39 stories by "Jason Heidemann"
"I recently found out that sexuality exists on a spectrum and that spectrum is liquor," says host Adam Guerino at the beginning of "Queer Comedy," a monthly night of LGBT-themed standup and …
"When I was a boy, I laid in my twin-sized bed and wondered where my brother was." This brilliant joke was written by Mitch Hedberg, a comedian with an incomparable point of view who died ni…
"Is it hard to be a comedian?" asks Nick Gaza at "The Nasty Show" at the Laugh Factory last Saturday night. "No, it's hard not to be a comedian."
"I remember when this neighborhood used to be rich white people," says comedian Adam Burke on opening night of the revamped "Lincoln Lodge" at Subterranean in Wicker Park. "Now it's all weal…
Ever get into a taxi and the cabbie is a talker? It can be a nightmare. You want to piddle around on your iPhone or talk with your friend or date, but the driver is spouting off nonsense abo…
In Africa, the term "Big Five" refers to a quintet of animals heavily sought after for viewing by tourists on a safari circuit. In the local stand-up scene, I notice a "big five" of topics t…
At “Your Monday’s Best,” an open mic that happens weekly at Schubas, host Chris Condren is cracking himself up. His laughter is infectious and it helps him sell each joke. …
By the time "Parlour Car" reaches the end of its epic, three-hour anniversary show at Bar Deville in the Ukrainian Village last Thursday, nearly 20 of Chicago's best comics have taken turns …
The wheel was not kind to comedian Arslon . Forced to spend four minutes performing only crowd work, the Turkish standup said simply in his broken English, "This is the biggest punishment to…
The first thing anyone should do in any new year is resolve to see more standup comedy. Not only does laughing burn calories, decrease stress and improve blood pressure, it also boosts the i…
“This is where my comedy belongs,” says Ricky Gonzalez at the top of his hosting set at the final show at the Lincoln Lodge on Saturday, “in the back of a pancake house.&rd…
You never forget your first time. I'm talking, of course, about the first comedian whose work etches an indelible impression in your brain. For me, that comedian was Eddie Murphy. Like a lot…
The other day, a friend and I (who is a former stand-up comedian) were discussing a performance by the excellent Ted Alexandro that we'd seen a couple years ago in Logan Square. Alexandro di…
In a new feature on The Theater Loop’s Funny page, freelance writer Jason Heidemann trolls Chicago’s stand-up clubs, wandering all over the city and suburbs. In this space, he&rs…
