It’s 2021: you haven’t been on a date in over a year, but you think you’re ready to brave the apps (and test your newly-vaccinated immune system). What better way to keep things light-hearted and low-pressure than going to a comedy show? Live, in-person entertainment is becoming more widely available again, and these great comedy clubs in the Chicago area have the laughs you’re looking for.
With a combination of livestreamed and in-person events, Las Locas Comedy “highlights Latina/Latinx comedic talent and honorary ‘locas’ per show.” The showcase was recommended early on by Red Eye and the Chicago Reader.
Located downtown, The Comedy Bar opened about 10 years ago, and “aims to be the safest place for comedy.” With a main stage and a rooftop patio, there’s ample opportunity and room for laughter here.
The legendary theater and training center reopens for in-person shows in early May! Get your tickets now— it’s been a long year-plus without live entertainment, and these shows won’t take long to sell out.
601 N Martingale Rd, Streets of Woodfield, Schaumburg IL 60173
The Chicago location of Laugh Out Loud is still closed, but you can take a drive out to Schaumburg to catch a show and have some laughs. Remember what it’s like to literally laugh out loud in a room of other (socially-distanced) people? This place should refresh your memory.
Another giant of the Chicago comedy scene, Zanies is doing its part to keep things fun and safe. With locations in the city and Rosemont, you have options when seeking out top-notch comedy talent in the area.
Home of “the nation’s longest-running independent comedy showcase,” The Lincoln Lodge has plenty of shows on its calendar right now. Come out to see sets based on news headlines, unbelievable stories with music accompaniment, and more.
From straight-ahead stand-up to competitive comedy, the talent coming through Laugh Factory is cranking out high-quality jokes faster than you can say “social distancing.”
Comedy Clubs Chicago Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 vaccinations at the White House, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Washington. Even before the coronavirus surfaced, training guides by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted the difficulty of communicating in a public health crisis, when fear and uncertainty are running high. Yet how leaders communicate can be key to winning public cooperation. Or undermining it. | AP
With the J&J shots, the recommended “pause” announced last week was a precautionary measure as government advisers investigated the unusual clots and alerted doctors about how to treat them. But the news was bound to inflame fears.
NEW YORK — Confronted with rare cases of blood clots potentially linked to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. health officials faced a delicate task: how to suspend distribution of the shots without setting off alarm about their safety.
It was the just the latest challenge in crisis messaging for officials since the start of the pandemic more than a year ago. The behavior of the new virus, the benefits of masks and the need for school and business closings have all been marked by public confusion, changing guidance and squabbling.
With the J&J shots, the recommended “pause” announced last week was a precautionary measure as government advisers investigated the unusual clots and alerted doctors about how to treat them. But the news was bound to inflame fears.
“It’s going to be painful either way. It’s less painful if you address it early on,” said Dr. Wilbur Chen, a member of the government’s advisory committee on vaccines, which is expected to meet on Friday and could make a recommendation soon after on whether and how to resume use of the J&J vaccine.
Whether the pause seriously undermines public confidence in the J&J shot — or the other vaccines — remains to be seen.
Even before the coronavirus surfaced, training guides by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted the difficulty of communicating in a public health crisis, when fear and uncertainty are running high. Yet how leaders communicate can be key to winning public cooperation. Or undermining it.
By promptly notifying the public that they were investigating clots, officials were following a fundamental rule in the crisis playbook: transparency, even when the answers aren’t yet clear.
“We want people to know what we know,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy explained at a media briefing soon after the announcement on the J&J vaccine.
Trying to appear confident when uncertain — which leaders are often taught to do — can backfire in a public health crisis, a CDC guide notes. In addition to building trust, being up front about the unknowns leaves room for officials to change their guidance as new information emerges.
“COVID is a new disease and we learn new things, and that is hard,” said Alice Payne Merritt, an expert in public health communications at Johns Hopkins University. “What we knew in April 2020 is different than what we know in April 2021.”
Quickly stating what isn’t yet known and why has another benefit: blunting the potential for misinformation to spread. Otherwise, people may start filling in the blanks themselves, the CDC guide says.
“Silence can be harmful,” Payne Merritt agreed.
Still, leaders might be reluctant to acknowledge uncertainty, especially since people crave clear answers and reassurance in stressful and unfamiliar situations.
Another problem: Anxiety can make it difficult for people to process new information, or as Payne Merritt put it, “Fear can override rational thinking. That’s just human nature.”
With the J&J shots, for example, helping people understand the magnitude of any risk has been a challenge. So far, officials said there have been six cases of the unusual blood clots out of about 7 million J&J shots given in the U.S.
People regularly take bigger risks just getting into a car.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, noted the difficulty of putting the odds of severe side effects in proper perspective for the public.
“They hear about a risk, and they don’t know what it is relative to other things that they do,” he said in an NBC interview.
Confusion and anger around public messaging haven’t been limited to the J&J shots.
In September, President Donald Trump came under fire when it was revealed he sought to “ play it down ” to avoid a panic about the virus. Last April, U.S. officials sparked criticism when they advised people to wear face coverings, after earlier saying masks weren’t needed and should be reserved for health workers.
And for months, officials have been trying to ease worries about the COVID-19 vaccines overall, in part by enlisting local leaders.
In the early days of the rollout, rare cases of severe allergic reactions fueled worries about the vaccines. Chen, the government adviser, said officials built trust by addressing the problem head-on. Now, he said, people have moved past it.
“Can you imagine if we had basically tried to cover it up, tried to minimize it?” said Chen, a vaccine expert at the University of Maryland, adding that U.S. vaccination rates probably wouldn’t be where they are today.
As of this week, more than half of American adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The casket of Daunte Wright rests in place before funeral services at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in Minneapolis, Thursday, April 22, 2021. Wright, 20, was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop. | AP
Hundreds of mourners wearing COVID-19 masks packed into Shiloh Temple International Ministries to remember Wright, a 20-year-old father of one who was shot by a police officer on April 11 in the small city of Brooklyn Center.
MINNEAPOLIS — Daunte Wright, the young Black man shot by police during a traffic stop in suburban Minneapolis, was to be remembered Thursday at a funeral just two days after a former police officer was convicted in the death of George Floyd and amid a national reckoning on racism and policing.
Hundreds of mourners wearing COVID-19 masks packed into Shiloh Temple International Ministries to remember Wright, a 20-year-old father of one who was shot by a police officer on April 11 in the small city of Brooklyn Center.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, the civil rights leader, was to deliver the eulogy, and told The Associated Press that he would first pay tribute to Wright, “a young man just at the beginning of life, full of life.”
He said he would also use his remarks to remind those in attendance or watching from afar that the fight for justice didn’t end when white former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter for holding a knee to Floyd’s neck, choking off his breathing until he went limp last May.
“We should not think that, because we won one battle with Chauvin, the war is over, or that if we do not get justice for this case, that we will undo what we were able to do with George Floyd,” Sharpton said. “This is round two, and we must win this round.”
At Floyd’s Minneapolis funeral last year, Sharpton put Floyd’s death in the context of brutality long felt by Blacks in America, saying: “The reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to be is you kept your knee on our neck.”
“What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country,” Sharpton said at the time. “It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our neck!’”
Among those attending Wright’s funeral were Valerie Castile, whose son Philando Castile died after being shot by a police officer during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb in 2016, and Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, who was filmed saying “I can’t breathe” in a fatal 2014 encounter with New York City police. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also attended.
More than a dozen members from an armed team of local men, the Minnesota Freedom Fighters, provided security.
Wright’s killing set off protests in Brooklyn Center, a working-class, majority nonwhite city, with hundreds of people gathering every night for a week outside the city’s heavily guarded police station. While the mayor called for law enforcement and protesters to scale back their tactics, the nights often ended with demonstrators lobbing water bottles and rocks at the officers, and law enforcement responding with pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets.
The police chief said it appeared from body camera video that the officer who shot Wright used her pistol when she meant to use her Taser. The white officer, 26-year veteran Kim Potter, is charged with second-degree manslaughter. Both she and the chief resigned soon after the shooting.
Wright’s killing came amid increasing tension during the weekslong trial of Chauvin. By the day of the verdict, more than 3,000 National Guard soldiers had flooded the area, along with police, state troopers and other law enforcement officers.
Minneapolis residents who peacefully celebrated Tuesday’s guilty verdicts had barely one full day before attention turned to burying Wright.
At a viewing for Wright on Wednesday, friends and family members wept as they stood before Wright’s open casket, which was blanketed with red roses. Inside the open casket, the young man was dressed in a jean jacket bedazzled with several red and green gem-like buttons on the lapels.
An obituary handed out at the memorial recalled Wright’s love of Fourth of July fireworks, the “lemon head” nickname bestowed by an aunt and the months he spent in a hospital intensive care unit when his son was born prematurely.
Wright was pulled over on a Sunday afternoon. His mother said he called her to say he was stopped for having air fresheners hanging from his rear-view mirror — a traffic violation in Minnesota. Police said he was stopped for having an expired car registration.
The shooting occurred when a scuffle broke out as police tried to arrest Wright, after realizing he had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on charges of fleeing police and having a gun without a permit.
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Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan. Morrison is a member of the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has placed veteran prosecutor Jim Murphy on administrative leave after having “failed to fully present the facts” during a bond hearing when he didn’t specifically state that Toledo was unarmed at the moment a Chicago police officer shot him. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file photo
“My name is on the door. … I don’t believe in pushing blame or the buck,” State’s Attorney Kim Foxx told the Sun-Times. “The public was relying on information that our office presented to the court and the media relied upon that wasn’t fully accurate. I own that.”
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx acknowledged Thursday she should have known what one of her top deputies was going to say in court about the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo because it was a “heater case.”
“My name is on the door. Anything that happens that comes from the state’s attorney’s office, I am responsible for. I don’t believe in pushing blame or the buck,” Foxx told the Sun-Times.
“In this instance, the public was relying on information that our office presented to the court and the media relied upon that wasn’t fully accurate. I own that.”
Foxx has placed veteran prosecutor Jim Murphy on administrative leave because, according to a statement from her office, Murphy “failed to fully present the facts” during a bond hearing when he didn’t specifically state Toledo was unarmed at the moment a Chicago police officer shot him.
During an April 10 bond hearing describing allegations against 21-year-old Ruben Roman — who was arrested at the scene of Adam’s shooting in Little Village — Murphy told a judge Toledo had a gun in his right hand a moment before he was shot.
“The officer tells [Adam] to drop it as [Adam] turns towards the officer. [Adam] has a gun in his right hand,” Murphy said in court. “The officer fires one shot at [Adam], striking him in the chest. The gun that [Adam] was holding landed against the fence a few feet away.”
Murphy’s statement matches a portion of what the video of the fatal March 29 shooting shows, but did not specifically note Adam dropped the weapon and had his hands in the air less than a second before he was shot by the officer.
On Thursday, Foxx acknowledged she did not see the statement of facts Murphy read aloud in court — and that she should have seen it.
“We do bond proffers daily, many times a day. They don’t rise up to me. One of the things that we are looking at in this particular case, because it’s a heater case, is why it had not been sent up to me,” she said.
Foxx was asked why she didn’t demand to see Murphy’s statement and whether she would put herself on leave for failing to do so.
She would say only that the internal investigation she has ordered would make certain there are “mechanisms and protocols in place so that people are properly notified in cases like this.”
“What I said is I didn’t know. … And how that happened is something that is critically important to our organization,” she said.
“I’m not disagreeing with the significance of the case. And I’m not disagreeing that those types of proffers are things that would be expected to be elevated. … Something was amiss here. And we’re taking responsibility by getting to the heart of what that is so that it doesn’t happen again.”
Foxx acknowledged Murphy’s punishment — and the possibility his supervisors may be similarly held accountable — has impacted morale in the state’s attorney’s office.
“Morale in our office has been very difficult. This is someone who is well-respected and regarded both internally [and] externally by judges and defense attorneys and has a reputation that has been incredibly strong,” she said.
“But I have a responsibility … to make sure that we’re as transparent as we need to be and take responsibility” for mistakes.
Having said that, Foxx categorically denied Murphy was being thrown under the bus to minimize the political heat Foxx is getting from Hispanic community leaders for the false narrative her office waited five days to correct.
“This isn’t about political cover. This is about the expectation of law enforcement to be forthright and transparent. There is no sacrificial lamb here. This is about making sure that we get it right and when we don’t get it right, owning it doing what we need to do to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”
Video released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability last week appeared to show Toledo with both hands in the air after tossing the gun he was carrying behind a fence a split second before he was shot in the chest.
Foxx refused to characterize the video as her office continues its investigation to determine whether to file criminal charges against the officer, but she said she won’t be influenced by what happened to her predecessor, Anita Alvarez.
Alvarez was swept out of office by Foxx after waiting a year — until the day the Laquan McDonald shooting video was released by a judge’s order — to file murder charges against then-Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who shot McDonald 16 times. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.
“My pressure is that we have a 13-year-old boy who was killed and the expectation from people in our community … who want to be able to see answers and resolution to this,” she said.
“It is not a pressure related to previous elections. It’s a pressure to the severity of the incident that brought us to this point.”
Taking a staycation in your own city offers tons of uplifting and memorable experiences. Hang out in Chicago like a tourist and come away with a fresh perspective of the city you call home. If you are looking for creative ways to spend your time, we have compiled a list of staycation ideas in Chicago.
Start On the River
See Chicago’s architectural jewels from the water. Cruise on a Wendella Architecture Tour for a true sense of history and place in Chicago’s 130 years of design innovation. Captain Craig Wenokur told us the best description of Chicago’s architecture is really diversity, creating a skyline with structures built from 1920 to 2020. Many older buildings along the river have been repurposed. Once empty factories have been turned into the city’s hottest condos. If you are taking a staycation in Chicago, sign up for a 45 – 90 minute Chicago River Architecture Cruise and you’ll be impressed by the dynamic vision of the city builders. And you’ll love being out on the water!
Photo courtesy of 21C Museum Hotel
Sleep in a Museum
As a guest at two other 21C hotels, I was primed to enjoy their newest Chicago location. Conveniently located just steps away from Michigan Avenue, the 4-star 21C Museum Hotel is within easy walking distance to everywhere! Here, you’ll be surrounded by two stories of contemporary art featuring sculpture, tapestries, photographs and paintings that create a hip vibe. Free and open 24/7, the historic 21c Museum actually brings a new cultural resource to Chicago’s vast art scene.
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But it’s the elegant details, unique amenities like the Nespresso coffee maker, Malin & Goetz bath luxuries and bathroom fixtures that made staying at the 21C such a joyful experience. The bed was uber-comfortable and the bedding exquisite, matched only by the expansive views of the city. What’s really funky is their signature Evergreen penguins that (pre-Covid) could be found in the halls, in your room or even your shower! The entire experience evoked a real sense of inspiration and relaxation.
Visit the New Monet and Chicago Exhibit
No matter how many times you’ve been to the Art Institute, there’s always something new to see. Featuring more than 70 works of art, Monet and Chicago traces the history of the French Impressionist and his relationship with the city that started in 1888. If you’re searching for activities to try on a staycation in Chicago, see these masterpieces up close through June 14. Their other new exhibit is the fabric portrait quilts of Bisa Butler demonstrating colorful and cultural memory. Through September 6.
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Photo courtesy of The Friends Experience
Be Friends With “Friends”
“The Friends Experience – The One in Chicago” puts fans front and center of the popular TV show through an interactive 2-story experience. Have serious fun as you explore 12 nostalia-filled rooms that bring back the memories featuring video clips, larger-than-life photographs, props, costumes and more. Step inside Joey and Chandler’s apartment, Rachel and Monica’s kitchen and Central Perk where you’ll find everything “Monica clean.” This is Instagram bliss at its best!
Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago
Go Digital at Immersive Van Gogh
No vacation in Chicago is complete without a visit to the new Immersive Van Gogh, a visually spectacular digital art exhibition that invites audiences to “step inside” the iconic works of post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. Through art, light, music and movement, the experience envelops your visual and audio senses. Get immersed in the music, too with Edith Piaf’s “No Regrets.” Stand in one of the circles on the main floor, then step up to the balcony for a higher perspective.
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Grab a Seat on Chicago’s Crime Scene Tour
Almost as famous as Michael Jordan is the reputations of most-wanted criminals, John Dillinger and Al Capone. Get all the deets on America’s original crime legends on this 2-hour tour. Hop on and off the bus where the real events took place, see videos of the historic events and find out what really happened. Elise, our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, making the stories come alive. You’ll come away knowing “crime doesn’t pay!” Chicago Crime Tour also offers Night Crime Tours, if you dare!
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Dining Divine!
As a Chicagoan, you know dining is an experience to be savored. From mouth-watering steaks to ethnic cuisine to brunch, there are plenty of restaurants to attend on a staycation in Chicago with outstanding food. Here’s the buzz.
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Go Deep!
Chicago’s newest entry into the foodie tours is Finger Licking Deep Dish Pizza Tours. Created by former Chicagoan Don Contursi, founder of Finger Licking Foodie Tours of Las Vegas, the self-guided Deep Dish Pizza Tour includes three of Chicago’s most iconic pizza landmarks. Schedule between 11 am – 6 pm for your two-hour stairway to pizza heaven!
Get seated quickly and dig into fresh hot pizza in just 10 minutes. Start at Gino’s East, then walk to Pizzeria Uno and end at Lou Malnati’s for a Signature Deep Dish Pizza, topped with ½ cheese ½ sausage or veggies. With the optional beverage package, pair your pizza with a local Chicago beer at each stop. Best part, you can take the leftover pizza from your staycation home. Look for more Finger Licking Foodie Tours coming soon.
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Eleven City Diner Delivers On Oversize Everything!
This eatery takes deli to a whole new level. Founder Brad Rubin opened Eleven City Diner about 15 years ago with a single mindset – to do it his way. The results are in — slam dunk, the best deli in the whole city. Grab breakfast all day, try his home brew Root Beer, slurp homemade malts and shakes, see smoked meats in a sandwich stacked like Willis Tower, matza balls the size of baseballs, oversized potato pancakes, and ginormous cakes. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and authentic. Dine in, pick up, or delivery. If you haven’t been, high tail it over to Eleven City Diner and see for yourself.
Get Casual and Creative at Bernie’s
I had an Uncle Bernie and he would have loved this place. Named after the owner’s grandfather, Bernie’s is a part of the Peas & Carrots restaurant group, Chicago’s first opening in 2015. Serving an American-style menu with a twist, Bernie’s most popular dishes are their burgers and ground lamb hummus, all locally sourced. We started with the fresh kale salad that was chock-full of apples, almonds and quinoa. Dine on the braised short ribs with heirloom carrots, asparagus, polenta and mushroom sauce. Or try the glazed salmon that was rich and tasty. Head up to their seasonal rooftop patio for great views while you dine.
Indulge in Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse – The Ultimate Chicago Dining Experience
Hope you’re hungry because Gibsons has been Chicago’s go-to place for USDA prime angus steaks going on 23 years. This intimate iconic restaurant serves up fabulous steaks, seafood and classic cocktails, coupled with unsurpassed attention to details that makes it such a spectacular dining experience.
Which steaks do you choose from? I went with the New York Strip, masterfully grilled to perfection with just the right amount of seasoning. Tasty sides included yummy double-baked potato and creamed spinach. My husband opted for the Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut with asparagus pesto. We splurged, calorie-wise, on the luscious Carrot Cake, with more than enough to take home.
Hang Out at R.J. Grunts
This is Chicago’s first date place, celebrating its 50th anniversary in June. Still known for its awesome burgers, giant hand-scooped milk shakes and the city’s first salad bar, R.J. Grunts was Richard Melman’s original eatery that launched a restaurant empire, Lettuce Entertain You. Try the Tuna Melt Trio plate which was enormous with crisp fries. Or the Grunt Burger with fried onions and bleu cheese that continues to delight. Manager Ron Forsman told me some 20 years ago, the company wanted to shut Grunts down and the outcry from the neighborhood was so intense, they decided to keep it open. Lucky us. Come enjoy all that Grunts is famous for in the heart of Lincoln Park.
Let Chicago Greeters Show You Around
Get up close and personal with Chicago neighborhoods through Chicago Greeters, now available for locals, too. We were escorted through the Gold Coast, South Loop and Lincoln Park with a friendly, knowledgeable guide. Enjoy a free 2-4 hour tour on your staycation based on your choice of neighborhoods and interests. Register at least10 days in advance. Or, check out an Insta-Greeter for an hour-long walk of downtown. Guide Judith Robinson showed us around the Gold Coast, with its art-deco architecture, well-maintained buildings and million-dollar homes. One gem was Restoration Hardware in the historic Three Arts Club, which featured six floors of home furnishings and a gorgeous café setting. Rush on over, ASAP.
