 |
| Filmmaker Michael Alexander |
"
Laugh Till You’re Winded" is a new in-depth, full length documentary that goes deep into Chicago’s stand up scene - from its boom in the 80’s - to the bust in the late 90's - and to its current resurgence.
Directed by Michael Alexander, the documentary takes viewers behind the scenes in candid interviews with
Hannibal Buress, Jeff Garlin, Deon Cole, Judy Tenuta, Tom Dreesen, Jimmy Pardo, Kyle Kinane, Lil Rel, Chris Redd, Beth Stelling and many more monster comedians that cut their teeth in the Chicago scene.
Alexander has a long 33 year history as both a stand-up comedian and a comedy writer. His credits include writing for The Arsenio Hall Show, the Tonight show with Jay Leno, a freelance writer for George Lopez and has opened for Smoky Robinson and Gladys Knight (among others). The film will have it's
exclusive premier this Monday Nov 5th.
Hosting a Comedy show is an Art. Too many people think they can host, just as too many people think they can do Comedy. It is a thankless job, but it’s the most important job. You are responsible for clearing the muck ahead to make sure the Feature and Headliner have to do as little work as possible to have an attentive audience, and have a great set. You are the lone Salmon swimming upstream. Sometimes you will break them and get them on board, sometimes you won’t. But the important part is you have to try. And even if you don’t there’s this weird thing where the audience doesn’t take the Host seriously and once you leave they are completely on board with the next comic. I was first asked to Host at Zanies a few years ago. I was nervous but I was absolutely confident that I could do it. So I went in even when I wasn’t performing to watch Pat McGann. To me, he is like the Michelangelo of Hosting a show. You’re just in awe and like “Ohhh, so that’s how it’s done”