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Kevin Pollak
Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
sharp stand-ups Becky Donohue (Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Shorties Watchin’ Shorties; TLC), Jiwon Lee (Comedy Central’s Root of All Evil, NBC, AMC, ESPN, Air America), Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com), Luke Cunningham (The Colbert Report), and more at Sean Donnelly’s Lil’ Seany Boy (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Lauren Olson performing a one-woman show about the death of her mom that I hear is surprisingly funny in Our Condolences (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] a movie star demonstrating he’s also a top stand-up comic and killer funny impersonator in a deliciously long set tonight and Sunday: Kevin Pollak Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] brilliant stand-ups—who also happen to be staff writers for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon—Anthony Jeselnik (one of the finest comics in the biz; HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Morgan Murphy (former staff writer for Jimmy Kimmel and Crank Yankers), and more at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Writers of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] gay comics telling personal & funny “coming out” tales at Closet Cases (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] superb stand-ups & comedic storytellers—Margot Leitman (Conan O’Brien, VH1, Stripped Stories), Mike Drucker (freelance writer for Saturday Night Live, The Onion, McSweeney’s), Dan St. Germain (MTV), and many more—telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives at a monthly show hosted by gorgeous rising star Sara Benincasa (CNN, MTV, The Sarah Palin Vlogs): Family Hour (9:00 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] taking the prize for oddball event of the evening, popular masculine NYC comics—including Jared Logan,. John Morrison,and Sean Donnelly—perform comedy in drag at Madame Katie’s House of Ladies (11:00 pm),
[$] star comics Dave Attell, Lynn Koplitz, and more performing late-night shows at Comedy Cellar (11:00 pm & 12:45 am),
improv troupes Bastian and The Scam (with such stellar talents as Jeff Hiller, Tara Copeland, Jesse Falcon, and Kevin Hines) snuggle up for laughs at Saturday Night Slumber Party (midnight),
[$] and a provocative comedy star who’s written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle’s Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (12:30 am).
For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.
Best New York Comedy 