Jason Kelsey

To live in Chicago, it's incredible. It was incredible. And you're around that, and you're, again, just eating like hell and taking $5, finding the ATM that allows you to take $5 out, which was right down the street from Wrigley Field. So I could go to Taco Bell around the corner because that's all you could afford. Oh, my gosh. And you just figure those little life hacks out.

To live in Chicago, it's incredible. It was incredible. And you're around that, and you're, again, just eating like hell and taking $5, finding the ATM that allows you to take $5 out, which was right down the street from Wrigley Field. So I could go to Taco Bell around the corner because that's all you could afford. Oh, my gosh. And you just figure those little life hacks out.

To live in Chicago, it's incredible. It was incredible. And you're around that, and you're, again, just eating like hell and taking $5, finding the ATM that allows you to take $5 out, which was right down the street from Wrigley Field. So I could go to Taco Bell around the corner because that's all you could afford. Oh, my gosh. And you just figure those little life hacks out.

And then while there, I auditioned for a couple things, one of which was a theater company, an improv show, theater show in Amsterdam called Boom Chicago. So then I ended up going over there for a few months. And while there, this is in 2000, Second City's like, hey, we're going to open up a second city in Las Vegas. Would you want to do that? I was like, sure. I was like, great. How long?

And then while there, I auditioned for a couple things, one of which was a theater company, an improv show, theater show in Amsterdam called Boom Chicago. So then I ended up going over there for a few months. And while there, this is in 2000, Second City's like, hey, we're going to open up a second city in Las Vegas. Would you want to do that? I was like, sure. I was like, great. How long?

And then while there, I auditioned for a couple things, one of which was a theater company, an improv show, theater show in Amsterdam called Boom Chicago. So then I ended up going over there for a few months. And while there, this is in 2000, Second City's like, hey, we're going to open up a second city in Las Vegas. Would you want to do that? I was like, sure. I was like, great. How long?

People are doing three-month contracts, six-month contracts. I was like, I'll do a six-month contract. I'll be able to come home. I won't have to work a temp job or something like that.

People are doing three-month contracts, six-month contracts. I was like, I'll do a six-month contract. I'll be able to come home. I won't have to work a temp job or something like that.

People are doing three-month contracts, six-month contracts. I was like, I'll do a six-month contract. I'll be able to come home. I won't have to work a temp job or something like that.

It wasn't like, didn't do a lot of extracurriculars that can make your time in Vegas much more dangerous or short-lived. Right. Yeah. And so, yeah, lived there. Did that end up staying two years, nine months. And it was it was a graduate school like we did so many shows, all that, like Malcolm Gladwell theory of 10000 hours. That's where it was.

It wasn't like, didn't do a lot of extracurriculars that can make your time in Vegas much more dangerous or short-lived. Right. Yeah. And so, yeah, lived there. Did that end up staying two years, nine months. And it was it was a graduate school like we did so many shows, all that, like Malcolm Gladwell theory of 10000 hours. That's where it was.

It wasn't like, didn't do a lot of extracurriculars that can make your time in Vegas much more dangerous or short-lived. Right. Yeah. And so, yeah, lived there. Did that end up staying two years, nine months. And it was it was a graduate school like we did so many shows, all that, like Malcolm Gladwell theory of 10000 hours. That's where it was.

And you had to, like, earn it from the audience audiences. You know, they're they're used to seeing like headliners like, you know, Siegfried and Roy. Or Celine Dion, actual huge, huge stars. And here we are trying to do sketch and improv.

And you had to, like, earn it from the audience audiences. You know, they're they're used to seeing like headliners like, you know, Siegfried and Roy. Or Celine Dion, actual huge, huge stars. And here we are trying to do sketch and improv.

And you had to, like, earn it from the audience audiences. You know, they're they're used to seeing like headliners like, you know, Siegfried and Roy. Or Celine Dion, actual huge, huge stars. And here we are trying to do sketch and improv.

And right outside the window, it would be only these drapes type of things would be keeping the sound of people screaming for either winning or losing or just the sound of slot machines. And we were doing shows early on for seven people. It was horrible. I mean, it was hard. It wasn't horrible. It was just hard because it's still like what we all love doing for a living.

And right outside the window, it would be only these drapes type of things would be keeping the sound of people screaming for either winning or losing or just the sound of slot machines. And we were doing shows early on for seven people. It was horrible. I mean, it was hard. It wasn't horrible. It was just hard because it's still like what we all love doing for a living.

And right outside the window, it would be only these drapes type of things would be keeping the sound of people screaming for either winning or losing or just the sound of slot machines. And we were doing shows early on for seven people. It was horrible. I mean, it was hard. It wasn't horrible. It was just hard because it's still like what we all love doing for a living.

Did you catch yourself ever trying to like market it while you were there? We tried, yeah. I mean, you know, Second City eventually, you know, started doing that. And we started doing all these really interesting grassroots kind of marketing where we just invited all the cab drivers.

Did you catch yourself ever trying to like market it while you were there? We tried, yeah. I mean, you know, Second City eventually, you know, started doing that. And we started doing all these really interesting grassroots kind of marketing where we just invited all the cab drivers.