Best New York Comedy

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Wishing you a joyous, wondrous, and hilarious 2015

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] [$] 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:45 pm, 10:30 pm, and 12:15 am ($24 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tonight’s stand-ups include Mark Normand, Artie Lange, Ryan Hamilton, Gregg Rogell, Zainab Johnson, and Seaton Smith at the 7:00 show; Jeff Ross, Mark Normand, Artie Lange, Ryan Hamilton, and Greer Barnes at the 8:00 pm; Artie Lange, Ryan Hamilton, Nick Griffin, Greer Barnes, Rachel Feinstein, and Will Sylvince (hosting) at the 8:45 show; Jeff Ross, Todd Barry, Greer Barnes, and Big Jay Oakerson at the 10:30 show; and Dave Attell, Jeff Ross, Mark Normand, and Big Jay Oakerson at the 12:15 show, with all shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) except the 8:00 pm show at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar New Years

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($32.75 plus 2-drink minimum): The breakout star at this year’s Last Comic Standing (he wasn’t provided the win, but deserved to) headlines tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Joe Machi

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15 covering 1-2 people; no min.): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX’s Louie, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, co-star of feature film The Wrestler, star of delightful documentary The Crowd Work Tour), Ari Shaffir (Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central, National Lampoon, hour-long set Passive Aggressive), Pete Lee (Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing), Monroe Martin (finalist on this season’s Last Comic Standing), Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language), and Derek Gaines performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Todd Barry, Ari Shaffir, Pete Lee, and More

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Dan St. Germain (enormously likeable and rapidly rising star who has several TV shows in the works; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half-Hour Special, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Robbie Collier, Ryan Beck, and Lorelei Ramirez performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Pine Box Rock Shop (12 Grattan Street) hosted by Eli Yudin & Nick Mullen, and followed by The Kings of Karaoke: Secret Meeting Comedy & Karaoke

8:00 pm ($5): Members of established improv groups, plus some newbies, join into one-night-only combinations to make up scenes on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: New Years Day Indie Team Mix-Em-Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Long-form improv from troupe CSO at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Casual Sex Offenders

[FREE] 10:00 pm: “Mike Guild knows everything about movies and films. He will take you through the landscape of the cinema, along with comic guests to discuss everything going on the weird landscape that is Hollywood—plus everyone in the audience will win a unique prize” at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Movie Night With Mike

New Year’s Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics’ names drawn from a bucket and each chosen receiving 2 minutes—and if that goes well, maybe a hug (but not actual puppies)—at The Creek’s upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Ross Parsons & Trey Galyon: Free Puppies

[ALMOST FREE] 7:00 pm ($1): Duo improv jams, culminating with a group improv jam, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Andrew Fafoutakis: Wrath of Grapes Jam

[ALMOST FREE] 10:00 pm ($1): You’re invited to perform with veteran improvisors—and to work on the improv skills you resolve to improve in 2015—at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Jason Specland: New Years JAM-olutions

[FREE] 11:00 pm: An open-mic show that’s first come, first serve, with each comic getting 3-5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Ben Conrad: Mic and Cheese

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): A supportively silly jam for duo improv (you’ll be paired up on the spot) in which the audience shows “Good Scene!” at the end of every scene at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by improv group Judith: Good Scene!: A Judith Jam

 From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: Thank God for Hy Bender’s religiously updated show bible BestNewYorkComedy.com. He is literally the only person in NYC providing daily summaries of what’s happening comedy-wise. It must be exhausting keeping that monster of a website alive…It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is.

Please feel encouraged to reach out to tell me about comedy shows, hire me for book or screenplay work, or for any other reason by emailing me at hy@hyreviews.com.