NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 3/18/12

March 18, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Come see me judge NYU and Columbia stand-ups on 3/20 at the Gotham Comedy Club.

Arden Myrin

Arden Myrin shares her joy at Sunday Night Stand-Up...

Myq Kaplan

...and Myq Kaplan shares his pain 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:

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

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Improv duo The Bedtime Brothers begin by making up scenes based on an audience member’s horrible dating or break-up experience, and end with scenes springboarding off an audience-supplied movie quote; and in between invited stand-ups and sketch comics perform. It all happens at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Love Sucks! Movies Rock!

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($7): A one-man show by Michael Walsh at The Magnet about “four days stranded with 6,000 airline travelers in Gander, Newfoundland. Aer Lingus Flight 105, traveling from Dublin to New York, is grounded when US airspace became closed by the tragic events of September 11th. This remote Canadian town of 10,000 was turned into the largest makeshift airport terminal in the world. While these travelers wait to resume their lives, they examine Gander, the world, and themselves:” Between Takeoff and Landing

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Caitlin Bitzegaio (MTV, PBS, ESPN, writer or director of numerous UCBT sketch shows), and Shannon Coffey (Jimmy Fallon, co-host of Bread & Butter) participate in “a weekly podcast that assembles a new panel of comedians and weird characters to give funny advice, or at the very least relate to the people’s problems with their own stories” at UCB Easthosted by Andy Rocco: Here to Help

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea’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

7:30 pm ($5): Improv troupes not affiliated with any comedy school compete at UCB East for audience laughs and votes—and the privilege to go on to perform at the primary Cage Match show at UCB Chelsea—in this show hosted by the delightful Amey Goerlich & Ryan Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

[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 ($7): Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VHI, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times), Adam Cayton-Holland (co-host ofGrawlix), and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Arden Myrin (Conan O’Brien, Mad TV, Chelsea Lately, host of The Party Machine; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here), Jared Logan (rising star;Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Josh Rabinowitz, Gabe Pacheco, and more performing at RG Daniels’ free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): Magnet sketch comics performing new material (for a fun sample co-starring Danielle Tolley about dating a telemarketer, please click here): Alchemy

8:00 pm ($5): A screening of a TV pilot written by Steve Soroka (BoF, Maude Night, Someday the Cake) and Will Bozarth (Sweet Misery, Whiskey Rebellion) about a dystopian future in which robots rule…followed by improv from the cast!: Robot Apocalypse

8:00 pm ($5): Short-form improv at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Sunday ShortForm Show

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Trey Gaylon, Kevin Barnett, and Jermaine Fowler, plus musical group Ronald Reagan, performing at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) with guest host Del Harrison: Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Mike Racine (Comedy Central), Emily Heller (staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Chris Laker, Andy Sandford, Jim Tews, and Drew Toresco 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 the Beauty Bar

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced this month; the Joe & Marina lineup listed is from a year ago…) perform sets at The PIT, and then improv troupe Before the Accident makes up scenes springboarding off the material, at Daws of Jeath

9:30 pm ($5): A monthly screening of new short filmed sketch and comedy produced by members of The Magnet Theatre comedy community: Flick Video Showcase

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

10:00 pm ($5): 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 includeyou: Improv Nerds Jam

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 3/13/12

March 13, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

The Onion

Joe Garden and Todd Hanson, the editors of The Onion, perform at Tell Your Friends...

Myq Kaplan

...and Myq Kaplan performs at Sweet

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

8:00 pm ($5 at the door or $7.63 online): Joe List (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker), Leah Bonnema, The Lucas Bros, and Robert Dean performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Union Hall for this show that calls attention to its inexpensive price: Cheap Date

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A birthday celebration for Joe Garden (editor of The Onion), plus Todd Hanson (another editor of The Onion), Mike Trainor (TruTV), and “a super special secret guest stand-up” performing at Lolita Bar hosted by Liam McEneaney: Tell Your Friends

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

8:00 pm ($5): A one-man show by Pat Bellatina “being selected as the keynote speaker at his former high school’s commencement. Will he be brave enough to admit that he knows nothing? This comedic musical memoir explores the illusion of success, the joys of lying, and growing up in the Bronx while pretending you didn’t” at The PIT upstairs theatre following a sold-out run at Ars Nova: No No No Yes

8:00 pm ($5): Ann Carr, Greg Johnson, Laura Prangley, and George Flanagan performing at UCB East for a comedy variety show produced by Sara Schaefer & Scott Moran: Hot Dang

8:00 pm-Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv at UCB Chelsea for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Still Mike, Creature, Very Good Kiss, Grandma’s Ashes, and Deckard—and at 11:00 pm a range of UCBT students getting on stage with improv veterans at The Lottery—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly show features “a swarthy selection of fine stand-up comics and mildly entertaining recurring segments” at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre, hosted by Jim Tews & Brendan Eyre: Chest Hair

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: Rosencrantz and Mint Condition

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), RG Daniels (host of Sunday Night Stand-Up), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet

9:00 pm (no cover, one drink min.): Erin Judge (Comedy Central; for hilarious short bit on men vs. women, please click here), Phoebe Robinson, Matt Ruby, Scott Moran, and Nate Fridson performing stand-up for this weekly show at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A): The Afterlife

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups Charlie Kasov, Tyler Gildin, Jason Quarles, and Ben Asher performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by twins Adam & Todd Stone, who for this weekly show leave behind their trademark suits: Jackets Off

9:30 pm ($5): D&D-style epic fantasy improv, plus nerdy stand-up and music from David Cope and Jonathan Mann, at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Eric Grundhauserled as your Dungeon Master

9:30 pm ($5): Adrienne Iapalucci (Last Comic Standing), Neil Constantine, and Andrew Sanford performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up and sketch at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre, typically hosted by sketch troupes Savage Animal and/or Jerk Practice: Savage Animal

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Christian Finnegan (Conan O’Brien, co-star of TBS’Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1’s Best Week Ever, Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show) and maybe a top female stand-up who’s performed on HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV, TBS, E!, and Chelsea Lately, plus lots more at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Two of the most brilliant, fearless, and innovative comics in the biz, John Gemberling (Death by Roo Roo, Adult Swim, Comedy Central) and Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O’Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives), team up to create their special dark version of a comedy variety show at UCB East. Tonight’s guests are Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We’re All Friends Here), Streeter Seidell (CollegeHumor), and Todd & Adam Stone (Last Comic Standing): The Tony and Johnny Show

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members can join in with musical improv troupe Rosencrantz 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 at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

[FREE] 11:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 1/22/12

January 22, 2012

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

For my favorite stand-up jokes, please click here.

Todd Barry

Todd Barry guest-hosts Union Hall's Pretty Good Friends...

Myq Kaplan

...and Myq Kaplan performs at both Sunday Night Stand-Up & Dr. Princess Lawyer

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 upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Improv duo The Bedtime Brothers begin by making up scenes based on an audience member’s horrible dating or break-up experience, and end with scenes springboarding off an audience-supplied movie quote; and in between invited stand-ups and sketch comics perform. It all happens at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Love Sucks! Movies Rock!

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): John Gemberling (genius improvisor & comedic character actor; Comedy Central, Adult Swim, Death by Roo Roo, The Tony and Johnny Show), Anthony Atamanuik (genius improvisor & stellar storyteller; 30 Rock, Conan O’Brien, Huffington Post, Death by Roo Roo, The Nights of Our Lives, The Tony and Johnny Show), and Jake Fogelnest (MTV, Sirius XM) participate in “a weekly podcast that assembles a new panel of comedians and weird characters to give funny advice, or at the very least relate to the people’s problems with their own stories” at UCB East hosted by Andy Rocco: Here to Help

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea’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

7:30 pm ($5): Improv troupes not affiliated with any comedy school compete at UCB East for audience laughs and votes—and the privilege to go on to perform at the primary Cage Match show at UCB Chelsea—in this show hosted by the delightful Amey Goerlich & Ryan Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

[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 ($7): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX’s Louie, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead) guest hosting for Eugene Mirman, plus stand-up sets by Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1) and Kevin Barnett (College Humor), and hilariously odd amateur videos from the Found Footage Festival, all Brooklyn’s Union Hall: Pretty Good Friends

[$] 8:00 pm ($32.75 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle’s Showheadlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), 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), Murderfist (NYC’s fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), Calise Hawkins (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, writer forPlayboy.com), Seaton Smith, and Charlie Gaeta performing at RG Daniels’ free weekly show at theThree of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): Alexis Lambright performing a one-woman show at The Magnet about her quest to pop her cherry: Combating Adult Virginity

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge for a free weekly show typically hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:00 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), John Roy (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), Kara Klenk (host of If You Build It), and Doug Smith performing at UCB East hosted by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, and/or David Cope: Hot Soup

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Typically terrific NYC stand-ups (not announced this week) performing at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) typically hosted by Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, upcoming one-hour Comedy Central special): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here), Miguel Dalmau, Charles Gould, and Subhah Agarwal (birthday gal) performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Brad Austin, Nate Fridson, and/or Adam Sokol: Comedy at the Beauty Bar

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing; co-host of Hot Soup and We’re All Friends Here) and Kurt Metzger (Comedy Central’s Ugly Americans) perform stand-up sets at The PIT, and then improv troupe Before the Accident makes up scenes springboarding off the material, at Daws of Jeath

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

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Adam Sank (who founded this show). Naomi Ekperigin, and Chris Doucette performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle:Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): “Aaron Glaser wrote a pilot. It’s a cartoon about a woman who is a doctor, a princess, and a lawyer. This is a staged reading where some very funny people will bring an old stack of paper to life. Also, there will be some stand up and videos.” The top comics performing at UCB East include James Adomian and Myq Kaplan: Dr. Princess Lawyer: An Animated Pilot Reading

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

New Year, Healthier You: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Saturday 12/24/11

December 24, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Janeane Garofalo

TV & movie stars Janeane Garofalo...

Todd Barry

...and Todd Barry celebrate the holidays in their own special ways at 92Y Tribeca's "Hanukkomedy"...

Myq Kaplan and Rich Vos

...and Myq Kaplan, Rich Vos, and other Jews perform at Carolines as "The Chosen Ones"

Most comedy venues are dark for Christmas Eve, but there are still events well worth attending for those of us in need of laughs beyond the painfully awkward ones provided by relatives. 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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

[$] 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who’s appeared on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, and The Apprentice headlining tonight at the Gotham Comedy Club with fellow Jews Rachel Feinstein and Barry Weintraub: Jon Fisch

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX’s Louie, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Sandy Marks (CBS’ King of Queens, director of documentary Manhattan Comedy Nights), and MC Mr. Napkins performing (mostly) stand-up at 92Y Tribeca with host  Liam McEneaney: Hanukkomedy

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) Utilizing its network of expert talent scouts, theCarolines Comedy Club has managed to locate several Jewish comedians in New York City: Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and onTough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and currently on the Opie & Anthony radio show), Bonnie MacFarlane (Comedy Central, Cheat; okay, not born Jewish, but Jew-ish via marriage osmosis), Adam Newman (MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), and Harrison Greenbaum (writer for Mad Magazine; head writer of Tu Nite con Lorenzo Parro on NBCU/Telemundo; winner of the 2010 Andy Kaufman Award) . The results are on stage tonight celebrating the Festival of Lights: The Chosen Ones

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there’s still a 2-drink min. per person): Nikki Glaser (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, podcast You Had to Be There), Mike Yard, Aaron Berg, and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[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

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 9/20/11

September 20, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

Sean Patton and Myq Kaplan

Sean Patton performs stand-up at "Sweet," Myq Kaplan does the same at "Tell Your Friends"...

Tom Shillue and Shayna Ferm

...Tom Shillue tells sexy tales at "Stripped Stories," and Shayna Ferm sings at "Twat's Up!"

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): A one-man show by Andrew Fafoutakis about his life in Minnesota that’s “part comedy, part storytelling, and part rock concert:” Prince and a Pauper

[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 ($10 suggested donation): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller), star stand-up Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents), and Andy Ross (Real Characters) joining sensual hosts Margot Leitman (VH1, Spike TV) and Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1.com, co-host of Dive Comedy) in telling raunchy comedic tales—plus hot songs from Adira Amram (fresh, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter; winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Musical Act)—at the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC, which tonight is putting on a special edition for Planned Parenthood of New York City at Babeland Soho (43 Mercer Street, near the #6 subway’s Spring Street stop and the N/R Canal Street stop): Stripped Stories

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Jon Rineman (writer/performer for Jimmy Fallon), Eric Ledgin (writer for Jimmy Fallon), and Costaki Economopoulos (Showtime, Sirius XM) performing at the Lolita Bar with producer Liam McEneaney: Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): 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.), musical guest Mike Doughty (David Letterman, Conan O’Brien; formerly of band Soul Coughing; solo album Sad Man Happy Man), and more performing at UCB East (155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B) for a comedy variety show produced by Sara Schaefer & Scott Moran on behalf of a great late actor: After Hours with Gene Hackman and Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros 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 Grandma’s Ashes, Mr. Crime, Sandino, Dance Break, and Very Good Kiss—and at 11:00 pm advanced UCBT students making up movies—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Wonderful singer/songwriter Shayna Ferm (sketch troupe Fearsome, musicalGrease 3: Threase), and stand-ups R. G. Daniels (host of Sunday Night Stand-Up), Hadiyah Robinson, Andy Sandford, and Annie Lederman performing at Queens LIC’s The Creek hosted by Jackie Zebrowski, Julia Johns, and Sharron Paul: Twat’s Up!

8:00 pm ($5): Anne Johnson & Scott Lawrie “combine Eastern religions with Western bass beats to create the duo’s patented dance therapy” at The PIT for Work it Out with Anne and Scott

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: Mint Condition and Rosencrantz

[TOP PICK] 9:00 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), Rory Scovel (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central), Eric Ledgin (writer for Jimmy Fallon), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, Comedy Central), Justin Silver, Ari Shaffir, and more performing stand-up at the PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

9:30 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” at The PIT, with tonight focusing on troupe House Team Stranger and coach Jeff Lepine: The Operation Theater

[FREE] 9:30 pm: “Want to see your favorite stand-up comics get slapped by Satan himself? He only hosts bringer shows, but join Matt Wayne and Doug Smith as they step into the Big Man’s shoes and put NYC’s finest through comedy purgatory. Hula-hoops, celebrity impressions, unwanted audience participation, all incorporated into each performance! Will they triumph or will the nether world eat their souls? Come see for yourself in this monthly showcase” at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre: See You in Hell

10:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (lineup not announced) at UCB East (155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B) hosted by Adam Lowitt (Producer at The Daily Show): It Is It

[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

[FREE] MIdnight: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East (155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A & B) hosted by Boris Khaykin: Tuesdays at Midnight

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 8/14/11

August 14, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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

Julian McCullough and Myq Kaplan

Julian McCullough performs at Brooklyn's "Comedy Night;" Myq Kaplan headlines at Washington Square Park

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 is running continuously from 4:30 pm on Friday August 12th until past midnight 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:

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 2:00 pm: Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Morgan Venticinque (Jimmy Fallon), Selena Coppock, Nick Turner, and host Lori Sommer performing at Washington Square Park’s Holley Plaza: Laughter in the Park

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open-mic stand-up show (for details, please click here) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

6:00 pm ($5): Joe Moses became a YouTube star with A Very Potter Musical. In this show, he uses sketch, improv, and music to “share his unique perspective on what it’s like to be a young artist in NYC, and an online celebrity:” The Joe Moses One Man Showses

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

[$] 8:00 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 one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Alonzo Bodden

[FREE] 8:00 pm: The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame), Rose Surnow, David Waite, Dan Goodman, 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): A one-man show: Jason Blanche’s Hair Flip; and in the other half of this double-bill, a mini-play about aspiring Country Western musicians: The Oakwood Boys

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Julian McCullough (fiercely funny rising star; Comedy Central Presents, MTV, VH1), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Ryan Hamilton, Kevin Barnett, and Ramon Rivas performing at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) guest-hosted by Damien Lemon: Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Neil Charles, Phil Hanley, Taylor Clark, Grant Gordon, Alice Wetterlund, and Robert Dean performing at the East Village’s Beauty Bar for Vince Averill’s free weekly show Beauty Bar Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): A mini-play about a small town overrun by bugs: Booters; and in the second half of this double-bill, a character-based sketch show: The Day Terrors

[$] 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: Mel & El (fabulous musical duo; hosts of That Time of the Month), Allison Castillo, and Naomi Ekperigin performing stand-up at a free weekly gay-themed show at Therapyhosted 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

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 Sunday 9/5/10

September 5, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Christian Finnegan’s eulogy to Ochi’s, pleases click here.

RG Daniels and Myq Kaplan

Loveable hosts RG Daniels (Sunday Night Stand-Up) and Myq Kaplan (The Labor Day Comedy Show)

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

[$] 7:30 pm ($26.75 & 2-drink min.) Myq Kaplan (co-star of this summer’s Last Comic Standing) hosts Mike Vecchione, Harrison Greenbaum, Joe Larson, and Vince August performing stand-up at Carolines: The Labor Day Comedy Show

[$] 8:00 pm ($20 & 2-item minimum): Superb stand-ups who may include Judah Friedlander, Christian Finnegan, Julian McCullough, Mike Lawrence, Jesse Joyce, Kurt Metzger, and Veronica Mosey performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Still Standing Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Sketch troupe The Cowmen, plus NYC stand-ups Luis J. Gomez, Bill Chambers, Jessica Watkins, and Josh Guarino, performing at RG Daniels’ free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Team Submarine, Ryan Conner, Dan Carroll, and Chesley Calloway performing in the East Village’s Beauty Bar at Vince Averill’s & Jesse Popp’s free weekly extravaganza Beauty Bar Comedy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing at this free weekly gay-themed show atTherapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

[$] 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 at Carolines: Paul Mooney

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

For Christian Finnegan’s eulogy to Ochi’s, pleases click here.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 7/7/10

July 7, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Hannibal Buress and Myq Kaplan

Hannibal Buress (above left), Adira Amram, Leo Allen, and other wonderful comics perform tonight at Jena Friedman's Entertaining the Bartender; and Myq Kaplan (above right) headlines tonight at Carolines

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] 7:00 pm ($5): Michael Patrick O’Brien (staff writer for Saturday Night Live) debuts a one-show show that begins with his trying to break a randomly selected Guinness World Record “using only a small bag of props and the advice of audience members,” followed by “an inspired sort of looniness,”at Shatter

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($18.00 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up famed for his quiet, intelligent style who’s performed on Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, and this summer’s Last Comic Standing (for superb stand-up video about religion, gay  marriage, and dumplings, please clickhere) headlining tonight only at Carolines: Myq Kaplan

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show), James Adomian (superb impressionist with killer bit on Lewis Black as 14-year-old girl; finalist in this summer’s Last Comic Standing; as long as James skips the dreadful cancer joke he’s currently trying out, expect a good time), musical guest Das Racist, and more join best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster) at Totally J/K

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm [FREE] 8:00 pm: Thoroughly wonderful comics Adira Amram (fresh, sexy, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter), Hannibal Buress (red-hot rising stand-up star; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, George Lopez, concert filmThe Awkward Comedy Show; 2010 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up), 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), Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central’s Michael and Michael Have Issues, Stella, Variety SHAC), John Flynn (superb storyteller; The Nights of Our Lives), and  Mike DeStephano (semi-finalist on this summer’s Last Comic Standing) performing at the East Village’sAngels and Kings with delightful dark humor host Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender

[FREE] [FREE CUPCAKES/SNACKS] 8:30: NYC storytellers & stand-ups Leslie Goshko, Rob Gorden, Sue Funke, Vicki Ferentinos, Pat O’Shea, Sean Crespo, and Colin Dempsey performing at this free weekly show—tonight celebrating its Second Anniversary with free cupcakes & other snacks!—hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Hannibal Buress (red-hot rising star; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, George Lopez, concert film The Awkward Comedy Show; 2010 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up), Greg Barris (host of Heart of Darkness), Gabrielle Delahaye, and more performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn’s Cameo (behind Lovin’ Cup) hosted by Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Superb comics Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials) and John Lutz (writer & occasional actor on SNL since 2004;recurring character on 30 Rock) perform acclaimed two-man improv in 2 Square

[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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