While having drinks a couple of years back, Chicago Sun-Times writer Mike Thomas and Rick Kogan began talking about Chicago-centric books that were penned by non-locals. From a World’s Fair serial killer to a turn-of-the-century cathouse, local writers had overlooked some great stories that were right under their noses. And that’s when Rick said it: “You should write a book about Second City.”
Since Mike had interviewed numerous renowned comics and comedic actors, many of whom were Second City alums, he was intrigued by the notion. The next day, upon realizing that Second City would mark its 50th anniversary in December of 2009, wheels began turning in earnest. Intent on exploring what happened onstage, backstage, and offstage over the past five decades of Second City’s existence, Mike conducted more than 170 interviews with Second City insiders and outside admirers.
Some of the most notable ones included Robert Klein, David Steinberg, Harold Ramis, Stephen Colbert and Bonnie Hunt. Mike and Rick will talk about the resulting book, The Second City Unscripted: Revolution and Revelation at the World-Famous Comedy Theater, which the publisher describes as an "unvarnished, unexpurgated, and unprecedented account” of the house that hilarity built.
