Chicago Smart-Ass Makes Good

Chicago’s very own Dan Bakkedahl, formerly of Second City and Wrigleyville's IO Theater, has gone to the Big Apple to be the Daily Show’s newest correspondent.

Dan made a name for himself here in Chicago with the comedy duo Zumpf (with Miles Stroth). He also brought the house down at Second City in the 2003-04 show “Doors Open on the Right.”

The story has it that he left Second City over artistic differences; that is, he was so pissed with the pay and a deal that let Sony use the improv material they generated that he pounded a wall backstage and broke his hand.
You have to love this quote: “It wasn’t feeding me artistically for what I had to give up businesswise.”

Chicagoist couldn’t agree more. You could shit all over us, too, if the money was right.

Before Dan left Chicago, his friends threw him a roast at IO, and it looks like his friends are as inappropriate as we are after a few tequila shooters, so they’re all invited to the next Chicagoist happy hour.

Dan is newly sober, and even that fact was not out-of-bounds for the roast. Dan’s partner from an improv show, Trainwreck, Ed Furman, gave us this dark line about Dan: He’s a natural for New York City: “They’re both loud, smelly and violent, and neither one’s been bombed for a while.”

See? We told you they’re invited to our happy hour.

At any rate, tonight is a big night for Dan Bakkedahl. Fellow former Second City alum, Stephen Colbert, whose deadpan delivery can reduce Chicagoist to tears, is working on a spinoff of the Daily Show. That leaves a slot that Dan is filling this very night.

Check out Dan tonight on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.