Reasons Why #15

Here is the fifteenth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

St. Patrick's Day celebrations! We have lots of people of Irish descent here in Chicago and you would be sure to be asked to lead the St. Patrick's parade! Unfortunately, things got a little crazy down at the South Side Parade, and so they had to cancel it. Sad. But, maybe if you brought your show to town, it could be just the thing the city needed to reconsider starting it up again.

We dye the river green and if St. Patrick's day doesn't fall on a weekend, there's nearly a week of celebration. You'll be able to feel at home here and once a year, the whole city will be your family!

Fear not!! The blog will continue!

Brandon and I have been collaborating on the blog and like some readers, I felt it was too early to give up now. Conan is going on tour with his "The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television Tour” that makes two stops in Chicago on May 19 and 20. The shows sold out right away, and there's hint of a third? (You'll sell that one out, too!)

We'd like to get all the people who couldn't get tickets (that includes us -- sad face) to get together for one or both of those nights to let Conan know that we want him to make a new home here. Meanwhile, let's keep the blog going. If you have another specific reason you think Conan should come to Chicago, let's hear them.

Join the Facebook group "Chicago Wants Conan," and send in your reasons. I'll post them on the blog. Make a video. Write a song. Let's hit 5,000 followers/fans/friends by April 1st, 2010 (no joke). Tell your friends to get on board.

Let's kick things off with a fun way to get involved. I'm a huge haiku fan. Let's write haikus for Conan. It goes a little something like this:

first line = 5 syllables
second line = 7 syllables
third line = 5 syllables

Let's get creative. I'll start us off.

Conan O' Brien!
River runs green once a year;
we can do it more!

Announcing the End of the Chicago Wants Conan Campaign

As you've probably noticed, our little campaign hasn't really taken off. After the initial surge we saw due to coverage by Chicagoist and others, our numbers have stayed relatively constant and we have attracted very little attention. It is therefore appropriate, we feel, that we conclude this campaign. We thank everyone for their support and effort, and with heavy hearts announce the end of the Chicago Wants Conan campaign.

Chicago Dreamin'

From the mind of frequent contributor Jocelyn Geboy:

(to the tune of "California Dreamin'")


gettin on the el
just the other day
I was thinkin’ about
where Conan will stay
I know the right thing
Is Chicago for L.A.

Conan O’Brien come to Chicago right away!

stopped by Wrigley Field
it was on my way
well, I dialed WGN
and I began to pray
you know superstation goes far and wide
people began to say

Conan O’Brien come to Chicago right away!

[cool minorly psychedelic flute solo that we will make a montage of awesome Chicago video to put behind so you can be further intrigued]

we know it’s cold
and it seems far away
but there’s good food
art, sports and the lake
there’s even a free zoo
to take your kids to play

Conan O’Brien come to Chicago right away!
Conan O’Brien come to Chicago right away!
Conan O’Brien come to Chicago right away!

Reasons Why #14

Here is the fourteenth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Sixteen inch softball. What could be more fun and more Chicagoan than playing 16-inch softball from the time the snow melts until it's flying again? Surely Conan has fond memories of playing 16-inch ball during his past days in Chicago. And my team is always looking for subs. What'd you say Conan? Just be sure to wear some sunscreen, ok?

Reasons Why #13

Here is the thirteenth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Everyone else is doing it! Well, at least Boeing and Miller-Coors have recently moved to Chicago. It's pretty rare for a major corporation to relocate and both Boeing and Miller-Coors had strong ties to their former homes, but they both felt the allure of Chicago and haven't looked back. Maybe they know something ...

Reasons Why #12

Here is the twelfth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'. Thanks Jocelyn!

Reasons Why #11

Here is the eleventh installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Our *cough* world class public transportation system. While any true Chicagoan knows that the CTA has it's problems, they also know that the CTA rail lines connect directly to two major airports. Which is something that cannot be said of any other U.S. city! That's right, not New York, not L.A., not San Fransisco or Atlanta, not anybody. So for all of Conan's environmentalist guests that would be flying in from out West, they could do the environmentally right thing and take the CTA to the show ... yeah, right!

Reasons Why #10

Here is the tenth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Our world class theater. Chicago is home to fantastic theaters like the Goodman and Steppenwolf which continually draw national talent and receive near universal accolades. There are also a number of smaller theaters all over town, which are known for their solid productions. Outside straight theater, Chicago is home to comedy institutions like the Second City and iO (formerly Improve Olympic), which have launched the careers of untold numbers of performers. Whatever type of performance you're looking for, you'll find it in Chicago!

Reasons Why #9

Here is the ninth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

We're a sports town. Sure New York has the Yankees and L.A. has the Lakers, but who cares? The Cubs, Sox, Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks are some of the most storied franchises in all of sport and they're all in one place! We've got fans that'll support a last place team -- when was the last time you saw that on either Coast? We've given the world Michael Jordan, Ernie Banks, Frank Thomas, Dick Butkis and Bobby Hull. We also gave the world the Black Sox, the curse of the Billy Goat, and the Super Bowl Shuffle. Good or bad, and it's often bad, we live and die by our teams. And that's something Conan can't find too many other places!

Demand Conan Comes to Chicago

View all Chicago events on Eventful

We Are Back!

We at Chicago Wants Conan have been a little busy lately and haven't been able to devote our time to this project, but that's going to change. We are back! Look for a new post every day this week and get the word out to all your friends, family and co-workers. We need some more members if we're ever going to attract Conan's attention.

Chemically Imbalanced Theater Shows Their Support

Update

We here at Chicago Wants Conan are looking for contributors to our campaign. While we have plenty to write about and plenty of drive to continue the campaign to bring Conan to Chicago, we have been beset by numerous other commitments as of late and would welcome posts from other contributors to fill in where we've fallen off. Contact us at ChicagoWantsConan@GMail.com if you're interested in contributing. And either way, keep coming back as we promise to have new posts soon!

Reasons Why #8

Here is the eighth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Our block parties. During his shows here in 2006 Conan made mention of his admiration of our many summer festivals and we at Chicago Wants Conan think that he should come back here to experience them again -- we do recommend that he put on plenty of sunscreen before venturing out to any of them though. Who knows maybe if Conan comes to town, a festival or two will even start serving up his favorite beer.

Membership Drive

Today we at Chicago Wants Conan are taking a short reprieve from our Reason's Why series to touch on the Membership Drive we just kicked off on Facebook. We have lots more Reason's Why and we'll get back to them soon, but today we are looking to spread this campaign to new people and pick up the momentum we'll need in order to convince Conan that he should come to Chicago.

Let's face it, as some have mentioned already, coming to Chicago would be unexpected to say the least. So, in order to make our mission a reality, we will need to show Conan, Max, Andy, WGN and everyone around the country that this idea is possible and viable. And in order to do that we need to send a resounding message that Chicago is the place for Conan!

What can you do to send that message? Three simple things:

• If you haven't joined the Facebook Group, join now! If you are already a member, post something on our wall.
  
• Change your Facebook status to 'I'm part of Chicago Wants Conan and you should be too!'
  
• Invite your friends to join the Chicago Wants Conan campaign.
  

We at Chicago Wants Conan hope to have some news to share when we reach 5,000 members, so let's see how quickly we can get there!

Reasons Why #7

Here is the seventh installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

As reported by Chicagoist my middle initial is 'C'. I found it unusual to see my middle name used, as the only time I normally use the 'C' is for official documents or, when I was little, when my mother would yell at me (and then she used the whole middle name). Be all that as it may, I'm not too attached to my given middle name and if Conan chooses to come to Chicago, I will henceforth be known as Brandon Conan Clark ... subject to approval by my mom, of course.

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

Reasons Why #6

Here is the sixth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Our music. Conan's show has always had a reputation for putting some great bands on the air and in Chicago there's plenty of great music to discover. We're the home of Pitchfork.com and the Pitchfork Music Festival. Lollapalooza has called Chicago home for several years now. We also have city sponsored festivals of blues, jazz, country and latin music. Plus music features prominently at other festivals like Taste of Chicago and Celtic Fest. But beyond the festivals dedicated to music, Chicago is known for being a great place to find authentic blues and jazz. We're also known for our excellent orchestra. We also have an abundance of great small, independent bands and record labels residing here. Of course everyone knows that bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Urge Overkill, Jesus Lizard, Liz Phair and Ministry started in Chicago. But lately Chicago has continued to turn out great musical talent with Wilco, Andrew Bird, Rise Against, Fall Out Boy and others making waves locally and nationally. With record labels like Thrill Jockey, Drag City, Bloodshot Records and Touch & Go headquartered in Chicago, and venues from the Double Door to the United Center constantly on major and minor acts' tour schedules, the local music scene will remain strong for a long time.

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

Reasons Why #5

Here is the fifth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Our politicians. While our politicians may not be so great for running a city, county or state, they are exceptional for one thing -- making fun of. Occasionally a New York politician (e.g., Elliott Spitzer) screws up and becomes fodder for comedians in the short interim between getting caught and returning to private life. And California has provided us with politicians that are fun to pick on from time to time (e.g. the Governator). But only Illinois, and in particular Chicago, continually elects (and re-elects) complete and utter clowns. Everybody knows about Blago, but 3 of the preceding 7 governors were also easy targets. Mayor Daley isn't exactly known for his polished demeanor either. Then there's Todd Stroger, though he's likely to be gone by the time Conan gets here. Still, I'm sure his replacement won't be much better. And don't even get me started on our aldermen. If Conan comes here, he can be sure of one thing, he'll always be able to come up with an easy joke about the local politicians.

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

Special Guest Post by New Contributor, Jocelyn Geboy

Jocelyn is the events coordinator for CHIRP Radio -- another excellent cause! She and I met at a CHIRP event and got to talking about our love of Conan and now she has offered to contribute to this blog. Here is the first, of what I hope will be many, posts by Ms. Jocelyn Geboy.

It has been insinuated that Chicago doesn't have the celebrity cred it takes to maintain a first-class talk show -- the kind that Conan is worthy of and deserves; that celebrities are living in L.A. and N.Y., and don't spend their time in the Midwestern confines of Chicago. First, let the record be set straight: Chicago is a world-class city. It always has been and always will be. From our hosting the World's Fair back in the day and our bidding for the Olympics last year, Chicago has always been in the company of giants. Secondly, we have plenty of celebrities/musicians who make Chicago their home base, come here to make films and attend premieres, and we produced the current President of the United States! Lastly, and perhaps most importantly from a practical standpoint, the last time I checked, celebrities/musicians/politicians are not waiting outside the doors of The Tonight Show, Oprah and The Daily Show just waiting for the moment they are to be interviewed. They get on airplanes and do press junkets, hawk books/shows/films, and do interviews/performances. Have fame, will travel. They go to the shows, the shows don't come to them. O'Hare's a hub for many airlines, baby. Oprah's moving out of town, Conan can put them all up in the Drake.

More Artwork for the Campaign

These two images come from my Missy Clark in Gainesville, Florida. Thanks!


Thanks to Ellie Maybe for this variation of the Chicago Picasso and the picture below, which just might be the best reason for Conan to come to Chicago yet!

Reasons Why #4

Here is the fourth installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

As you can see from today's other post, the Chicago Picasso looks good with Conan Hair. 'nough said!

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

Some Recent Artwork for Our Campaign

Thanks to Chris Mohr for this image!

Thanks to Stephe Kamykowski for these two pictures!

Reasons Why #3

Here is the third installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Andy Richter is from Chicago. Of course when we say 'Chicago Wants Conan', what we really mean is that we want everyone to come: Conan, Andy, Max, and if it's possible, can Joel come too? We love all you guys and want you to come here. Luckily, Andy can tell you how great Chicago is and can show you around when you get here. He's from a small town southwest of Chicago called Yorkville. And here's a little bit of trivia for you, which Andy may not have told you, he was prom king back in high school. Anyway, after prom, he came to Chicago and studied at Columbia College and performed in the Annoyance Theater before taking of for New York! So you see, coming to Chicago and starting a show here would really be like a homecoming of sorts. Just one more reason to come here!

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

Reasons Why #2

Here is the second installment of the infinite series, 'Reasons Why'.

Our beaches. That's right, after leaving sunny south California, we're selling Chicago on the strength of its beaches. But stick with us. Chicago really does have excellent beaches, which are all connected by the lakeshore path and are littered with people during the three warm months we enjoy each summer. With our beaches Conan could finally get a tan! Now, we know what you're thinking -- if he didn't get a tan in L.A. he won't get one here. Well we disagree -- we wouldn't go to the beach in L.A. -- all those paparazzi, all those beautiful bodies: we're just too self-conscious for that. But in Chicago, it's cool, nobody's looking. So as long as we think we look alright, it's OK. So come on Conan, you wanna go play some volleyball with us on North Avenue beach?

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

Reasons Why #1

With apologies to Stephen Colbert, this is the first installment of an infinite series called, 'Reasons Why'. Throughout this series we will highlight Reasons Why Chicago should be the new home of Conan O'Brien. Let's get right down to it.

The first reason that Conan O'Brien should come to Chicago is ...US! That's right -- you, me, him, her, them, and those guys over there. We are the reason that Conan should come to Chicago. We stood in lines wrapped around the block for the entire week he was here in 2006. We rallied for him outside NBC tower during the 'I'm with Coco' campaign. And we are the first, and still the only, city to be actively campaigning for Conan to come to our city! Now we don't think that we are entitled to anything for these action and we don't want to sound too full of ourselves -- and we're not, we're a 'Midwest Nice' sort of group, but we think these actions speak pretty loudly -- we're a pretty nifty group and we think Conan should join us.

Come back soon for more Reasons Why Conan should come to Chicago.

How to get involved

As mentioned, today was a busy day. 'Chicago Wants Conan' got noticed today and if you're looking for a way to help us get Conan's attention, here are a few things you can do.

1) Join the Facebook group if you haven't already, if you are already a member invite your friends!
2) Post a comment on the Facebook group wall, on this blog, on the Chicagoist article, or on the Huffington Post article (links on left side of your screen).
3) Vote for the 'Chicago Wants Conan' t-shirt phrase on TypeTees (link on left side of screen).
4) If you are skilled at Photoshop, Gimp, or other graphics software contact us for ways you can help.
5) If you are interested in becoming an officer of the Facebook group or being a contributor to this blog contact us.

We are thrilled at the outpouring of support we've seen today. Let's keep the support coming and make this thing happen!

Our Grand Coming Out

Wow! Thanks Tankboy for the notice on Chicagoist; it has kicked off quite a great day for the 'Chicago Wants Conan' cause.

If you haven't seen it yet, check out the Chicagoist link on the left side of your screen. This story made for a very busy afternoon, with the Huffington Post and others commenting on and linking to the original Chicagoist article.

This could be the start of something big! Keep coming back for more and pass the word along!

Calling Conan

Conan, do you remember those awesome shows you did here back in 2006? Do you remember how we lined up around the block to get in? Did you see the 'I'm With Coco' rally we held here last week? Chicago is behind you!

And Chicago is totally with it. Don't listen to those people that call us 'fly-over country'. We've got culture here and we've got stars! Stars like practically every SNL cast member, Vince Vaughn, the Cusacks, Bill Murray and a whole bunch more. Plus you'll never have trouble finding a musical guest with Wilco, Andrew Bird, Rise Against, Steve Albini, and a whole bunch of Chicago Bluesmen calling Chicago home.

We are not going to rest until you are in Chicago with a new show all your own ... or until you break our hearts by going elsewhere. You don't want to break our hearts do you? Of course not, because you love us just as much as we love you, so come to Chicago!

Mission Statement

With NBC canceling Conan's show, he will no doubt be looking for a new home and we are looking to ensure that his new home is Chicago!

New York was too late. L.A. was too short. But we think Chicago will be just right for Conan and his masturbating bear! Chicago has what Conan needs -- plenty of stars and plenty of fans. What is lacking is a major network with a local show in place for him. Enter WGN ...

For years WGN and TBS have been battling for supremacy as the cable superstation. TBS has clearly been winning and has recently upped the ante by premiering The George Lopez Show. WGN should counter with an all new late night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien and brought to you from downtown Chicago (both Block 37 and the Sullivan Center are looking for tenants and could easily provide real views of downtown from a specially built studio).

So until Conan finds a new home it will be the stated goal of 'Chicago Wants Conan' to convince both Conan O'Brien and WGN that his new home should be Chicago!

Join the Facebook group (Chicago Wants Conan) and post your comments here to voice your support.