Pop Arf!

Nathan Janes, my cousin, is going to be at Jack Gallery, 678 North Wells Street, tonight from 6pm to 9pm in Chicago. They are exhibiting a showcase of his works along with a few others entitled Family Dog Meets Family Dog. Nate is very animal friendly and has applied his artful talents towards painting critters, mainly canines. The exhibition runs through the 13th.Check it out. I'll be there, too.

You can see more of Nate's work at his website Pop Arf. Check out his blog, too.



NO ROBOWRITERS THIS WEEK

Robowriters will return Saturday the 14th at 1pm at Gorilla Tango.


Paul Sills, 1927 to 2008

Paul Sills passed away earlier this week and I have yet to mention it on my blog. Paul was the son of Viola Spolin, the mother of improvisation. I won't dive into a history lesson about Paul. Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune put together a very thoughtful obituary and you can read it here.

I have hesitated to write anything because I'm not sure what to say about the man. I did not know him. I have never met him. Clearly, he was the conduit between improv and theater. His mother pioneered the form as theater games for children. Paul brought it to his friends as a way to enrich the performances in their theatrical productions. He is one of the founding fathers of Second City and the first Second City director. Many people I respect have called him a genius and just as many that I also respect have gone out of their way to say he's not. He just throws chairs. Genius!

Regardless of how he'll be regarded in theater history, I owe him one. Without him, I would not have improvisation in my life. Thanks, Paul.


THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Yesterday, I asked...

"Elaine Fulps of Texas attended the Grand Praire Airhogs minor league baseball game and won what?"

60% said "A 1989 Geo Metro"
- No, but people are selling their old gas-saving Geos for what they paid for them brand new. Makes me wish I had held on to my '85 Chevette. No, wait, I couldn't. It disintegrated.

No one said "A spot on the team" or "An opportunity to be an ordained minister"

40% got it right with "A free funeral"

According to The Associated Press, Elaine Fulps is thrilled about the prize she won at a minor league baseball game. But she's hoping she doesn't have to collect on it anytime soon. Fulps, 60, won a $10,000 paid funeral at Tuesday night's Grand Prairie AirHogs game. Some finalists for the prize arrived dressed in black or looking like death. The finalists participated in a pallbearer's race, a mummy wrap and a eulogy delivery.

Sounds like a good idea for the Cubs the next time they blow it in the playoffs.

I wonder is they have "Floppy Hat Day" in heaven. Could she be that lucky?