These awesome photos of Defend The Republic! Denver are courtesy of Griffin Beste.

Jake and Late Night Republic drop in on a street fair in Madison, Wisconsin, and start a Cardboard Tube Battle. Craziness ensues.

today in Chicago
a city i’m growing to love
more and more by the second

i walked into the Children’s Hospital.

my staff booked me for a tour of the hospital
love going to meet these kids
and hang out with them.
so many people in their lives
as they are sick
tell them what not to do, or what’s wrong with them
and they love that i go in
and break rules
and say it’s OK to be different.
i usually get in trouble, they laugh and smile
and i leave before i get kicked out.

it warms my heart, and reminds me of my brother
and our time together
for three years in the hospital.

i was just between press interviews and network TV meetings
and so I was running at a frenetic pace
however, hanging out with kids
slows down time
a breath of fresh air
in a busy day in Chicago.

a young guy, 10 years old
came up to me
“mr jake”
he says
“hi buddy, what’s your name?”
i’ll say it’s juan, because we’re not aloud to say real names
“i watch your show every week with my mom” juan says

hiding my shocked’ness, i ask him
“well, juan, who’s your mom?”
he tells me she’s not here
i ask him if he’ll tell her
that she’s crazy
for letting her 10 year old
watch my TV show.
he laughs, and proceeds to play soccer on the floor of the playroom.

we talked basketball, derek fisher, kobe’s his favorite
a cool kid from southern illinois
in a children’s hospital for those long days
waiting on doctors and treatments.
same same same.

had the event in Chicago
hundreds showed up
to defend the Republic
and took part in an awe-inspiring
Cardboard Tube Battle
of semi-epic proportions.

fun for fun’s sake.
people of all ages
kids 5 years old, to people my grandma’s age
fought each other
with card board tubes.
people exclaimed
it was the most fun they had in years

i played ring leader
with my toga and megaphone.
people smiling and laughing.
pure joy.

security tried to shut us down
the movement was too ferocious
they just wouldn’t stop
it was beautiful
ANARCHY.
defend the Republic
take it back from the late night executives
was my rheotoric.

it seemed to work

newspapers, blogs, photographers
swarmed the event.
asking “Why” or “Oh, I get it, this is fun” or “Who’s in charge here”
perplexed looks on their faces
made me more and more happy.

a true movement in late night
is what this is
i’m not embarrassed admit
i’ve having a great time

i love the people i’m meeting
such a gift.

viva Milwaukee next!

being on the road isn’t easy
it’s very rewarding.
people actually watch my show
which is beyond imagination
to me.

LATE NIGHT REPUBLIC
doesn’t air in NYC yet
so I don’t get recognized on the streets there
when I come to middle America, even to cities I know air the show
it’s still so odd when people reference segments
or talk about the people we’ve had on.
still a powerful medium of broadcasting.

met a 16 year old girl who watches the show
then a guy named Jack in Kansas City
then a hotel employee woman named Star in Peoria.
among a few.
always fascinating.

our team has moved to Chicago
to prepare the Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison
ground wars.
while I am handling Peoria and Champagne
with ali and jeff
for the next few days.

it is exhausting and thrilling
i am trying to figure out a way
for this generation to represent itself
in late night
in a way like never before.

as i meet the people
i am reminded
how lucky i really am.
in st. louis, i found out the average annual household income
is $17,200 per year.

i am realizing
that the US is showing signs of
becoming a third world country
middle class shrinks
i see it first hand.

i hope that comedy entertainment and outrageousness
can help elevate
people everywhere.
my purpose becomes clearer
as i meet more and more.

this morning on the radio show
DJ Dan asked if I’ve always “known.”
intuitively, i answered without letting him finish
yes, i’ve known i’m meant for this
no question.
never really knew how i’d get here,
or get “there” (the next big step)
but have always felt this
and i’ve been tenacious and focused to create
this life
for me.

i want a radio show
to talk about this kind of “stuff”
that I don’t talk about on TV
deeper stuff, the meaning of life
i think there’s an audience
now i just need a radio show.

leaving for a meet and greet
at a bar downtown Peoria, Illinois.
i’m told fans will be there
i can’t wait to hang out with new folks
i love people here in the heart of america
so, so real.
refreshing in every way.

Photos Courtesy of Bob Crowe

i love the people in st. louis
they give you their hearts and their love
and they give me free stuff in restaurants.

Courtesy: Bob Crowe

met hundreds of women today coming out of the
Joyce Meyer Seminar. women of all ages (mostly older)
praising jesus and smiling real big
joyce is a far right wing
christian conservative.

principles she teaches seem great
but i was asked to accept jesus in my life
at least 15 times today.
i’m still not sure what to say
other than “thank you very much for the thought.”
i bet jesus didn’t push people to accept him
in the way that his followers do 2,000 years later.

first event was reckless
we had to rush to pull people into the event
as they were passing by.
it was hot, it was in a place in St. Louis where no one was
we are very constricted by permits
and laws
and make believe red tape and bureacracy
by our “Lawyers.”

i’m going to start breaking some rules
beginning tomorrow. can’t be held back, no not me
i’m seeking to change it immediately
because it’s costing us money and precious time
and potential fans
on the road.

the event, without any spin, was a flop
TV race is a great idea
but we couldn’t get the word out
no one showed up on their own.
hard to see something you believe in
crumble before your eyes.
real hard, real humbling.

we convinced 10 people to race
we did two races
5 people each
it was fun
one of the St. Louis U students even quipped
“that was actually really really fun.”
made the day better.

Kevin Bracken and I quickly re-calibrated
for future events.
we figured out
a great system and we will be doing a HUGE event
in every city we go to
rather than trying to do 5 smaller ones
and diversifying.
one event – all about TAKING BACK THE REPUBLIC
a massive CARDBOARD TUBE battle in public spaces
more on this announcement soon, with pictures of course.

i was so exhausted i slept for 4 hours after the event.

it’s emotionally draining
to put yourself out there

they say it’s all great
and it is
living the dream
aspiring
desiring more
living the best life
possible.
building a fan base
locally
never did I expect it to be this exhausting
after day 1
and I have 2 more months to go.

truthfully,
to put yourself
your brand
your being out there
for everyone to see
it’s more vulnerable
than sex for me.
more scary, vulnerable and daunting
than sex.

miss, hit, fail, or slam dunk
it’s for all to see
and it’s very humbling.

today was a miss, never a fail
because we get back up
and we have a team determined to win.

we’re going to Kansas City tomorrow
then the Riverfront in Peoria is being shut down on Tuesday for us.
radio announcements are already blarring.

Chicago is later this week
and that’s when our Plan 2.0 launches.
more on that soon.

and also, not to brag
but our sprinter bus
that we’re traveling in
is so baller!

interior pics of the xbox system,
sound system
leather seats and disco ball to follow
tomorrow.

three years ago
in 2007
i was a fresh faced 21 year old
Overstock.com had just paid me $125,000
Ford was about to pay me $300,000
and give me a car.
I knew nothing.
I was launching my Jake After Jimmy on ABC campaign
and was 3 months before launching after Kimmel in 40 million homes.

the first city i went to
St Louis
i performed with Guster and Brett Dennen at St. Louis university
the crowd roared.
i did an “act”
10 minutes that one of my best friends Manuel Rappard and I
came up with on the plane ride to STL.

it was a beautiful Fall evening
perfect in every way
10,000 kids at SLU
screaming.
I went off stage to get Guster on

I had gotten on the golf card to go lay
in a patch of grass
to come off my high.

the Producer of the show stopped me
“Jake, they are chanting your name,
they need you back out there.”

surreal in every way
my first time out
JAKE JAKE JAKE
unreal.
feels natural to be back
to launch this next phase
of my career
here in St. Louis
in many ways, this is where everything started
and where i learned how to have the courage…
the courage that i would need when i failed.

loving st. louis!

on an airtran flight
to meet the tour bus in st louis
reminds me of the days
when airtran sponsored the show
and first class tickets were issued
to me and staff and friends and family
like candy.
bitter sweet
as I clamor for the emergency exit row
in coach.
wax on, wax off.
everything comes to completion.
next stop: flying private.

beyond excited to meet the crazy fans
we have in these cities.
my goal is very simple: win in late night.
speak with enough people
make enough real good friends and allies
that the shows ratings go up
nationwide.

deconstruct every piece of the talk show
and rebuild leveraging the members
of the Republic.

VIVA the PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF LATE NIGHT.

just found out I am interviewing
Tim Ferriss// 4-Hour-Workweek fame
in a few weeks
and Rainn Wilson from The Office
has agreed to make his second
appearance on the program.
suggestions for outrageous
things to talk about
are welcomed.

nervous, excited, anticipating
enjoying my time with boy genius
Kevin Bracken
who coordinated all the events.
landing in Milwaukee
where we air at 12midnight Fridays
on Fox.

Ilovemilwaukee