I’m glad no one talks about the “sexy dad bod” anymore and I don’t want to resurrect it, but can we talk about what really counts? How about the “sexy dad mind” and the Chicago comedian who exemplifies it: Jim Gaffigan. “Wait!,” your inner voice protests, “Jim Gaffigan who talks about Hot Pockets, bacon and […]
Hot topics! A Q&A with Jim Gaffigan Read More »
August is not a quiet month, at least not in Chicago comedy. There is greatness everywhere. Greatness visiting from out of town and greatness we’re privileged to have year around. Comedians visiting this month include: Jim Gaffigan, Dan Telfer, David Heti, John Roy, Dwayne Kennedy, Lahna Turner, Miranda Sings, Jay Phillips, Doug Benson, K-Von, Bill
Your Chicago Comedy Calendar for August 2015 Read More »
A friend of mine who is a law professor and comedy fan wrote me to say I need to know about Hope Rehak. I love getting interview suggestions, so I was enthusiastic. I realized how great his suggestion was when I saw Hope’s clips on YouTube and saw a young, rising comedian who looks like
Talking with Hope Rehak: a Chicago comedian whose star is on the rise Read More »
My rule for this calendar was there had to be comedy every day! As if it’s a challenge. It would be harder in Chicago to find a day without comedy. Certainly in July, you won’t need to restrict fire power to the Fourth. Comedy fireworks are all month and no mosquitoes. (Please confirm details to
Your Chicago Comedy Calendar for July 2015 Read More »
My husband and I have a tradition of bringing in the New Year with an argument. Stay in or go out? In 2015 we broke the tradition. We were in complete agreement about staying in, inviting friends over and watching Second City alum Cathryn Michon’s Muffin Top. The film is a unique rom-com. Its theme,
Q&A with Director Cathryn Michon: how Muffin Top became a rare and powerful rom-com Read More »
Because of Derek Sheen, I will never again think of an escalator as an escalator. Instead, I will take the “wizard stairs.” Thanks to this Seattle-based comedian, the next billion times I say something in some mortifying way I didn’t mean (and believe me, those billion times all are likely to occur by next Tuesday),
Derek Sheen to record live album at Chicago’s Comedians You Should Know on June 24, 25 Read More »
Why aren’t philosophers listed in the Yellow Pages? I need a philosopher to articulate the reasons for my existential dread. I could use a philosopher combined with a lawyer. Lawyers construct arguments as beautiful as geometric theorems to force us to address the wrongs that created the dread in the first place. What if I
A Q&A with comedian David Heti, and it was more than OK Read More »
[This post is in response to a ChicagoNow assignment: in one hour, “Write about your tomorrow. Not figuratively, literally write about anything that you hope, fear, believe, expect — anything — that you may experience tomorrow.”] 1. I have more energy in the late evenings than in the mornings, so sometimes I sleep in my
Top ten secret things about tomorrow Read More »
[Note: this post is is a one-hour challenge from ChicagoNow: “Write about a time you made a mistake or were wrong about something.”] Growing up, I never thought I was funny. Worse, I thought I wasn’t allowed to be funny. Funny was reserved for people who had been chosen. I was somehow under the impression
Good girls can’t be funny! Read More »
On Sunday, Hillary Clinton made the announcement we all were expecting: we’re going to be seeing a lot more of her on Saturday Night Live. Well, that’s not exactly what she said, but happily, it’s the same thing. But which Hillary will it be? Will it be Amy Poehler? Will she return? She has seniority,
Which Hillary Clinton gets your vote: Amy Poehler or Kate McKinnon? Read More »
UPDATE BELOW How can you get your hands on The Next To Last Joan Rivers Album which Stand Up! Records will release exclusively on Record Store Day (April 18)? Here’s the scoop. Record Store Day (RSD) was founded in 2007 and is celebrated every year on the third Saturday in April. Albums with exclusive content
When I was in seventh grade, I was obsessed with the book Having A Baby Can Be a Scream. Granted, most of it went over my head, but it didn’t matter. Comedy was something of a religion in our house and I recognized the voice of a deity when I read one. I didn’t know
Think you know Joan Rivers? Can we talk? Rare album releases April 18, 2015. Read More »
Jamie Campbell will release his new album, Tell Me You’re Proud of Me on March 10. Two things you wouldn’t guess about Jamie. First, he’s shy. You wouldn’t guess because with a microphone, the shyness is gone. When Jamie takes the stage, his warmth and charisma fill the room. He’s a tough guy with a
Chicago can be proud of comedian Jamie Campbell Read More »
In just the past few weeks, Maz Jobrani has been profiled by the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, Mother Jones and NPR. For the past fifteen years, the Iranian American comedian has been profiled by casting directors and airport officials all over the world who tend to see him as a terrorist. For those
Comedian Maz Jobrani is not a terrorist but he is radically funny Read More »
