Klusterphuk, self-described as "high paced, fast energy, walls to the balls improv that feels good on your face, sandwich and some tile floors," will be performing Saturday at midnight at iO. We are familiar enough with some of the performers (Nick Vatterott, Mark Ratterman, Beau Golwitzer, Mort Burke and Ed Illades) to think this might end up being some good stuff.
There will be no March Globe Gong Idol, although the Globe open mic will continue. It seems the host hurt his back and won't be able to "dance around like an asshole" for several weeks (his words, not ours).
Chicago Comedy Awards begin tomorrow night, Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 at the Lakeshore Theater. "Fans and comics of the Chicago comedy scene will gather for the Chicago Comedy Awards - a two-night tribute to the city's finest emerging stand-up comedians. Culled from a nominating panel consisting of passionate comedy lovers patronizing weekly comedy showcases throughout the city." Of course this means the Chichahahago board is blowing up.
Second City has been working on some fun new web stuff related to their new show which is yet to be titled. Check out the New Show Journal, where they posted video interviews with each of the new show's cast members. They're also posting a Director's Journal from director Jim Carlson, all of which gives the reader a real sense of what it's really like to put together and stage a Second City show, including tidbits about everything from set design to determining the running order to the pains of deciding what to cut when shortening a show. Carlson also shares the golden rules of happy creative collaboration:
" * Try not to be an asshole.
* Work very hard.
* Communicate.
* Be fearless."
-Elizabeth McQuern
Are we becoming some sort of extradimensional epicenter of comedy? Another comedy festival is coming our way -- the Chicago Comedy Fest. For three days in the autumn of 2008, Chicago will be treated to 100 performers on three stages at Navy Pier, and two broadcast specials will be taped live as part of a comedy film series event with National Lampoon.
From the press release: "The Fest will celebrate the diversity of comedy by offering a variety of comedic voices and genres from stand-up and sketch to musical satire and improvisation. Specific headliner talent will be announced in subsequent releases, although a high-profile Blue Ribbon Advisory Board is already in place that includes such Chicago comedy luminaries as James Belushi, Bernadette Birkett, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Brad Hall, Tim Kazurinsky, Richard Kind, Tim Meadows, Harold Ramis and George Wendt."
EDIT: Time Out Chicago's comedy editor Steve Heisler has written an interesting blog about his thoughts on this comedy festival onslaught. Read on here. And, if you didn't already know, tonight kicks off the Lincoln Lodge's three-night Chicago Comedy Awards celebration at the Lincoln Restaurant, 4008 N. Lincoln.
Want more details about Just For Laughs in Chicago 2009? Say no more. The public relations manager for the festival sent us more information, and promises a shiny, happy, laugh-filled summer. From the official press release:
"The five-day festival will feature: a TBS special hosted by TV star Ellen DeGeneres; a series of stand-up concerts by top-name comedians, the very best in improv and sketch including a collaboration with the famed Second City comedy troupe; Latino and urban comedy extravaganzas; various other events at local comedy clubs as well as a film component. 'My first special, Ellen’s Really Big Show, turned out to be so big that TBS asked me to do another,' DeGeneres said. To create the new comedy event, TBS and Just For Laughs will collaborate with the U.S.’ largest independent promoter, Chicago-based Jam Productions, LTD and Outback Concerts. More details and ticket information will be announced this fall."
Interested in finding out how Chicago talent can get on the performing schedule? We'll let you know when we find out. In the meantime, go hit an open mic, and schedule some extra rehearsals for your sketch troupe -- this could be a big opportunity!
Punchline Magazine is giving away copies of Todd Barry's new album, "From Heaven!" Audio samples from the album, Barry's third on Comedy Central Records, can be heard here.
"If you want to win yourself a copy, here’s the deal: The first five people to send in a photo of them enjoying Punchline Magazine (get creative!) will get a copy of From Heaven."
Come on! You have cameras, and you like comedy, and you wouldn't mind seeing your mug on Punchline Magazine, wouldja? No, of course you wouldn't. Send photos here, and include your first and last names and address. Winning photos will be posted on Punchline.
Chicago stand-up comedian John Roy has been stamping out a place for himself the last few years, pursuing his craft with national performing tours and spots on Star Search, Last Comic Standing, the Craig Ferguson Show, and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, to name just a few. We were able to catch up with him and chat for a few minutes on one of his recent stop-ins at home, about his thoughts on the biz, his career path, and words of wisdom and advice for those thinking about giving stand-up a go.
What were your early years of comedy in Chicago like? How and where did you get started, and what experiences do you think taught you the most important lessons early on?
My first open mic was at the Bird's Nest by DePaul. There were 13 people on the list, and 13 in the room. My friend Mick Betancourt and I wandered in and were not allowed to go up. We had no way of knowing at the time that this was ridiculous and wasn't until months later that I realized the people were just being dicks. No one who was in that room still does stand-up comedy. It was very different in 1997. There were few open mics and far fewer comedians. Stand-up was fairly absent from television. There was a scene at the Elevated, a room that was fairly full every week, though it was mostly the friends of the regulars that made it work. There were open mics at the Monkey Bar and the Morseland, but they were mostly attended by comics. The Chicago scene as we know it today had not really gotten started, but I could still see great sets by Dwayne Kennedy, Craig Robinson, Mike Lukas, Bang Balutansky, Allen Olafsen, and Greg Mills, and get a sense of where the quality was.
I think the experience of booking and hosting the Map Room over the next few years taught me to stick to my guns no matter what the audience response was, and that the number one key to the success or failure of a room is delivering good comics and only good comics every show. It's the only thing that keeps people coming back.
You've done lots of road work since honing your chops in Chicago. What are some of the pros and cons of being an itinerant comedian?
Pros -- no day job, ability to do shows every night. Cons -- no home, no feeling of continuity in your life, and difficulty in sustaining a relationship.
You've been doing more and more stand-up on TV - Star Search, Last Comic Standing, Comics Unleashed, and so on. What's it like doing a live art on tape? Are the technical challenges worth the chance to meet other comics and get your face out there a little more?
TV is essential to getting your act recognized in the public at large. It's worth all the hoops that must be jumped through to achieve it. Essentially, the fundamental difference in TV stand-up from the live act is brevity. The comedian that wins on TV is the comedian that has the best laugh per set-up ratio that they can achieve. Working within the time constraints is challenging as well, which is why I appreciate the Tonight Show's willingness to be flexible on the running time of the comedian's set. Taking the "race against the clock" out of the equation does wonders for the comedian's nerves and ability to be relaxed, and consequently, funny.
What's your writing process like? Do you keep little notebooks with random little ideas that occur to you at odd times, or do you sit down in a concerted effort to write new material?
I basically write down anything funny that I say or think, and then try to process any premises that I've written down into material which I'll try on stage. I wish it was more systematic than that, but I am at the mercy of the creative faucet in my brain, which sort of turns on and off by a subconscious process I'm not fully in control of. I admire comics like Pete Holmes who just sort of sit down and decide to grind it out, but I haven't found that process successful for me. Once I have the basis of a bit down, more and more punchlines will present themselves to me during the process of performing the bit, but I need to bring at least one fully formed idea to the stage before it can grow.
What's the comedy landscape like in LA? Is stand-up different there because of the proximity of industry?
I like the LA scene, though it is hard to get much money out of it. The proximity of industry does intrude a little on the freedom to experiment, but there are still plenty of untouched stages to develop away from the industry eye. Those who view it as a stepping stone and not as something to practice for its own sake aren't around for very long. They either achieve the stepping off point they wished for or they give up. You have to REALLY want to do this to stick with it. There are simply no other good reasons to build this into your life.
Do you audition for movies and TV shows, or do you mostly stick to stand-up?
Depends. I try to write movies and TV shows more than I audition for them, but overall stand-up is my first love.
Can you describe for us the best stand-up experience you ever had, and contrast that with the worst?
Best: The Tonight Show. Almost everything went perfectly. You can see the result on my Web site. Worst: A one nighter in the UP of Michigan. Thirty minutes of silence. My first joke was greeted with the critique, "That's not possible." Then they tried to get the headliner drunk.
You cite George Carlin, Richard Pryor, David Cross, Dave Attell, Louis CK, and Eddie Izzard as some of your favorite comedians. Have you even been a position to meet any of your idols, and what's that like?
I have met many of my idols, and made a few of them laugh. It is a surreal honor to see the face that inspired you to do comedy laugh at one of your jokes. It's a great validation that I'm doing the right thing with my life, which is a validation performers need all the time.
What would you like to be doing in five years?
Stand-up, hopefully for a group of people who came to see John Roy, rather than just a group of people who came to see "comedy." I think that's what we all desire, to build our own fan base, who appreciate what we do enough to seek us out.
What advice would you offer to anyone considering giving stand-up a whirl?
Do it three nights a week. Every week. Do that for a year and you should have a good idea if this is something you want in your life. Any level of commitment less than that is not sufficient to see if comedy is right for you or if you are right for comedy.
John Roy can be seen this Tuesday, February 26, at Zanies Comedy Club, 1548 N. Wells St.. Call 312-337-4027 for reservations; John will be featured as part of Zanies' 30 Year Anniversary celebration. Free admission on Tuesday!
The Lincoln Lodge crowd this past Friday night was treated to a super-excellent show, hosted by a sharp-looking Jeb Cadwell, with knock-em-dead performances by 2008 Chicago Comedy Award (CCA) nominee Carrie Callahan, 2007 CCA award-winning comic Jared Logan, and soon-to-be-LA-comic Bradley Fojas. As if that wasn't enough, comedy fans were star-struck by the return of TJ Miller, merely a month out of his Cloverfield premiere craziness. TJ just seemed happy to be back in the mix, telling jokes in front of his Chi-town crew. Eagle-eyed patrons in attendance will also have noticed fellow Carpoolers funnyman Jerry O'Connell in the audience, enjoying the show with his lovely wife Rebecca Romjin.
As intermission broke, the Hollywood couple slipped out front to pay their check, and were promptly "ooohed" and "aaahed" over by the Lincoln Restaurant's wait staff. Rebecca and Jerry autographed their ticket and posed for a couple of pictures. Being as yours truly was standing right there watching the whole affair, I did what anyone with a little liquid courage in his belly would do. Setting aside any reservations about being "That Guy", I stepped right up and introduced myself! Both stars were very pleasant, even after I told Rebecca I liked her in "Pepper Dennis, a show that was canceled all-too-soon". I told Jerry I was a big fan of Sliders and enjoyed him in Buying the Cow, to which Ms. Romjin noted, "Wow, you really like the obscure stuff". I stood by my opinion that it's the good stuff that usually gets canceled and thanked them for the chat. They left through the front shortly after, probably not realizing they were soon to be the target of Steve O'Harvey's man-on-the-street routine.
Their hasty exit, however, caused them to miss variety act The Amazing Tomas and his sometimes-stomach-churning illusions, in which he swallows balloons and reproduces Tic-Tacs from his sinuses. Their loss. Being from LA, I'm sure they have a strong stomach, anyway.
Special contributor c. r. mccubbins
2008 CCA Nominee, Blerds member, and VLR co-host Sean Flannery just informed me that he's been trying to leave a comment for us. Grrr, the comments aren't working right now!!! Here is what he wanted to mention: "Jerry O'Connell was on the Visitors Locker Room that Friday. He told one of the funniest Hollywood stories I've heard, about auditioning for Webster as a kid. You can hear it here (its at the end of the show).
He's inspired a litany of young Chicago stand-up comics (and even a catchphrase or two) with his earnest pre-show chats inside the revered green room walls of Chicago's only full-service stand-up comedy nightclub. Standing the test of time and currently adapting to 'alternative' comedy's eventual move out of rock clubs and coffeehouses, Bert Haas continues to audition and hire local young talent eager for stage time and yes, even a few bucks to perform comedy for a hungry, often visiting or celebrating audience. His is Zanies Comedy Club, where comedians of yore stare down and grin from the walls, vicious accolades scribbled across their mugs in honor of the Man in Back.
Can you give us a brief history of Zanies?
Zanies opened in November 1978. In the beginning the format included improv groups as well as stand-ups and also musical comedy acts. About 1980, the focus became more on stand-up comedy, although Zanies has always used musical/variety acts. After all, the name is Zanies.
In 1982, as the recession eased, Zanies began to use out-of-town comedians in addition to Chicago stand-ups. This has continued to this day but Zanies is proud to be part of the Chicago comedy community. Zanies does not believe that you have to be a television star or from one of the coasts to be a great stand-up comedian.
What is your job title, and what do you do from day-to-day?
My official job title is Executive Vice President. I am responsible for booking and supervising all three Zanies locations [Chicago, St. Charles, and Vernon Hills].
My two biggest tasks are booking talent and marketing the clubs.
How did you get into the comedy business, and what did you do before?
I started at Zanies in February 1980 as a waiter. I was working full time in the Loop for a market research firm but I had been accepted at the University of Regensburg in Germany for graduate studies in economics. My plan was to save some money and go back to Germany. Instead I became manager of Zanies, opened the Nashville Zanies in 1983, and then opened the four other Zanies.
Have you always been a comedy fan? Who were some of your favorites growing up?
I love comedy. I always have. Growing up I watched stand-up comedy on The Ed Sullivan show and my family always watched Red Skelton. There was one summer in the 1970s when Frank Sinatra, Jr. hosted a variety show that featured stand-ups and another network showed stand-up comedy and I can remember seeing Freddy Prinze doing stand-up for the first time (pre-Chico and the Man.) Stanley Myron Handleman (who just passed away) always cracked me up. I saw Bill Cosby in concert at The Mill Run Theatre in 1974. I can remember reading Alan King’s books in high school ("Help! I’m a Prisoner in a Chinese Bakery" and "Anybody Who Owns His Own Home Deserves It").
One of the most pivotal events in my life was a Christmas gift I received when I was a sophomore in high school. My sister gave me Lenny Bruce’s autobiography, "How to Talk Dirty and Influence People", published here in Chicago by Hugh Hefner and Playboy Press.
What's the demographic of a typical audience at Zanies?
Audiences vary by day and by show. Weekday audiences are usually a little younger but also include a mix of tourists. The Saturday 7:00 p.m. show is probably the oldest audience. Audience ages run from early 20s to individuals in their 70s. After 30 years, Zanies is multi-generational with the children of customers from 25 years ago now attending the shows.
What do you like best about your job?
I spend every day with the funniest people in the country.
What's the toughest part of your work?
Not being able to book everyone as much as I wish. I only have 52 weeks a year to fill.
Lots of Chicago comics would like to perform at Zanies. How do you choose from among them, and what can they do to increase their chances of working for you?
Zanies in Chicago has Rising Star Showcases on select Mondays every month. These showcases are designed for professional comedians who wish to audition for me or for working comedians who want to work on material. I attend every Rising Star Showcase and use them to see new faces.
I would suggest to all aspiring comedians that the best way to get booked at Zanies is the best way to get booked anywhere: Stay in front of the booker. I am always amazed when someone will showcase for me and then write me three months later and ask if I will book them. Book them? I don’t even remember them. On an average week (when I showcase) I will see 8-10 comedians. Then I visit each of the Zanies and watch shows so I will see another 9-10 comedians that week. I view submitted tapes. I watch Comedy Central. On an average week I see sets from 30 or 40 comedians. If you contact me 12 weeks after your showcase, I will have seen about 300-400 comedians in the meanwhile.
Stay in touch with me. I consider myself one of the most accessible bookers in the country.
On the flip side, what are big Zanies no-no's that comedians should avoid?
I am pretty explicit when I schedule a showcase.
1. Be at the club by 7:30 PM.
2. Be prepared to do six minutes of clean material.
3. Bring a promo package.
4. Invite your friends and family.
If you follow the suggestions, you will do fine. I give a talk prior to the showcase in which I explain what I am looking for, how to follow up with me, tips about the business, etc.
How often do you read The Bastion, and what do you find most useful about it? Feel free to butter us up here.
I read it every day. I check The Bastion first, then Shecky Magazine, then Punchline Magazine. Then I view the Web sites of competitors and I finish up at the Zanies Web site.
My only complaint is that I don’t think you pay enough attention to established clubs like Zanies. There is a tendency to dismiss Zanies as old school and not hip when too often what passes for hip is just inexperience.
What's the scoop on Zanies comedy classes? Who would benefit most from taking them?
Comedy classes at Zanies are taught by Dobie Maxwell who has spent years perfecting the curriculum. I think any aspiring comedian would benefit from the classes because Dobie has so much real world experience to communicate.
At the same time, I think anyone who speaks in public as part of their job could benefit from the classes – lawyers, sales associates, human resources individuals.
Finally, I think anyone who has watched stand-up comedy and thought, "I can do that", should take the class. After the four week introductory class they will know either that a) stand-up is a lot harder than it looks or b) they want to be a stand-up comedian.
Do you ever go to other Chicago showcases to scout for talent? The Lincoln Lodge, Chicago Underground Comedy, Edge Comedy?
Because I visit all three Zanies clubs every week and sometimes have to spend multiple nights in one club because of rotating talent, I do not get to see as many other shows as I would like. Zanies is only a block from Second City and despite many vows, I did not see [recent Second City revue] Barack and a Hard Place. I am so angry with myself.
I did get to the D.C. Comedy Fest last year and I met some new comedians. I have been a judge at Snubfest for the last two years.
I would hope that the best comedians from those other venues have either showcased for me or are working at Zanies.
With the democratization of media -- specifically comedians being able to produce original content and distribute it to as wide an audience as they can manage to attract -- some people speculate that Chicago comedians might be able to establish their careers without having to make a big move to LA or New York. Do you have any thoughts on that?
Dream on.
Any thoughts on TJ Miller's recent successes?
I think it is great. TJ is a hard working, great guy and I think everyone in the Chicago comedy community is happy for his success.
I'm going to give you some comedians' names, and you give me a sentence or two to describe them:
Prescott Tolk - Solid act.
Fay Canale – Very likable on stage. I think as her material grows she will become a strong presence in Chicago.
Michael Palascak - Mike had a great year last year and I expect he will continue to build on his success. As we used to say about another Michael – I Like Mike.
Pat Brice - A terrible loss. The only good to come out of his passing is that after attending his funeral I vowed to work harder and try to make a greater contribution with my life. I keep his Memorial card in my billfold as an inspiration.
Allison Leber – Allison is interesting to me because the first time I saw her she was hosting at some coffeehouse open mic. Dobie Maxwell and I were there as part of a Chicago Tribune article. We both thought Allison had a real personality and I invited her to audition at Zanies which she did. She listens and continues to improve. We also saw Jack Calhoun and two others that night. Jack listened to us and continues to improve. The other two remain new talents.
Hannibal Buress - Hannibal is doing very well and will become even bigger. He works as hard as anyone I have met. He has a unique point of view which separates him from the others.
Adam Burke - Another individual with a unique point of view. He makes me laugh.
Who are some of your favorite nationally known comedians that have played at Zanies, and what do you like most about them?
I would have tunnel carpal syndrome if I tried to list all the comedians who make me laugh.
Zanies is a short walk from Second City in Chicago. Can you speak to the influence of improv on Chicago's stand-ups?
I am always amazed at how little crossover there is between the two communities. I recommend that all stand-ups take acting classes or participate in improv as a way to improve their skill set. To date, I can think of only a few comedians who have successfully done both stand-up and improv: Jim Fay, David Pasquesi, Jeff Garlin, TJ Miller, and Nathan Craig.
"Steve O Harvey kicked off, a big man getting bite-sized laughs out of his theory that his partner was drawn to him because he is '95 per cent pillow.' Mike Bridenstine packed lots into his entertaining 10 minutes, mostly bizarre catchphrases and embittered tirades against Missy Elliot and Pamela Anderson. The name attraction, however, was Renee Gauthier, who played Victoria Beckham's Ugly Betty-ish PA in 2007's mock-doc Coming To America...Gauthier is a sassy stand-up who claimed that she had prepared for us by watching Bridget Jones before delivering amiable stories about drugs, mums and being tongue-tied on meeting Kelly Clarkson...Ken Barnard, a promising skinny oddball, closed by reading from the novelisation of Rocky III. Kyle Kinane was a bleak, misanthropic Ernest Hemingway lookalike with a penchant for suicide jokes."
TBS, in conjunction with Montreal's Just for Laughs (JFL) festival, has confirmed the launch of a new comedy festival to be staged in Chicago during the summer of 2009.
As stated in the Hollywood Reporter, "The Chicago festival will become JFL's 'flagship comedy event in the U.S.,' said JFL president Gilbert Rozon.
"Besides a TBS special hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, it will feature a series of stand-up concerts by top-name comedians, improv and sketch shows, including a collaboration with the famed Second City comedy troupe in the Windy City, Latino and urban comedy specials, as well as a film component."
Not even a peep, you guys? No one knew anything about this? If so, do you have any more details?
Chicago-based comic and writer Julianna Forlano won the Chicago branch of the Reader's Digest contest and can now call herself Chicago's Funniest Comedian while flapping a handful of $100 bills that she got for her trouble. Five $100 bills. Which is to say...$500.
Anyway, Forlano heard about the contest on the Chichahahago message board, where regulars talk about sports, politics, old interpersonal grudges, and sometimes even comedy. She cleaned up some of her jokes, to fit in with Reader's Digest's squeaky clean sensibility, and performed an 8 a.m. set at Zanies downtown.
"The weird part was that there was no audience," Forlano explained. "No people in the crowd to laugh, so when presenting the material it felt a lot like bombing. Crickets. Well, there were 3 or 4 Reader's Digest staff members there who did chuckle from the back but that didn't constitute an audience. In fact, the camera and sound folks actually requested that folks be quiet on the set. Not the usual warm up for a stand-up routine!"
Picture is from the front page of Reader's Digest's website. To see her winning video click here.
Scotty Iseri is an artist and musician who periodically rocks Chicago's face off in The Big Rock Show, billed as the world's smallest stadium rock concert. He does curious things with paper hats on public transportation, offers Chicago the public service of a drunk dial hotline, and can tell you a thing or two about playing the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in size four red leather jeans. He has also just released his third album: "Scotty Iseri for President," which includes the song "I'm Sorry, Mr. President, I Just Fucked Your Daughter," and can be heard here.
For the uninitiated, what's The Big Rock Show all about?
The Big Rock Show, according to my manager, is the hit-comedy sensation that has taken Chicago, and the world, by storm. In reality, it's me and my roommate lugging a trunk full of fireworks on stage and blowing them up while playing rock songs. We call it "the World's Smallest Stadium Rock Concert". Everything you'd find in a 70 dollar ticket show like Kiss or U2, but on a budget of about 20 bucks.
Tell us about the "Legends of No-Fi Tour." We hear it was a huge international smash. How did that come together, and do you have any good stories from the road?
International? I guess Canada counts, doesn't it? It's not just "north montana" anymore. No-Fi was great. You know who loves songs about crooked CEO's getting anally raped in prison showers? Salt Lake City. Seriously! All those Jack-Mormons in Utah congregated at TBRS and went nuts over our tribute to Jerry Falwell. Of course, this is before he died (may he rest comfortably in his burning hot pool of sulfur). Best story from the road? Well, we almost got into a fight with a male model. See, Tim the roadie couldn't make the tour (rehab), so we brought out Joe the Roadie for the nation-wide tour. Joe, unlike Tim, enjoys the company of men and was staring at this dude. Since we were getting in the van, i snapped a picture. The guy pulled a Sean Penn and got all bitchy. He started screaming "do you know who I am? I'm a male model! You can't just snap my picture!" He got all up in my face, and...well, let's put it this way. When you look like me (98lbs of half-jap love) you don't pick fights much, but I coulda totally taken this douchebag. I hope he's a Bastion reader.
Is there something magical about those red leather pants, like Dorothy and her ruby red slippers, that allows you to do things you wouldn't be able to do otherwise?
They allow me to rock your face off. Here...lemme show you...:
You moved to Chicago from Oregon. How has the adjustment to city life gone, and do you have a favorite "I love (or hate) Chicago" moment or two you'd like to share?
I don't know how you people live here. It is literally negative 12 degrees outside right now. It HURTS to be outside. Who does that to themselves? Also, the CTA makes me want to give up my peaceful tantric lifestyle and bust some heads.
We hear you have a secret identity of sorts, involving the CTA and something about paper hats. Is it about fighting crime, spreading joy, frightening visiting suburbanites, or some combination thereof?
I get this a lot. There's this stunningly handsome guy that rides the subway. He gets on the train with a stack of newspapers and makes hats for everybody. Look, if I was this so-called "paper hat guy" there's no way I'd admit it. Damndest thing about secret identities. The paper hat guy is like Batman...only with fewer muscles, less gadgets, and less homoerotic subtext.
What's with all this "Japalicious" stuff you're trying to pull? Aren't you really Italian or Jewish or something?
You Clazy Amelican! Alrays denying my Japanese loots. You wouldn't talk rike this if you knew ancient Japanese secret: We all know Karate.
Iseri as all four members of a four man band:
Is the Drunk Dial Hotline (as featured on WBEZ's 848) still up and running? Does it give you a feeling of priestlike power over the hapless souls who pour their inebriated hearts out to you, or it it mostly good for a laugh?
The Drunk Dial Hotline is still available for use, but it was recently absorbed by the Scotty Iseri Media Empire. It's since expanded to include "We Hate You: The Working Class Podcast" which is a call-in hotline for employees of the service industry, "Maximum Podthing Awesometown" which is a podcast between me and Tim the Roadie about...well...it's the audio version of TBRS without the music, and "Scotty Iseri, You Can Do Anything" which is a video series in which I fight madmen and pretend to be a dinosaur. (I can't believe how ridiculous that sounds when i write it out).
You have performed at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. What's that like, and how was your particular brand of humor received there?
Here's what you need to know about Alabama: people won't say the word "black" there. They will mouth the word black. Like when you tell them what neighborhood you live in and they say "oh, that's...that's nice. Do you have any trouble with the b____s?" My first album "Live from the Alabama Shakespeare Festival" is approximately 40 minutes long. The original concert was an hour ten. You know what we edited out? half an hour of toothless caterwauling, and the sound of half-full PBR cans smacking me in the forehead. (It should be noted that there are about 5 people in Alabama that completely shattered any stereotype I had about the place, and I hope they don't read this and get mad.)
What does 2008 hold for you, and The Big Rock Show?
Well, I'm about to release the third album: Scotty Iseri for President. It's the opening salvo in my 2020 presidential campaign. It's the first full length studio album we've ever done and has a bunch of semi-famous people on it. (Shit, this isn't exactly germane, but there was a 24 hour period where i thought i might be able to get Barack Obama to shout "Scotty Iseri, You Can do Anything!"...long story). It's a lot of the hits from TBRS, but with drums and bass, and (occasionally) toy piano. Then i'm heading back out to Oregon for a 2 week run of TBRS. I'm performing Feb. 14th-28th with Fall Guy Theatre. Should be fun. It's TBRS Classic...so it's before we did Big Rock Christmas Show, Big Rock Death Show, Big Rock Revolutions and Big Rock with Lime. We're pulling a "New Coke" and going back to the classic formula. Is this where I plug the website? (Editor's note: yes.)
Can the Bastion grab a ride on your scooter to your next show? We promise not to put our hands over your eyes.
Are you mocking Eva, the Big Rock Scooter? She's a hot little number. I can zip along at THIRTY-FIVE Miles Per Hour on that baby. 25 with passenger.
Carrie Callahan and Cameron Esposito chat about the Chicago Comedy Awards:
V-Day: An Improvised Valentine's Day Short Film, featuring Bastion and Apiary pal Mackenzie Condon:
Lincoln Lodge Highlights 12/21/07 (featuring Jeb Cadwell, Josh Cheney, Renee Gauthier, Kyle Kinane, and Greg Mills):
Juiced: The Mitchell Report (ThoseGuysFilms):
Valentine's Day Still Sucks, by Whip It Out Comedy:
Chicago Underground Comedy, January 29, 2008, featuring Team Submarine, Carrie Callahan, Dan Polydoris, Michael Palscak, Robert Buscemi, and Allison Leber:
Need some Valentine's Day comedy suggestions? Coming right up. First, there's a "special comedy/sexy-love time Valentine's Day event" hosted by Think Tank at the Apollo Theater (2540 N. Lincoln Avenue). Show up at 7:00 p.m. with $8 for a complimentary wine tasting before the 8:00 show, which features dynamic female duo the Puterbaugh Sisters, Fred Thunder, and Think Tank themselves. It's not just a show, it's a party!
You may have missed Edge's Comedy's "Handsome Bastards of Comedy," but you can still catch the special Valentine's Day show, "Love Fest," at The Edge Comedy Club (Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green Street). It's nothing but relationship jokes from the lovelorn Dustin White, Matt Drufke, Dave Odd, and Shay Shay. Then, February 14th at 8:30 is a very special Valentine's Day show. Then, on Friday February 15th at 10:30, enjoy the Ha-Ha-Hotties, an all female comedy show with Leah Eva, Katie Canavan, Michelle Thompson, Beth Stelling, Carrie Callahan, Julianna Forlano, Christien Parisi, Kat, and Tiffany Puterbaugh hosting as 'Aunt Flo'.
There's also an all-female lineup at the Lincoln Lodge's Valentine's Day show (4008 N. Lincoln Ave), where hostess Cameron Esposito will be serving cupcakes baked with her own loving hand. Esposito will be joined by Jessica Halem who is also nominated as Best Female Standup at the Chicago Comedy Awards, coming up in March. Also performing will be Time Out Chicago's "Funniest Person in Chicago" finalist Jena Friedman and the ever-frenetic Money Kids.
And, as if all this weren't enough, we just got word that the Chicago Comedy House is also having a show at Timothy O'Tooles (622 N Fairbanks Court) tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. Fay Canale hosts the free show, featuring Ricky Carmona, Brendan McGowan, Mike Lee and Chad Briggs. Cold $2 PBR tallboys and hot Chicago comedy. What more could you ask for?
"We owed them the show they came to see." - Dylan Reiff
That show being "STEMS in Grief" at the Apollo Studio Theater. This incredibly tight sketch show features Keith Hand, Chris Beach (iO), Drew Frees (iO, Second City), and Dylan Reiff (Neo-Futurarium), with stand-up by "HBO's Next Big Thing in Comedy"* Jesse Baltes, as well as some rather attractive turtlenecks (as pictured). However, the week we attended had some rather major technical problems. At the conclusion of the show, the tech was fixed, so what did STEMS do? THE ENTIRE SHOW AGAIN**.
Of course, no one would want to sit through the same show twice, right? Fortunately for the audience, STEMS's collective comedy experience allowed for retooled lines with the feel of an improv show, while still hitting pre-established plot points, including the death of a blow-up doll, a meeting with God, and overall zany antics. With some of the most creative use of multimedia in any sketch show, as well as a consistently offbeat outlook on itself, this is simply great comedy. The best thing we can compare it to is the guys from Comedy House putting together a sketch show; it's going to be good, it's going to be funny, and they are going to make damn sure you enjoy it.
STEMS in Grief answers the question "How do you properly mourn the loss of a friend who dies in a tragic misunderstanding about the lyrics to Lionel Richie's 'Dancing on the Ceiling'?" with the obvious answer; "Hijinx, alcohol, and nudity." In the end, two important lessons are learned; "Where to dance, and where not to dance." Maybe a third lesson was learned about checking your video connections before the show, but though the first version was funny, STEMS will settle for no less than perfection. Or at least the chance to see Dylan naked.
TONIGHT is the last run of this show before some retooling, so go check out this show!
Ross Hyzer is a New York-based writer and comedian who pops into Chicago every so often and seems to make a lot of friends when he does. Earlier this year he pulled off a self-booked comedy tour that spanned a lot of the US, hitting more clubs than some comics do all year. We thought it was worth picking his brain about, so we did this interview with him.
You spent several months out on the road being sort of the Johnny Appleseed of stand-up comedy. When did the idea to do a self-booked, self-planned stand-up tour of the US occur to you, how long did it take you to plan it out, and what were some of your mail objectives and strategies?
To be honest, I'd say that restlessness was the primary impetus for my trip. I've always had a bit of wanderlust in me, I've got family and friends scattered around whom I don't see nearly as often as I would like. The restlessness figures into my comedy as well - I always want to try new material, I always want to perform in new places for new audiences. So I realized that I could roll all of this into one nice long ramble into largely uncharted territory and I set to work making it happen. That's how my homemade, exploratory Jokeswagon tour was born.
It took me about a month to plan my route and book everything. Once I'd figured out which cities I'd be visiting, I started by contacting the comedy clubs in those cities and just talking my way in. I didn't pretend to be Ross Hyzer's agent or anything like that - I considered it, but I'm a pretty lousy liar so I decided to play it straight. I told them that I'd be visiting from New York and I'd love to a guest set and directed them to my clips online. Once I'd set up some of these shows, I contacted comedians in each city (either via friends or on MySpace) and asked them to direct me to some shows I should do during my visit. That's how I got hooked up with independent shows, plus it gave me some people to say hey to when I got to town.
In the end, what was the span of your adventure, in terms of time and geography, and what sort of transportation did you use?
I ended up sticking to the Midwest, because it's my native turf (I'm originally from Iowa) which means that it had the highest concentration of couches that I could sleep on. All told, I was on the road for two-and-a-half months and hit eight cities: Chicago, Madison, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, Ames and Minneapolis. I drove myself everywhere in my ten-year-old Mazda. I cracked a wheel in Lawrence, Kansas, but otherwise it was all without incident.
Did you crash with a lot of friends and acquaintances, or how did you find lodging arrangements in each place?
I had the good fortune of staying with friends or family everywhere I went. It made the whole trip possible for me and I still owe some people a fair amount of scraping and gratitude for their wonderful hospitality. My friend who put me up in Lawrence had to deal with me a few days longer than expected while I waited for a replacement wheel to arrive from Topeka and she was unbelievably gracious about it. I thought I'd have to stay in a motel in Omaha, but a high school friend and his wife turned up at my show and let me sleep in their guest room (which, incidentally, was the best night of sleep I'd had since leaving New York). An old friend and his family were good enough to take me in while I was in Minneapolis - I spent a few nights sleeping in a tent in their back yard. There was a really incredible thunderstorm one of those nights.
How did you manage all the bookings, and contacting all the clubs? E-mail and links to online clips of yourself? Were there certain venues that were tougher to establish "e-rapport" with?
Other than what I already said above, I'll just add that some clubs unfortunately do not handle their own booking and so are unequipped to deal with "special" cases such as I was. At such clubs I was unable to even find someone to whom I could give my pitch. Thankfully, there were enough clubs open to what I was selling to give me some great spots. And of course, any independent shows I contacted were very open and responsive and represented some of the best gigs of the whole trip.
Were there some surprises along the way, where maybe you found kindred spirits in unexpected places?
I found a lot of kindred spirits along the way but I wasn't necessarily surprised. I always like meeting and hanging out with other comics and because I'd contacted a lot of people before I arrived, I already had people whom I knew I would meet and who wanted to show me around their city and introduce me to their comedy friends. That, without a doubt, was the best part of the trip - getting insider looks at the comedy scenes in all these different places. I had the good fortune of performing with Kumail Nanjiani and Andy Ross right before they moved to New York, so when I got back to town I already had two friends from the road here. Comics in Kansas City were really warm and inviting - I had lots of fun their and met so many great people, one of whom let me sleep on his couch when I didn't feel like making the drive back to Lawrence.
Were there any places where the comic sensibility of the locals felt way off from where you come from? Which is to say, were there places where people didn't "get you?"
No, I've never been anywhere where people simply didn't "get me." It's good to know how to read an audience and find ways to bring them into what you're doing onstage - of course, sometimes that's easier and sometimes it's harder. The most difficult sensibility I ran into was in Kansas City, where comics tended to be pretty rowdy and raucous whereas I tend to be pretty wry and satirical. But that was one of my favorite stops because I learned a lot about selling my wares, so to speak.
Did you make new friends along the way? Are you still in contact with some of those folks?
I made a lot of friends along the way - you, for example, Ms. McQuern! I have several good friends in New York now whom I met on the road right before they moved here (not only Kumail and Andy, but also Danny Solomon, a great comic from Kansas City). And I made other friends whom I've kept in touch with and whom I hope to see and perform with again.
What are some of the most valuable things you got out of this experience?
Other than all the great comics I got to see and meet and hang out with, the most valuable thing I got from the experience was just doing comedy in new and different places. In general, I think you gain a lot when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. This is certainly true for comedy - I learned so much about feeling out audiences, winning over audiences, commanding attention, projecting a voice, staying loose, things like that. I definitely improved a lot during my time on the road.
Do you plan to do something like this again? I have to think it would make for a very cool documentary project.
I've got nothing in the works, no, but I would love to do something like this again and document the whole thing. I'm pushing for some festivals this year, so maybe 2009 will be the time to hit the road again. Short of embarking on another ambitious expedition such as this, though, I'm eager to get back to Chicago very soon. Without a doubt, Chicago has one of the most fun, lively and inventive comedy scenes I've experienced anywhere. Lincoln Lodge and Chicago Underground are two of the best shows I've ever done and I was consistently impressed by the comedians everywhere I went in Chicago. I spent more time there this summer than I did anywhere else (thanks, Craig and Ruth, for your delightful couch) and even so, it wasn't time enough. Which is good, because I get to look forward to going back.
Attention all media enthusiasts, wanna-be politicos, and comedy afficionados: tonight, Friday, February 8, Redeye columnist Mark Bazar would like to invite you to a brand-new show at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia), aptly titled "The Interview Show".
Tonight kicks off the show's monthly residency at the Hideout, to recur every first Friday (except this month, as it's actually the second Friday... but no matter).
Mark will be interviewing John Green, novelist ("Looking for Alaska"), Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, and Justin Kaufmann, of Schadenfreude, with a short stand-up set by Hannibal Buress and videos from the campaign trail by journalist Maegan Carberry.
"Comedians You Should Know" is an up-and-coming stand-up show every Wednesday night at 9:00 at Fizz (3220 North Lincoln).
This week's host, Jeb Cadwell, will set up four features: Mike Cody, Brady Novak, Dan Polydoris, and Mike Sheehan, and a headliner, Nick Vatterott.
The show is produced by Marty DeRosa, Danny Kallas, Michael Sanchez, Mike Sheehan, and Junior Stopka, and the lineup through April, highlighted on the show's MySpace, is pretty impressive.
So scrounge around the couch cushions for $8, because over the next few weeks, "Comedians You Should Know" will include Chicago favorites including Jared Logan, CJ Sullivan, Carrie Callahan, Dave Odd, Prescott Tolk, Rudy Ascott, Team Submarine, Sean Flannery, and much more.
In an accidentally defiant act of feminism, the Bastion spent Super Bowl Sunday watching "Stacked: An Evening of Two One-Woman Shows" at the Apollo Theatre Studio. The Bastion booked their tickets without realizing that February 3rd was the day of the big football game, but was more than happy to see some funny ladies instead of over-indulging in wings and seven-layer dip.
The evening opened with Hanna LoPatin's "The Sound of One Hanna Clapping," directed by Katie Rich. "The Sound of One Hanna Clapping" is the hilarious lament of a not-quite-famous, perpetually single, sorta Jewish twenty-something. LoPatin is a member of the sketch comedy group Teatro Bastardo and the all-girl band, Mary's Addicts, and both her comedic and musical chops are showcased in this piece. In a blend of song, monologue, and video we get to know LoPatin, a University of Michigan grad who finds that she's come up short in realizing some of her life's ambitions. LoPatin isn't afraid to make herself vulnerable with many a self-deprecating jab, allowing the audience in on jokes that many other performers might be afraid to share. Standout moments from her show included "The Perpetually Single Tango" and a quaint/creepy mimed montage of what LoPatin imagined her life with comedian Michael Showalter would be like. LoPatin is an absolutely charming performer and by the end of the show you hope she gets a development deal, or at least a chance to meet Michael Showalter.
The second show on the bill is Nancy Friedrich's "Dingbat," directed by James Whittington. "Dingbat" is described as "the story of Claudia, a librarian, who slips in and out of a dream world as she searches for friendship following a devastating personal loss." Aside from Friedrich, who skillfully plays an assortment of characters, the only other "character" on-stage is Claudia's imaginary friend Dingbat, a rope with some bells tied to it. I would liken "Dingbat" (the show, not the rope creature), to a deep-fried oreo. It sounds a little kooky and you're not sure how it's going to taste, but in the end it is ultimately delicious. Friedrich takes an absurd premise and infuses it with sincere and compelling characters. The main character Claudia is both tragic and hilarious as she copes with the loss of her husband, and although the show only runs about 45 minutes long you still feel as though you get to see her character run her course. Friedrich's character work is a treat to watch as she covers the spectrum from bitchy Sarah Lawrence graduate to public access dream interpreter.
***
"Stacked: An Evening of Two One-Woman Shows" plays the Apollo Theatre Studio (2540 N. Lincoln Ave.) on Sunday nights at 8 pm, running until February 24th. Tickets are $12 each, and can be purchased by calling 773-935-6100. ~Dyan Flores
Former Senior Producer of Talent for the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival Kirsten Ames has lots of nice things to say about Chicago comedy talent.
"Chicago is probably my favorite spot to find new talent for all the things that I do and people that I work for. When I worked for HBO's Aspen Comedy Festival I brought out TJ Miller, Kevinda, Misled, Deon Cole, The Ragdolls, and Becky Drysdale." Ames also currently manages Thomas Middleditch.
Ames is coming to Chicago and Playground Productions is presenting her "State of the Comedy Industry" seminar on Saturday, February 16th, 2008, from 12-2 at Gill Park (825 W Sheridan Rd). Stand-ups, sketch groups, writers, and comedy hangers-on are invited to soak up the comedy bizz wisdom of from someone who has worked with Eddie Izzard, Billy Connelly, Margaret Cho, and Sandra Bernhard. Send her an e-mail to make arrangements for your $35 ticket.
Topics covered will include:
- The challenges and opportunities in the comedy industry
- What the industry is looking for
- What you can be doing now, to be "ready" later
- What you need to know and who you need to know
- How can you better your chances of getting noticed when you don't live in LA or New York?
Ames is currently a producer with Levity Entertainment (producers, "Live At Gotham") and has her own management company in New York.
"Who’s the funniest comedian not enough people are aware of right now? Is it okay if I list three? I really like Larry Murphy, Greg Johnson and (recently departed Chicago comic) Kumail Nanjiani. They’re wonderful." So said Eugene Mirman in Gothamist. The Bastion interviewed Mirman back in '06.
The Chicago Comedy Awards are asking for submissions for their Funniest Video category. They ask that the creators of the video be in town on March 1st to accept their award should they win. Please e-mail a link to your submission to Jeb. More information on the awards can be found here.
The New York Times says that science has proved that double dipping is clinically disgusting. "...before you have some dip at a party, look around and ask yourself, would I be willing to kiss everyone here? Because (the double dippers) are sharing their saliva with you.”
Want to headline for Montreal Comedy Festival veterans Team Submarine but don't know how? Click this magical link and be redirected to information about the contest they're running. The lucky winner gets to make fliers, bring in an audience, put up money for a performance space that they might not make back, promote the show, be held responsible if the show doesn’t go well, and thank Team Submarine when it's all over.
The Tribune's Mary Schmich reports on "snow grumps." Do you count yourself among them? We're planning a Donner Party weekend, ourselves.
Chicago Comedy Awards begin tomorrow night, Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 at the Lakeshore Theater. "Fans and comics of the Chicago comedy scene will gather for the Chicago Comedy Awards - a two-night tribute to the city's finest emerging stand-up comedians. Culled from a nominating panel consisting of passionate comedy lovers patronizing weekly comedy showcases throughout the city." Of course this means the Chichahahago board is blowing up.
Are we becoming some sort of extradimensional epicenter of comedy? Another comedy festival is coming our way -- the 
"The five-day festival will feature: a TBS special hosted by TV star Ellen DeGeneres; a series of stand-up concerts by top-name comedians, the very best in improv and sketch including a collaboration with the famed Second City comedy troupe; Latino and urban comedy extravaganzas; various other events at local comedy clubs as well as a film component. 'My first special, Ellen’s Really Big Show, turned out to be so big that TBS asked me to do another,' DeGeneres said. To create the new comedy event, TBS and Just For Laughs will collaborate with the U.S.’ largest independent promoter, Chicago-based Jam Productions, LTD and Outback Concerts. More details and ticket information will be announced this fall."
London publications are touting the comedic talents of some homegrown Chicago talent. "
Chicago-based comic and writer Julianna Forlano won the Chicago branch of the 
Need some Valentine's Day comedy suggestions? Coming right up. First, there's a "special comedy/sexy-love time Valentine's Day event" hosted by 
"We owed them the show they came to see." - Dylan Reiff
"
The second show on the bill is Nancy Friedrich's "Dingbat," directed by James Whittington. "Dingbat" is described as "the story of Claudia, a librarian, who slips in and out of a dream world as she searches for friendship following a devastating personal loss." Aside from Friedrich, who skillfully plays an assortment of characters, the only other "character" on-stage is Claudia's imaginary friend Dingbat, a rope with some bells tied to it. I would liken "Dingbat" (the show, not the rope creature), to a deep-fried oreo. It sounds a little kooky and you're not sure how it's going to taste, but in the end it is ultimately delicious. Friedrich takes an absurd premise and infuses it with sincere and compelling characters. The main character Claudia is both tragic and hilarious as she copes with the loss of her husband, and although the show only runs about 45 minutes long you still feel as though you get to see her character run her course. Friedrich's character work is a treat to watch as she covers the spectrum from bitchy Sarah Lawrence graduate to public access dream interpreter.
Former Senior Producer of Talent for the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival Kirsten Ames has lots of nice things to say about Chicago comedy talent.
"Who’s the funniest comedian not enough people are aware of right now? Is it okay if I list three? I really like Larry Murphy, Greg Johnson and (recently departed Chicago comic) 
