Tag Archives: comedy

Before The Story: Chris Doucette

Chris Doucette is an amazing New York based comedian who has a special relationship with Chicago. He competed (and won) Snub Fest 2011 in Chicago as well as headlined the first Queer Comedy at Zanies show almost two years ago. He has written jokes for Emmy Award-winning actor Jane Lynch and appeared on the NBC show SMASH. He produces a monthly show in Washington, DC called “Gaylarious” which The Advocate lists as one of the top ten stand-up comedy shows in the country. This Tuesday May 28th, his hilarious homecoming at Queer Comedy starts at 8:30pm at Zanies comedy club 1548 N Wells with an all-star lineup of Ever Mainard, opener Rebecca O’Neal and hosted by myself. I’m glad to be able to chat with him about comedy the queer community and SMASH.

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1) As a New York based comic, how does Chicago’s comedy scene compare?

People are wicked friendly in Chicago. Even the comedians – I’ve always had a great time performing there. In New York, there are something like 10,000 active comedians and – I don’t want to shock anyone – but some of the comedians in New York are crazy and weird. The scene in New York may be bigger, but I feel like the scene in Chicago has more support from the townspeople who just love watching good comedy. (That’s right – I said “townspeople!”)

2) What do you think are the biggest challenges for queer comedians working today?

Probably the skinny jeans. We are not in great shape, us queer comics. Honestly, the biggest challenge is the same challenge all comics face – getting good opportunities to perform on the right shows. But that’s especially true for queer comics because the further you are away from the straight white male archetype, the harder it is to navigate into those shows.

3) What are you looking forward to with your return to Queer Comedy at Zanies?

I look forward to telling all the new material that I’ve written in the two years since my last Zanies appearance (that’s like, three new jokes). Oh, and I look forward to not being the palest guy in the room – thank you, Chicago!

4) Wait, you were on Smash? Tell me more!

Yes! I was in the season premiere. I got to throw shade at Angelica Huston and gladhand Christian Borle. That second scene got cut but both he and Angelica were absolute joys to work with. In my scenes, I had a wife, but trust me – I was cheating on her with Jimmy Collins which is a backstory for my character that I totally made up. SMASH just got cancelled and it’s probably due to my bad acting. Sorry, SMASH fans.

Catch the show Tuesday May 28th at 8:30pm, Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $10 in advance (call the club or visit the Zanies website) or $15 or at the door. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

adam guerino, outloud chicago, ever mainard, rebecca oneal

Queer Comedy at Zanies presents Chris Doucette

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Queer Comedy at Zanies has been named Advocate.com‘s “9 LGBT Friendly Comedy Shows You Should Be Supporting,” Timeout Chicago‘s “Critic’s Pick,” The Redeye’s “Do” and included in Chicago Reader’s “The Agenda” and “Culture Vulture” with the praise “More, please.” On Tuesday May 28th at 8:30pm, join us as we welcome headliner Chris Doucette, host Adam Guerino and featuring Ever Mainard and Rebecca O’Neal.

outloud, chicago

Chris Doucette won 1st place at the 2011 Snubfest Comedy Festival in Chicago. He has written jokes for Emmy Award-winning actor Jane Lynch. He’s been named as a Comedy360 “Comic To Watch.” The Advocate referred to his tweets as “The Best of LGBT Comedy.” He has headlined colleges all over the country and received a standing ovation from the students at Florida Tech. Chris has performed on the largest cruise ship in the world and he was selected as a feature comic at comedy festivals in Asheville, Charleston, Baltimore, Ventura, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and the Women In Comedy Festival. He has performed on FOX and NPR. He made his television debut in 2013 as an extra on NBC’s SMASH, throwing shade at Angelica Huston. He has appeared in The Washington Post, Miami Sun-Sentinel, Metro Weekly, Time Out New York, Next Magazine, New York Post, and the Village Voice. His jokes have appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Women’s Wear Daily, The Huffington Post, and more. He produces a monthly show in Washington, DC called “Gaylarious” which The Advocate lists as one of the top ten stand-up comedy shows in the country. The blogs love him: he’s been featured in afterelton.com, brightestyoungthings.com, thenewgay.net, and thegayplaces.com. adam guerino, performance

Hosted by Adam Guerino. Guerino has opened for James Adomian, Beth Stelling, Cameron Esposito and Brad Loekle and has been credited as a “comedian-producer-genius” by Chicago Reader’s Culture Vulture section. He is the creator of OutLoud Chicago which has brought queer entertainment to the mainstream for almost 2 years. He writes the relationship blog Boyfriend Land and the storytelling blog Before The Story. He has been featured in comedy clubs all across the country and in Timeout Chicago’s Joke of The Week, The Redeye, Gaper’s Block, Huffington Post and Chicago Public Radio. For more info, www.adamguerino.com is a great place to start.

Chicago Magazine credits Ever Mainard with being one of the top 100 comics, Metromix/ Redeye says she’s one of the Top Seven Acts to Watch in 2012, and Gaper’s Block credited her to being one of The Most Influential Women in Chicago Comedy. Ever has appeared in the Just For Laughs Festival (2012) along-side Pete Holmes, Hannibal Bueress, and Jeff Garlin. Ever has also performed in the Bridgetown Comedy Festival (2012, Best of Bridgetown, Best of Chicago), Chicago Sketch Fest, Chicago Women’s Funny Festival (2012, Headliner) and has worked with Maria Bamford,Nick Thune, Fortune Feimster, Greg Berhandt, Sonya White, Bill Dwyer and more.

Rebecca O’Neal is a stand up comic and writer and editor in Chicago. She edits Splitsider.com’s Humor Section and has written for Gawker.tv, Vanity Fair Magazine, Videogum.com, TheHairpin.com, and The Rumpus and has been featured on Jezebel.com, as a comedy correspondent on NPR/WBEZ, a repeat guest and co-host on Vocalo.org, as as one of Huffington Post Comedy’s 18 Funny Women to Follow on Twitter. She has done stand up shows all over the Chicagoland and surrounding areas at Chicago Underground Comedy, Chicago Women’s Funny Festival, The Comedy Shrine, The Wasted Plains Rock and Roll Revival, The Ohio Lesbian Festival, Entertaining Julia, NPR’s Brian Babylon’s Bronzeville Comedy Show, and Jokes and Notes. She also performed in a video for Just For Laughs Chicago 2012 and will be performing at the 2013 Bridgetown Comedy Festival.

Presented by Outloud Chicago, OutLoud Chicago is a series created by Adam Guerino in July 2011 to bring queer entertainment to mainstream Chicago venues. Queer Comedy at Zanies showcases the best queer and straight comedians of the country who have appeared on Comedy Central, Conan, Comedy Bang Bang, BET, TBS Just For Laughs, A Night At The Apollo and Last Comic Standing. Each show has continued to show that no matter if the comedians or audience members are queer or straight, laughter knows no sexuality.

Tuesday May 28th at 8:30pm, Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $10 in advance (call the club or visit the Zanies website) or $15 or at the door. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

adam guerino, outloud chicago, ever mainard, rebecca oneal

Queer Comedy at Zanies: April 23rd

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Courtesy Archer Coe.

Queer Comedy at Zanies has been named the Advocate.com‘s “9 LGBT Friendly Comedy Shows You Should Be Supporting,” Timeout Chicago‘s “Critic’s Pick,” The Redeye’s “Do” and included on Chicago Reader’s “The Agenda.” On Tuesday April 23rd at 8:30pm, join us as we welcome headliner Megan Gailey, host Adam Guerino and featuring Gwen La Roka, Archer Coe and Marla Depew!

queer, comedy, zanies, chicago Headlined by Megan Gailey. Gailey is the host of Naked Sports Live. With a sorority girl chip on her shoulder and say-anything attitude, she has audiences laughing at every show. She is a regular favorite all across her home city Chicago as well as regularly appearing across the nation. She has won numerous comedy competitions including Indiana University’s Funny Bone, Ball State University, and Audience Favorite at Chicago’s very own Fat Wednesdays Comedy.

Hosted by Adam Guerino. Guerino is a stand-up comic, dating columnist and producer. He is the creator of OutLoud Chicago which brings queer entertainment to the mainstream and is writes the relationship blog Boyfriend Land and the storytelling blog Before The Story. He has been featured in comedy clubs all across the country and in Timeout Chicago’s Joke of The Week,The Redeye, Gaper’s Block, Huffington Post and Chicago Public Radio. For more info, www.adamguerino.com.

Since first taking the comedy scene by storm in 2009, Gwen La Rŏka, pronounced [rok-uh], is proving to be one of Chicago’s fastest up and coming comediennes. Her recent appearance on Chicago’s ABC Channel 7′s Emmy-Award winning show “Ñ Beat” is just one of the growing list of high profile coverage that is a testament to her laughter stimulating talent. A Jacqueline of all trades, Gwen’s past stint with UIC’s “The Vagina Monologues”, Teatro Luna’s ravely reviewed “Machos”, and improv training at Second City Theatre has given her a grasp on acting, which she seamlessly combines to create her highly energetic comedy routine that keeps crowds laughing. Never forgetting her cultural roots and the need to relate to an audience, she incorporates real life experiences from her escapades of growing up in a Latin household to her struggles of being a skinny girl in the Windy City.

Archer Coe’s experiences from bar-tending at a bustling gay bar have made him a favorite at comedy rooms across the city. From his fly-on-the-wall perspective to his stories of debauchery and scandal, his theatrical wit makes the unbelievable experiences a non-stop mixture of groans and belly laughs.

Marla Depew has studied at the Second City Training Center, I.O., and The Annoyance, and is a founding member of Cell Camp, a sketch troupe that has performed at various comedy festivals throughout the country, including the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival for the past six years. She has performed stand-up all around the city at venues such as The Lincoln Lodge, Studio BE, Hydrate, The Lincoln Loft, and The Book Cellar with The Kates. She is also the producer of Sidecar Bar Comedy Night, which takes place every third Wednesday of the month. queer comedy at zanies

Presented by Outloud Chicago, OutLoud Chicago is a series created by Adam Guerino to bring queer entertainment to mainstream Chicago venues. Queer Comedy at Zanies showcases the best queer and straight comedians of the country who have appeared on Comedy Central, BET, TBS Just For Laughs, A Night At The Apollo and Last Comic Standing. Each show has continued to show that no matter if the comedians or audience members are queer or straight, laughter knows no sexuality.

Tuesday April 23rd at 8:30pm, Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $10 in advance (call the club or visit the Zanies website) or $15 or at the door. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

Queer Comedy at Zanies Welcomes James Adomian

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Queer Comedy at Zanies has made no secret about its intentions to prove that queer comedy belongs with mainstream comedy. So it’s with extreme pride that we present a man who was a finalist on Last Comic Standing, has headlined SXSW and opened for the great Joan Rivers and made appearances on everything from Comedy Bang, Bang to Conan–queer comedian James Adomian.

Queer Comedy at Zanies has been named the Advocate.com‘s “9 LGBT Friendly Comedy Shows You Should Be Supporting,” Timeout Chicago‘s “Critic’s Pick,” The Redeye’s “Do” and included on Chicago Reader’s “The Agenda.” On Tuesday March 26th at 8:30pm, join us as we welcome headliner James Adomian, hosted by Candy Lawrence and featuring Adam Guerino. queer comedy at zanies

Headlined by James Adomian. Adomian is a daredevil dancing queen renowned for the many masks he wears and his fiery populist satire — but don’t you know deep down he’s just a kitten? Adomian was a top 10 finalist on Last Comic Standing (NBC,) has headlined SXSW, opened for Joan Crawford, and appeared on Comedy Bang, Bang (IFC,) Children’s Hospital (Adult Swim,) Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, The Late Late Show (CBS,) Face To Busy (Comedy Central,) Wordgirl (PBS,) and The Onion Radio News. His comedy album Low Hanging Fruit was released to critical acclaim in 2012. Check him out performing at festivals, theatres, dive bars, party schools and radical political events across North America or watch his hit videos on Funny or Die, Atom and Youtube.

queer comedy at zanies Hosted by Candy Lawrence. More like Comedy Lawrence! Hilarious, confident and eccentric, she will captivate you with her physcial comedy, off- beat observations and her cool new dance moves. She began her comedy career improvising at the IO Theater and the Playground Theatre, but that was “Judith Light years ago.” She has also performed in the Chicago Sketchfest, NYC Sketchfest, and The Upright Citizens Brigade as one half of the comedy duo, $The Money Kids$. When she isn’t collecting dreamcatchers, Candy can be seen performing stand-up at various alternative comedy venues including Zanies, Mayne Stage, The Lincoln Lodge and Chicago Underground Comedy among others. She was also apart of the Just For Laughs festival in Chicago and was recently named one of the top comedians in Chicago by the Chicago Magazine Candy generates one laugh per second and she would like to thank Celine Dion for teaching her everything she knows about comedy. queer comedy at zanies

And featuring Adam Guerino. Guerino is a stand-up comic, dating columnist and producer. He is the creator of OutLoud Chicago which brings queer entertainment to the mainstream and performs regularly at OutLoud Chicago’s Queer Comedy at Zanies shows as well as the weekly comedy variety show The Sarcastic Squad. He has been featured in comedy clubs all across the country and in Timeout Chicago’s Joke of The Week,The Redeye, Gaper’s Block, Huffington Post and Chicago Public Radio. For more info,www.adamguerino.com.

Presented by Outloud Chicago. OutLoud Chicago is a series created by Adam Guerino to bring queer entertainment to mainstream Chicago venues. Queer Comedy at Zanies showcases the best queer and straight comedians of the country who have appeared on Comedy Central, BET, TBS Just For Laughs, A Night At The Apollo and Last Comic Standing. Each show has continued to show that no matter if the comedians or audience members are queer or straight, laughter knows no sexuality.

Tuesday March 26th at 8:30pm, Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $10 in advance (click here) or $15 or at the door. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

Queer Comedy at Zanies: Season 3 Opener

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Queer Comedy at Zanies has been named the Advocate.com‘s “9 LGBT Friendly Comedy Shows You Should Be Supporting,” Timeout Chicago‘s “Critic’s Pick” and The Redeye’s “Do.” On Tuesday January 29th at 8:30pm, join us for the season 3 opener with headliner Liza Treyger hosted by Adam Guerino, featuring Carey Callahan, Ali Clayton and Archer Coe.

Presented by Outloud Chicago, OutLoud Chicago is a series created by Adam Guerino to bring queer entertainment to mainstream Chicago venues. Queer Comedy at Zanies showcases the best queer and straight comedians of the country who have appeared on Comedy Central, BET, TBS Just For Laughs, A Night At The Apollo and Last Comic Standing. Each show has continued to show that no matter if the comedians or audience members are queer or straight, laughter knows no sexuality.

Queer Comedy, Zanies

Headlined by Liza Treyger. Jokes weren’t allowed in the former Soviet Union so Treyger moved to Chicago and started doing stand up comedy. She loves wearing dresses and getting blow outs before getting on stage. In the past year she has participated in the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, TBS Just For Laughs Chicago, Laugh Your Asheville Comedy Festival, and Snub Fest. She’s had the pleasure of traveling the country, doing tons of well respected shows in her hometown of Chicago, and doing comedy with her friends and heroes. queer, comedy, chicago

Hosted by Adam Guerino. Guerino is a stand-up comic, dating columnist and producer. He is the creator of OutLoud Chicago which brings queer entertainment to the mainstream and performs regularly at OutLoud Chicago’s Queer Comedy at Zanies shows as well as the weekly comedy variety show The Sarcastic Squad. He has been featured in comedy clubs all across the country and in Timeout Chicago’s Joke of The Week,The Redeye, Gaper’s Block, Huffington Post and Chicago Public Radio. For more info, www.adamguerino.com. queer, comedy, zanies

Featuring Carey Callahan. Callahan is a trans humorist from the west side of Cleveland. They’ve performed all over the Midwest at diverse locales such as The Cleveland Comedy Festival, The Grog Shop, The Beachland Ballroom, Zanie’s, Chicago’s Mayne Stage, Chicago Underground Comedy and the Ohio Lesbian Festival. They host the weekly podcast “The Awkward Sex Show” (which they encourage you to download at www.theawkwardsexshow.com) and are currently studying to be a Family and Marriage Therapist. They prefer gender neutral pronouns, if you hadn’t caught on.

queer, comedy, zanies, chicago

Returning bi-sexual favorite, Ali Clayton. Clayton is a southern girl and proud of it! A graduate of The Second City Conservatory, creator of the one-woman show “I’m Different, Not Dumb,” her stand-up and solo characters have been featured in A Night At The Apollo, Cape Fear Comedy Fest, Laugh Track Comedy Fest, Chicago Women’s Funny Fest and TBS Just For Laughs Chicago in 2010, 2011 and 2012. To find out where Ali’s performing next, go to www.aliclaytoncomedy.com. zanies, queer, comedy, chicago, adam guerino

And presenting Archer Coe. Coe’s experiences from bar-tending at a bustling gay bar have made him a favorite at comedy rooms across the city. From his fly-on-the-wall perspective to his stories of debauchery and scandal, his theatrical wit makes the unbelievable experiences a non-stop mixture of groans and belly laughs.

Tuesday January 29th at 8:30pm, Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $10 in advance (call the club or visit the Zanies website) or $15 or at the door. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

Queer Comedy at Zanies Finale

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Queer Comedy at Zanies has been named the Advocate.com‘s ”9 LGBT Friendly Comedy Shows You Should Be Supporting,” Timeout Chicago‘s “Critic’s Pick” and The Redeye‘s “Do.”

On Tuesday November 27th at 8:30pm, join us for an amazing show with headliner Megan Gailey hosted by Candy Lawrence, featuring Adam Guerino, Archer Coe, Joel Kim Booster.

Presented by Outloud Chicago, OutLoud Chicago is a series created by Adam Guerino to bring queer entertainment to mainstream Chicago venues. Queer Comedy at Zanies has been featured in Timeout Chicago, The Redeye, CBS Chicago, Metromix and Gaper’s Block, and showcases the best queer and straight comedians of the country who have appeared on Comedy Central, BET, TBS Just For Laughs, A Night At The Apollo and Last Comic Standing. Each show has continued to show that no matter if the comedians or audience members are queer or straight, laughter knows no sexuality.

Headlined by Megan Gailey. Gailey is a rising star in the Chicago comedy scene. With a sorority girl chip on her shoulder and say-anything attitude, she has audiences laughing at every show. She is a regular favorite all across her home city Chicago as well as regularly appearing across the nation. She has won numerous comedy competitions at Indiana University’s Funny Bone, Ball State University, and Audience Favorite at Chicago’s very own Fat Wednesdays Comedy.

Hosted by Candy Lawrence. More like Comedy Lawrence! Hilarious, confident and eccentric, she will captivate you with her physcial comedy, off- beat observations and her cool new dance moves. She began her comedy career improvising at the IO Theater and the Playground Theatre, but that was “Judith Light years ago.” She has also performed in the Chicago Sketchfest, NYC Sketchfest, and The Upright Citizens Brigade as one half of the comedy duo, $The Money Kids$. When she isn’t collecting dreamcatchers, Candy can be seen performing stand-up at various alternative comedy venues including Zanies, Mayne Stage, The Lincoln Lodge and Chicago Underground Comedy among others. She was also apart of the Just For Laughs festival in Chicago and was recently named one of the top comedians in Chicago by the Chicago Magazine Candy generates one laugh per second and she would like to thank Celine Dion for teaching her everything she knows about comedy.

Adam Guerino is a stand-up comic, dating columnist and producer. He is the creator of OutLoud Chicago which brings queer entertainment to the mainstream and performs regularly at OutLoud Chicago’s Queer Comedy at Zanies shows as well as the weekly comedy variety show The Sarcastic Squad. He has been featured in comedy clubs all across the country and in Timeout Chicago’s Joke of The Week,The Redeye, Gaper’s Block, Huffington Post and Chicago Public Radio. For more info, www.adamguerino.com.

Archer Coe was born a poor Vietnamese girl and sold into slavery before coming into fame as extra #3 in the Huffy Tire commercial shown widely throughout the state of Illinois and surrounding states. His more recent experiences from bartending at a bustling gay bar have made him a favorite at Queer Comedy rooms across the city. From his fly-on-the-wall perspective to his stories of debauchery and scandal, his theatrical wit makes his unbelievable experiences a non-stop mixture of groans and belly laughs.

Joel Kim Booster brings a wide array of talents to the stage as an up and coming stand-up comic. Joel Kim Booster is also a company member of The New Colony ( http://thenewcolony.org/ ) theatre company. Featured in New Colony’s remount of FRAT as well as Mash Flob, Joel’s theater background might make you think he was more of a character comedian, but his stand-up’s authenticity and sardonic honesty won him the first place of the former Queer Comedy at Zanies.

Tuesday November 27th at 8:30pm, Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $10 in advance (call the club or visit the Zanies website) or $15 or at the door. Available at the door, groups of 4 get one free ticket. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

Queer Comedy at Zanies: September 25th

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The critically acclaimed Queer Comedy at Zanie’s, fresh off its one year anniversary, brings you favorites and new faces alike! On Tuesday September 25th at 8:30pm, join headliner Gwen La Roka (Mikey O Comedy Show, TBS Just For Laughs) hosted by Adam Guerino (The Sarcastic Squad, Laugh Track at Sidetrack) and featuring Liza Treyger (SnubFest, TBS Just For Laughs,) Tom Fell and Archer Coe.

Presented by Outloud Chicago, OutLoud Chicago is a series created by Adam Guerino to bring queer entertainment to mainstream Chicago venues. Queer Comedy at Zanies has been featured in Timeout Chicago, The Redeye, Metromix and Gaper’s Block, and showcases the best queer and straight comedians of the country who have appeared on Comedy Central, BET, TBS Just For Laughs, A Night At The Apollo and Last Comic Standing. Each show has continued to show that no matter if the comedians or audience members are queer or straight, laughter knows no sexuality.

Headlined by Gwen La Roka. Since first taking the comedy scene by storm in 2009, Gwen La Roka (pronounced Gwen La Rŏka) is proving to be one of Chicago’s fastest up and coming comediennes. Her recent appearance in Mikey O’s “El Show Latino” for the TBS Just for Laughs Festival is just one of the growing list of high profile events that are a testament to her laughter stimulating talent. A Jacqueline of all trades, Gwen’s past stint with UIC’s “The Vagina Monologues”, Teatro Luna’s ravely reviewed “Machos”, and improv training at Second City Theatre has given her a grasp on acting, which she seamlessly combines to create her highly energetic comedy routine that keeps crowds laughing. Never forgetting her cultural roots and the need to relate to an audience, she incorporates real life experiences from her escapades of growing up in a Latin household to her struggles of being a skinny girl in the Windy City.

Outloud Chicago had a chance to talk to the headliner and ask her a few questions about comedy.

What’s your favorite part about performing?

Being on stage feeling the audience’s energy.

What’s your least favorite part about performing?

The million trips to the bathroom for the “nervous” piss!

Who are some of your comedic inspirations?

Jim Carrey, Martin Lawrence, Lucille Ball.

Has being a comedian changed how you watch shows?

Yes it has! Now that I’m a comic and know how most things work, I notice things that I didn’t pay much attention to before, like timing for instance! It’s cool to enjoy, watch, and learn from!

Do you feel being a queer comedian is different than a straight comedian?

Yes and no. Different due to the obvious, I’m queer therefore will have some queer material that I have actually lived and experiences, but then again not so different because comedy is comedy. It transcends gender, race, age…all of it. So at the end of the day, I may be Latina, Queer, and Female, but I’m still just a comedian on stage making people laugh about the things that bring us together in life, as human beings, period.

Hosted by Adam Guerino. Guerino is a stand-up comic, dating columnist and producer. He is the creator ofOutLoud Chicago that brings queer entertainment to the mainstream and performs regularly at OutLoud Chicago’s Queer Comedy at Zanies shows as well as the weekly comedy variety show The Sarcastic Squad. He has been featured in comedy clubs all across the country and in Timeout Chicago’s Joke of The Week,The Redeye, Gaper’s Block, Huffington Post and Chicago Public Radio. For more info, www.adamguerino.com.

Liza Tregyer. Jokes weren’t allowed in the former Soviet Union so Liza Treyger moved to Chicago, Il and started doing stand up comedy. She loves wearing dresses and getting blow outs before getting on stage. In the past year she has participated in the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, TBS Just For Laughs Chicago, Laugh Your Asheville Comedy Festival, and Snub Fest. She’s had the pleasure of travelling the country, doing tons of well respected shows in her hometown of Chicago, and doing comedy with her friends and heroes.

Also featuring up and coming sensation Tom Fell best known for his Southern charm and impressions. And the Queer Comedy at Zanies returning crowd favorite, Archer Coe.

OutLoud Chicago presents Queer Comedy at Zanies: Tuesday September 25th at 8:30pm at Zanies Comedy Club 1548 N Wells. Tickets are $12 in advance or $17or at the door. Available at the door, groups of 4 get one free ticket. Audience members must be ages 21 or over. Two item minimum. For questions, hi res images or a saved seat, email outloudchicago@gmail.com.

The Sarcastic Squad presents Get A Life

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Comedians and nerds unite! The Sarcastic Squad presents Get A Life. Monday July 23rd, 8pm, Town Hall Pub 3340 N Halsted, $5 cover for non-comedians.

Monday July 23rd: Get A Life: The Super Mario Bros themed comedy contest hosted and judged by Squad cast members. Mark Nabong, Megan Gailey, Matteo Lane and Candy Lawrence will take turns introducing comedians and awarding lives.

Every comedian from beginner to veteran is welcome to test their might. Comedians pay no cover when entering their name to the raffle for a four minute set. Must be present to submit name. With each joke that kills, a judge can grant a “life” which is signaled by the “one-up” sound effect, granting you two extra minutes of stage time. If comedians win enough lives, they can have up to ten minutes of stage-time. With the last minute of stage time, comes the theme song to finish up.

The challenge is two fold. Comedians must do material good enough to get more stage time but keep enough zingers in their pocket to continue winning lives. The comedian with the most lives by the end of the night wins the title, the glory and a bunch of drink tickets.

Do you have what it takes? The Sarcastic Squad presents Get A Life. Monday July 23rd, 8pm, Town Hall Pub 3340 N Halsted, $5 cover for non-comedians.

The Sarcastic Squad presents The Final Countdown

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It’s the last three shows of season three of The Sarcastic Squad! Every Monday in July, 8pm, Town Hall Pub 3340 N Halsted. $5 admission.

Monday July 16th: Deja Vu: featuring some of Squad’s fan-favorite comedians. Hosted by Adam Guerino with Second Hand News from Mark Nabong, The Dyketionary from Casey Larwood featuring sketch characters from Mollie Merkel, Ali Clayton and stand-up from Sherman Edwards, Joe Fernandez, Joel Kim Booster and Liza Treyger.

Monday July 23rd: Get A Life: The Super Mario Bros themed comedy contest hosted and judged by Squad cast members Mark Nabong, Megan Gailey, Matteo Lane and Candy Lawrence. Every comedian from beginner to veteran is welcome to test their might. Comedians pay no cover when entering your name to the raffle for a four minute set. Must be present to submit your name. With each joke that kills, a judge can grant you a “life” which is signaled by the “one-up” sound effect, granting you two extra minutes of stage time. With your last minute of stage time, comes the theme song to wrap it up. The comedian with the most lives by the end of the night wins the game.

Monday July 30th: The Finale. It’s an all-cast finale hosted by Squad creator Adam Guerino with Second Hand News from Mark Nabong and Patrick Gill, Aw Hell N-Oprah from Michelle Rene Thompson, Liza With A Xanax from Matteo Lane and stand-up from Candy Lawrence and Megan Gailey.

The Sarcastic Squad presents Love Is Funny

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Poster courtesy the incomparable John Scalise

Hosted by the ever-amazing Ever Mainard with Second Hand News from Mark Nabong and Patrick Gill featuring Love Is Funny a dating game show parody where comedians Lisa Laureta, Bill Cruz and Ali Clatyon compete for an audience volunteer’s favor by answering improv questions.

The Sarcastic Squad presents Love Is Funny. Monday July 9th, 8pm, Town Hall Pub 3340 N Halsted. $5 admission.