Kamau's Going to Yuk It Up Like It's His Birthday

For some people, they're birthday consists of phone call from the parents, drinks with friends, and trying to make it through the inevitable office birthday cake. For local comedian W. Kamau Bell, his birthday consists of throwing a comedy extravaganza for himself this Thursday at the Purple Onion. Appearing with Bell are "underground comedy legend and virtuoso piano player" Brent Weinbach, comedian Joe Klocek, Human Beat Boxer D.C, "scratch guitarist" The Genie, and others.

Kamau has been working it on the local scene, performing his own stand-up, writing his own plays, creating an internet cartoon, and being a notarized public (apparently, he's got the notarized skills to pay the bills). A veteran of Chicago's Second City, Kamau was a semi-finalist in Comedy Central's Laugh Riots Competition in 2002 and was named "An Artist on The Verge" by The San Francisco Chronicle.

Show starts at 9, $10 admission (or $8 if you go to his Web site and send an e-mail). Be there or be, well, you know.