NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 8/13/11

August 13, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For comprehensive coverage of the spectacular FringeNYC 2011 Festival, please click here.

The Blanks

An a cappella quartet that became TV comedy stars performs for one night only at the Highline Ballroom: The Blanks...

Garfunkel & Oates

...and comedic musical duo Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci conclude their run tonight at Gotham Comedy as "Garfunkel & Oates"

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:

 [MEGA-TOP PICK] One of the most magical events in NYC, the annual Del Close Improv Marathonwill run continuously from 4:30 pm on Friday August 12th until 9:30ish pm on Sunday August 14th. Improv troupes from all around the US and Canada—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Austin, Miami, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Phoenix, Raleigh, Toronto, Vancouver, and more—will perform over 150 shows, typically in 30 minute blocks, for 55+ hours. Tickets will be $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 is way more patrons than available space, which will cause 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. To learn more, please click here.

That said, there are other comedy shows happening this weekend too. The most notable of them include:

[FREE] 5:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show hosted by the hilarious Dan St. Germain and Mike Lawrence at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: The Woodshed

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($25 plus $10 food/drink min. at tables): A popular comedic a cappella quartet & sketch group that sung frequently in the TV series Scrubs, and that’s released the albumRiding the Wave (for samples, please click here and here and here) performing for one night only at the Highline Ballroom (431 West 16th Street, off Ninth Avenue): The Blanks

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci are an adorably dark comedy folk duo who have appeared on such network TV shows on Scrubs and Jay Leno (to check out their videos, please click here); and they’re headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club via their stage names Garfunkel & Oates

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Karen Kilgariff (Mr. Show; head writer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show) celebrates the release of her superb comedy music CD Behind You with stand-ups Tony Camin, Ross Hyzer, and host Sean Crespo at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for producer Carol Hartsell’s Karen Kilgariff’s CD Release Party

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night LiveComedy Central Presents, Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central’s Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), 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), Craig Baldo (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central), Jordan Carlos (Comedy Central, MTV), Pat O’Shea (host of Ed Sullivan on Acid), and Kerri Lendo (big in Austin) performing stand-up at Karma Lounge (51 First Avenue, off 3rd Street) with hosts Kara Klenk and Nick Turner: If You Build It

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A comic who won Last Comic Standing Season 3, has performed on Jay Leno, and starred in his own Showtime one-hour special Who’s Paying Attention?, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Alonzo Bodden

[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

9:00 pm ($7): “Strange, mysterious, beautiful, and disgusting, this show will dazzle you with sketch comedy… and magic!” from witchy duo Angela DeManti & Emily Shapiro: The Weird Sisters

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] 10:00 pm ($8): NYC’s heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won last year’s ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group—performing this monthly show at The PIT’s downstairs lounge: Murderfist

[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

10:30 pm ($7): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney as comedy duo Trike

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups in a late-night talk show format at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Michael Che: Michael Che’s Community Service

[FREE] Midnight: 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

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.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 8/12/11

August 12, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For comprehensive coverage of the spectacular FringeNYC 2011 Festival, please click here.

Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci as Garfunkel & Oates

Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci will be brilliant, sexy, and irresistibly fun tonight at Gotham Comedy as musical duo "Garfunkel & Oates"

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] One of the most magical events in NYC, the annual Del Close Improv Marathon will run continuously from 4:30 pm on Friday August 12th until 9:30ish pm on Sunday August 14th. Improv troupes from all around the US and Canada—New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Austin, Miami, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Phoenix, Raleigh, Toronto, Vancouver, and more—will perform over 150 shows, typically in 30 minute blocks, for 55+ hours. Tickets will be $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 is way more patrons than available space, which will cause 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. To learn more, please click here.

The listings below include DCM shows at the FIT Auditorium that are an additional $12 to see—unless they don’t sell out, in which case those with marathon passes can receive any remaining seats free of charge.

 [FREE] 6:00 pm: An open-mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups start at 5:30 pm) at The Creekupstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Mike Recine and Annie Lederman: The Shinebox

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($12): 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. Please note this is among the last chances to enjoy improv genius Tara Copeland on an NYC stage before Tara moves to LA next month. Come see why BWC won aFringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event—performing tonight at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): Baby Wants Candy

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($18 at the box office by mentioning discount codeFAYEB): 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, see Faye be a Green Bean by clicking here, and then take advantage of this revival running Friday nights to experience the hilarious and unforgettable Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1; for reenactment of Dan’s breakup, please click here), Joe List (Comedy Central), Liz Miele (Comedy Central), Kara Klenk (co-host of If You Build It), and Matt Baetz performing stand-up at O’Hanlon’s(14th Street off 1st Avenue) hosted by Mark Normand: Hot Soup

8:00 pm ($10): An improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A comic who won Last Comic Standing Season 3, has performed on Jay Leno, and starred in his own Showtime one-hour special Who’s Paying Attention?, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Alonzo Bodden

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that’s first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci are an adorably dark comedy folk duo who have appeared on such network TV shows on Scrubs and Jay Leno (to check out their videos, please click here); and they’re headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club via their stage names Garfunkel & Oates

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($12): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim’s awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer forSaturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo who should not be missed…and are performing tonight at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($12): The Emmy-winning writers of The Colbert Report—and possibly a surprise star or two—gather on stage to perform an all-improvised show at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): Seize the Mustard

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors, including such world-class performers as the breathtakingly talented Tara Copeland, using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:15 pm ($5): A brilliant group of improvisors from Chicago and New York—spearheaded by Improv legend Joe Bill, who’s coming into town this weekend for the Del Close Marathon—offers lightning-quick dark comedy unlike anything else in NYC. In addition to Joe, the troupe consists of Jordan Klepper (Klepper & Grey, iO, ), Jodi Lennon (Comedy Central’s Exit 57), Ari Voukydis (UCB instructor, VH!’s Best Week Ever), Doug Stoley (Conan O’Brien, UCB), Rick Andrews (Magnet performer), Mark Grenier (Magnet instructor), Jen Sanders (Magnet performer), and Chet Siegel (Magnet performer). While this Magnet show isn’t part of DCM, with Joe Bill participating it’s likely to be as awesome as anything at the UCBT festival: Lights Out, Shirley!

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($12): TV star & improv legend Horatio Sanz gets together with some of his friends to make stuff up at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kate Murphy Amphitheatre (corner West 27th Street & 7th Avenue): Horatio Sanz & the Kings of Comedy

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.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 3/20/10

March 20, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Riki Lindhome & Kate Micucci will be brilliant, sexy, and irresistibly fun tonight at the Comix Comedy Club as star music comedy duo Garfunkel & Oates

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 ($3): Stand-ups doing comic book related material at one of NYC’s best comic book stores, Jim Hanley’s Universe, with tonight’s superb guests including Ali Wong, Dan St. Germain, Mike Drucker, and Jesse Pop, hosted by Vito Delsante and Matt Maragno: Comics Love Comics

7:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Chelsea White, the delightful stand-up who wowed the entire NYC comedy community with her wonderful videos at last week’s ECNY Awards, tonight guest-hosts with Aalap Patel, and performs with stand-ups Nick Turner, Matt Wayne, Meg Cupernall, Matt Maragno, Kevin Carlin, and Jeff Maurer in Ochi’s Lounge. To see why you don’t want to miss Chelsea, please click here; and then come check out tonight’s Lil’ Seany Boy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisor Christina Gausas and friends she originally made in Chicago—which include writers & performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show—plus a rotating cast of stellar visitors, all joyously declaring Let’s Have a Ball

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.50 online if you use code VIPMARCH, plus 2-item minimum): Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci are an adorably silly, super-smart , and super-talented comedy folk duo for whom the word irresistible was probably invented. The gals are very deservedly “blowing up”  in the biz, having recently appeared on such network TV shows asScrubsJay Leno, and Carson Daly…and should not be missed. If you don’t yet know why, please check out their videos by clicking here; and then treat yourself to the immense pleasure of seeing Riki and Kate tell stories, exchange spontaneous banter, and sing live—with their opening act one of the finest stand-ups in the country, Jessi Klein (staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central)—at the elegant Comix Comedy Club via their stage names Garfunkel & Oates

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($24.50, plus 2-drink minimum): One of the most skilled, funny, and beloved stand-ups in the country—and a personal favorite—who’s a staff writer for Saturday Night Live, has performed repeatedly on Conan O’Brien and VH1’s Best Week Ever, and won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up, headlining tonight through Sunday at Carolines: John Mulaney

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—and which recently won the Cage Match Championship for two years in a row!—genius improvisorsDeath by Roo Roo

9:00 pm ($5): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Always fresh and imaginative world-class sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar rituals on their head (for a video about awkward goodbyes at the end of a party, please click here): The Harvard Sailing Team

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): An all-star improv troupe led by brilliant UCBT artistic director Anthony King: Reuben Williams

10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike

[TOP PICK] 11:00 ($8): NYC’s heavy metal version of a comedy troupe—and which recently won this year’s ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group—doesn’t always hit the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy: Murderfist: Late and Dirty

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Adam Lustick and Billy Scafuri are stellar members of world-class sketch troupeThe Harvard Sailing Team; and they’ve now branched out to form comedic rap duo Snakes…which recently won the 2010 ECNY Award for Best Musical Group! Check out their debut album, which can be downloaded from BillyandAdam.com, and then join them and their delightfully unusual guests at Snakes: FutureSex/LoveSnakes

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 3/19/10

March 19, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Kate Micucci & Riki Lindhome rock the Comix Comedy Club tonight and Saturday as stellar musical comedy duo Garfunkel & Oates

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): In this fun show, 16 musical performers turn an audience member’s suggestion into two musical fairy tales that tell what happened from the viewpoint of first the hero and then the villain, with “all the music and magic of a Disney flick…plus the darkness of the Brothers Grimm:” Once Upon a Time

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A glorious collection of hilarious film clips from super-fan Kevin Maher and friends at 92 Y Tribeca, which tonight is summed up by this trailer; this has entirely sold out, but grab tickets for subsequent shows now while they’re still available so next month you can enjoy an event like tonight’s Kevin Geeks Out About Sharks

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($24.50, plus 2-drink minimum): One of the most skilled, funny, and beloved stand-ups in the country—and a personal favorite—who’s a staff writer for Saturday Night Live, has performed repeatedly on Conan O’Brien and VH1’s Best Week Ever, and won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up, headlining tonight through Sunday at Carolines: John Mulaney

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.50 online if you use code VIPMARCH, plus 2-item minimum): Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci are an adorably dark comedy folk duo who have appeared on such network TV shows on Scrubs and Jay Leno (to check out their videos, please click here); and they’re headlining tonight and Saturday at the elegant Comix Comedy Club via their stage names Garfunkel & Oates

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Amy Heidt’s one-woman show was one of the very best productions at this past August’s FringeNYC Festival (for my review, please click here)—if you didn’t catch it then, don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to see Amy demonstrate her brilliance as both actress and writer; plus two of the funniest and most loveable sketch comics alive, Katherine Bryant and Chris O’Connor (half of sketch troupe Fearsome) team up with also hilarious sketch comics Mike Still (sketch troupe A Week of Kindness) and John Phillips (sketch troupe Trophy Dad) to perform a comedic play about a college buddy returning after 10 years to ruin his friend’s life, in the double-bill Amy Heidt: Dominate Yourself! and Mace Bacon: The Worst Guy Ever

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Superb stand-ups Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central, Variety SHAC), Tony Camin (Comedy Central, VH1), Barry Rothbart (MTV), Jay Bois, and Jimmy Merritt, plus sharp sketch troupe Sidecar, performing at Brooklyn’s Coco 66 for hosts Nick Turner’s & Jason Saenz’s Too Cool for School

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm ($10):Stellar storyteller Kevin Allison (The State, host of Risk!), Patrick Borelli (Comedy Central), and Craig Baldo (Conan O’Brien) performing at the Luca Lounge (200 Avenue B) with lovely producer/host/ECNY winner Carol Hartsell, Sean Crespo, and more: Shark at Work

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A groundbreaking and surreal improv/sketch troupe performing with new guests each Friday and making a valid complaint: Centralia: We Were Supposed To Have Flying Cars By Now

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups performing in Ochi’s Lounge at a gay-themed show hosted by the lovely Jenny Rubin: The Back Room

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): “Jon Gabrus is a rugby player from Long Island who loves to drink, which is the perfect trifecta for getting into ridiculous and dangerous situations. Come drink along with Gabrus as he shares some of his beer-soaked tales, like the time he ate a dead snake, or cooked a fork on a barbecue and branded himself…twice. There will plenty of drinking games, lots of audience participation, and an appalling lack of shame. His bartender, special guests, and his lack of self-control will join forces to create a night Jon probably won’t remember:” Blackout Drunk

11:00 pm ($5): A fun improv show that makes up scenes based on the contents of an audience member’s wallet: Gimme the Loot!

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Chris Gethard, Shannon O’Neill, and other top comics—plus musical guest Owen Biddle of The Roots (Jimmy Fallon’s band)—interact with the newest Web sensation atChatroulette Live!

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.


NYC Top Comedy Choices for Monday 10/12/09

October 12, 2009

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For cherished moments from David Letterman, please click here.

Kate Micucci & Riki Lindhome as musical duo Garfunkel & Oates

Kate Micucci & Riki Lindhome as musical duo Garfunkel & Oates

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—at John Morrison’s Ochi’s Motel

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sharp NYC stand-ups Joe Devito, Tom McCaffrey, Dan Mahoney, Mike Sheehan, Jonathan Powley, and David Felsen performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy

8:00 pm ($5): Two of UCBT’s house sketch comedy troupes, Gramps’ and Thunder Gulch, trying out new bits at Maude Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Anthony Jeselnik (genius dark comedy stand-up; writer for Jimmy Fallon; Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), David Javerbaum (writer for The Daily Show; co-writer of Cry-Baby: The Musical and A Colbert Christmas; will read from his new book What to Expect When You’re Expected), Jena Friedman (Entertaining the Bartender), Alan Lebetkin, and more performing in the Lolita Bar with producer Liam McEneaney at Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Riki Lindhome (Last House on the Left) and Kate Micucci (Scrubs) deliver an evening of comedic songs in this sold-out-of-seats show (though if you’re okay with standing, come and enjoy), including their hits Pregnant Women Are Smug and F*ck You, as musical duo Garfunkel & Oates

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest stand-ups in the country—who tonight include Garfunkel & Oates (see directly above), Noah Garfinkel (Totally J/K), and Brendan Burns—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For cherished moments from David Letterman, please click here.