Comedy at the Second City

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I was at Barnes & Noble recently, leafing through a book about the history of the Second City comedy club in Chicago. It was about how it changed the way America experiences comedy, about how their alumni have gone on to Saturday Night Live and other great careers in comedy, etc.

I’ve been to Second City exactly once. It was April 8th or 8th, 1989. The revue that year was entitled Flag Smoking Permitted in Lobby Only. Looking over the names of cast members who have gone on to SNL and when they played at the club, I’m pretty sure I would have seen Mike Meyers, Chris Farley and Tim Meadows. Of course, they were all nobodies at the time so I wouldn’t have taken note then. That, and I was thoroughly drunk by the time the show ended so I remember very little of it.

Who else has been to the Second City? Any memories you’d like to share?

2

John Candy, The really smart guy from Ghostbusters. That was also where Martin Short started. I know John Belushi was supposed to be awesome in Second City which is why Lorne Michaels got him. Also in Ghostbusters the neighbor, he started our on SCTV. He also did “Honey I shrunk the Kids” and such films. There are a bunch of other b-comedians who’ve had recurring careers in shows of the more successful ones. Like Eugene Levy, he’s in like every movie these famous ones did it seems like. Anyway there’s more but I can’t recall them at the moment.

mind you when I say started out, that’s when I first became aware of them.

3

HAROLD RAMIS!!