Me in the Chicago Tribune and the Indianapolis Star Today

I am in today's Chicago Tribune, in a story about the stand-up scene. The writer talked to me and Dan about ChUC and also quoted my very first comedy soul sister, K-Rock.

I'm heading to Midway to grab a flight to Cleveland to visit Melissa, who's house-sitting there. Yes, Cleveland! It's all part of my brilliant plan to escape the harsh Chicago winter by making an almost imperceptible shift in the exact same latitude.

Also, I had a record three articles published in the Indianapolis Star this morning. If you're interested in the 26th annual Flower and Patio Show at the Indiana Fairgrounds, I am darned near an expert on the subject at this point. My parents are calling everyone within a 25 mile radius making sure everyone reads today's paper and marvels at my flair for proper punctuation and short, easy-to-digest paragraphs.

A quote from the Trib piece:

Stand and deliver

In a town full of improv and temptations to move elsewhere, the stand-up scene still has its stars

By Glenn Jeffers | TRIBUNE REPORTER

March 7, 2008

...Chicago Underground (Comedy)...is more of a showcase for the new "room-to-room" comics like Brady Novak, Brendan McGowan and Fay Canale. Though the room's a little bigger than the Lodge, the show still carries the same hangout vibe back when Sam ran it out of Gunther Murphy's. Comics do their sets, then knock back a few and talk shop in the bar.

Thank Dan Telfer and Elizabeth McQuern, the show's new producers, for keeping that vibe. The two have retained several local comics by sticking to a tried-and-true philosophy: Give them whatever they want, from extra time to letting them play music on stage. "We want them to feel spoiled," says Telfer, 29, of Evanston...

Happy Birthday, Chicago Comedians!

Last night's birthday party for Bryan and Nellie was a smashing success. Sloan was kind enough to loan us her house and I tried to be a proper hostess, facilitating introductions and making the rounds with ghetto pizza - cheap Jewel pizza cut and served on top of the box it came in. Nellie's mom made a bajillion cupcakes - the kind baked into ice cream cones - and of course there was lots of beer. Basically it's just like producing a comedy show, except without an actual show.

It was an interesting combination of my friends, Bryan's friends, Nellie's friends, Sloan's friends, and her roommate Erik's friends. It looked like several romantic connections were made, or at least, there was making out, long involved conversations, and bumping and grinding on the dance floor - between people who had just met an hour or two before.

Nobody got sick or too crazy but, as hostess, I'll feel good knowing that at least a few people did things they're embarrassed about today. Me, I'm ashamed of my uncontrolled cupcake intake. It was nothing but flying fists and fudgy frosting, and I'm paying the price today.

Random Assemblages of the Elderly

Somehow lately I've been on hand for several examples of one of my favorite urban phenomena - the "sudden and unexpected flocking of the elderly to a previously quiet location."

Right now I'm in a bakery and restaurant in the Bryn Mawr area, waiting to meet Nellie and Teresa to look at an apartment, and it's been totally quiet for over an hour as I sit here sipping water and picking through the newspapers.

That is, until four minutes ago, when a line of elderly ladies materialized and slowly snaked its way in the store. I just read something about Improv Everywhere doing something silly and spontaneous at Grand Central Station in New York, and for a second I laughed, because this felt like something pranky.

Fifty old ladies in the door one after another? Was there a collective sugar cookie craving at St. Michael's Retirement Center up the street?

Oh, wait...they are all scooting toward the back of the store, and someone is speaking in an authoritative "theme park guide" voice about the wonders of bread-making. They're here for a tour. That makes more sense.