News

18 surprising things Alec Baldwin told us at Chicago Ideas’ Curiosity Series

By Teme Ring | April 13, 2017

This past Tuesday night, Alec Baldwin revealed who he is “beyond the screen” to a rapt, sold-out audience at Chicago’s Athenaeum Theatre. Chicago Ideas’ CEO Jessica Malkin hosted the evening as part of the Curiosity Series, which offers rare opportunities to interact with innovators from every walk of life. During the hour-long talk which included …

18 surprising things Alec Baldwin told us at Chicago Ideas’ Curiosity Series Read More »

Best Night Ever’s Sam McHale talks about the show’s third anniversary and how to produce the best night ever

By Teme Ring | April 1, 2017

On Monday, April 3, Best Night Ever celebrates its third anniversary. Not every stand-up showcase reaches that milestone, but Best Night Ever is known for living up to its name. Every Monday night at Gman Tavern, producers Sam Ash McHale, Mike Cronin, Dave Losso and Mike O’Keefe put on a quality line-up of rising and …

Best Night Ever’s Sam McHale talks about the show’s third anniversary and how to produce the best night ever Read More »

Chicago Ideas hosts Bassem Youssef, the “Egyptian Jon Stewart,” and his best advice is …

By Teme Ring | March 30, 2017

Chicago is known for its magnificent architecture, but right now I’m not thinking of brick and steel. Chicago is also known for its magnificent architecture of the mind. Chicago Ideas is a non-profit that specializes in bringing the world’s most innovative thinkers to Chicago to sync up with their local counterparts, namely you. As Chicago …

Chicago Ideas hosts Bassem Youssef, the “Egyptian Jon Stewart,” and his best advice is … Read More »

7 years after death, comedy legend Greg Giraldo returns to spotlight in upcoming biography

By Teme Ring | March 15, 2017

Speaking to Matt Balaker I came close to slipping up and calling him “Greg.” Matt, along with Wayne Jones, are the authors of the upcoming definitive and only book about ingenious comedian Greg Giraldo who died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in 2010 at the age of forty-four. Talking with Matt even by phone …

7 years after death, comedy legend Greg Giraldo returns to spotlight in upcoming biography Read More »

Chicago comedy in the news

By Teme Ring | March 2, 2017

In the news: The Open Mic is a new web series all about the Chicago comedy experience. Kelsie Huff and Daryl Moon star and co-produce. The series is filmed at Gallery Cabaret. The series includes all the anxiety, struggles, and joys on the road to fame, hopefully. This is the only series that has the …

Chicago comedy in the news Read More »

Saturday Night Live: bring back Katie Rich. We’re all poorer if you don’t.

By Teme Ring | January 25, 2017

  All the way through elementary school I attended the Chaos B. Mayhem Progressive School in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. That wasn’t its actual name, but it was the ‘70s and it may as well have been. Our math teacher was growing pot in the class terrarium and four grades were thrown together in one …

Saturday Night Live: bring back Katie Rich. We’re all poorer if you don’t. Read More »