is less glamorous than you might think. According to Jerry, “you’re always trying to prove yourself” which means he has to be a jack-of-all-trades hustling between writing, interviewing, editing, photographing, and networking.
The final piece of advice Jerry gave me was simple, “be a good listener.” He says that it was hard for him when he was first starting out to not insert himself into the story. “I had to get past myself and focus on them.”
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