It's one of my favorite comedy shows in town, and we covered it right here on "metromix." "Don't Spit the Water" is an improv show that takes average folks from the audience and brings them on stage. Then, they fill your mouth with water, and the various comedians try to make you laugh so hard - you spit a mouthful of water all over the place!

The "Don't Spit" crew has been invited out to Hollywood to perform on the Comedy Central stage. Now this doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be seeing "Don't Spit" on Comedy Central anytime soon. But they are playing on the development stage and Com Central suits will be watching to see if there might be a future for these guys on the network. I wish them the best, these guys are hilarious!

For ticket information for their regular shows in Chicago (Saturdays, 10pm, Playground Theatre. I'm told they won't be changing at all), head to their website. It's www.dontspitthewater.com.

Marcus Leshock here. If you missed my review of the latest in Fast Food, you're in luck. Below you'll find the extended version, complete with a review of Taco Bell's new Chicken Bacon Club Chalupa! Got a Fast Food favorite you'd like me to tackle? Leave a comment!

Ever see a grown man cry? Marcus Leshock here, admittedly going a little stir crazy, like I do towards the end of every American Idol season. Last night the contestants sang songs from the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. As always, I put together a little video recap for ChicagoLive.com. Here it is:

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And don't forget to check out the archive of my Idol recaps from weeks past. You can find them here.

Aaaannnnnd....if you STILL can't get enough American Idol, be sure to check out the latest musings from our good friends over at the RedEye. They put together a weekly American Idol recap with RedEye attitude. Find their Vital Idol blog here.

The new trailer for "Batman: The Dark Knight" has just mesmerized me with its awesomeness. It's got more than enough Heath Ledger to get you fired up for July 18th. Just look at some of the little touches he's adding to the Joker, particularly that freakish tongue smacking around his scarred lips. They're not kidding when they say this guy was into the role. Wow. Watch the full trailer in fantastic HD video.....here.

Marcus Leshock here! Summer movie season is officially here, the most exciting time of year for movie fans everywhere! Instead of doing your traditional Summer Movie Preview 2008, I've decided to actually rank the top 8 movies of the summer without seeing one of them! This way we can all sit down in September and have a good laugh at how wrong I was. So keep reading after the jump for my Top 8 movies on summer 2008, complete with each of their trailers!

Great grub at 7, 8, 9, and midnight! We'll hit the new bar and grill Tallulah's in Lincoln Square, we'll chat with some up and coming female chefs at Kendall College, and Chicago Tribune food critic Phil Vettel will review Gabriel's in Highwood AND Vermilion on Hubbard in the city. I'll see you tonight....but for now...enjoy a little food-related satire from the Onion News Network...right after the jump...

Marcus Leshock here. Let me tell you, I really can't get enough of this political season, especially if it keeps giving us videos like this one! It's crazy to think about this - when was the last time an elected official like Hillary Clinton made herself a cup of coffee, let alone operated a cappucino machine in a gas station? Awesome!

This reminded me of that old piece of video from 1992 with then President Bush looking amazed at how a common grocery store scanner worked. I actually found a crummy version of that clip on YouTube. Check it out after the jump....

Ever wonder what it's like on a "metromix on CLTV" on location shoot? You never know what's going to happen. But the one thing I've learned? Just roll with it. Here's a little clip of a man who approached us when we were putting together last fall's movie special. Since then nearly 8,000 people have viewed this clip on YouTube. So Kokomo Joe, wherever you are, you're a star in cyberspace!

What's up folks, Marcus Leshock here! Fresh from a week OUT of America, it was fun to get back into town and watch Neil Diamond give the best 5 singers in the country a lesson in weirdness. My weekly recaps are back and (hopefully) better than ever! Who will get kicked off tonight? Here's my Top Five Recap....

Because nothing is more fun than taking a walk down memory lane, be sure to check out my past recaps in the Chicagolive.com American Idol archive....here.

And don't forget our friends over at the RedEye either! Brian Moore's "Vital Idol" blog is definitely worth checking out. Recaps, commentary and predictions with RedEye attitude can be found at redeyechicago.com/vitalidol.

Hey Metromix Fans!

Stephanie, Metromix TV's Executive Producer here. Just wanted to let you all know we're back with fresh shows starting Tuesday. You'll REALLY want to tune in tomorrow because we'll be showing clips from Metromix in Scotland!

Marcus, camerman Marty & myself were all over the UK, shooting a 1/2 hour program on how some of the great scotch companies like Glenmorangie & Ardbeg produce their whisky. The special airs June 7th & 8th, but if you tune in tomorrow, be the first to see the highlights!

Cheers!

After an exhaustive process of discussing and sampling the best steakhouses in Chicagoland, we rounded down our list to 4 great places. We asked you all to chime in on the blog, you did, and we have a Viewer's Choice. After the jump, you'll find the list of my favorite three places, and your pick. So get at it and remember to always eat responsibly!.......

Well sort of. She's holding a baby here and pounding a shot. I'm pretty sure it's not wheatgrass either.

Does anyone have an idea for a funny caption? Post yours after the jump.

Photo: Bauer-Griffin

Marcus Leshock here. I don't know about you, but I just can't get enough of this Cougar in Chicago story! I mean, a real Cougar loose on the North Side of Chicago? How does that happen? Was it looking to take in a Cubs game? Maybe it was attracted to the wondrous aroma of Hot Doug's delicious encased meats? Fortunately, the cat was killed by Chicago Police before it did harm to any local residents. But sadly, we'll never be able to ask the Great Beast what it was looking for. After the jump I have compiled some great moments in Cougar history. Enjoy!

No, baby! Saw this one on AintItCoolNews. Apparently Mike Myers and director Jay Roach have OK'd a script for yet another Austin Powers sequel. I thought this franchise tired out at 2, let alone 3 movies. But a 4th film? Let's hope they don't recycle the same old jokes - for the 4th time!

An article on boston.com is reporting that both Myers and Roach will soon meet with the potential new Powers-Girl soon. Keep reading after the jump to see who it could be....

What's up Idol freaks? Marcus Leshock here. Before you head to your Super-Bowl-like "Idol Gives Back" party, check out my recap of last night's performances by the Top 8! Funny that even though this was probably one of the lamer shows of the season, I'm still able to put together a 5 minute recap. Shows something about my sanity I guess. Enjoy!

TMZ has the scoop on this. Apparently rocker and Idol-favorite David Cook hasn't been feeling well lately, and after yesterday's show, Fox medics said his blood pressure was too high and he was experiencing heart palpatations. They rushed him to the hospital! More details and a link to the story after the jump....

Howdy, y'all! Marcus Leshock here to break down your American Idol Top 9 performances last night. Would Dolly Parton night be an ENORMOUS success? Here's is my video recap I put together for chicagolive.com. Enjoy!

abcnews.com received an early copy of Oliver Stone's script for his Bush biopic now in production. The article on their site (which can be found here) offers plenty of spoilers, but if you want to be suprised, expect to see a W with a LOT of Daddy issues. As expected, the movie is pretty critical of Bush's rush to war with Iraq, and his days as a heavy-drinking party guy. It's slated for release in 2009 but could be rushed in time for this election season.

Can't make the game today? No worries! We'll have all the Opening Day highlights from Wrigleyville tonight on Metromix!

The American Idol recap is back, and this time better than ever! Instead of a written entry, every week I will be putting together a video blog for chicagolive.com! Last night the Top Ten sang songs from the year they were born, and not one New Kids On The Block cut. I was disappointed...but I guess they're not THAT young. Here's my video recap....

Yep, the "American Idol" judge drives a car worth more money than most of us will see in a lifetime. A Bugatti Veyron to be exact. This photo comes from a great story in the London Evening Standard. And if you think the car is crazy, check out his $8 million house here.

The Cubs home opener is just one week away and we wanted to let everyone know Metromix plans to be a part of the action!

Stop by Casey Moran's before the game on March 31st, and meet our very own Jackie Tranchida. We're making her work.

She'll be out saying hi to fans, giving away Festa T-Shirts ,and more. Doors open at 7am with a beer & brunch buffet for $15! See you there!

You read that right....I have officially taken over for Michael Jackson in his classic video for "Thriller!" Check out my unbelievably good performance!

And you can do the same! Just log onto Mike's website here, then click on the link to insert yourself into the video. You'll need a digital camera and a few minutes to waste and never get back. The final product comes out a bit bizarre and extremely creepy...but when your taking about Michael Jackson....what did you really expect, people?!

Why are these people wearing hats made of meat? Find out on the show tonight!!

We're not sure what it is about billboards lately, but another caught our eye this week. The above picture is not it. The picture will make more sense in a bit....

The sign that caught our eye is all in black, with a lot of wording. You can't really read the message because it's in dark gray, and intentionally cryptic. Of COURSE this makes us stare harder.

We've been driving by it all week, and today we were able to make out the phrase "Earth Hour".

Natch, we Googled it. What it means, after the jump!

Whitney Houston and Queen can hold their heads up high this morning. Everyone else on the American Idol stage? Not so much. The girls gave back another mediocre night of covers. But there had to be a winner and more than a few losers. My thoughts after the jump….

Who doesn’t love the 80’s? OK, please put your hands down. I was 2/4 on my predictions last week, well within the margin of error. Lots of drama going into last night’s show. Reports surfaced that David Hernandez worked as a male stripper, and in honor of that, they had each contestant reveal their most embarrassing moment. Hide the kids! My full recap after the jump….

Yep, Idol really gives back today! I read about this story on VoteForTheWorst the other day, but apparently the AP has now picked it up and is running with it. Contestant David Hernandez once worked as a male stripper at a club in Phoenix. The article is here, it goes on to note that a few years ago Frenchie Davis was kicked off for taking elicit photos. Not sure if David will suffer the same fate, we'll have to see. But it could make his performance a little bit more interesting/disturbing, depending on how you look at it.

Hey all, Marcus Leshock here. I know I posted the hilarious, kinda anti-Hillary "Election" video a few weeks back. In fairness, this morning I ran across this new ad on YouTube using many of Jack Nicholson's famous characters to make the pitch for Hillary. As you may know, he is one of her supporters. Thought I'd post it up...find it right after the jump.....

That's right, not only is Six Flags Great America in Gurnee getting a new roller coaster, but it's going to themed after Batman: The Dark Knight. Not sure if this will replace the current Batman coaster. Here's a quick description from the Six Flags website:

Venture through demented hallways of twists, turns and hallucinatory images, while being tormented by The Joker himself......You can only guess at what awaits as you speed through six 180-degree hairpin turns, climb unseen hills, plunge into pitch darkness and dip into unforeseen danger. As you attempt to escape the terror, your only hope is that Gotham's Silent Guardian — Batman — can save you!

You can read the full descrip here. Aint It Cool News has some leaked design art for the ride that hasn't been released yet. See that here. Looks awesome!

That's right, last Saturday's skit was such a huge hit (Hillary even referenced it during Tuesday night's debate, for crying out loud), that SNL creator Lorne Michaels has ordered scribe Jim Downey to write another skit to open THIS week's show. The scoop was reported by Nikki Finke on her awesome entertainment blog. You can read the article here. If you missed last Saturday's Obama/Hillary skit, check it out here.

Please don't lose your lunch after staring at this. But it's weird and glorious all at the same time.

IF YOU FEEL QUEEZY SCROLL DOWN OR PRESS THE CALL BUTTON AND A FLIGHT ATTENDANT WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY.

It's called "The Purple Nurple Optical Illusion." You can see more of designer Walter Anthony's optical illusions here. This is the explanation we found with it.

"Anomalous Motion Optical Illusion aka Peripheral Drift Optical Illusion is characterized by anomalous motion that can be observed in peripheral vision. […]

Keep in mind that this is a static image. It is not animated in any way. but as your vision moves back and forth the center area seems to be moving toward the center (contracting) and the outer edges seem to be moving away (expanding) from the center. Also worth noting is that if you fixate on a point in the center and don’t move your eyes this anomalous motion will stop.

We don't believe it for a minute...

That's right, folks! Fox News is reporting that Michael Jackson's famed Neverland Ranch will be foreclosed and sold by March 19 if he doesn't pay up $25 million! Here's the listing I found online:

Beautiful designer ranch near gorgeous California coast! 2,800 acre paradise, complete with merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, giraffe, and monkey. Perfect for kids! Parking and criminal defense attorney located on property! Bizarre pop-star included for extra fee. Now taking bids, will go fast!

OK, I made that up. But the ranch is really for sale. Read about it here.

So Garrett is gone. I guess I know the full power of my blog. The American Idol guys are down to ten, and tonight they blew through the hits and misses of the 70’s. The judges spent the night reminding us it was a great decade for music. Ryan even undid his collar. And Simon? He compared it to the Oscars – long, boring, and needing an orchestra to get contestants off the stage. My thoughts on the second night for the guys, including my winners and losers, after the jump….

Marcus Leshock here! As soon as the Oscars are wrapped up...tune into WGN Radio 720AM to hear Nick Digilio and I break the show down. Then, tune into "metromix" on Monday night for highlights. We'll talk winners and losers....the drama that unfolded during the show....and probably some of the ridiculous fashion that was on full display to the world! In case you missed my appearance on the Nick D. Show after the Golden Globes, I've posted the highlights after the jump, so check it out....

It’s back to the 1960’s. I think I’ve heard enough “Happy Together” for one lifetime. The Top 12 girls got their first chance to sing on American Idol last night. And despite the outbreak of SARS that’s spreading around the cast, the show wasn’t half bad! Read my thoughts, winners and losers after the jump…..

Marcus Leshock here. As you know there was no episode of "metromix" tonight because of the horrific events at Northern Illinois University. As many of you may also know, I am a proud alumnus of NIU - B.A. '03, M.A. '05. My very first class at NIU was a lecture on the history of film. It was a class that would shape what I am today. And it met in Cole Hall.

Although this is a very sad time in NIU history, it makes me proud to turn on my television to see current students handling themselves with such class and strength in the middle of such a nightmare. It's an honor to say that I worked at the Northern Star, the campus newspaper continuing to bring information to the student body in the most dire circumstances. The same goes for the Northern Television Center - whose students are out there with camera in hand.

"metromix" producer Matt Knutson, photographer Marty Nutley, and photographer Brian Rich also attended NIU and received degrees in DeKalb. On behalf of our entire staff - our prayers go out to those who were affected by today's tragedy. And Hail, NIU.

Politics seem to be on everybody's mind these days, young and old. In light of another round of huge victories for Barack Obama in last night's Potomac primaries, this little piece of satire made me laugh out loud. If you haven't seen the movie "Election" this might not mean much to you. But if you have....behold Hillary Clinton's "Inner Tracy Flick."

On tonight's Green Piece segment, I featured The Handlebar in Wicker Park. Besides supporting pro-bicycling causes from all over Chicagoland, they also offer a wide-range of vegan cuisine. Read more and get contact info after the jump.....