NU alum Schwimmer finds no-nonsense Chicago refreshing

By Miki Turner | For RedEye

March 28, 2008

Even though David Schwimmer was born in New York and reared in L.A., Chicago, where he has lived off and on for the past 24 years, owns a big chunk of his heart.

"It's just a great city," said the former "Friends" star, who graduated with a degree in speech and theater from Northwestern. "The people are great, the restaurants are great ... I feel in a way that I'm a Chicagoan at heart because of the work ethic of that city."

He's a hard worker too. In 1988, Schwimmer, along with several of his Northwestern classmates, founded the Lookingglass Theater Company. Schwimmer has appeared in a handful of the troupe's productions as an actor, and his direction in "The Jungle" earned six Joseph Jefferson Awards, which are given each year to honor excellence in Chicago theater.

Participating in theater is one of the things he enjoys most about Chicago.

"It's a great theater town," Schwimmer said. Chicagoans "go to the theater in a way that's like going to the movies. It's like everyone does it, it's part of the culture and it's casual. It's like what do you want to do tonight? Do you want to see a play?"

When he's not at the theater, Schwimmer hits the clubs—Le Passage is a favorite haunt. He also enjoys going to Bulls games and eating out. He loves the Drawing Room (at Le Passage) and Rockit Bar & Grill. But as good as those joints are, nothing hits the spot like a pizza from Carmen's in Evanston.

"I used to go there a lot and get the stuffed spinach," he said. "Oh, it was fantastic."

Aside from not being able to get any good pizza in L.A., what's the biggest difference between the Windy City and the City of Angels?

"People in Chicago are similar to the ones in New York. They just tell you like it is," he said. "Sometimes in L.A. when people come up to you, half of you thinks, 'Oh, they've got a script they want to pitch.' In Chicago, that's just never the case. They could care less. They're just like, 'Hey, I liked you on that thing.' Or equally, 'You know what? I really didn't like that show.' I love it. I love how refreshingly honest this city is." [ Miki Turner is a redeye special contributor. ]