Best New York Comedy

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Tonight’s recommendation for the best in New York City comedy on New Year’s Eve is:

[TOP PICK] a Comedy Central star, plus other superb NYC comics, at New Year’s Eve with Greg Giraldo (7:30 pm & 10:30 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Seth Herzog

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks marked by brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, who tonight include Karen Batista, Vicky Kuperman, Paola Dattner, Chris Grace, Phil O’Reilly, and Dave Celestian—at John Morrison’s Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),

three full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes The Law Firm, Bangs, Ragnaröck, Bastian, and Whorenado—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] superb comics Pete Holmes (lightning-quick & one of the funniest guys in the country; VH1, Comedy Central), Brett Gelman (always daring and often brilliant experimental comic & character chameleon), Josh Spear (Conan O’Brien, Bravo), and surprise guests at the wonderful Seth Herzog’s Sweet (9:00 pm).

and a gala free opportunity for you to perform with world-class improvisors at UCBT’s final show of 2008, The End of The Year Improv Jam (11:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Brett Gelman

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks marked by brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, tonight including Helen Hong, Vicky Kuperman, Karen Batista, RG Daniels, Matt Ruby, Josh Comers, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, Aalap Patel, and John Morrison—at John Morrison’s Ochi’s Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] stellar stand-ups including comedy genius Anthony Jeselnik (Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central), Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central, VH1), Bobby Miyamoto (Comedy Central, Craig Ferguson), Greg Barris (MTV2), Jeff Kreisler (Shoot the Messenger), and more at a free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),

fun perspectives on 2008 from a small army of comics at The 5th Annual It Sucked! Awards (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country—tonight including Marc Maron (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, HBO, Comedy Central), Brett Gelman (Comedy Central), Kerri Lendo, and Sean O’Connor—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Jordan Carlos

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks marked by brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] UCBT’s playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] typically stellar stand-ups at one of the funniest free productions in NYC—and winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show—President Johnson (8:00 pm),

terrific NYC comics Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report), Myq Caplan (Comedy Central), M. Dickson (NC Comedy Arts Fest), and more at RG Daniels’ free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),

and terrific stand-up comics Vanessa Hollingshead (HBO, Comedy Central, just back from touring Iraq), Ophira Eisenburg (Comedy Central), Anne Necypor (Logo’s Hot Gay Comics), and Shawn Hollenbach (Here! TV’s Busted) at a free gay-themed show tonight guest-hosted by Scott Ryan: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Patrice Oneal

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks marked by brackets) include:

four sharp storytellers trying to mislead the audience at Andy Christie’s The Liar Show (6:00 pm),

acclaimed comic Matt Higgins (Comedy Central), plus Jason Kalter (Rue Brutalia) and Chris Manley (New Exc!tement), each performing his favorite one-man sketch routines in Flyin’ Solo (7:00 pm),

[MEGA-TOP PICK] one of the most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country performing this extraordinary new one-man show that should not be missed: Chris Gethard’s Magic Box of Stories (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] a TV and movie comedy star who frequently appears on HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime, and is a hilarious comedy club veteran: Patrice Oneal Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which this season broke the Cage Match record for winning streaks with 18 triumphs in a row, and has now taken over UCBT’s prestigious prime-time Saturday night slot—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),

and a comedy game show about life and trivia: Are You Paying Attention? (midnight).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Legendary improv troupe The Swarm

Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks marked by brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] a TV and movie comedy star who frequently appears on HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime, and is a hilarious comedy club veteran: Patrice Oneal Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] a celebration of the festival of lights from a world-class improv/sketch troupe, complete with latkes, prizes, and “Chanookka Harry:” Hanukkah with Hot Sauce! (8:00 pm),

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

[TOP PICK] and a rare performance from one of the most brilliant, hilarious, and revered comedy troupes in improv history—the legendary members of The Swarm (11:00 pm).

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

There are no NYC comedy recommendations for Christmas; all the usual suspects are closed. But please tune in here again on Friday for the resumption of top comedy picks.

Meanwhile, hope you enjoy thoroughly happy holidays.

Warmest regards,

Hy