CHICAGO – Society, or at least certain elements of society, are always looking for scapegoats to hide the sins of themselves and authority. In the so-called “great America” of the 1950s, the scapegoat target was comic books … specifically through a sociological study called “The Seduction of the Innocent.” City Lit Theater Company, in part two of a trilogy on comic culture by Mark Pracht, presents “The Innocence of Seduction … now through October 8th, 2023. For details and tickets, click COMIC BOOK.
Slideshow: 7-Portrait Comedian Gallery of 2011 ‘Just for Laughs Chicago’



CHICAGO – Last week, June 14-19, Chicago felt the roar of hilarity as it hosted the 2011 “Just for Laughs” festival, sponsored by the TBS Network. For five rollicking days, the Windy City entertained audiences at venues all around town, with both name comic celebrities, local stand-up and the Chicago school of improvisation.
HollywoodChicago.com’s Joe Arce was there to photograph the big name acts, collected in the following slideshow. Highlights include “Steve Martin and Martin Short in a Very Stupid Conversation” (June 19), Seth Meyers (June 18), “Jeffrey Ross Roasts Chicago” (June 17) and Whitney Cummings (June 16).
Click “Next” and “Previous to scan through the slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All images © Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com.
- Laughs1: Steve Martin begins his very stupid conversation with Martin Short.
- Laughs2: Martin Short makes a point in his usual understated way.
- Laughs3: Steve Martin has a point to make while at the Chicago Theater.
- Laughs4: Martin Short just needs to sing.
- Laughs5: Seth Meyers of “Saturday Night Live” onstage at the Vic Theatre, Chicago
- Laughs6: Jeffrey Ross roasts Chicago as only he can.
- Laughs7: Whitney Cummings demonstrates the Money Shot
![]() | By PATRICK McDONALD |