Who saw it coming? AKA One Year later

C.J. Sullivan and Ricky Carmona blowing up the spot during the final weekend of the Lakeshore theater.  C.J. is on point in this clip and just kills it. "Who saw it coming?" ha!

April will mark the one year aniversery of the closing of the lakeshore theater.  If your not familiar the Lakeshore was the best venue for edgy, original stand up comedy in the city of Chicago, period.  It was a dark day for comedy when the space closed, but the good news is the venue will be renovated and reopened as a Laugh Factory.  Here's hoping the new business plan is smart and will utilize amazing local talent like these guys.

Lazy is as lazy does, AKA Aaron and Joe are funny.

OK, I've been way to busy and lazy to write any long involved posts this week.  How can one be both? Well, I get busy at the day job busting my hump, and then I get lazy after work with little motivation to cover the Chicago comedy scene like I should.  Poor me right?  I did go to a great Comedians You Should Know show last Thursday, but got way to drunk to take pictures so instead I  went to their great freaking website and copied the embed codes for these funny ass videos of Aaron Weaver  and Joe Kilgallon produced by the talented Michael Sanchez, check it Out.
James Allen Kamp
Editor

Brendan McGowan's Farewell Show

Brendon Mcgowan

Say it aint so. Brendan McGowan is leaving town.  Brendan is one of my favorite comedians so for me this sad news.  He is moving to L.A. to pursue greener pasture and all that good stuff. Boo.  His last performance in Chicago will be at his farewell show on April 30th.  You should go.  Can't make it?  Head over to the Comedians You Should Know showcase tonight and watch Brendan blow the dust of your mom's panty's.  (I don't even know what that means) Cant make that?  Then you suck.  (No not really, but kind of) I'll be there being sad/drunk.   That said, I'm sure Brendan will be at all kinds of comedy showcases before he leaves town so do yourself a favor and catch the red faced bastard doing what he does best.  Check out this short video of Brendan doing his thing.
James Allen Kamp
Editor

New York Television Festival Launch Party!

Got a very interesting email from the Co-Festival Director of the New York Television Festival who emailed the following:  "I've been reading your blog about the Chicago Comedy Scene. We're planning an outreach event in Chicago in March and we would love to engage the readers of your blog about the Festival and the opportunities available for talented artists in the Chicago area".  Say what!?  So I did a little research, (this is for real folks!), and responded asking how I could help.  They sent the following PR release aimed directly at Chicago comedians like you my fine reader.

"ATTENTION COMEDIANS OF CHICAGO: The New York Television Festival is coming to the Windy City and we want to meet you!  On Monday, March 21st, join Festival staffers and alumni for networking, cocktails and a chance to learn more about the NYTVF - including current development opportunities with FOX ($25k script deal - comedy), FX ($25k development deal - comedy pilot), IFC ($25k development deal - comedy pilot) and MTV (two $5k development deals for comedic animation).

WHEN: Monday, 3/21, 6 pm - 9 pm

WHERE: The Spot (4437 N. Broadway Avenue)

RSVP: RSVP@NYTVF.com

I've heard many comics say "I got a great idea for a TV show" but don't follow through because they believe the pilot would never get pitched to the right people, well here you go, opportunity is knocking so open the freaking door.

James Allen Kamp

Editor

Just for Laugh's Audition Call Back Show!

Danny Kallas

Aaron Weaver

Wow.  They Killed it, they killed it they, they killed it they killed it.  The JFL festival audtion call back took place Thursday night at the Red Bar Comedy club in dowtown Chicago, and the stand up comedy gods must have been smiling because the show was just fucking ridiculous meaning awesome.  19 comics perfromed a marathion show that kept crowd going bananas for over 2 hours.  Every comedian was at the top of their game and really represented why Chicago is at the epicenter of cutting edge comedy (yeah I said it).  The show was so good theres really not too much to say other then I hope that JFL recognizes how talent was on that stage and gives these comics their proper due.  With that said the stand outs for me were Danny Kallas, Aaron Weaver, Adam Burke, Junior Stopka and Dan Telfer who had the audience in stitches with his brilliant yet angry dinosaur rant bit.  Check the pics.

R.I.P. Mike Destefano

A celebration of the life of Mike Destefano will take place at the Mayne Stage on Saturday March 12th.

Plugging away...

Sean Flannery's one man show

There are a couple of people and events coming up that we want to plug. First you got Sean Flannery's one man show "NEVER BEEN TO PARIS" I keep hearing great things about this production, which had a super successful run at the Lincoln Lodge last fall.

Now I know from first hand experience that Sean is a funny freaking guy but don't take my word for it, read this quote from www.gapersblock.com, "Flannery is both a warm and hilarious storyteller; the show spins what seem like tall tales but in fact are real-life experiences of the baffling number of ways Flannery has nearly killed himself (or friends, or siblings), as well as other just plain dumb things one does when drunk and lives to tell about."

The show has gotten great reviews and will run though April 2011.  Every Friday night @ 9 PM at the Chicago Center for Performing Arts, 777 N. Green St.; tickets are $12.  The second show I want to plug is the "Pistol Party"  twentieth monthly showcase which in Chicago stand up comedy terms is a hell of a run.  That's happening tomorrow at Town Hall pub 3340 N Halsted at 9 PM.  Drew  Frees will be performing and besides being one of our favorite comedians in the scene, he is a genuinely nice guy so check it out, only $5!

Lastly I want to send a huge shout out of support to the hardworking multi-talented Jamie Cambell.  Jamie ran the 100 Proof Showcase and the Chaser Open mic at Comedy Sports Theater, which are now on it's spring Hiatus.  Jamie you did great and deserve some credit for running one of the tightest nights of comedy in the city, everyone should look forward to September when it starts up again.  But if you cant wait that long check then out his new show every friday at at Comedy Sportz.  Here's the press release.

Jamie Cambell

 "100 Proof Comedy presents The Nightcap, on Fridays at midnight, starting THIS FRIDAY the 11th at ComedySportz Chicago! This is a very special, 7 week run, hosted by Jamie Campbell and Marty DeRosa! This week's lineup - Ryan Budds, Cameron Gillette, and Chris Schmidt! Just $5!" 


James Allen Kamp
Editor

Just for Laugh's Audition!

Chad Briggs

Adam Burke

Brendan McGowan

We want to send out big, huge, enormous props to all the comics who performed at the Just For Laughs stand up comedy auditions at the Chicago Underground Comedy showcase on Tuesday.  What a great show!  Every comedian that went up killed it and the standing room only crowd pretty much went bananas the whole night.  It was cool to see so many comedians who were not performing come out and support their comrades on what was one of the best collective nights of comedy that I have witnessed in some time.  Although none of the comics pictured here made it on to the second round they had, in my opinion some of the strongest performances of the night.  That said, EVERYBODY rocked it but special congratulations goes to the comedians who made it on to the second round.  Speaking of which, the "Just for laughs Call Back Auditions" round will be taking place next week on Thursday March 10th at the Red Bar Comedy Club.  Should turn out to be an amazing night of Chicago comedy, but get your tickets now cause that show will sell out for sure.  It's only $5, for like a billion of the best top notch local comedians Chicago has to offer.  If you care about the scene you should really go out and support these folks.  Here who's on the ridiculously awesome bill.

COMEDIANS PERFORMING:
Prescott Tolk
Dan Telfer

Chris Condren

Beth Stelling
James Fritz
Tim Harmston
Junior Stopka
Drew Michael
Cy Amundson
Andy Woodhull
Danny Kallas
Adam Burke
Michael Sanchez
Dan Ronan
Sean Flannery
Aaron Weaver

Hosted By Brian Babylon