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Chicago Comedy Fest Will Celebrate Windy City's Rich Legacy of Comedy in a Three-Day National Entertainment Event at Navy Pier, Fall 2008

The News & Observer
By O'Brien Publicity Judy O'Brien
02.21.08

CHICAGO - While arguably known for many things ---- big shoulders, windy politicians, gangster folklore ---- no one can dispute Chicago's contribution to comedy and its history as a launching pad for many of the biggest and brightest comedic talents in entertainment.

It's that rich legacy that prompted veteran film and television producers Jason Brett and John Davies (About Last Night, Run's House, Comic Relief Presents) to create the Chicago Comedy Fest, a national entertainment event currently slated for Fall, 2008 with three days of performances at Chicago's landmark Navy Pier, two broadcast specials to be taped live as part of the Fest and a comedy film series event in partnership with National Lampoon.

Stated Davies, "As young men we attended the figurative 'Chicago School of Comedy' and what we learned from our talented classmates, who've gone on to entertain the world, has informed everything we've done in our careers."

"We've spent over two years developing the Chicago Comedy Fest", added Brett, "This is our way of honoring our city's comedy community and giving it the national spotlight it so richly deserves."

Blue Ribbon Advisory Board Boasts Comedy Luminaries

Featuring over 100 performers on three stages over three days at Navy Pier, the producers expect some of the biggest names in entertainment to participate. The Fest will celebrate the diversity of comedy by offering a variety of comedic voices and genres from stand-up and sketch to musical satire and improvisation. Specific headliner talent will be announced in subsequent releases, although a high-profile Blue Ribbon Advisory Board is already in place that includes such Chicago comedy luminaries as James Belushi, Bernadette Birkett, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Brad Hall, Tim Kazurinsky, Richard Kind, Tim Meadows, Harold Ramis and George Wendt.

Also on the Advisory board are Sandy Wernick, legendary talent manager and senior vice-president of Brillstein Entertainment Partners, David Salzman, executive producer, MadTV, Stan Lathan, principal, Russell Simmons-Stan Lathan Media Group (Def Comedy Jam), Laura Caraccioli-Davis, executive vice-president, Starcom Entertainment, Daniel Laikin, president and CEO, National Lampoon, Charna Halpern, co-founder and Artistic Director of iOTheater, Chicago's famed improv comedy theater and Thomas R. Leavens, founding member of Lawyers for the Creative Arts.

Broadcast and Broadband Give Local Festival National Appeal

In an upcoming release, Brett and Davies will lay out details of the two comedy specials to be taped live at the festival, including additional partners and talent. In addition to the broadcast element of the Fest, the producers are working with a major comedy portal to develop a robust, interactive website with national reach and appeal that will feature exclusive content, backstage access, contests and user-generated content.

Serving Up Some Heart with the Comedy

The Fest will kick-off with a special premium gala event honoring a major comedy star with a "Midlife-Time" Achievement Award. This star-studded event will provide an opportunity for Chicago comedy stars to good-naturedly roast one of their own, and at the same time raise funds to benefit the FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION, a favorite charity of Brett and Davies' because of its timeliness and compassionate mission. The Fisher House facilities are located across the country, and provide free housing to families of injured service men and women requiring long-term rehabilitation. The Fisher House Foundation has plans to open a Chicago-area facility in 2009-2010.

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