Those Summer Nights:
Bronzeville’s infamous Free Comedy Wednesdays

by Dhyia Thompson

If you’ve driven across 43rd street, you may have noticed, just right around dusk, a small crowd gathering around Bronzeville’s beloved community café, Bronzeville Coffeehouse (BCH), for some pro-bono comic relief. For almost a year and half, Richard Chalmers, co-owner of BCH, repeatedly harassed me about coming to check out these mysterious free “comedy shows” on Wednesday nights.

It wasn’t until a friend and I bumped into comedian Brian Babylon, the self-proclaimed “Prince of Bronzeville”, who handed us a flier and used his humorous tactics to persuade us to attend.

Every other Wednesday evening on 43rd and Forrestville, Rich and Trez transform their coffeehouse into a make-shift comedy nightclub (Note to city inspectors: don’t worry, much to our dismay they don’t serve liquor) – rain or shine you are guaranteed to get in for free and to bust a gut.

Brian Babylon, comedian and Vocalo.org 89.5 FM radio host, created the Wednesday night showcase in response to the overflow of fresh young talented comics that weren’t able to perform at Jokes and Notes’ (47th and King Drive) Wednesday night open mic.

The comedy showcase stays cheap because it is sponsored by Vocalo.org -- a progressive talk radio station, that classes up the joint with a live smooth jazz band called the Other Brothers. Here’s the catch: in exchange for free comedy to the audience, the comedians test out their new jokes, which results in an approximate 93% chance you will laugh.

Some of this summer’s most memorable acts have been LeRoy (pronounced with a French accent) Rap, a group of rag tag White boys who rap about living at home with their mothers and getting fresh with the opposite sex. They are a hilarious cross between SNL’s comedy music trio Lonely Island and the Beasty Boys. Another audience favorite is Big Keef, whose preacher bit, “Didn’t he tell ya, didn’t he” has caused even a stone cold viewer to shed a tear. Other crowd pleasers where Vanessa Fraction’s (featured on Def Jam and Barbara Shop 2) witty perspective on relationships and intimacy and of course underage, but not under talented 18-year old Ethan Paldo; who has a knack for both making you laugh and feeling sorry for him at the same time.

Above all, Babylon’s comedic jabs as host keeps people coming back and he has even drawn one of the most diverse crowds I’ve seen outside of Oakland, CA. He wields his hilarious impression of Judge Mathis to quiet down hecklers and haters, and uses his impression of President Obama to pick up ladies – while still on stage. By the end of the season, BCH has welcomed freeloaders from all sides of the city, willing to stand for hours just to experience what Chicago’s Timeout Magazine has said to be one of the best nights of comedy in Chicago.

Nonetheless, during these tough economic times where our pockets are tighter than ever, it’s nice to know that there’s comedic stimulus package right in the heart of Bronzeville.

So you feel like you missed out, right? Well, you did! This season is over and the next season’s future is not so certain – if you want to keep free comedy alive, call into Babylon’s show on 89.5, send him an email at brian@vocalo.org. Or, just tell Trez and Rich you want more free comedy – (to be on the safe side, you may want to make sure you’re holding a muffin and a cup of coffee before you ask).

Dhyia Thompson is a resident of North Kenwood and a non-profit consultant.

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