Results tagged “tbs”

Lakeshore Theater played host to a night of outstanding comedy on Friday, featuring Double Threat and Bob, David and Friends. The ironically titled Double Threat comprised two of the most likable and least intimidating comedians on the scene, Danny Bhoy and Jim Breuer. The show got off to an unusually early start (five minutes ahead of schedule), and those arriving fashionably late were the perfect target for the Scotsman's improvisational riffing. Bhoy, comfortable enough with his material to pause for some good-natured lampooning, shined when hounding audience members for their tardiness. In an age where most of a comedian's material can be viewed in advanced on YouTube, this type of off-the-cuff comedy was a genuine treat... so tell your dick friends to show up late. Following Danny Bhoy was the Goat Boy, Jim Breuer. Breuer, well known for his time on SNL and his feature-film appearances, made the most of his knack for impersonations. Sammy Sosa, Dave Chappelle, Tracy Morgan, Norm MacDonald, Jack Nicholson and a kangaroo were all channeled by Breuer on Friday night, who used the all-star cast to compliment his physical brand of humor. Be sure to catch Bhoy and Breuer in their final festival performance tonight at the Lakeshore.

Photo by Matt Motyka

Very few are able to make the transition from internet sensation to star of stage or screen, but funnyman Jon Lajoie might be on his way. The regular Everyday Normal Guy has been touring the country with a new comedy act, Live as F*ck, his most recent stop being the Just For Laughs festival here in Chicago. How exactly do five minute YouTube clips translate into a live performance? Lajoie primarily sticks to what has made him popular, splicing tongue-in-cheek songs with short video clips and bits of loosely structured material. Part concert, part comedy show, Lajoie’s act takes a cue from the oh-so successful Flight of the Conchords, albeit not nearly as polished in its execution. But that lack of shine is a major component of Lajoie’s charm, who readily admits that he doesn’t exactly know what he’s doing on stage. His very good singing voice combined with his unique wit and a popular catalog of songs seem certain to keep a familiar audience entertained. Lajoie will be performing at the Lakeshore Theater again this evening, so if you’re a big fan of his internet offerings, it will probably be worth the price of admission. [Tickets]

If you've not yet heard, today marks the beginning of TBS Presents a “Very Funny” Festival: Just for Laughs. The six-day comedic takeover lays seige to several of Chicago's finest venues and boasts 68 shows, ranging from movie screenings to local standup acts. The list of talent is ridiculous, so somewhere in between Ellen Degeneres and Patrice O'Neal you're bound to find an act that tickles your fancy. And to the delight of our sanity, the 68 shows are not all unique; many of the events will repeat over the course of the festival. In addition to alleviating personal schedule conflicts (thank you, organizers, for not forcing us to choose between Louis CK and David Cross), the repetition will allow us to review the first show of a run, giving you, the reader, an idea of whether or not you'd be interested in catching the encore performance.

A little while back we told you about TBS Presents a "Very Funny" Festival: Just for Laughs. And if we didn't make you crack a smile then, we're ready to chisel away at that stone face of yours with the expanded comedy roster. Joining the already-scheduled programming are performers David Cross, Michael Ian Black and Jon Lajoie, among several others. Additionally, Chicagoan Harold Ramis will be on hand at the Music Box Theatre June 16 to screen his new film, Year One, and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the festival organizers.

A: To get to TBS Presents A “Very Funny” Festival: Just For Laughs in Chicago, IL!

premieres tonight on TBS at 8:30pm.

Anyone know how to get in contact with the bureau of made-up statistics? 'Cause we want to know how much the Chicago economy is going to be harmed by lost productivity due to the Cubs' first two playoff games.

Who do we believe -- Radar Magazine or Mark Cuban? Radar reported on Wednesday that billionaire tech entrepeneur, blogger and owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team is preparing to make a $625 million bid for the Chicago Cubs. A source supposedly familiar with the situation claims, "Mark is desperate to buy the Cubs. He wants this so bad." However, Cuban's response to the Trib via email stated that the rumor was "not true." In...

Chicago? Tall buildings. A lake. A river. Stadiums. Sports bars. 'L' tracks. All the elements, in the minds of producers, needed to make our city look like somewhere else. Earlier this week it was announced that the new TBS show "My Boys," which is set in not-really-Chicago, has been picked up for nine additional episodes. When we posted about it earlier, we opined that it's really not so successful with capturing the spirit of Chicago,...

Last night, Chicagoist sat down to watch the premiere of “My Boys” on TBS. As the show is supposed to take place in Chicago, we figured it’d be worth a look to see if it captures the spirit of the city and whether it’s worth your time. On both counts, the answer is “not really.” “Sex and the City” is the show that “My Boys” gets compared to the most, as it is ostensibly about...

Oprah urges each and every one of her viewers to “live your best life.” And whether she’s making like an angel or giving out free cars, she often helps to facilitate that in any way she can. But we’re pretty sure she’s not happy about people using her Oprahness to scam people out of money via e-mail phishing schemes. Illinois’ own angel Attorney General Lisa Madigan says not to fall for it. In other less...

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the first network television broadcast of The Wizard of Oz. The first CBS broadcast (which was on WBBM Channel 2 in Chicago) was introduced by Bert Lahr with a 10-year-old Liza Minnelli sitting on his lap. Back then, people were unfamiliar enough with the film that viewers were warned that it opens in black and white, lest they think something was wrong with their color televisions. Except for the years 1957-1958 and 1963 (because of JFK's assassination), it has been broadcast annually. The Wizard of Oz has been seen by more people than any other movie (an estimated one billion), and a 1998 Gallup Poll reported that 94% of American adults had seen the film.

Christmas bells are ringing… and ringing, and ringing at the Music Box Theatre, the jewel in the crown of the northwest side’s piping hot, yuppie magnetized Southport Corridor. From Sunday through Thursday, the Music Box will celebrate its 21st Annual Christmas Show, featuring two holiday classics and more Christmas cheer than you can shake a Restoration Hardware Woodland Twig Berry Wreath at.

Geektastic has an A+ roundup of current Illinois-based reality stars. We're using the term "stars" loosely here. It's probably more like cosmic dust, or the funk meteors crap out. But just ask Trista�being on TV makes you important. Brad, of the unimaginably boring Real World: San Diego, is probably the most recognizable of the list if only because MTV only has four shows, and they just rerun them all the time. Road Rules: Extreme Challenge's...