Best New York Comedy

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Molly Knefel (above) and her brother tonight host top comics Kurt Braunohler (above), Sean Patton, and Murderfist at the monthly extravaganza "John and Molly Get Along"...

...and Mike Still plays out his desire to rule the world in "Dictator for Life"

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Mike Still (Death by Roo Roo, Diamond Lion) pulls out all the stops atUCB West for a dynamic one-man show packed with comedic ideas revolving around a tyrant so evil that he machine-guns the audience (twice!), with direction by fellow Roo Roo star Neil Casey:Dictator For Life

[$] 7:00 pm ($16.50, plus 2-drink min.): Sharp NYC stand-ups audition to be cast for Comedy Central’s Comics to Watch show at the upcoming New York Comedy Festival by performing their best stuff tonight at the Carolines Comedy Club: Comics to Watch Auditions

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): For this double-bill at UCB East, Neil Casey & Anthony Atamanuik, both genius members of Death by Roo Roo, perform the jaw-dropping feat of making up an entire feature film as The Two-Man Movie; and another genius improv troupe consisting of trio Gavin Speiller of Death By Roo Roo, Ben Rodgers of The Curfew, and Jonathan Gabrus of The Law Firm) performs as Outlook of the Poet

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Chicago-based Sean Flannery John Hartman (called “a master storyteller” and “Best Stand-Up 2010” by The Chicago Reader) performs a one-man show at UCB West for one night only “about the last dozen or so times he nearly killed himself by drinking, partying, or flat-out not paying attention:” Never Been to Paris

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: 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), Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Pointless; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), Murderfist (NYC’s fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), Kara Klenk (co-host of If You Build It), and David Cope (co-host of Hot Soup) performing stand-up at Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, off Thompson Street) hosted by Molly Knefel (member of superb improv troupe Naked in a Fishbowl) and her brother John Knefel (veteran stand-up): John and Molly Get Along

[FREE] 8:00 pm: 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), Allison Castillo (Comedy Central, VH1), Jermaine Fowler (Comedy Central, TBS), and John F. O’Donnell (College Humor) performing stand-up at the East Village’s Beauty Bar for Negin Farsad’s & Amy Albert’s free weekly show Comedy School Dropout

8:00 pm, 9:00 pm, and 10:00 pm ($7): Magnet house troupes performing improv, followed by a free show at 11:30 pm: The Magnet’s Megawatt

8:00 pm ($5—which includes a free drink!): NYC stand-ups including Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories) performing at The Creek in Queens’ Long Island City with host Nick Turner: Monsters

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Open mic stand-up (with sign-up starting at 8:00) at Brooklyn’s Belleville (330 5th Street) hosted by Josh Guarino: The Belleville Mic

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): For this double-bill at UCB East, brilliant improvisors (and real-life couple) Laura Grey & Jordan Klepper make up a 1970s swingers party coupling and its aftermath at Key Party; and then UCBT Harold Night house troupes Dance Break and Very Good Kiss make up scenes without relying on the usual long-form “Harold” rules at Cheating on Harold

[FREE] 9:00ish pm: 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), Jen Kwok (MTV,Role Call), Luke Thayer (Tyra, Food Network, co-host of The Living Room), Katrin Hier (Oxygen,Ladies Who Punch), and more performing at this free weekly show at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): One of the finest comedic storytelling shows in the country, in which brilliant writer/performers—who tonight are Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn, Jon Gabrus, Juliet Hope Wayne, and wonderful host David Martin—tell tales that are brutally honest and utterly hilarious at UCB West, with tonight’s highly promising theme Addiction: The Nights of Our Lives

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Rob Cantrell is an organic and delightful pothead stand-up who’s performed on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, and VH1, and written for High Times. This is his weekly show featuring all-new material, with tonight’s guest stand-up Jeffrey Joseph, and featuring Rob playing Sgt. Rock, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Rob Cantrell: All In

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: 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. Tonight Mike Still—who’ll soon be moving to LA—gathers some of the performers he’s most enjoyed while in NYC, including John Gemberling, The Two-Man Movie, Gramp’s, Murderfist, UCB Tourco, Rory and Craig, Jim Santangeli, As the Diamond Burns, Twelve Thousand Dollars, Bangs, Badman, and more. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB West makes possible—and don’t forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your opportunity to perform on the stage of UCB East with improv veterans, hosted by UCBT Harold Night house troupe Grandma’s Ashes: The Improv Jam

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up running until 1:00 am, with time divided evenly between performers (up to five minutes), at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City with host Rob Stern: Bucket ‘O Buckets

 For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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