Best New York Comedy

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Todd Barry and Koala bear in cuteness contest

and a gala annual free event ushering in the new year:

The 50 First Jokes of 2009

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks marked by brackets) include:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] what’s become one of my favorite traditions of the new year—an entirely free show/party in which 50 of NYC’s best comics gather to tell the first joke each of them wrote in 2009 at the Third Annual 50 First Jokes (7:00 pm),

a sketch troupe taking simple premises to wild conclusions, tonight with an all-new show about our country falling apart: The Impending Moustache Embraces the Madness (7:00 pm),

the NYC debut of a show developed at Chicago’s legendary iO theatre in which veteran improvisors create a play on the spot based on audience suggestions: New Play (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show who joyously declare Let’s Have a Ball (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of the funniest men in the world performing a deliciously long, wry headlining set at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Todd Barry (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),

sharp NYC comics at a free stand-up comedy show hosted by star sketch/improv troupe Derrick in Queens’ Long Island City: This Is New York (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the Cage Match record for winning streaks with 18 triumphs in a row, and has now taken over UCBT’s prestigious prime-time Saturday night slot—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and the debut of a comedy show about the advertising biz, tonight featuring razor-sharp comics & national TV ad veterans Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, VH1) and Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central, Variety SHAC), and hosted by Greg Johnson (President Johnson) and Sam Brown (The Whitest Kids U’ Know): Ad Nauseam (midnight).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.