Satiric newspaper The Onion reportedly is looking to move its editorial staff to the company’s Chicago headquarters, and the writers are said to be rather unhappy with the prospect of coming to the Windy City. With respect to our New York brethren, here are five reasons Chicago is a better home for comedy.
1. Chicago’s inferiority complex is funnier than New York’s neurosis. I know, Woody Allen. Blah, blah, blah. Every comedian in America is neurotic. But how many of them also have the incredible gift of feeling constantly ignored by people on two coasts? Seriously, the name of our theater is based on an insult by a New Yorker! Remember: The more screwed up you are, the funnier you become.
2. Our sports teams are awful. Sure, the Bulls look promising, but with the NBA lockout, our best team might not even play this season. New York wins championships. Chicago remembers championships. Tell me, what’s funnier: celebrating another Yankees World Series win, or watching Ozzie Guillen implode after another Sox blown save?
3. The weather. Remember when New Yorkers evacuated part of their city for that rainstorm? Try driving on Lake Shore Drive in January. I hope you packed some blankets and sandwiches in the trunk. Horrible weather equals fierce comic output.
4. Rahm. Hands down, the funniest mayor in America. Chew on that, Bloomberg.
5. You get to leave Chicago. OK, this may seem a bit backward, but follow the logic here. More comedy legends get plucked from Chicago than any other city in the country. Have you looked at our alumni list? Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell. If you want to live in New York, move here and watch the television and film industry whisk you from The Second City to the First City. Or is that Los Angeles?
Kelly Leonard is executive vice president of The Second City.
