Dollar Store, Second City News, Schadenfreude Rocks Wilmette
The Dollar Store is throwing an extra awesome show at the Hideout at 7 PM on March 2, if you feel like enjoying a little taste of "photographer/provocateur Nathan Keay, comedian Chris McAvoy and short-story great Pete Coco."
Through a new program with The Second City, Columbia College students will get credit for playing around in classes like "Context for Comedy," "History and Analysis of Comedy" and "Creating Scenes through Improvisation." No word on a prereq course involving banana peels and seltzer bottles.
Speaking of The Second City, alum Alan Arkin snagged an Oscar for his role in "Little Miss Sunshine" Sunday night. This is extra cool because, as Jack Black, Will Farrell, and John C. Reilly explained through song (in the clip below), comic actors don't often get the respect that their more dramatic thespian brothers do when it comes to "serious awards" time:
Chicago sketch mainstays Schadenfreude took a little break from their monthly rent parties but are coming back with a vengeance this Saturday night at 8 PM at an extra fancy location: the Wilmette Theater. The show will be recorded for Chicago Public Radio, hot on the heels of (fake) Alderman Ed Bus' appearances on 848. Justin Kaufmann also tells us that tonight "We are going to be on Chicago Public Radio’s election coverage. Tonight when they do the election results show, they are going to check in with the campaign headquarters for Alderman Ed Bus. We aren’t going to tell the audience it’s not real. So it’s election night stunt city baby! I’m going to pipe in some sfx and music and make it seem like a big party."
Here's a clip of Aspen Comedy Festival-bound Chicago sketch comedy duo KevInda playing at last April's Rent Party:
And, at another Rent Party, Pete Grosz talks about the inherent weirdness of doing stand-up comedy with Saved By The Bell's Screech:
Mankind's Survival, Hamburger in Town, TJ Carpools
Okay, we've said it a million times already, and we'll say it again: Impress These Apes is a show you NEED to see. Lucky for you, they're holding the finale of their eight-week run at the 300-seat Lakeshore Theater, so you can actually get in tonight -- the show's run at Playground has been regularly sold out all seven weeks thus far. The contest's winner tonight will be lauded with a $250 cash prize, and the distinct honor of saving mankind from imminent doom.
If you haven't heard yet, the infamous Neil Hamburger will be headlining tomorrow's People Under the Stares show at the Hideout. Sara over at Drag City, the folks that produce the show, tells us, "Neil is one of the most creative comedians around. He's a character, not an observational humorist. He tells off-color jokes, has a bit of a throat clearing problem, a little problem with cocktails, and definitely has some issues with his hair styling and fashion sense. He's also well-loved by many, including Tom Green (he's got his own show on Tom Green's online channel called "Poolside Chats with Neil Hamburger") Jimmy Kimmel (he's made several appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live). Finally, Jack Black invited him to open the Tenacious D tour. He's since performed at Madison Square Garden, to a whole new crop of adoring and somewhat perplexed fans." Local powerhouses Brady Novak and Jason Fever open.
And finally, an official announcement from Blerds: "Our own TJ Miller was cast as Marmaduke in ABC’s comedy pilot “Carpoolers.” It’s directed by the Russo brothers (Arrested Development) and written by Bruce McCulloch (Kids in the Hall). Produced by Dreamworks, 3arts (30 Rock) and Touchstone. He is excited and has already spent all the money before he got it (or before it even gets on television)." Congrats TJ!!!
Prescott Tolk is a Chicago-based stand-up comedian who stays very busy working the road, goofs off with the Blerds gang (see his "Jewel Osco" video here), and has enjoyed a spot on Comedy Central's Premium Blend, the video of which can be seen here. He performs regularly around Chicago at the Lincoln Lodge, Chicago Underground Comedy, and can be seen on Rooftop Comedy as well. He may or may not be working on a novel about a sexy alcoholic bartender who wants to go to beauty school, and definitely has a few things to say about the allegorical power of the bagel, the charms of Nazi-themed restaurants, and the naughty braggadocio of certain scientists.
What are you up to these days with stand-up? Anything new and exciting on the horizon?
I'm taking stand-up to the next level. I'm talking about the level below the one we're on now. I miss that level. Everything on the horizon is exciting. That's why it's so hard to reach. If everything goes according to plan, I should be releasing a CD this spring and debuting a one-man show in the summer. If everything doesn't go according to plan, I should be reading this interview in The Bastion archives and feeling like a failure. Ready. Set. Go.
How did you get started in comedy, and what brought you to Chicago?
I first considered comedy as a career when I was eight years old. I was a mischievous kid, and stand-up comedy looked like a profession that rewarded a person for being a screw-up in society. As long as it's witty, it's okay. Look at Richard Pryor. Half his act is about messed up shit he did, but the audience loves him because he can convey all that with humor. Again, comedy trumps humiliation. And if you can make humiliation look cool, then you're a winner in my book.
I auditioned for a high school talent show and did not make the cut. I had gotten so amped about doing it at that point that I decided to do go to an open mic in Manhattan (I was a Jersey kid) and try it. I wound up performing in the back of Hamburger Harry's in Midtown Manhattan. A neurotic middle-aged Jewish woman named Gladys had created a comedy room in the back of this burger joint. It was actually a pretty nice room and the stage even had a big neon sign with Gladys's name hanging on the wall. I got two big laughs that confirmed what I had thought. It is so awesome to get laughs on stage. So I was hooked.
I didn't do any stand-up during my first two years at Northwestern. But in my junior year, I started to journey into the Chicago comedy scene. I moved to Jersey after graduation and spent four years doing stand-up comedy in New York City. As much as I loved New York, I felt a strange yearning to return to Chicago. It turns out that it was a great move for me. I have seen a hip comedy scene grow and feel good to be a part of it.
How did your spot on Comedy Central's Premium Blend come about, and what was the experience of filming that like?
I made a deal with the devil. At the time it made sense because I had been born with two souls. Plus, I'm Jewish. I thought I had diplomatic immunity. But now I'm kind of screwed. I still want to do Conan. Although, to be honest, who really needs a soul? I think it was probably necessary in neolithic times or something. Kind of like the appendix.
I enjoyed every moment of my experience doing Premium Blend. I love watching television, so it was great to be able to be on television and then have the opportunity to watch myself on television. I also like when I walk into a drug store and suddenly notice myself in the television monitor above the bargain bin.
You are a popular performer in clubs and colleges across the country. What are some of the pluses and minuses about working the road?
Pluses? (Doesn't that word look dirty?)
The road is where you get tough. If there were a comedian that was getting ready for a big battle against another comedian, there would be a montage of the comedian typing on a keyboard, standing in front of a mirror, and performing at a Best Western in Dubuque, Iowa. The minuses are inherent. The pay is bad and the audiences are often worse. But, in truth, the road shapes a comedian's voice and trains a comedian to adapt. Weekend shows are generally great everywhere, so whatever price you pay during the week is worth it.
If I could revert back to a childhood fantasy vocation, I think that the appeal of the traveling comic is that of the gunslinger's ballad. You come into a town alone, enter a bar with a bunch of staring strangers, and destroy the place. What a feeling. Of course, then it's back to a stuffy motel room with rough sheets and free CNN. At least that is what I tend to do. Although I'm sure if I tried, I could find a brothel with a poker game somewhere.
Your Bombast show with TJ Miller was pretty well received on both coasts as well as here in Chicago. How did that show come about, and what was it like to take it on the road?
I had been hosting an improv show at a theatre space called Frankie J.'s Methadome Theatre. It was a gorgeous 55-seat black box theatre that was worth performing in no matter how small of an audience showed. I wanted to do a stand-up show in a theatre, but I wanted to frame it in a way that appealed to a hip alternative crowd.
Aside from being a fan of TJ's, I thought his high-energy absurdism (both physically and verbally) complemented my low-key gritty minimalism. I loved Mr. Show and wanted TJ and I to introduce the show differently each time like Bob and Dave. This is where we started exploring the sketch component to our show. When it came time to take the show on the road, we invested more time into the sketches. Soon enough, the show looked like good dessert. People ate it up (no he didn't!).
Your Blerds offerings are pretty great. What's it like hanging around with that gang, and shooting those short films?
I don't believe that things happen for a reason, but if I were one of those absurd people, I guess I would surmise that my purpose for moving back to Chicago was serendipitously linked to the formation of Blerds. I don't want to sound like a nut here, but let me just say that if I didn't care about sounding like a nut, I could easily say that the very existence of blerds is an example of Divine Intervention. Do those publicity shots scream apostolic or what?
Truthfully, Blerds is pretty much the new Wu-Tang Clan. Thanks to Kumail, it is slightly more diverse. But I could not have pieced together a cooler group of people. I predict that Blerds becomes a formidable comic force in the coming year.
Are you really working on a novel? What's it about?
I am really working on a novel. I write novels the way a lot of people do math: in my head. But this is the real deal now. I'm adding this to that list about things on the horizon. By May, I will have completed a comic adventure about a sexy alcoholic bartender and the romantic exploits that complicate her efforts to win a scholarship to beauty school. "By May," means the end of May, right?
What are the top three pieces of advice you would offer someone just starting out with stand-up?
I'll do one better. I'll give you four.
1. Watch and imitate the comics you like best.
2. Just be yourself.
3. Never be hypocritical.
4. Get on MySpace comedy, not just MySpace.
--Do you like trolley rides, food, and improv/sketch comedy? Sign up for the The League of Chicago Theaters Comedy Sampler Tour! This Saturday’s tour starts downtown at the Chicago Tourism Center (72 E. Randolph) at 2:30 pm, followed by a trolley ride to Annoyance Productions' new home (4840 N. Broadway), a performance at the Cornservatory (4210 N. Lincoln), then dinner at Joey's Brickhouse on Belmont, and a full-length performance by Second City, and a trolley ride back downtown. Tickets are $90 per person. Make reservations at 312-554-9800 or any Hot Tix. Thanks to Gapers Block for the tip!
--This past Sunday, Jay Harris informed us that Nate Bargatze, a comic who got his land legs right here in Chicago in the early ‘naughts, was recently on a Country Music TV stand-up special with Mike Armstrong, Gary Mule-Deer, and others. Anyone catch it?
--Our friends over at Chicagoist are having a “theater bee”. Justin Sondak explains: “It doesn't seem fair when talented up-and-coming theater companies struggle to attract time-starved critics focused on more established institutions and touring shows. Recently, we’ve been part of the problem, reviewing the same productions covered by virtually every other media outlet in town. So now we ask you: what have we been missing?
“Next month, Chicagoist will turn its attention to performers still craving attention and respect from the MSM. Email us and explain, in 200 words or less, why your company deserves 15 minutes of fame on our site, why Chicagoist readers and Chicago's culture vultures should come see your production. Let us know about your company and your show and point us to your website if you have one. The most compelling entry will be profiled and reviewed.
Please follow da link to see more info! Especially invited are our sketchers out there. Deadline is February 28.
--In case you hadn’t heard, the Lincoln Lodge is hosting the Chicago Montreal stand-up auditions tonight and tomorrow. Not only is the electricity literally buzzing at these shows, but it’s a chance to see literally the top of the top in a nice tight 90 min. show.
Thursday's lineup features Greg Mills, Deb Downing, Pat Brice, Brady Novak, Becky Garcia, Mike Bridenstine, Mike Holmes, Prescott Tolk, Jared Logan, C.J. Sullivan, Mike Olson and Andy Ross.
Friday's lineup features Peter Grosz, Sean Flannery, Tyler Kroll, Allison Leber, Ken Barnard, Monte, Josh Cheney, Kumail Nanjiani, Bill Cruz, Fay Canale, Nate Craig, Tony Sam and Robert Buscemi.
--And finally, sad news: Lani of the Lani and Emi Show is moving away from us, to Toronto. She has two more shows here before she takes off, so see this little powerhouse while you still have a chance. Tonight at the Annoyance Lani will perform with Emi prior to Messing with a Friend (10:30 p.m.), and this Sunday she will be at i.O. with the Future (8 p.m.). Saturday, March 10, there will be a goodbye party at the Holiday Club, from 10 p.m. on.
Apes, the Mix, Tuesday Riot, ChUC, Chicago Comedy Awards
The Bastion has been up to its usual tricks, hitting Impress These Apes followed by the open mic at the Mix on Monday, and Thomas and TJ's Tuesday Riot followed by Chicago Underground Comedy last night. Yeah, we might need a night off.
The Impress These Apes talent this week was short film, and the hapless human contestants, try though they might, may not be able to fend off the eventual destruction of humanity and the planet itself. (Also, is it just us, or is Professor Scoresboard more openly hostile to his banana-mashing captors as time goes on? Not that we blame him, what with the constant humiliation of that organ grinder monkey suit they make him wear.) Some of the films were pretty chuckleworthy, and we all got free popcorn, so it all evens out in the end. Oh, and next week's show, which is the grand finale, will not be at the Playground, but rather, the Lakeshore Theater, at Broadway and Belmont. Be there to see the grand prize winner pocket a life-changing $250, and, you know, witness the end of homo sapiens.
The Mix open mic was mellow, as usual, with a steady stream of comics rotating through the room, and little glitches like the spotlight burning out, requiring the comedians to stand, Hannibal Lecter-like, directly under a stage light. We chatted with the usual suspects, including Robert Buscemi, Hannibal, Andy Ross, Jena Friedman, and Bill Cruz, and caught a few minutes by Jack Calhoun and Jared Logan as Brady Novak hosted what the nerdier among us secretly hoped would have been a straight-up President's Day show. What? Michael Palascak pulled off a clothesline of Presidential jokes. Some people appreciated the effort.
Last night's Thomas and TJ's Tuesday Riot actually didn't feature TJ Miller, as he's off in L.A. chasing down some tv-related pilot opportunities of some sort. (We got a one-line e-mail on that one. Hey, we can't get the full scoop all the time!) But Thomas Middleditch and his guest improviser did their best with a tiny audience who (ahem) supplied the performers with the hackiest of audience suggestions to work with. (Sorry to tell you, loud and possibly drunk dude in back row, but improvisers have heard things like "dildo" and "poo" yelled out from the darkness of the audience since the dawn of time. Seriously.) Brendan McGowan, Mike Holmes, and Prescott Tolk took the stage for the stand-up portion of the show, which, again, was not an ideal situation for them, in terms of the number of audience members and the non-clubby set-up of the Del Close Theater, but we have high hopes for this show turning into something pretty great if it is able to build up a loyal following.
Chicago Underground Comedy was good fun last night. Chicago comedy photog and megafan Katie Moore was led onstage and treated to a big blazing birthday cake and a singalong, although she was awfully quick to duck the spotlight and leap offstage. (The cake, in case you're wondering, was white, with chocolate icing - quite tasty.) Mike Bridenstine hosted, and featured comics included the delightful Cameron Esposito, who revealed that she and her sister, like a lot of Catholic kids, grew up transfiguring various household snack items into the holy host for playtime games of Mass. (We went for smashed Wonder Bread ourselves, but apparently Better Cheddars and Nilla Wafers will also do in a pinch.) Also onstage at ChUC were Daryl Amandes (of the Adventure Club and Scribble), Ricky Carmona, David Angelo, and Sean Flannery. Also there to enjoy a laugh (and yoink some cake) were Bradley Fojas, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Lauren Bishop and Hannah Gansen.
While at ChUC we were glad to offer congratulations to producer and comic Tony Sam, who nabbed the Mark Sinclair Memorial Award for Most Innovative Comedian at last week's Chicago Comedy Awards, which were hosted by Ken Bernard at the Lincoln Lodge. We have to think that award was apt. Have you seen anyone else whang more comedy out of a ukelele than Tony Sam? No, you haven't. Other winners included Best Comedian Jared Logan, Most Improved Comedian Becky Garcia, and Comic's Choice C.J. Sullivan. It was mentioned that perhaps Ken, though he did a wonderful job as host, should be replaced next year so he can be eligible for a big shiny prize as well.
(Tony Sam picture courtesy of Krystle Gemnich. Krystle's photos from the Chicago Comedy Awards here, and yet another great set from Katie Moore here.)
"Sandy Takes a Break" Gets a Break, My Slushy Valentine, Don Hall Reviews Teatro Bastardo
Chris Lee and Ben Seeder, the creative minds behind the character-driven sketch show Sandy Takes a Break, have been invited to take their show to Comedy Central Stage in Los Angeles on March 15, and will be staging a special performance on Friday, March 2nd, 10:30PM @ iO before shoving off for Californ-eye-aye.
The Bastion splashed its way through puddles of melted black snow last Wednesday to catch the special Valentine's edition of the Spectacular Show and was rewarded with freshly-iced cupcakes, courtesy of comic and show producer Cameron Esposito, who regaled the audience with tales of painful long-distance breakups and a series of poems including "Shall I Compare Thee to the Movie The Fifth Element?" and "Shall I Compare Thee to the Movie Terminator Two?"
Gorilla Tango is a nice intimate setting for a comedy show, with a mic-less stage off to one corner. Performers included Chris Sanders, who read from a purported couple of love letters between two of his ancestors, one full of love and longing, one a "you left your musket at my place, please come and get it" brush-off. Darius Kennedy got a few chuckles by reading a poem based on a conversation he overheard, called "Pick Up Your Kids," featuring arguments mixed with promises of reservations at Ponderosa and Sybaris. Robert Buscemi and Hannibal wrapped up the show, and sweet treats and BYOB bevvies were enjoyed by all.
Longtime curmudgeon and fervent believer in the power of theater Don Hall has logged in with his thoughts about the dangers of sketch and improv performers spreading themselves too thin with too many side projects, and offers a review of Teatro Bastardo's "Life is a Joke," directed by Joe Janes, giving props where props are due, and concluding with "This group has talent and with Joe at their helm has real potential. Now they need to lose some of their 'side projects' and focus in on the work they do together. Given an actual six months of intense rehearsal, these cats could blow minds."
Adam Witt is a writer, filmmaker, and comedian. He is a founding member of Schadenfreude, a Chicago sketch comedy group which enjoyed its own show on NPR for several years before focusing their efforts on screenplay work, and is still together despite Adam's recent move to California. Obsessed with filmmaking since he was a child, Adam is having fun in L.A., where, until he learns to successfully schmooze his way to megastardom, he is not at all getting tired of editing footage of naked girls. Former Schadenfreude member Ike Barinholtz, who currently stars on MADtv, recently told the Bastion that "Schad kicks ass, and if you live in Chicago and have never seen them, go right away, before they go all Hollywood." You can check out more of their videos here.
How did Schadenfreude come together, and what sorts of comedy projects have you done?
Schadenfreude came together in October of 1997 (that's Tin for all you traditional anniversary gift givers), when I asked five of my Second City classmates if they'd like to get together to form a sketch group. The original lineup was Ike Barinholtz, John Bolger, Kate James, Sandy Marshall, Gillian Vigman, and myself. Classmate Justin Kaufmann was at every show during our first run at The Playground, which at that time was at Cafe Ashie (now Stargaze in Andersonville). He started performing with us halfway through the run of sixteen awful shows. When we asked Justin to join he was so drunk he forgot the next day. Stephe Schmidt (writer/webmaster/lights & sound) was also at every Ashie show and started writing and co-directing with us when we started our two-year run at The Heartland Studio Theater in Rogers Park, ditto with Master of Ceremonies Mark Hanner to round out our "classic" lineup. Before hanging up our enormous prop bags we performed in 300+ stage shows, including a monthlong run in Edinburgh Scotland, a two-week run in New York, and twice Headlining the Chicago Improv Festival (one time turning the Athaneum into a Hotel & Casino complete with bellboys and blackjack tables). From 2003 to 2005 we wrote, produced, and voiced 60 radio theatre episodes of "Schadenfreude" for Chicago Public Radio and since then have been turning several of those episodes into screenplays. Hey, you asked.
We heard you all recently holed up in a snowbound cabin somewhere to finish off your second screenplay and/or fight off the temptation to go crazy and murder each other. What really happened during those dark days?
It had been a long time since Justin's writing had been praised by the critics and he was looking to get his career back on track, so when he discovered that Sandy had written a brilliant screenplay despite being a novice, Justin devised a plan with Kate to kill Sandy and take the screenplay for his own...wait, that's the plot to "Deathtrap."
What really happened was pure bliss, we were pretty excited to write together because we hadn't been together in four months since I ran off to L.A. Unlike previous retreats we weren't trying to write fifteen half-hour radio shows with sketches, concepts, and characters all from the ground up. We've lived with the characters who inhabit the Phudie Mart since we shot the short film in 1999. Since then the characters made several appearances onstage and episode 36 of our radio show is entirely about the Phudie Mart. So not only did we only have to write only ONE thing, but we got to play with characters who had built-in jokes, POV's we knew well. We knocked out 83 pages in five days, after ten years together we pretty much read each others minds. You ever laugh to the point of actual physical pain? There's one joke in Phudie Mart that made me laugh that hard, headaches, facecramps, everything. Now, three weeks later, thinking about it as I type, I just laughed out loud again.
Your blog is pretty entertaining. What's this whole "short-haired chick" stuff about? Would you characterize it as a fetish, or merely a strong aesthetic preference, and who according to your extensive research, is the ultimate short-haired chick?
YOU'RE entertaining. I don't know what a fetish is, can it be possible to have a Apple pie fetish? I like Apple pie? What can I say, femininity annoys me. It's bigger than aesthetics or a preference, you can tell almost everything about a girl by how short she keeps her hair. If I told you I just went climbing or camping or to a Pixies concert with my girlfriend, how long's her hair? I think a certain outlook on life accompanies that maligned hair choice, and I like more "pals" than "gals." Women are feminine no matter how boyish they dress, how much makeup they wear, or how short their hair is, society has conditioned us to believe otherwise, and lots and lots of guys agree with me. This concludes the Playboy profile portion of this interview. The ultimate Short-Haired chick? Janeane Garofalo - when she cuts it short, when she let's it grow long she looks like a dike.
Also, what the hell is Otisburg?
For those reading who might not know what you're talking about, Otisburg was the name of my blog on the previous incarnation of Schadenfreude's website. It has been replaced, as have all our personal blogs, with the group blog (before it was called "Otisburg" it was called "That's What They Want You To Think.")
As far as where the name comes from, well, Otisburg is a little itty bitty place, near Costa Del Lex, Lutherville, and Tessmacher Springs.
You moved from Chicago to L.A. a few months ago. Why did you move, and what are you up to there?
I felt my training in Chicago was complete, that I'd done ten times what I went there to do. The radio show was over, and I had quit my job of three years at a movie production company, so it felt like life was coming to a pause. It was also the first time in the history of Schadenfreude that I thought I could move and not hurt our process too much. My first love has always been the movies, and there was nothing more about the film industry that I could learn in Chicago. I wanted to take my little experience and go to the dead center of the entertainment industry where I didn't know shit and figure the industry out. Also, I was planning optimistically for the future of our first screenplay, "Alderman." Two months after I moved, Schadenfreude flew in for a meeting on the script with a talent agency.
Your interest in filmmaking goes way back. Tell us about the origins of that interest, and where you'd like to go with it in the future.
My generation's so lucky to have had so many celebrity directors while growing up, how could you NOT take an interest in filmmaking? Smoky and The Bandit was all the rage in 1977, but not a single person talked about Hal Needham, yet EVERY kid knew Spielberg and Lucas. That naturally led me to ask what it was that they did? I've studied directors ever since. I remember trying to give a presentation to my second grade class on matte photography. I don't think I explained it very well. I'm not sure I even understood it, but I wanted to. When I was in eighth grade we were supposed to shoot a fake commercial for English class. While the rest of the class made soap and cereal commercials, me and my buddies (who had studied Tom Savini's horror effects videotape religiously) made a bloodsoaked Friday The 13th trailer with pretty realistic effects. I was that kid in college who worked in the movie theatre, video store, and comic book store, which was a supercool pedigree until every indie filmmaker who broke in the nineties had the same story. I was working in a videostore when "Clerks" came out and I was like, "damn, yesterday it was cool, no I'm a fucking cliche." I got a video camera in 1993 and started making shorts and documenting my life. To date I've probably shot 500 documentary hours on Schadenfreude, someday I'll start editing.
We heard your work in L.A. has so far included editing jobs that involve looking at boobs, boobs, boobs all day long. Is it like the old gynecologist joke, you can hardly stand to look at them anymore, or is the love still there?
You know, I used to love porno, I mean really really love it. Yes, I've been editing Girls Gone Wild. Life can take some hilarious right turns. I'm told it's every man's dream, eh, not really, but you know what was my dream when I moved here? To get paid to edit, which I thought would NEVER happen. I've also gotten over the feeling of being "busted" watching porno when my producer walks in the door. Oh, and you know what else I've learned? The bush is extinct, we've finally done away with it as a species. I've seen fifty or sixty girls now and all of them are completely shaved, and you know what the guy behind the camera says every time? "Oh wow, you're shaved, that's hot." Is it? Or do they all look like that? Oh wow, you're wearing socks, THAT'S DIFFERENT.
Besides doing stuff to pay the bills, are you exploring comedy in L.A.? Seen anything great, or anything you'd like to get involved in?
Well I certainly didn't move to L.A. for the comedy scene, in fact I was kind of depressed when I moved because I had this thought in my mind like comedy was over for me because I wasn't going to be in Chicago anymore. It turns out that sketch, standup, and improv are kind of coming together to make a pretty vibrant underground comedy scene, which I thought had come and went in the early nineties with Beth Lapides' Un-Cabaret. I just read an article about how it's really catching fire. Who'd've guessed my timing was pretty good to catch a comedy wave here? Not that I've done anything but be funny on friends' couches.
Don Hall referred to Schadenfreude as "The Dick York of Chicago comedy." We'd like to give you a chance to respond, so please fill in the blank. "Don Hall is the _____________ of Chicago comedy."
Our friends at Blerds have been making quite the strides lately. We'd like to let our brethrenon the coasts know that they should be on the look out for our boys, as dates have been finalized and are as such:
This weekend: Blerds representatives will be at NACA in Nashville.
March 1-3. Opening for Vivid Comedy Party @ Riddles. Orland Park. Five shows in three days.
March 7. Empty Bottle. Chicago.
March 29. Underground Lounge. Chicago.
April 5. UCB. Los Angeles.
April 8. Beauty Bar. New York City.
April 10. Check Your Cool @ Parkside Lounge. New York City.
April 11. UCB. New York City.
April 12-14. DC Comedy Festival.
April 19. UCB. Los Angeles.
And, as a special bonus for us in Chicago, the first "Beers with Brido" will be held THIS Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Details from Mike Bridenstine himself are as follows:
"'Beers with Brido' is my new video podcast. Or vodcast, if you're a nerd. I thought it would be funny to do a talk show where everyone gets progressively and purposefully drunker. It was going to be called "12 Beers with Brido", but I don't want my guests to feel pressure to drink 12 entire beers (or only 12 beers, depending on who it is). I'm going to have comics and other friends of mine who are fun to drink with as guests. It'll be shot on camera and then edited down to five minute or so clips to watch online. The first episode will be taped live at the Spot on Sunday at 9:30pm. It'll feature my guests T.J. Miller, Sean Flannery, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, John Leadley and some other special guests. The Spot was very nice to give us open bar for much of the show taping."
Remember a few months back when your dear friends at The Bastion implored our local comedians to get their original content online to show their skills and creativity to the world?
Well, our little brothers at The Coming in L.A. are reporting that Lisa Nova, a girl with comedy inclinations, a camera, a YouTube account, and some good friends, has spun her little comedy videos into a spot on MADtv - after only seven months of posting her content.
What were you doing seven months ago? Reading our article and deciding it was too much hassle to film your stuff? That's what we thought.
Here's Lisa thanking her viewers and friends and supporters for helping her get this totally unexpected opportunity:
Woah! The Apiary informs us that: "Hometown comic John Mulaney, of "Oh, Hello" fame, got the call up from triple-A to make his debut appearance on Conan O'Brien tonight. TONIGHT. In a remarkably low-key bcc'd email yesterday, Mulaney writes, "The other guest is Nicholas Cage. He and I are old friends (long story) so it should be a lot of fun to pal around backstage. Happy Valentine's Day." Is there anything sweeter in life than the rare moment when opportunity and preparation intersect? Break a leg, Mulaney."
Congrats, John!!!
And a video from when he was visiting us this past summer:
We got word that the Impress These Apes finale on Monday, February 26th, will not be at The Playground Theater. It will be at The Lakeshore Theater. Producer Steve Gadlin says, “It will be off the hizzy, ka-splosive, and full of surprises. And there's a bar. The cast will be partying around said bar well into the night, and invite you to get your Monday on with them.” As faithful fans of this eight-week talent contest, we highly implore you to be in attendance at the finale, and not only that, but also the last show at the Playground, February 19, 8 p.m. Reservations strongly encouraged!
Toronto comedian David Dineen-Porter, who was in town visiting last month, has launched a comedy blog geared specifically for the comedic arts in and around the Toronto vicinity. Tune in to read and watch the wackiness that regularly comes from the Wilds of Canada... being that Chicago’s been in a deep freeze for a couple weeks, we think we now know why so much brilliant absurdity comes from our brothers and sisters up North.
The Snake Punch Union Comedy Tour was announced last week, which is being described as “Stand-up comedy by and for people who don't like stand-up comedy, people who didn't laugh once during "Clerks", the discerning humor consumer -- easily disappointed, hungry for something else… Connecting on a cerebral and gut level, like a lightning bolt, enemies of the obvious, on a no-bullshit mission to make you pee pants.” Scheduled to perform at three dates in Chicago and two in D.C. are CJ Sullivan, Brady Novak, David Angelo, Jason Fever, and Brian Potrafka, with future NYC dates announced. The first Chicago date is slated for Sunday, February 18 at the Playground Theater.
Photo of Apes contestants Erica Reid and Jim Fath courtesy of Fuzzy Gerdes.
Yeah, the weather in Chicago right now is for crap, but your girlfriend still wants some hugging and chocolate-related celebrations today. Here are some comedy suggestions for the big day.
Like we mentioned last week, there's the V-Day themed Spectacular Show over at the Gorilla Tango Theater at 8. Cupcakes, chuckles, Buscemi, Hannibal, and Mike Lee performing - what else do you need? Oh, yeah, liquor. Gorilla Tango is BYOB, so, you know, BYOB. Following the Spectacular Show, at 9:30, is Blue Shampoo's longform improv, with "The Mirror," so stick around for that.
Tonight at the Chicago Improv you can catch Greg Giraldo at 7:30. The online calendar also seems to indicate that at 7:31 there's a "Valentine's Day Dinner & Show Package With Greg Giraldo," involving chocolate and champagne. Is that two different shows? The 7:30 and the 7:31? Whatevs. You can clear that up with the box office if you call for reservations.
Don't forget the bittersweet romantic reflections of the Cupid Players, who will be doing their sarcastic best at a Valentine's Day show on the Saturday the 17th at iO. "Cupid will be putting on a special Valentine's Day show for all who are in love, have been in love or are looking for love. And hey, if you're bitter and jaded, you're especially invited!"
The Lincoln Lodge is hosting the first annual Chicago Comedy Awards Thursday and Friday at 9 PM this week, hosted by Ken Barnard (pictured at right - he took second place at the New York Comedy Festival's Andy Kaufman Award Contest). Watch as Jared Logan, Kumail, and Robert Buscemi battle it out for the title of Best Comedian! Watch Becky Garcia wrestle Mike Bridenstine and Daryl Amandes for the coveted title of Most Improved Comedian! Witness long-nurtured grudges get the better of TJ Miller, David Angelo, and Tony Sam as they duke it out for the shining prize of the Mark Sinclair Memorial Award for Most Innovative Comedian!
IkeBarinholtz is a Chicago comedy kid made good. He trained at Second City, iO, and the Annoyance Theater and performed with Schadenfreude and iO's Lindbergh Babies, among others, before moving to Holland to perform with Boom Chicago. Along with fellow Boom Chicago performer Josh Meyers, Ike landed a spot on MADtv, where he continues to entertain audiences with a wide array of ridiculous celebrity impressions and sketch work.
You had a very well-rounded Chicago comedy training experience, learning and performing at Second City, IO, and the Annoyance Theater. What are the most valuable things you learned about comedy in Chicago?
Probably that the funniest things are the ones that are based in reality. Chicago is a real person's city. LA and New York have their own types of bullshit, but in Chicago, people laugh at things they can identify with.
How did you land the MADtv gig, and what's the best part about that job?
I did a two-man show with my buddy from Amsterdam, Josh Meyers. Some folks from MADtv saw it, got us to audition, and the producers liked us, for reasons unknown to me. I would have to say the best part of the job is working with great people who keep me laughing all day, and getting to make fun of stupid people who think they're hot stuff.
Any good celebrity dish you'd care to share with us? You all eat at the Celebrity Diner three meals a day and hang out together, right?
Loni Anderson's Chicken Piccata:
1 lb chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 cup olive oil
lemons
salt and pepper
1) Dredge chicken breasts in flour. Sautee in olive oil and lemon.
2) Sue Burt Reynolds for everything he's got.
I misunderstood the first part of the question.
You spent two years in Amsterdam performing with Boom Chicago. Any good stories you can share about that experience? (Also, is it hard to be funny when you're stoned 24 hours a day, or are we making unfair assumptions about the way Americans live in Amsterdam?)
How dare you! I have never been more insulted in my whole life. For you to assume that I spent any time in a "hash house" or "coffee shop" is offensive to me and my family. You think that because I lived in Amsterdam for two years I would sit around Rookie's Coffee Shop and smoke pre-rolled spliffs that only cost four Euros and came in an incredibly handy plastic carrying case and drink beers? Well, again, I say, shame on you. But that place is the best.
In your experience, is there a sense of camaraderie among Chicago comedy folks in the entertainment bizz?
For sure. Chicago comedians have a sense of brother or sisterhood. Just last week, me, Vince Vaughn, Emo Phillips and Jeff Garlin did beer bongs at Portillo's in Eagle Rock. No, seriously, comedy folks from Chicago know that their own will make them laugh.
We've heard that you and some of the other MADtv cast members pop into IO West to try out new material sometimes. Can you tell us about that?
We do a weekly show every Tuesday. It's not so much for trying out new material, but more about having fun.
Give us a few key adjectives that help you pull off each of the following celebrity impressions:
Dane Cook - "random"
Kevin Federline - "scumbaggy"
Mark Wahlberg - "Bostony"
Nick Nolte - "drunken fury"
What do you miss most about Chicago?
Actually, not too much. Just my family, Lou Malnati's, Wrigley Field, Bojono's, Lincoln Park, the Old Town Ale House, iO, Second City, the Annoyance, Holiday Club in Bucktown, Millennium Park, the Art Institute, Chen's on Clark, Old Style, cool cops, jogging on the lake, good public transportation, friendly funny people, Greektown, Ty's Til Five, Salt and Pepper Diner, and a professional football team. I think...that's it.
Tell us the truth, if Schadenfreude asked you to rejoin the group and play shows for beer and chicken wings, you'd drop all the Hollywood glitz and move back here, right?
I actually already have. I'm coming in next week and bringing back my patented "Grandpa Who Shits in a Box" character. The people have spoken, and then want me! All five of them. Schad kicks ass, and if you live in Chicago and have never seen them, go right away, before they go all Hollywood.
Superheroes, Cartoons, and Wacky Game Shows: Weekend Recap
Another successful weekend of comedy was had by the Bastion this past one. It began in the intimate Rogue Theater in Andersonville Friday night, with the third installment of Rogue 8, a “superhero comedy” that debuted this past July, with a second installment in September. The 11 p.m. sold out house was a lively one and the 11-person ensemble moved fluidly in action and dialogue. Nary a beat was dropped in the 45 minute performance, and several hearty laughs were shared. Playwright Dan Telfer told us, “The show originally cast out of auditions, with one part written with a Rogue company member in mind (Amanda Lanier as Tilt). Then I became closer with company member Dan Foss and created the role of Unfairy for him in Issue 2. In Issue 3 I looked outside the Rogue Company and cast my personal friends Caitlin Savage and Fuzzy Gerdes as the Maladroitress and the Ninja respectively. Then Nate White, the artistic director, told me he wanted some of the spotlight and I wrote him the part of the Amalgam in Issue 3.
“It's the best selling show Rogue has had, to my knowledge. It's a new space, so hopefully the company will find enough resources outside my show to keep the space afloat.” The show runs every Friday and Saturday at 11 p.m. until March 10.
Saturday afternoon we popped by the Music Box to take in one of the several Chicago screenings of the third annual Animation Show, which featured shorts by Don Hertzfeldt, Run Wrake, Shane Acker, Bill Plympton, and Joanna Quinn, among others. We ran into Chicago Underground Comedy's Tony Sam, who commented after Hertzfeldt’s film: “I need to reevaluate my life. Excuse me, I have some writing to do.” We couldn’t have said it better. We were incredibly glad we happened upon this show at nearly the last minute.
The grueling winter weather couldn’t keep us down, however, and shortly after we visited the Playground Theater for the weekly game show, “Don’t Spit the Water!” Sasha handled the Noob’s absence and substituted more-than-usual banter and sexual innuendo with Big Dummy to fill the void. If that last sentence left you clueless, you’re obviously missing out on one of comedy’s most fun nights in the city – grab a bottle of wine (or six-pack of beer, or flask of tequila, or whatever be your poison) and head over to the show next week. As a special bonus, we hear the monthly Demon Who Never Appeared has been rescheduled for the midnight slot directly after DSTW, as it was cancelled from its usual slot last weekend due to the aforementioned Chicago winter, a brutal mistress as of late.
Photo of game show winner Breanne with the DSTW cast courtesy of Don't Spit the Water.
Hannah Gansen is a strikingly original comedy performer who combines an absurd appreciation for life's weird little moments with strong musical talent to create uniquely delightful comedy. She left small town Iowa for a slightly less small Iowa college town, and then ditched what we now know is the Hawkeye state (thank you, Google!) to delve into Chicago's comedy opportunities. She has let loose with her Yamaha keyboard onstage at Lincoln Lodge, Chicago Underground Comedy, and Spitfire shows, writes and performs with A Demon Who Never Appeared, and can be seen in Rooftop Comedy clips here.
How did you get started in comedy, and what brought you to Chicago?
During school, I’d always play comic roles. However, I first started doing stand up when I gave a presentation during college. I can’t recall what the presentation was about but I can recall that I didn’t give a rat’s or any other vermin’s ass about it. Fortunately for my GPA, the instructor found my mockery amusing and told me I should try stand up. I was like “yeah right,” so he told another instructor who runs a theatre that has a occasionally holds a comedy showcase. She booked me without my consent. It was as scary as a Halloween without a costume, but it was awesome. I’ve been hooked on the stuff ever since. I came to Chicago for more performance opportunities and possibilities.
You majored in psychology and theater. Does this leave you well suited to treat your own craziness related to being a performer?
No, but it helps.
How are things with the Demon Who Never Appeared show? What's it like working with that group, and what's your favorite part?
A Demon Who Never Appeared is a fantastic show. I love doing it because of its originality and the opportunity to work with Jared Logan, Andy Ross, Kumail Nanjiani, and Josh Cheney. These guys have incredible ideas and senses of humor. I love writing the music for the show. I’ve been a musician most of my life and it’s great to have any musical outlet.
We've seen you do some amazing things with that electric keyboard of yours at Spitfire shows. Are you going to give it an affectionate nickname, like B.B. King did with Lucille?
I had that lil’ puppy since Christmas 1989. I haven’t named it yet, so I probably never will.
What's the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
A friend gave me a ride from work. On the way home, we almost got in an accident. I started saying angry things about the person in the other vehicle, and she said: “Oh, it’s ok, I’m really not that great of a driver.” I was just kind of like, uh, ok. Then I laughed. I laughed till I stopped. No kidding.
You've played a part in some of the Blerds short comedy films. What's it like shooting those?
It’s kind of like standing and talking and having someone videotape you.
Like us, you're from a small town in the Midwest. We're tired of being chatted up on public transportation. Any suggestions for counteracting that "be friendly and accomodating" impulse that gets us into so much trouble?
I still will smile and talk to people on the bus and train. But first I tell them I’m carrying pepper spray.
Any advice for wacky kids out there who are considering standup comedy?
Do it. Then do it again.
How's your attempt at vegetarianism going? Still laying off the meat (pardon the awkward turn of phrase)?
I will not eat a fast food burger. However, I would consider eating a deer my dad shot. I know what happened before it ended up on my plate.
What are your ambitions for yourself and your comedy over the next few years?
I just wanna keep creating, doing, moving forward, and be open to possibilities. Sorry if I sound like I’m sitting cross-legged on the floor passing one around. I’m actually sitting at a table on my laptop, but you can’t see that.
First photo courtesy of Hannah Gansen. Second photo by Fuzzy Gerdes. Third photo by Katie Moore.
Poor? Like to laugh? Be sure to check out the show at the Lincoln Lodge tonight and/or tomorrow, where your $8 admission will not only get you a night of hilarity in one of the top alt stand-up rooms, but it will also get you generous samplings of a great restaurant in the city, as tonight and tomorrow the segment, “Off the Eatin’ Path with Monte” will be featured. Not only is this multimedia presentation hysterical, complete with audience participation, but after the presentation the entire audience gets to sample the delicious wares of the featured restaurant. If you haven’t been “Off the Path” with Monte yet, this week is your chance. Also featured will be Jeb Cadwell's 400th stand-up performance in ten months. Yikes!
This weekend, local comedians, including Paul Sigwerth, Adam Burke, Chad Briggs, Frankie Benevedes, Lee Kapranas, Mike Cody, Tony Blanco, Bradley Fojas, Rudy Ascot, Dan Sullivan, Emerson Dameron, and Eric Strom, will be on hand at the Around the Coyote arts festival during the festival’s first Critic’s Cinema, “an interdisciplinary show of literary performance, and video, with some of Chicago’s leading satirical personalities from stand up comedy, spoken word, hip hop, and established authors doing live critiques of winning films from the Chicago Short Comedy Festival at Dulcenea on Saturday night.” Each performer is paired up on stage with a film and will give their subjective, uncensored opinion immediately following the screening of each movie. The movies include “Must Like Magic”, by David Pasquesi, T.J. Jagodowski, and Steve Stein, “Time Traveler”, by Consortium Productions, “Divorce Lemonade”, by Justin Hayward, “Contract Killers”, by Craig James Pietrowiak and Louis Coty, “Auteur”, by, Bill Palmer, and “There Aren’t Enough Lights in the World”, by Justin Hayward.
Bastion contributor Mackenzie Condon’s show, “Drag Kings,” is closing this Saturday, midnight in Donny’s Skybox. As she said, “Come see us perform in the creepiest level D class ever.” How could we resist!?
Ticketmaster is offering an Internet presale for David Sedaris at the Chicago Theatre on April 8. Visit Ticketmaster with the password FRANCE.
Creator Tony Sam prefaced Jungle Buddies by saying, "I'm 30." We felt sad for the lion.
Kara Buller can be seen here doing stand-up at Carolines:
Here's another wacky vid out of L.A. from ex-pats Matt Braunger, Eric Acosta, Danny Jelinek, and Ryan Ridley, made especially for last week's Visitors' Locker Room Superbowl Spectacular show at the Lincoln Lodge:
Some more from the Mockumentals. We're beginning to get very curious about this windfall in costuming:
Snubfest's Velvet Tom can be seen with the Velveetahs on ComedyNet here.
And clips from this past Thursday's Blu Mic inaugural night can be found here, featuring Steve Mulcahy, Josh Cheney, Becky Garcia, and Dustin White. You just get a little taste!
What's up for Valentine's Day? Don't look at us. Our human creators have taught our chilly little metal hearts nothing of this "love" you speak of.
But the Spectacular Show (at the Gorilla Tango Theater) is throwing a great show at 8 PM on February 14, should you care to join in with the whole "cupcakes and laughter" bit. According to show producer Cameron Esposito, "Hannibal and Robert Buscemi will be doing sets, Mike Lee will be playing romantically awesome songs between performers and a bunch of comics are writing super 'heartfelt and loving poems to read aloud.' I am stoked."
Have some pitiful stories about your unsuccessful attempts to get romantic? Enter hownottogetlaid.com's Valentine Story contest, share your pathetic tale, and win a t-shirt for your trouble. Successful at romance? We don't really want to hear about it, thank you very much.
Lots of new shows are opening up all around Chicago, including Paul Thomas' show Late Bloomer, opening Friday, March 2 at the Playground Theater. The 10 PM show will run through March 23 and is a mix of standup, monologue, characters, and music. Thomas' group The Defiant Brothers won Best Sketch Group at HBO's 2005 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. Playground president Matt Barbera says “Paul Thomas is a special talent in a city full of great comedic actors.”
Second City writing program director Mary Scruggs and writing instructor Andy Miara have joined forces to create The Ugly House, running Saturdays at 10:30 PM at the Live Bait Theater through March 24. The show is described as "as 'living room vaudeville.' All the thrills, chills, gags and guffaws of vaudeville in an extremely intimate setting. The show is all new each week and is made up of a mix of sketch, improv and a special guest act. This Saturday we have the magician Ross Moreno performing."
Sketch group Doppelganger is performing their new show Tales From the Zoetrope at the Apollo Theater Fridays at 10:30 through March 16. "Divisive themes such as a woman’s sexual prowess, a child’s psychosis, and the contemplation of death are attacked with an unconventional candor."
The Rogue Theater is staging the third installment of the late night superhero comedy show Rogue 8, in which it is revealed that "Chernobyl Cherub has a sister named Maladroitress, whose powers are also a result of the same collision with a meteor," and "The Unfairy hires a Ninja to help in his fight against our heroes."
While sitting in the Bastion offices, idly daydreaming whilst staring out of the floor-to-ceiling windows in our 99th floor penthouse, marveling at all the tiny ant people and thinking, "wow... blogging really DOES pay off, silly ant people," we forgot to actually, you know, post about stuff we've seen. First though: Hey Chicago comedy! Quit being so damned good and so damned prevalent! We simply can't keep up this lifestyle of being amused every night and (not) writing about it everyday! This is getting a little out of control, okay?
TWO Fridays ago the Bastion checked out the new monthly stand-up room at Town Hall Pub, hosted by Seth Thomas. We had a rollicking good time in this unconventional space; it might possibly become the most diverse room on the Northside, both in terms of comedic styles and ethnicities of performers and audience alike. As a special bonus: a hip-hop dance party broke out after the show finished and the Bastion got to shake its booty just a little.
After cutting loose on the dancefloor for a bit, we were able to make it over to the weekly Friday midnight show Scribble at the Playground Theater, hosted by the quickly rising duo Adventure Club. We've been fans of Daryl Amandes' stand-up for quite some time, and had heard tell of his free style talents, but hadn't witnessed them. Then we started reading about Adventure Club. And reading about them. And reading about them some more. Finally, we hung our heads in rightly deserved shame and finally got over to their show -- and were blown away at the combination of Amandes and Justin Jackson as a rap sketch duo. Believe the hype, we promise.
F.O.B. 80s Clown gave us a heads up about a weekly show at Goodbar that is mainly an improv showcase but that might be expanding to stand-up and possibly even some multimedia -- 80s used video for the first time at his show this past Wednesday and he told us it went over well.
