ChicagoSmarts.com Blog

Chicago is home to more than just deep-dish pizza and corrupt politicians. Indeed, it is the home of one of the greatest bastions of comedy the U.S. has to offer – The Second City. Having taught and showcased legions of improv-based comics over the course of their “50 years of funny,” Second City boasts a training center and a performance venue that many consider to be the mecca of comedy. Alumni include Alan Arkin, Robert Klein, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Stephen Colbert.

Still, it’s not the only funny business in town. The Chicago Theatre hosts big-name comedians aplenty throughout the calendar year. On the upcoming slate are Bill Maher, Chris Tucker, Bob Newhart, and Sinbad.

Bill Maher, known primarily as host of the sardonic Politically Incorrect, will call it as he sees it on July 23. An infamous marijuana proponent, Maher never fails to address the issue in his act. Such was the case when he performed in Boulder earlier this year.

A critic noted, “Maher dropped a few pot jokes early on; he suggested that the Democrats might find more success if they took on the legalization of marijuana as a ‘wedge issue,’ the way the right has chosen abortion and gay marriage as issues to fire up their base.

“Still, Maher had nearly as much criticism (though not as much contempt) for today’s Democratic party as he did for the Republicans and their ‘inbred country cousins, the Tea-Baggers.’ The Democratic symbol is a D, he explained, because that’s the grade you get when you’re barely passing.”

Explaining the nation’s debt, Maher remarked, “Let me illustrate for you how much 14.26 trillion dollars really is. Take the value of your house, and add 14.26 trillion dollars.”

After Maher delights Chicago, more funny men follow. Chicago gets Colin Quinn’s Long Story Short at the Broadway Playhouse on August 24. On September 16, Chris Tucker comes to town before the kinder, gentler Bob Newhart gets his turn on October 22. Sinbad takes the Chicago Theatre stage on November 12, the same night that David Sedaris appears at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre.

The last time Sedaris was in the Windy City, he read from his Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary book. A reviewer of the evening remarked, “…preposterous irreverence is far from his only trademark. Sedaris is no one-trick-pony, but rather a writer of remarkable and restrained depth. …Sedaris takes the act of fine-tuning his writing and creates an intimate evening that is extremely entertaining and truly captivating.”

With a whole other twist on the comedy game is Chicago’s Comedysportz Theatre. As cited on their website, “It’s not stand-up comedy about sports… it’s improv comedy played as a sport!”

Their calendar includes Smashed: The Improvised Bachelorette Party and Impress These Apes!, which is an eight-week talent competition. At the end, the winner is glorified as the Least Pitiful Human.

It seems, in Chicago, there’s pretty much always something to laugh about or, at the very least, someone to laugh at.

Oprah Winfrey may have wrapped up her Chicago-based television show, but it’s far from a wrap in Chicago’s film and television career. Over the decades, many projects have been set and/or filmed in the Windy City putting it, quite likely, in third place behind Los Angeles and New York.

In terms of the small screen, though The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) and Good Times (1974-1979) really cemented Chicago’s standing in the realm, the city’s role in television dates back even further. Both M Squad (1957-1960) and The Untouchables (1959-1963) have those shows beat by more than a decade. Of course, The Untouchables wasn’t just set in Chicago; it dug through the city’s crime-ridden past based stories from the Eliot Ness novel of the same name – which also became a film in 1987.

In the ’80s, Chicago served as a fictional setting for a slew of hit sitcoms that were filmed in Los Angeles, including Webster (1983–1987), Punky Brewster (1984–1986), Perfect Strangers (1986–1993), Married… with Children (1987–1997), and Family Matters (1989–1998). But that format did little to showcase the town.

Then, with the ’90s, along came a string of hour-long dramas that actually used Chicago as a backdrop, if not a key character. Among them, ER (1994-2009) stands head and shoulders above the others for its longevity, but also for its regular inclusion of the urban landscape. Another stellar medical drama, Chicago Hope (1994-2000), also did its part to shine a light on Chicago, while Prison Break (2005-2009) only partially filmed in town.

For the past few years, The Good Wife (2009-present) has kept Chicago front and center on the boob tube. The award-winning legal drama spins political and corporate tales that are obviously influenced by the setting as Chicago’s history of political corruption is widely known. Star Julianna Margulies, who also starred on ER for several years, can’t seem to get away from Chicago-based shows.

That was also the launching pad for The Chicago Code (2011) which was shot in Chicago and told the story of a newbie police commissioner using her former detective partner to help bring down a tainted alderman at the heart of the city’s corrupt web. With Jennifer Beals, Jason Clarke, and Delroy Lindo in those respective roles, the show was solid, but, unfortunately, won’t be back for a second season.

On the silver screen, Chicago’s resume is even more star-studded. Like The Untouchables and Bugsy Malone, there are the obvious selections that tell the true stories of bad guys in Chicago. Then there are, naturally, the baseball films like The Babe, Eight Men Out, and A League of Their Own. If Chicago is synonymous with crime, it’s equally so with baseball.

Exploring the various subcultures within the Chicago citizenry, fictional films also help flesh out the bigger picture as evidenced by Ordinary People, About Last Night…, Home Alone, Barbershop, The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and The Fugitive.

Plenty of novels also claim Chicago as their home base, as do a smattering of musicals and plays. When all of these artistic snapshots are strung together, outsiders still only have a two-dimensional perspective on one of the country’s greatest cities.

Cities are stressful. It’s just the nature of the beast what with all of those people bumping up against all of that concrete and steel. The constant noise, the bustling crowds, the pulsating energy… some folks thrive on it; most, though, need at least an occasional respite. And every city planner knows that’s where parks come in.

Like all major metropolitan areas, Chicago strives to strike the livability balance demanded its occupants. In doing so, the Chicago Park District manages some 570 parks across more than 7,600 acres. And that’s not all. Also in their charge are 534 baseball fields, 518 playgrounds, 24 miles of lakefront, 25 beaches, 9 harbors, 9 ice skating rinks, 8 skate parks, 6 golf courses, 90 gardens, 50 community gardens, 17 historic lagoons, 11 savannas/woodlands, 5 wetlands, 22 prairies/grasslands, and more.

According to Yelp reviewers, Garfield Park Conservatory wins by a mile. With around 200 reviews, this East Garfield Park gem maintains a five-star standing. The free admission, no doubt, plays a large part in its popularity. First opened in 1908, the Conservatory – one of the world’s largest – has been described as “landscape art under glass.” Over the years, renovations and projects have continued to transform the facility into one of Chicago’s most popular attractions.

In second place on Yelp, the Lilly Pool at Lincoln Park also boasts a five-star rating, though with far fewer votes cast. Tucked between the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Peggy Norbert Nature Museum, the Lilly Pool is, as one reviewer cited, “for anyone who needs a break from the hassle of the city.” A web of paths meander through the park passing a mini waterfall and stone slabs that provide a resting stop for those in need.

Speaking of the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Yelpers love it pretty well, too, with about 100 of them tallying up a 4.5-star rating. Tropical palms and ancient ferns create a other-worldly experience for visitors. The facility dates back to 1890 when the study and classification of plants and other natural species was a popular hobby. As the Chicago Parks District notes, “People were becoming concerned about the effects of industrialization and conservatories provided ‘tropical paradises’ within cities.” Some idioms hold true across the centuries.

Next up, we have Promontory Point. Quite simply, “At the Point you get it all: the lake, skyline, lots of trees, places to sit, walk… heck, you can even lay down on the grass and sleep if you want.” That’s how one Yelp reviewer summed up this lakefront treasure in Hyde Park that also dates back to around the turn of the 20th century.

Both Grant Park and Millenium Park have to be included here. The former features the ever-beloved Buckingham Fountain, Taste of Chicago, Blues Fest, and Lollapalooza in addition to its gardens and sculptures. Meanwhile, Millenium Park is, at least to one Yelper, “Truly the crown jewel of Chicago to show off it’s best assets.” Another, though, noted, “The Bean is really enough of a reason in itself to go to Millennium. Simple and sophisticated, it kept me entertained for hours. It’s a feeling that must be experienced first-hand.”

With all of these options, and so many more, Chicago residents and visitors alike have plenty of escapes to keep them sane in the urban environment. So, be sure to take advantage of these built-in stress relievers.