i.O. has issued a press release about TJ Miller and Thomas Middleditch's newly renamed Tuesday Riot being reformatted to include stand-up. Stand-up comedy at one of Chicago's legendary improv theaters? How can this be?

Some hard-core improv folks are up in arms, and many stand-up folks are saying "hey, now..."

Comments on the announcement include "I just hope it doesn't ruin improv," "There goes the neighborhood," "I don't understand how (stand-up and improv) are mutually exclusive," and "Any sh*thead can see that some of the most hilarious and most successful performers in the city do (both improv and stand-up)."

Go check out the chatter for yourself on the Chicago Improv Network Board, and at the Chicago Haha Board.

In other gossipy news, the rumor mills are cranking out at an unprecedented rate on this dreary day in the Bastion offices. Which one of these rumors are true... and which ones are blatant attempts at self-promotion and/or feuds of unbridled hatred?

It was recently confirmed in a flurry of IM conversations that multimedia comedic guru David Angelo was seen schmoozing with a network casting director some weeks back in the fabled Signature Room of the John Hancock building. While this Chicago comic is known for his online bravado, we are positive this meeting did occur. Angelo has "never lost" a Haha board debate [EDIT: or a CIN board debate, apparently, as evidenced by the recent stand-up vs. improv thread], on any of the broad topic range issues, according to him. And, apparently he has a national comedy tour in the works.

Recent FOIA requests have allowed us privilege into another IM conversation, which may more aptly be called a blood feud between self-titled "power broker" Rob Johnson and the scenester known as K-Rock*. The feud began whilst debating the merits of Der Wille zur Macht, and whether or not Johnson is an ubermensch. This feud has lasted for roughly two days and has now escalated into increasingly vicious GChat status messages aimed directly at the other.

*a.k.a. the Bastion's senior reporter, who often likes to engage in online battles with Chicago comedy personas during her workday.

- Kristy Mangel