Allan Johnson

Chicago has a rhythm all its own when it comes to entertainment. Talk about comedy, and it seems the laughs come differently, more readily, and more organically here than in...

Within the span of a year, three syndicated late night talk-variety shows have come and gone: "Vibe," first hosted by Chris Spencer and then by Sinbad; "The Keenen Ivory Wayans...

If you catch Jeremy Hotz's act, you will ascertain the man thinks he's "ugly," considers his homeland in Canada is "miserable," dreads being any near the Los Angeles area, which...

First of all, this is not a Young People to Watch story. These are not the Next Hot Things. Several on this list of hidden talent are older, some have...

Okay, comic Bill Engvall did have a country music hit with "Here's Your Sign," which spent 10 weeks atop Billboard's country charts a few years ago. Sure, "Here's Your Sign"...

Audiences apparently sought hope at the box office as the life-affirming film "Pleasantville" was No. 1 in weekend receipts. The bleaker "Beloved" with Oprah Winfrey tumbled to seventh place ($4.4...

Most people know comedian-actor-writer Steve Martin as a pretty witty guy - that silly, fake-arrow-through-the-head stunt he used to do in his standup routine notwithstanding. More evidence of that wit...

It's all about the craft, Jeff Altman says. That is the reason he's making a renewed push these days toward performing, which he considers "the most fun part of my...

It won't go down in history with the last episode of Jerry Seinfeld's NBC series or Ellen DeGeneres' declaration of lesbianism, but the date is pretty interesting nonetheless. Oct. 7,...

The Ketura Hadassah Jewish organization will no doubt thank comedian Susan Vass for making people laugh at a fundraiser scheduled for Sunday. But the group should also indirectly thank Louie...