No, it's not April 1st, and yes, it's true that the legendary Bill Kurtis will announce bingo games this Monday night.
Bill will be at Madame Zuzu's Teahouse in Highland Park as he calls the monthly "Celebrity Bingo Night" for 30 lucky players.
Madame Zuzu's is the newest local gathering place thanks to owner/music star/local resident Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins rock group.
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Billy & Bill are very similar (aside from their first names) since both have several different jobs and both have been very successful. Billy can include Madame Zuzu's, his music and a wrestling company, while Bill can include his voice work and his beef company. (Bill just left his anchorman job at CBS2/WBBM-TV)
Bill will not only call bingo numbers, but he also plans to perform the lost art of the spoken word as poetry - very similar to another great Chicago voice, the inimitable Ken Nordine of "Word Jazz" fame.
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Perhaps Bill will recite lyrics to songs written by Billy Corgan, such as "Tonight, Tonight"...imagine the voice of Bill Kurtis enunciating: "The more you change the less you feel / Believe, believe in me, believe / That life can change that you're not stuck in vain / We're not the same, we're different tonight / Tonight so bright / Tonight." Even some of the lyrics to 1995's "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" will sound new again when voiced by Bill: "The world is a vampire / sent to drain" or "Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage."
This special night is limited to only 30 players, and the big bingo winner will get a private tea party for 6 with Bill and his partner Donna LaPietra at their north suburban home and a tour of their 65 acres.
"Celebrity Bingo Night" with Bill Kurtis is this Monday at Madame Zuzu's in Highland Park.
All ticket proceeds go to PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving) Chicago & Writers' Theatre in Glencoe.
