Chicago comic Hannibal Burress will be opening for Tracy Morgan tomorrow at the Vic, and was recently featured on Chicago Public Radio. He also informs us that "June 27-July 13 I'm touring as a part of the F Yeah tour. It's a tour with comedians bands and artists fyeahtour.com. The Chicago date is July 3rd at Stan Mansion with Matt and Kim,Monotonix, Team Robespierre, Mannequin Men & Crystal Antlers."

A new Chicago comedy blogger is using her share of bandwidth to illuminate readers about the wonders of our comedy scene. Who is she? She's our very own (and iO's very own) Rachael Mason! Rachael was tapped to be the official comedy examiner for all of Chicago, a job we're confident she is ready for.

In other iO news, iO's Mike Balzer, longtime Bastion supporter and pal (known to his pals as "Baz") is liveblogging his latest adventures in heart surgery on his iO blog. Better than bugging the nurse for more morphine and getting lost in soap operas, right? Get better soon, Baz!

The cast of the new comedy “Factory,” on Spike TV, will be the special guests at a screening of their new show, and there will be an improv set afterward. Why should you be excited? Because the series stars iO alumni Jay Leggett, Mitch Rouse, David Pasquesi and Michael Coleman. All of this will be happening Thursday, June 26 at 09:30 in the Del Close Theater. Tickets are $5 or free for iO students. If we ever meet David Pasquesi, we would like to tell him that he is the reason that the Bastion exists (long story), but we would probably be too tongue-tied to talk to him.