NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 12/7/15

December 7, 2015

A Muppet Family ChristmasChristmas-themed Muppets clips—including the acclaimed 1987 TV special A Muppet Family Christmas—plus Muppet-themed drink specials, cool giveaways, sing-along fun, and more: The Muppet Vault: Christmas (8:00 pm, $8, Brooklyn’s Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)

More recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation—which include groups Lovers & The Future at 8:00 pm featuring the spectacular Dana Krashin, Tracy Mull, and David Carl—at The PIT downstairs lounge: Super Free Monday

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): World-class storyteller Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 20-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of monthly storytelling extravaganza The Adam Wade Show and cast member of The Nights of Our Lives; for a sampling of Adam’s award-winning tales, please click here) hosts a show at The Magnet that’s “like watching the characters of The Wonder Years and Freaks & Geeks all grown up and telling coming-of-age tales of love, lost, regret, and redemption,” with guest storytellers TBA: Adam Wade’s Whatever Happened to the Nerds?

7:00 pm ($5): A rotating cast of NYC comics perform characters in a specific setting—e.g., a small town’s PTA meeting, a Holistic Wellness Convention, a political rally for donuts—with each show totally different at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Jenn Dodd & Jamie Aderski: Characters at…(BLANK)

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Some of the finest stand-ups in the country spread among three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane): Comedy Cellar Monday

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A sketch show and a theatre parody on the UCB Chelsea stage: This Show Will Get a Cease and Desist and One Idiot: Tennessee Williams’ “What The Horse Saw”

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm  ($15; no min.): Superb stand-ups Mark Normand, Dan Soder, Nicole Byer, Pete Lee, and more performing at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue, off 20th Street): The Stand Monday

[TOP PICK] 8:00 ($5; typically includes free comic books from Forbidden Planet): Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, blogger for Comedy Central), Camille Harris (irresistible rising star singer/sketch comic/cutie; The Camille Harris Show; music album Silly Jazz), and Rita Chinyere (Preach!) performing and/or being interviewed at UCB East hosted by Nat Townsen: Downtown Variety Hour

8:00 pm ($10): Producers, writers, and other staff members of TruTV show Impractical Jokers improvise scenes at The PIT upstairs theatre: Impractical Jokers Staff Infection

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Four improvisers form teams with comics they’ve never performed with before at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: The Kaleidoscope

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000) hosts as “Moodsy, the Clinically Depressed Owl showing weird/crappy old cartoons in between sets,” with tonight’s guests including razor-sharp stand-ups Judy Gold and Aparna Nancherla at Astoria Queens’ QED: A Place to Show & Tell (27-16 23rd Avenue). Described by Patton Oswalt as “like a kid’s show done in Bosnia,” it’s Frank Conniff’s Cartoon Dump

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Myq Kaplan and a video from Josh Rabinowitz are the highlights of this show that encourages you to “Celebrate the 2nd night of Chanukah by learning Yiddish! Over the course of a single hour, Evan Forde Barden & Chris Duffy attempt to teach the crowd a foreign language and take them on a tour of a new culture. Each show features a new language instructor and a celebrity guest comedian. Evan & Chris use hilarious presentations, games, quizzes and even dance to help the audience understand a language more fully. You’ll probably walk away speaking a few words. Recurring segments include ‘Guess What This Sign Says!,’ ‘What Noises Do Animals Make?,’ and ‘Heckle a Comedian,’ where we teach the audience to say ‘very good'” and ‘try again!’ in the language and after each joke, they make a judgment call about which to shout “at The Magnet theatre: An Hour Abroad: A Comedy Show & Foreign Language Program

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Breathtakingly subtle genius improvisor John Lutz (cast member of 30 Rock; six years as staff writer for Saturday Night Live; John and Scott) and extreme improvisor Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials, stellar one-man show Recipe for Success) perform duo improv as 2 Square

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Six improvisors—including the wonderful Tracy Mull—compete for your laughs and votes at this fun improv game show at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Drew Schnoebelen: The Island: Improv Competition

9:30 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, Phil Jackson, and/or Steve Theiss hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Your chance to experience one of the best comedy clubs in NYC at absolutely no charge (feel encouraged to order food and//or drinks, but you don’t have to), with a different stand-up lineup every Monday—tonight celebrating Big Jay Oakerson’s birthday—at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue, off 20th Street) hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language): Frantic Mondays: Big Jay Oakerson Birthday Edition

10:15 pm ($7): Paired improvisors performing at The Magnet theatre: The Duo Show

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world-who aren’t announced in advance, but it’s usually a great lineup and often an extraordinary one—at UCB Chelsea hosted by Aparna Nancherla (one of the best stand-ups in the country; writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers; Conan O’Brien, @Midnight, Last Comic Standing). Reservations go quickly, but you can probably get in if you arrive early and are okay with standing: Whiplash

Monday Open Mics & Jams

4:40 pm-7:00 pm ($5 plus 1 drink min., with drinks as low as $2): Walk-in stand-up open mic with two rounds, the first providing 5-6 minutes per set and the second 2-3 minutes per set, at The Grisly Pear (107 MacDougal Street) hosted by Tuval Mor: Kickin It Open Mic

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 show that provides each performer whose name is pulled from a bucket 5 minutes on stage—and also allows everyone play Bingo!—at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ LIC (10-93 Jackson Avenue) hosted by Julia Lundy & Veronica Elizabeth: Bingo Open Mic

6:00 pm & 8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, with each show running 1 hour and 45 minutes. Arrive 30 minutes before the show you want to be in to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic

7:30 pm ($10; sign-up starts at 7:00 pm): Open mic for stand-ups, storytellers, singers, poets, actors, and more, with 5 minutes per performer and 25 slots available, at The Parkside Lounge (317 East Houston Street, off Avenue B) hosted by Nathan P., followed by a raucous afterparty with dancing & drink specials from 10:00 to midnight: Inspired Word’s Open Mic Joint

[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience…and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam

11:00 pm ($3): Open mic stand-up, with each comic getting 5 minutes and room for 15 comics who sign up per show, at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by John Field: The Power Exchange

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open mic stand-up show that provides each performer whose name is pulled from a bucket 4 minutes on stage at The Creek upstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Joseph Robert: PBR & Scrap Paper Open Mic Stand-Up

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Langston Belton: Base Jam

For many more shows, please click the following links to top NYC comedy venues:

Best Inexpensive Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, and Storytelling

Upright Citizens Brigade Chelsea
(307 West 26th Street; 150-seater; one of the most respected comedy theatres in the world; especially strong on improv, sketch, solo shows, and one-act comedic plays; shows free-$10)

Upright Citizens Brigade East
(153 East 3rd Street; 99-seater; a top comedy venue that focuses more than sister theatre UCB Chelsea on stand-up and screenings, and on experimental shows taking big risks; shows free-$10)

The PIT Striker (Upstairs) Theatre
(123 East 24th Street; 99-seater; a top venue that’s a powerful rival of UCB, and often surpasses UCB when blending comedy with music and/or theatricality; shows free-$20)

The PIT Underground (Downstairs) Theatre
(123 East 24th Street; 40-seater; often more quirky & experimental than upstairs Striker; shows free-$10)

The PIT Loft
(154 West 29th Street; 50-seater; not at the level of its two sister PIT theatres, but evolving; shows free-$10)

The Magnet
(254 West 29th Street; 60-seat theatre; strong on improv, musical improv, sketch, and energy; shows $5-$10)

The Annoyance Theatre
(367 Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn; J/M/Z to Marcy or L to Lorimer; 50-seat theatre; spinning off from Chicago’s Annoyance Theatre, brings a fiercely fresh, experimental approach to improv and sketch; shows free-$10)

The Creek and the Cave
(Queens’ Long Island City; 40-seat theatre upstairs, 25 downstairs; virtually all shows free)

Union Hall
(702 Union Street in Brooklyn; R to Union Street; 50-seat theatre; shows $5-$20)

Littlefield
(622 Degraw Street in Brooklyn; R to Union Street; 100-seat theatre; shows $5-$20)

Bell House
(149 7th Street in Brooklyn; R to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Ave.; 200-seat theatre; shows $10-$25)

QED: A Place to Show & Tell
(27-16 23rd Avenue in Astoria Queens; N/Q to Ditmars Boulevard; 40-seat theatre; shows free-$10)

Best NYC Stand-Up Comedy Clubs

Comedy Cellar
(117 MacDougal Street; among the finest daily stand-up lineups in the world; 2-item min.)

Village Underground
(130 West 3rd Street; Comedy Cellar’s larger sister venue, just around the corner with the same top comics; 2-item min.)

The Stand
(239 Third Avenue; recent competitor to Comedy Cellar; no drink min.—support this policy!)

Carolines Comedy Club
(1626 Broadway; focuses on the world’s top headliners, who perform hour-long sets; 2-drink min.)

Gotham Comedy Club
(208 West 23rd Street; headliners on weekends, specialty & lineup shows weekdays; 2-drink min.)

Eastville Comedy Club
(85 East 4th Street; strong weekend lineups; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Greenwich Village Comedy Club
(99 MacDougal Street; convenient if Comedy Cellar’s sold out; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Comic Strip Live
(1568 Second Avenue, off 81st; Upper East Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Stand Up NY
(236 West 78th Street, off Broadway; Upper West Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

The Standing Room
(4738 Vernon Blvd., by #7 train; Queens LIC club; no drink min.—support this policy!)

 Other NYC Live Shows, Heavily Marked Down via Goldstar:
Click Any Image That Interests You to See the Discount Offer

The Stand

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder

Kinky Boots

The Imbible: A Spirited History of Drinking

Trapped in a Room with a Zombie

From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: Thank God for Hy Bender’s religiously updated show bible BestNewYorkComedy.com…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, submit material to my short story anthology Ghosts on Drugs, hire me for book or screenplay work, or for any other reason by emailing me at hy@hyreviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 4/14/13

April 14, 2013

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Marc Maron

Marc Maron performs a rare NYC solo show for free (but space is very limited, so getting on line way early is recommended) at Brooklyn’s Union Hall

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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open-mic stand-up show at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:00 pm: A mix of longform, shortform, and musical improv from five groups, typically including Mishmosh, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Michael Venzor: The Long and Short of It

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there’ll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area (“Hot Chicks Room”) hosted by Emmy Blotnick, Matt Nedostup, and/or Sachi Ezurafor: Sledgehammer

6:00 pm ($5): Open-mic stand-up that includes professional feedback on each comic’s 5-minute set at Queens LIC’s Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Mic-Shop: Open Mic Workshop

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea’s signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes superstars in the improv world such as Chris Gethard, and occasionally network TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, CNN, TBS, host of ComedyJuice), Michael Che (David Letterman, Comedy Central), Selena Coppock (author of upcoming book The New Rules for Blondes), Lou Perez (ace sketch comic), Christian Spicer (co-host of Impro(vs)tandup at UCBT-LA), and Drew Michael performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): “Musical sketch comedy that skewers and dissects pop culture one roll of the dice at at time” at The PIT upstairs theatre: Pop Roulette

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up veteran who’s appeared on David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Last Comic Standing; hosted the HBO stand-up showcase Down and Dirty; was a cast member of the wonderful though short-lived HBO sitcom Lucky Louie, and performed his own HBO half-hour One Night Stand special; has appeared in such hit films as Spider-Man; is a regular on XM Satellite Radio’s The Opie & Anthony Show; and is the author of the book Happy Endings, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jim Norton

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($10 online using discount code MILK; no min.): Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central Presents, HBO, The Apprentice, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code, Comedy Central, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show), Sam Morril (Comedy Central), Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central, VH1), and more performing stand-up that rips something or someone deserving to shreds at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Invitation to a Beheading: Rachel Feinstein, Jermaine Fowler, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): From Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman (producers of The Scene), improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, with tonight’s groups Rubin, The Lottery, FligFlog, and Sweaters: Act One

[$] 8:00 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/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), Lynne Koplitz (Joan Know’s Best, IFC’s Z Rock, host of WB’s Life & Style), Michael Che (David Letterman, Comedy Central), Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads), and Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code, Comedy Central, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show): Judah Friedlander, Lynne Koplitz, Michael Che, and More

8:00 pm ($7): Barry Rothbart (Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, MTV’s Punk’d, IFC’s Do Whatever), Dan Soder (Comedy Central, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Jim Tews, and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Union Hall hosted by Caroline Creaghead: Creaghead & Company

8:00 pm ($7): Long form improv in which “scenes are edited by blackouts created by the director in the booth and the stage is set by the improvisers from the previous scene” at The Magnet, with performers including Desiree Nash: The Blackout

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Roger Hailes (Jimmy Fallon, Chappelle’s Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE’s A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), Jeff Wesselschmidt (Rooftop Comedy), Joel Walkowski (co-host of The Short Bus), Sunah Blisted (Playboy TV), and Frank Liotti performing at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by RG Daniels: Sunday Night Stand-Up

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, CNN, TBS, host of ComedyJuice), Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant writer, stand-up, and storyteller; writer and/or producer for MTV’s Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy, and Nikki & Sara Show; trutV, TLC, co-host of Dive Comedy), Hadiyah Robinson, Akaash Singh, and Drew Michael performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Roofeeo, at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Michael Che (David Letterman, Comedy Central), Robert Dean, JF Harris, Justin Senno, and Eli Yudin performing stand-up in the East Village’s Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at Beauty Bar

9:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, Phillip Jackson, and/or Steve Theiss hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

9:30 pm ($7): Sketch comedy at The Magnet, tonight from troupes Dispacho and Cookie Mountain: Magnet Sketch Teams

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): All-gal storytelling show of “true tales with feelings; so many feelings…,” tonight starring Jenny Rubin (host of Here’s the Story), Natasha Rothwell, and Jenice Matias at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Caitlin Brodnick and Lisa Kleinman: Shut Up: An All-Female Storytelling Show

[ALMOST FREE] 9:30 pm ($1): Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Legendary comedy star Marc Maron (a comic’s comic; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central, pioneering WTF podcast) performs solo during this visit to NYC. A limited number of wristbands—required for entrance—will be distributed starting at 9:00 pm outside the performance space doors. If you want to get in, arrive on line early; chances are a lot of folks will have to be turned away at Brooklyn’s relatively small Union Hall: Marc Maron

[FREE] 10:00 pm: The only open-stage show for entire groups of improvisors and sketch comics, running weekly at UCB East hosted by Austin Rodrigues: Bring Your Own Team: Improv/Sketch Team Jam

[FREE] 10:45 pm: Open-mic show for sketch and character bits running 3-5 minutes at The Magnet hosted by Sebastian Conelli. Everyone who signs up—at 10:30 pm at the box office—is likely to get onstage: Sketch in Progress

[$] 11:30 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Marina Franklin (developing into one of the finest stand-ups in the country, with an uncommonly gentle, graceful style that’s pure joy; Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, Craig Ferguson, VH1, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend), Jon Fisch (David Letterman, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, VH1), Kurt Metzger (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Ugly Americans), William Stephenson (FX’s Louie, The Chris Rock Show), and Sam Morril (Comedy Central) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Jermaine Fowler (MTV’s Guy Code, Comedy Central, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show): Marina Franklin, Jon Fisch, Kurt Metzger, and More

 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.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 9/6/11

September 6, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For comprehensive coverage of the FringeNYC 2011 Encore Series, please click here.

Conan O'Brien Trade Negotiations

"Trade Negotiations" is the lecture topic at this month's edition of Charles Star's "Adult Education"

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 ($5): A one-man show by Justin Peters about—wait for it—condiments. “Mitch ‘Packets’ Franco has demonstrated condiments at groceries, farmers’ markets, superstores, and gas stations in all 50 states; over the course of 25 minutes, he’ll give you the inside squeeze on how all your favorite condiments are marketed, shipped, distributed, and sold; how to seduce a checkout girl; how to tell a supermarket by its odor; and other lessons learned during his wild life in America’s grocery aisles:” Confessions of a Condiment Hustler

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC’sThe Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Robert Dean: The Dean’s List

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Witty writers offering delightfully wry lectures about  this month’s topic “Trade Negotiations”—e.g., “Dealing with Authority: How often does a government’s punishment fit the crime? One man investigates, by breaking laws in various jurisdictions”—at Brooklyn’s Union Hall for Charles Star’s comedic show Adult Education

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), Victor Varnado (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC’s My Name is Earl, Adult Swim, Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 9 million people on YouTube, please click here), Amanda Melson, Eric Kirchberger, and Ritch Duncan performing at the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics creators joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, at The PIT’s downstairs lounge: Comic Book Club

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Very Good Kiss, Grandma’s Ashes, American Cousin, Airwolf, and Mr. Crime—and at 11:00 pm advanced UCBT students making up movies—all at Harold Night

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), Joe Pera, Audrey Crabtree & Gabriela Muñoz (US/Mexican clown collaboration), Guys Singin! Live! (YouTube stars), and “a secret special guest” performing at Brooklyn’s Public Assembly (70th North 6th Street, by the L subway’s Bedford Avenue stop) along with sketches from Moon regulars Camille Harris, Jordan Clifford, Bryan Condon, Stephanie Fagan, Tim Skinner, and Brendan Walsh, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

8:30 pm ($5): In this double-bill, each of two of The Magnet’s singing improv troupes will make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Avocado and Aqua

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Big Jay Oakerson (HBO, Comedy Central), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, VHI, High Times), and Nico Santo (visiting from San Francisco) performing at the PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up, sketch, videos, and more at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre with Jeffrey Joseph and hosts Ron Krasnow & Joel Walkowski: The Short Bus

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free show, audience members can join in with veteran musical improv talents to make up stories in song on the spot: Musical Magnet Mixer

[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open-mic stand-up show hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

 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.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 5/22/11

May 22, 2011

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.

Bill Burr and Simon Anstell

Bill Burr sold out his NYC run before it even began this past Thursday, but an additional show has been added for tonight at 10:30, so you can still see him headlining at Carolines; and right before that, you can catch star comics Ted Alexandro, Simon Anstell (above), and more at Pretty Good Friends

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:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 4:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($35.50 with discount code BOX): Mike Birbiglia performing a unique blend of stand-up and storytelling that’s one of the best theatrical shows in NYC. For my more detailed write-up, please click here; and then grab tickets at theBarrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway’s Christopher Street stop) for Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 5:00 pm ($18.50 online using discount code ADVANCE ): One of the very best shows at FringeNYC 2010 was an award-winning comedy from NYC’s own Faye Lane, a luminous storyteller and singer who will charm your socks off—and possibly give you a moon pie to boot—at the Soho Playhouse’s downstairs Huron Club. This marvelous event recently received a 2011 Bistro Award for Musical Comedy and 2011 MAC Award for Special Production. Please read my review by clicking here, watch Faye make a pecan pie by clicking here, and then take advantage of this revival running Sundays through June to experience the hilarious and unforgettable Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): Superb Magnet musical improv troupe Choral Rage performing The Improvised Rock Opera

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT’s signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.), Simon Anstell (brilliant, charismatic UK comedic storyteller), Nick Flanagan (Toronto stand-up and punk rock writer/singer), and Mike Phirman (musical comic) performing at Brooklyn’s Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

8:00 pm ($5): “Ever watch an improv set and think, Geeze, I want to know everything about how that show came together: What were the performers thinking about? How did they approach each scene? What notes will their coach give them? Yep, us too. Presenting a post-show panel discussion, Q&A session, and debriefing that dissects, explores, and explains some of the ins and outs of improv.” This month’s subjects are PIT house team Borealis and coach Jodi Lennon at The Operation Theater

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1’s Best Week Ever), Pete Lee (Comedy Central Presents), Ben Kissel (host of Round Table of Gentlemen podcast), Yannis Pappas, and more performing at RG Daniels’ free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): Musical improv from troupe Warbucks, plus a second show with no posted information beyond the title: Meaningful Touch

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Alice Wetterlund, Dana Krashin, and Steve Rosso performing atThe PIT’s downstairs lounge for a free weekly show: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, hilarious shorts with Pete Holmes for Front Page Films, national TV ads as Verizon FIOS guy, feature film The Other Guys), Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents), Lisa Delarios, Neal Stastny, and Team Submarine performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar at Vince Averill’s & Jesse Popp’s free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

9:30 pm ($5): Musical/rap improv from troupe The Boombox Kids

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Leah Dubie (Lesbians of Laughter national tour), and Emily Dickson performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 4 minutes per comic, at The PIT’s downstairs loungehosted by Rob Stern: Vicious Cycle

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 10:30 pm: A comedy force of nature—tough, smart, honest, hilarious—who is one of the very finest stand-ups ever (for video samples, please click here) performs one last time tonight for this NYC run at the Carolines Comedy Club: Bill Burr

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.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 5/21/11

May 21, 2011

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.

Arden Myrin's The Party Machine: Prom

At the end of the world, Arden Myrin's monthly extravaganza tonight focuses on the theme "Prom:" The Party Machine

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:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 4:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($35.50 with discount code BOX): Mike Birbiglia performing a unique blend of stand-up and storytelling that’s one of the best theatrical shows in NYC. For my more detailed write-up, please click here; and then grab tickets at theBarrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street, just one block from the #1 subway’s Christopher Street stop) for Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): A beloved high-concept sketch troupe that delights in exploring silly ideas and wordplay (for example, demonstrating that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as “Me have problem with subject/verb placement…”) debuts an all-new show: Elephant Larry

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, and more—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors who’ve included writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—all joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball

7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft making up a play on the spot in Theory of Everything

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($27.50 & 2-drink min.): A Mad TV and YouTube star headlining through Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Anjelah Johnson

[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

[TOP PICK] 7:45 doors, 8:15 pm show ($5): Arden Myrin (Conan O’Brien, Mad TV, numerous other TV shows & films; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here) and Lisa deLarios (Comedy Central) host this monthly mix of stand-up and sketch (which I’ll finally experience firsthand tonight…), with tonight’s guests Adira Amram (fresh, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter; winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Musical Act), Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Funny or Die, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Joe Mande (Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Totally J/K; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster), Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), Roger Hailes (Comedy Central), and David Cope performing at Brooklyn’s Union Hall: The Party Machine

[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] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount codeSBWC, otherwise $20): This top musical improv troupe has wowed audiences around the world with its skill at making up an hour-long musical moment by moment. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment, even the song lyrics and the “choreography” are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come see why BWC won a FringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event by catching tonight’s edition of Baby Wants Candy

[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

10:00 pm ($5): Arden Myrin (Conan O’Brien, Mad TV, numerous other TV shows & films; for Mad TVsamples, please click here and here and here), Kara Klenk, Jon Tyler, Dan Klein, and Brandon Scott Jones performing at the The Brooklyn Lyceum (227 Fourth Avenue) hosted by all-gal sketch troupe M.A.D. and all-guy sketch group Sidecar: Gentrify Brooklyn

[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

10:30 pm ($7): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike

[FREE] 11:45 pm: 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

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): From the fearless and always innovative Shannon O’Neill, who won the 2011 ECNY Award for Best One-Person Show: “I seem to have made a big ole mistake. I wrote a script, I purchased the props, but I forgot to rehearse it. And on top of that I HAVE NO CAST!!!! So… I am going to cast YOU, moments before the show starts. I will hand you a script, give you some props and instruct you to just listen and get ready to perform. Oh man this is going to be a fucking mess of BEAUTY!! If you want a chance to be cast, make reservations and get in line by 11:15pm. I, Shannon O’Neill will personally come out and hand pick the best damn group of Thespians this play has ever seen and will ever see because this play will only be performed ONCE, never to be seen again! What do I look for in a cast? I love fatties, I love skinnies, I love sober people, I love drunk people. I love you all. Every shape, size, and ethnicity. Let’s hold hands and spin the world! What is this play about? Something real fucking weird and TBA. Thanks for helping me fix my mistake. I’ll see you soon friends!:” The Unrehearsed, Historically Inaccurate Story of…

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.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 3/13/11

March 13, 2011

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.

Dave Hill and Myq Kaplan

Dave Hill and Myq Kaplan are among the stand-up stars performing tonight at Brooklyn's "Conan O'Brien Stand-Up Showcase"

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) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT’s signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7):Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.), Brent Sullivan, and James Patterson performing at Brooklyn’s Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.)  A star stand-up who’s done half-hour comedy specials for HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime; was a regular on Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and cast member on FOX’s The Jury; appeared repeatedly on Late Night with Conan O’Brien; and guest starred on such TV shows as NBC’s The Office and FOX’s Arrested Development, concluding his headlining run at the Carolines Comedy Club: Patrice Oneal

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents), Nick Vatterbott (Jimmy Fallon), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), and Jesse Popp (co-host ofBeauty Bar Comedy) performing at RG Daniels’ free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): An improvised show that revolves around a man-made object: I, Object; and the audition for a show with no description but that sounds fun: Dramarama

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Mike Lawrence (shrewdly funny curmudgeon), Kevin Barnett, Morgan Venticinque, and Ashley Brooke Roberts performing at The PIT’s downstairs lounge for a free weekly show hosted by Sean Donnelly and tonight’s guest-host Amber Nelson: Cold Soda Comedy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Ted Alexandro (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; frequently opens for Louis C.K.), Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who’s one of the best stand-ups in the country; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Jena Friedman (host of Entertaining the Bartender), and Sim Goodson performing at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Danny Solomon, Christopher Jurek, Adam Sokol, and Team Submarine performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar at Vince Averill’s & Jesse Popp’s free weekly show  Beauty Bar Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): Two improv groups competing for audience laughs and votes—yes, like UCBT’s Cage Match, but with less well-known troupes and an escalating challenge component—at Magnet Inferno

[$] 10:00 pm ($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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: All-gal stand-up lineup of Adrienne Iapalucci (Last Comic Standing), Emily Epstein, and Leah Bonnema (WeTV’s Cinematherapy) performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle (TruTV): Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 4 minutes per comic, at The PIT’s downstairs loungehosted by Rob Stern: Vicious Cycle

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($10):Not sure if these are comics auditioning to appear on Conan or just having a fun time; but anyway, it’s a stellar line-up—Dave Hill, Myq Kaplan, Eugene Mirman, Dan St. Germain, Joe Mande, Jay Oakerson, Kurt Metzger, Matt McCarthy, John Roberts, and Andy Haynes—performing at Brooklyn’s Union Hall hosted by hosted by Ilana & Eliot Glazer: Conan O’BrienStand-Up Showcase

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.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 2/1/11

February 1, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For my all-time favorite oddball comedy videos, please click here.

Brooklyn's Wonder Wheel

Comedic and fascinating lectures about Brooklyn tonight at Charles Star's Adult Education

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:

7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors play themselves on stage (similar to Naked in a Fishbowl) in Self Image ; and in the second half of this double-bill, eight improvisors trace the storylines of characters at a single event suggested by an audience member in Hell Buffalo

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Witty writers offering delightfully wry lectures about  this month’s topic “Brooklyn”—e.g., The Brooklyn Accent: Freakin’ A, and Dreamland is Burning: A Coney Island Centennial—at Brooklyn’s Union Hall for Charles Star’s comedic show Adult Education

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Celebrating the 50th edition of this biweekly show are Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central), Myq Kaplan (finalist on the most recent Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, hot new comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Micah Sherman (Second City), Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories),  and musical guest The Pendulum Swings (featuring Jason Trachtenberg of the wonderful Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players) performing at Brooklyn’s The Royal Oak (594 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5):Todd Barry (HBO, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, The Sarah Silverman Program, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Jon Rineman (writer for Jimmy Fallon), Brandy Crawford, Whitney Meers, and musical guest Scott Gibson performing at the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

8:00 pm ($10): The worlds of “magic, mind-reading, and mutilation” are explored by Matthew Holtzclaw and Prakash Puru: Strange Things

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes CAPTCHA, Very Good Kiss, Badman, Ragnaröck, and Sandino; and at 11:00 pm UCBT students chosen by chance perform with veteran improvisors—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Mara Herron , Mary Kate Wise, Adam Chisnall, and Dan Frigolette performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and guest-host Boris Khaykin: Positively Awesome

9:00 pm ($5): Joe Mande (Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Totally J/K; author of new book Look at This F*cking Hipster), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, Verizon FIOS guy, Front Page Films,The Other Guys, comedy CD Come Clean), Louis Katz (HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Adam Morneno (a.k.a. Mr. Blue; music For Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten), and more performing atElla (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

9:00 pm ($5): Morgan Murphy (fresh, original, and fearlessly dark; The Comedians of Comedy; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon), Jason Good, Greg Johnson, and more performing stand-up at the Ace of Clubs (9 Great Jones Street, underneath Acme Bar & Grill) hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

9:30 pm ($5): Young, adorable performers make up a musical on the spot as Zamboni Musical Improv

[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open-mic stand-up show hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

For my all-time favorite oddball comedy videos, please click here.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 1/4/11

January 4, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

The Joker

Assorted odd characters will lecture on the topic "Abnormal Psychology" at Charles Star's Brooklyn comedy show Adult Education

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:

7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors play themselves on stage (similar to Naked in a Fishbowl) in Self Image; and in the second half of this double-bill, eight improvisors trace the storylines of characters at a single event suggested by an audience member at Hell Buffalo

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Witty writers offering delightfully wry lectures about  this month’s topic “Abnormal Psychology” at Brooklyn’s Union Hall for Charles Star’s comedic show Adult Education

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($10 & 2-item min.): Sean Patton hosts Judah Friedlander, Rachel Feinstein, Kenny Zimlinghaus, and Jesse Popp at Sean Patton’s Stand-Up Showcase

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Robber Baron, Bastian, Ragnaröck, Badman, and The Opera; and at 11:00 pm “lots of your favorite Harold Night performers spin you around and dump you dizzy in this fully improvised show”—all at Harold Night

8:00 pm ($5; includes FREE CARVEL ICE CREAM!): Myq Kaplan (finalist on this summer’s Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, hot new comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), John Murdock, musical guests Mike Doughty and Joe Yoga, and an ice cream eating contest, all in the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Anthony Jeselnik (one of my all-time favorite stand-ups; writer/performer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents; hit comedy CD Shakespeare), Anthony Atamanuik (genius improvisor & storyteller; 30 Rock, Conan O’Brien, Death by Roo Roo, The Nights of Our Lives), Josh Weinstein (stand-up/actor visiting from LA), and more performing atElla (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Eric Andre (stellar stand-up; HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, Comedy Central), Giulia Rozzi (co-host of Stripped Stories and Dive Comedy), Sean Crespo (host of The Shark Show), and Jesse Joyce performing stand-up at the Ace of Clubs (9 Great Jones Street, underneath Acme Bar & Grill) hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 8/4/10

August 4, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Faye Lane

World-class storytellers Faye Lane (above), Ophira Eisenberg, Andy Christie, Jim O'Grady, and Ben Lillie tonight share lessons learned—plus free vodka!—at You Went to College for That?

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:

6:30 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—with two installments running back to back every Wednesday at John Morrison’s Ochi’s Motel

[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation in The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Zoe Jarman performs a one-woman show about a junior in high school dealing with “distracted classmates, frazzled teachers, and insane family members as she attempts to form an afterschool club;” and improv geniuses Gavin Speiller of Death By Roo Roo, Ben Rodgers of Reuben Williams, and Jonathan Gabrus of The Law Firm form one of the finest comedy troupes in NYC, in the double-bill Mr. Bradshaw is a Flipping Dipstick and Outlook of the Poet

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Kristeen von Hagen, Athena Reich, Katrin Hier, Kat Herskovic, Jeff Cerulli, and Jennifer Murphy performing at this free weekly show—celebrating its 100th edition!—hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] 7:30 open bar with free Absolut Brooklyn Vodka, 8:15 pm show ($10): The debut of a monthly comedy show in which top storytellers tell a personal tale that in some way incorporates a lesson learned at college—with tonight’s blowout lineup consisting of world-class storytellers Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), Faye Lane (performing red-hot show Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories at this month’s FringeNYC 2010), Andy Christie (The New York Times, Moth GrandSlam Champion, host ofThe Liar Show) Jim O’Grady (The New York Times, Huffington Post), and Ben Lillie (The Story Collider)—performing at Brooklyn’s Union Hall: You Went to College For That?

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Thoroughly wonderful comics Adira Amram (fresh, sexy, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter), Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Funny or Die, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Ali Wong (hilarious comedy dynamo; Comedy Central), Mike Patrick O’Brien (SNL), Jen Kwok ( Atom.com), and Mike Amato (Huffington Post) performing at the East Village’s Angels and Kings with delightful dark humor host Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Jessi Klein (fresh, unique, deliciously organic comic who’s become one of the best stand-ups in the country; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Adam Lowitt (Producer for The Daily Show, co-host of It Is It!), and Rory Scovel performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn’s Cameo (behind Lovin’ Cup) hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:30 pm ($20): One of the finest stand-ups & storytellers in the country performs a fundraiser for The Nature Conservatory: Mike Birbiglia’s Sleepwalk Unplugged

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) providing as many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly, but for some (like me), that’s part of the laid-back fun; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible—and don’t forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 7/20/10

July 20, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s take on Last Comic Standing, please click here.

Marc Maron and John Oliver

Marc Maron performs a one-man show tonight at Brooklyn's Union Hall, while John Oliver performs at Punch Up Your Life

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm & 9:20 pm ($12): A comedy legend who’s exceptionally passionate and personally revealing, and highly respected for his observations; frequent guest on David Lettermanand Conan O’Brien; performed solo comedy special for HBO and two solo specials for Comedy Central Presents; many other TV appearances include being a regular on Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; performed a popular off-Broadway one-man show, Jerusalem Syndrome, which he then turned into a 2001 book; co-hosted Morning Sedition on Air America Radio, hosted The Marc Maron Show on LA’s KTLK-AM, and currently hosts podcast WTF; and tonight performs new material in a not-to-be-missed one-man show at Brooklyn’s Union Hall: Marc Maron

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm [FREE] 8:00 pm: Charlyne Yi (winner of the prestigious Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival for Paper Heart; one-woman show tomorrow night at UCBT), Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1), Ann Carr (Louie), and comedy duo Team Submarine performing at Brooklyn’s Bell House Front Lounge hosted by the breathtaking Sara Schaefer (Emmy-nominated staff writer forJimmy Fallon): Get Off Your Knees

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club

8:00 pm to midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Monstro, The Opera, Badman, Sandino, and Bastian; and at 11:00 pm advanced UCBT students improving scenes taking place simultaneously—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Evan Morgenstern (host of Switzerland Neutral Comedy), Luke Thayer (co-host of The Living Room), George Gordon, and Laura Prangley performing at Cellar 58(58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($3):John Oliver (star correspondent of The Daily Show and genius stand-up comic), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted, hilarious stand-up; MTV), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing), and Danny Solomon performing at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe for an almost-free weekly show hosted by Joe DeRosa (new comedy CD The Depression Auction) and Jared Logan:Punch Up Your Life

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Free open-mic stand-up show that’s seldom much fun for audience members but is a nice opportunity if you want 4-5 minutes to test out your comedy material on stage: Bring It

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Hy’s take on Last Comic Standing, please click here.

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