Can the wild animal that is improv make it in the heavily structured tv environment? Some say "maybe not." Improv elite including Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh made a good go of it with "ASSSSCAT: Improv" on Bravo not long ago, and even called on very special special guests like Tina Fey, Andy Richter, Rachel Dratch and Horatio Sanz but even the best of improv, it seems, suffers on television precisely because of the lack of immediacy that a live performance provides. Even though the popularity of the Drew Carey-hosted "Whose Line Is It Anyway," which ran from 1998 to 2004, broadened interest in improv, spoiled a wider audience's expectation of what improv "really is," according to some.

Nevertheless, NBC and a couple of talented Second City main stage vets are putting their all into network improv these days with "Thank God You're Here," an adaptation of an Australian improv tv show of the same name. How is the show going? According to Chicagoist: "There’s no denying that the show would be a thousand times more enjoyable if the core cast (including Nyima Funk and Maribeth Monroe from Second City) improvised with the guests instead of trying to hit certain beats and spit out fabricated lines...we actually laughed out loud a few times." But Dan Kois of Slate goes so far as to say the show isn't really improv at all: "...the supporting performers in the show clearly have seen a script, or at least a list of setups, gags, and plot points to stick to. Which means 'Thank God You're Here' isn't improv, not in any true sense."

Students and alum of the Second City Training Center can call 312-475-3564 to make reservations for a MADtv panel event tomorrow night, April 27, from 5-6 PM at 1608 North Wells. "Meet and hear from cast members of FOX's hit sketch comedy show MADtv at this free event for students and alumni of The Second City Training Center. Panelists include Ike Barinholtz, Crista Flanigan, Arden Myrin, Nicole Parker, Jordan Peele and possibly more. Topics will range from the process of creating and producing their shows, differences between writing and performing sketch for stage and television, working with guest stars, as well as a chance for audience members to ask questions. Patrick Brennan will host and moderate." Hm. "Possibly more." Does that mean that visiting MADtv performers are having too much fun in and around the Chicago Improv Festival this week? We hope so.

Edge Comedy is putting up its "Best of New Faces" show at SEVENS @ The Chicago Center for the Performing Arts (777 N. Green Street) tomorrow, Friday the 27th, at 8 PM. The new faces show will feature Cindy Cornelson, Brendan McGowan, Aaron Eikenberry, and more. The 8 PM "Best of Edge Comedy" show on Saturday the 28th (at the same location) has lined up Hannibal, Cameron Esposito, Fay Canale, Dustin White, Jeff Hansen, and others. Both shows are hosted by Edge producer Dave Odd.

- Elizabeth McQuern

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Actress and Second City student Leigh Vandiver has made a unique Chicago stage debut. Last Saturday night the U. of Georgia theater grad brought a little Southern charm to an Eastern-flavored evening when she acted as emcee for the Miss Chicago Chinatown Pageant. How many comedic actresses have that on their resume? Cameron Diaz? No. Sarah Jessica Parker? Didn't think so. Kate Hudson? Sit down.

Who walked away victorious and will strut her stuff in a traditional Cheongsam dress in the next level of competition in San Francisco? Was it the petite Asian beauty, the petite Asian beauty, or the petite Asian beauty? Visit the pageant website to find out.

Another recent host of the event was Ron Mok, a key player in Stir Friday Night, Chicago’s premiere Asian American sketch comedy troupe, which also features Second City General Manager Ranjit Souri, who we caught last week in the Cupid Player's musical sketch revue Cupid's Got a Heart On.

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Head to the Hideout the first Friday of every month for the always-something-different offerings of the minds behind The Dollar Store.

What is it, exactly? It's "an evening of readings and performances given by some of Chicago's top literary talents, monologists, performers, and drunks." It's fresh creativity every time, because it springs from a story spun about random items from the Dollar Store presented to a different set of writers, comedians, and improvisers for each event.

The Sun-Times says "some of the best young writers in town" show up, and the show has earned raves from NewCity, the Reader, and flavorpill as well.

Past participants have included short story writers, radio personalities, talk show hosts, fiction magazine editors, dancer/choreographers, improv vets, a few Neo-Futurarians, and your mama.

The Dollar Store is co-hosted by Jonathan Messinger, mastermind of This Is Grand, and Jeremy Sosenko of i.O.'s Late Night Late Show.

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