NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 4/20/09

April 20, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Sketch comedy about getting high at "It's 4/20, Dude!"

Sketch comedy about getting high at "It's 4/20, Dude!"

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:

the perfect show for short attention spans, open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—tonight including Sean Crespo, Chelsea White, Amy Beckerman, RG Daniels, Luke Cunningham, Julia Segal, Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Sean Donnelly, Blaine Perry, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry—at John Morrison’s Ochi’s Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] former and current writers of Saturday Night Live—including Leo Allen, Bryan Tucker, and Colin Jost, plus guest host Pete Holmes—performing stand-up at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),

a small mob of talented sketch comedy writer/performers doing bits about getting stoned at It’s 4/20, Dude! (9:30 pm), and

[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free weekly show typically featuring some of the finest comics in the country, hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 4/19/09

April 19, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Janeane Garofalo

Janeane Garofalo

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:

[TOP PICK] [$] a movie and TV superstar ending her headlining run tonight at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Janeane Garofalo (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] UCBT’s playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] TV star sketch troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know and more at what’s often among the funniest free productions in NYC, hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians (7:30 pm),

typically some of the best comics in the biz joining comedy giant Eugene Mirman for his weekly shindig at Brooklyn’s Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] superb stand-ups Joe DeRosa (Comedy Central Presents special, Brooke Van Poppelen (sketch duo Macho!), HBO’s Down & Dirty), Mark Normand (co-host of We’re All Friends Here), and more at RG Daniels’ free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),

[FREE] talented NYC comics at Vince Averill’s & Jesse Popp’s free show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),

[FREE] and stand-ups Allison Castillo (Comedy Central, VH1, FOX), Ali Wong (The Onion), Adam Strauss, and Danny Siegel at a free gay-themed show hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 4/18/09

April 18, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

janeane-garofalo-at-comix

Janeane Garofalo

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:

[TOP PICK] a world-class sketch troupe specializing in physical comedy and music: Drop Six (7:00 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] [$] a movie and TV superstar—who’s also a comedy genius—delivering a deliciously long headlining set at the elegant Comix Comedy Club tonight and Sunday: Janeane Garofalo (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] clever wordplay, conceptual comedy, and relentless silliness—in an all-new show based around the already-goofy film Con Air—from sketch troupe Elephant Larry (8:00 pm),

[$] [DISCOUNTED] star stand-up Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Adult Swim), Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, VH1, CNN, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Late Night Stand-Up at Eastville (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm),

[FREE] a special edition of this free comedy show in Queens’ Long Island City in which the hosts—the three members of star sketch/improv troupe Derrick—each perform a 25-minute stand-up set: This Is New York (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),

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),

[$] comedy club lineups that tonight include one of the most brilliant & hilarious rising stars in New York: Anthony Jeselnik and More at Comedy Cellar (9:45 pm & 11:30 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] and rising star comics Kumail Nanjiani (Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report) and Thomas Middleditch (genius improv troupes Baby Wants Candy and Improvised Shakespeare) proving themselves to also be nerds by hosting this fun show about the video game industry, tonight with special guest Chris Gethard (brilliant storyteller & improvisor, and author of Weird New York): Game Bros. Live! (midnight).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 4/17/09

April 17, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Janeane Garofalo

Janeane Garofalo

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:

[TOP PICK] [$] a movie and TV superstar—who’s also a comedy genius—delivering a deliciously long headlining set at the elegant Comix Comedy Club tonight through Sunday: Janeane Garofalo (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] star comics Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Greg Giraldo, Jessica Kirson, and more performing—though not all on the same lineups—at Comedy Cellar (8:00 pm, 9:45 pm, and 11:30 pm),

stand-up comics Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo, here! TV), Mike Singer (here! TV), Michael Brill, and more at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),

[$] [DISCOUNTED] superb stand-ups Joe DeRosa (Comedy Central Presents special, HBO’s Down & Dirty), Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, VH1, CNN, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Late Night Stand-Up at Eastville (10:00 pm),

singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 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) and Morgan Murphy (former staff writer for Jimmy Kimmel and Crank Yankers) joining ace sketch troupe Olde English to perform all-new material for a show that’s Very Fresh (11:00 pm),

and a free opportunity for you to perform sketch on the UCBT stage at Liquid Courage (12:20ish am).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Thursday 4/16/09

April 16, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Jessica St. Clair

Jessica St. Clair

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:

[TOP PICK] stellar storyteller/stand-up Leslie Goshko (Manhattan Monologue Champion, host of Sideshow Goshko), Charles Star (host of Adult Education), and David Cope (co-host of Extra Fancy) performing stand-up comedy…and then being analyzed on stage!: Stand Up, Lie Down (7:30 pm),

Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell relating their YouTube-documented romantic adventures live on stage—possibly accompanied by visits from some of the gals—on Double Date Us (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland and James Eason leading a semi-revival of legendary troupe Mother in this new Magnet show: Sleepover (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Jessica Delfino (immensely talented comic and raunchy singer/songwriter), Sean Patton (VH1, Just for Laughs Festival), Ali Wong (hilarious San Franciscan comic; The Onion), and more at a free weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] acclaimed TV writer Laura Krafft (The Colbert Report), brilliant alt stand-up Dave Hill (King of Miami, HBO, The New York Times), and brilliant comedic storyteller & improvisor Chris Gethard (The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Magic Box of Stories, Weird New York), performing improvised monologues at Three-Piece! (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and For Richard Stands, competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 4/15/09

April 15, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Leslie Goshko

Leslie Goshko

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:

[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),

[TOP PICK] stellar comedic storytellers Kambri Crews (Comix, UCBT, The PIT, The Moth, The Bitter End; author of hot upcoming memoirs about her childhood), Jim O’Grady (The New York Times, Moth GrandSlam Champion), Jeff Simmermon (Moth StorySlam Champion), John Knefel (Huffington Post), and Juliet Jeske (CNN)—plus live accordion music by Michelle Leona, and a quiz for a free bottle of wine—at a show hosted by the razor-sharp and immensely talented Leslie Goshko (Manhattan Monologue Champion, UCBT) in which top comics and storytellers reveal odd aspects of themselves: Sideshow Goshko (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] four stellar storytellers—who tonight are Mark Katz (former White House humor writer for President Bill Clinton), Tom Shillue (Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Steve Osbourne (NYPD Manhattan Gang Squad CO), and Faye Lane (Beauty Shop Stories)—ably abetted by host Andy Christie (The New York Times) at The Liar Show (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] razor-sharp comics Jessi Klein (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Seth Herzog (VH1’s Best Week Ever, host of top weekly NYC comedy show Sweet), Joe Mande (winner of 2008 ECNY Award for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of Totally J/K), and Matt Ruby (MTV; co-host of We’re All Friends Here) at a new biweekly show hosted by Michael Terry and David Cope: Extra Fancy (8:00 pm),

[FREE] stand-ups Matt Goldich (Comedy Central, VH1), Jesse Pop (Comedy Central), Mike Trainor (TruTV, Sirius), Josh Rencher, and TJ Del Reno at a new free weekly comedy show hosted by Matt Maragno & the luminous Margie Kment: Now We’re Talking (8:00 pm),

[FREE] typically stellar NYC stand-ups at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),

[FREE] NYC stand-ups Ray Devito, Lisa Kaplan, Dustin Chafin, Meg Cupernall, Hari Kondabalu, and Vinny Fallon at a free show hosted by Sharon “Mama” Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),

comics, writers, and others telling tales of their worst NYC experiences in New York Sh*tty (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] an entirely improvised musical from a genius comedy duo, and an improvised soap opera, in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 4/14/09

April 14, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Gloria Bigelow, Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, and Jackie Monahan are Dykes on Mics

Gloria Bigelow, Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, & Jackie Monahan are Dykes on Mics

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:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—and for tonight only on the East side, at John Morrison’s Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),

Hilary Schwartz Rachael Parenta debuting an intriguing show described as “emotionally inappropriate comedy:” Please, Someone Kill Me (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Craig Yoe (Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-Creator Joe Shuster) and Fabian Nicieza (Trinity, Gotham Gazette) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Ragnaröck, Bastian, The Stepfathers, Reuben Williams, and DeCoster, plus a great troupe reshuffling at 11:00 pm called The Blender—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] typically stellar comics performing at this free show hosted by brilliant stand-ups Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim) and Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1’s Best Week Ever, The New Yorker): Punch Up Your Life (8:30 pm),

[DISCOUNTED] NYC stand-ups Ross Bennett, Hari Kondabolu, Mike Trainor, Mark Normand, Josh Comers, David Cope, and more at John Morrison’s Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Morgan Murphy (Comedians of Comedy, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel), Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central Presents), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, award-winning Verizon FIOS guy), Donald Glover (30 Rock, Derrick), and more at the wonderful Seth Herzog’s Sweet (9:00 pm),

and sharp NYC stand-ups joining delightful hosts Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, and Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (9:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 4/13/09

April 13, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

John Mulaney

John Mulaney

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:

Rob Lathan debuting a new show starring his hyperactive life coach character in Get Psyched: Suck It, Recession! (6:30 pm),

the perfect show for short attention spans, open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—tonight including Joselyn Hughes, Jared Logan, Dan St. Germain, Emily Epstein, Leah Dubie, Sean Crespo, Hilary Schwartz, Mark Normand, Sean Donnelly, Blaine Perry, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry—at John Morrison’s Ochi’s Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents) performing what’s likely to be a mesmerizing comedic one-man show: Supernormal (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] brilliantly funny comics Dave Hill (HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), Victor Varnado (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, NBC’s My Name is Earl, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Josh Comers, Moe & Mary, and more at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country—who tonight include John Mulaney (one of the best stand-ups in the biz; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O’Brien; just aired his first Comedy Central Presents half-hour special) and Jon Glaser (long-time writer & sketch performer for Conan O’Brien; creator & star of new Adult Swim series Delocated)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 4/12/09

April 12, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Dan Hopper, Mike Still, and Nate Kushner are hilarious sketch comedy troupe A Week of Kindness

Hilarious sketch comedy troupe A Week of Kindness

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:

[FREE] sketch troupes A Week of Kindness, Rue Brutalia, and the Bilderbergs, plus one-woman-showster Jill Donnelly, performing Under St. Marks (7:00 pm),

[FREE] sharp comics Morgan Murphy, Dave Rosinsky, and more at what’s often among the funniest free productions in NYC, from hosts Greg Johnson and Jacqueline Novak: The Comedians (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] typically some of the best comics in the biz—tonight including brilliant stand-ups Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central, The Wrestler), Kumail Nanjiani (Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report), and Eric Drysdale (former writer for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report)—joining comedy giant Eugene Mirman for his weekly shindig at Brooklyn’s Union Hall: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),

[FREE] Sean Patton (VH1, Just for Laughs Festival), Sean O’Connor (VH1, NPR’s This American Life), Myq Kaplan (Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham), and more at RG Daniels’ free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),

[FREE] talented NYC comics at Vince Averill’s & Jesse Popp’s free show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),

[FREE] the delightful Jackie Monahan (co-host of Dykes on Mics), Diana Saez (eight months pregnant and still stand-uping), Steve Hofstetter (Craig Ferguson, VH1, ESPN, ABC), and Shawn Hollenbach (co-producer of The Back Room) at a free gay-themed show hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm),

[$] 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 (10:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 4/11/09

April 11, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Mindy Raf

Mindy Raf

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:

[TOP PICK] a world-class sketch troupe specializing in physical comedy and music: Drop Six (7:00 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),

[$] a former cast member of Saturday Night Live who’s also performed a Comedy Central hour-long special, appeared frequently on Conan O’Brien, co-starred in the film Half Baked, and is an acclaimed stand-up comic, headlining at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Jim Breuer (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] clever wordplay, conceptual comedy, and relentless silliness—in an all-new show based around the already-goofy film Con Air—from sketch troupe Elephant Larry (8:00 pm),

[$] comedy stars at Stand Up NY, tonight including 30 Rock’s Judah Friedlander, Jessica Kirson, and Vic Henley: Judah Friedlander and More (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm),

[FREE] 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 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),

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),

a small mob of talented comedic performers, including brilliant & sexy singer/songwriter Mindy Raf, and show creators Ilana & Eliot Glazer, performing highly unusual acts at High School Talent Show (midnight),

[$] sharp stand-ups Marina Franklin (Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime), Becky Donohue (Comedy Central, TLC), Paul Mecurio (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents), and more providing Late Night Laughs at Comic Strip Live (12:30 am),

[$] 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.