Rachel Owens

If you love the stories found in the history of Milwaukee’s places and spaces, this weekend must seem like an unofficial local holiday. Doors Open Milwaukee is a two-day event that organizes tours of more than 200 buildings in the metro area – including Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, which is featured in our second story.

Milwaukee has no shortage of ways to enjoy the water: Kayaking along its rivers, swimming in Lake Michigan, fishing off a breakwall, taking a boat tour of the harbor, or river-cruising to a favorite riverside restaurant or bar.

There’s still one option that we haven’t mentioned – and it’s one that’s been around for almost the longest: sailing. Drive over the Hoan Bridge on a pleasant summer day, and you’re bound to see a picturesque scene of Milwaukee’s lakeshore, complete with puffy white sails dotting the harbor.

Summer is, of course, festival season in Cream City, and its funniest fest is just around the corner: the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. Now in its 13th year, its unofficial pre-kick-off event has become a tradition of its own. The event, called the Milwaukee Roast, aims to get us all laughing — at ourselves.

If you love comedy, it’s a great weekend to be in Brew City, for this weekend marks the 12th anniversary of the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. And it gets even better, if you’re a fan of the Wet Hot American Summer film and Netflix series. For not only did the new season just start streaming, but one of its stars will be in town this Sunday, headlining the comedy festival: Michael Ian Black.

Almost 20 years ago, Milwaukee was 'invaded' by three six-foot-tall ladybugs. They latched on to a downtown building and have been there ever since. 

For years, Nancy Leafblad of Brookfield has wondered about the enormous bugs, so she turned to Bubbler Talk to learn more.

Comedian and Wisconsin native Shane Mauss makes a stop in Milwaukee Wednesday night, along his 80-city A Good Trip tour. He calls his show “part stand-up, part funny stories of experiences, and part Ted Talk.”

He takes audiences on a funny journey through the stigma, history, laws and science of psychedelics.

Risk! is a live show and podcast “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public.” The show’s creator and host is Kevin Allison, a former member of the famous MTV sketch comedy troupe The State.

Since 2008, the podcast has steadily commanded a loyal audience, and now boasts over 2 million downloads per month.

Note, Dec. 1st: The Guy Branum show on Dec. 14th has been canceled.

Whether you enjoy holiday traditions, or find them stressful, there’s one thing most people can agree upon this time of the year: we could all use some comic relief.  Luckily for us, we have Comedy Contributor Matt Kemple to share his suggestions as to just where we might find that cup of cheer. 

What is the oldest building in Milwaukee? That's the question Emily Pauly posed to WUWM in this week's Bubbler Talk.

“I work in the Mitchell Building downtown, which is a pretty old building," Pauly says. "I believe it was built in the 1870s – and knowing that Milwaukee is older than that, I figure there must be something older than what I work in."

While this may seem like a straight-forward question to answer, it’s not.

This summer in Rio, one athlete holds the distinction of being the only U.S. sailor to represent the Midwest. 26-year-old Annie Haeger of East Troy, Wisconsin already has a very impressive sailing career, including being named the Female Collegiate Sailor of the Year in 2012 and 2015’s US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

WUWM listeners are familiar with the baritone voice of NPR's Morning Edition co-host David Greene.

Greene is one of the voices that bring national and international stories to listeners over their morning coffee or on commutes to work. He came to the hosting chair after working as an NPR foreign correspondent covering Russia. He also spent four years covering the White House and presidential politics for the network.

"We're just two brothers that are on stage, having a lot of fun," says Chad Orr of Two Brothers, One Mind. "We're going to show you something that's pretty neat, and you're going to have fun with us - enjoy the ride."

While comedy and magic may not seem like the most natural combination, brothers Chad and Jeff Orr have created a unique show by doing just that.  Together, they are known as Two Brothers, One Mind, and have developed an act that blends comedy, mental magic, and audience participation. 

Stewart Huff has been on the standup comedy circuit for the past 15 years. In that time he’s performed in comedy clubs nationally and internationally, including the Improv in Los Angeles and New York, and he’s been part of the HBO Las Vegas Festival, where his act can be viewed on pay-per-view. He also has three comedy CDs to his credit, including the latest, Stewart Huff, Probably.

Jen Kirkman is all over the place.  And we mean that in a good way.  The comedian has a popular Netflix special, called “I’m Gonna Die Alone,” and a book on the New York Times bestseller list, called I Can Barely Take Care of Myself. 

With a multitude of talents and accomplishments under her belt, Kirkman doesn't find the validation of different mediums necessary to feel successful. However, she does stress the importance of just sharing who she is with her audience.

In Milwaukee, it's easy to get overwhelmed when choosing which summer festivals to attend. The Milwaukee Comedy Festival is celebrating "Ten Years of Funny!" August 6-8 .

Billed as Wisconsin's largest comedy event, the annual festival features performers from across the United States and Canada, and takes place at the Next Act Theatre, and for the first time at the Historic Turner Hall.

  Rachel Owens interviewed Milwaukee’s own Lex Allen singer/songwriter when he stopped by the WUWM@Nite studio. He performed a few tracks from his E.P. Anonymous Vibes with  two other members of the New Age Narcissism "Non-Family" Q the Sun and Lorde Fredd33 helping out.

Recently, Milwaukee Comedy's Matt Kemple and WUWM's Rachel Owens had the pleasure of sitting down, chatting and laughing with comedian Johnny Beehner. Beehner is from Milwaukee and has been working on perfecting his craft since his College years. He found himself spending most of his Thursday nights doing stand-up at The Safe House restaurant downtown.

The Milwaukee Opera Theater might not be on the same scale as the Metropolitan Opera – and is certainly a bit cheekier, but they still take their work seriously… even if their productions are often tongue-in-cheek.

Their latest production is no exception.  Funny to begin with, The Mikado is a classic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, with some significant tweaks, courtesy of our next guest.

Hold on to your hat people. That is the first and last word of advice I have. They are The Living Statues, a rock n’ roll trio based here in the Cream City. They mix the pop sensibilities of the British Invasion with “explosive garage rock textures.”

Milwaukee comedian Ryan Lowe jokes that he is the “Jackson Pollack of comedy;” a misunderstood, reclusive, and enigmatic artistic force.  Since starting his career eight years ago, Lowe has dabbled in many different areas of comedy including sketch performance, traditional standup, and puppetry. A comedy club regular in Milwaukee and throughout the Midwest, Lowe is best known for his sarcastic and dry sense of humor. Energetic performances offset with moments of expressionless emotion have become a signatures of Lowe’s.

Jay’s Happy Sunshine Burger Joint is clearly a name that stood out while pursuing the Summerfest 2014 lineup. While certainly a band that enjoys its music and does not take itself too seriously, Jay’s Happy SBJ takes its craft seriously.

Milwaukee experimental rapper, poet, and MC, WebsterX joined Rachel Owens in the WUWM studio this week, talking about his newest single Doomsday (feat. Siren). X got his start at an early age. Last time he visited the WUWM studio, he talked briefly about his childhood. For hours after school X would play basketball with his friends, after which time the group would relax and start experimenting with rap into the evenings. In Nov.

Comedian Martin Morrow has been performing on stage since the age of 18, at that time performing mostly during open mic nights. His professional career took off in 2009. He joined the award winning comedy duo “Tubbi and Martin” in Auburn, Ala., perfecting his improve, sketch, and stand-up comedy skills. Originally from Birmingham, Ala., Morrow now resides in Chicago Ill. His comedy routine has brought him coast to coast, from New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and various cities across the Midwest.

In many ways, the story of Kim and Scott Collins of The Smoking Flowers reads like a great fictional love story: love at first sight, musical partnership, Kim's battle with breast cancer, and her recovery using completely natural methods. Their June performance at the Circle-A Café was their second in Milwaukee, a market which they say has always been kind to them. The Collins called in to WUWM@Nite’s Rachel Owens to talk about their musical aspirations and their new album 2 Guns.

Jazz is alive and well in the Midwest, according to Matt Endress – a native of Madison, Wis. – and Clark Gibson. They are members of the Champagne, Illinois based jazz band the Old Style Sextet.

You may know Rebecca Loebe from her spin on NBC’s “The Voice,” performing a stirring rendition of Nirvana’s “Come As You Are.” But she was already working hard on her songwriting chops when that opportunity popped up for her almost out of the blue.

Our studio doors have opened to many roots inspired acts, but few have had the orchestral leanings of The Memphis Dawls. The trio’s sister-like camaraderie is apparent in both conversation and song. Their first full-length release, “Rooted in the Bone,” was released yesterday on Madjack Records. They spoke with Rachel Owens about their Memphis roots, recording, and playing with Jack White. They started by performing “Please Don’t Leave Me Now.”