4th Annual TBS Just For Laughs Chicago, Biggest Comedy Festival in the U.S.A., to Feature Spectacular Line-up of Comics, with More Surprises to be Announced Soon

Vince Vaughn, Aziz Ansari, Stephen Merchant, Bill Engvall, Billy Gardell, John Pinette, Patton Oswalt, John Oliver, Kevin Smith, Mike Birbiglia, Jeff Ross, Amy Schumer, The Dan Band and Henson Alternative's Stuffed and Unstrung

Tickets for the June 12-17 Festival Go On Sale this Saturday, April 14, at 10:00 a.m.

TBS Just For Laughs Chicago, the nation's biggest comedy festival, kicks off its fourth year by announcing some very big names, with more surprises still to come. From June 12-17, an astonishing array of comedians, sketch shows, specialty acts and films will keep Chicago in stitches from some of its finest and most iconic venues.

Parks and Recreation star Aziz Ansari headlines two sold-out performances at the Chicago Theatre, before megastar and Chicago native Vince Vaughn hosts a special evening of surprises and hilarity that'll see him perform alongside a group of his funniest friends.

Over at the Park West, English superstar Stephen Merchant, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of the U.K. version of The Office, will give a rare stand-up performance for three nights, while peerless comedic genius Patton Oswalt, star of Jason Reitman's recent feature Young Adult, and Emmy(R) Award-winning Daily Show with Jon Stewart correspondent John Oliver, headline shows at The Vic.

A trio of fan favorites, Blue Collar Comedy star Bill Engvall, Billy Gardell of Mike and Molly, and the always hilarious John Pinette join forces to offer fans a night of triple-threat comedy at the Akoo Theatre (formerly the Rosemont Theatre), while the critically-acclaimed Mike Birbiglia brings his hit show "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend," fresh off its 15-week run in New York City, to Chicago for an extended stay at the Victory Gardens Theatre.

The festivities continue with film icon Kevin Smith treating fans to a special evening and Q&A, and Roastmaster General Jeff Ross returning to the Festival for a second time to give the people of Chicago our yearly reckoning. Meanwhile, Amy Schumer, breakout star of this year's Roast of Charlie Sheen on Comedy Central, headlines her own night of comedic reckoning at the Park West.

Rounding out the announcement, The Dan Band takes up residence at the House of Blues for a night of comedy and music, while Henson Alternative's Stuffed & Unstrung (Puppets Behaving Badly) will perform a live, uncensored improv show at The Bank Of America Theatre. Featuring the Miskreant Puppets and The Jim Henson Company's renowned puppeteers, Stuffed & Unstrung is an unpredictable and irreverent show that's never the same twice.

Tickets go on-sale Saturday, April 14 at 10:00 a.m. (CT).

For the past three summers, the TBS JUST FOR LAUGHS comedy festival has been a landmark event for Chicago, which is home to a rich comedy heritage, from improv and sketch troupes to some of the most familiar names in the business. TBS and Just For Laughs are also working with one of the largest independent promoters in the United States, Chicago-based Jam Productions, LTD, as well as Outback Concerts.

For all the latest news on TBS Just For Laughs Chicago, visit www.justforlaughschicago.com, become a fan of TBSveryfunny on Facebook, follow @TBSVeryFunny on Twitter, or search for hashtag #JFLChicago.

Festival Venue and Ticket Information

The 2012 edition of TBS Just For Laughs Chicago will take place across 15 locations, including such high-profile Chicago venues as The Chicago Theatre, Akoo Theatre (formerly The Rosemont Theatre), Bank of America Theatre, Park West, The Vic Theatre and Victory Gardens plus many more. Tickets for the shows announced above go on sale Saturday, April 14 at 10 a.m. (CT). Additional shows and venues will be announced soon. Festival information is available at www.justforlaughschicago.com.

· Tickets for The Chicago Theatre, Bank of America and Akoo Theatre will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

· Tickets for The Vic Theatre and Park West will be available at etix.com or by phone at 800-514-etix.

· Tickets for the Victory Gardens will be available at victorygardens.org or 773-871-3000.

· Tickets for most festival events will also be available at respective venue box offices.

TBS Just For Laughs Chicago

Tuesday, June 12 - Sunday, June 17

Newly Announced Shows and Talent

The Chicago Theatre

An Evening with Kevin Smith - Thursday, June 14 at 8:00 p.m.

The creative genius responsible for the films Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, the Characters Jay and Silent Bob and more... Kevin Smith is a talented writer, director, producer, actor and all-around cool guy who will host a no-holds-barred Q&A where the audience is the catalyst to the hilarious and insightful look into the life of this independent spirit. Questions often lead the audience on a gut-busting ride for an evening not to be missed.

Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive - Friday, June 15 at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. (SOLD OUT)

After selling out four shows at the Vic Theatre at TBS Just For Laughs Chicago two years ago, Aziz Ansari returns to the Festival this summer with Buried Alive. Ansari currently stars in NBC's Emmy(R)-nominated Parks & Recreation and just released his second stand-up album, Dangerously Delicious, on his website- a worthy follow-up to 2010's debut Intimate Moments For A Sensual Evening. His credits include the cult classic sketch show Human Giant, films like Get Him To The Greek, 30 Minutes or Less and the upcoming animated feature Ice Age 3: Continental Drift, as well as hosting duties on the MTV Music Awards. He is also developing three films for Judd Apatow and Universal with director Jason Woliner, a collaboration that began on Funny People where Ansari created the popular stand-up virtuoso Raaaaaaaandy.

Vince Vaughn's Comedy Showcase - Sunday, June 17 at 8:00 p.m.

Actor-producer Vince Vaughn, executive producer of TBS's upcoming sitcom Sullivan & Son, is bringing it back to sweet home Chicago. Vince Vaughn's Comedy Showcase comes to the downtown Chicago Theatre for one hilarious night of comedy. Join Vince as he hosts and performs with a group of his comic friends for a special night of surprises and hilarity not to be missed. Catch Vince as he comes home to reveal the talented comedians with whom he is currently developing TV projects. Also performing on the bill will be one of the TBS Just For Laughs Chicago rising stars who will be handpicked by Vince himself to join the show.

Tickets for the Chicago Theatre shows are available:

· At the Chicago Theatre Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets

· Online at ticketmaster.com

· By phone at 800-745-3000

Bank of America Theatre

Stuffed and Unstrung by Henson Alternative - Tuesday, June 12 to Sunday, June 17 - ADULTS ONLY

Stuffed and Unstrung is a live uncensored improv show with the Miskreant Puppets and The Jim Henson Company's renowned puppeteers. Unpredictable and irreverent, it's never the same show twice. Expert puppeteers create twisted scenes and songs on the fly with live musical accompaniment, as suggestions from the audience prompt the improvised storylines unfolding on stage. This production delivers "two shows in one" as the hilarious puppet action is projected live on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers race around below displaying their skills in full view of the audience. Stuffed and Unstrung appeared alongside Cee-Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2011 Grammy(R) Awards and was featured on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice in 2012.

Tickets for the Bank of America Theatre show are available:

· At the Bank of America Theatre Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets and all Broadway In Chicago box offices

· Online at ticketmaster.com

· By phone at 800-745-3000

The Vic

Patton Oswalt - Thursday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Patton Oswalt most recently starred in the feature film Young Adult opposite Charlize Theron in a role that garnered him a Critics Choice Award nomination. He also voiced Remy the rat in Pixar's Oscar(R)-winning Ratatouille, and in 2009, won critical acclaim in Robert Siegel's feature film Big Fan. His latest album, Finest Hour, was well received, as was his previous album My Weakness Is Strong, which was nominated for a Grammy(R) Award. Oswalt's first book Zombie Spaceship Wasteland honed in on his obsession with nerdy things and pop culture, colored by traditional Oswalt-ian rage. Formerly a series regular on Showtime's United States of Tara, Oswalt has also appeared on HBO's Bored to Death and Flight of the Conchords, and guest starred on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program.

John Oliver - Friday, June 15 at 7:30 p.m.

John Oliver has been a writer and correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (the show's resident Brit) since 2006 - a job for which he has won both an Emmy(R) and Writers Guild Award for his writing. He currently has a recurring role in the NBC series Community and his own series for Comedy Central, John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show, which is entering its third season in 2012. Alongside long-term writing partner Andy Zaltzman, Oliver currently co -writes and stars in The Bugle - an ongoing series of satirical news podcasts, in association with The Times newspaper. The Onion says, "Oliver is a master storyteller, stringing jokes together so tightly that not a syllable falls out of place."

Tickets for The Vic Theatre shows are available:

· At The Vic Theatre Box Office

· Online at etix.com

· By phone at 800-514-etix

Akoo Theatre (formerly Rosemont Theatre)

Bill Engvall, Billy Gardell & John Pinette - Sunday, June 17 at 7:30 p.m.

For the first time ever, Blue Collar Tour veteran Bill Engvall, Mike & Molly star Billy Gardell and stand-up tour de force John Pinette will share the stage for one epic night of comedy at the Akoo Theatre.

Tickets for the Akoo Theatre (formerly Rosemont Theatre) show are available:

· At the Akoo Theatre Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets

· Online at ticketmaster.com

· By phone at 800-745-3000

Park West

Amy Schumer - Wednesday, June 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Amy Schumer shot to the forefront of the comedy scene as the stand-out of Comedy Central's Roast of Charlie Sheen. She has performed on Last Comic Standing, 30 Rock, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, The View, appeared on The Howard Stern Show, and was featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and as Variety's Top 10 Comics to Watch this past year. She recurred on this season's Delocated on Adult Swim and guest starred in the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. This year she filmed the feature Seeking a Friend for the End of the World starring Steve Carrell and Kiera Knightley and Price Check, an independent feature opposite Parker Posey which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Her album Cutting, which in its opening week placed in the top 5 of the Billboard Charts, has been included on multiple Best Comedy Albums of the Year awards lists.

Stephen Merchant: Hello Ladies... - Thursday, June 14 to Saturday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Emmy(R), BAFTA and Golden Globe(R) award winning co-creator of BBC's The Office and Extras, Stephen Merchant embarks on his first ever stand-up comedy tour. "Most people don't realize that I was a stand-up comedian before I met Ricky Gervais and his coat-tails," says Merchant. "Life can be lonely as a TV writer so this tour is a great opportunity for me to get out there and meet my fans. And make at least one of them my wife."

Jeffrey Ross Roasts Chicago - Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16 at 10:00 p.m.

Roastmaster General Jeff Ross returns to the Festival for a second time. Fresh off his much talked about appearance on the Roast of Charlie Sheen on Comedy Central, Ross forgoes his usual celebrity smearing to set his sights on the common Chicago plebes. In his acclaimed solo performance, the self-proclaimed "Meanest Man in Comedy" will not only offer his razor-sharp stand-up, but will also target the audience with the same smart-bomb delivery he's used on Hollywood's elite. And if that weren't enough, he'll roast some special local personalities. Fans will need to bring a thick skin, because with a show this hot, someone's bound to get burned.

Tickets for the Park West shows are available:

· At the Park West Box Office

· Online at etix.com

· By phone at 800-514-etix

Victory Gardens

Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend- Tuesday, June 12 - Saturday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m.

In Mike Birbiglia's My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, Birbiglia shares a lifetime of romantic blunders and miscues that most adults would spend a lifetime trying to forget. On this painfully honest journey, he struggles to find reason in an area where it may be impossible to find - love. Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend was nominated both for the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Solo Performance. The New York Times called the show "ridiculously enjoyable" and it was recognized as a Critic's Pick by The New York Times, Time Out New York and New York Magazine. After receiving critical acclaim in Canada and Australia, and completing a 15-week run in New York, Mike Birbiglia performed his hit show throughout the United States in 2011, and will continue to tour in 2012.

Tickets for the Victory Gardens shows are available:

· At the Victory Gardens Box Office

· Online at etix.com

· By phone at 800-514-etix

House of Blues

The Dan Band - Saturday, June 16 at 9:00 p.m.

Dan Finnerty caught America's attention as the foul-mouthed wedding singer in the box-office smash Old School, performing his now-infamous rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart. He has also appeared in The Hangover and Starsky & Hutch. The Dan Band has become a cult phenomenon that has garnered rave reviews from The New York Times, The LA Times, Variety and Rolling Stone among others, and prompted Entertainment Weekly to dub it "the hottest ticket in Hollywood." The Dan Band has appeared on talk shows like The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live, and eventually caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who signed on to executive-produce Finnerty's one-hour concert special The Dan Band: I Am Woman.

Tickets for the House of Blues show are available:

· At the House of Blues Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets

· Online at ticketmaster.com

· By phone at 800-745-3000