Eddie Pepitone and Our Own Nick Rouley at Lincoln Hall

On an exceedingly cold Thursday night last week, about two hundred people huddled together in a seated Lincoln Hall for an evening of unforgettable comedy by the legendary Eddie Pepitone. Nick Rouley, who hosts our own monthly comedy spectacular, Freak Happening, landed the prime opening spot for Eddie and got to do almost twenty minutes. What a treat for us, and I'm sure for Nick.

Eddie was just Eddie, which is to say, nobody else does comedy like this. He did some material from his most recent special, worked in some new stuff, and just riffed when there was an opening to do so. I'm not really sure how to describe his work if you haven't seen it, except to say that it sort of starts off at the existential void created by Western consumerism and then takes off from there. What a ride.

Here's a little slideshow of my pics from the night. You can click through the whole set here below,

or if you want larger shots, go directly to the Flickr set in another window, here.

Freak Happening presents: Holy Hahas with Brothers Nick Rouley & Goodrich Gevaart

Freak Happening Church was presided over by Bishop Goodrich Gevaart and Brother Nick Rouley

with guests
Liza Treyger, Matty Ryan, Jeff Steinbrunner, and Jason Earl Folks as Travelling Pastor Christopher Christopher
Photos by pmonaghan

Freak Happening "Werewolves in Space" rock opera at saki

Freak Happening "Werewolves in Space" at saki, a set on Flickr.

Discounted VIP tickets to UPSCALE: An Evening of Live Jazz and Stand Up!

Our friends over at UP Comedy Club were kind enough to send over a special coupon code for $10 VIP tickets to a special one night only event, featuring a neato blend of jazz and standup comedy.

Thursday, January 30. 

Music at 7pm, show at 8pm

UPSCALE: An Evening of Jazz and Stand-up Featuring:

The Pat Mallinger Trio 

with Chicago's Premiere Comedians: 

Brian Babylon, Adam Burke, Marty DeRosa,

Megan Gailey and Chris Bader. 

Call our Box Office 312-662-4562 or buy online at UPComedyClub.com with the code: JAZZ

UP Comedy Club

230 W. North Ave

Chicago, IL 60614

Joe McAdam at saki 1/9/14

Joe McAdam returned to Chicago and presented his show, "LA Failure" at saki, with Nick, Goodrich, a boatload of characters, and guests American Badass LOL, and Spiderman.

Here's the whole Flickr set: Joe McAdam at saki 1/9/14

Joe ponders the mysteries of the Universe in a radiant moment.

American Badass LOL returns at Spiderman

(photos by pkmonaghan)

Once in a Lifetime: Co-Ed Call Girl-- TONIGHT!!!

Once in a Lifetime, a comedy show/movie night presented by saki and Everything is Terrible, celebrates the horrifying world of Lifetime Original Movies. Each month, some of our favorite comedians will provide commentary over the screening of a made-for-Lifetime movie.

This month, Katie McVay, Kristin Clifford, and Andy Fleming goof on Co-Ed Call Girl!

Lifetime staple Tori Spelling accidentally stumbles into sex work in Co-Ed Call Girl (1996). Bookish Joanna (Spelling) is kind of a buzzkill, so her roommates prank her by giving her number to an escort service. One bangin’ party at a Malibu beach house later, and Joanna finds herself “dating” older men for money. But all the Versace and lipliner in the world can’t conceal Joanna’s shame...

In addition to other food and drink specials, Lincoln Hall will, once again, be running the wildly popular $3 white wine spritzer special for all you cool moms out there!

Tonight, Wednesday December 18th

8pm

$5

18+

Lincoln Hall

Fundraiser Happening TONIGHT!

You already know that Freak Happening is a great, fun time; a parade of weird goofs and silly guffaws unrivaled in Chicago. This Friday, the November edition of Freak Happening takes flight and will, for one night only, also function as a fundraiser for Team Rubicon's Operation: Honest Abe project.

Team Rubicon was founded by retired marines and specializes in deploying emergency response teams to disaster-stricken areas. Operation: Honest Abe is an effort to rebuild the hardest-hit areas of the Chicagoland area by this past weekend's rash of tornadoes/storms.

The fundraiser has been organzied by the amazing Kris Simmons, a Chicago-based comedian and great person. We'll be taking donations, as well as raffling off a saki gift certificate, a bottle of bourbon, restaurant gift certificates, and other exciting prizes!

All this, plus the usual insanity from hosts Goodrich Gevaart and Nick Rouley, plus standup comedy and other weirdness from Candy Lawrence, Caitlin Bergh, Cameron Gillette, and Sonia Denis!

F R E A K  H A P P E N I N G

Friday, November 22nd

7:30pm

byob/all ages

bring money to donate if you can!

Freak Happening makes Black Friday come early this year!

Nick Rouley and Goodrich Gevaart's monthly fun time Freak Happening comes one week early this month!

Standup comedy and other weirdness from Candy Lawrence, Caitlin Bergh, Cameron Gillette, and Sonia Denis!

GET TRVE KVLT FOR FRE∆K H∆PPENING'S BL∆CK FRID∆Y

Friday, November 22nd
7:30pm
BYOB

Nick and his puppy made a promo video for this month's show too!

FREAK HAPPENING presents Little Record Shop of Maximum Carnage TONIGHT!

Chicago comedians Nicholas Rouley and Goodrich Gevaart have cooked up a sweet and spicy little baby and called it Freak Happening's Little Record Shop of Maximum Carnage. Strap in and put your helmet on, because you're in for very spooky night of undead comedy!

Guests include
The Puterbaugh Sisters
Sean White
John Eisenrich
Jason Earl Folks
Chad Briggs
and other special creepy guests!

TONIGHT
7:30pm
free
BYOB

C.J. Toledano presents Everybody's Haunted Part Boo!

Our friend and former Chicagoan C.J. Toledano (Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, The Soup Investigates) presents a one-night-only parade of comedy dumbness this Halloween!

C.J. Toledano
Marty Derosa
John Eisenrich
Charlie Bury
Trey Brown
Marlena Rodriguez
AJ Conover
Hosted by Trevor Martin & Conor Sullivan

7:30pm
Thursday, October 31st
Free/All Ages/BYOB

Once In A Lifetime presents DEVIL'S DIARY: A MIDNIGHT SCREENING!

Once in a Lifetime, a comedy show/movie night presented by saki and Everything is Terrible, celebrates the horrifying world of Lifetime Original Movies. Each month, some of our favorite comedians will provide commentary over the screening of a made-for-Lifetime movie.

This month's lineup features OIAL favorites Natalie Jose, The Puterbaugh Sisters, and Jeff Steinbrunner. What a silly quartet!

Surging out of Canada like the unholy offspring of Death Note and The Craft, the Lifetime horror move Devil’s Diary (2007) shows what happens when two teen witches find a supernatural journal in a graveyard. "The book" turns out to have the power to make any wish written in it come true, resulting in murder, mayhem and a whole lot of kohl eyeliner. And that’s before the cheerleaders get ahold of it!

In addition to other exciting food and drink specials, Lincoln Hall will, once again, be running the wildly popular $3 white wine spritzer special for all you cool moms out there!

Saturday October 19th

MIDNIGHT

$5

18+

Lincoln Hall

FREAK HAPPENING presents Little Record Shop of Maximum Carnage - This Friday!

Albert Brooks's Celebrity Impersonation Kit

as revealed to Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show 1983.

Sandy Benefit Show at saki TOMORROW!

saki has the privilege of hosting a variety show tomorrow night, November 16th at 7pm to benefit the family of Joe McAdam (producer of our monthly variety show, Creative Control), whose home in Brick, NJ was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. To the right is a photo of their house shortly after the storm.

saki will host a night of music and comedy, with special raffle prizes from Second City, The Owl, The Music Box Theatre, The Empty Bottle, Provenance Food & Wine and more. McAdam will host the show, which features comedy from Junior Stopka, Joe Kwaczala, Will Miles, and CJ Toledano, with music from Gabe Liebowitz (Dastardly). 

We’ll be taking donations at the door. If you haven’t yet contributed to those affected by the nightmare that was the last two weeks on the East coast, here’s a great chance to help out!

McAdam recently checked in with a short piece about his memories of Aunt and Uncle's home at The Steamroller, Chicago comedy scene-focused blog run by saki's event coordinator, Matt Byrne.

Here's a list of all the raffle prizes we've rounded up so far:

• $50 gift certificate for the Owl
• Old Town School of Folk Music one-year membership ($125 value)
• 2 passes to Second City Main Stage
• 2 passes to UP Comedy Club
• $15 gift card from Uncharted Books
• 2 pairs of tickets to see Titus Andronicus at Metro on 11/25! (Includes Metro tote bag & t-shirt)
• 1 card good for 1 free cup of coffee a week for a year from the Book Cellar
• 1 card good for 1 free glass of wine a month for a year from the Book Cellar (must be 21 to redeem)
• 2 bottles of wine from Provenance Food & Wine (Vinas de Balbo, Malbec 2011 & Tilia, Torrontes 2011)
• 2 passes to see Miami Connection (includes coupon for free popcorn and soda) at the Music Box Theatre
• 2 passes to see Monty Python & the Holy Grail (includes coupon for free popcorn and soda) at the Music Box Theatre
• Guest list with +1 for any not sold out December show (musical performances only) at Schubas/Lincoln Hall (We recommend The Babies, Netherfriends, James Iha, Prince Rama, Maps & Atlases, Future Islands, Os Mutantes or Charles Bradley)
• Guest list +1 for Hannibel Buress' Night of Thanksgiving Chaos at Schubas
• Guest list with +1 to see King Khan and BBQ Show at the Empty Bottle on 11/26
• Guest list with +1 for early Ty Segall show at the Empty Bottle on 2/9 (7pm)
• $30 gift certificate for Cleos
• 3 DVD prize pack from Everything Is Terrible
• FREE garden consultation from Summer Sweet Garden Design
  

... and possibly more to come! 

Hurricane Sandy Relief Benefit Show at saki

Friday, November 16. 7pm. Free. Donations encouraged at the door.

Hosted by Joe McAdam. Performers include: Junior Stopka, Joe Kwaczala, Will Miles,

CJ Toledano, Gabe Liebowitz (Dastardly)

Senorita Weiner's Top Secret Humor Experiment and Ice Cream Social Club!

Just over a year ago, Adam and I stumbled out of AV Fest shortly after Archers of Loaf's headlining set, and headed south on Ashland towards Cobra Lounge for the debut of a new standup showcase produced by two local comedy giants, Junior Stopka and Mike Lebovitz. Being a sucker for gimmicks, I was immediately won over by the concept behind Señorita Weiner: when the comedy show ends, the entire audience gets free ice cream sundaes.

Since that first date at Cobra Lounge, Señorita Weiner's Top Secret Humor Experiment and Ice Cream Social Club has traveled to a few more of saki's favorite places in Chicago, like the Empty Bottle and Bucket O'Blood. We were lucky enough to be approached by Junior a few months ago about hosting the Señorita here at saki. Being fans of both comedy AND ice cream, we were happy to oblige!

For those who might not be familiar with the two producers, Junior recently finished a tour of the Southeast with Doug Stanhope (and also did probably my favorite set of the 5 Creative Control shows at saki), and Mike's a producer at one of the city's best-run local comedy showcases, Comedians You Should Know. In a preview of a past SW event, Junior and Mike were christened by the Chicago Reader as "two of the scene's most unabashedly bizzarre performers."

The show is this Friday, September 21st at 8pm. In addition to sets from Stopka and Lebovitz, local humorists Liza Treyger (whose Creative Control appearance a few months back absolutely wrecked me) and Charlie Bury, who you may know from being very funny at The Lincoln Lodge and as a part of the staff on The Late Live Show.

You might have noticed that the last word in the show's long-form title is "Club." You might be asking yourself "What is this club and how do I join it?" or "What are the stipulations of joining said club?" or "Are there any barriers to entry?" Here are the answers: it's mostly just a mailing list but there are other hidden perks, too!; go to senoritaweiner.com and enter your name and email address; there are none, I guess; no, there aren't.

Once again:

Senorita Weiner's Top Secret Humor Experiment and Ice Cream Social Club!

featuring standup comedy from

Junior Stopka

Mike Lebovitz

Liza Treyger

Charlie Bury

plus free a ice cream sundae party afterwards!

8pm.

Friday 9/21/12

Free (but bring $5 to donate to the performers, they deserve it)

All Ages

Creative Control is TONIGHT!

Guess what you guys, this month's edition of Creative Control, saki's in-house variety show hosted and produced by Joe McAdam, is happening tonight! How about THAT?

This month, the lineup includes standup from Bill Cruz (Chicago's self-proclaimed premier queer comedian), Mikey Manker, Stephanie Hasz, Goodrich Gevaart, and Andrew Smreker! We'll also have sketch/character pieces from Marlena Rodriguez and Chris Stephens, with musical guest Rock Falls.

We like to give things away for free at Creative Control. This month, we're raffling off tickets to see Bobcat Goldthwait at UP Comedy Club, as well as a pair of passes to a sold out screening of Mike Birbiglia's new film Sleepwalk With Me at the beautiful Music Box Theatre (the screening may or may not be hosted by whose name rhymes with Elmira Glass. We'll see!).

For this month's poster, we were lucky enough to work with the amazing Paul Hornschemeier, a graphic novelist and illustrator whose work might have seen during the opening credits of IFC's Comedy Bang! Bang!. If you're lucky, you might walk away with a copy of the poster. You can see it directly below this sentence!

Look at that thing.

Here's some videos of people from this show for you to look at until the real thing happens tonight.

Joe McAdam's new web series The Joe McAdam Show!

Mikey Manker doing standup!

Stephanie Hasz also doing standup and then being interviewed on a couch!

Chris Stephens as Toblerine on the last season of The Late Live Show!

Annie from Rock Falls!

Creative Control is FREE and open to all ages. The show starts at 8pm on Friday. I hope you can make it!

30 Rock's Jack McBrayer & Triumph Visit Chicago's Wiener's Circle

The professional insulters finally meet their match.
"Insulting people for a living? How do you sleep in your car at night?" NSFW.

Millicent Souris book signing/reading this Sunday!

A busy day for us, at least as far as book signings are concerned! Not only are we hawking wares at Dave Hill's UP show, but our dear friend Millicent Souris is coming to saki to read from and sign copies of her gorgeous new book How to Build a Better Pie: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Flaky Crusts, Toppers, and the Things in Between.

Millicent is a former CTD employee. Having seen The Warriors several times in our youth, when she told us of her intent to move to NYC, we of course did our best to dissuade from our clear vision of her new hardscrabble life on the streets–a life eking out a living in Washington Square Park, waxing rhapsodic on the virtues of Tolstoy, Karpov, Kasparov and playing tourists at chess, while yet again pitching her screen treatment on the hidden but obvious connections between Harry Smith, Spiro Agnew, Andreas Papandreou, and Dave Mustaine.

Boy were we wrong. Since she left, she helped open and run the lauded Queen's Hideway where her pies were a highlight, learned how to butcher and render animals up to the size of a giant blue ox, cooked up a storm at the Roebling Tea Room, catered crazy events for people I'm not at liberty to reveal without personal serious consequences, built houses for Habitat for Humanity, somehow went even more metal and beautiful at the same time, and has now written a goddamned book.

We couldn't be more proud of Millicent and her book! She will be here at 3pm on Sunday, June 17th. And hey, if you've got nothing going on after, come on over to UP to see Dave Hill. He'll ALSO be signing his new book and we'll be there selling copies!

Creative Control at saki 5/25/12

Creative Control at saki 5/25/12, a set on Flickr.

Joe McAdam and crew put on another great show. Last Fridays at saki!