They can't all make it into McSweeney's

Earlier this year I achieved one of my goals of being published on McSweeney's Lists with "Other Halls and Oates" I'm continuing to write in hopes of getting more on 'Lists.'

Well, not everything is going to make it, so I thought I'd share my most recent submission which was ironically rejected. Oh well, these are still fun to write!
- Monique

Sitcom Titles Rejected Because They Were A Little Too Real

No FRIENDS

How I met your mother and then lost her to breast cancer

The Big Bong Theory

The Braiding Bunch

Bad Karma & Greg

I Love Loose Tea

Charles Manson in Charge

Charles Barkley in Charge

Boy meets World, World unimpressed

Different Strokes that grandma had

Buried with Children

The Fraud Couple

The Flawed Couple

Who’s Line is it at the DMV?

Not ready for a Family Guy

Sabrina, the Teenage Bitch

Busy January!

Pete was asking for a SketchFest update, plus it's been a while since the last post, so here you go.

SketchFest update: We had a blast at SketchFest! Our show went real well, and was very well received by the audience. I was pleasantly surprised by the numbers the house, too, what with it being a Sunday afternoon on the final day of the festival. Thank you very much to everyone who came out to see us. Additionally, being a part of this festival was a major goal for us, and its nice to be able to check that off our imaginary list. The best part of being accepted into this Fest is the opportunity to see the other shows (for free!). We were lucky enough to catch some great shows by groups like The Tim and Micah Project, Last Call Cleveland, Team Submarine, Best Church of God, Off Off Broadzway...just to name a few. Very fun, and very inspiring stuff.

In addition to that, Mo and I have been having a real busy January. Since we got back from our Vegas trip, there have been lots of shows, a trip back to KC for cousin Margo's Bat Mitzvah, a few commercial auditions, and coming up a couple of real fun performances from The Union at the end of the month. One will be as guests on our friends Jamie and Becky's show "Montgomery and Cooke", the other will be doing some improv with our friend and improv legend Susan on her show "Messing With A Friend"*.

- Corey


* Date of "Messing With A Friend" show subject to change. Susan broke her ankle. This show is subject to being postponed. We'll let you know. Stupid ice.

The Union Goes To Vegas

Come see The Union at Chicago SketchFest on Sunday, January 17th at 2:30pm. The show is at the Theater Building,1225 W. Belmont. Call 773.327.5252 for tickets. For more info, click here.

The Union - Top Pick!

The Union is a top pick for Chicago Sketchfest! Check it out - Cheeky

If you missed us on this last run, come check us out in our 'Best of' showcase. Sunday, January 17th at 2:30pm in the north theater at the Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont.

Pass the word along!

Comedy updates

We continue to stay busy. Besides our regular Laugh Out Loud improv shows, we're also traveling to do holiday shows and enjoying attending some as well. We're also both starting to go on more commercial auditions. Corey's actually booked a couple! If you live anywhere that has a Firestone store, you might see him pop up in a commercial as "Donut guy." If you live in Chicago, you'll be lucky enough to see him this Spring in a commercial for a local costume store as the store manager. I'm getting closer and closer to booking, but haven't quite yet. It just takes perseverance. In fact the statistics show that you only book one in every 27 auditions, so I figure it's just a matter of time.

We're also very excited that The Union was accepted into the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival! We're looking forward to being a part of the biggest sketch festival in the country and spend two weeks saturated by sketch comedy from Chicago and around the country. Our showcase will be on Jan 17th at 2:30pm. So for those of you who said you couldn't see our last run because it was too late, now you have no excuse because we're performing in a matinee. We'll let everyone know more details as it gets closer.

I started writing headline jokes for the "This Just In" iLarious iPhone app. Of course Corey had to copy me (kidding) and recently started writing for them, too. If you have an iPhone, download the app so you can get current event jokes written by us, a couple of stand-up comedian friends of ours (Dan Telfer & Bryan Bowden), and even famous writers from shows like Craig Ferguson, "The Daily Show" and "The Onion." Plus, the more people that purchase the app, the more money we make.

Otherwise my trapeze lessons are continuing and I'm going to start learning how to play guitar as well as work on doing stand up myself and continueing writing scripts. It's all a part of my "turning 30 next year, bucket list." Hey, whatever it takes to get me moving!

- Mo

Fall Fun!

We've really lucked out with good weather so far this fall. And since we know it'll get crappy soon enough, we're making sure to take advantage of it. Somehow we keep ending up in Wisconsin. A couple of weeks ago we spent the day in Kenosha at "Elegant Farms," picking apples.

We went on a hay ride, shopped in the Ye Old Shoppe and climbed trees! Not only do you get to eat as many apples as you want, you get a sugar cookie before you go home. Corey and I brought home a peck of apples, with 4 different types. We baked two pies and have since kept the doctor away by eating an apple everyday. We still have a bunch left!















































Then this weekend, we got up at 6:30am to drive an hour and a half with friends to Mukwonago, Wisconsin just to get breakfast at Franks Diner (as seen on Diners Drive-ins and Dives) where we stuffed ourselves with the Garbage plate and French toast made with homemade bread. The restaurant is a tiny, packed train car turned diner. If you don't have a seat, you literally standing in the aisle and get yelled out by the waitstaff. Luckily getting there early helped us beat the rush and we got a seat right away.

But that's not the end of our Wisconsin travels. We're heading back up there in a couple weeks to celebrate a friends birthday by spending the weekend in a cabin, hanging out and enjoying the fire pit. Sometimes it's nice to do fun, non performance stuff.

The Pinata

Last summer we wrote a short film. It started out as a sketch for a show we were helping to write, and when it didn't quite fit into that show, we decided to extend it and film our first short movie. Thankfully we had wonderful friends willing to help us make it. Though it took a while to finally finish, we're proud to present "The Pinata." Please check it out and if you like it, pass it along!



Also, don't forget: our last show of the run "A Very Civil War" is this Thursday 10/8 at 10:30pm at Second City's Donny's Skybox.

See you there!
Monique and Corey (The Union)