ABC7 Interview

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Andrew, Jason, Jackie :: The Loop, Chicago

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Andrew & Jason :: The Loop, Chicago

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Scott, Erin, Justin, Benjy :: The Loop, Chicago

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Scott, Erin, Benjy, Justin, Julene :: The Loop, Chicago

Yesterday, Jason Knowles from ABC7 interviewed Chicagoist for a special report he’s doing on Chicago blogs. We met up with him and his camerawoman, Jackie, at Bank One Plaza on the corner of Clark and Monroe. I was super nervous before the interview, but Jason and Jackie were really nice. . .and I had to keep in mind that if I messed up or said something stupid it would most likely be edited out and would never see the light of day.

I was interviewed first. Then Jackie took some group shots of us walking and talking. Next Andrew was interviewed, then Scott and finally Benjy. After the shoot in the Loop, Jason and Jackie went to Andrew’s office with him where they filmed him working and talking with some of his coworkers. Later on in the afternoon they did the same at my office.

Barely anyone was in the office because of the holiday, so when they were like “pretend like you’re talking to your coworkers” I had to grab Muffin and go into our Creative Director, Steve’s, office. Jackie got the camera set up and was like “ok, and go!” Muffin and I walked in and I totally didn’t know what to say. I was like “hey, dude, what’s up?” and Steve responded by saying “What’s up with Client X” and I was like “AHHH! we probably shouldn’t say our client’s names!” Good point. After that Steve saved the day, though, by asking Chris and I somewhat real questions and we were able to maintain a conversation. I hope it doesn’t look too forced. Real interviews are easier than faking conversations with coworkers!

The segment is going from the prospective that Chicagoist isn’t our jobs, it’s something we do in our spare time. I think the segment will first show us at work in our boring cubes and depressing, dimly lit offices.. then will cut to all of us out in the sunshine in the Loop talking about Chicagoist. I’m just guessing here. It will be interested to see the final product, which is supposed to air July 18 or 19. Jason is going to let me know when he’s sure.

Now, bring on the live audience!

See also:
ยป Erin’s Flickr Photos

Hitting Rock Bottom

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Tarek, Kristin, Chris :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago

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Larry :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago

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Larry :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago

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Sharpe :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago

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Kristin, Chris :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago

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After the Sox game we decided to go out for drinks. We went back up to River North because Chris, Larry & Tarek had hotel rooms near there. At Mother Hubbards they checked everyone’s ID and Chris didn’t have his. Even though he’s well over 21 they wouldn’t let him stay.. not even when he said he’d drink plain coke. Such bullshit.

Sharpe, by far the youngest in the group (the next youngest is me and I’m almost 8 years older than him) made some mention about the fact that he’s never had a hangover.. which to all of us old-timers sounded like a challenge. We headed over to Rock Bottom because we knew we wouldn’t get carded there and started out with Irish Car Bombs*. Sharpe said he didn’t want one, but we were forcing him to drink whatever we gave him.

We decided Sharpe needed a nickname because his first name is Chris so there were 2 Chrises. I’ve called him Sharpe in these posts just to make it less confusing. This is how he got his nickname:

Sharpe: Call me Sharpey
Me: Ew
Sharpe: Some of my friends call me Sharpe-dawg, call me that.
Me: areyoufuckingkiddingme?
Larry: Let’s call him cornfed, he just moved here from Louisville.
Me: Look at him, that’s NOT cornfed!
Sharpe: I’m from Southern Indiana, there’s not corn there.
Larry: Ew, there’s NOTHING in Southern Indiana!
Sharpe: HUH? There’s muffins in Southern Indiana?
Larry: You just got your nickname, Muffin
Everyone: Muffin!!!! AHHAHHHHHAhHAHHA.
Me: Hey, Muff-Dawg!
Everyone: [calls him muffin and every derivative they can think of]

Re: the last series of thumbnails – I went to use the restroom and SOMEONE … coughMUFFINcough.. hijacked my camera and went nuts! Also, can you believe Larry sang karaoke?

* The first Irish Car Bomb I’ve ever finished!

Sox v. Angels @ The Cell

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Larry, Michelle, Greg, Sharpe (pre-Muffin) :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Chris, Rachelle, Larry :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Winning Ugly Is Sweet :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Southpaw :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Larry :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago (photo by Kristin)

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Sharpe, Kristin, Tarek :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago (photo by Kristin)

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Welcome to US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Action on the Field :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Scoreboard :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Our Favorite Beer Vendor :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Larry is Flexible :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

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Homerun Fireworks :: US Cellular Field, Bridgeport, Chicago

On Wednesday night we took Chris and Tarek, who were visiting from London, and Larry, who I worked with in New York, to a White Sox game. It was my first time to The Cell.

Our favorite beer vendor had a great gimmick where he would yell Beer in a weird voice that I thought was pirate-esque. Chris thought he sounded like somebody’s drunk father and thought his beer sales technique would only be improved if he was a hot blonde-haired chick with big “knocks”.

One surprise was when the Sox made homeruns, which there were several of, fireworks were let off over the scoreboard. The Cell definately feels a lot different than Wrigley, it’s new and has newer amenities, where Wrigley is all about the nostalgia. I’m not a big baseball fan, but I think both of them are fun in their own ways.

Winning Ugly is some White Sox saying from the old days or something. I can’t remember what Greg told me. There was a stand selling sweets right at the top of our section that was called Winning Ugly is Sweet.

The Sox lost to the Angles, the Sox mascot is Southpaw, and, if you didn’t notice, Larry is very flexible.