five drink minimum

migration.

2010-10-24T16:06:00.002-05:00

it's nearly the end of the year, and that means new blog! i rejoined tumblr, and i'll be putting stuff up on there now, inc. comedy-related stuff. i barely write here in 5DM anymore, so now i'm going to use tumblr to promote friends' projects, videos, etc., in a more "here is the information" and a less "i am a fangirl" sort of way. general life musings and half-assed photos will also go into tumblr. i guess i am essentially combining my personal Wordpress blog and 5DM, using a blogging platform that is becoming as ubiquitous as Google (anyone happen to know the parent company of tumblr?).

anyway, Follow me over there, if you care to. obviously, 5DM stays in place for archival reasons, FOREVER. until we burn down the Internet, anyway.

vids.

2010-10-24T13:52:00.002-05:00

Some new CHI-based videos be droppin' lately:

Mike Stanley, Hypocrite.

Mike Lebovitz, "Pulse of Chicago".

DK Ediger (Chad Briggs), Safety Minute!

Safety Minute! with DK Ediger - Mischiefs - watch more funny videos

This Michael Sanchez is our new Jordan Vogt-Roberts, BTW. Watch out for him. (But he does need to update his Web site.)

Been out of the writing loop for a bit; trying to force that to change in the coming months. Two more months left of 2010. Let's squeeze out as much productivity and fun as we can!

Nick.

2010-10-17T01:38:00.002-05:00

i don't think this will stop restoring my faith in many, many things anytime soon.

gosh. Nick was a mythical creature to me even in Chicago for a long, long time. i still get nervous when i say hi to him. i remember that first conversation we ever had, on the Red Line when we were going different places, and we did the recognition-nod, and then he said hello, and then i finally talked.

he's still mythical. he's got a supernatural element. i'm going to look into this tiny little portal of him time and time again, this winter. thank you, Nick. for your being and your brilliance, which always compels and reminds me.

i got through one very big, terrible thing. i can get through 50,000 other terrible little things. because Comedy is right there. consistently. and forever.

HB SEAN

2010-09-26T20:32:00.004-05:00

My friend Sean is having a birthday. Also he's an adorable, adept ego-maniac. HB SEAN. Ya old, curmudgeonly coot. via FB:

Sean L McCarthy Yes, it's true. I'm older today. So, too, are Robbie Praw and Bart Coleman, so please remember to celebrate all members of the holy trinity of comedy tastemakers today!

Speaking of curmudgeonly old coots, Fritz has been vaguely chastising me for not pimping his shit out. Hey, I've been getting as much mad pussy as you have been, my friend. Perhaps I haven't been writing about comedy much like you haven't been showing up for the FOURTEEN THOUSAND photoshoots I rescheduled b/c of you. I love you.

I love the crease in the poster BTW.

More later on Comedy Internet soon, I hope. Too much this summer, too much. And my real job happens tomorrow. The one where I actually make money. Sorry that's more useful, that's just the way it is. COMEDY.

20x2.

2010-09-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

Friday night, I had the very distinct pleasure of attending 20x2, an SXSW-based event that asks 20 performers from all creative corners to answer one question in 2 minutes. The show is branching out to other cities this fall, and their first stop was Chicago. Felix Jung had a nice little write-up on the event, as did Chicago Magazine's Scott Smith. My boy Ricky Carmona was part of the show, and fucking killed it. Felix's video was one of the most affirming moments of the evening: he searched the question the Chicago show was centered around, "Who Knew?" in both Twitter and Flickr, and then matched corresponding phrases with each other. The commonality of humanity that his video elicited brought near-tears to my eyes, all the while making me grin and laugh:

20x2 Chicago: Who Knew? from Felix Jung on Vimeo.

funny things my friends did recently.

2010-09-16T20:07:00.002-05:00

Just a short round-up of some recent funny things from friends, as I sit home alone for another night in a row. Does that make it sound sad? It's not, it's certainly not. This is completely self-imposed. I just got off an almost-two week stretch of out-and-about; I'm way overdue for some home time, and the hibernation season has coincidentally begun at the same time. The hibernation season is also travel season, and I already have DETROCKCITY (Oct) and Ann Arbor (Nov) lined up, and am attempting to pencil in LA and ATL by the end of the year, as well. There's a good possibility I'll be spending xmas in ATL with my little brother if my parents aren't hosting xmas this year (last I talked to mom, she said she and dad might have a "destination xmas", and the destination was not to be any of the cities I or my siblings live in). This would rule, as a) I'm sure the weather is quite pleasant in ATL in December; b) my friend Chris Burns is there on location working a production job for 6 months, and c) my homegirl Heidi lives about an hour outside the city proper. I'd also get a chance to finally check Laughing Skull Lounge, and possibly even find Vanessa Fraction and kick it with her for a minute.

Anywho, here are some of the things I laughed at today:

Buller vs. Buller: The Mouse Trials -- I relate girl. I relate.

Lookit little Chris! This coming after the great feature story in Time Out Chicago. Rock and roll, kiddo!

My brother, the funkmaster supreme, Mr. Ricky Carmona, has finally unveiled Wu-TANG! I saw those Tang labels when they were still in pre-production! Damn, they came out slick! And that Ricky got me laughing like a mofo! This new Delahoyde joint does it again!

Speaking of Ricky and Delahoyde, I'll be on hand tomorrow eve to check the SXSW/Gapers Block event, 20x2. See you there!

RE:COM! It's totes offish!

2010-09-09T12:48:00.002-05:00

THANK YOU to everyone that came out to little Cole's last night! Sorry I was quiet on the microphone during my little speech. I don't know how those things work people, sheesh! I did feel pretty okay up on that stage talkin to y'all, though; I don't think I have too much a fear of public speaking anymore. Just a fear of my voice being amplified.

HEY, so anyway, if you're in Chicago, I will have copies of the mag on hand pretty much every time you see me over the next week or two. Out of town/need more copies? Here's the official blurb:

If you live in Chicago, there's a pretty good chance you can purchase a copy directly from Kristy or Michelle's backpack, at least for the next week or two. Live out of town or want copies for all your friends and family? Order them directly online and pay only a small shipping fee to have them shipped directly to your front stoop!

Click here for the "Collector's Edition" (read: perfect bound spine, costs a buck more), or here for the "Regular Yet Still Totally Awesome Edition". $6 and $5, respectively.

erin.

2010-09-02T21:57:00.004-05:00

i KNOW i keep talking about her lately, but isn't this Erin just a goddamned godsend? i'm so glad we finally started collaborating, after being around the same circles for literally YEARS and not barely saying a word to each other. over the last five years of hanging out in/writing about comedy, i've gone through three photographers (four if i include myself, which i don't, as i was never very good, it was just that no one was doing it in the early days). really talented, great, personable girls would come in and out of the circle, eventually burning out or moving away or going on to pursue other things... Erin was always there, though, in a different little fringe, doing her thang, working on her craft and getting AWESOME, and now i'm fairly confident in saying she is my Chicago Photographer, for all projects henceforth. she even regularly manages to make ME look good, even though i never intend to be subject. as kudos, here is a photo of her and i (one of the only? maybe the only? pic of just the two of us together). ironically, she didn't actually shoot this; i wanted her to pose like she WAS, though. the credits for this pic go to the adorable, hilarious, wonderful Mo Welch:

FYF.

2010-09-02T14:56:00.002-05:00

everyone in L.A., do this in my stead. and say hello to John for me.

Berlin./agent.

2010-08-31T03:24:00.005-05:00

This past Friday, I connected my photographer (yes, she is my possession; I have claimed all rights and permissions!) with the Puterbaugh Sisterz, as they had somehow never met each other and Erin had never even seen the Sisterz perform(!?). The girls were in need of a photographer for their monthly show at Berlin, "Nightcaps", and had asked me initially if I was available. I knew my shoddy point-and-shoot couldn't do their loud, bawdy, dark and sparkly show justice, so I hollered at Erin who happened to be free for the eve.

With that, I believe I just commissioned the newest and most brilliant collabo of recent months:

I think Tiff mentioned that they were going to be looking for a permanent house photographer (and they actually pay money to people!); I'll go ahead and vote Erin in for the position.

See the rest of the amazing set here.

The time stamp on this entry reflects insomnia, not irresponsible late night hours, for a change.

the universe is a hoot!

2010-08-30T15:28:00.005-05:00

Went to Kumail's show at the Hideout last night, and got to straight cold kick it w/ my girls Emily and Joselyn all night, in addition to Chicago pals out for the show. Towards the end of the early show, Emily greeted a man with loads of black curls, and I immediately knew I knew him. I knew him because I had been staring at his face almost incessantly for the last several weeks. It was this guy:

AKA this guy:

My magazine's cover story subject.

From there, the night dissolved into wonderful silliness. I stayed for the second show, as the majority of my crew was coming for it. My co-editor, my boy-pal, several other Chicago comics and friends... Sean went up with a surprise guest set, and eventually I found myself having a laughing-til-I-was-crying good time with him and his pal Bill Dykes outside on the Hideout's gorgeous parking lot patio. Sean and Bill are both friends w/ Kristen Becker out in Buffalo (the awesome chick that hooked me up with the Doug Stanhope show in Buffalo I went to this past May), so we chatted about her, and NOLA, and wise-crackin' in general. It was a BLAST. And just so funny and weird that Sean just happened to be in Chicago in between Midwest gigs and that my co-editor and I got to kick it with him, a week before the magazine that he is on launches. The universe can be real silly, huh?

Grand Marquis.

2010-08-27T00:03:00.001-05:00

this whole new facet of kyle is bringing me back to circa early 2005, and feeling young, and cruising the country roads as a teenager, and being in love after a dissolved marriage, and adventuring in chicago after 5 years of living unfulfilled here, and summer, and first kisses, and... fuck, everything that makes you feel alive. thanks kyle for putting it out there for us. and thanks for the zip file of all the songs that you sent earlier today. they'll get me through tomorrow.

the unofficial anthem.[haven't conferred w/ co-editor.]some will get this.

2010-08-26T00:29:00.003-05:00

The whispering, May hurt you, But the printed word might kill you

So don't let the blue, The blue eyes fool you
They're just gelignite, Loaded and aiming right between your eyes
CDs and T-shirts, promos and God knows, You know I couldn't last, Someone please take me home

The teenagers, Who love you, They will wake up, yawn and kill you

So don't let the blue, The blue eyes fool you
They're just gelignite, Loaded and aiming right between your eyes
CDs and T-shirts, promos and God knows
You know I couldn't last, Someone please take me home
There's a cash register ringing and
It weighs so heavy on my back, Someone please take me home

The critics who, Can't break you
They somehow help to make you
The critics who, Can't break you, Unwittingly they make you

So don't let the good days, Of the gold discs, Creep up and mug you
With evil legal eagles, You know I couldn't last, Accountants rampant, You know I couldn't last
Every -ist and every -ism, Thrown my way to stay, And the northern leeches go on, Removing, removing, removing

Then in the end, Your royalties bring you luxuries, Your royalties bring you luxuries, Oh but
The squalor of the mind, The squalor of the mind, The squalor of the mind, The squalor of the mind

hashtag this./#irrelevanthashtaggingismynewpettyannoyance

2010-08-25T11:10:00.005-05:00

A lot of people on Twitter use the hashtag function to write "sub-thoughts" on their Tweets. The problem is, hashtagging was initially meant as a way to facilitate the categorization of Tweets on a similar topic. So, if 1,000 people were writing about, say, the Just for Laughs Chicago festival, and the agreed upon hashtag was #JFLCHI, you could then search for #JFLCHI and retrieve all entries labeled with that hashtag. This is probably the cataloger in me, but it drives me absolutely crazy to see the hashtag abused. I have done it only a time or two, and cringed each time.

That being said, my best friend in the whole world, Angel, often hyper-abuses the hashtag. She will string together two or three "sub-thoughts" into one hashtag, or use it as an opportunity to let fly stream of consciousness or thinly veiled flirtations. I can't even read them sometimes, they're so long and run-on.

The whole point of this entry, is this: As a goof, I wanted to call Angel out on her incessant, inappropriate hashtagging, publicly on Twitter. And in doing so, I created the PERFECT HASHTAG. It is exactly 140 characters, and I did not edit it once. This is exactly how it came out.

#heyangelnoonereadslongassnonsensicalhashtagswhynotjustsaywhatyouwanttosayinnonhashtagformitwouldmakealotmoresensebesidesonlyassholeshashtag

And that all leads up to this: for the next issue of RE:COM, we're holding a contest for the Perfect Tweet. A 140 character joke. Do you think you can do it? Submit your entries to recomag at gmail dot com.

[Blow up/click on the image above for details.]

YMTE.

2010-08-25T02:07:00.003-05:00

How could I forget!? That crazy fuck Brandon Wetherbee interviewed me. It was fun. We probably could've chatted all night, provided there was enough whiskey to handle it.

re:./the long war.

2010-08-22T02:01:00.001-05:00

it's looking good, right?

in addition: i like a boy. it's been awhile. he rules.

geli.

2010-08-14T21:25:00.003-05:00

I am SO EXCITED for this. It feels like we've been waiting for a new Busque joint for YEARS. I'm more excited for this than I was for the shower I took tonight after being at Conference for the last two days (two days shorter than I anticipated, which I will explain at length later).

Not only is she my best friend, but also one of my favorite creative peers. Angel, Angel, down we go together.

near completion./hiiiiiives.

2010-08-12T00:53:00.005-05:00

Things with the Baby are going swimmingly. Finally found some time in my 31 hr workweek (of three days) to transcribe my Mirman interview (conducted via speakerphone onto my janky tape recorder), and after that story is written, and my amazing co-editor finishes plopping things in, the Baby might be ready to be born. On time and everything!

I don't know if it was a) the stressload of the impending workweek, b) the content of alcohol this week has included (SUMMER!), c) kissing a cute boy in a gangway at 2 a.m., d) delayed sun reaction from being out more than in these last few months, or e) none of the above b/c it's idiopathic as my nurse mother told me today. At any rate, I have a semi-serious outbreak of hives currently partying on my body and they are annoying to look at and itchy and I think I will fit in just fine at the Juggalo Conference, which is WHERE I AM GOING TOMORROW MORNING. It's happening. I summoned this desire from above, and so it is. This is my last manifesto to the Internet until (if) I am back Sunday afternoon.

There's a new, really cool show on Mondays starting up. I had a blast on Tuesday listening to the Players get back together and spitball baseball calls. The NFL is starting up again soon. It will be less than 57,000 degrees in my apartment soon. I got to chat too briefly w/ my pal Kyle Tuesday. These are all awesome things that I love about right here, right now. And the summer just seems to be continuing... it's one of the best of recent times, no?

the red jumper.

2010-08-09T00:42:00.001-05:00

the object of my unrequited love for some time, in the past.

i love my friends. they're all idiots and i love them completely.

THE GATHERING.

2010-08-08T23:38:00.005-05:00

I'm off to the Gathering of the Juggalos 2010 (for REAL) in 4 days. My travel/camping/Juggalo buddy Chuxxx just sent this missive to me, in anticipation for our life-changing trip:

I got a 2 person tent, the big hudson bay point blanket, plus your playboy blanket and a comforter... Bring your own pillows... I have a small cooler and can borrow a bigger cooler from my old neighbors. Ice... I say we bring a bike so we can ride out for ice. That being said I want to be able to park the van at our camp site. It gives us a secure space to lock up our booze and whatnots.

BOOZE! I think I can get a deal on 7 gallon kegs from Half Acre at 35 bucks a keg. Regular price is 60 bucks a keg...

If we get the deal, we should get 2 kegs. If not then about 5 30 packs 0f whats on sale down here at Fareplay Market, (10.99 to 11.99 a 30 pack). Also, a handle of whiskey and Tequila.

FOOD! You still a vegetarian? If not, chicken! If so, chicken and tofutie shit! Corn lots of corn. Eggs and cheese. Coffee! Sugar, powdered milk, bottle water, charcoal, oranges, bananas, and eggplant...

Security! That's what I'm here for! That being said, YOU have to communicate! If you feel uncomfortable, tell me. Ya need me to cock block, I'm da boyfriend. Ya want to hook up I'm the Brother. I will still keep a eye on you from a distance, but ya get the tent and I sleep in the van.

That's about all that I can think of at this point. Fill free to add to it.
Chuxxx, The Juggalos Juggalo, Mac

---

Thank you for the offer to wingman for me at the Gathering, but I will NOT BE HOOKING UP AT THE GATHERING STILL I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT. We also probably don't need that much alcohol for 3 days. BUT WHO AM I TO SAY. Also, why eggplant???

I can. not. WAIT.

addendum: Trust me on the booze... There will be mooches...
This is a level 5 Zombie Drill! 5 being the worst! Like The Dunes last year, only ya got drunk thugs in da mix!

Yes leave early!

Blog away! Hell, quote me verbatim!

We are gonna have so much fun.

paintball./"Mother of God, Jordan! You don’t have to sacrifice like this for art. You don’t!"*

2010-08-06T22:29:00.005-05:00

everyone in our circle has seen this. we're currently dying over it. Jordan sacrifices his adorable body for his art. a preview of Comedy Central's Mash Up**, which will be the best thing Comedy Central has ever produced:

Mash Up Behind the Scenes: Getting hit with paintballs from Jordan Vogt-Roberts on Vimeo.

*As quoted by Matt Braunger.

**referencing my interview w/ Jordan in Dec. 2009, b/c it's the first time Mash Up is actually referenced as a thing that is going to happen, for the sure. SCOOOOP! my friends are super fly.

Comedy Internet

2010-08-05T22:56:00.003-05:00

I haven't been paying attention to what comedy news should be going on my Web sites for the last couple weeks, as I've been watching my newest baby come into the world w/ eager, loving eyes, and waiting w/ horribly intense anticipation on news of another festival i'm trying to cover. I need to focus back on Comedy Internet soon; in the meantime, I forgot to mention to everyone that Hannibal's CD dropped and was at Number One on iTunes Comedy during the first week. Check out this silly clip of him and the wonderful Carolyn Castiglia being dorks:

Also, Buscemi's album got a nice (and accurate) write-up on Punchline; I saw the rough draft of his essay that will be appearing in my magazine, and it's hottt.

New guy here in Chicago is blogging about comedy. The more the merrier, I say! He used to work at the Lakeshore, so he had a birds eye view of emerging talent nearly every night of the week. He also linked up to this site, so that was fun to find. :)

OK! I think I'm going to bed at a reasonable time tonight, for the first time in 4,932,454 days.

late night missives.

2010-08-03T00:03:00.003-05:00

emailed a "friend" with a computer question, and attached this communique to the backend:

thanks again for dim sum. i think it made me high for the last 48 hrs. i've been all out of sorts. just silly and woozy and fainty. i'll go ahead and blame it on the Chinese rather than the Russians (vodka).

this is basically my summer, succinctly.

JB

2010-07-30T13:22:00.001-05:00

missive received from Ricky C just now: All is good with J.B.. I was running around on that last night so I wasn't able to get at you but no worries. J.B. got champagne bottles for weeks and Pharrell is gonna be stopping by to drop some tracks with her this weekend.

i love the crap out of my friends. and their dogs!

Jokes!

2010-07-27T15:51:00.003-05:00

The boys at Jokes and Notes insisted I join in the photoshoot; public thanks to Erin for making me look not-bad! Marvin Phipps (M Dubs), me (K-Rock), Will Miles (Kid Haha), and Jay Deep (Barbershop 2 Money Motherfucker!). This night was so fun!

SOUTHSIDE!

2010-07-22T23:56:00.005-05:00

I just had the BEST night hanging out at Jokes and Notes, at 47th and King, on Chicago's Southside. Erin and I rolled up around 7 p.m. to cobble together a photoshoot of the stand-up comics who performed at Jokes during the Just For Laughs Chicago Festival, and we straight up kicked it with several of my new favorite people for the next several hours. A new favorite comedy memory already embedding itself in my brain: standing on King Dr., laughing and laughing with some of the best 'urban' (whatever that means) comics in Chicago, swapping stories and shooting the shit while the warm Chicago wind blew across the land. Fuck yeah, Chicago comedy! You're doing it for me again! Especial thanks to Brian Babylon for taking an active role in desegregating comedy in Chicago, and possibly desegregating Chicago in general? You really are a Martin Luther King. Oh no you didn't!

Photo of Jay Deep, thuggin it out. The impetus of Marty DeRosa's "Barbershop 2 money, motherfucker!" bit, and general awesome dude who had me cracking up for an hour straight while we just kicked it on the sidewalk outside the club.

'cast me!

2010-07-22T16:30:00.005-05:00

I make a cameo on the You Me Them Everybody Pitchfork podcast. Have a listen! I also wrote about comedy at Pitchfork for the Apiary. On Saturday, Eugene Mirman and I shared a giggle fit on the Greyhound cooling bus. What a fun festival. I thought for sure I would be scowling the whole time, but it just goes to show: add beer to sunshine and good friends, and there's a .0000000003% chance of having a shitty time. Thanks to my homies Jen Bacher, James Fritz, Ricky Carmona, and Chad Briggs for being the best festival crew ever. Special shouts to folks I ran into and shared some minutes with: Whack, half of Think Tank, Kristen Studard, Trey Mowder, and Hattie McDonnell.

Speaking of, I'm looking forward to this weekend in my neighborhood: it's the second annual Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival. I'll have a small piece about it up on Chicagoist tomorrow morn; this year they added comedy to the Cole's Bar-curated music stage, so if you need to find me at all this weekend, I'll be smiling in the out of doors w/ a backpack beer in my hand, hanging out in that district. Text me!

3 years.

2010-07-15T15:03:00.003-05:00

Everyone across the nation is raising a glass to the Laddy tonight. It's been three years. It's been a lifetime. Everything is so different now; time moved so quickly. We're all still friends, though. And, we all still miss you very, very much, Pat. The world should be reveling in your awesomeness right now, and indeed, it would have been, had you not had to go so soon.

EDIT: Dang, I forgot how much I like this piece. What a fun, fun day that was. It even ended w/ a visit to XTB! Man, I miss 2006 SO MUCH.

"7:10 p.m. -- Meet up with Pat; get first drink of the club's two-drink minimum requirement.

7:30 p.m. -- Show starts. Have met the two-drink minimum."

I'm kinda funny, huh? C'mon! That's funny!

SHARKTOPUS!

2010-07-15T14:58:00.002-05:00

"at first i thought Sharktopus was a good guy, cuz he totally battled that boring Just Shark to save the girl... but then he goes ballistic and even though he is a robot he still has the muscle memory to eat humans somewhere deep in his subconscious recesses."

a snippet of a GChat conversation between Brandie and I just now. i am confused, clearly, as to why Sharktopus is the way he is. i love my friends.

media.

2010-07-01T14:36:00.003-05:00

It's been fun hearing that things I've been previewing over at Chicagoist (including all events listed here, except tonight's event, because, well, it's tonight, and that's in the future, comparatively speaking, from where I am right now on the time plane), have been selling out. It's DEFINITELY because of my previews. DEFINITELY. Either that, or I really do know my comedy shit when it comes to this town. RESPECT!

Oh, hi 3 hours of sleep. You're back again? Well, alright. You're fun, so I guess you can come around every now and again.

Ahhh I have so many interviews to line up and subsequent stories to write. I'm late to my own deadline!

MAKING IT

2010-06-22T13:33:00.003-05:00

Maybe? I got zinged at the end of this Red Bar ep (an extremely silly ep and one of the best of recent times). Thankfully, most comics, both friends and foes of Mike D, eventually get zinged on the show (and in real life); in fact, Fritz (co-host of Red Bar) got zinged for approx 30 minutes by everyone in the studio during this ep. I feel...honored. Heh. I guess I'm officially not slinking around in the back recesses of the rooms anymore...

Still recovering from JFL. Am currently working on wrap-ups of Days Two, Three, Four, and Five. Tuesday's is up now; the rest I had to sit on due to exhaustion, regular 9-5 job, going out every night last week, and finishing up the week with a Polish dive bar pub crawl and seeing my friend's amazing Patsy Cline cover band. Sprinkle that w/ a few shenanigans here and there, and I've just been too damned busy to actually, ya know, write or be productive. Soon! After I go break some things in the Red Bar studio. jk jk

SOUP!

2010-06-15T10:20:00.004-05:00

I love these dudes:

SOUP from Think Tank on Vimeo.

I'll have...something up about Bonnaroo, over at the Apiary, at some point soon. I was...embarrassingly bad at covering comedy at that festival. I have my excuses, of course. One legitimate (I feel) complaint. However, I should have been more insistent and gutsy. I wasn't. I'm realizing that is probably not my role. I'm pretty content to keep kicking around the CHI scene and watching my friends become superstars -- I don't necessarily have to be tight w/ or cover current superstars to be satisfied with what I'm doing here.

Speaking of superstar pals, I get to see my friends Teej and Brido tonight, at the special JFL ChUC tonight. First, I need to go to the Westin here in River North and get my press credentials for the week. This is so dumb. Whack gets so mad at me for constantly faking it. It's fun, though. See you out in the festival, Chicago.

ROOOOO

2010-06-09T16:52:00.002-05:00

Whack and I are off to Bonnaroo, in approx. 1 hr. Be good this weekend Chicago, I'll be back just in time for the Just for Laughs Chicago 2010 kick-off. Peace out!

addition.

2010-05-26T23:20:00.002-05:00

Fritz just deftly talked me out of a complete freak out. Feeling a little better now (as I generally do when he and I get to chat, in any way shape or form). I'm really excited about this latest addition to JFLCHI2010:

"Drinking Buddies will bring T.J. Miller together with Kyle Kinane, Mike Bridenstine and James Fritz for what's described as "loose, off-the-cuff comedy" at 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, at the Lincoln Lodge. A screening of Miller's short film, Successful Alcoholics, will follow." [via]

Might be there. Or I might be at Annoyance for Comedy Death Ray. Might be becoming industry right now. Since pals are turning out to be the same. (oops, still mad)

Soup 'R Crackers. it makes a lot more sense all of a sudden.

I will never burn Angel down.

P.S. Terrible exes and frienemies alike: I'm still better than you. Keep living your terrible horrible lives. This is just par for the course for ballers. Take the bad w/ the meh. It's how Jay-Z did! And does!

Do you have really good television to watch? You should do that! Have fun!

whirlwind.

2010-05-26T12:16:00.002-05:00

I was right about this last 2 1/2 weeks, for sure. Well, it's not even done yet. I think I'll call it a wrap late night Friday, even though Bonnaroo and JFLCHI are coming up in mid-June. Oh, I got approved for a press pass for Bonnaroo. Just one, though! What about my partner-in-crime, Whacky? We'll figure it out. We're ballers, after all.

Favorite things as of recent:

Taxi-cabbing it to the South Loop from Logan Square on a Saturday night, with a stopover at the store to pick up $8 bottles of champagne for our $8 South Loop party;

Rolling w/ one of my favorite people, from a comedy club into an underground room, and feeling the palpable difference of energy in the air;

Getting really well zinged by one of my best friends at a raucous birthday roast downtown;

Driving east w/ Brooke and Whack and landing in the place of my heart and soul;

Drinking w/ Stanhope until 4 in the morning, with parallel scumbags in Buffalo who mirrored my hearts in Chicago so completely...

I'm sure I'll have more favorite moments as this week continues, and into next month, and into FOREVER.

Prescott put this idea in my head last night. 2011?

lucky paper stars.

2010-05-19T10:18:00.004-05:00

this is from Meredith, my soon-to-be (maybe) Apiary co-worker. i loved it; i dunno why.

Topics Covered on My Cab Ride Home from JFK, Chronologically

* Why I am not married
* How fast life moves by and how little time I have left to get married and have babies
* How many years previously I should have gotten married (around four years, give or take)
* The problems with the American mentality on family
* The fortuitousness of having Grandchildren in your forties
* The comparative sorrow of having Grandchildren in your sixties
* The money in the streets of New York
* My imaginary boyfriend and why he doesn’t pay for dinner
* Why I do not live with my imaginary boyfriend
* What Mikhail would do if his daughter lived with two men (“Remove the head”)
* Whether or not I keep my door locked at night
* How much I pay for my apartment
* Why I don’t live in Queens
* How I pay too much for my apartment
* Why I live in Brooklyn and why not Arizona or Texas
* Mikhail’s family back in Russia
* Uzbekistan
* Muslim fundamentalists
* The cure for mental illness in Soviet Union (burial)
* Why, if Black people are crazy (which was apparently a given after a Black guy cut us off), Lincoln freed the slaves
* How Black people can get away with anything, namely murder, but Mikhail cannot fight or shoot people
* Why I should not like Barack Obama
* Why Stalin was a strong leader
* The difference between going to war and massacring your own people (Glossed over)
* Why Stalin was a strong leader (reprise)
* How I would be a slave to Germany now if not for Stalin
* The corruption in New York
* The lack of corruption in Russia
* A reminder to push the 25% tip button

--

last night/today is what i want life to be. i'm taking a day off today to visit w/ my friend Kaitlin, who came into town last night to see our friend Matt at Zanies and then at ChUC; after she leaves town, Brooke will be here for a couple nights... in my perfect world (the one mirroring this same trajectory; not my complete fantasy world, of course), i would work 3-4 days a week in an office, and then have a day or two during the week to schmooze and booze and write and talk and facilitate and make. that's where i'm trying to get to. because i didn't have to work this morning, i allowed myself to continue the evening at the Old Town Ale House, listening to two old friends talk about the "old days", when they hung out w/ and worked w/ Farley, and Dratch, and Fey in Chicago, while a soul-soothing soul tune played melancholy in the near-empty joint. i got to have that night, and now i get to visit w/ a good girlfriend and then i get to write about things i love. what a nice day.

doesn't seem like too tall an order, does it? we'll get there.

accolades.

2010-05-14T19:32:00.002-05:00

Woo hoo, the Apiary got a Rooftop Comedy nomination:

Of course, we're up against the only other five Web sites in the entire world that write exclusively about comedy, ha ha. Well, the Comedy Nerds aren't in the running, but maybe next year, guys!

My real award pipe dream involves the ECNY Awards 2011. I plan to be on the red carpet with one of my current or future celeb friends. It's gonna be dumb and fun. I might even wear my baby blue ball gown and dye my hair pink!

Street scriptures for lost souls, in the crossroads

2010-05-14T12:47:00.002-05:00

Ken: Whores, cotton candy, sweet old ladies and Navy SEALs. All in a night's work!

My life = amazing. I woke up w/ a pail of cotton candy in my bag. I am surrounded by wonderment and madness always. Things definitely veered into the right path, all those many years ago...

This summer, we create.

acquired.

2010-05-13T01:22:00.002-05:00

I'll stop listening to hip-hop for the moment to take the new National album in. Sounds good.

Adam's back, you guys. Got to greet him on the street outside of Cole's. Summer 2010 has begun. And I beat the rain twice in one week. We're winning.

"the forums"

2010-05-11T22:49:00.002-05:00

In addition to podcasts, my new thing I'm using to feed my comedy addition are forums. There's a newish one called Comedy Safe House that seems to have potential; there aren't a lot of members now, but I think it would be especially useful for me if people from all over, not just LA, NYC, and CHI, came together on this thing and discussed the comedy they're doing in whatever part of the country/world they're living in. I have upwards of 1,400 "friends", contacts, whatever, on Facebook, but I certainly don't look at that full feed everyday, and I have no idea at a glance where anyone lives, unless they're vaguely well known in the alt-comedy world. A forum bringing everyone together to talk about comedy would be vastly more helpful than Facebook, where people talk about EVERYTHING in their daily existence, making the information overload absolutely impossible to negotiate. I just want to chat about comedy all day, like we did on the Haha Board way back when. I'm tired of all the other stuff. Just. Want. To. Chat. Comedy.

So, I might just stick around AST regularly, even though that board frightens and overwhelms me. At least it's just idiots talking about comedy all day and being fucking geeks. That's where I want to play. Especially as I attempt to step away from the dramz of all of my lovely people here in CHI and start concentrating more and more on my projects, the ones that will propel me into where I'm supposed to be in 2010. I still want to chat comedy all day long, I just don't want to have to go out and see the same dumbasses (said with all the love and affection in the world) every night of the week.

ANYway, that being said, the rest of this week, nay, month, is gonna be raucous. See you out there, twerps.

well done! (get it? huh? do ya?)

2010-05-10T16:39:00.003-05:00

Check out Michelle Peterson's cookbook draft -- I've been seeing bits and pieces of these pages come together over the last few months, and I cannot WAIT to be able to purchase a print version of this ridiculously cute and hilarious "anti-cookbook". I've also been lucky enough to actually EAT several of these recipes. Dang! How cool is it that Michelle is going to be the Executive Designer of our soon-to-be-further-discussed-but-not-quite-yet Media Empire? I'm pretty lucky to have met someone so talented in a field I have -.00002% ability in, AND who wants to create the same body of work that I do. Michelle is a very rad creative partner, and new friend.

GET THEM!

2010-05-08T13:12:00.004-05:00

BIG UPS to my pals Chris Condren and Junior Stopka, currently in NYC for Montreal Just For Laughs 2010 callbacks! CHICAGO is with you!!!!!!!

Whack's Born Day Weekend is off to a smashing good start. Why was there an underground hip-hop show at Cole's last night? Because it's Whack's Born Day Weekend, duh. The universe decreed. Tonight we'll be at Gallery Cabaret for the THCH CYSK takeova. Then nonsense as per usual. See you there!

This Is It.

2010-05-07T01:28:00.002-05:00

this is for 5DM b/c it is showmanship, and stage presence, and humbleness, and working w/ a team, and L.O.V.E.

It's footage of him rehearsing w/ his dancers, lighting, pyrotechnics, director, choreographer, singers, musicians, etc etc etc (literally dozens of people), and it shows the heart and soul of an artist and a performer in the last months of his life. Forget everything you know and just watch.

Watch a bunch of the extras, too. The Gloved One, Michael Memories, etc etc etc. All of the extras.

It's all for love. L.O.V.E.

the horsies!

2010-04-29T20:31:00.003-05:00

Oh dear. I received this msg from my dear friends at the Visitors Locker Room. I'm hoping to swing by the OTB Saturday to pop in and witness the true trashiness insanity of the Derby and visit w/ the VLR kids. In the meantime, help them get commercial airtime on the Glenn Beck show! Yes, for real.

Subject: Glenn Beck and horses!

VLR fans:

The Visitors' Locker Room is inviting you to help change the world through gambling. In recent shows, momentum has gained from one of Sean Flannery's outrageous claims. The one in particular is that anyone can get an advertisement on the #1 political opinion show (and funniest) on cable television, "The Glenn Beck Show", for about $800. Amazingly enough, after some minor research, he was actually right! Sean might have even oversold the number. Ever since the disgraced, conspiracist blurted that he believes President Obama is racist, companies have steered clear of the funnyman and his show. This has opened a void for more fearless entrepreneurs, like Cash 4 Gold and turkey hunting destinations. Well, the Visitors' Locker Room would like to add our names to this new trailblazing list of groups. We have a plan to shoot an advertisement for the VLR, in full-on Glenn Beck conspiracy parody mode and infiltrate the other side by getting it aired during its prime time viewing (that's the world changing part).

We are asking you, our fans, to help us on this mission by donating money to help us teach our generation how to make real change. Also, to add a real outlaw aspect to this, we are going to pool all of your donations and pledges we receive this week and let it ride on one of the ponies in this Saturday's 136th running of the Kentucky Derby, ALL OF IT!! You can suggest a horse you like, and it will be taken into consideration on Friday's show, as we choose a winner that we're going to go to the betting window with. We will notify you of what horse you will be rooting for. If we hit, then were gonna have one great block of ads during Glenn Beck's prime time show, if we miss, well, real gamblers never think that way.

Any donation through Paypal would be appreciated, but keep in mind $2 is the minimum wager at the OTB. If you cannot donate money right now or before the Derby, a pledge for a future donation would also be great. We will bankroll your pledge for the wager and make sure to give you full credit for your endeavors.

Thank you for all of your support and listenership through the years.

Sincerely,
The VLR

LAMAR2010 -- Pt. IV. FIN.

2010-04-27T21:00:00.009-05:00

WHEW. Finally done wrapping up my trip. I really made this into quite the production, huh?

Let's see... started the day with lunch with the girls, at the Spitfire Grill near the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. Apropos, even though some of the Spitfire girls were missing, sadly. Spent a nice couple hours on the patio drinking mimosas, shooting the shit about whatever. From there we went to Renee's pad for a screening of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?, which is just as awesome as you all know it is.

Tonight was my last night in town, and it was also the night of one of my favorite LA events, Channel 101. This was to be the last night Channel 101 would be hosted at Cinespace; I was happy to be there to say goodbye to the space along with all the regulars, and I look forward to seeing the new space at the Downtown Independent next time I'm in town.

Had a blast with a bunch of folks who were out and about for the evening of shorts, and took in some hilarious and even awe-inspiring film. My favorite of the night was Everything, which is currently in the #2 primetime position. Here's the short I got to see IRL:

After the screening, we were due next door at iO West, where Brandie was hosting an improv showcase. I ended up kicking around the theater bar, and ran into my girl-in-Chicago Tia Ayers and my old pal Josh Cheney, who were back Stateside only a few hours after being cruised around on a boat for a week. What serendipity! We had some chats and laughs while they wobbled around on sea legs. I also kicked it a bit with new pal Dave Ross and other random folks. All in all, it was a nice, somewhat low-key last night out in the scene.

The final stop in LA before having my last snooze on the coast of the Pacific Ocean was In-n-Out Burger. Fuck yes it was.

And that was my trip to the comedy scene in LA. I am stoked to make more and more face time out there with old and new friends alike, and to begin writing regularly about the LA scene.

Ummmm, kind of a low energy post. Sorry. I'm gonna blame it on the lack of carbs in my system currently. Wrapping up deli meat and cheese in a lettuce leaf is actually pretty delish and satisfying, FYI. I'm even eating like LA now, lookit that.

joke deco!

2010-04-27T14:32:00.003-05:00

Holy shit! I love this idea! I do decos for fun; why did I not think of doing something like this!? Crap, I'm going to put together a dozen or so memorable bits from my favorites and get a series of decos together. Agh! I love this. A Kyle Kinane bit, as deco'ed by Zak Smith:

In other news: brainstorming on the media empire has begun. Lots of stuff to start doing. May 1 seems like a good start time. Lots of plans for 12 months from now beginning to coalesce.

we run this.

2010-04-25T23:36:00.001-05:00

this is quickly becoming the delayed anthem for 2010.

Freaks at da bar where da hard drinks are
Don't start
If you don't want beef don't take it that far
With a superstar
I got my foot on the clutch, see me bounce my butt
Misdeameanor too much and I don't give a fuck

and to watch her dance around and do pole tricks:

my idiots.

2010-04-24T00:47:00.002-05:00

i love this picture more than words can say. so happy i reconnected w/ these fucking morons.

kill 'em in LA, boys.

The Papa-Cast.

2010-04-20T10:06:00.004-05:00

I was lucky enough to be listening in real-time as the "Papa-Cast" unfolded itself on Red Bar Radio yesterday. A series of prank phone calls to comedian (and Marriage Ref personality) Tom Papa's management, publicist, and agent, unfurled in what might go down as one of the greatest phone pranks in the history of archived audio content.

You can download the ep for free here; the prank really gets going at the 1:50:55 mark, and lasts for the duration of the show, approx. 38 minutes. It was goddamn inspired.

LAMAR2010 PT III

2010-04-18T00:30:00.005-05:00

And on and on. Let's see what we can do with this last hour or so of Our Saturday Night In. Remember when Saturdays were sacred events? Now it's just Amateur Hour. The Real Introspect happens on Saturdays, now. Home with a shuffling iPod (which is bent on making me crazy, the bastard), a shoddy stolen Internet connection, cheap vodka cocktails, a dismissed No Smoking In The Building rule, and memories. Memories keep the company.

My notes on Saturday falter a bit. I believe this was the morning / afternoon I went with Buscemi and Sarah to the Santa Monica Promenade and sat in a sidewalk cafe with a delicious panini sandwich and a nice, strong coffee, watching the people of the promenade stroll on by. Mind you, it was March. And I was sleeveless in the out of doors. Blissful.

My notes for this day start with, "Echoplex". Let's get right to that, then. I had been given a heads up by the beyond-nuts talented and absolutely wonderful Matt Braunger that he and his boy, Matt Dwyer, would be "hosting" an all-day-long music festival at the Echoplex in Echo Park (for you CHI cats reading: the Bucktown of LA). I think I was looking forward to this event more than everything else on the LA docket. Live music, good friends, drinks a-plenty, LA... The quadra-fecta of amazing.

Let me back up for a sec: so, back in... shit, January, I guess, I met a friend by the name of Matthew Stoll at a hotel in downtown Chicago. It's totally not as sleazy as it sounds, I promise! Maybe sleazier, considering we were both there for the afterparty of the inaugural Red Bar Comedy Club showcase, ha ha. The Red Bar cats are pals of mine four years running, and Matthew is a listener fan from Los Angeles who wanted to show his support for his beloved podcast crew by flying out for the first comedy club showcase here in Chicago. He flattered me like mad when he introduced himself that evening, saying he had read my stuff and enjoyed it, and we ended up conversing that whole night, mostly in the "smoking but probably shouldn't be" stairwell.

Anyway, so Matthew and I stayed Internet pals, and I decided to make it a point to kick it with him during my visit to LA. We decided to meet up at the Echoplex, but of course, it was balls-to-the-wall madness getting out of the Monica that day, and I thought for sure he would give up all hope on me ever arriving in Echo Park. I would have, if I had been in his shoes. But, because of his overall radness level, he did not. Thus began our day of beers and music and the out of doors and chatting, chatting, chatting. At the 'Fest, we ran into Kyle Kinane, Matt Dwyer, Brandie Posey, Mike Burns... we chilled with our tall boys, intermittently visiting the two music stages and the DJ booth outside... a beautiful day of music and friends.

Kyle and Mike were due at a showcase at 10 p.m., so Buscemi offered them a lift from the fest to their room in West Hollywood. Thus began perhaps my favorite Hollywood memory made during that trip -- riding in a four-person car with five people (sound familiar, Chicago!?), barreling down the freeway, with a deftly procured bottle of red wine being passed among five different sets of lips, all enveloped by the commentary of a few of the current Los Angeles comedy intelligentsia. I soaked this right. in. Freedom.

After a successful lift, Boosh, Matthew, and I headed to 12 Shiny Nickels (again! hooray!) but had a little time to kill beforehand -- enough time for PIZZA! again! I can't remember the name of the joint, but this is what I do know: half pizza joint, half hookah bar; indoor / outdoor patio, gigantic pizza enough to feed five, for all of $20. After indulging in the delicious slices, we went across the street to the 7-11 for BYO beers and then to 12 Shiny for the second night in a row. Brandie and Buscemi went up. Matthew and I sat once again front and center. Such a treat. Such a great eve. Pics of that showcase here.

That might be my wrap for the evening. I have one more indelible day / evening to mention. And then just sadness and tears. Juuuust kidding. It's super nice to be back in Chicago. For real. So many great people are here right now. Just... hmm. I dunno. The energy out West is so vibrant. It feels like Anything Is Possible. I'm trying to claim that energy for myself while still in the Midwest. Our forefathers were right, though: Go West Young Man. Hmm.

LAMAR2010 PT II

2010-04-17T22:49:00.013-05:00

Trying to get back to the LA trip, but it's beginning to fade into the back of my mental recesses, getting pushed down with the usual day-to-day insanity of Life in the Jungle. Luckily I took some notes with which to refer to (I clearly knew how this was going to go). So let's see...

Friday I was scooped up from the Monica by the one and only Allison Leber. Alli has been a confidante, mentor, cheerleader, and more, to me for many years. She is gorgeous and vivacious and melts all gray clouds everywhere she goes. My heart broke when I discovered my girl was going through an extremely difficult time in her life during my visit, but I was so, so thankful to be there during that time and lend a shoulder, an ear, an arm, whatever I could. She hauled my ass around so much in those couple days, too, and really, I had such a great time catching up with her and my other girls now in LA, Becky Garcia and Renee Gauthier. I'm lucky because I know an exceptional amount of amazing, strong, beautiful women in my life, and these girls are some of the first good girlfriends I met as an adult. I don't expect them to leave my orbit anytime soon.

So, Alli scoops me up and we head to Los Feliz for lunch with some Chicago expats, namely: the aforementioned Miss Becky, my dear Bradley Fojas, and a surprise drop in by the hilarious and totes adorbz Dan Kaufman. We ate at Masa, a famed deep dish pizza place in LA, a veritable institution for the Chicago kids out West. It has been frequented so much by Chicago, and by one expat in particular, Matt Dwyer, that he is even featured on a blurb on the back of the menu. It was, of course, extremely delish, as was the conversation and company.

After a bit of thrifting and then "ghetto-ritas" back at the Garcia Ranch, Alli and I headed out to a random terrace party in Hollywood, where we drank gin and tonics and Got Real, all the while taking in the cityscape and the live band playing on that tiny, packed little terrace. Hollywood, I could get used to you.

From there, we had an appointment with Comedy at Formosa Cafe, a tiny cafe showcase on an indoor / outdoor patio where one could smoke (a lot of allowed smoking indoors / outdoors in Cali, I discovered... and cigarettes are $5 cheaper there than they are in Chicago... but drinks are about $18 more, so I guess the sins even out in the end). The showcase reminded me of any small-term show in Chicago, with newer comics going up with green jokes, interspersed with a few heavy-hitters, and, as per usual, a strange little audience. New pal Eli Olsberg hosted; I ended up seeing Eli around the scene for the next couple nights and got a good chat in with him at one point. The aforementioned killer Renee Gauthier went up, murdering as per usual. Then, this weird little cafe show was blessed with the presence of both Eric Andre and Michelle Buteau, who just tore. it. down. Eric is pals with my CHI crew in LA, so I knew of him. However, I had never seen him perform. What a goddamn treat. Honestly.

What I thought might be an early night (the Formosa show was a 7 p.m.) turned into an exceptionally late and ridiculous night, just like I'm used to with these people, from way back in the days of 2006 (never again will there be a time quite like 2006 for me). While at Formosa, I got a text from dear friend Mike Bridenstine, stating people were over at the 12 Shiny Nickels room. That show didn't start until 11 p.m., so we had time to chat and visit at Formosa and then head on over, which we did. BYOB basement show at midnight? Yes fucking please. We entered as the show was just gearing up and Chicago guy John Roy was beginning his set. Looking around, I spotted Brido, Mike Holmes, Kyle Kinane... and my heart just welled up with happiness. My. Crew. I believe it was probably then and there I decided that LA just HAD to be my home, sometime. Sometime soon. Sat directly in front, pulled out my 40, and let my camera fly. You can see the full set of that evening here, and read my write-up for the Apiary here. Goddamn, I loved that room.

From there it was last call drinks w/ the CHI boys and some new LA pals until 2 a.m., and that's only because the place closed at 2. We could have been there til dawn just chatting and drinking and catching up with all that great old energy intact, if we were allowed.

Back to the Monica w/ Boosh, who indulged me and some serious ranting I had to get off my chest regarding my completely irrelevant personal life. I hate that stuff still gets in the way of amazing things, sometimes. The path to the future is starting to widen, I'm happy to state. Finally. But those dumb rants, they still come, don't they?

bryson.

2010-04-17T09:50:00.002-05:00

Angel just sent me this little clip of our new pal Bryson Turner fucking OWNING a heckler. Holy shit.

the jester*.

2010-04-17T00:28:00.004-05:00

One may conceptualize fools in two camps: those of the natural fool type and those of the licensed fool type. Whereas the natural fool was seen as innately nit-witted, moronic, or mad, the licensed fool was given leeway by permission of the court. In other words, both were excused, to some extent, for their behavior, the first because he "couldn't help it," and the second by decree.

(via... i know, my research is lazy at best at 12:36 a.m. Friday night/Saturday morning)

*she is my next committed-to-skin image. i prefer she be a she, and she be a little bit sad about her lot in life, and life in general.

i'm not unfaithful but i've strayed.

2010-04-16T11:38:00.002-05:00

The Broken West and the Matts are one of my favorite artistic pairings of all time.

Still trying to find a few moments to get some more writing committed to [paper]. This weekend seems promising. Lots to say.

technically speaking.

2010-04-13T18:55:00.004-05:00

isn't it, though? ISN'T IT ALWAYS?

there's a weird melancholy in the air, but i'm attempting to fight it w/ bike rides and writing about comedy and coming out of my hole. oh, and Salt-N-Pepa. i hope for only friendly faces tonight.

'til you make it.

2010-04-12T10:32:00.002-05:00

this is something i'm attempting to do. it'll be a first for me.

it would be a very nice Birthday Month event, i thinks.

congrats to my pals at Red Bar Radio for breaking their prior marathon record of 20 hours, as they hit the 21 hour mark at 10 this morning then immediately wrapped. i got to pop in for a few hours yesterday afternoon around 5 p.m., where things were already getting nutty. i'm looking forward to listening to the marathon in full when it gets archived.

we said goodbye to the Lakeshore Saturday night. we didn't leave until 7 o'clock Sunday morning. i'll have pics up in Flickr, eventch.

eras.

2010-04-09T01:05:00.003-05:00

As I sit in my cave, finishing my "work night" (which was a brilliant work night, as hostessed by Whack Publications, Inc.), I am thinking on my friends, acquaintances, and associates, who have just polished off the last local showcase of the soon-to-be-defunct Lakeshore Theater. It's funny/ironic, that I told myself at the top of this year, "This is the year I get in good w/ the Lakeshore!" after a few years of just randomly being a part of the familial scene there. My friend David regaled me recently with stories of bartending there, back in 2007, and remembering the Pat Brice Tribute show. And, during another evening, he recalled he and the rest of the staff taking Reggie Watts to karaoke (the same night Reggie showed up at Schubas to do an impromptu open mic set in which he also rubbed my knee?? perhaps!).

I saw Kumail play "Unpronounceable" TWICE. The first time I sat front row, and bawled my eyes out at the end. The second time I sat middle, behind his now wife, playing with her hair and high-fiving her intermittently. Recently, I saw comedy heroes of mine randomly -- Dave Attell (while sitting on the rickety fake balcony that was comprised of planks of wood, essentially), Reggie Watts, Andy Kindler, Doug Stanhope... and local friends blowing it up on this amazing stage, like Prescott Tolk as the first headliner of the newly instituted "Art of Local Comedy" series. Brought visiting comic from Australia Nick Sun to the first Comedians You Should Know (CYSK) monthly show, where we had a bangin' good time middle front and center, drinking whiskey from a paper bag (sorry).

I missed out on a lot at that theater, but I experienced quite a lot, too. And towards the end, when I finally started to find my confidence, I talked to Chris Ritter in person -- one of the coolest, most in-tune, humble, thoughtful people I have had the great pleasure to meet in the comedy industry. Chris, I hope our paths cross again and again. Just to reiterate everything that's been said: You have made an indelible mark on Chicago comedy. And, as everyone knows, Chicago comedy ain't nuthin' to fuck wit! We stand behind you, til forever.

Comedy Central Presents

2010-04-07T23:09:00.003-05:00

Ah HA! This is the Jordan project, as referenced in this recent interview by (ahem) moi.

via the FB: Hey! Come to our comedy central taping for MASH UP April 29th at the music box! Free tickets. Featuring TJ Miller, Matt Braunger, Kumail Nanjiani, and Hannibal Buress. http://starflowentertainment.com/comedycentralla.html RSVP! it's important...and shit...

If only I could extend my LA stay for another four days... in 13 months I'll be able to go to ALL of these, all the time.

LAMAR2010 -- Part 1.

2010-04-04T21:06:00.004-05:00

Got back from Los Angeles 6 days ago, but only today got my photos sorted out and am finding myself with an evening to do a brief (?) write-up. I don't think I've stopped moving for more than a couple hours at a time (to vaguely sleep) since I landed at 1 a.m. this past Monday night. The last few weeks have been fairly intense, but the plan is to reel it in for the next few weeks, prior to going to LA AGAIN three weekends from now.

Man, but I do love the vibe out there on the West Coast. Now that the majority of my inner circle is there, it feels like a non-stop party when I visit. I know that when I move (in 13 months), it'll be day-to-day routine after awhile, but I still imagine that I'll be nearly constantly filled with wonder and will sometimes stop dead in my tracks on the street and say aloud, "I'm in LA!!!" I was prone to doing that this last visit, perhaps more than a few times.

Upon landing almost right on time, i was scooped up by the ineffable Robert Buscemi and his photographer wife extraordinaire Sarah Hadley. We immediately hightailed it to Bar Lubitsch for the Josh and Josh Show, a showcase I knew about via the Interweb and was stoked to check out. I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to this room than that night, honestly. So yeah, Sarah Silverman was there. That was rad, of course. But also, the lineup was STACKED with folks I have been following via social networking sites, some of the "upper echelon" of LA comedy: Chelsea Peretti, Steve Agee, Eddie Pepitone... I also met co-producer Josh Haness, who kindly flattered me by mentioning The Apiary and warmly welcomed me to the room. Since we got there a bit late, we were squeezed into the very back of the room, where I could only vaguely glance at my first "LA celebs" -- I did not mind at all; I was thrilled to be there. I also got to kick it in the back with my old pal Jeff Klinger and overhear Eddie Pepitone making inside jokes to his pals. It was all good.

On our way out of the venue, Buscemi mentioned that Rob Delaney was chilling on the patio. Now, I had just listened to the Marc Maron WTFPod episode with Delaney a few days prior, in which he detailed his journey to sobriety and his rock bottom experience. When I found out he was 5 feet away from me, I got immediately shy and had the biggest "celeb nerves" of that star-packed evening. Buscemi insisted on introducing me, and I'm so glad I got up the cahonas and chatted with him for a few minutes, and of course, he is really the nicest, most gracious person. I'm pretty lucky to be best friends with a goddamn social butterfly, has to be said. Buscemi kicks around with ALL of the people I want to meet in LA. He probably even knows Robert Downey Jr. Probably should get on that intro RIGHT quick.

Okay, I might write a little more tonight, but I'm getting sleepy. I still have 3 insane days / nights to go through.

festivals.

2010-04-03T14:16:00.002-05:00

so, when i'm independently wealthy, i'll be spending my Marchs doing this:

ATL / AUS / DTW

Hill.

2010-04-02T14:33:00.002-05:00

Publicist and general Awesome Gal Hillary Buckholtz is really becoming one of my favorite long-distance comedy pals of all time. With missives like the following, how can I not adore her?

i didn't know, i just feeeel there's something there. so many complimentary gifts, skills, talents, interests, beauty, charm, wit -- we can't help it that we're awesome.

So, so true. We cannot!

Everyone gave shouts to Lakeshore today. Time Out Chicago, Punchline, AV Club... The comedy Internet is sad today.

So much I want to write. So many pictures to play with. And so much time spent doing paperwork in an office. I feel as though my time is truly being snagged from me. My LIFEtime. Living time. Damn.

Where people like me are fooled by people like you.

2010-04-01T23:14:00.004-05:00

Spent the evening writing up a post for the Apiary; haven't quite gotten around to playing w/ the (nearly!) 1,000 pics I took while out of town (Detroit Rock City and Lala Land, what what!), nor have I even attempted to address the jaunt in print form, quite yet. However, I got a tiny itty bitty Checklist written up for the Apiary, as things have been happening here in CHI as they always do. But, b/c I'm not sure about proprietary rules, I'd like to pre-publish this bit of breaking news, that I've known to be in the works for a few weeks, through several reputable sources, and that was just announced "officially" by Twitter, Facebook, and then the Tribune.

Goodbye, Lakeshore. You and I didn't get into nearly enough trouble together.

And finally, what we are still hoping will reveal itself as an elaborate April Fools prank, the Lakeshore Theater announced late last night that it was shuttering its doors as of April 10. The Lakeshore has become a beloved venue of local and national comics alike over the last four years, and has been claimed "homebase" by many, many performers. Manager Chris Ritter infused a certain je ne sais quoi that was readily available to all of the talent he mentored, developed, and supported within his theater. The theater has boasted national acts such as Reggie Watts, Tig Notaro, Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford, Andy Kindler, Nick Thune, and so many more. In addition, the theater had a reputation of nurturing local talent, as evidenced by its introduction of the Art of Local Comedy headlining series this year, the hiring of local talent to host and feature national acts (thus sparking otherwise improbable networking connections), the newly formed Lakeshore Open Mic, which introduced Lakeshore bookers to new people working hard on the scene, and, as a clear indicator of being on the pulse of art, a few years ago the theater hosted the very first installment of the then-unknown Kumail Nanjiani's now nationally acclaimed one-man-show, Unpronounceable.

Lakeshore, you will go down as legends.

Shits n' Giggles

2010-03-18T10:23:00.004-05:00

Meet Seth Olenick, another awesome photog. I want someone in CHI to do something like this with our people, so bad. I'm slowly getting something together, maybe. I hope it works out.

Chicago Checklist is up, y'all. Feat. Fritz, the Heis, Robert Hines, Cammy Esposito, the Crotch Ladies (I kinda hated the skit, has to be said... hope Jos didn't write it), Kumail getting yet more awesome, etc. Just puttin' it down for my hometown.

seth.

2010-03-17T21:33:00.003-05:00

Got to chat for awhile with this guy Saturday night, at the Two Hour Comedy Hour / Gallery Cabaret show (nice lookin' out, Trey, re: photo credits!). A good, nerdy, flirty comedy chat. It was especially adorable to watch Maggie sack up her cahonas and be charming and witty with one of her favorite comics.

Had a blast at Underground last night, shooting the shit and reminiscing with Elizabeth and Fritz, who have been my pals for almost four (!) years. A lot of people I "came up with", so to speak, have now moved, or dropped out, or become famous, etc. It was nice to just chat and be normal and silly with people who have known me for so long, and who have shared so many experiences with me. I also loved chilling with my new pal David, who killed it at his ChUC debut last night. Very happy to have gotten to know him over the last several months. I do predict that he'll be part of the Soul Crew, no doubt.

Hey, Robyn Von Swank is an awesome photographer. Check out her set of the Night of 140 Tweets. Play Spot Kyle and Matt!

CodeNameJoke

2010-03-16T14:09:00.002-05:00

Ahhhhahahahahaha. Big Dad is gonna put up the 'official' press release on this, but I couldn't help but post up this video. What a maroon! One of my faves. :)

chat improv.

2010-03-16T13:00:00.003-05:00

This is wonderful.

It's bright and sunny here in CHI today. 50-60 degrees. I walked to work (5 mi) this morning while listening to the 3/12/10 episode of the Comedy Death Ray podcast. More than a few times I caught myself grinning and laughing aloud, even in the midst of a bustling sidewalk. Highly recommended listening. Just nuts and goofy. I want to walk home, too, so I can listen to another episode. How did I just now figure out this podcast crap? I love it.

comedy boyfriend.

2010-03-15T22:00:00.004-05:00

For me, comedy is a lot like being in a relationship with an actual human. Sometimes you're in love, sometimes you get angry with each other, shenanigans are usually involved, but, most importantly, sometimes it will lend you a hand with some heavy lifting and hauling of boxes from your downtown office to your apartment on the Northwest side of Chicago. Many, many thanks to Danny Kallas and the Big Blue Van for today's lifting + hauling errand, a huge, huge help to a single girl without a car in the big city.

Speaking of the which, go see the Comedians You Should Know next Tuesday AND Wednesday at Timothy O'Tooles, for their special St. Patty's Day show, "A Drink and a Laugh", featuring Adam Burke, Brendan McGowan, Sean Flannery, CJ Sullivan, and Joe Kilgallon.

digital imagery.

2010-03-12T15:12:00.002-06:00

I am totally digging this photo, shot by the wonderful Erin Nekervis, and featuring myself (r) and the adorable Maggie Ednie (l). A new comic, and a super rad new girlfriend. Photo shot at the beginning of what turned out to be an exceptionally fun night in Chicago, at the Comedians You Should Know show, Timothy O'Tooles, Streeterville, CHI-CITY.

MORE!

2010-03-12T12:37:00.003-06:00

MORE VIDEOS!

check out this ridiculous, adorable, hilarious animated clip, set to Kyle Kinane's "Bunnies" bit:

and the video premiere of Reggie Watts's "Fuck Shit Stack"!

LOOSEWORLD x Waverly Films: Reggie Watts in F_CK SH_T STACK from LOOSEWORLD on Vimeo.

(co-starring Kumail, by the by!)

And James Fritz, 'headlining' the Cole's open mic this past Weds, approx 1:30 a.m.

shenanigans.

2010-03-12T11:45:00.002-06:00

i thought i was taping this just for myself (and for Angel), but my commentary cracked me up and everyone looks adorable and seems lucid, especially for 2 a.m. on a Wednesday. this is my street sometimes. populated w/ comedians, comedians everywhere.

Brandie.

2010-03-08T12:44:00.002-06:00

This is Brandie. Really, one of my favorite new people of all time. She holds the underground LA scene down. She's pals w/ all of my people out there. I am going to eat mac n' cheese with her real, real soon. She needs to come back to CHI to play.

----

Cybering with Santa

One of my favorite things to do when I'm bored is try to get the pre-programmed AIMbots to cyber. It's so funny to me to think that a programmer had to think of ways to deflect creeps like me.

ME: Hey Santa Claus!
SantaClaus: Hey. You're back. Stretch that window and fire away. :-)
ME: How's your night going?
SantaClaus: How, what? I'm an old(ish) man. ;-)
ME: Don't get cute with me.
SantaClaus: Excuse me?
ME: You heard me. You're such a tease.
SantaClaus: Is there something specific you want?
ME: I want you.
SantaClaus: You see? Christmas can be full of miracles.
ME: Like the miracle in your pants?
SantaClaus: Take a moment, collect your thoughts, and try asking me another way. O.K?
ME: Santa Baby, All I want for Christmas Is You & your Jingle Bells.
SantaClaus: Ho! Ho!
ME: Now that's more like it. Who's mama's little ho?
SantaClaus: Oh dear. Here we go. Who, what?
ME: Oh, playing hard to get, eh??
SantaClaus: May I ask you a question?
ME: Of course, hot stuff.
SantaClaus: Why did you say that?
ME: Because I have daddy issues. And you're father Christmas.
SantaClaus: Well, I won't argue with you on that.
ME: Good. So. Send N00dz??
SantaClaus: Great.
ME: I get the feeling you're being sarcastic.
SantaClaus: Can I ask YOU something?
ME: Yes please! Take charge, baby!
SantaClaus: Have you donated your time or money to anyone who is really in need this year?
ME: What kind of need are YOU in?
SantaClaus: Oh dear, I am Father Christmas. You really don't remember me?
ME: How could I forget?
SantaClaus: Oh dear, how should I know?
ME: Do you have a package for me? I can't wait to unwrap it.
SantaClaus: I'm like 1,600-something. ;-) It's impressive.
ME: I'll tell you what's impressive. Your Santa dick.
SantaClaus: Hmm, that's a lump of coal for you.
ME: I'm looking for a lump of something else.
SantaClaus: Go shopping?
ME: Shopping for boners.

Then I high fived myself. Because no one else would.

2010-03-07T00:44:00.004-06:00

this precisely indicates why i love my friends. ridiculously talented, out of hand, WEIRDOS. this life stays weird daily. would never give it up.

visit Matt on the Interwebs via mattbraunger.com.

TJ-FFITTI!

2010-03-04T22:34:00.003-06:00

SPOTTED: Two-dimensional TJ on a building on Fullerton Ave. near Sawyer.

On the Scene: Reggie Watts @ the Lakeshore./Bits, Baubles.

2010-03-02T20:06:00.008-06:00

Heyyy. It's been a minute. I've been running around and then mad busy at the office and then exhausted in general. I've been SUPER slacky w/ Apiary/feature stuff, even though I have a bunch of notes on some potential upcoming projects jotted down. Yeah yeah yeah, I'll get to it.

Saw Reggie Watts this past Saturday, at the Lakeshore Theater. If you've never seen Reggie live, stop everything you're doing right this minute, do a reference search on the Internet, find out where he's playing next, buy tickets for the show, buy plane/train tickets if necessary, call possible couches where you can crash in whichever town you're gonna end up, Google map some local directions, scout for a tasty burger joint where you can get a cold beer in this town, and Buckle. The. Fuck. Up. Easily, EASILY one of my favorite living performers at this current moment in time. And, he still seems like OURS, somehow. And, if you have seen him perform, especially a long set, you know exactly what I'm trying to tell you.

Watch the shoddy clip I took of the last half of "Fuck Shit Stack", below:

Couple things from/about friends: Bryan Bowden is looking for some people to make video fun with. Holler at him if you're inclined to play! Elizabeth McQuern has her "requiem" style ChUC clips up at her personal Interweb space; check these little nuggets of chuckles! Punchline Magazine has a nice piece up about Kyle Kinane's debut album; for more Kinane goodness, see the clip below, where he destroys a heckler at this past Thursday's Lakeshore Theater open mic:

More later, inc. pics from the newest Puterbaugh/Stelling joint, pics/commentary on the upcoming Lakeshore Stanhope show this Friday (been kicking it for a BIT at the Lakeshore, lately!), and HOPEFULLY some links to some REAL articles in blogs that aren't this poorly managed fan blog. Wink!

*Photo by moi and my trusty pink Canon pointer shooter [rest of photos can be found here]. Special shouts also to pal CJ Toledano for absolutely owning the host job at Reggie's 4 shows.

cyber-dizzy.

2010-02-17T11:23:00.003-06:00

Happy Weds and whatnot, everyone! I wanted to put a few things up so I didn't forget about them lata. Here are some bits floating around in cyberspace as of current times:

YRB Magazine highlighted NYC stand-up up-and-comers (people comedy nerds have been watching for years), and, oh hey, lookit little Hannibal Buress and Kumail Nanjiani up on there! I love this photo style as well; can't we get a local photog to do a CHI-centric art photo spread of OUR up-and-comers? I think we can.

Sean "Tellin' Stories" Flannery has launched the new chronicle-blog Ungoogleable. Sitting in many a pub many a time with him, I have enjoyed listening to the extensive yarn spun by Mr. Flannery. For the full effect, hope that you find yourself privy to one of these storytelling sessions; for now, you can check in for the Web updates "the morning after".

A little while ago, The Apiary asked David Angelo for his thoughts on some Toyota recall bits being spat. Enjoy his thoughts on this subject here.

What else?

ECNY Nominations Just Announced!

2010-02-03T11:36:00.003-06:00

The ECNY (Emerging Comics of New York) Award nominations were just announced at Comix via UStream, which you can watch recorded below:

Kambri Crews and CHI expat and pal Kumail Nanjiani had the distinguished honor of making the announcements, which were then broadcast over the Interweb via Twitter. My Internet pal/nemesis (he can't really be a nemesis b/c he's about 10000x more prolific, connected, and experienced than me as a comedy blogger, but it makes me laugh every time I call him my nemesis so I'm going to keep on w/ it) Sean McCarthy announced almost instantaneously that both his blog and the Apiary are up for the "Best Web Site" category. Let the online flaming wars begin!!! Just kidding. Juuuuust kidding.

Who else was nominated? Have a look right here, and vote! Special shout outs to Brooke Van Poppelen, Pete Holmes, Hannibal Buress, Team Submarine, and Thomas Middleditch!

death of the party.

2010-02-02T19:45:00.003-06:00

Oh and BTW, Death of the Party dropped today, son.

Get it now.

OK, I'm off to the Old Town Pizza Pub, where there will be stand-ups, pizza, and sex toy giveaways. A pretty good Tuesday?

video addendum!

2010-02-02T13:09:00.003-06:00

The Trailer for Salty Language, Peppered Morals, starring my boy Mike Stanley!

Thanks to Bella for the hip tip!

Related: Story in Real Detroit.

video happy.

2010-02-01T19:14:00.006-06:00

Here are a few video things in cyberspace that make me smile:

She's Out of My League trailer, starring Tee Gay Buttfiller:

The seventh episode of IKEA Heights, starring Matty Braunger and Becky Garcia (!!!):

(Vote for them! Force them to make another episode!)

Chrysler spot for the Golden Globes, Best Comedy, starring Brido.

Now we wait for Successful Alcoholics and the latest installment of Drunk History to get up online somewhere now that Sundance is over, I hope I hope I hope!!!

P.S. I *might* be updating here more often, as I find myself wanting to mention things happening in Chicago comedy that aren't necessarily Apiary material, but that I want to write about for posterity, and b/c sometimes, I just like to write about Chicago comedy. I don't envision this blog ever becoming anything 'formal', per se, as it's been a giddy fan blog for so long and i've fallen in love with that voice. But we'll see.

2009.

2009-12-24T17:41:00.016-06:00

In my pseudo-tradition, I’d like to round up some favorite Chicago comedy people/places/things/events of 2009. My year was a little skewed, with some personal life things that went on for far too long in the beginning of the year, causing me to miss some things that I might otherwise be cherishing right now. However, in no real order, here are some of the “good things” that marked 2009 for me.

The beginnings of a veritable fuck ton of new rooms. Specifically, for my soul, the following new rooms helped me out personally, as I went through some hardships, and in my reconnection with the Chicago comedy community: Cole’s open mic, Riot Comedy, and the Two Hour Comedy Hour at Gallery Cabaret. I reestablished and began relationships with many, many talents in the community, and began a creative project that I hope to continue working on for the next year.

Related: Meeting an amazing new crop of folks who are working their asses off 6-7 nights a week, perfecting their art, and bringing a whole new energy to the city.

Industry in town to see underground stand-up. Specifically, Just for Laughs Chicago’s inaugural events in June, and the New Wave Entertainment showcases at the Lodge in December. After years of knowing that the people in the underground scene needed to be seen by those that make decisions in Hollywood, 2009 seemed to be the year that this trend had finally begun. And my friends don’t even have to move to LA or NYC (yet).

Comedy road-trips to Michigan (two). Two visits to Angel this year resulted in us attending comedy shows headlined by our good friend/general comedy superstar TJ Miller. During the first visit, we met the dear Miss Kaitlin McCarthy. During the second visit, we met up with Miss McCarthy, and added to the festivities one of our very best friends in comedy, CJ Sullivan. These are two weekends I will never, ever forget. I couldn’t name a whole LOT of details, being the nature of said weekends, but I can remember the energy and love, and will always.

Chasing Saturdays. On several Saturdays towards the end of the year, I found myself at 1-3 showcases, and then out until the wee hours of the morning with the Scumbag Crew 2.0 ™. These did everything to soothe my soul and set me up for the coming week, with the good energy I needed to continue working my way down this ridiculously winding path.

Watching the fight from the street. On a clear, calm night in early November, I experienced one of the most charming evenings I have ever had in Chicago -- viewing a Very Big Deal boxing match while standing on Clybourn Ave., with a crowd of all shapes, sizes, colors, and languages, laughing and joshing and oohing and aahing and gasping, together. We stood outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of a sold out bar, and were able to view every jab and punch played on the dozen flat screens inside. Like orphans, peering into the restaurant where people in ball gowns and tuxedos supped their fine wines. I wouldn’t have traded being outside for any seat inside that bar.

Being in the audience and supporting several CD/DVD recordings of good friends. To name a few: Cameron Esposito, Robert Buscemi, Ricky Carmona… all, I don’t mind saying, hit it out of the mutha-fuggin-ballpark. So proud to watch these projects unfold and become these amazing entities.

The Apiary's new format. The new format for this NYC comedy blog includes coverage of the national comedy scene at large. This means your intrepid blogger/embedded war reporter/stalker-groupie friend K-Rock has a portfolio that will now include "writer for national comedy Web site". And that Chicago is now represented on a national comedy Web site. Win-win-win. I am looking forward to writing a whole lot more in 2010.

Watching Dave Attell from the rafters. I got a last minute invite from my good pal Dan Telfer to accompany him to the Lakeshore Theater to see Dave Attell, someone I have admired and enjoyed for years, perform one Saturday night. The grin could not leave my face the entire time I watched the show from my place in the tech booth, way above the general audience seating. I am sad to admit I did not meet Attell face-to-face; however, the next day, he accepted my Facebook friend request (the non-fan-page one), and “liked” the photo album I posted from the show. I’ll take it.

In general, watching my friends blow it the fuck up. TJ is in another major motion picture. Jordan got accepted to Sundance. Kumail, Josh, Joselyn, Hannibal, write and appear in various new and acclaimed TV shows. Several local people open regularly for national acts (who specifically request them), both here and on the road. Several folks appearing on local and national commercial spots. Three friends on Comedy Central’s “2009 Hot List”. Several friends on Live at Gotham, and the Very Funny Show on TBS. A few making their amazing debuts on Conan and Letterman. Etc. etc. And I could likely go on.

2010.… I am very, very excited for you. Come soon.

The 2010 Comedy Calendar (for now)

2009-12-24T15:52:00.002-06:00

underground stand-up showcases/open mics... times might not be totally accurate; will attempt to update as shows come and go throughout the year.

should i add addresses, contact info of producers, etc? i'm *pretty* bored at the parents' house tonight...

The Conglomerate!

2009-09-23T11:00:00.004-05:00

Briefly, frienemies: I will be writing pseudo-irregularly about comedy in Chicago, and sometimes about CHI kids in LA, for the newly configured Apiary. The Apiary has made the move to go "national", and is looking for pieces on various scenes in the country. Since the Bastion folded in late '08, I've been wondering what to do w/ myself. 5DM seemed the obvious choice, but it was getting weird for me to continue a fan blog about people I now considered friends and associates. It felt a bit creepy, actually. I mean, I'm 31, right?

Anyway, a chance to do some "real" writing about a community of folks I hold very near to my heart is exciting, and I hope I can continue to do the scene some kinda justice.

Also, I'm on Twitter (again!), but mostly so I can write to the Interwebs during open mics, b/c reading the updates later is amusing to me. Otherwise Twitter is pretty stupid. If you are also on there, befriendify me @kristyrock. I use Twitter to also stalk comedians.

Don't Spit!

2009-06-26T09:52:00.006-05:00

As promised, Elizabeth got her Don't Spit the Water photo set up on Flickr for your visual pleasure! Check out the full set here. The reprised show, specially staged for the Just for Laughs Chicago festival, featured former ex-pat cast members TJ Miller, Jared Logan, Robert Buscemi, and Nick Vatterott, and brought back regular players Fuzzy Gerdes, Erica Reid, Paul Luikart, Steve Gadlin, Tyler Lansdown, and Bryan Bowden. It looks like a super good time was missed by this guy right here, who opted to hang out on a beach for eight hours with a cute boy that day instead. OH WELL.

*It should be noted that I am actually super upset with one of those ex-pat cast members in particular, for NOT EVEN MENTIONING HE WAS GOING TO BE IN TOWN AND DOING COMEDY. I actually might have forgone the beach, had I known. Whatever.

Photo by Elizabeth McQuern.

MJ

2009-06-26T09:30:00.004-05:00

First of all, this is for me:

As if you asked, this is my favorite MJ song (bonus: this is one of the 'short film' music videos. Totally awesome.)

She's threatening to pull it down, but I don't think Cameron was wrong with the blog she wrote last evening. I watched all the zingers and one-liners roll over my Feedbook friends' feed, too; the examples she cites barely even scratch the surface of how comics were responding in real time to the news of Michael Jackson's passing. For better or worse, we are now living in a society where we can react and interact almost immediately with one another -- for me, this is comforting. I'm okay with that level of communication. I like knowing that I'm not alone, especially when I'm drinking whisky and hanging out w/ a cat while housesitting in an apt on the 14th floor and watching an MJ video marathon for hours. And, like someone mentioned (on Facebook? Twitter? can't remember), maybe the fact that comics are able to get all of these short quips off of their chests immediately means they won't be trying to develop them into jokes and will not then take them out to the open mic circuit. Maybe. Are there any reports from any open mics last night? How did we all do as humans?

Did we make it out okay?

2009-06-22T10:12:00.003-05:00

JFL Week came and went, and I don't think there were any casualties... I know that I myself took it really easy, considering the 1,392 things I *could* have done. I'm not going to pretend I did any kind of "coverage" or anything like that -- I saw a bunch of good friends, got and gave a bunch of hugs, and drank a lot of liquor. For some excellent national act coverage, check in on the Time Out Comedy Blog, and the Comic's Comic (aka Sean McCarthy from NYC, who was in town for the fest). As for local show coverage, I know Cameron Esposito dropped some stuff in her new Tribune-affiliated blog, Chilarious, and Elizabeth McQuern, as always, took at least one million photos and five dozen short films over the weekend. Stay tuned to her blog for a full visual report soon!

Photo of Angel holding a JFL logo-emblazoned napkin, and Mary, the Greatest Bartender Alive, hustling behind the counter, as the entire drinking crew of 2006 descends upon her for the Thursday night Homecoming Show at the Lodge. John Mulaney was a very-last-minute addition to an already insane line-up.

The Madness is Upon Us.

2009-06-15T15:13:00.005-05:00

Ohhh, hey guys. So, it's JFL Week here in CHI!! The energy is palpable. Last night I giggled madly for 3+ hours, at the Your Sunday Best open mic. People who have been estranged for far too long kept appearing -- Brido, Kyle, Emily... I kept trying to will the universe to bring me more and more wayward friends, but I think the universe wants to test my patience for a few more days. I am hoping that it delivers to me more folks tomorrow night, for the first ex-pat showcase this week. I wasn't going to go out to ChUC, as I have my tix all set and ready for the Thursday night Homecoming Show at the Lodge, but screw that. If I can't be here over the weekend, I will make the most of this week w/ my old school soul crew.

As a super awesome added bonus: ~~my girl~~ Blanda came out w/ me last night, as she was visiting CHI while on sabbatical this summer in OH, and you know everything's always better w/ a partner-in-crime, and on Thursday Angel will be in CHI, so she and I get to kick 2006-style that afternoon/evening. We are taking bets now on if survival is in the cards for us...

As an aside: I am sorry if my live tweeting last night was bothersome for anyone, and I'm also sorry I took a phone call from Angel and then proceeded to hold the phone up so she could listen in on the show. We are getting really weird this week.

Hello!?

2009-06-11T21:16:00.004-05:00

How did I not give shouts to the kids going to the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival this week!? Cameron Esposito put some her thoughts about it down in Chilarious, a relatively new blog from Chicago Now. Cameron -- this week will be incredible, and we WILL laugh the next time we see you at a local open mic!!

Photo by Elizabeth McQuern.

March in Chicago is just so lovely, don't you think!?

2009-06-11T12:37:00.006-05:00

I do! But only when it is ACTUALLY MARCH. Here is CHI, we are submerged in about 47 ft. of rain. No exaggeration! I haven't left my house too much the last couple weeks (but this is mostly due to lack of $$$ flow and palling around w/ a new friend). I still wanted to update the ol' blog and send out some linky love, so here it be:

TONIGHT! Catch little Joselyn Hughes on Tosh.0, Daniel Tosh's new Comedy Central/multimedia program. Joselyn is also a regular blogger on the multimedia portion of the program, and now will be showing her beautiful face on the tee-vee!

Shouts to Kumail Nanjiani, currently killing it at Bonnaroo, and writing for the new show, Michael & Michael Have Issues, scheduled to premiere July 15 on Comedy Central.

Big ups to Dan Telfer, who was recently on the syndicated Bob & Tom radio show, which was then aired on WGN this past Tuesday, and on top of that, he got big comedy nerd street cred by showing up on A Special Thing!

Those wacky kids at Blewt! super-nerded out and created a "competitor" to TinyURL: FartURL. I think next time the boss needs a URL shortened, I'm going to be playing a little prank...

I missed the CD Release Party this past Saturday, but that don't mean I love Lola Balatro any less. The CD is now avail for purchase, and its release coincides with their new video, "Questionable Beef":

Questionable Beef from Lola Balatro on Vimeo.

Oh, did you guys catch Zach Galifianakis on Talk of the Nation the other day? When are we gonna see The Hangover?

I've been outta the loop! Drop some linkies in the comments section and I'll go ahead and get those posted up, too. How is everyone today?

MELANCOMEDY

2009-06-08T12:03:00.004-05:00

Sweet write-up in the Apiary today for our boy Andy Ross, blowing it up in the NYC! Congrats on a great opening, Andy!

Catch the show June 11, 18, or 25!

Speaking of ex-pats, do be sure to get your tix for next Thursday's Homecoming Show at the Lincoln Lodge. You can get tix for Wednesday instead, if you'd like. And then there's the Chicago Stand-Up Run-Down shows Friday and Saturday, also at the Lodge. And lots of other shows that week, too. I'll be at the Lodge Thursday, reunited with our Angel, returned home to us.

AFTER HOURS REUNION

2009-05-30T11:53:00.003-05:00

WHY IN HELL AM I GOING TO BALTIMORE JUNE 19-21? Quite possibly the worst decision I have ever made.

I'm back online, Internet buddies. Almost totally unpacked and settled in. Have officially balanced the checkbook, and let's just say, my Birthday Week next week is probably going to be a lot of me sitting in front of my computer watching downloaded eps of the Wire over one tall boy. BROKE. I am broke. As evidence: I just finished lunch, made from things I have in the apt. Specifically, plain pasta "tossed" w/ a can of black olives and some salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper (yes, it was as weird as it sounds). I don't want to spend any money on groceries, but it's inevitable.

That being said, I am unopposed to having $6 pitchers of Old Style down at the Two Way Lounge this afternoon. You should come by. You being that one reader in the Netherlands.

Illegal Use of Hands

2009-05-28T22:08:00.003-05:00

Today was an up and through the roof day here during Manic Week. I'm moving tomorrow a.m., and have been kinda living outta boxes and getting ready, Ready, READY to go. Lots of changes going on, and a lot of revisiting the past. A lot of moving forward. But ANYWAY, the thing that's helping me get re-grounded, and helping to keep my spirits positive, is my soul crew. I have a couple friend, and their new baby (almost 10 years in the making, those friends); I have my roomie "K-Roll", who I shared most of 2006 with and obviously the years afterward; I have my Angel, who I chat with daily via email and/or phone, and with whom I am making Big Tentative Plans... and I have the Old Comedy Crew. Most of them are in LA or NYC right now, but we keep track of each other via the Interwebs and their visits back to CHI (sadly enough, I don't get out to either of those cities w/ the frequency I would like). Tonight I packed up the last of my things, watched my roomie make a pie from scratch, put the rest of the veggies in the fridge into my tummy, and drank some Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout (not my usual, but my downstairs neighbors' homemade stout I sipped last night was so good I wanted a little more).

And now, I feel myself crashing a little bit, and being a little bit sad about leaving in the a.m. I mean for chrissake, my roomie just left the apt. to get ice cream so we could have a little to go w/ our homemade pie. And there are two fluffy orange kitties here! And, and... I could go on. But, I am excited and ready for the next chapter. And that means a sweet little studio apt. that is ALL MINE, and one of my best comedy friends is in shouting distance away, across the parking lot (MR RICKY CARMONA, THAT'S MY BOY!), and I will be in a new neighborhood w/ new adventures and a renewed sense of purpose in this life and for this CHI stand-up scene and the people within it who make up my heart and soul entirely.

My point for all of this rambling, is this: way back when, someone called Jordan Vogt-Roberts started to make some films with stand-ups. I remember going to the launch party in 2006 for the (now-defunct) Web site, and seeing the 10 minute intro reel, and being in utter and total awe. Jaw-dropped awe. It's been 3 years, and I know that boy has been doing the work and doing it well. Tonight, I'm looking back on some of his stuff, as I chill out from Manic Week and reflect on the future of everything. The below "trailer" is one of my favorite pieces, because it was created at the exact moment in time I needed to see those kids, and because it, as a premise and as a film piece, is just incredible, IMO.

2009-05-28T13:46:00.003-05:00

from The Comic's Comic Sean McCarthy:

TBS launching late-night stand-up series in November

TBS will use its inaugural partnership with Just For Laughs Chicago to launch a 10-episode late-night TV series devoted to showcasing up-and-coming stand-up comedians. Tim Meadows (SNL) will host The Very Funny Show, which will tape 30 comedians (or three per episode) at Zanies June 19-20 during JFL Chicago, broadcasting them weekly come November (paired somehow with the George Lopez offering? or maybe on the weekends against SNL and Wanda Sykes???).

Many of the stand-ups getting exposure in the initial run on TBS already have a TV credit or two. The lineups will include: Bob Marley, Dwight Slade, Steve Byrne, Andrew Kennedy, Al Madrigal, Joe Matarese, Dwayne Perkins, Jeff Dye, John Caparulo, Nick Thune, Erin Jackson and Louis Ramey. And representing the Chicago area: Patti Vasquez, Rocky LaPorte, Hannibal Buress, Matt Braunger, John Roy, Sebastian Mansicalco, John Mulaney, TJ Miller, and Dale Jones.

Sounds a lot like something in between what Comedy Central has been doing with its Live at Gotham and half-hour Comedy Central Presents series. Here's what Dennis Adamovich, senior VP and g.m. of the TBS comedy festivals, had to say about it: "This series demonstrates how our comedy festivals are more than just first-rate showcases through which we can extend the TBS brand. They are also an outstanding opportunity to mine fresh talent for the network's comedy lineup."

----

HOW COOL IS THIS YOU GUYS???

I am going to Baltimore the weekend these tape, though. :( I will be at the Homecoming shows Weds and Thurs, however!

MEMORIAL DAY

2009-05-25T17:00:00.004-05:00

Chad Briggs.

Last night was "I don't have to work Monday so I'm going OUT Sunday night" debauch -- aka Memorial Day Weekend Shenanigans. Angel reminded me earlier today that Memorial Day Weekend ALWAYS means debauchery, for some reason. Unfortunately/fortunately, I attended a very fun BBQ earlier in the day, and started the PBRing pretty early on. Sufficed to say, I couldn't even make it to the end of the Your Sunday Best Schubas open mic last night. I think we got close, but alas, had to Irish goodbye it into the night.

As an aside, it was a good "first show/indoctrination" for ~~my pal~~ Amanda -- she plans to do a photo documentary on the underground stand-up scene next semester for her senior thesis, so I've been bringing her out and about here and there for the last month or so. Last night was her first Schubas. I think y'all did a good job of giving her the bidness. Next fall, smile real big, cuz you gonna be in pictures! (good ones anyway)

REPOST!

2009-05-24T16:31:00.005-05:00

about a year ago, i created a graph based on Brady Novak's query: Is there anything better than comedy? i attempted to discover the answer, based on a graph i formulated. it was very scientific.

as you can see, no, there is nothing better than comedy.

on that note, i'm off to the first BBQ of the season, at my buddy John Barry's house. and then to the Memorial Day Weekend Schubas Open Mic. i intend to make a night of it. for the first time this year, i DON'T have to work tomorrow. this means trouble for you and all of your loved ones.

Hannibal Zannibal

2009-05-20T20:19:00.003-05:00

Have you read this Decider blog about Hannibal Buress, written by Steve Heisler? It's fun! Read it. Back in the day, I sometimes hung out w/ Hannibal into the early, early morning hours when we'd be at the same open mic, b/c the train he took home didn't start running again until 4 a.m. That was how I was first introduced to Kingston Mines, as it was one of the only places that was open late night that we didn't have to spend a lot of money. Since then, he has... well, go read the article. And he's in town all this week at Zanies. We were treated to a headliner set at ChUC last night after he got done w/ Zanies, in fact. See him if you can. It's an honest-to-god goddamn treat.

Photo swiped from Decider. Thanks Steve!

encouragement./art./plans.

2009-05-20T13:08:00.004-05:00

ChUC blew the roof right off the Beat Kitchen last night, honestly. It is INSANE to realize that showcase is going to be 4 years old on May 31. FOUR YEARS. I have been seeing ChUC showcases for 4 years. I have experienced nearly every (actually, I'll venture to say every) facet of Chicago comedy in the last 4 years. I-N-S-A-N-E. Found the love of my life (Angel) b/c of comedy. Met my soul crew. Wrote about it. Worked for it. Played in it. Breathed it.

I wonder what is next. Sometimes I think that, at least for a few more years, I'll continue to work and breathe and live it. Learn from it. Grow from it. Be inspired by it.

And sometimes I wonder if I'll pack it all up and accompany Angel out West. She needs the weather out there. Besides comedy, CHI has been letting me down. And, I don't know. I love the CHI scene. I don't want to leave it. But my soul crew is dissipating, and my heart is getting lonely. But the laughs haven't stopped, the art is still being made, the magic is still in full force. I can tell; a new crew is rising and they are blowing it UP. But my heart gets lonelier as the years go on. So I have to figure it out: do I stay, and be at peace w/ my heart, with the help of Chicago comedy, or do I make another big Life Leap and go West, to see which next adventures await? I moved to CHI in 2000. It will be the end of 2010 when I move, if I do. That's 10 years. Is it time for the next adventure to begin?

WOW. What a ramble. I have done so much writing today. I can't seem to stop.

And I don't think Angel can stop sketching, lately. Check out one of her latest pieces. It portrays an actual moment in time from one year ago:

"Your Sunday's Best" Sunday open mic at Schuba's Tavern on Belmont & Southport.

At the bar.

HAPPENED: Sunday, June 1/Monday, June 2/The midnight of Kristy "K-Rock" Mangel's 30th Birthday.

In this drawing: Sean Flannery, James Fritz, Brendan McGowan

i have a present, it is the present

2009-05-19T11:37:00.005-05:00

I AM SO DAMN BORED AT WORK YOU GUYS. So anyway: I had a fun comedy weekend this past one. Hit up the Lodge for Friday's Dwight Nights show -- that room was ON FIRE. (pics from Bella can be found here). It was so fun to be back home at the Lodge, sitting w/ Mary at the bar, chilling w/ the performers in the back room. And some post-show shenanigans that evening helped me "get my groove back" (is that too much of a 1990s/tired out chick reference?) after a pretty debilitating break-up. Perspective, I needed some! Comedy and friends and immense, immense fondness helped me sort it all out. GOOD TIMES, I'll say it again.

Chilled w/ a girlfriend and her baby the whole next day/evening, which was also incredibly healing. Especially when the baby alternated between spitting up and smiling, depending on what part of the story I was telling. That little girl is going to be a pretty funny adult human, I can already tell!

Sunday afternoon was bloody marys w/ a new dear friend, and we discussed a very interesting project she might be embarking upon next semester. It has to do with the local stand-up scene and her senior thesis. Obviously, she needs to develop it a bit, so more details at a later date, hopefully. I'm *pretty* excited to see it come to fruition, however.

After beginning w/ bloody marys so early in the day, I knew I wasn't going to be getting anything very productive done for the rest of it. So, a nap was in order, and then it was time to bounce to Schubas open mic -- MY FAVORITE. I always have such a good time there. I got to chill a lot at the bar with Accountants of Homeland Security's and Drinking Liberally's Matthew Filipowicz, which was totally fun. I had attended one of Drinking Liberally's debate gatherings at Chicago Ale House several months ago, so it was good to catch up.

I also met a girl named Brandy (last name?) in from L.A. Totally fun and sweet. I hope to befriendify her virtually at some point soon, so if anyone knows her last name, drop it in the comments section...

Several other comics really impressed me that night, too. Perhaps I was just ready for lots of great laughs, or perhaps I've just been gone for too long, but I'm super excited to start watching several new folks out there on a regular basis. There's even a pretty big, strong crop of new ladies coming up. I know that Cameron Esposito has been ushering in more girls and women interested in performing, with her Feminine Comique classes -- it's so, so cool to see that great female energy in a room. Especially helpful in balancing out male comics whose entire open mic set consists of a graphic description of having sex w/ a girlfriend in the shower while she is menstruating. No lie.

I ended Sunday on another unexpected, uplifting, fun times note. Ain't gonna lie; this weekend was GREAT, in a few different regards.

I'M BACK, BABY (as KROOOOO!!!! might say).

Divorce Hits -- probably a good album actually?

2009-05-13T10:21:00.004-05:00

Divorce Albums of the 1980s - watch more funny videos

Starring Kyle Kinane and Emily Maya-Mills. God that Kyle killllls me.

Ended up staying in last night w/ a couple girlfriends and ton of wine. It was just what the doctor (psych-doctor) ordered! But I'm bummed that I missed ChUC. BUT, I am excited for Friday (not only b/c it's payday!), b/c it's the second-to-last Lodge show of the season, and my friend Matt Braunger (last ~~scene~~ seen on MadTV, what what!) will be in town for it!

The penultimate show of the season features our own ALLISON LEBER and ELIOT RAHAL and joining them on this very funny Friday is droll diatribist JAMES FRITZ , iconoclastic cut-up CARRIE CALLAHAN and that goofiest of geniuses MIKE SHEEHAN !

It wouldn't be Dwight Nights without a visit from one or two of our illustrious alumni so we're ever so jazzed to announce a special extended set from Mad TV and Late Night With David Letterman star MATT BRAUNGER who returns to the Lodge for the first time in five years!

Cowboy Love at the Town Hall Pub

2009-05-09T14:49:00.005-05:00

Hey everybody! I fin-al-ly uploaded some fun pics from a couple recent shows at the Town Hall Pub. Here are the links! Here are some images!

The Puterbaugh Sisterz and their Easter Extravaganza! (click for more!)

Nate Simmons, a newer comic (to me) that I've been having a lot of fun watching. As an aside, I plan to celebrate the last day of my 30th year at his open mic (The Globe) Monday, June 1. You are all required to attend! I will be sending the 'official' (re: Facebook status) invite soon! (click for more!)

Tomorrow it's back to Town Hall/Schubas to chill w/ my now-L.A. boys Josh Cheney and Bradley Fojas. Do come out!

SOUL CREW

2009-05-04T23:44:00.003-05:00

In addition to tomorrow night's already awesome show at ChUC (the debut/preview of Sean Flannery's one man show, which might be featuring some of Angel's artwork!), I just got a message that TJ will be in town for it! Crazzzzzy. Shit is gonna be crazy. You gotta make it out! It's going to be FREE, too!

I have some pics from a couple shows at Town Hall recently, and got into some SUPER FUN shenanigans w/ the Schubas Your Sunday Best crew last night, but I have to go back to data entry right now. That's right; I work at home until midnight sometimes. So STOP BEING INCREDULOUS bartender at Schubas who clearly doesn't know what my scene is -- what is the title of my damn blog, for chrissake!? YES I WILL HAVE THAT SEVENTH PBR THANKS.

Yes, and as a note to friends, lovers, and enemies who don't roll like me and my soul crew do, I put some back most always at the comedies. It's how I do. Go back to your televisions now and shut your mouth. (I'm probably only drinking cranberry juice tomorrow. HA!).

Also, I will try and update this more accordingly. Life has been whack busy lately. For instance, I want to do a Coastal Round-up once a week, to peep the shenanigans LA/NYC CHI transplants are up to, and I'd like to get to know the new crop of talent here in CHI (I've been out of it for awhile now), so I might be cyberstalking some folks soon! I also took notes at the open mic last night, that really got pretty silly by the end of the night. I would die if anyone saw them. I might scan them in anyway.