The Apiary

TJ Miller, an indelible fixture in the Chicago comedy scene, is a very busy boy. He's in a nationally-airing Quaker Oats commercial, several Cubs Radio spots, performs as part of the Second City Touring Company, and manages the web site verybadporn.com , (shot with zgroupfilms , launching in August/September). He was on PBS' Standard Deviants and was recently featured in Chicago Magazine. He also improvises with the house team Bullet Lounge at IO, and has a two-man show called Practice Scaring a Bear with Thomas Middleditch at IO Chicago (formerly Improv Olympic) on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. He's a staff writer with Blerds.com . He drives a Ford Focus with 17" chrome rims and a purple neon underbody kit. He lives hilariously, as evidenced by too many late nights at 1 a.m. open mics all over the city of Chicago, every night of the week.

What's up with you now, TJ? Anything special in the works? What regular spots are you doing?

I'm still performing 7 nights a week, often more than twice a night. I'm touring with Second City, I'm doing voice over projects, I am doing a lot of stand up, and my biggest project right now is verybadporn.com . It's a satirical porn website where the pornographer, Chelse Humboldt (me) is so bad at making porn that there is no sexual content and no nudity on the site. It's hopefully going to be awesome. I collaborated wth Kohl Norville on that; he is a director with zgroupfilms, and shot the Quaker thing and the KFC thing with me.

What work are you most proud of thus far in your career?

I have loved a lot of shows I've done. Last night Nick Vatterott and I walked into Pressure Cafe , killed, and left. The room was in dire straits when we walked in, and I was pretty proud of that. I really like any show I do with great people, of which there are a lot in Chicago. I love the improv I do with Chuckle Sandwich and Thomas Middleditch, I think our last Sketchfest show with heavyweight was good. The show I'm touring with Second City is getting really good. I guess what I'm saying is, I am proudest of the next set I'm going to do. And that I have never had a great show. Just ask the 10:30 IO slot with Bullet Lounge. But other shows we're doing are great. We have a showcase for Brillstein and Grey on Friday at 8pm. Come see it.

What does the rest of 2006 hold for you? 2007?

Some club dates, Practice Scaring a Bear, the Del Close Marathon with Chuckle Sandwich , more touring with Second City, specifically Atlantic City in July and August, and the VeryBadPorn.com launch. A functional relationship with a woman hopefully. My sister is coming into town and we're going to do a show. She's hilarious. Doing comedy every night for another two years. I am tired a lot. Sometimes I put cereal in peanut butter and eat it.

Where are you favorite places to perform with the Second City Touring Company?

Talequah, Oklahoma. Conway, Arkansas. Winona State University. You know, all the major American vacation spots.

You recently went to L.A. with Prescott Tolk to do Bombast at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater. How did that go? Do you have any West Coast adventure stories for us?

Yes. It went very well, good turn out and the people we wanted to see it saw it. I think Prescott is one of the best comedians I know right now. He's so different from me, yet he makes me laugh and I'm so impressed with his writing. I love that guy. He's my best friend but he gets mad because I'm late for everything. Everyone e-mail him and tell him to stop being mad about that. I have ADHD.

My laptop was stolen at a hostel that I stayed at because I thought (staying at a hostel) would be funny. By a Belgian guy, I think. That was pretty unbelievable. I wish I could have videotaped me getting up in the morning and realizing my laptop was stolen while I was sleeping. I was yelling a lot at international travelers. That was unique. I met a girl, became her boyfriend and broke up with her before ever kissing her or anything. That was pretty funny. L.A. is weird, but eating sushi with Prescott and searching for a cap gun and silly string on Hollywood Boulevard makes it easier. I feel like my life is so absurd that the deeper I fall into it the easier it is.

I'm going to do more with my website , and I'm excited about that. E-mail me with any ideas for ways to steal lighters from Crown Liquors on Clark Street.

Kristy Mangel