The Bastion caught "WAR! Now In It's 4th Smash Year" on the Second City mainstage Tuesday night.

Why do we lie? "Because it's easy and it makes us feel good." This point is made again and again as a nicely-sharpened stick is poked in the eyes of homophobia, overt as well as subtle racism, and, of course, that whole riduculous war thing. Lies in the family room, lies in a military recuiting office, lies on an online dating profile - they all spring from the same motivations.

There's a broad range of Chicago comedy experience behind writers and performers Joe Canale, Molly Erdman (a co-founder of Sirens Improv), Ithamar Enriquez, Brian Gallivan, Robyn Norris (filling in for Maribeth Monroe), and Claudia Michelle Wallace. (Almost all of them can be heard as guests on Second City musical director Ruby Streak's "We'll Be Right Back.") Collectively they've trained and performed at several Second City theaters, i.O., The Annoyance, and ComedySportz, as well as being able to claim a wide range of tv and movie credits.

Particularly funny moments included Claudia Michelle Wallace doing an "Oprah parts the Dan Ryan" bit in a sketch about the Almighty O, a musical number about the ban on gay marriage, a few well-delivered points about the debate on immigration, and several sharp blackouts.

In Second City gossip, mainstage performer Maribeth Monroe (who spoke on Ruby Streak's show about her audition for Saturday Night Live) is currently packing her bags for LA, with several years of mainstage and touring company experience to her credit, as well as theater credits including national tours of "My Cousin's Wedding" and "Sex and The Second City," which she co-wrote with current Second City producer Kirk Hanley.

And while we're gossiping, can someone please clarify whether the guy Second City students saw lurking suspiciously around Piper's Alley earlier this week is the real Mike Myers or that Mike Myers lookalike-with-a-Russian-accent we hear is taking improv classes there? Just when we think we know for sure, someone steps forward with another confusing bit of information. If we missed our chance to approach a real live celebrity with the eight millionth bad Austin Powers impression he's had to suffer, we're going to be ticked off.