Aaron Freeman
Encyclopedia
Aaron Freeman is an American
journalist, stand up comedian, author, cartoonist and blog
ger.
Freeman has performed with The Second City
. As a stand up comedian, he is a member of the quartet the Israeli/Palestinian Comedy Tour. He often performs with the Second City Theater
.
Freeman is host of the weekly informational radio program Metropolis, which is broadcast in the Midwest
. He is also a commentator on NPR
's flagship news program, All Things Considered
. Freeman co-wrote and directed the stage comedy The Arab/Israeli Comedy Hour. Along with long-time friend and collaborator Rob Kolson, he created the long-running political and financial comedy Do the White Thing and its sequel Gentlemen Prefer Bonds.
In 1983, Freeman created and performed the satire
Council Wars, which was based on the Chicago City Council
when Harold Washington
was mayor. The title subsequently become a part of Chicago's political vocabulary, referring to the strife
between factions of the city council. For ten years, he hosted the television talk show Talking with Aaron Freeman. He later hosted and was chief science correspondent for Chicago Public Television's science and technology program Chicago Tomorrow.
Freeman performs his one-man shows "News Today/Comedy Tonight" and "Kosher Chitterlings
" for business groups, Jewish groups, colleges, and associations throughout the United States.
. He is a convert to Judaism
from Roman Catholicism. He is married to artist Sharon Rozenzweig, with whom he collaborates on projects including the comic strip The Comic Torah. They reside in a Chicago
suburb.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist, stand up comedian, author, cartoonist and blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger.
Freeman has performed with The Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
. As a stand up comedian, he is a member of the quartet the Israeli/Palestinian Comedy Tour. He often performs with the Second City Theater
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
.
Freeman is host of the weekly informational radio program Metropolis, which is broadcast in the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. He is also a commentator on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's flagship news program, All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
. Freeman co-wrote and directed the stage comedy The Arab/Israeli Comedy Hour. Along with long-time friend and collaborator Rob Kolson, he created the long-running political and financial comedy Do the White Thing and its sequel Gentlemen Prefer Bonds.
In 1983, Freeman created and performed the satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
Council Wars, which was based on the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
when Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
was mayor. The title subsequently become a part of Chicago's political vocabulary, referring to the strife
Council Wars
The Council Wars were a racially polarized political conflict in the city of Chicago from 1983-1986, centered on the Chicago City Council.The term came from a satirical comedy sketch of the same name written and performed by comedian and journalist Aaron Freeman in 1983, using the good-v.-evil plot...
between factions of the city council. For ten years, he hosted the television talk show Talking with Aaron Freeman. He later hosted and was chief science correspondent for Chicago Public Television's science and technology program Chicago Tomorrow.
Freeman performs his one-man shows "News Today/Comedy Tonight" and "Kosher Chitterlings
Chitterlings
Chitterlings are the intestines of a pig, although cattle and other animals' intestines are similarly used, that have been prepared as food. In various countries across the world, such food is prepared and eaten either as part of a daily diet, or at special events, holidays or religious...
" for business groups, Jewish groups, colleges, and associations throughout the United States.
Personal life
Freeman was born in Kankakee, IllinoisKankakee, Illinois
Kankakee is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,561, and 26,840 as of a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Kankakee County...
. He is a convert to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
from Roman Catholicism. He is married to artist Sharon Rozenzweig, with whom he collaborates on projects including the comic strip The Comic Torah. They reside in a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
suburb.
Books
- How to Say "I Love You" in 30 Languages
- Baby Boomers - Acid Rock to Acid Reflux (2006); with Rebecca Rock
- Confessions of a Lottery Ball, the Inside our world of Aaron Freeman (1987), ISBN 0-933893-36-1