InfoAnda - At 50, Second City still churning out the laughs

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Early Thai election possible | 21 May 2010
Suu Kyi party warned over trial criticism | 7 June 2009
ElBaradei and Israel clash over Syria probe "bias" | 18 June 2009

US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary | 9 March 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : At 50, Second City still churning out the laughs

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Asia Pacific World At 50, Second City still churning out the laughs Reuters - Thursday, December 17 Send IM Story Print By James B. Kelleher CHICAGO - When Second City, the Chicago-based comedy theater troupe, marked its 50th anniversary this past weekend with an alumni reunion, the event drew as many stars as a Hollywood premiere. With Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Bonnie Hunt, Harold Ramis and dozens of other former cast members in town for the event, there was plenty of laughter at the shows and panel discussions held to celebrate the milestone. But the reunion -- and the sheer number of famous names it drew back to Second City's now sprawling home in the Old Town section of Chicago -- were also a serious reminder of just how mainstream the once scrappy group has become in an industry it once openly defied. Formed in 1959 out of the ashes of a University of Chicago troupe called the Compass Players, Second City has become one of America's major laugh factories, launching the careers of everyone from Alan Arkin to Barbara Harris to Gilda Radner and Tina Fey. Along the way, its performers and performances have transformed the way the world laughs. "It's something Chicago should be very proud of," said Robert Klein, who was a member of the troupe in the mid-1960s and went on to become a stand-up legend. "It's totally original." Second City took a fresh, brainy approach to comedy, rooted in improvisation and ensemble sketches, powered by satire rather than one-liner jokes from stand-up comics. Its fame and influence grew in the 1970s, when alums like John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray became TV stars on the TV sketch comedy "Saturday Night Live" and when serious local actors -- inspired by its success -- founded groups like the Steppenwolf Theater that became cultural icons in their own right and solidified Chicago's reputation as an actor's city. So last week's big celebration attracted dozens of alums and admirers like Fred Willard, George Wendt, Jeff Garlin and David Steinberg who have gone on to big careers in Hollywood. "It's like the greatest high school reunion ever," said Keegan-Michael Key, a member of the 2001 cast who went on to become a cast member of MADtv. Tickets for most of the events, including a Friday night reunion of the cast of the Emmy Award-winning "SCTV" television program of the 1970s, sold out in minutes. "This is a special place," Willard said. "I've seen a lot of theater companies, a lot of sketch groups. This is the smartest, the best stuff." "NO SECOND CITY, NO CAREER" Steinberg, a member of the 1964 cast who has gone on to be a director for "Seinfeld," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and several other shows, said the group's importance to his career could not be overstated. "No Second City," he said, "no career." The troupe's emphasis on improvisation requires a level of brainy teamwork that only contact bridge players may understand -- and that creates bonds or enmities that do not die. For Willard, best known these days for the work he does in filmmaker Christopher Guest's comedies like "Best in Show" or "A Mighty Wind," the highlight of the reunion was running into Alex Canaan, a member of the 1965 cast, who left after six months and ultimately went into the sporting goods business. "It was just wonderful to see him," Willard said. "You don't know if he was going to be down-and-out and missing a couple of teeth. There he was looking very smart and well to do." What started as a guerrilla operation 50 years ago has now turned into an institution for comedy and a good-sized small business. Second City boasts annual revenues of $30 million and a staff of more than 350, including 120 full-time performers who entertain fans at theaters in Chicago and Toronto, in a touring company, and on cruise ships operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. It's a business that has proven itself to be remarkably recession proof, according to Andrew Alexander, its chief executive and co-owner. Enrollment in Second City's training centers has spiked as workers sidelined by the downturn, or just depressed by the steady drumbeat of bad news, look for diversion and a possible second career. Attendance at performances outside of Toronto, where a drop in tourism has hit that city hard, has held up, Alexander said. "From a business perspective, we're doing very well," he said. "People want to laugh. Comedy is a scientifically proven stress reliever. If we could bottle it, I would." The only part of the business that suffered in the downturn was the unit that helps corporations train workers and develop creative marketing. But even that has come back in the current fourth quarter of 2009, Alexander said. "The first three quarters it was tough," he said. "But in 2010 I think we'll be back where we were in 2008." Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles TV panel: Comedy making a comeback Reuters - 1 hour 16 minutes ago Ashton Kutcher gives "Beautiful Life" second chance Reuters - 2 hours 52 minutes ago Doomsday flick thrills audiences in 'saviour' China AFP - Thursday, December 17 Steve Carell, Tina Fey eyeing "Mail-Order" comedy Reuters - Thursday, December 17 Grammy winner detained on suspected cartel ties AP - Thursday, December 17 News Search Top Stories Credit downgrade deals fresh blow to Greek economy Asians, Africans left out of stem cell research: study Sanctions-busting Credit Suisse gets record US fine Fed moving to exit from unprecedented stimulus Fed keeps outlook for near-zero rates for 'extended period' More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Tiger's wife Elin seeking divorce: reports Century-old butter found in Scott's Antarctic hut Boeing's Dreamliner in maiden flight Earliest proven case of leprosy found in Israel Boeing's 787 Dreamliner takes off on maiden flight More Most Viewed » Global stocks mixed amid Dubai debt crisis Tiny magnetic discs could kill cancer cells: study Virgin unveils spaceship to offer space tourism Tiger Woods' girlfriend apologizes in TV interview Dubai blackout over debt plans to hit Gulf markets More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Thursday, 17 December 2009
Defiant Iran test-fires missile, drawing Western censure
NATO chief asks for Russian help in Afghanistan |
France follows Britain with banker bonus tax
US-TECH Summary
Iraq security forces involved in bombings
US housing starts, permits surge
Intel rejects FTC suit as 'misguided'
PLO extends Abbas' presidential term
Intruder detained outside Berlusconi hospital room
Microsoft browser pledge ends EU dispute
PLO extends mandates of Palestinian president
Switzerland to take in Guantanamo detainee |
Virgin Group enters Britain's gadget help market
Pakistan says 49 militants killed as top US officer visits
Brussels ends Microsoft war with browser deal
Man arrested outside Berlusconi hospital room |
Fresco fragments returned to Egypt from France
Churchill Downs makes bet on online wagering
Criticized U.N.-backed Congo operation to shut down |
Iran missile test draws Western condemnation
Belarus strongman 'to increase Internet control'
U.N. experts say Venezuela's Chavez creating fear |
Two British boys aged 10 charged with rape of girl |
China's anti-porn drive to run until May
WITNESS: Failed state? Try Pakistan's M2 motorway |
Michelle Obama donates to Toys for Tots
Report: Pakistan voids amnesty covering president
Trucker shot to death in moving big rig in Calif.
AP NewsAlert
China, Poland sign military cooperation deal: military
U.S. FCC wants more competition with set-top boxes |
Nebraska's Nelson: An undecided man in the middle
China VP looks at greening of Japan's former 'iron city'
Ariz. judge tosses rape case against Liberian boy
Relations with Thai govt 'cannot be normal': Cambodian PM
Fed chairman Bernanke named Time's 'Person of the Year'
Virgin Group enters Britain's gadget help market |
India to investigate Chicago terror suspect's visa
Reggae star Buju Banton waives hearing in Miami
Pakistan 'snubs US plea' for more military action
Oklahoma City police: Fire that killed 3 was arson
Study: Some Indianapolis teens have high STD risk
Philippines detains Abu Sayyaf co-founder
Highlights of House wrapup legislation
Prosecution ends argument in Mumbai attacks case
Callers of all incomes ditching landlines for cell
China says foreign direct investment up 32 pct in Nov
American Airlines may offer JAL bigger investment: CEO
Pakistani foreign investment falls 25.6 pct
Taiwan c.bank: supply and demand determine FX rate
Taylor Swift, Gosselin among People's most intriguing |
Walt Disney nephew Roy Disney dies at 79 |
French rocker Hallyday cancels farewell tour
Susan Boyle leads U.S. pop chart for third week |
French ruling party to seek complete burqa ban
'Glee' cast joyful over Globe nods
Reggae star Banton will be transferred to Tampa
Once an underdog, Reitman now an Oscar favorite
ABBA to become 'dancing queen' of US rock Hall of Fame
'You lie!' on Yale list of year's memorable quotes
Timberlake closes Tenn. golf course for 6 months
Jimmy Wayne's big break came from a bargain box
French rocker Hallyday's tour canceled
Iran missile test draws Western condemnation
W.Sahara hunger strike activist hospitalized: aide
Mexican forces kill drug lord Beltran Leyva |
PC market bounces back, to grow through 2013
Iran tests missile, stoking tensions with the West
Asians, Africans left out of stem cell research: study
U.S. faults Afghan corruption body's independence |
Iran missile test draws Western condemnation |
Berlusconi set to leave hospital
Iraq PM implicates security in Baghdad blasts
Raytheon turns iPhones into battlefield tools
Sanctions-busting Credit Suisse gets record US fine
Google adds new media partners to 'Fast Flip'
France opens the door to sending more troops to Afghanistan
Rights prize winner urges EU to keep pressure on Russia
Thailand still scarred five years after tsunami |
Fed moving to exit from unprecedented stimulus
NATO chief presses Russia for Afghan help
Fed keeps outlook for near-zero rates for 'extended period'
Colombia's two biggest rebel groups say may unite |
180 million dollars in funding for Zynga from DST, others
Chinese rules on home confiscations under attack |
Bing and Google gaining at 's expense: comScore
FCC wants more competition with set-top boxes
Aristide supporters protest election ban in Haiti |
Microsoft donates weapon to fight child porn
PC market bounces back, to grow through 2013
PC market bounces back, to grow through 2013 |
Police probe shooting in LA hospital parking lot
House narrowly approves year-end jobs
Japan won't indict PM in funds scandal: reports
Wisconsin hockey players dispatch stray bat
Idol creator launches new multimedia show |
UN climate talks face uphill battle
FAA inspector injured in Maui chopper accident
Police say 2 dogs fed on Nebraska owner's body
Global minimum and maximum temperatures
Philippine investigative team wins AFP award
Scandals' domino effect shakes Ga. GOP leaders
Major eruption for Philippines' Mayon likely: experts
US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 856
Thailand still scarred five years after tsunami
Grand jury probing former Memphis mayor disbands
China calls for efforts to resume nuclear talks
Self-styled vampire jailed for threatening judge
Boy Scout, 11, returns purse with nearly $2,000
Pakistani court deals US-backed president big blow
Vietnam aims to counter China with sub deal: analysts
N.Korea's Kim makes rare visit to trade zone
WRAPUP 1-NZ firms most optimistic about own outlook in 7 yrs
Taiwan Southeast Asia focus after China pact: Ma
PAKISTAN
Doomsday flick thrills audiences in 'saviour' China
S.Korea won extends falls to over 1-mth low vs dlr
Seoul shares rangebound; financials weigh
S.Korea c.bank repays Fed emergency fund
Daniel Day-Lewis sings for his supper in Nine |
Taiwan dollar rises on stocks, exporter deals
Ashton Kutcher gives Beautiful Life second chance |
Korea Hot Stocks
S.Korea bonds fall on U.S. Fed economic assessment
TV panel: Comedy making a comeback |
Taiwan fund won't sell Taiwan shares by yr-end -paper
Idol creator launches new multimedia show |
At 50, Second City still churning out the laughs |
Mother's Teenage Boyfriend Knees Crying Child; Toddler Fights For Life In Hospital
Big Love returns to TV with provocative gay story |
Ashton Kutcher gives "Beautiful Life" second chance
Canadian-Afghan Gitmo Detainee To Be Moved To Illinois
Doomsday flick thrills audiences in 'saviour' China
Bad Weather Causes Major Accidents Across U.S.
Seeds of green generation sprout in Indonesia
Latest Presidential Survey In Manila Has Aquino Leading Villar By Double Digits
New York Holds Condom Cover Contest
Elderly Man Donates 80 Gallons Of Blood
Steve Carell, Tina Fey eyeing "Mail-Order" comedy
Allstate Suing Texas Tow Truck Companies For Over Charging, Disassembling Accident Vehicles
Grammy winner detained on suspected cartel ties
AAA Says 87.7 Million Travelers During Holiday A Positive Sign For Economy
Ben Bernanke Is Time 'Person Of The Year' For 2009
"Idol" creator launches new multimedia show
Long Hair Lands 4-Year-Old In Trouble
At 50, Second City still churning out the laughs
Vegas Strip redefined as mammoth complex opens
Unhealthy Santa should walk, give up brandy: study
"Big Love" returns to TV with provocative gay story
Court set to rule on BA Christmas strike
Pressure on Pakistani leader to quit; drones kill 12 |
Obama plans to sharply boost U.S. broadband access
Israeli MPs threaten boycott of British products
Berlusconi leaves hospital after attack
Berlusconi leaves hospital, 4 days after attack |
Samsung sees infotainment/lifecare as new business
Berlusconi 'to leave hospital shortly'
U.S. still focused on START nuclear deal |
Strikes put new pressure on Greek government
Yemen says security forces hit al Qaeda |
Suicide bomber injures 23 in Russia's Ingushetia |
Georgia demolishes Soviet memorial, angering Russia |
Sudan buys arms, slides back to war: report |
Vatican defrocks exorcist archbishop who married |
Samsung sees infotainment/lifecare as new business
NATO chief opposes Russia's security pact proposal |
Obama plans to sharply boost U.S. broadband access |
Suicide bomber attacks tribal leaders meeting
Forced evacuations around Philippine volcano
Gum Disease, Diabetes Linked
Pennsylvania field became place of memory
Missing Indiana Boy Found Dead Near Home
Papuans protest Indonesia police slaying of leader
Samsung sees infotainment/lifecare as new business |
Man whose 'fat defense' failed faces sentencing
Taiwan High Court extends ex-president's detention
China urges 'more sincerity' at climate talks
Impeachment Resolution Against Sanford Gets Final Vote; Panel Formally Approves Censuring Governor
Russia calls for simpler checks on nuclear cuts
Long-time AIDS Activist DeLeon Dies
Ohio eatery offers discount for sandwich tattoos
Pakistan court voids Zardari amnesty
Obama prepares to leave for Copenhagen
Shanghai Expo to show baby pandas at city's zoos
Obama Leaves For Copenhagen Summit Thursday As U.S. Makes $100 Billion Announcement
Russia says US slowing down nuclear talks
S.Korea reports first Tamiflu-resistant death
Former NBA Player Runs For Governor Of Oregon
Already Injured NFL Wide Receiver Suffers Life-threatening Fall During Domestic Incident With Fiancée
Utah mom's brother-in-law: Husband was controlling
Mullen tells Afghan chiefs corruption must be beat
Colo. food bank pioneers gluten-free donations
The nation's weather
Pakistani o/n rates flat; rupee firms; stocks down
Pakistan's July-Nov c/a def narrows to $1.359 bln
A123, China's Shanghai Autos plan battery venture
Time Warner buys Indian entertainment channel
S.Korea c.bank says small rate rise still accommodative
`American Idol' creator announces `Dream' project
Japan stocks fall as banks turn negative
China shares fall on year-end liquidity drain
S.Korea pension fund to start direct foreign stock buys
S.Korea won down, c.bank shrugs off swap expiry
Basterds, Precious among top SAG nominees |
French rocker Hallyday in legal action over surgery |
French rocker Hallyday targets surgeon
BBC dismissed Led Zeppelin as 'unconvincing': archives
`American Idol' creator announces `Dream' project
Economy back on track, Zimbabweans celebrate
Saints win streak unites hurricane-hit New Orleans
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
TV panel: Comedy making a comeback
Japan mines toxic e-waste for precious materials
Cheap software 'helps Iraqi militants track US drones'
Already Injured NFL Wide Receiver Suffers Life-threatening Fall During Domestic Incident With Fiancée
Liberal Party Apologizes Twice To Harper For Naughty Website Photos
Israel Rebukes U.K. Over London Court's Arrest Warrant For Ex-Israeli Foreign Minister
Olympic Weightlifter From Chile Unaware Of Pregnancy Gives Birth
New York Holds Condom Cover Contest
Long Hair Lands 4-Year-Old In Trouble
British Woman Admits To Loud Sex With Husband
Georgia Couple 'Go With The Flow' At White House Breakfast
Male Cheerleader Suspended After Getting Punched By Girl
Georgia Man Cries 'Fowl' Over New Chicken Ordinance
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01