TJ & Dave

    Chicago is the mecca of comedy in the world. Institutions such as The Second City and iO have been the hallowed ground for comedians and actors. For fifty-four years, several people have done this art form that they created and perfected with a set of rules of doing it right (“yes and...”, don’t say no, don’t talk about what you’re doing, there mistakes, taking suggestions from the audience). If there is any show that is worth seeing in Chicago, whether it is sketch or improv, it is TJ & Dave. These guys, who are probably the best improvisers in Chicago, come up and they do the same improv format, but they give it a twist. They take no suggestions from the audience, they say no  in their scenes, but they manage to keep the scene moving.
    Both TJ & Dave live in Chicago and have studied with the legendary improv teacher Del Close. An alumni of Second City, iO, and Annoyance Theater, Chicago native Dave Pasquesi performed in Second City’s mainstage cast with Chris Farley and Tim Meadows. Since then, he has worked in film (“Father of The Bride,” “Groundhog Day,” “Angels & Demons”), television (“Strangers With Candy”), and theater. An alumni of Second City and iO, Massachusetts-born TJ Jagodowski has done film (“The Ice Harvest,” “Stranger Than Fiction”), television (“Prison Break”), and commercials (Sonic Drive-In commercials). He occasionally teaches improv at iO. The two improvisers met in the late-1990s at an improv festival and that was the first time they played together onstage. Shortly after that, Jagodowski went up to Pasquesi and asked him if they wanted to do improv shows together and Pasquesi said yes. Since 2002, the two performers joined forces and do weekly performances at iO on Wednesday nights at 11 pm, as well as once a month performances in New York City at the Barrow Street Theater. Yes, their shows at iO are very late in the day on a Wednesday night, but they are totally worth seeing. The duo and their show is the subject of the Alex Karpovsky documentary “Trust Us, This Is All Made Up,” which premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival in 2009. Both TJ & Dave have been honored by the Chicago Improv Festival as “Improviser of the Year.”
    The lights go out at 11 playing to the music of Ike Reilly. After a couple minutes into the song, TJ & Dave walk on stage. The stage in iO is one of two theaters, one is upstairs with a large stage, the other is a small cabaret style theater with a stage the size of a postage stamp. As the music stops, TJ says, “Hello, everyone! This is David Pasquesi.” Then, Dave says, “And this is TJ Jagodowski.” Then, TJ says, “Thank you all for being here. We look forward to improvising for you. Trust us, this is all made up.” Then, there is a blackout. The two improvisers get into position and they just take it away.
    Their show is basically a one-act play. They play specific types of characters in different situations and there are constant call-backs of things that were mentioned in previous scenes a couple minutes before. They will keep building throughout a night and constant hilarity ensues. When I saw them, they mentioned a girlfriend and crackers (the food, not the racial slur), then ten minutes later, after doing a couple more scenes, TJ suddenly goes, “Why do do we have so many crackers? Jane constantly brings back all of these crackers. I mean, she doesn’t even live hear!” The show usually lasts from fifty minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes.
    TJ & Dave are amazing to watch from an audience perspective. I have studied at Second City since I was sixteen and we were taught how to play by the rules of improv (“yes and...”, never say no in a scene, don’t talk about what you are doing, etc.). However, what is exciting about watching these guys is that they break all of the rules, but at the same time they are able to push the scene forward. That is pretty risky, but they are constantly doing something different and that is why they take so many risks because they both trust each other and the audience wonders where they might go next. Their humor is really smart and they are constantly listening to each other. Many times, when one person plays a character on stage, the other person will play that same character later on and they will both switch off with the characters.
    In a regular improv show, the performers usually ask for a suggestion of an object or location. But in TJ & Dave, they don’t take any suggestions. All they say is “Trust us, this is all made up.” These guys are professionals and you should be able to trust the professionals because they have practiced and know everything that they are doing. However, there is something exciting about not taking suggestions because that way you are not held back by what you are trying to explore. Without taking a suggestion from the audience, you are able to transform and create any character and situation that you want.
    What truly makes TJ & Dave exciting to watch is the relationship between the two of them. They trust each other 100% both personally and professionally. With that, all of the amazing characters and scenes come to life onstage. Even when they don’t have a good night, they still put on a heck of a show. If TJ & Dave had not gotten along with each other or trusted each other, then the show would be completely different and they probably would never have been together in the first place. It is truly great that these two amazing improvisers came together at a time where they wanted to do nothing but improvise and have fun on stage. What happens between them is pure magic.
    While doing some research, there had to be some show that could match the power and talent of TJ & Dave. As a result, the easiest way to go was to stop at Second City to check out an improv show. The show was The Improv All-Stars. The show features the best of the best of Second City’s current performers while they participate in an improv show filled with short form games and audience participation.
    The games were all fun and all of the performers showed that there was a way to making everything work for each other, even when there was something extremely out of the ordinary. All of the games lasted about five minutes long and there was also a little bit of musical improv in there to show how rounded that they are professionally and and an improv show is always fun when there is music in it. However, the only problem that there was was with some of the audience members. During the show, one of the improvisers asked the audience for a suggestion of “something that you said to someone today.” Immediately, someone in the audience shouted out, “Go fuck yourself!” People think it is funny to swear in comedy, but it’s way too easy to get laughs by using bad language. Sometimes, the audience would use very dirty suggestions just because they will think it will be able to get a ton of laughs. The good thing is that the performers didn’t pick some of the more vulgar suggestions from the audience, instead they picked things that would really work on the stage and would help the performers create something original and experimental. The show lasted one hour.
    All of the performers in The Improv All-Stars were very strong performers and they all created something great. One of the performers was Rachael Mason, who also studied with Del Close and I had as a teacher at Second City. She once told me, “When I do an improv show, I start at a 2. As the show goes on, I will raise up my energy level when I need to go all the way.” Well, she did exactly that. Not only did she do well, but so did the rest of the improvisers. Each one was funny and created scenes featuring characters that knew each other and it felt believable to see that the improvisers knew each other very well.
    The idea of improv is to say “yes.” If you don’t say “yes,” then you’ve basically killed the scene and there is nothing left for you to do. The only way you can push the scene forward is by saying, “yes and..” then you simply add something on to what the other person just said. For example, if someone says, “I brought you a banana” and you say, “No, that is not an apple,” then you are screwed and you are done. But, the idea is to accept it for your own by saying, “Let’s cut up this banana and put in a banana split for our father.” So, basically, there is the idea of “yes and...” and it is THE golden rule of improvisation. The bonus is that there are no mistakes in improv. If you make a mistake, go with it because it can become something else. For example, if you say, “I brought you a banana,” and you said, “This is a beautiful apple,” then you’ve changed the scene completely and you go with doing that scene. You can’t stop and start over, but what what you can do is go with what you’ve been given because it is a gift that you can explore for a very long time.
    TJ & Dave do “yes and...” each other the whole time that they are onstage. However, there will be times where they say no, but they are able to keep the scene moving forward. The scene doesn’t die when they say no because they trust each other so well and they want to keep the scenes going forward. It’s like what Dave Pasquesi said about his communication with Jagadowski, “We have this trust that no matter what I say to you, you’re going to be fine. You’re really good and there is no way I can hurt you.”
    Both TJ & Dave and the Improv All-Stars are awesome shows to see in Chicago, however they are both two completely different types of improvisation. The Improv All-Stars are short form improv. TJ & Dave are long form improv. The difference between the two styles are completely noticeable. Short form improv is about the short games that you would play in a regular show. The games would usually take about five to eight minutes depending on how long the performers go on for. The games will end when someone hits the lights during a show. Long form improv is simply improv that goes on for long periods of time. However, it is the performer’s job to be prepared to create another scene or a different character.
    The only thing that can be a hinderance to an improv show is the audience. Sometimes, the audience want to hear nothing but sex jokes and swearing and stuff like that which is why people will sometimes shout out crude suggestions. However, that is not what improv comedy is about. It is about being honest and true in the moment on stage. After a while, the sex jokes and swearing get old after a little while. This can make an improv performance go bad because you are basically no longer listening to your scene partner and the scene is destroyed. TJ & Dave avoid all of this stuff 100%. They will never use this area because its a guilty excuse to be funny and its too easy to get laughs this way. You can always tell when something isn’t funny because people won’t laugh at it. Sometimes, when the comedy goes wrong, it can be very hard to bring the audience back into the performance. John Cleese once said, “Comedy is incredibly brittle. If something goes wrong with the atmosphere, you’re dead.”
    In improvisation, everything is unscripted. Nothing is planned and there is no deciding want to do. All they have to do is listen yo each other, connect to each other, and go with the flow. Out of that is whee the creativity comes from. The idea of unscripted theater is fantastic because there is so much freedom where you can do anything you want and you can explore it for as long as you want. However, another downside of improvisation is when you start thinking too much. Thinking too much is the biggest of all the downfalls in improvisation because it shows that you not paying attention to what you are doing in the scene. It’s pretty painful to watch people who are stuck in their heads while improvising because it shows that they are trying to be the show-off. TJ & Dave do not think of anything when they improvise. All they do is say “yes and...” and they listen to each other and the funny eventually comes.
    Thinking is simply one of the things that can slow down improvised show. These are the people who come up with these clever jokes in their heads and they get the big huge laughs. Improvisation does not work that way. TJ & Dave studied with Del Close, who is one of the original founders of The Second City and iO. From Second City’s founding in 1959 until his death in 1999, he taught many of the most well-known talent to come out of Second City and iO, such as Bill Murray, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carrell, and the list goes on and on. He would get very mad at people who would come up with funny things in their heads. He would refer to these actions as “trying to be cute.” Harold Ramis told this story about when he started out at Second City and Close was his director. During improv shows, he would come up with these smart jokes onstage. He did this a number of times and then Close pulled him aside after a show and said to him, “Someday, you are going to look in the mirror and say, ‘I’m so cute and I’m only forty-five years old.’” Ramis said that that “sobered him up.” The reason why is because there is more than just scoring with the audience and it was not about just getting the laugh. As former students of Close, TJ & Dave know this idea. It’s not always about getting the laugh because sometimes improv isn’t always funny. Instead, these guys take their time until there is a laugh from the audience. There was definitely no moment in the show where they were “trying to be cute,” as Del Close would put it. If improvisers try coming up with smart jokes, they might as well start doing stand-up because a lot of improvisers hate when other improvisers do that.
    Close taught that “if you concentrate on making everyone around you look good, then at the same time it makes everyone look good.” TJ & Dave definitely make each other look good during their performance. They trust each other completely. There is something admirable about how they interact with each other on stage because it shows that they can throw anything at each other and they will be able to pull anything off. Not only do they know each other very well personally, but they know each other very well professionally. It all shows in their performance. TJ Jagodowski once said, “We don’t know anything until we look at each other and then we start to know anything.” That simply describes how strong their chemistry is onstage. Improv is all about the chemistry between the performers. Whether the performers like each other or not, they will still be able to connect with each other and create multiple scenes to entertain an audience.
    I know several people who have gone to see TJ & Dave and everyone I’ve talked to has said that they are amazing. As for people who had not seen TJ & Dave before, they’ve got to the shows and they didn’t even know that they were improvising. They though that the whole thing was going to be scripted. However, here is the truth: 0% of their show is scripted, 100% of it is all improvised. The bonus is that every performance that these guys do is completely different every single time. People who have not seen them will find them to be entertaining because they perform at such great speed and confidence that it would excite the audience to possibly take up doing improvisation as a hobby.
    When it comes to figuring out which of the two shows were better is difficult to say. All of the performers were very entertaining to watch. However, TJ & Dave reign supreme. They don’t take suggestions from the audience so they just go ahead and do it. Their motto is “Trust us, this is all made up” so all they really want you to do is trust where the performance is going to go. The performers in the Improv All-Stars were all great, but the audience participation was occasionally a bit of a hinderance when it came to asking for specific suggestions. At the same time, however, they are both two completely different shows and styles. They are both great, but when it comes to performance and originality, TJ & Dave win this competition.
    Since 2002, TJ & Dave have shown that improv shows are exciting to watch and that you don’t have to follow the rules to perform improv on stage. They are rebellious and they are a constant inspiration to aspiring improvisers all over Chicago. While they’ve shown that they trust each other completely, they also allow the audience to trust what they do on stage night after night. TJ & Dave are truly amazing.

TJ & Dave

    Chicago is the mecca of comedy of the world. Institutions such as The Second City and iO have been the hallowed ground for comedians and actors. If there is any show that is worth seeing in Chicago, whether it is sketch or improv, it is TJ & Dave. This is simply the best improv show in Chicago. It’s funny, creative, and very smart humor.
    Both TJ & Dave live in Chicago and have studied with the legendary improv teacher Del Close. An alumni of The Second City, iO, and Annoyance Theater, Pasquesi performed in Second City’s mainstage cast with Chris Farley and Tim Meadows. Since then, he has worked in film (“Father of The Bride,” “Groundhog Day,” “Angels & Demons”), television (“Strangers With Candy”), and theater. An alumni of Second City and iO, Massachusetts-born Jagodowski has done film (“The Ice Harvest,” “Stranger Than Fiction”) and television (“Prison Break”), but is mostly well known for his appearances in Sonic Drive-in commercials. He occasionally teaches improv at iO. The two improvisers met in the late-1990s at an improv festival and that was the first time they played together onstage. Shortly after that, Jagodowski went up to Pasquesi and asked him if they wanted to do improv shows together and Pasquesi said yes. Since 2002, the two performers joined forces and do weekly performances at iO on Wednesday nights at 11 pm, as well as once a month performances in New York City at the Barrow Street Theater. Yes, their shows at iO are very late in the day on a Wednesday night, but they are totally worth seeing. The duo and their show is the subject of the Alex Karpovsky documentary “Trust Us, This Is All Made Up,” which premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival in 2009. Both TJ & Dave have been honored by the Chicago Improv Festival as “Improviser of the Year.”
    The lights go out at 11 playing to the music of Ike Reilly. After a couple minutes into the song, TJ & Dave walk on stage. The stage in iO is one of two theaters, one is upstairs with a large stage, the other is a small cabaret style theater with a stage the size of a postage stamp. As the music stops, TJ says, “Hello, everyone! This is David Pasquesi.” Then, Dave says, “And this is TJ Jagodowski.” Then, TJ says, “Thank you all for being here. We look forward to improvising for you. Trust us, this is all made up.” Then, there is a blackout. The two improvisers get into position and they just take it away.
    Their show is basically a one-act play. They play specific types of characters in different situations and there are constant call-backs of things that were mentioned in previous scenes a couple minutes before. They will keep building throughout a night and constant hilarity ensues. When I saw them, they mentioned a girlfriend and crackers (the food, not the racial slur), then ten minutes later, after doing a couple more scenes, TJ suddenly goes, “Why do do we have so many crackers? Jane constantly brings back all of these crackers. I mean, she doesn’t even live hear!” The show usually lasts from fifty minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes.
    TJ & Dave are amazing to watch from an audience perspective. I have studied at Second City since I was sixteen and we were taught how to play by the rules of improv (“yes and...”, never say no in a scene, don’t talk about what you are doing, etc.). However, what is exciting about watching these guys is that they break all of the rules, but at the same time they are able to push the scene forward. That is pretty risky, but they are constantly doing something different and that is why they take so many risks because they both trust each other and the audience wonders where they might go next. Their humor is really smart and they are constantly listening to each other. Many times, when one person plays a character on stage, the other person will play that same character later on and they will both switch off with the characters.
    In a regular improv show, the performers usually ask for a suggestion of an object or location. But in TJ & Dave, they don’t take any suggestions. All they say is “Trust us, this is all made up.” These guys are professionals and you should be able to trust the professionals because they have practiced and know everything that they are doing. However, there is something exciting about not taking suggestions because that way you are not held back by what you are trying to explore. Without taking a suggestion from the audience, you are able to transform and create any character and situation that you want.
    What truly makes TJ & Dave exciting to watch is the relationship between the two of them. They trust each other 100% both personally and professionally. With that, all of the amazing characters and scenes come to life onstage. Even when they don’t have a good night, they still put on a heck of a show. If TJ & Dave had not gotten along with each other or trusted each other, then the show would be completely different and they probably would never have been together in the first place. It is truly great that these two amazing improvisers came together at a time where they wanted to do nothing but improvise and have fun on stage. What happens between them is pure magic.
    While doing some research, there had to be some show that could match the power and talent of TJ & Dave. As a result, the easiest way to go was to stop at Second City to check out an improv show. The show was The Improv All-Stars. The show features the best of the best of Second City’s current performers while they participate in an improv show filled with short form games and audience participation.
    The games were all fun and all of the performers showed that there was a way to making everything work for each other, even when there was something extremely out of the ordinary. All of the games lasted about five minutes long and there was also a little bit of musical improv in there to show how rounded that they are professionally and and an improv show is always fun when there is music in it. However, the only problem that there was was with some of the audience members. During the show, one of the improvisers asked the audience for a suggestion of “something that you said to someone today.” Immediately, someone in the audience shouted out, “Go fuck yourself!” People think it is funny to swear in comedy, but it’s way too easy to get laughs by using bad language. Sometimes, the audience would use very dirty suggestions just because they will think it will be able to get a ton of laughs. The good thing is that the performers didn’t pick some of the more vulgar suggestions from the audience, instead they picked things that would really work on the stage and would help the performers create something original and experimental. The show lasted one hour.
    All of the performers in The Improv All-Stars were very strong performers and they all created something great. One of the performers was Rachael Mason, who also studied with Del Close and I had as a teacher at Second City. She once told me, “When I do an improv show, I start at a 2. As the show goes on, I will raise up my energy level when I need to go all the way.” Well, she did exactly that. Not only did she do well, but so did the rest of the improvisers. Each one was funny and created scenes featuring characters that knew each other and it felt believable to see that the improvisers knew each other very well.
    The idea of improv is to say “yes.” If you don’t say “yes,” then you’ve basically killed the scene and there is nothing left for you to do. The only way you can push the scene forward is by saying, “yes and..” then you simply add something on to what the other person just said. For example, if someone says, “I brought you a banana” and you say, “No, that is not an apple,” then you are screwed and you are done. But, the idea is to accept it for your own by saying, “Let’s cut up this banana and put in a banana split for our father.” So, basically, there is the idea of “yes and...” and it is THE golden rule of improvisation. The bonus is that there are no mistakes in improv. If you make a mistake, go with it because it can become something else. For example, if you say, “I brought you a banana,” and you said, “This is a beautiful apple,” then you’ve changed the scene completely and you go with doing that scene. You can’t stop and start over, but what what you can do is go with what you’ve been given because it is a gift that you can explore for a very long time.
    Both TJ & Dave and the Improv All-Stars are awesome shows to see in Chicago, however they are both two completely different types of improvisation. The Improv All-Stars are short form improv. TJ & Dave are long form improv. The difference between the two styles are completely noticeable. Short form improv is about the short games that you would play in a regular show. The games would usually take about five to eight minutes depending on how long the performers go on for. The games will end when someone hits the lights during a show. Long form improv is simply improv that goes on for long periods of time. However, it is the performer’s job to be prepared to create another scene or a different character.
    The only thing that can be a hinderance to an improv show is the audience. Sometimes, the audience want to hear nothing but sex jokes and swearing and stuff like that. However, that is not what improv comedy is about. It is about being honest and true in the moment on stage. After a while, the sex jokes and swearing get old after a little while. This can make an improv performance go bad because you are basically no longer listening to your scene partner and the scene is destroyed.
    When it comes to figuring out which of the two shows were better is difficult to say. All of the performers were very entertaining to watch. However, TJ & Dave reign supreme. They don’t take suggestions from the audience so they just go ahead and do it. Their motto is “Trust us, this is all made up” so all they really want you to do is trust where the performance is going to go. The performers in the Improv All-Stars were all great, but the audience participation was occasionally a bit of a hinderance when it came to asking for specific suggestions. At the same time, however, they are both two completely different shows and styles. They are both great, but when it comes to performance and originality, TJ & Dave win this competition.
    Since 2002, TJ & Dave have shown that improv shows are exciting to watch and that you don’t have to follow the rules to perform improv on stage. They are rebellious and they are a constant inspiration to aspiring improvisers all over Chicago. While they’ve shown that they trust each other completely, they also allow the audience to trust what they do on stage night after night. TJ & Dave are truly amazing.

Outline for Final Paper

    Improvisation has been a big part of the world. It is used in theater, music, film, dance, and almost every art form. However, this has been a part of my life. Having seen and worked with many great improvisers, improv is a form of therapy. There is excitement about doing something without thinking and just pushing it forward. In a way, it is pretty relaxing. There are so many things to be explored in how it can help people overcome things in their lives.
    I will be able to explore the ideas of how improv is used in theater. It can help people come out of their shyness and get more connected to people. It would also be noted to attend a show starring Chicago’s very own TJ & Dave, both of whom are alumni of The Second City and iO. There is something about their two man improv show that shows a lot about how people improvise together. It’s all about the trust and listening to each other. If you listen to someone while improvising, there is a great power in what it can do. Once that kicks in, that is when magic starts to happen.
    Improvisation in music is something that is very popular. Jazz is a very great example of free form exploration in music. Then, you have acts like the Grateful Dead, Phish, the Allman Brothers Band, Dave Matthews Band, and some others. These bands introduced jazz style improvisation into rock and roll and gave it a twist. They built off not only on how each other’s playing and listen to each other, but off the energy of the audience as well. I have seen Phish play live a couple of times and to see them jam for long periods of time was amazing to watch because it showed that there could be more things to explore and help them create more songs from a specific jam. There is something great about playing music and being free to enjoy a long sequence of exploration in improvising. That way, musicians can be more creative that way.
    Then, there would be improvisation in physical movement performances in things like mime. There would be a way to watch how people use improvisation to relieve stress even when they don’t speak. There is a way of being in tune even if your using props that aren’t really there. It’s a matter of making it real for you and how you want it to work for a group of people.
    Improvisation can be therapy. It something that can be worth exploring in how people do things in life. There is all of these backgrounds like theater and music where it is strong. It works differently for everyone so it is something that can be explored.

outline

1 introduction

2 improvisation in theater

-The Second City

-TJ & Dave

3 improvisation in music

-jazz music

-Phish

4 improvisation in film?

5 conclusion

Eleven City Diner, 1112 S Wabash Avenue

    Chicago is the home to some of the great eateries in the entire country. Deep dish pizza, hot dogs, the list goes on and on. The restaurant scene in Chicago is so big that it is almost hard to chose from just one thing. The easiest thing that came to mind was to go for something completely different. So I decided to go to Eleven City Diner.
    Very close to Columbia College Chicago’s Theater Building, Eleven City Diner is an old style deli where they serve everything from breakfast to dinner. The bonus is that they serve breakfast all day so if you want some waffles at 6 pm or something like that, then go ahead. When I went, I order buttermilk pancakes. I was wondering what was going to come out right in front of me so I waited until my plate came out. My jaw dropped. There were three staked buttermilk pancakes covered in chocolate chips.
    It was a great sight to see. I had looked at other people’s plates and it just made my mouth water with anticipation hoping that I would not be disappointed. I surely wasn’t. The first bite of my meal caused me to be seduced by chocolate ecstasy. The chocolate began to melt making the bites of the pancakes even more irresistible. The great taste of the pancakes were just as good. There was so much flavor by adding both ingredients together. There would be times where cutting through the pancakes would be difficult because of how fast the chocolate chips melted. You add a bowl of fruit on the side and then you have a great meal. Everything tasted amazingly delicious.
    Then, there was desert. I wasn’t going to order desert, but I decided to anyway for the heck of it. I ordered a chocolate cake. I saw one on a plate as I was walking in and I felt tempted to order it so I did. The servers brought out was a huge piece of cake. This cake tasted so good that I almost fell out of my chair. It was absolutely incredible. There was a point where the cake was unable to be finished, but I finished the whole thing and I was done. It was so good that I wanted to more. There was so much chocolatey taste that it felt like I was going to transform into a piece of chocolate.
    Eleven City Diner also servers great burgers and sandwiches. They serve everything at all times of the day. They are very busy around lunchtime, but it dies down around 5 or 6 pm. If you are in the Chicago area and looking for some great deli food, this is the place to be. I hope to be returning to Eleven City Diner soon because I keep wanting more.

“The Big Bang Theory” (directed by Mark Cendrowski, 2007-present)

    For many years, people have been fascinated by nerd culture. Why do they enjoy all of these video games, comic books, science fiction movies, and science? The truth is they are all special. That may sound funny, but they really are. f you are a fan of nerd culture, then “The Big Bang Theory” is definitely for you.
    Created by Chuck Lorre (“Two & A Half Men,” “Rosanne”) and Bill Prady (“Dharma & Greg”), “The Big Bang Theory” is centered around five people. First, there is Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), a theoretical physicist, and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), an experimental physicist, who are both roommates and tech at the California Institute of Technology. Then, there is Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Sheldon and Leonard’s neighbor who lives across the hall, an aspiring actress who works at the Cheesecake Factory, and Leonard’s love interest. Then, there are Sheldon and Leonard’s friends, PhD-less aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Indian astrophysicist Raj Koothrapali (Kunal Nayyar). There is also microbiologist Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch), who is Howard’s love interest, and neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), who is Sheldon’s love interest. The characters go through a ton of different issues from relationships to issues at CalTech.
    The cast of the show is very entertaining and they all give something special to the show. The easiest one to talk about is Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon is a genius with a masters and two PhD’s, but is terrible when it comes to social interactions. Parsons pulls this off perfectly and steals the show most of the time. Everyone in the cast has great chemistry. The relationship between Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco is really strong when it comes to Leonard and Penny scenes. Simon Helberg as the Ringo Starr-looking Howard Wolowitz is really funy that there are points as if he ad-libs his dialogue in the show which brings a great touch to the show. Kunal Nayyar as Raj is very funny as well because his character has selective mutism and has a difficult time talking to women unless he is drinking, which become even more funny as he gets even more drunk. Melissa Rauch as Bernadette and Mayim Bialik as Amy are especially funny and they too have great chemistry in their scenes with Helberg and Parson.
    The way the show is written is great because there are constant physics and cultural geek references. The references add up to the humor of the show. It doesn’t matter if you think it’s funny or not, but at the same time you could learn something on physics. That is if you didn’t pay attention in physics class in school. The references to “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” and all of the comic book series also add to it that it shows the things that nerds love. Also, there is a very catchy theme song by Barenaked Ladies and it is probably the only song known to man that uses the word “Australopithecus.”
    People who consider themselves nerds would definitely identify with these characters who were bullied growing up and are extremely smart because these people do exist. Even if you don’t consider yourself a nerd, you will still enjoy the show. Besides, there is a little bit of nerd in side of all of us. Therefore, “The Big Bang Theory” is funny, entertaining, and educational at the exact same time.

“Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”

    The Art Institute of Chicago is home to some of the finest pieces of art the world has ever known. It is always surprising to see how much the museum has for people to see. There are multiple exhibits that are always moving in and out all the time so that they could vary up what could be seen by the public. However, some of the Art Institute’s most loved and well-known works of art are never taken out. One of the pieces that always seen to amaze somebody is “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges-Pierre Seurat.
    You know that scene in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” where Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron are in the Art Institute and there is the montage of different pieces of art from the museum. Then, there is the scene where Cameron is staring at the little girl in this painting. Well, that is how I feel every time I look at this painting. While it took Seurat two years to paint this work, it shows that it really did take a lot of work to make this look as beautiful as it is. The portrait shows us a summer day of all of these people are out to enjoy the summer day. There is a person fishing, there are boats in the water, people are just enjoying the beautiful day.
    It’s an amazing painting to look at because if you look really closely, there are all of these little dots of color. And you start thinking, “This guy did all of this with all of these little dots of color?” Well, amazingly, yes. There are so many dots of color in the painting that it is almost makes you dizzy. Even when you look into the face of the little girl in the portrait like Cameron did in “Ferris Bueller,” there is definitely all of those dots of color in the faces of the people.
    The portrait shows a good example of capturing the time period, which is the 1880’s. The painting sends you back to the 1880’s and everything almost looks realistic. The painting shows the way people dressed and what people did for entertainment back in those days. Remember, there were no cell phones or computers back then so instead people went fishing or took a little walk in the park. Sadly, you don’t see much of this kind of this stuff anymore. It’s important to say this is a time period where people could go out and have their own ways of enjoying themselves such as enjoying a beautiful day.
    “Sunday Afternoon” is truly a work of art. There are many stories that can be told throughout this painting. However, it’s almost like going to the symphony. You don’t have to get involved in the story of it all, but enjoy it as a work of art.

“Almost Famous” (directed by Cameron Crowe, 2000)

    The critic is an individual who is able to say things based on their own opinions. Many people won’t always agree with what one writes, but some people can agree with what you say about something. The criticism can either help a person or make things worse for them. “Almost Famous” is a perfect example of this.
    “Almost Famous” takes place in 1973 in California where 16-year-old William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is aspiring to be a rock journalist. He is shown the ropes of rock journalism by Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and goes out to begin some reviewing. While reviewing a Black Sabbath concert, he meets rock band, Stillwater. There, the band invites him to more of their shows and begins traveling on the road with them. At the same time, William gets a call from Rolling Stone offering him a job to interview Stillwater for the issue. At the same time, he falls in love with a “Band-Aid” groupie named Penny Lane (Kate Hudson). The film takes us on a roller coater of experiences in the rock and roll life style as William attempts to get his interview with the band.
    The film is based on actual events that happened in director Cameron Crowe’s life. Crowe had been writing music reviews for an underground magazine out in California when he was a teenager. Then, he met Lester Bangs who sort of showed him the ropes about writing and interviewing rock and roll bands. Crowe eventually was hired a job at Rolling Stone when he was 16 years old. The film is based mainly on the experiences that he had going on the road with Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers Band.
    The entire cast is very great in this film. Patrick Fugit shows a great sense of youth while playing William Miller, which shows that anyone can have a love for anything and be able to write about it. Frances McDormand (“Fargo”), who plays William’s mother, shows us a character so strict that you don’t want to like her, but at the same time you know that she wants to make sure her son is safe. Kate Hudson shows a performance that she is vulnerable and heartbroken even though she is a fan of the band because she is unable to escape the rock star life style. The rest of the cast features Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel, Noah Taylor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, a young Jimmy Fallon, as well as cameos from Rainn Wilson and Mitch Hedberg, all add something special to painting a picture of rock and roll in 1973.
    The importance of the critic in this film shows something special. It shows that critics can write about whatever they want, but have to be honest at the same time. If you’re not being honest in your writing, then it would not make you look good at all. If you’re honest, then everyone will believe that what they are reading is real. That is what criticism is all about. It is about being honest and true in your writing.
    In the end, “Almost Famous” paints a picture of what the critic can do to help an artist succeed. The critic can help get the artist more attention and it can lead to them doing amazing things. We can learn from the critic that honesty is the most important thing in your writing is your honesty and that affects the way you write and how your share your own voice.

Ben Folds Five, “The Sound of The Life of The Mind” (ImaVeePee Records, 2012)

    From 1993 to 2000, at a time that was dominated by heavy-riffing guitars and rapping, Ben Folds Five took to the music scene with a different kind of sound. Releasing three albums during their time together, pianist-vocalist Ben Folds, bassist Robert Sledge, and drummer Darren Jessee introduced us to a sound that featured jazzy piano licks, heavily distorted bass riffs, cool drum fills, three vocal harmonies, and humorous, and occasionally serious and angst, lyrics. The band called it quits in 2000 and each member went on to successful solo careers, but now they are back and they sound better than ever on their first album since 1999, “The Sound of The Life of The Mind.”
    Before this, the band had reunited only once since their break-up when they were asked to do a concert for Myspace’s “Front to Back” series where they played their last album, “The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner,” in it’s entirety. However, in 2011, Folds was recording a couple new songs for a greatest hits album he was doing and he decided to call Sledge and Jessee up to see if they would want to play on the new songs. They did and the session went so well that they decided to record a whole new album.
    The album starts off with “Erase Me.” It has everything that you would ask for in the classic BF5 sound, jazzy piano licks, heavily distorted bass, cool drum licks, and the three vocal harmonies. The sound of the bass on this song makes it sound very much like if it were something Danny Elfman had written. It’s heavy and it’s also very catchy. The second track on the album is “Michael Praytor, Five Years Later,” which is a very strong song and shows how tight every member is playing together almost as if they never broke up. The lyrics tell the story of a man named Michael Praytor, who would be seen every five years and his life is going downhill with his wife kicking him out and Folds sings to him at the end of the song, “Guess I’ll see you around.” “Sky High,” with lyrics written by Jessee, is the slow song about a man who is dealing with pain, but it features a beautiful piano melody. The title track of the album, with lyrics by Nick Hornby, who also wrote lyrics for Folds’s 2010 solo album “Lonely Avenue,” is a very strong song as well with lyrics telling the story of a girl who is interested in reading books about history and science while her friends are out acting like crazy teenagers.
    The next track “On Being Frank” is a lovely song with a sweet piano melody and is wonderful lyrics by Folds. The following track, “Draw A Crowd” is a catchy, upbeat song with an awesome piano lick, almost very similar to “Jackson Cannery” from their 1995 debut “Ben Folds Five,” and a humorous chorus where they sing, “If you’re feeling small, and you can’t draw a crowd, draw dicks on the wall.” It’s probably the funniest lyric in a Ben Folds Five song since “The Song For The Dumped” from their 1997 album “Whatever & Ever Amen.” “Do It Anyway,” which is the single for the album, is next with it’s country sounding vibe and all of the band members are completely in sync with each other. This one is pretty memorable. “Hold That Thought” is sort of the same level as “On Being Frank,” but it is also a very great song. “Away When You Were Here” follows afterward and it is a very beautiful song with Folds’s beautiful lyrics and piano melodies, as well as a string section which accompanies the song. The lyrics tell the story of a father who died young and the son is trying to be what he never was, which was a true father. The final track on the album is “Thank You For Breaking My Heart,” which is probably the saddest song on the entire album. However, it shows off Folds’s classical-like piano skills. In a way, this song relates to “Brick” from “Whatever & Ever Amen” because that song also had sad lyrics.
    “The Sound of The Life of The Mind” is a great return for Ben Folds Five. The entire album features the awesome rocking songs and humorous lyrics that everyone remembers them for, including their emotional, quieter songs. Folds, Sledge, and Jessee sound totally in complete sync together as if they never broke up. Yes, they broke up a long time ago, but that’s all in the past. Everyone grows up and changes, but on this album, it sounds like all members of the band have matured both lyrically and musically. In the end, “The Sound of The Life of The Mind” is a great album and let’s hope they continue to make more great music together.

There Will Be Blood (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)

    Greed and corruption can destroy human beings. We all have our ambitions in what we want in life and we can try very hard to get them. But when you put a hunger for money or power in the equation, then it is not a good combination. Many great people have lost everything in their lives because of greed and corruption. If you want a film that involved greed and corruption, then “There Will Be Blood” is your movie.
    Based on Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel “Oil!,” the film takes place in California at the beginning of the 20th century where gold miner Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) discovers oil and starts a small business. Joined by his adopted son, who is also his business partner, they discover a piece of land in Little Boston that holds huge amounts of oil, which is owned by the family of Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a pastor at the Church of the Third Revelation. As he begins to drill for oil, Eli tells Daniel that he wants money for agreeing to let him oil on his family’s land. While Daniel knows this, he wants everything for himself, both the oil and the money. His pursuit for power goes out of control and he is willing to stop anyone who gets in his way.
    The performance that rules “There Will Be Blood” is Daniel Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis is known for his intense acting style, who digs so deep to the point where he literally becomes the character physically, vocally, mentally, and emotionally. If you watch his performances in “My Left Foot,” “In The Name of The Father,” and “Gangs of New York,” he vanishes so deep inside his roles that it’s almost like we are seeing him for the very first time. His performances as Daniel Plainview is so powerful that he destroys everything in his path as he tries to get what he wants. However, when get get everything he wants, the price that he pays is that he left all alone and has nothing, but money and his lust for power. Day-Lewis’s emotional power is strong as he is able to turn so angry that his entire face turns red and all of his veins begin to stick out of his face. It makes you think that he is going to explode, which is what makes him so terrifying in this role. This performance is definitely one of the best of Daniel Day-Lewis’s career.
    Another acting performance that stood out was Paul Dano as Eli Sunday. While we know him for his performance in “Little Miss Sunshine,” he is able to handle his own power with this role. Eli is also corrupt and greedy. He wants money so he can fund his own church. While he is corrupt and all, he does have his own flaws, just like Daniel. HE claims himself a “servant of God” throughout the whole movie, but by the end he admits that he is alone and a sinner. While Dano’s Eli may be corrupt and greedy, Daniel is the real monster.
    For his first film since 2003’s “Punch-Drunk Love,” Paul Thomas Anderson has really shaped up to become one of the finest filmmakers working today. He writes all of his own screenplays and takes his time with them all so that they are very something that is easy to interpret from the screen. He knew that there was a story somewhere in Upton Sinclair’s novel and he puts it onto the screen in a very convincing way. It’s convincing to the point where he is is almost making a political statement about corruption in the government. If there was any one who could do this film, no one could have done it better than Anderson.
    The score, written by Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood, works very well with the film. It adds to the dramatic effect from Daniel’s struggles for power and his success in getting what he wants. The cinematography is amazing from all angles of the film and it gives us a wide angle of where we are in the area. The cinematography makes you feel like you are in the setting with these characters.
    “There Will Be Blood” has a very specific subject: corruption and what it does to people. There are many things that we can draw on when people can get destroyed by their own ambitions for money and power, and Anderson paints that picture very well showing that no matter how corrupt you are, you will always lose everyone one in your life except the things that you’ve wanted. If Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece is “Raging Bull” and Quentin Tarantino’s is “Pulp Fiction,” then “There Will Be Blood” is Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece.

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (directed by Tomas Alfredson, 2011)

    Spy films are a very unique film genre. Not only is there action, but there is also a serious about them that can cause you to grab on to your seat as it takes you on a roller coaster of twists and turns. Spy films are fairly enjoyable to watch. Everyone has probably seen “James Bond” so many times and thought how cool it would be to have the gadgets that he has. If you like films that have twists and turns, then “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is for you.
    Based on the 1974 novel of the same name by John le Carre, the film takes place in the heart of the Cold War in London, where British Intelligence (also known as “the Circus”) discover that there is a mole who is possibly delivering information to the Russians. To track him down, they bring out a former member out of retirement, George Smiley (played by Gary Oldman). Smiley is sent to track him down with several people on his side in “the Circus.” However, he know is that anyone could be a traitor. The film goes on a roller coaster of twists that make you wonder if Smiley will find the mole.
    The man who truly steals the show is Gary Oldman. Oldman is one of the greatest, and probably the most underrated, actor of all time. If you watch his performances in “Sid & Nancy,” “JFK,” “Air Force One,” “The Contender,” the “Harry Potter” films, Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, you can tell how good he is because he transforms himself both physically and vocally every time. In “Tinker Tailor,” his portrayal of George Smiley may seem like he’s playing a quiet old man, but he manages to to play him with such intensity that you can tell that he is in control. George Smiley is nothing like James Bond because he doesn’t have the gadgets, Aston Martin’s, Vodka Martini’s, and gorgeous women. Instead, Smiley is a bit of an anti-Bond because he is a great manipulator, but at the same time is wise and cool. Alec Guinness played George Smiley in a version of “Tinker Tailor” for the BBC and he was able to create a character that worked for him. In this version, Oldman does not try to play Guinness’s Smiley, but he manages to take Smiley into his own hands by creating something strong and powerful. This is definitely one of the best performances of Oldman’s career.
    The cast of “Tinker Tailor” is amazing. You’ve got an all-star British cast featuring Oldman, Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”), Tom Hardy (“Inception”), John Hurt (“The Elephant Man”), Toby Jones (“Frost/Nixon”), Mark Strong (“Sherlock Holmes”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock”), and Ciaran Hinds (“There Will Be Blood”) so what’s not to like? Each of these actors deliver fantastic performances. Each manages to hold their own with their own touch on John le Carre’s characters. This is probably one of the best ensembles in film history.
    The film score composed by Alberto Iglesias sets the mood of the film perfectly. With a jazz sound, it reminds you that this is a spy movie. As for the direction of this film, Tomas Alfredson does a very great job at adapting the story for the screen. He manages to keep all the important structures of the story in tact.
    “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” may be a bit confusing for people who haven’t read the book. If you go see this movie, please read the book beforehand because there points that can cause you to go, “What just happened?” However, that’s what’s great this movie. There many twists and turns that they will have you riding on the edge of your seat and questioning where the loyalties of these character truly lie. If you like traditional spy films with intensity, then “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is for you.

“Scent of A Woman” (directed by Martin Brest, 1992)

    As a director, Martin Brest is known for directing the comedies “Beverly Hills Cop” (1984) and “Midnight Run” (1988). These films were very popular to members of the public. Then, he made the drama “Scent of A Woman”. This film is a departure from the work that Brest is known for because the film is fairly serious. However, it is a coming-of-age story that a person could identify with. The film is about a boy named Charlie (portrayed by Chris O’Donnell) who is caught in the act of a prank that he played on the headmaster of his school. At the same time, he is hired to take care of blind retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (portrayed by Al Pacino), who helps guide him to making the right choice despite that fact that he himself is battling his own demons.
    The acting performances in this film are perfect. The man who steals the show is obviously Al Pacino. We all know Pacino for his performances in “The Godfather”, “Dog Day Afternoon”, “...And Justice For All”, “Scarface”, and “Dick Tracey”, but in this film, Pacino gives one of the best performances of his whole career. His portrayal of Frank Slade makes you want to hate him so much, but by the end makes you want to love him despite the fact that he is acting like a jerk for most of the time. Another feature that Pacino does well with in this film is his portrayal of blindness, which is fairly difficult for an actor to do, but he makes it look fairly easy. Chris O’Donnell gives a strong performance as well. His performance is not as amazing as Pacino’s, but he manages to take his own while he invests in Charlie’s character and his own situation. The rest of the cast, which features the talents of James Rebhorn, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Gabriel Anwar, are able to give something special to their roles in a very special film.
    “Scent of A Woman” has many unforgettable moments. From Pacino dancing the tango with Gabriel Anwar and driving a Ferrari (which he both does blind) to his ending speech, there are scenes that you can remember so well. There are several quotable lines, most of which come from Pacino including his classic “Who-ah!” While there are some pretty serious moments in the film, there is always a few laughs, which never hurts.
    What makes this film special is that this is a coming-of-age story. We learn things from these movies and they make us feel good about life. We can also look at the characters and say, “Hey, I can identify myself with that character” or “I see a lot of myself in him or her.” There are situations where we can look at them and say, “That has happened to me before.” These kinds of films can make us feel good or bad about ourselves. It depends on how we think of ourselves and of these kinds of films. So the next time you see a coming-of-age film, please treat it with care because these are special stories that almost everyone can identify with. In the end, “Scent of A Woman” will make you feel good about yourself.

TimeOut Chicago Blog Critics

    When writing for a blog, writers have different ways of communicating their ideas and messages to the public. Some of their ideas can lead to crazy arguments and can show how worked up people can get about a specific topic. When it comes to "TimeOut Chicago Blog Critics" article, it shows how each critic reviews and approach a different piece whether its art or something from everyday life.
    Out of all the critics who all showed their approaches, and they did them very well, the one who really stood out was Jim DeRogatis, music critic of the Chicago Sun-Times and Sound Opinions (and my professor for Reving The Arts). He starts off by saying "The difference between a good critic and a bad critic is the ability to put into words the reading behind those opinions." Jim is a very good critic. What I've notice about how he works is that he is very defensive and he can sound like a jerk at times. However, that is sort of how the business works. If you want to say that your opinion is better than everybody else’s then you’ll have to fight for it even if it includes saying that everybody else’s opinion sucks.
    Another way that Jim approaches his responses is that he references something that someone mentions earlier. You have to be able to know your facts if you want to get your opinion out about something. Everyone has a different opinion about something so it’s all about getting your voice heard and going it right.
    The most important point that Jim mentions is that critics have to give their HONEST opinion, not something that is made up. He also mentions that critics have to be “obligated” to give an honest opinion. The truth is that he’s right. Critics are obligated to give their honest opinion even if it isn’t right. Critics can’t be dishonest in what they write about that would make them terrible critics. As a result, nobody would want to read any of the things that they put out.
    A quote that really stood out that Jim said was “Professionalism is earned by the writing.” He is right again. Writing is something that people work on and can develop over the course of many years. You care not called a great writer until have earned that right. You need to be able to accept criticism whether you agree with it or not and be able to explore your ideas in critique. People also need to be creative in order to earn it because that way you can do whatever you want. No one can tell you what to believe, but you can create your own opinions.
    Each critic proved themselves very well in this article, but in the end, Jim DeRogatis comes forth as the winner. The article shows that you can’t hold back your opinions because people will continue to bug you about what you opinion really is whether you want to share it or not. That is what being a critic is about. You have to be honest and fight for your right to get your opinion heard.

Reviewing For The Arts

Reviewing Reviews

The first article that I found was Rolling Stone's review of Bruce Springsteen's 2007 album "Magic". To me, "Magic" is probably one of Bruce's best albums to date. While reading the review, I had to notice things that worked and things that didn't work in the article. First off, the thing that works about this review is that David Fricke really paints a picture of some of the sounds that we would hear on the album, that is if noboby has bought it yet. He also describes that this is the most "openly nostalgic record Springsteen has ever made." This is a good way to describe it because there is a sense of that when you listen to the songs and it shows a meaning in how it works on life.

However, the thing that doesn't work is that David Fricke compares some of the new songs to some of Bruce's older songs. It's okay to say that they are in that style, but that they are as great as the old ones are not true. It is never a good idea to say that because there is a difference between comparing something to something being in that style. It's okay to say it's in the style of that because that is easier to say.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/magic-20071018

The other review was Rolling Stone's review of Led Zeppelin's debut album "Led Zeppelin I". I like this album a lot. What the critic does well with is that he describes the sounds that are on the album like "Robert Plant's houled vocals", "lots of guitar rhythm section changes", and "John Bonham smashing cymbals on every beat." The real disappointment about while mentioning all of the band members, they don't mention John Paul Jones because he was a big part of the group as well. No wonder he is probably the most underrated musician in the business.
There is only one sad truth about this review. When "Led Zeppelin I" came out in 1969, the critics, including Rolling Stone, hated them. They didn't like their sound. Everyone thought of them being just a hard core blues band. It says in the review a couple times where the critic mentions the Jeff Beck Group. First of all, they are two completely different groups. The critic references Robert Plant's voice to Rod Stewart's voice. You can't do that because they have two completely different singing voices. Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page are two completely different guitar players even though they both played in the Yardbirds together.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/led-zeppelin-i-19690315