UPDATE: You can give directly to the club here if you like: https://t.co/LyRMDM2Xpi. See you all in a bit.

Happy Saturday. We’re skewering John U. Bacon tonight at 8:30 PM Eastern.

Tickets: We DO still have tickets available (we expanded it) so please get on that—the more MGoBlog readers in the audience, the more people will get my jokes.

Will there be a recorded version? YES. I’m pretty sure. I’m getting permission from all of the participants but I have enough already to say we’ll be able to put out an abridged version at least. Proceeds from that will also go to the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase.

Shirts? You can buy the shirt through tomorrow or order one with a ticket from Nowhere Comedy Club. If you ordered one I’ll be emailing you a code to use at the same t-shirt link as soon as they release the list of emails to me (which is after the show starts).

How much is going to the Showcase? ALL of the proceeds. The whole point of this is we need to raise enough to keep the place open until it’s safe to have shows again. We have raised about $12,000 so far, and need to get to about $20k for them to make it.

If you’d like a little taste, there were a couple of guests on Bacon’s WTKA show yesterday who drove the show directly off the rails:

[You can click on THE JUMP to read the bios of tonight’s roasters.]

THE GUEST OF HONOR

John U. Bacon, Author,

John U. Bacon has worked nearly three decades as a writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor, winning awards for all three.

Bacon earned an honors degree in history (“pre-unemployment”) from the University of Michigan in 1986, and a Master’s in Education in 1994. In 2005-06, the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship named him the first recipient of the Benny Friedman Fellowship for Sports Journalism.

He has authored ten books on sports, business, health, and history, the last six of which are national bestsellers, including Bo's Lasting Lessons, Endzone, and The Great Halifax Explosion. His next book, planned for release next fall is Let Them Lead, the story of Bacon trying to coach is old high school team.

Bacon has also pursued his passions for radio, television, coaching and teaching.  In 2007 he was invited to give weekly sports commentary on Michigan Radio every Friday morning and appears weekly on Michigan Radio’s Stateside, and occasionally on National Public Radio, which awarded him the PRNDI prize for nation's best commentary in 2014. He appears often on TV, including HBO, ESPN, Fox Business, MSNBC, and the Big Ten Network, where he is a frequent contributor to both “Icons” series.

Bacon has taught at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, and teaches at the University of Michigan, where the students selected him for the 2009 Golden Apple award, given annually to the University’s top teacher.

Bacon delivers speeches on the themes taken from his books, and coaching and teaching experiences -- including leadership, diversity, motivating millennials, and creativity -- to corporations, universities, and other groups around the country and the world.

Bacon is an average hockey player, a mediocre Spanish speaker, and a poor piano player – but this has not stopped him from enjoying all three. He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife and son.

PANELISTS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

Organizer Seth Fisher, Blogger

Seth is the Associate Editor and Business Manager of MGoBlog, publisher of its annual Hail to the Victors, and of the MGoBlog Galaxy of Podcasts. Resident X’s and O’s football guy, chartmaker, keeper of the holy spreadsheets, and the guy who sells the advertising.

Roastmasters The Sklar Brothers, Comedians

The Sklar Brothers are a post-modern take on a stand up comedy duo. Neil Strauss of the New York Times once wrote “Their comedy accepts the reality of being twins but does not use it as a crutch. Instead, they work their physical and mental similarities and correspondences, their status as imperfect carbon copies of each other. In their comedy the straight man is often an echo.” They have released 6 critically acclaimed comedy albums, have had two Comedy Central Half Hour Presents specials, and currently have a one hour stand up special on Netflix, titled “What Are We Talking About” and another one hour special that premiered on the Starz Network in May of 2018 called “Hipster Ghosts”.  Hipster Ghosts is still available on the Starz App or at starz.com.

Randy and Jason are also writers, directors and actors appearing in a wide variety of shows from Entourage to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to Curb Your Enthusiasm to Better Call Saul. They are currently recurring characters, the Drs. Green, on TruTV’s Those Who Can’t. However, they are perhaps most well known for their show Cheap Seats, a cult hit that appeared on ESPN Classic for 77 episodes.

Their popular sports/comedy podcast View From the Cheap Seats is available on the Starburns Podcasting Network.  Their hit podcast Dumb People Town with cohost Dan Van Kirk is currently being developed as a narrative animated show with Sony for You Tube Premium.

Most importantly, Randy and Jason are fathers and husbands living in Los Angeles. (not with each other — that would be weird.)

Roastmaster General Jeff Ross, Comedian

Jeff Ross has earned the title of "Roastmaster General." Having headlined the last nine COMEDY CENTRAL Roasts, Ross has roasted the likes of Charlie Sheen, Joan Rivers, Hugh Hefner, Pamela Anderson, Jerry Stiller, Drew Carey, Shaquille O'Neal, David Hasselhoff, and Donald Trump, who dubbed him a "one-man verbal assault unit."

As a stand-up comic, Ross has appeared on dozens of TV shows including "The Late Show with David Letterman," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Conan," "Last Call with Carson Daly," "The View," and "Real Time with Bill Maher." He also continues to perform regularly for American men and women in uniform stationed all over the world.

In film, Ross has appeared in the Farrelly Brothers' "Stuck on You," Paul Weitz's "American Dreamz," and the critically acclaimed comedy "The Aristocrats." Ross has co-written a film with producer Art Linson, "The Comedian," which will go into production this year, starring Robert De Niro and Kristen Wiig, and directed by Sean Penn. Ross' directorial debut, "Patriot Act: A Jeffrey Ross Home Movie" nabbed the best feature film award at the Montreal Comedy Festival.

Ross also has written and produced celebrity roasts for COMEDY CENTRAL and executive-produced and hosted his own highly rated re-imagination of the Roasts, "MTV's Bash of Carson Daly."

Ross' first book, "I Only Roast the Ones I Love: Busting Balls without Burning Bridges" is now available in paperback from Simon Spotlight Entertainment, a division of Simon & Schuster. His one-hour special "Jeff Ross Roasts America" will air on COMEDY CENTRAL on August 11.

Sam Webb, Radio Host

Sam Webb, “The Michigan Insider”, has become one of the most recognized, trusted, and engaging personalities the history of SportsTalk 1050 WTKA and Michigan Athletics.

The Michigan Insider is now a nationally recognized name and Sam’s exclusive work, profound influence, knowledge,  and integrity has placed him in an elite category. His unbridled passion for the Maize & Blue was born in part from a familial allegiance that saw Sam, his mom, his wife, and his brother all attend Michigan… and has helped attract one of the largest and most loyal listernships in the country.

Daily, Sam Webb combines his insider knowledge of the program with his exclusive access, unique perspective,  and in-depth recruiting knowledge to set the standard by which all other programs are measured. 

The Michigan Insider has been the foundation from which all other programs, features, and content on our station  have been built.

When not on the radio Sam is the publisher and editor of his own website covering Michigan athletics, TheMichiganInsider.com, one of the top three sites on the 247Sports network (a CBS Sports Interactive subsidiary.)

“Nobody does more for Michigan Football, Athletics, and the University…in my opinion,  than Sam Webb”, Coach Jim Harbaugh

“The great Sam Webb of WTKA… I think everybody knows who he is”, Coach John Beilein 

Ira Weintraub, Radio Host

Ira Weintraub, a native of the Washington, DC area, is a sports media veteran with career stops in radio, print and online.

Born and raised in Rockville, Md., he started his radio career as an intern at WTEM radio in Washington, DC, and as a student broadcaster at WCBN radio in Ann Arbor, Mich. He spent seven years at WTEM, where he worked in promotions as well as programming, which included two years as producer of The John Thompson Show (hosted by Georgetown’s hall of fame coach).

Then, after earning his undergraduate degree from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland-College Park, Ira worked as a beat reporter and columnist for the Chico (Calif.) Enterprise-Record for 13 months before returning to his hometown to work for start-up Red Zebra Broadcasting, where he worked with NFL hall of famer John Riggins as well as serving as the station’s web editor.

Since August 2009, Ira has been the Program Director for Sports Talk 1050 WTKA THE TICKET. His responsibilities include co-hosting The Michigan Insider with Sam Webb as well as running all day-to-day operations of the station. He hosts a three-hour pregame show and a one-hour postgame every Michigan football Saturday. He also hosts coach’s shows with Michigan and Concordia University, and has previously been the host of coaches shows for Eastern Michigan Athletics, Michigan Hockey and Michigan Men’s Basketball.

Ira lives in Saline with his wife, Sheri, their seven-year-old daughter, Grace, and their two dogs, Freddy and Murray.

Jordan Klepper, Comedian

Jordan Klepper is host and executive producer of The Opposition w/ Jordan Klepper. Previously, he had been best known for his memorable appearances as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, which he joined in 2014 under Jon Stewart and continued after Trevor Noah took over as host in 2015. In his time at The Daily Show, Klepper defined himself with both his studio work and segments in the field, ranging from his multi-part series exploring the reality of being a “Good Guy with a Gun“ to his field pieces at Trump rallies which have garnered millions of views.

In June of 2017, his one-hour special Jordan Klepper Solves Guns premiered on Comedy Central and focused on the alarming legal obstacles and enlightening personal testimony surrounding the issue of gun violence in America. The special featured Klepper becoming increasingly aware that legislative red tape and special interests – much more than any cultural or partisan divide – are keeping the nation from simple safety reforms.

Prior to The Daily Show, Klepper spent years as a performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. During this time, he co-created and co-starred in the UCB Comedy-produced pilot Engaged which was featured at the New York Television Festival. Klepper worked as a writer and contributor on the Big Ten Network show Friday Night Tailgate, MTV2’s Charlamagne & Friends and as a contributing writer on HBO’s Ferrell Takes the Field. Together with his collaborator and wife, Laura Grey (“Klepper & Grey”), he created Peepers(2014), which was featured at SXSW and the Tribeca Film Festival, and the short film TMI(2012), which was a featured short at Slamdance.

Bruce Madej, UM Sports Information Director and Stuff

Bruce (@BrMadej) is somewhat old guy who used to be kind of big deal at Michigan when he handled PR, Media, and other assorted matters for parts of six decades with the U-M Athletic Department.

 

Zach Martina, Comedian

Zach (@ZachMartina) is the regular host at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. A very talented and attractive face on Michigan's comedy scene; Zach has been making waves on stages across the country. With his sarcastic wit and lovable arrogance, Zach takes his observations and life experiences and tries to figure out whose fault it all is. It certainly can't be his.

Essentially, he was brought up in a family that belongs on television. Parents that were married and divorced three times; to each other, a gay brother who happens to be a male model and two sisters who redefine sugar & spice; Zach is one of the few standup comedians that can say he is the normal one in his family.

Zach has been taking his act across the US, spreading laughter at any opportunity he can get. Performing at festivals such as Laughfest, Laugh Your Asheville Off Festival, and The World Series of Comedy; as well as working with the likes of Michael Kosta, Rory Scovel, Tommy Johnagin, Tom Segura and Lachlan Patterson Zach has an energy that is all his own and leaves crowd thinking “I don’t know what he’s so upset about, but I’m sure glad he is.”

Holly Anderson, College Football Commenter

Holly first fell backwards into the haunted retaining pond of sports journalism as the co-pilot of Every Day Should Be Saturday. She served as SB Nation's first college football editor, founded a college football blog for Sports Illustrated, covered Rose Bowls and rattlesnake rodeos for Grantland, and has recorded multiple unsuccessful attempts to resurrect ESPN Outdoors by herself. She produced and directed election coverage for MTV before succumbing once more to the undertow of Saturday football and the lure of working for a grown man in a foam rubber onion suit. If you strain your ears, you can occasionally hear her on the Shutdown Fullcast, which is not her fault.

(tw: @HollyAnderson)

Jamie Morris, Athlete & Broadcaster

The great Michigan running back Jamie Morris (@JMorris23) is a former NFL player, UM Development Manager, and host of the popular Sunday morning sports talk show A View from the Backfield on WTKA. You can find him these days hosting the MZone Show on WTKA 1050 AM Ann Arbor, Monday through Friday 3pm to 6pm.

Brian Cook, Blogger

Brian Cook (@mgoblog) is the editor of MGoBlog. A  U-M computer engineering graduate and former software developer, Brian founded this site in 2004 to vent his fanaticism about all things Michigan sports. He put it in charts and it caught on.

Joe Breakey, Ken Smith, and Ed Sponseller

Are John U. Bacon’s friends, from junior high until tonight.