Best New York Comedy

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Jon Daly epitomizing the playfully surreal nature of Saturday's DCM as his character Sappity Tappity, the drunken green tree

The recommendation for the best in New York City comedy tonight is:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] All Day Today Through 7:15 pm ($25): One of the most magical events in NYC, the annual Del Close Improv Marathon runs continuously from 4:30 pm this past Friday until 7:15 pm today (following by a show from the Upright Citizens Brigade at 8:00 pm for an additional $15—except the latter’s already sold out). Groups from all around the US and Canada—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Austin, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Montreal, and more—will perform over 150 shows, typically in 30 minute blocks, for 55+ hours. Tickets are a mere $25 for the entire weekend—an incredible bargain. Paul Scheer said several  years ago the appropriate charge would be around $600, and he mostly wasn’t kidding. As in past years, the only down side will be way more patrons than available space, causing long waits to get into the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre at 307 West 26th Street, which seats about 150. However, the congestion will be somewhat eased by three additional venues just a couple of blocks from UCBT: The Hudson Guild Theatre at 441 West 26th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues), which seats 99; Urban Stages at 259 West 30th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues), which seats 74; and the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre at corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue, which seats 280. This is one of the finest comedy events in the country, always magical, and flat-out should not be missed.

Highlights from the 12 hours I spent at the festival on Saturday included:

The legendary guys of the Upright Citizens Brigade—Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh—challenging their young audience to test the trio’s knowledge of hip modern terms…and culminating in their persuading a young woman to make a bet with them she was bound to lose and then forcing her to “lip synch” to a song via her belly button.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company turning a rather innocent suggestion about “horse flies in the river” into a tale of multiple drowned babies, filicide, and dual regicide…and as on Friday, garnering an impassioned standing ovation.

Death by Roo Roo making a strong argument for being the finest improv troupe based in NYC, as its genius members showed us what it might be like to work for a haunted house—complete with recruiting zombies, ghouls, ravens, and guys with Atkinson’s Disease.

Paul Scheer dazzling audiences with his brilliance and charm, first in an improv about a dad with uncanny powers, and then as host of a raucous 1970s game show.

The aforementioned Match Game ’76, which featured a small army of celebrities including Chris Gethard as an inbred deviant from Deliverance, Matt Besser as the Indian crying over littering, Eugene Cordero as a very gay George Takei, John Gemberling as Larry Flynt tossing his colostomy bag at people to express displeasure, Michael Delaney neatly evoking Truman Capote, and Ben Rodgers perfect as Lt. Columbo…culminating in them all repeatedly raping the male contestant.

Matt Besser hosting a “panel of experts” including Rob Lathan as an unrepentant Mel Gibson, Kate McKinnon as an emotionally disconnected hooker, and Jon Daly as a drunken green tree named Sappity Tappity.

Comedy dynamo Shannon O’Neill as a serial killer/baby eater interviewing audience members and then drawing deeply disturbing profiles of them (e.g., “Here, this is you shitting in your own mouth”).

One of the quickest & funniest comics alive, Doug Benson, hosting his stand-up/improv show The Benson Interruption with guests Todd Barry, Paul Scheer, and Morgan Murphy…and consistently killing. Look for Doug’s show in the Fall on Comedy Central (six episodes, hopefully with many more to come).

Eugene Cordero hilariously narrating a show by calling out every improv device as it occurred: “Aw shit, we got the location set up!” “Delivered the premise in one line, goddamn!” “Oh, there it is homies, we know the game!” “Good object work, that looked like a real dick!” “Swinging door, that’s Level 2 shit!” “Sweep edit! Next scene, motherfuckers!!”

There are other comedy events happening tonight; but they pale in comparison.

Come experience the awe, mystery, and hilarity of the final day of The 12th Annual Del Close Marathon

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.