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Okay Bastionland, here's the thing: if you end up in a glum mood for ANY reason this weekend, then you're obviously not paying very close attention to what's going on right in your very own city. And even more than the usual amount of wonderful hilarity, it's a big weekend for Young Chicago Stand-Up Comedy:
You'll see in our forthcoming post, but tonight and tomorrow are huge nights for local stand-up Kumail Nanjiani, who you've probably already read about in Chicago Magazine, Time Out, and Chicagoist (we're the last in the game, haha). Tonight he opens for Zach Galifianakis at the Vic, and tomorrow he stages his one-man show at the Lakeshore Theater.
We talked to stand-up comic Mike Bridenstine about his stint at Zanies last night, and his exact words were, "Dude! Young Zanies pwned!" Catch him, Brooke Van Poppelen, and Baron Vaughn tonight, tomorrow, or Sunday night (see listings for times), and support the "club youth movement" at Chicago's only full-fledged stand-up comedy club.
ALSO tonight, the Blu Mic at the Apollo Theater is hosting an "international selection" of comics, with Vince Carone (Chicago), Katie Hall (LA) and Jeff Mirza (England).
Also ALSO tonight: The Smoke Show is having a FREE show at the Spot, celebrating scenester Francie McGowan's birthday. Come on up to the loft and see Chad Briggs, Mike Cody, and Eric Campbell, and of course, buy the birthday girl a drink or three.
Photo of Baron (top) stolen from Drink at Work; photo of Mike Cody (bottom) stolen from his MySpace profile. Thanks!
- Kristy Mangel
Goood morning/afternoon/evening, Bastionland! Several things to let you know about/remind ourselves about, here on the gorgeous Friday in the city. There is no rhyme nor reason, there is only COMEDY:
This Sunday, July 1, at 9 p.m., come to Bad Dog Tavern to say goodbye to Chicago stand-up stalwart Josh Cheney. Oh, you didn't know? He's moving. To L.A. There's a beach there. And wild peacocks. Why wouldn't he go there? There will be a show that evening, but there will be more tears than laughter. Okay, we'll stop being that way.
 But then that Tuesday, July 3, you can shake all that off and give Ms. Brooke Van Poppelen a giant, warm, welcome back hug, as she'll be back on the stage she co-founded, Chicago Underground Comedy! Follow up the goodtimes that are surely to be had this evening with a visit to Zanies that weekend, July 6-8, as she features for her good friend Baron Vaughn. We'll be there Sunday night! Please say hi and sit down for a drink with us. We have to drink at least two bevvies, you know!
We haven't been very dutiful about the show, but we heard that Tommy Johnagin advanced in Last Comic Standing this week, Operation: Minneapolis. As there weren't any Chicago tryouts this season, many of our own trekked down to Minn. to get in on the action, and even though we're not sure we can REALLY claim Tommy, we are right now! Plus, he's a super nice, affable guy and a hilarious, strong comic who worked the Chicago alt stages a couple years ago and then kept right on working onto Live at Gotham. Good luck, Tommy!
They managed to piss off 10,000 more 14-year-olds, this time by landing on MySpace.com's homepage this past Tuesday with a fully remastered version of "8 Mile", the beloved Eminem spoof which also was the catalyst for the whole Blerds thing. Do continue to read all 1700+ comments.
 And finally, for your Big Happy Friday round-up, we'll give you at least a week-out heads-up: Zach Galifianakis is at the Vic Theatre, Friday, July 6, 8 p.m.. No, there hasn't been any local media coverage on the show. It's not even on the Vic's Web site. There's hardly been even a MySpace bulletin about it! But rest assured, we do know the show is real, and tickets can be bought here. How do we know it's real? Well, good friend of the Bastion Kumail Nanjiani is opening for the Zach! And guess what else? The very next day, July 7, Kumail is staging his one-man show at the Lakeshore Theater. We're pretty sure that you can be very certain there will be an Inside With: Kumail Nanjiani, published next week right here on the Bastion.
- Kristy Mangel
Caution, gentle readers, this is a Blerds-laden post. Friday night at the Lodge will be a "non-Lodge Lodge show" featuring confirmed performers Eric Andre, Matt Braunger, Mike Bridenstine, Mike Burns, Mike Holmes as G-Carlo, Tim Kazurinsky, John Leadley as 80's Clown, Brady Novak, CJ Sullivan and Think Tank.
Brendan McGowan and Mike Bridenstine are kicking off a new series of Friday showcases called the Smoke Show, beginning with "50 First Jokes" June 8 at 10 PM at the Spot. What's the concept, you ask? It's 50 comics doing the first joke they ever told on stage, an idea Bridenstine heard about from Mike Burns, who saw it in New York. "I borrowed the idea from the Check Your Cool show in New York. It's a room John F. O'Donnell, Jiwon Li and Claudia Cogan run. I figured what better way to have everyone know about the show than to book everyone? The rest of the showcases will be booked with a host and two comics doing 15 minute sets and a headliner doing 25." The first five shows are listed here.
Also, this Saturday is the Blerds one year anniversary party, at which 12/13 of Blerds will converge at the Spot at 10 PM to rock your socks off.
And hey, there's another new Blerds video!
- Kristy Mangel
It's a big week for comedy in Chicago, friends. Between Sketchfest, Snubfest, newly created talent shows, multimedia showcases, and the usual myriad of things to witness in Chicago comedy, the Bastion doesn't plan to sleep a whole lot from now until next week. Included in the week's festivities is much catching up with Chicago ex-pat Mike Burns, who can be seen tonight at the Blerds showcase at the Empty Bottle, or performing at Sketchfest on Thursday with Real.Good.Turbo, or over at the Lincoln Lodge Friday, or as part of "Sketchubator" Saturday at midnight ("a drunk fest where troupes do like 5 minute sketches that are usually fucking nuts or dirty or super alt. It's a great time. Lights are all up, no tech. It's a raw thunderdome of people flexing nuts and showing off"), with countless opportunities to tip back a few with Mike and catch up on all the latest and greatest in NYC, we're sure.
Mike is also planning some "off-duty" activities. He told us that, in addition to performing all over the place, he plans on "drinking heavily, passing out on BridenHolmes' couch, smoking a lot of cigarettes indoors, screaming like a maniac, seeing 80's Clown's little boy, passing out on 80's Clown's couch, and getting some decent Mexican food. And maybe a Philly's Best Cheesesteak or Potbelly sandwich if there's time. And there's always the possibility of getting escorted out of a few establishments."
- Kristy Mangel
 Scrappy upstarts Doppelganger are putting on "V is For Vacation" at midnight Friday in Donny's Skybox at Second City. Tense tales of Chicago vacation woes, in funny form.
Whirled News Tonight's show "Newspeak" is on at IO on Saturday at 8 in the Del Close Theater. Much mockery of modern newsmedia is forecast.
Schadenfreude's Rent Party is tonight at 9 at the Gallery Cabaret. Brilliant comedy not enough of a draw for you? One word: burlesque. One phrase: "The Ass That Goes Pow."
The Edge Comedy Showcase will be at Pressure Cafe at 8:30 on Saturday. Stand-up! Espresso! Billiards?
Don't Spit the Water will splash you good Saturday at 10:30 at the Playground Theater. Splash you good, we say!
 The Spitfire Coalition of (all-female) sizzlin' stand-up sillies is throwing their second show, the Spitfire Comedy Power Hour, tonight at 8 at the Cornservatory. Also featured will be the Star and Garter burlesque gals. Burlesque? Are we seeing a pattern here?
If you find yourself sitting around this weekend and whining that there's nothing fun to do, well, just remember, it's not The Bastion's fault.
-Elizabeth McQuern
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