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Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [$] 6:00 pm ($25, which includes a glass of champagne—and, if you guess right, a t-shirt; this is SOLD OUT, but you can call (212) 989-9319 and/or arrive early to get on a waiting list, because some reservations will be no-shows): Four funny people tell amazing stories. Three of the tales are absolutely true…but one of them is a pack of lies. The audience then asks questions to try and identify the fibber—and everyone who does gets a free t-shirt! This evening’s yarn-spinners are Leslie Goshko (delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic; WNYC, Sirius XM, Huffington Post, host of Sideshow Goshko), Aaron Wolf (Moth GrandSlam Champion), Tracy Rowland (TV writer/editor), and Martin Dockery (five-time Moth GrandSlam finalist). Come to the West Village’s Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia Street) and let host Andy Christie (The New York Times, NPR, Moth GrandSlam champion, exceptionally nice guy) attempt to mislead you on New Year’s Eve at The Liar Show
[FREE] 6:15 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types providing 2 minutes for each performer (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Jay Dean and Tynan DeLong: Two Nice Guys Open MIc
[$] 6:45 pm ($20; no min.): Adrienne Iapalucci (David Letterman, Last Comic Standing, VH1), Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads), Pete Davidson (MTV’s Guy Code), Derek Gaines, and Monroe Martin performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club at 239 Third Avenue & 20th Street. (Please note The Stand has two other shows tonight, at 8:30 and 10:30, but those are both sold out): Adrienne Iapalucci, Godfrey, and More
[$] 8:00 pm ($40 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Gregg Rogell (Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle’s Show, For the Love of the Game), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), Lynne Koplitz (Joan Know’s Best, IFC’s Z Rock, host of WB’s Life & Style), Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno), and Modi (Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show): Gregg Rogell, Greer Barnes, Lenny Marcus, and More
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 for 8:00 pm, $60 for 10:30 pm, plus 2-drink min.): Stand-ups Roy Wood Jr., Lenny Marcus, and Angelo Lozada perform at the Gotham Comedy Club: New Year’s Eve with Roy Wood Jr.
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Some of the finest alternative comics in NYC perform at this free New Year’s Eve show, featuring Joe Pera (hilarious deadpan Andy Kaufman-like stand-up; one time I saw Joe sing beautifully and then smash three dozen plates to pieces; another time he ended his set by slicing milk; and when headlining at Carolines he had a first date on stage with a random member of the audience; for Joe’s latest Kaufman awards submissions, please click here and here), Nick Vatterott (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s The Half Hour, MTV, Second City, 2012 Andy Kaufman Award), Murderfist (NYC’s fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), and more at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Abigoliah Schamaun (and followed at midnight by an oddball carny sideshow in which Abigoliah will probably eat a light bulb): Alternative New Year’s
[$] 9:00 pm ($20): Harry Terjanian (Sirius XM Radio, 2013 Andy Kaufman Award winner), Selena Coppock (author of book The New Rules for Blondes, host of Connotation), Sam Grittner, Todd Mole, and more performing stand-up at People’s Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Tim Ellis & Mo Fathelbab and followed by partying through 2:00 am: Party Manifesto New Year’s Eve Comedy Bash
[$] 10:00 pm ($80 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; star of Showtime’s Dave’s Old Porn and Comedy Central’s Insomniac; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle’s Show, For the Love of the Game), Marina Franklin (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, VH1), James Smith (Australian comic; HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, Comedy Central; for stand-up video on what it’s like to be Australian in New York, please click here), Lynne Koplitz (Joan Know’s Best, IFC’s Z Rock, host of WB’s Life & Style), Rick Crom (Broadway’s Urinetown and Footloose, Chappelle’s Show), William Stephenson (FX’s Louie, The Chris Rock Show), and Ardie Fuqua (HBO’s Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show): Dave Attell, Nick Griffin, Greer Barnes, Marina Franklin, and More
[TOP PICK] [$] 10:30 pm ($45, plus 2-drink min.): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show), and Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): New Year’s Eve with Judah Friedlander, Rich Vos, and Bonnie McFarlane
From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: If you want to know what is happening in NYC comedy on a particular day, you gotta get hip to this dude Hy Bender and his site Best New York Comedy. The site is updated daily and features a super exhaustive look at what is happening in the NYC comedy world that particular day. The site is updated religiously…It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is.