Robin Williams tapes 'Ellen,' plays Lakeshore twice
Lakeshore Theatre co-owner Chris Ritter is still on Cloud 9 after snaring one of the biggest comedy talents in the world this past weekend, for what he calls ''our little 330-seat venue'' at Broadway and Belmont. Robin Williams not only slipped in to try out new standup material Friday night (before the Chicago taping of Ellen DeGeneres' talk show Saturday), ''he had so much fun, he called and asked if he could come back and do it again Saturday,'' Ritter said Sunday afternoon.
Both Williams gigs were total surprises for the Lakeshore audience -- who first watched the scheduled lineup of Chicago comics, Prescott Tolk, Jenna Friedman, Cameron Esposito, Robert Hines and Adam Burke -- plus showcase emcee Fay Cannalli.
(Warner Bros./AP)
After Hines ended his set Friday, Ritter came onstage to thank the audience and tell them, ''A year ago, when we started doing comedy here, we felt that since comedy is an art like jazz, we hope someday to get the best comedy artists to come by and try a few riffs of their new material -- and do a set.''
Even after Ritter introduced Williams, ''I think a lot of people in that room assumed it would be a Robin Williams impersonator coming out!''When they realized it was the real guy, the room exploded with wild applause and screaming.
* Part of the Oscar winner's new standup material includes him playing Satan, taking phone calls -- including some from presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain. As part of the Clinton shtick, the devilish Williams said, ''No, Hillary, I cannot give you a two-for-one on Bill's deal. You've got to make your own deal with me.''
* When fast-rising Chicago comic Hannibal Burress heard he had missed seeing Williams Friday, he was ''really bummed out,'' said Ritter, but he came for the Saturday show, just to sit in the audience to support his fellow comics on stage. Again, Williams' appearance was a surprise -- but when he heard backstage there was a comedian named ''Hannibal'' in the house, Williams said, "I've got to meet him!''
Still not knowing Williams was there, Burress was asked to do about 10 minutes of his act at the end of the show -- right before Williams returned to reprise his gig from Friday.
Ritter said the nicest part was watching the comedy legend backstage -- ''He was just a comic, hanging out. He took time to talk to everyone on the show. He was fantastic -- amazingly gracious.''
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