Shia labeouf, michael bay & Transformers 3 filming in chicago!

Did you all see how downtown turned into a “transformers 3” war zone disaster area this weekend- so amazing! I remember back in November when at the Victoria secret fashion show in nyc, my old friend director michael bay grabbed me and said “hey billy! I want to film in chicago this summer!” and I screamed back, “done! You have my permission!”  haha- I get that my “permission” may have meant nothing, but I like to think that my excitement & welcome in that response, and all the times I have taken care of him when here, and how many other Chicagoans have extended that Midwest hospitality in the same way, may have helped him know we are the right place to bring the action, and the $20 million & 200 jobs filming here this weekend has brought to our city!!

Michael and crew will be back next weekend around the Wacker and Ontario areas w/the Tribune Tower & the michigan ave bridge in the center of “the battle!”  and most exciting for me, people will be filming characters falling from the sky landing right in front of my fav spot rockit on hubbard between 8-10a on Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18!!!!! As always, if can’t make it just follow me on twitter & facebook and I’ll share the experience w/ you in real time!!! (pic of me and shia labeouf attached)

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duncan keith at nascar & vince vaughn at wild west comedy tour!

First, my buddy Duncan Keith, star defenseman for the Blackhawks will serve as Grand Marshal of the LifeLock.com 400 NASCAR Spring Cup Series this Saturday, July 10th at the Chicagoland Speedway. You can check out the Keith and a little NASCAR by visiting www.chicagolandspeedway.com.

Vince Vaughn is in town shooting a new Ron Howard and Brian Grazer flick this summer,  just released that he’s bringing his Wild West Comedy Tour to Chicago for one night along with fellow comedian Kevin James. You can see them Friday, July 23rd at Park West Theatre — read more for all info…

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Twitter pics of Piven, Mayer, Lookingglass, Cubs, Sox, Press, Mayhem & More!

If you follow me on twitter, you know my life is crazy, and that last weekend was no exception. Photos showed me splitting a bottle of patron tequila w/ buddy John Mayer at underground, vacuum packing Jeremy Piven’s cell phone in rice after he dropped it in the toilet at sunda, jumping on a dozen tv & radio stations live talking about raising money for art & theatre programs for kids, taste testing more food than most eat in a week, trying to fit more crazy tasks & adventures in a day/night than humanly possible to do whatever I can for my team & city!

It occurred to me though that some of you aren’t following me on twitter and are missing out on it all! That’s not good! So I included a sample of my tweetpics / life in the last couple days here so you can get a feel for what you are missing! It’s always random, always crazy, always entertaining.. and most important.. a great way to stay in touch and create a relationship as I have with so many others! Enjoy- and then click here to follow me on twitter too!

• jeremy piven dropped his phone in the toliet & i took it & vacum packed in rice at sunda right before we hit rockit & the underground- he tweeted to 1.1 million people- hilarious!

  http://www.billydec.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/IMG00919-20100626-1926.jpg
  

• john mayer and me at the underground coming to visit me again like he always does right before crossroads. crazy conversation! good times!

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chicago cubs randy wells & derrek lee w/me & jeremy piven @RockitChicago & 


white sox manager kenny williams on other side.. awkward?

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• interesting that this all started w/ annual checkup (i know TMI) & fell before my big press push to raise money to support kids, art & theatre. all is good even though my back is out!

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• on kiss w/ ty for big give away & supporting the arts & theatre! not only was the winner awesome, but she also had the most amount of people tweeting at us- another reason to follow me on twitter!

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• comcast sports net

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• me on live tv

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• thanks to people tweeting me pics when on live tv- i never get to watch bc i dont know how to use my beta recorder- so appreciate it!

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• me & david kaplan- thanks for having me!

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• popped out to pick up 15 slabs of ribs for test trial for rockit- i love my job!

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• 5:59 am- up for ABC news!

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• holy spread!

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• makeup- not too much!

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• had to take picture of robotic camera!

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• gettin mic'd!

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• with hosea sanders with robotic cameras coming at us!

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• wrapping up wih hosea before doing radio with pete mcmurray (the loop), bob sirott(wgn), drex(kiss) & jay & julia(b96) all to raise money for kids!

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• my fav meat & cheese plate with all my interns & staff!

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• jamie from office loves jumbo shrimp!

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• walkin into madhatter's ball & cameras come after me- realizing how heavily medicated i am

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• rambling- realizing how delusional i am from steroids for back!

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• madhatters ball with senior vp at sara lee john harris!

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• my best friend joey slotnick reminicing over how we hosted first one with buddy david schwimmer 10 yrs ago! (& how joey hates twitter!)

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• my assistant katie rose cronin, joey slotnick & my interns!

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• cameron croft & friends!

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• the cast of lookingglass’ “alice!”

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• absolute's ice luge!

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• on ice bar!

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• lunch 1- meeting w/ guy about opening new restaurants

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• lunch 2- meeting w/ woman about a tv show!

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• beef!

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• cubs/sox game

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• stop hate- i love chicago!

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• me peacing out to go do live tv! got stuck in traffic & was almost late to do live tv!

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• I MADE IT! They had to take camera crew to curb I was so late!

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• shes a good sport event when im messing with her

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• until next time allison rosati!

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• cutest blue pitbull lab mix!

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• corn = summer!!! stopped for corn & a beer at st joesphats summerfest.. sooo goood!

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Dragon Roll calling me- in the mood for some eel- not sure why? @SundaChicago sushibar chefs flyn warp speed

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After blowtorch eel, we put it on blowtorchd brownsugar on watermelon, top w/mango & a couple Sunda secrets!

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• Me & Chef Jesse in Sunda Kitchn split'n this 2lb ribeye not on menu (but u can say I told u we have it- ha!)

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• Ok seriously, last thing Im eating is this Chicken Toban.. Getting full @SundaChicago.. @UndergroundChi nxt!

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• stoppin at ms. illinois table to say happy bday!

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• john mayer & i at underground- can't wait till he comes back to play in august!

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• my fav snack while watching soccer game next morning!

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• as soon as we got to sunda- jeremy drops his phone in toliet! funny bc he was saying how he just how he shot an episode of entourage last week where he did the same thing!

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• exhausted having to open my mouth & bummed cant drink- still feelin loopy from meds

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• jeremy piven & friends!

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• me & jeremy with his mom joyce, founder of piven theatre

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• derek lee & randy wells came to support! along with white sox manager kenny williams- not awkward at all!

  http://www.billydec.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/JPBDCUBS1.jpg
  

• rockit packed to raise money & support theatre in chicago!

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everyone is attacking the cupcakes, rice crispie treats & chocolate pretzels @RockitChicago like kids.. haha

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• Fox TV's Jan Jeffcoat having fun!

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• cheers to a successful event!

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here's my fav tatoo of night.. happens to be on one of my @RockitChicago bartenders.. who are all too cool!

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• drummer matt walker from morrisey & smashing pumkins!

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• rocking out on drums with morrissey's matt walker

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• jeremy rapping & rocking out on drums

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• this pic represents all the craziness that happened at the underground on twitter- for those pics gotta follow me on twitter- gotta save something for my followers!

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• next morning working on blog- got asked to be on pride float but tv manager would kill me if missed flight to NY- coming home tomorrow to do it all over again!

  http://www.billydec.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/x2_1c27340.jpeg
  

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Who do you think is best in Chicago!?

Just voted for the Chicago Reader “Best in Chicago” awards online! Figured I would share my answers since everyone asks me on Twitter and Facebook about my Chicago favs! (BTW, sorry did these fast, was in a rush, sorry if missed anyone!) You should vote too! (Especially for my places! haha) Voting ends this weekend so go to http://bestof.chicagoreader.com/ now!

Filed under Art, Comedy, Food, General, Movies, Museum, Music, Pictures, Radio, Theater, Video, bucktown, charity, chicago, cubs, fashion, nightlife, restaurants, sports | Comment (0)