Funny business: 'We're just trying to get people to laugh' say 312 Comedy Fest headliners

Actress/comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub has a few words for fans attending the inaugural 312 Comedy Festival.

“I have high expectations for Chicago,” said Rajskub (“24,” “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”). “You guys better bring it.”

Rajskub, who plays Rosemont's Zanies on Thursday, Nov. 2, expects they will. Chicago audiences appreciate comedy, she said, and they like to have a good time.

Zanies owner Brian Dorfman knows that's true. He was among those who thought the time was right for a Chicago comedy fest, said Andrew Farwell, vice president of Outback Presents, the Nashville promoters producing the 312 Comedy Festival in cooperation with Jam Productions.

“We're excited to see what we can do,” Farwell said of the more than 30 entertainers ranging from mainstream to edgy, from political satirists to storytellers to one-liner comics, podcasters and others scheduled to perform Friday, Oct. 27, through Sunday, Nov. 5, at city and suburban venues.

In addition to Rajskub, headliners include Nate Bargatze, this week's “Saturday Night Live” host; comedian and voice actor Franco Escamilla; writer/comedian and SNL “Weekend Update” co-host Michael Che; actress/comedian Nicole Byer; “The Office” veteran Craig Robinson and his band The Nasty Delicious; Chicago's own Hannibal Buress; and Jeff Ross, among others.

“Everybody likes to laugh. You don't need to be a fan of the comedian to enjoy the show,” Farwell said. “That's the great thing about comedy.”

Rajskub, a Michigan native who plays by the rules and wants to be liked, says her “Midwest nice” demeanor goes “out the window” when she does stand-up.

“I love that about stand-up,” she said, “you can get weird and silly.”

“It's always satisfying, especially when (a show) doesn't go how you expect, which is all the time,” Rajskub said. “With stand-up, you're always having to rethink what you're doing. You keep getting the rug pulled out from under you.”

Like many comedians, Rajskub's material comes from her own life.

“I don't like to speak about things I'm not completely informed about, and the only thing I'm completely informed about is my life,” she says, laughing.

Chad Daniels' comedy is similarly inspired. Much of his material centers on fatherhood and his 24-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter. But he never shares their stories without permission.

“My kids didn't know they were getting a comedian for a dad,” explains the northern Minnesota native, who headlines the Chicago Improv in Schaumburg Nov. 2-4.

Daniels believes no topic should be off limits so long as a comedian “can figure out a way to make it funny and do it tastefully.”

“If done correctly, you can do anything at all on stage,” Daniels said, with a proviso.

“You have a responsibility to get it right,” he said. “You have to do your research.”

That's not to say there won't be repercussions. Daniels recalls telling a story about a youngster with Asperger's syndrome who attended his son's Christmas concert that upset an audience member who slapped him after his set. He said another person, who works with people with Asperger's, complimented him.

For up-and-coming comedians like Chicago native Maggie Winters, the comedy festival offers invaluable experience. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the actress/improviser shifted to digital performances under the handle @saggiesplinters.

Her Tuesday, Oct. 31, performance at Chicago's Zanies marks the first comedy fest appearance for Winters (HBO's “The Righteous Gemstones”), who balances stand-up and online content creation.

“Content creation is the new way of the world,” Winters said. “I plan to do both for as long as I can.”

Still, “doing live shows is a whole different ballgame,” said Winters, who, like her fellow comedians, just wants to entertain.

“Sometimes it's as simple as someone coming up to you and saying, 'Man, I had a tough week. This is what the doctor ordered,'” Daniels said. “That's the best compliment you can get. Really, you're just trying to get people to laugh.”

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312 Comedy Festival

When: Friday, Oct. 27, through Nov. 5

Where: Comedy clubs and theaters in Chicago and the Northwest suburbs, 312comedyfestival.com

Tickets: $25-$303