Best New York Comedy

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If you know anyone who might have a thyroid problem, please tell them about my new book: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.

The irresistible Sara Schaefer tapes a 30-minute stand-up set at Queens' LIC The Creek...

...and award-winning dark comedy troupe Murderfist kicks off a new monthly show at The PIT

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] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Anthony King, Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, Kay Cannon, Christina Gausas, and other stellar performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and legendary Chicago improv institutions—all joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A comedy superstar from Curb Your Enthusiasm headlining tonight and Saturday at Carolines: Jeff Garlin

7:30 pm ($5): Improv that claims to be Louder, Faster, Better

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1’s Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There) and Scott Moran (Rubber Bullets) each performing a 30-minute stand-up set to be taped for posterity & industry at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Sara & Scott Need a Tape

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: James Adomian (superb impressionist with killer bit on Lewis Black as 14-year-old girl; finalist in last summer’s Last Comic Standing), Joe Mande (Comedy Central, VH1; host of Joe Mande Presents at Carolines, co-host of Totally J/K; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster), John Flynn (stellar storyteller; The Nights of Our LIves), Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Kimmel), Calise Hawkins (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), DC Benny (Comedy Central Presents), JC Coccoli (MTV, VH1), and Tom Dunlap performing at Karma Lounge (51 First Avenue, off 3rd Street) with hosts Kara Klenk and Nick Turner: If You Build It

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who was a finalist on last summer’s Last Comic Standing, and has also performed on David Letterman, HBO, and Comedy Central headlining tonight and Sunday—with terrific openers Ophira Eisenberg and Rich Francese—at the Gotham Comedy Club: Roy Wood Jr.

[FREE—plus FREE BEER!] 8:00 pm: A variety show of stand-up, storytelling, and sketch that’s not only free, but promises to give each of the first 25 audience members who arrive a free beer! Unfortunately, the lineup hasn’t been announced; but if you’d care to take a chance, join hosts Ray Combs Jr., Evan Jacobs, and Aalap Patel as they provide you a drink On the House

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Chelsea White, Arthur Carlson, Danny Leary, Evan Morgenstern, Jessie Geller, George Gordon, and Ash Louis performing at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City to raise money for Resolve Network, an international nonprofit that helps women reclaim their lives and rebuild their communities: Hot Blooded

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

9:00 pm ($7): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!

9:30 pm ($10): “A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics,” following sold out shows at Joe’s Pub: Political Subversities

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, fast-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience interaction and audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing anything but stand-up—e.g., sketch, improv, storytelling, singing, puppetry—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Kelly Fastuca, Reid Faylor, and Andrew Short : Underbelly

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King interviews an audience member about where he or she grew up and then creates an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($8): NYC’s heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won last year’s ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group—debuts a monthly show at The PIT’s downstairs lounge: Murderfist

10:30 pm ($7): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney as comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): “Thin Skin Jonny. They had it all. They were icons, legends, anti-folk superstars. However, tragedy struck and they broke up, citing an alleged statutory charge, gay porn addiction, and Four Loko abuse. Now, two months later, they’re back to do one last show—a benefit! Can they find a way to get along long enough to raise the money needed to re-animate the corpse of Bea Arthur? Maybe, with your help!” Performers include Ari Scott, with direction from Pam Murphy: Thin Skin Jonny: Farewell Reunion Tour

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups in a late-night talk show format at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Michael Che: Michael Che’s Community Service

[FREE] Midnight: A weekly chance for you to shine, as students and veteran improvisors share the stage to form “rare and wonderful one-night-only teams,” with sign-up starting at 11:30 pm: Magnet Mixer

[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) 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 through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

If you know anyone who might have a thyroid problem, please tell them about my new book: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.