Just how big are these new Chicago comedy festivals aiming to get? From Dead Frog: "Just For Laughs, which is co-producing the Chicago Very Funny Festival, (has stated) frankly that they want to be on American TV. Add in that many stand-up specials are now independently produced and then marketed to networks (primarily Comedy Central, but also Showtime)."

iO's Charna Halpern is cleared to talk about having worked with the cast of the 20th season of the Real World. The show will start airing at 10:00 p.m. on April 16 on MTV, and Charna is brought in during the third episode (April 30). Visit her blog for info about a viewing party.

Display Your Butt.com? Why not?

Baby Wants Candy has been written about in the New York Press.

DMX doesn't know who Barack Obama is. "What the f*ck is a Barack?! Barack Obama. Where he from, Africa?...Ooh, we have a Black president now. They should’ve done that shit a long time ago, we wouldn’t be in the f*ckin’ position we in now. With world war coming up right now. They done f*cked this shit up then give it to the Black people, 'Here you take it. Take my mess.'"

From Gapers Block: "Those ubiquitous Sonic hamburger commercials may finally have some relevance to the Chicago area when the company opens their first regional outlet in Aurora. All of which mean the two guys in the commercials, Chicago improv giants TJ Jagodowski and Peter Grosz, may finally be able to purchase some of the food they've been shilling."