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Second City Alumni Return To Chi-Town For 50th Anniversary Par-Tay

Almost every famous hilarious comic got his or her start at Chicago's Second City, a training center, theater and overall jokester factory. Its alumni includes John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, John Candy, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Rachel Dratch. The list goes on forever because this marks the company's 50th year in the funny business. Of course, Second City has to throw itself a big birthday party to celebrate.

The company's illustrious alums will come back for a weekend-long bday party, December 11 to 13. Although it's only three days, there are a ton of events. Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short and other cast members from the cult hit television show SCTV will return for two special reunion performances December 11. There will be a panel on the Colbert Report on December 12, and a Saturday Night Live panel with former players Tim Kazurinsky, Horatio Sanz and Rachel Dratch as well as current staff writer John Lutz will be December 13.

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Tags: Movie Set Travel / Adam Sandler / Seth Rogen / Comedy Clubs / Los Angeles Travel / Funny People / → All Tags

LA's Best Clubs For Stand-Up Comedy

Judd Apatow’s latest film, Funny People, opens today with a pretty sure bet at dominating the weekend box office (did you read ‘Judd Apatow’s latest film’?) Unfortunately, the tale of two LA-based comedians played by Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen is getting mostly less-than-stellar reviews. But whether or not the movie and its parade of comic cameos (Sarah Silverman, Eminem, James Taylor) delivers the laughs, we’ve got stand-up on our minds and figured we’d take a look at LA’s best bets for live comedy.

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LOLTravel: Our Picks at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival

Ivan and Jason Reitman opened the final weekend of Montreal's comedy festival last night with reminiscences of working with Bill Murray (Reitman the elder) and turning down "Dude, Where's My Car?" (Reitman the younger).

Our picks for this weekend may not be as funny as "Ghostbusters," but they will make you laugh more than Ashton Kutcher:

Russell Brand: US audiences know him as Kristen Bell's new boyfriend in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" but the British comic, currently filming a movie with Adam Sandler, is poised to hit it big over here any minute now. Fri. and Sat., 9:30 pm, Centaur Theatre

Patrice O'Neal: Some call the former "Best Week Ever" comic confrontational; maybe in his solo show he'll do it in a sweet way. Fri. and Sat. at 11 pm, Theatre Ste-Catherine

Apatow for Destruction: Speaking of "...Sarah Marshall," producer Judd Apatow drags Canuck buddy Seth Rogen for--well, we're not sure exactly, but it's bound to be hilarious. Sat., midnight, Metropolis

Related Stories:
· Just for Laughs Festival [Official Site]
· Remembering George Carlin Travel [Jaunted]
· Comedy Clubs coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Greg Proops and Ryan Stiles at Just For Laughs: anirudhkoul]

Tags: Comedy / Comedy Clubs / The Second City / Culture Travel / → All Tags

LOL Travel: Second City Founder Brought Joy to Millions

We here at Jaunted love to laugh, so we were saddened to read of the passing of Paul Sills, a founder of Chicago's venerable sketch-comedy institution The Second City. Sills may not have been a household name, but he worked with some of the most famous names in American comedy, from Nichols and May to John Belushi, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey in classes and nightly topical performances.

In the Chicago sanctum, anything goes--and often does at the adults-only shows. The drinks are great, too!

Catch a Second City show at permanent theaters in Chi-town, Detroit, Las Vegas (inside the Flamingo), Toronto and LA, or on tour.

Related Stories:
· The Second City [Official Site]
· Paul Sills, Founder of Second City Improv, Dies at 80 [Playbill]
· Comedy Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: johnlutes]

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Texas Isn't Big Enough For Damon Wayans' Entourage

Woe betide he who doth not bow to the rules of the entourage! Damon Wayans (he's the Wayans who was on "Saturday Night Live" for a while) walked out just before a sold-out show at Bart Reed's Comic Strip in El Paso because his guests weren't allowed into the audience. The club was forced to cancel three sold-out shows, according to TMZ, for the want of Wayans' lady friends.

Maybe stars should just steer clear of El Paso -- look what happened to Jared Leto. Then again, having worked in a box office, we recognize that Wayans could have avoided all this if he had asked for some comp tickets ahead of time. (Just sayin'.)

Related Stories:
· Comedy Club Travel [Jaunted]
· Hotels in El Paso [HotelChatter]

[Photo: EOnline.com]

Tags: Missed Connections / Comedy Clubs / → All Tags

Most Missed in St. Louis

Are you from "the Lou" and proud, or are you just passing through? We used to have relatives in St. Louis, and it is an exceedingly nice place to get dragged to, especially the part where it was still warm enough in October to get lost in the maze at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. But let's face it, you're not going to bond with your future significant other over lily pads and roses (unless he or she is a botanist!) Try these less kid-ridden places instead, and you'll have someone to go to the Ritz with:

Lloyd and Harry's -- This comedy pub hosts the creme of local talent, but if you're looking for love, don't drink the Bud Light. 208 N. Main St., St. Charles

MoKaBe's Coffeehouse -- Starbucks, schmarbucks. Locals value this South City cafe for its booths, its board games and for its vegetarian-friendly brunch. 3606 Arsenal St

JJ's Clubhouse -- Won't see any whippersnappers at this m-4-leather-jacketed-m bar with a weekend dance party (that's the Clubhouse!) A current special promises $2 long-necks and well drinks for whenever gas goes above $2.50 a gallon -- that's one way to wish for instability in the Middle East. 3858 Market Street

Related Stories:
· St. Louis Travel [Jaunted]
· Hotels in St. Louis [HotelChatter]

[Photo: sarannekanevsky]