--Tonight at iO, show up at 10 PM for the much-anticipated "Crappy Media Screening" in the Cabaret. "Were you in a cringe-worthy commercial? An abysmal corporate video? A sucktastic short film? No need to be embarrassed...we've all been there. And now we all have the opportunity to let others view our misery...we'll screen videos from several members of the iO community. Come mock and sympathize while enjoying drink specials and free food."

--Chicago comedian Dean Carlson's MySpace is battling it out for kudos from the RedEye in the MySpace Popularity Contest. Go here to cast a vote and declare for all to hear that his HTML is better than that of some blonde radio-related chick named Jen.

--Schadenfreude's Rent Party on Friday night was a good chuckle. Andy Ross did some stand-up, Jet and Holly performed, followed by Mike and Duane, and of course hangers-on Alderman Ed Bus and Judy Barr Topinka showed up as well (maybe for the free beef sandwiches and $2 beers?).

But the best part of the evening was watching members of Chicago's alternative media engage in verbal death matchs, one bloodthirsty pairing after another, ripping on everything from prose style to the tendency to refer to oneself in third person, with a little "yo mama" type stuff thrown in for extra giggles. Gapers Block ripped on Time Out, who gave as good as they got, and in the final and very heated match, we have to admit we were pulling for the kids at Chicagoist, who were in the "online underdog" spot, but in the end, the crowd gave more of a hoot for the insult-hurlers from the Chicago Reader. Hope they're happy with themselves, and their "published since 1971, circulation of approximately 119,606." Big shots.

Since we're on the subject, here's that bit again from a Rent Party last December, wherein (former) Chicagoist editor Scott Smith read aloud from some hilarious correspondence he exchanged with bitter rocker has-been (and local boy) Richard Marx, who took some issue with Chicagoist's portrayal of his current career status. It got ugly - "living in your parents' basement" ugly.