Chuppy: A Look Back in Heinz-Sight by Jason Gleitsmann

This month, Heinz mascot and little ketchup friend to all, the beloved Chuppy plugged in. His Facebook page went live at and the little guy has been interacting with fans and posting delightful photos like this one:

Read More

Harrison George and Laurel Krabacher talk about The Mission Theater's Trap

One of the most exciting things that came from the opening of the new iO Theater was the creation of The Mission Theater, a space curated by TJ Jagodowski and Dave PasquesiWith The Mission Theater came the creation of a new ongoing sketch revue directed by the duo, two of the most respected improvisers in the city, who have brought together an amazing cast of talented performers to craft a sketch show birthed from improvisation.

I emailed with cast member Laurel Krabacher about her experience creating and performing in the show week after week at iO.

Read More

Interview: Blair Beeken and Adam Hitchell of Peekin With Beeken

The final episode of one of my favorite new documentary webseries Peekin With Beeken was just released. The series follows writer and improviser Blair Beeken around to some of Chicago's most recognizable cultural institutions, like Navy Pier, Wrigley Field, and The Field Museum.

Her curious and endearing perspective on such iconic places makes this a one-of-a-kind travel show, like if a really friendly fourth grader hosted No Reservations. In celebration of the series finale, I spoke with the PWB team, Blair Beeken and Adam Hitchell about the show's development and production.

Read More

TRUE DOLPHIN FACTS FOR BIGTIME DOLPHIN FANS!!!!!!! AND ALSO SOME LIES TO SPICE THINGS UP!!!!!! by Kristina Felske

This Wednesday, December 3rd is the first preview for the brand new Annoyance musical, Penny, the F*ckable Dolphin: A Love Story. To celebrate its opening, writer/producer Kristina Felske wanted to share some true and not-so-true facts about her favorite marine mammal.

Try to guess which facts are FACT and which facts are FICTION!

  1. The dolphin is the only mammal that gives birth tail first!
  2. The average lifespan of dolphins is 17 years, but they can live up to 50! Dolphins be Golden Girls too, y’all!
  3. Dolphins have retractable penises that they sometimes use like hands!
Read More

Interview: Matt Riggs of Laughs 4 Smiles

In advance of Jimmy Pardo's legendary Never Not Funny Pardcastathon, Chicago comics Matt Riggs and Dan Friesen joined forces to present a one-night-only benefit show for Smile Train, an international organization that helps fund surgeries with kids with cleft lips and palates. Pardo and company have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years for this charity, which helps change the lives of underpriveledged kids worldwide.

is tonight, November 25th at Subterranean, with special guests Stephanie Hasz, Andy Fleming, Tommy McNamara, Goodrich Gevaart, Dan Friensen, and Matt Riggs. Admission is a $10 donation that goes directly to Smile Train. Here's a chat with Matt before tonight's show!

The Steamroller: Can you tell me how you came to learn about Smile Train?
Matt Riggs: I learned of it via the podcast Never Not Funny. Jimmy Pardo, Matt Belknap and Pat Francis do a podcast marathon known as the Pardcast-A-Thon the Friday after Thanksgiving to raise money for Smile Train. It's usually more than 12 hours and they bring in celebrity guests every 20 minutes or so for the entire show. They've been doing it for six years and I want to say they have raised around a quarter million dollars for Smile Train. What's weird is that once I heard about it through them, I started seeing bus and magazine ads... It just started entering my life more.

Read More

Holy Hell, A Bird Is Inside by Dan Sheehan

Oh holy hell that’s a bird.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Someone must have left the back door open or something. Oh Jesus this is going to ruin dinner. Who left that goddamn door open?

Are you supposed to touch birds? I read somewhere you’re not supposed to touch birds. I think they have diseases or something? I don’t know. What if it’s endangered, isn’t it illegal to touch the endangered ones? No, Carol, I do not know what an endangered bird looks like.

Read More