Best New York Comedy

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For my all-time favorite oddball comedy videos, please click here.

The Bridget Fitzgeralds rock the house tonight with "Songs of Seriousness," while rising star Billy Gardell headlines at Gotham

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

7:00 pm ($8): “Ever wonder how you become a writer for an Emmy winning TV show? So does J. D. Durkin. Since no one has told him, here is his one-man show performing all original material to become a writer for The Colbert Report. Durkin channels Colbert live on stage to present political punditry as only The PIT could do it…and only The PIT, since he was escorted off the Comedy Central premises:” Stephen Colbert: Hire Me

7:30 pm ($10): Sketch shows from Two Fun Men and from Bleak, in the double-bill Two Men Having Fun and Stomachtown

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($13) Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher have spent years scouring thrift stores and garage sales around the country for odd, funny, and startling videos. For samples of their past finds, please click here and here. Tonight and Saturday they’ll be screening a whole new collection at Anthology Film Archives (32 Second Avenue) of their Found Footage Festival

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($12 & 2-drink min.)  Fresh, quirky, hilarious musical duo The Bridget Fitzgeralds will be performing tonight and Saturday at Don’t Tell Mama (343 West 46th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues) with Songs of Seriousness

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Dan St. Germain (rising star; MTV), Doogie Horner (America’s Got Talent), David Angelo (writer for Jimmy Fallon), Mark Normand, Brendan McLaughlin, and Scott Moran performing stand-up at O’Hanlon’s (14th Street off 1st Avenue) hosted by Matt Ruby: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($28 online using discount code TMANIA): UK-based Daniel Kitson is one of the sharpest and most respected writer/performers alive. This is a rare opportunity to spend an intimate 90 minutes with a true genius of comedy. Please note this is a sprawling, detail-packed theatrical show, not stand-up…and not for every taste. But whether you’re ultimately grabbed by the story or not, it’s worth experiencing if only for Daniel’s lightning-quick flashes of humor. For example, at the performance I attended a woman sitting in the front row had the incredible gall to start reading. Daniel sweetly responded, “Ooh, that’s a subtle yet effective form of criticism. I’m certainly not cross with you, just too nosy about what you’re reading to plow on. Look, you’re still reading. What a lack of faith you have in live entertainment.” Place your faith in Daniel, check out write-ups in The New York Times by clicking here andhere, and catch this show running every day except Mondays through January 30th at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse (38 Water Street): The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.)  A long-time cast member of MAD TV headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Bobby Lee

[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A co-star of CBS sitcom MIke & Molly, and the star of his own upcoming Comedy Central hour-long special, headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Billy Gardell

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Always fresh and imaginative world-class sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar rituals on their head (for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here) delivering a brand new collection of sketches titled Ms. Larsen’s Class: The Harvard Sailing Team

10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

10:30 pm ($10): Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, and other fine improvisors make up scenes about an audience member’s legal dispute at The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

11:00 pm ($5): An all-gal improv troupe consisting of Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell, with tonight’s guest guy the wonderful Kurt Braunohler, performing as Goldie and the Hawns

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($7): A spectacular collection of veteran improvisors from Chicago and New York performing for one night only—including Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO teacher, Annoyance co-founder), Jodi Lennon (Comedy Central’s Exit 57), Ari Voukydis (UCB instructor, VH!’s Best Week Ever), Doug Stoley (Conan O’Brien, UCB), Rick Andrews (Magnet performer), Mark Grenier (Magnet teacher), Jen Sanders (Magnet performer), and Chet Siegel (Magnet performer)— Lights Out, Shirley!

Midnight ($5): Obscure sketch comedy troupes Pink Axe and Missing Earl compete for audience laughs and votes, with troupe Sidecar hosting, in Backyard Brawl

For my all-time favorite oddball comedy videos, please click here.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.