It’s specific enough to appeal to standup comedy aficionados in the Midwest, and general enough to appeal to a broader audience far outside of the Windy City.

“Out of the Loop” is a seriously funny look the history of stand-up comedy, and those who attend such performances, in Chicago.

This new documentary lets us in on how some well-known performers started their rise to fame, and how their Chicago audiences led to bigger, national fan bases.

I especially loved hearing from Tom Dreesen. In case you don’t recognize him, that’s because broke ground many years ago. Dreesen teamed up with Tim Reid to form the comedy act Tim and Tom. They were the first biracial stand-up comedy duo in the nation.

Also, I loved the quick bit from Bob Odenkirk about how he doesn’t want to be in the documentary.

Some of the comedians take us back to a Chicago with few or no stand-up clubs, a time when budding comics begged to perform between bands, or anywhere there was a stage that had a few minutes of dead air during the evening. You’ll see recognizable faces such as Jeff Garlin (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,”) Marsha Warfield (“Night Court”) and the late Judy Tenuta as they remember their salad days.

Lil Rel Howery and Orlando Reyes, along with one of my all-time favorites, the late Bernie Mac, also share their memories of various clubs and experiences. Additionally, they talk about racial differences in clubs and audiences.

I loved listening to these performers talk about how Chicago comedy has changed and the often-grueling and humiliating situations they endured for the love of their art.

The very idea of the documentary is clever, and so are the people interviewed for it. It’s well worth a watch.

3 stars

Streaming on digital platforms.

Running time: 88 minutes.

Rated: Unrated, but similar to an “R” for adult audiences.

Watch the trailer here.