How to Confuse a Gen Z
I live in a Chicago neighborhood teeming with residents born between 1997 and 2012. That’s a very formal way to say I’m surrounded by the Gen Z set. They are easy to spot — bounding along the sidewalks with yoga mats…
Blog
Read MoreHow to Confuse a Gen Z
The Stuffed Fish Makes My Home Feel ‘Eclectic’
This column originally appeared as part of the Chicago Tribune syndicate Humor Hotel series The fish measured 35.7 inches from the snout to the tip of its tail. We caught it in the Chippewa Flowage, 15 miles east of Hayward,…
My First Attempt at Artificial Friendship
I need some new pals. Some new buddies. Some new friendships. Maybe it’s time to reach out to Mark Zuckerberg. I don’t mean I’m going to email zuck@meta.com or try other address variations, hoping I at least get an “I’m…
What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Rental Car
How to ruin your upcoming summer vacation in two words? That’s easy: rental car. Allow me to walk you through the most frustrating, time-wasting, price-gouging start to what was supposed to be a week of hard-earned R&R. Come along for…
A Corporate Humor Speaker Works for Your Event Because…
The following interview was conducted by I Need a Speaker. In the buttoned-up world of corporate presentations, laughter is often the last thing on everyone’s mind. Yet according to Greg Schwem, The Corporate Comedian, injecting well-crafted humor into business settings isn’t…
Want a Check? Make a Baby!
Imagine you’re in a high-end retail clothing store browsing the latest fashions. Dismayed at the prices, you are about to leave when a store manager approaches you with an offer. A $5,000 check. Written on the spot. You can’t believe…
Why Your Business Event Needs a Corporate Emcee
Why hire a professional corporate emcee? Plenty of corporate meeting planners and events teams ask that question. Then they say… 🤔 “We’ll just have someone from the team do it.”💰 “It’s not in the budget.”🤷♂️ “What does a corporate emcee…
Cottage Cheese is Having a Moment
This column originally appeared as part of the Tribune Content Agency Humor Hotel series April 15, 2025 Somewhere there exists a team of dedicated employees who go to work every day in a nondescript office building and spend long hours…
How to Hire (and not hire) a Corporate Comedian
So what exactly is a “corporate comedian?” If you’ve ever wanted an answer, you’ve come to the right place. Furthermore, if you’ve ever considered adding some laughs to your next business event, be it a sales conference, an awards ceremony,…
It’s Official: The Dogs Have Won
This column originally appeared as part of the Tribune Content Agency Humor Hotel feature April 1, 2005. It was one of those days Chicagoans like to call “Fake Spring.” At 5:30 p.m. temperatures hovered in the high 60s. Scores of…
The Ideal Breakfast Treat is a Table for One
This column orginally appeared as part of the Tribune Content Agency Humor Hotel package March 17, 2025. When it comes to breakfast, I am the opposite of a solomangarephobic. Bounce the word “solomangarephobia” off your therapist or that friend or…
This Thanksgiving, Pass the CBD
One of the chemical compounds found in cannabis and hemp plants, CBD, as it is commonly called, is fast becoming the bitcoin of 2017 and the Donald Trump election of 2016: Everybody is discussing it, many are jumping on its back, but nobody knows whether or not it will have a positive impact on society.
Why Is There Always One Leftover Bolt?
I recently visited the Gateway Arch, the St. Louis monument that represents westward exploration and is consistently referred to as an “engineering marvel.” But, after watching a 30-minute video detailing the Arch’s construction, I am convinced this U-shaped structure, rising…
Thanks to AI, This Comedian Will Transition to Pile Driving
Loyal readers, if any of you hear of an entry-level job in pile driving, I have a request. DM me. ASAP. At 62, I have little interest in pounding large foundational supports for bridges and other construction projects into frozen…
49 Reasons To Stay in Chicago
The recent California wildfires have restarted the “why would anybody live there?” conversation. These doomsday chats always seem to surface whenever the Golden State endures an epic disaster, be it fires, mudslides, earthquakes, or the LA Chargers’ playoff performance. Ditto…