NYC Top Comedy Choices for Friday 4/25/14

April 25, 2014
Sasheer Zamata and Seth Herzog

Sasheer Zamata, Seth Herzog, and more make up TED Talks on the spot at Cool Shit / Weird Shit

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 ($8): Zoe Farmingdale & Oscar Montoya play “performance artists hired to put up a series of ads inspired by Mead Composition Notebooks. This is their show. Watch and be transcended” at The PIT downstairs lounge: An Untitled Art Sketch Show Inspired by Mead Notebooks

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm & 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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (possibly 9:00 pm only), 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 more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[$] 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:45 pm, 10:30 pm, and 12:15 am ($20-$24 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tonight’s lineups include Kevin Brennan (David Letterman, HBO half hour special) at every show, with all shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) except for the 8:00 pm show at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Friday

7:00 pm ($7): The Magnet theatre hands out its annual awards to its own performers at The Maggies

7:00 pm ($10): “Fast-paced, high energy sketch comedy show that involves music” at The PIT upstairs theatre: Defiance

[TOP PICK]7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch group (vs. improv group) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It’s earned this slot because its writers (who include stellar comics Brandon Gulya and Silvija Ozols) are terrific, and its cast is superb: Brandon Scott Jones, Molly Lloyd, John Murray, Leslie Meisel, Connor Ratliff, and Johnathan Fernandez. (If you’re in the industry, hire them.) Enjoy this brand new collection of sketches directed by Brandon Scott Jones: Stone Cold Fox Bites the Big Apple

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Improv group Bucky makes up one long scene in the same location (a winning form that’s helped such teams as Death by Roo Roo win a whole lot of Cage Match victories)—and, when SNL is on break, sometimes includes star Sasheer Zamata—at the UCB East theatre: Bucky: Here and Now

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($42 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up veteran who’s appeared on David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Last Comic Standing; hosted the HBO stand-up showcase Down and Dirty; was a cast member of the wonderful though short-lived HBO sitcom Lucky Louie, and performed his own HBO half-hour One Night Stand special; has appeared in such hit films as Spider-Man; is a regular on XM Satellite Radio’s The Opie & Anthony Show; and is the author of the book Happy Endings, headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Jim Norton

8:00 pm ($10): A comedy group that’s bad for your breath but good for you performs sketch at The PIT upstairs theatre: Garlic Jackson

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Chris Laker (host of The Show) is recording his first comedy album. If you’d like to hear his favorite jokes crafted over the past decade, and possibly contribute your laughs to play on his album for eternity, come to The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Chris Laker Comedy Album Recording

[TOP PICK]9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in the country from brilliant comics Shannon O’Neill, Silvija Ozols, Jordan Klepper, Connor Ratliff, Don Fanelli, Will Hines, and/or Michael Delaney forming a seamless and hilarious group mind at UCB Chelsea—the all-star members of The Stepfathers

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Mark Normand (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We’re All Friends Here), Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney’s), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), Janelle James, Harry Terjanian, Langston Kerman, and Dustin Wesley performing stand-up at this free weekly show at Brooklyn’s The Cobra Club (6 Wyckoff Avenue) hosted by Erik Bergstrom, Ben Kronberg, and/or John F. O’Donnell: Live From Outer Space

[TOP PICK]9:00 pm ($10): Cipha Sounds (Hot 97, Chappelle’s Show) thought it would be cool if a hip-hop star told tales and then improvisors made up scenes based on them. This monthly show is the result, with a “secret” music celebrity “mesmerizing the crowd with amazing stories and linguistic darts to spark the creativity of some of the best improvisers in NYC,” the latter being Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Natasha Rothwell, Brandon Gardner, Lydia Hensler, Christian Capozzoli, Abra Tabak, and/or Shaun Diston at the UCB East theatre: Take It Personal: The Hip-Hip Improv Show

9:30 pm ($8): Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Megan Lohne, Chris Luther, Angela Perrone, Natasha Rogers, Reed Rogers, Karen Summerton, Mark Vigeant and Pete Zuorick perform stand-up or sketch at “a variety show inspired by a poignant evening on NBC’s The Voice in which a contestant found himself going through ‘dark times’ after dropping out of NYU’s graduate program for music business to pursue his true calling: slightly faltering karaoke singing. His parents seemed very disappointed” at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Megan Lohne and/or Melissa Somosky,: Dark Times: A Comedic Variety Hour

9:30 pm ($10): Two PIT upstairs theatre improv groups making up a musical on the spot, one with sharpness and the other with a friendly greeting: Dagger and Hello

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups aiming to slay audiences at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Phil Burke: Destroy All Humans

[TOP PICK]10:30 pm ($10): Superb improvisors Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Sue Galloway, Dan Klein, Brian Faas, Matt Moses, and/or Conner O’Malley—who this year defeated The Stepfathers and thoroughly crushed another troupe at Cage Match before losing by a single vote—make up scenes about an audience member’s legal dispute at the UCB Chelsea theatre: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

10:30 pm ($10): Michelle Wolf (staff writer for Seth Meyers; MTV’s Girl Code, IFC), Aaron Glaser (Jimmy Fallon, Wolf of Wall Street; host of Midnight Stand-Up), Nate Smith (Comedy Central), and Max Fox performing stand-up, sketch, storytelling, or improv at UCB East hosted by Brandon Scott Jones, D’Arcy Carden, Justin Tyler, Kelly Hudson, and/or Alden Ford: Gentrify

[TOP PICK] [ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): Carolyn Castiglia and Andrea Alton are among the guests at this monthly show in which “comics do 3-5 minutes of something they’ve always wanted to do on stage but never had the balls to” at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Peter Michael Marino (creator of SoloCon) and the brilliant & lovely Amanda Duarte (host of Dead Darlings; young): Cojones

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): A very special improvised TED Talks edition, with Sasheer Zamata (instant star cast member of Saturday Night Live), Seth Herzog (long-time staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; co-host of Nat Geo’s Duck Quakes Don’t Echo; 30 Rock, Comedy Central, CBS, VH1; host of Sweet), and more at UCB East hosted by superb sketch duo Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp (GUMP): Cool Shit / Weird Shit

Friday Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

5:45 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, running 1 hour. Arrive 30 minutes before the show to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open-mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with host Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Attend to perform improv with experienced PIT performers at The PIT downstairs lounge, with a weekly rotating selection of formats and hosts: Happy Hour

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there’ll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area (“Hot Chicks Room”) hosted by Sarah Tollemache and/or Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Open Mic

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that’s first come, first serve, with each comic getting 5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

Best Inexpensive Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, and Storytelling

Upright Citizens Brigade Chelsea
(307 West 26th Street; 150-seater; shows free-$10; one of the most respected comedy theatres in the world)

Upright Citizens Brigade East
(153 East 3rd Street; 99-seat main theatre, bar area for open mics; shows free-$10)

The PIT
(123 East 24th Street; 99-seat upstairs theatre, 40-seat downstairs theatre; shows free-$15)

The Magnet
(254 West 29th Street; 60-seat theatre; shows $5-$10)

The Creek and the Cave
(Queens’ Long Island City; 40-seat theatre upstairs, 25 downstairs; virtually all shows free)

Best NYC Stand-Up Comedy Clubs

Comedy Cellar
(117 MacDougal Street; among the finest daily stand-up lineups in the world; 2-item min.)

The Stand
(239 Third Avenue; recent competitor to Comedy Cellar; no drink min.—support this policy!)

Carolines Comedy Club
(1626 Broadway; focuses on the world’s top headliners, who perform hour-long sets; 2-drink min.)

Gotham Comedy Club
(208 West 23rd Street; headliners on weekends, specialty & lineup shows weekdays; 2-drink min.)

Eastville Comedy Club
(85 East 4th Street; strong weekend lineups; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Greenwich Village Comedy Club
(99 MacDougal Street; convenient if Comedy Cellar’s sold out; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Comic Strip Live
(1568 Second Avenue, off 81st; Upper East Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Stand Up NY
(236 West 78th Street, off Broadway; Upper West Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Laughing Devil
(4738 Vernon Blvd., by #7 train; Queens LIC club, with MST3K-style movie night on Thursdays; 2-drink min.)

From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: If you want to know what is happening in NYC comedy on a particular day, you gotta get hip to this dude Hy Bender and his site Best New York Comedy. The site is updated daily and features a super exhaustive look at what is happening in the NYC comedy world that particular day. The site is updated religiously…It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is.

Please feel encouraged to reach out to tell me about comedy shows, hire me for book or screenplay work, or for any other reason by emailing me at hy@hyreviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 12/17/13

December 17, 2013

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Reggie Watts

Comedy geniuses Reggie Watts…

Daniel Kitson

…and Daniel Kitson are among the guests at Eugene Mirman’s bash in Brooklyn: Pretty Good Friends…

Seth Herzog

…while Seth Herzog puts on a gals final show for 2013 featuring Sean Patton, Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan, a world-class juggler, and much more at Sweet…

Gary Vider

…and very funny rising star Gary Vider headlines 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:

 [TOP PICK] 7:00 pm-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, five of The Magnet’s singing improv groups make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion, followed at 10:00 by a free show that lets audience members join in with a musical improv group to make up stories in song: Magnet Musical Megawatt

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Fontana’s (105 Eldridge Street), with giveaways of comics and gift certificates (and if you can’t make it, watch in online here): Comic Book Club

[FREE] 7:00 pm: The co-host of weekly show Comedy at the Beaty Bar tries out material at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre: Nate Fridson

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($7.37 if you use code BREAKOUT online or by phone, plus 2-drink min.) A hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up—for sample jokes, please click here —headlines for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club (with openers Luis J. Gomez, Dave Smith, and Jasmine Pierce): Gary Vider

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm-12:30 am ($5): Eight long form UCB house improv groups—Greg, Higgins, Graceland, GoodGirl, Namaste, Grammer, The Regulars, and Bucky—get on the UCB Chelsea stage for a five hour holiday improv blast: The Longest Harold Night of the Year

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($12 at the door or $13.41 online): “The Star Wars Holiday Special was broadcast in its entirety only once, in the United States and Canada, on November 17, 1978, preempting Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk. It has never been rebroadcast or officially released on home video. David Hofstede called it ‘the worst two hours of television ever.’ George Lucas has reportedly said ‘If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.’ Join us and find out why Cherry Pitz is obsessed with it!” in this burlesque tribute accompanied by clips of the show at the R-Bar (218 Bowery) hosted by Cherry Pitz (a.k.a. sharp storyteller Cyndi Freeman): Hotsy Totsy Burlesque’s tribute to The 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 online using discount code NORTHERN; no min.): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Sean Patton (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O’Brien, upcoming Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1, feature film Wifed Out; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Nick Vatterott (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, Second City, 2012 Andy Kaufman Award), Reese Waters (David Letterman), Josh Carter, and Ray Devito performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Sean Patton, Nick Vatterott, and More

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Ace group Murderfist (NYC’s fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award) and sketch troupe Girls With Brown Hair perform at the upstairs Stand Up NY Lab (236 West 78th Street): Sketch Night at the Lab

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, The Dave Hill Explosion, bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake, champion rapper, author of Tasteful Nudes), Livia Scott (magical comedic chameleon; Conan O’Brien, Law & Order, VH1, feature film National Lampoon’s Dirty Movie; sketch groups Scrambled Legs and The Livia Scott Sketch Program), Lou Perez, Sam Grittner, Rusty Ward, and Sandra Bauleo performing stand-up or sketch for this free weekly show at People’s Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Tim Ellis & Mo Fathelbab: Manifesto

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($25 at the box office or $28 online): UK-based Daniel Kitson is one of the sharpest writer/performers alive. This year he took a huge risk by doing a show in which he doesn’t speak a word, and doesn’t even interact with the audience, but instead walks around the stage playing a series of recordings of his and other voices—which is either highly artistic and poignant, or like watching a recorded radio program in a darkened theatre, depending on how you feel about it. You can read a carefully balanced and nuanced review from Jason Zinoman of The New York Times here and a blunt review from Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Post here. This is a sprawling, detail-packed scripted show, not stand-up. If you’re up for something different, though, any performance by Daniel is something special. This is the final week of the run, which ends December 21st at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse (29 Jay Street): Analog,Ue

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O’Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central, Opie & Anthony), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX’s Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Kevin Meaney, Gary Gulman, Ryan Hamilton, and More

8:00 pm ($8): A house sketch troupe performs at The PIT upstairs theatre, directed by Holden McNeely (Murderfist): National Scandal

8:00 pm ($5): “Improvisers and stand-ups do what they do best…and then switch places to try their hand at what the other does best. Performing to sold out crowds at UCBT-LA, this show is a cross-discipline Cage Match.” On the improv side is team PRISM; while the stand-ups are Jeffrey Joseph, Kara Klenk, and Adam Chisnall, all performing at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin: Impro(vs)tandup

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by the brilliantly surreal and hilarious Joe Pera, plus Charles Gould and Dan Licata: Dan + Joe + Charles’ Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm (reserve your free spots by clicking here): and Dan St. Germain (enormously likeable and rapidly rising star who has several shows in the works; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half-Hour Special, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Reese Waters (David Letterman), Matt Ruby (MTV; co-host of Hot Soup and We’re All Friends Here, blog Sandpaper Suit), Nate Fridson, Chris Laker, Taylor Ketchum, and more performing stand-up at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street, in the back room) produced every Tuesday by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Gary Vider, and Sachi Ezura: Hot Soup

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($20 at the door or $25.49 online): Two of the quickest and most talented comedy geniuses alive, Daniel Kitson and Reggie Watts, star at this holiday bash hosted by Eugene Mirman, which also features Janelle James, Derrick Brown, and “special guests” (as if there’s anyone more special than Daniel and Reggie…), all performing at Brooklyn’s The Bell House (149 7th Street, between Second and Third Avenues; take the R to 9th Street or the F to 4th Avenue): Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Sean Patton (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1, feature film Wifed Out; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Jared Logan (rising star; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, VH1’s Best Week Ever, CNN, TBS), Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan (amazing human boombox; The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, co-host of The BEATdown), Clarke McFarlane (renowned juggler/comic currently starring in the circus variety show La Soiree at Union Square Theater), Chris Barron, Tim Harrington, Rosewood, and more performing at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon long-time staff comic, VH1, Nat Geo): Sweet

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Typically fine stand-ups (not announced) performing with composer Matt Garrison’s four-piece jazz band playing in the background at Queens LIC’s The Creek downstairs lounge hosted by Mike Finoia. Please note this is slated to be the final show of Code Name: Comedy and Jazz

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NY stand-ups (not announced) performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn’s The Alligator Lounge (600 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Sean Donnelly, Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Dean, and/or Steve O’Brien: Comedy at Alligator Lounge

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Phoebe Robinson debuts this monthly stand-up show, tonight featuring Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant writer, stand-up, and storyteller; writer and/or producer for MTV’s Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy, and Nikki & Sara Show; trutV, TLC, co-host of Dive Comedy), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), and Jamie Lee (staff writer/performer for The Pete Holmes Show; Conan O’Brien, Last Comic Standing, MTV’s Girl Code, VH1) all performing at the UCB East theatre: Blaria Live Stand-Up Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): Short-form improv is best, argues Terry Withers: “New York City is filled with lowest common denominator long-form improvisors. Sure, that type of improv gets laughs, but nine out of ten scenes are cheap and undisciplined. Get to the heart of what’s great about spontaneity using short-form classics that point to hidden truths: Party Quirks, Match OUTMATCH, Freeze, Ape Nest, and The Slam Pun Competition feed the soul and edify the mind” at The PIT downstairs lounge: Short Form Is the Only Art Form

9:30 pm ($8): Sketch comedy from 4-gal group Buzz Off Lucille at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Buzz Off Lucille Christmas Pageant

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15; no min.): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Sean Patton (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1, feature film Wifed Out; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Russ Meneve (Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno), Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Annie Lederman (Comedy Central, Chelsea Lately, co-host of Pirate Party), and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Judah Friedlander, Sean Patton, Russ Meneve, and More

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Luis J. Gomez, Dave Smith, and other NYC stand-ups performing live on stage for this podcast show at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Legion of Skanks

Tuesday Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): In this delightful weekly open-mic show, each comic has 3 minutes to try out a character-based bit (e.g., for a solo show, sketch, or audition) at The PIT downstairs lounge, hosted by Jen Kwok (Comedy Central) and Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger): Imposter Open Mic

[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Open-mic sketch that allows you to either perform a sketch with your own performers or bring in pages for the audience to perform at The PIT downstairs lounge, followed by feedback on your bit from PIT “sketch-perts:” Pens & Pencils

6:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, running 2 1/2 hours. Arrive 30 minutes before the show to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic

[FREE] 6:15 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types providing 2 minutes for each performer (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Jay Dean and Tynan DeLong: Two Nice Guys Open MIc

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Weekly stand-up open mic (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at People’s Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Dustin Drury: This Is Happening Open MIc

7:00 pm ($2, which includes a free beer or water): Open mic stand-up providing a whopping 10 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com with subject line Phoning Tuesday to sign up; or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45 at Brit Pack Studios (153 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor) hosted by Ian Fidance: Comics Phoning It In

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:15: Sign up at 9:30 pm for the opportunity to make up a musical on the spot with The Magnet improv group The Jezebelies: Magnet Musical Improv Mixer

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): 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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): An improv jam for students at all levels to work on their skills at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Elke Reid and David Frasure: Study Hall

Best Inexpensive Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, and Storytelling

Upright Citizens Brigade Chelsea
(307 West 26th Street; 150-seater; shows free-$10; one of the most respected comedy theatres in the world)

Upright Citizens Brigade East
(153 East 3rd Street; 99-seat main theatre, bar area for open mics; shows free-$10)

The PIT
(123 East 24th Street; 99-seat upstairs theatre, 40-seat downstairs theatre; shows free-$15)

The Magnet
(254 West 29th Street; 60-seat theatre; shows $5-$10)

The Creek and the Cave
(Queens’ Long Island City; 40-seat theatre upstairs, 25 downstairs; virtually all shows free)

Best NYC Stand-Up Comedy Clubs

Comedy Cellar
(117 MacDougal Street; among the finest daily stand-up lineups in the world; 2-item min.)

The Stand
(239 Third Avenue; recent competitor to Comedy Cellar; no drink min.—support this policy!)

Carolines Comedy Club
(1626 Broadway; focuses on the world’s top headliners, who perform hour-long sets; 2-drink min.)

Gotham Comedy Club
(208 West 23rd Street; headliners on weekends, specialty & lineup shows weekdays; 2-drink min.)

Eastville Comedy Club
(85 East 4th Street; strong weekend lineups; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Greenwich Village Comedy Club
(99 MacDougal Street; convenient if Comedy Cellar’s sold out; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: If you want to know what is happening in NYC comedy on a particular day, you gotta get hip to this dude Hy Bender and his site Best New York Comedy. The site is updated daily and features a super exhaustive look at what is happening in the NYC comedy world that particular day. The site is updated religiously…It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Sunday 7/28/13

July 28, 2013

For more, please visit HyReviews.com.

Ryan Hamilton and Seth Herzog

Ryan Hamilton, Seth Herzog, and Aparna Nancherla perform at If You Build It; Ryan also performs at 9:45 at Comedy Cellar

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] 2:00 pm: Liz Miele (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central, Damaged), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV’s Guy Code, VH1), Robert Dean (Comedy Central), and more performing for a free outdoor show at Central Park’s Mineral Springs: Laughter in the Park

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10; seats are sold out, but there’ll be a standby line if you’re okay with standing) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea’s signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes superstars in the improv world such as Chris Gethard, and occasionally network TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz—plus tonight’s 7:30 show features world-class storyteller Melanie Hamlett (two-time Moth StorySlam Champion, co-author of the book Leave the Lipstick, Take the Iguana, contributor to Marie Claire Magazine and Nerve.com, amazing blog, roving adventurer): ASSSSCAT 3000

7:30 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast clobbered some of the best groups in NYC last year at UCBT’s Cage Match. Tonight it takes the stage for nearly an hour at The Magnet theatre: North Coast

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Ryan Hamilton (Conan O’Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Pete Lee (David Letterman, Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1), Seth Herzog (staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, Comedy Central, CBS, VH1, film actor; host of Sweet), Aparna Nancherla (delightfully wry stand-up; writer for FX’s Totally Biased), Jim Tews (“clawing his way to the middle for nearly a decade”), Billy Wayne Davis, and Oni Perez performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk (Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon): If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): From Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman (producers of The Scene), improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, with tonight’s groups Scoots & Muck, Bird Frat, Skycopter, and The Lottery: Act One

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Superb improvisors Chris Grace & Nate Starkey team up at The PIT upstairs theatre as duo Starkey & Grace

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), 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 CDs Vegan Mind Meld and Meat Robot), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle’s Show, For the Love of the Game), Matt Lamp (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central), and Modi (Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX’s Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Judah Friedlander, Nick Griffin, Myq Kaplan, and More at Comedy Cellar

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Michelle Wolf (super-likeable dark comic rising star; IFC), Robert Dean (Comedy Central), Mike Recine (Comedy Central), Charles Gould (co-host of the Dan + Joe + Charles Show), Kiran Deol, and Cameron Buchholz performing at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by RG Daniels: Sunday Night Stand-Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Stand-ups attempt to perform tight sets—”no fat, no filler, just funny”—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City hosted by Mike Speirs: Trim the Fat

9:30 pm ($7): Sketch comedy at The Magnet from innovative group Jacktown and Dispacho: Magnet Sketch Teams

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Ari Shaffir (Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central, National Lampoon), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), Mike Britt (Comedy Central), Kareem Green, and T Berry performing stand-up at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Ari Shaffir (Conan O’Brien, HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central, National Lampoon), Ali Prier, Josh Gondelman, and Travis Irvine 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 Beauty Bar

[$] 9:45 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Ryan Hamilton (Conan O’Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV’s The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour; podcast You Had to Be There), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle’s Show, For the Love of the Game), Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and Marina Franklin (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, VH1) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX’s Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Ryan Hamilton, Nikki Glaser, Greer Barnes, and More at Comedy Cellar

Sunday Open Mics & Open Stages

[FREE] 4:00 pm: A unique open mic for comedic musicians/singers, with signup at 3:30 pm, and a maximum of two songs & 10 minutes per performer, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City (which offers a keyboard, guitar plug-ins, and an iPod plug-in): Express Yourself: Musical Open Mic

[ALMOST FREE] 5:00 pm ($1): Sign up at 4:30 pm to do improv with experienced PIT performers at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Sasha Capelli, Eitan Levine, and Shaina Stigler: 10K Jam Jam

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there’ll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area (“Hot Chicks Room”) hosted by Emmy Blotnick, Matt Nedostup, and/or Sachi Ezurafor: Sledgehammer

6:00 pm ($5): Open-mic stand-up that includes professional feedback on each comic’s 5-minute set at Queens LIC’s Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Mic-Shop: Open Mic Workshop

[ALMOST FREE] 9:30 pm ($1): Open-mic comedy, with 4 minutes per performer, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Child Support

[FREE] 10:00 pm: The only open-stage show for entire groups of improvisors and sketch comics, running weekly at UCB East hosted by Austin Rodrigues: Bring Your Own Team: Improv/Sketch Team Jam

[FREE] 10:15 pm: Open-mic show for sketch and character bits running 3-5 minutes at The Magnet hosted by Sebastian Conelli. Everyone who signs up—at 9:45 pm at the box office—is likely to get onstage: Sketch in Progress

Best Inexpensive Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, and Storytelling

Upright Citizens Brigade Chelsea
(307 West 26th Street; 150-seater; shows free-$10; one of the most respected comedy theatres in the world)

Upright Citizens Brigade East
(153 East 3rd Street; 99-seat main theatre, bar area for open mics; shows free-$10)

The PIT
(123 East 24th Street; 99-seat upstairs theatre, 40-seat downstairs theatre; shows free-$15)

The Magnet
(254 West 29th Street; 60-seat theatre; shows $5-$10)

The Creek and the Cave
(Queens’ Long Island City; 40-seat theatre upstairs, 25 downstairs; virtually all shows free)

Best NYC Stand-Up Comedy Clubs

Comedy Cellar
(117 MacDougal Street; among the finest daily stand-up lineups in the world; 2-item min.)

The Stand
(239 Third Avenue; recent competitor to Comedy Cellar; no drink min.—support this policy!)

Carolines Comedy Club
(1626 Broadway; focuses on the world’s top headliners, who perform hour-long sets; 2-drink min.)

Gotham Comedy Club
(208 West 23rd Street; headliners on weekends, specialty & lineup shows weekdays; 2-drink min.)

Eastville Comedy Club
(85 East 4th Street; strong weekend lineups; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Greenwich Village Comedy Club
(99 MacDougal Street; convenient if Comedy Cellar’s sold out; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: If you want to know what is happening in NYC comedy on a particular day, you gotta get hip to this dude Hy Bender and his site Best New York Comedy. The site is updated daily and features a super exhaustive look at what is happening in the NYC comedy world that particular day. The site is updated religiously…It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 3/15/11

March 15, 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.

Chris Gethard

Hot off his win at last night's ECNY Awards, genius comic Chris Gethard performs tonight 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:

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC’s Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1’s Best Week Ever; Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show),  Mike Lawrence (damn funny), Dan Wilbur, and musical guest Amy Miles performing at the Lolita Bar for Tell Your Friends

7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors play themselves on stage (similar to Naked in a Fishbowl) in Self Image; and in the second half of this double-bill, Jenny Dunne and Rick Andrews improvise a single moment in two characters’ lives again and again, exploring three parallel realities, and the difference that a look or tone can make, in The Cascade

7:00 pm ($5): An all-gal improv troupe consisting of Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell, with tonight’s guest guy three-time 2011 ECNY Award winner Kurt Braunohler, performing as Goldie and the Hawns

8:00 pm ($10): The worlds of “magic, mind-reading, and mutilation” are explored by Matthew Holtzclaw and Prakash Puru: Strange Things

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Elna Baker (among my all-time favorite comedic storytellers, and bestselling author of the comedic book The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, VH1, Comedy Central),  and Jen Rondeau performing at Brooklyn’s The Royal Oak (594 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics creators Dave Gallaher (High Moon), Bobby Timony (The Night Owls), and Kevin Colden (Fishtown) joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Very Good Kiss, Standard Oil, Sandino, Ragnaröck, and Badman; and at 11:00 pm improv from advanced UCBT students—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: All-virgin stand-up showcase—come see folks struggle and strain with their first attempt at the most difficult form of comedy—at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) hosted by the delightful Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapper Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

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: BEEES! and Rebound

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake; host off UCBT’s The Chris Gethard Show and Whiplash; Magic Box of Stories, The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York; winner of 2011 ECNY Award for Best Tweeter), Jay Pharoah (cast member on SNL), Nick Stevens (host of Discover Channel’s Money on the Menu), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Katie Hartman, who’s half of hilarious sketch comedy duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, going solo tonight with “a menagerie of bizarre and bewildering characters in the shittiest parade you’ve ever seen. But not a literal parade. Please don’t expect a parade:”Unhuggable

[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

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 Tuesday 2/22/11

February 22, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

If you have a thyroid, or know someone with a thyroid, please consider buying my latest book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.

Michael Showalter and Wyatt Cenac

Michael Showalter, whose new bestselling book you can buy at half-price by clicking on the photo above, and Wyatt Cenac, who will be on stage for the sheer love of the craft, perform tonight at Seth Herzog's "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:

7:00 pm ($5): Grace Helbig & Michelle Vargas parodying Lady Gaga and pop music in general in this singing sketch show: graceNmichelle: The Hamster Ball

7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors play themselves on stage (similar to Naked in a Fishbowl) in Self Image ; and in the second half of this double-bill, eight improvisors trace the storylines of characters at a single event suggested by an audience member in Hell Buffalo

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Hannibal Buress, Chris Sullivan a.k.a. Shockwave, Victor Varnado, Aidan Bishop, and Myka Fox performing at the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Superb veteran improvisors—including Tara Copeland, Matt Higgins, and Matt Oberg—performing as new  troupe HugeTown

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Dybbuk, Standard Oil, Grandma’s Ashes, Badman, and Ragnaröck; and at 11:00 pm an improv show that begins and ends with the same scene—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: A lineup devoted to stand-ups from New Jersey—Mollie Sperduto, Alec Sobel, Peter Elias, Adam Mamawala, and more—performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) hosted by comedic rapper Andrew Singer and the delightful Abbi Crutchfield: Positively Awesome

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: The Sound & The Fury and Rebound

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent on The Daily Show), Michael Showalter (MTV’s The State, comedy troupe Stella, writer/star of feature films The Baxter and Wet Hot American Summer and Comedy Central’s Michael & MIchael Have Issues; author of bestselling new book Mr. Funny Pants), Bobby Tisdale (former co-host of legendary and seminal NYC downtown comedy show Invite Them Up), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

9:00 pm ($5): Myq Kaplan (finalist on last summer’s Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, hot new comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Sean Donnelly (host ofLil’ Seany Boy), Susan Prekel, and more performing at the Ace of Clubs (9 Great Jones Street, underneath Acme Bar & Grill) hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

9:30 pm ($5): Elizabeth Blue performing her one-woman show in which she searches for meaning and happiness: Am I Blue

[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

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

If you have a thyroid, or know someone with a thyroid, please consider buying my latest book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 2/15/11

February 15, 2011

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

If you have a thyroid, or know someone with a thyroid, please consider buying my latest book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.

Eugene Mirman

Comedy giant Eugene Mirman...

The Pajama Men

...and UK sketch duo The Pajama Men perform tonight at Seth Herzog's "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:

7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors play themselves on stage (similar to Naked in a Fishbowl) in Self Image ; and in the second half of this double-bill, eight improvisors trace the storylines of characters at a single event suggested by an audience member in Hell Buffalo

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Adira Amram (fresh, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter), Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Dave Hill Explosion), comedy duo Team Submarine, and musical guests Stephanie Fagan & Bryan Condon performing at Brooklyn’s The Royal Oak (594 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

8:00 pm ($10): The worlds of “magic, mind-reading, and mutilation” are explored by Matthew Holtzclaw and Prakash Puru: Strange Things

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Very Good Kiss, Ragnaröck, CAPTCHA, Sandino, Grandma’s Ashes; and at 11:00 pm an improv show that begins and ends with the same scene—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, 50 First Jokes), Noah Levin, and Annie Lederman performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) hosted by comedic rapper Andrew Singer and the delightful Abbi Crutchfield: Positively Awesome

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Eugene Mirman (Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, VH1, Adult Swim; pioneer of NYC downtown comedy), The Pajama Men (UK sketch comedy duo visiting NYC for a four-night run starting Wednesday 2/16 at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse), and Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories) performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1):Sweet

9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups Dan St. Germain (quick-witted rising star; Jimmy Fallon, MTV; for reenactment of Dan’s breakup, please click here), Mike Lawrence (shrewdly funny curmudgeon), Matt Maragno, and Wil Sylvince performing at the Ace of Clubs (9 Great Jones Street, underneath Acme Bar & Grill) hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Righteous Kill

9:30 pm ($5): Comedy duo Leah Rudick & Katie Hartman, whose production at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival was proclaimed “biggest revelation” by the Guardian, performing a brand new sketch show: Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting

[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

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

If you have a thyroid, or know someone with a thyroid, please consider buying my latest book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 11/23/10

November 23, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Justin Long and Wyatt Cenac

TV & movie stars Justin Long and Wyatt Cenac perform tonight at the "potato' edition of Seth Herzog's 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:

7:00 pm ($5): A one-man show from Julie Ann Dulude about being raised by strict Catholic parents: Bless This Mess

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Myq Kaplan (finalist on this summer’s Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special) and staff writer/editors of The Onion—Joe  Garden (Features Editor), Todd Hansen (Story Editor), and Baratunde Thurston (Web Editor)—plus musical guests Eden & John’s East River String Band, all performing in the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney’s Tell Your Friends

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Diane O’Debra, Joe Dixon, Mike Feeney, and Sue Funke performing at Cellar 58(58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

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

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Bastian, Sandino, Badman, Ragnaröck, and Monstro, followed by small groups of UCBT students each performing long scenes that seem to have nothing in common with each other but magically converge at the end, all at Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent of The Daily Show), Justin Long (NBC’sEd, Galaxy Quest, Going the Distance, Live Free or Die Hard, the Mac in Apple Computer commercials), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1; new feature Web Site of the Week): Sweet

[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

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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October 13, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Today only! Buy tickets for Daniel Kitson’s upcoming one-man show for half-price by clicking here and then clicking the Brooklyn option on the right.

Kyle Kinane

Phenom LA comedy star Kyle Kinane makes a rare NYC appearance tonight 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] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation in The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Simon Amstell demonstrates why he’s a star in the UK with a sly and sublimely hilarious one-man show that’s distinctly different from most US comedy sets, and well worth experiencing: Simon Amstell: Do Nothing

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Ray DeVito, Katina Corrao, Jay Bois, Chris Doucette, Cary Prusa, and Subhah Agarwal performing at this free weekly show hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: John Mulaney (writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central Presents, VH1’s Best Week Ever; for John’s great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), 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), Tammy Hart & Zachariah Durr, and Jay Larson 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): “Pop culture obsessed Billy Eichner takes you on a fun-filled 30 minute journey through his twisted and topical celebrity-fueled world,” and Nicole Shabtai performs a one-woman show about “illustrious a 13-year-old socialite and notorious Upper East Side private schooler we all love to hate,” in the double-bill Billy Eichner Goes Pop! and Citizen Rothstein

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($5): Kyle Kinane (amazing visiting LA comic in town to tape his Comedy Central Presents special; for video samples, please click here and here), Aasif Mandvi (correspondent for The Daily Show), Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central’s Stella; co-host of Variety SHAC), Roger Hailes (Chappelle’s Show, MTV, VH1), Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning former writer for David Letterman; The Complete Performer), and more performing at Arlene’s Grocery (95 Stanton Street) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[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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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Tuesday 9/14/10

September 14, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

John Oliver and Justin Long

John Oliver and Justin Long are among the stars performing tonight at the 6th Anniversary of Seth Herzog's legendary comedy show "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:

7:00 pm ($5): “From the invocation of a name pulled from the obituary pages, the recently deceased gets a final chance to have his or her story told on stage through a series of improvised scenes.” Come celebrate the life and death of a complete stranger—good taste optional—at Dearly Beloved Presents The Wake

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: It’s not yet confirmed, but guests planned for tonight’s show include Wyatt Cenac, Chris Gethard, and spanish guitar player Camilla Meza performing at Brooklyn’s The Royal Oak (594 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars such as co-producer Jordan Clifford and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): The creative team of POOD—Geoff Grogan, Kevin Mutch, Alex Rader, and Adam McGovern—join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club

8:00 pm to midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes The Opera, Sandino, Ragnaröck, Badman, and Monstro; and at 11:00 pm UCBT students make up a story taking place in a single location in real time (i.e., Death by Roo Roo’snear-unbeatable technique at Cage Match)—all at Harold Night

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An “all virgin” show of first-time stand-ups—presumably for audience members who enjoy pain—performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($3): Victor Varnado (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC’sMy Name is Earl, Adult Swim, The Awkward Comedy Show; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), Danny Lobell (Comical Radio; for set about a plus-sized stripper and the MTA, please clickhere), and more performing at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe for an almost-free weekly show hosted by Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, new comedy CD The Depression Auction) and Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): Punch Up Your Life

[$] 8:30 pm ($20): Comedy giant Dave Hill and more perform at a one-night-only reunion of Ash Wednesday: “As the brainchild of improv trio Evel Cathedral (Rachel Korowitz, Stan Laikowski, and Chris Schneider), the comedy variety show ran for four years. Now, two years later, it’s back to kick cancer square in the teeth. Come on out to see old and new audience favorites, and enter to win glorious raffle prizes! All proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!” at The Ash Wednesday Reunion Show: This Time It’s For Charity

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm doors, 9:00 pm show ($7.50 online, $5 at the door): John Oliver (star correspondent of The Daily Show and genius stand-up comic), Jon Glaser (long-time writer & sketch performer for Conan O’Brien; creator & star of Adult Swim series Delocated), TV & movie star Justin Long (NBC’s Ed, Galaxy Quest, Going the Distance, Live Free or Die Hard, the Mac in Apple Computer commercials), and “special guests” performing at The Studio at Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues) for the Sixth Anniversary of the legendary comedy show hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Maureen Langan practices a stand-up set in preparation for her upcoming headlining night at Carolines, and Suzen Murakoshi performs a one-woman show about her mother’s dying, in the double-bill Maureen Langan and Breathe Love Repeat

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Free open-mic stand-up show that’s seldom much fun for audience members but is a nice opportunity if you want 4-5 minutes to test out your comedy material on stage: Bring It

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

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NYC Top Comedy Choices for Wednesday 9/8/10

September 8, 2010

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.

Seth Herzog

Seth Herzog headlines tonight at the Comix Comedy Club for a "Night of Fun"

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 in The PIT’s Super Free Wednesday

7:00 pm (no cover, 2-drink min.): Stand-up dynamo Ali Wong, plus NYC stand-ups Chris Clarke, Scott Moran, and Larry Bailley, performing at the Laugh Lounge (151 Essex Street) with host Damien Lemon: Comedy on the Hump

[TOP PICK] 7:30ish pm ($10 at the door or $12.75 online): A monthly comedy show in which top storytellers tell a personal tale that in some way incorporates a lesson learned at college (for a write-up of last month’s amazing debut, please click here)—with tonight’s lineup consisting of host Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, The Liar Show), Leslie Goshko (Sideshow Goshko, Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion), David Ellis Dickerson (This American Life, The Moth), Ryan Britt (Nerve.com), and Nisse Greenberg—performing at Brooklyn’s Union Hall for producer Adam Magazine’s You Went to College For That?

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5; includes copious homemade treats): The kickoff of a new monthly comedy show hosted by the delightful Chelsea White (MTV, College Humor) and Aalap Patel—for a video promo, please click here—with tonight’s wonderful debut lineup consisting of Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS’ Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; commentator on MNBC’s Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1’s Best Week Ever; Chappelle’s Show, The Today Show), Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, ; Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson; host of Comedy Night; comedy CD My Name is Hannibal), Carmen Lynch (Last Comic Standing), and Jordan Carlos (Comedy Central) performing at Karma Lounge (51 First Avenue, off 3rd Street)—and sharing the spotlight with “baked goods galore” by Chelsea’s mom Deb White—all at It’s Not That Serious

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): An Irish stand-up comic & book author—who’s won two awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival—performing a solo show at UCBT for one night only: David O’Doherty

[FREE] 8:00 pm: The invaluable Jane Borden (Comedy Editor of Time Out New York), The Bitter Poet, and stand-ups Michael Birch, Justin Gray, and Beth McGregor performing at this free weekly show hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Genius comedic storytellers and, more importantly, rabid sports fans David Martin and Adam Wade, plus a bunch of guests including John Flynn, “break down the upcoming NFL season with their patented in-your-face and you-are-stupid brand of sports talk. Nowhere else will you hear discussions ranging from Tom Brady’s hair plugs to the need for lowering the age of consent to poetry inspired by Joe Pisarcik’s fumble. It’s like the old Mike & The Mad Dog show, but less informed and more obnoxious. Be kind please. Sports are all these two men have in their barren, pitiable lives:” The NFL Preview Spectacular

[TOP PICK] [$] 9:30 pm ($10, plus 2-item minimum): Seth Herzog (staff warm-up comic & sketch performer for Jimmy Fallon; Comedy Central, CBS, VH1; host of beloved NYC comedy show Sweet) performing an extended stand-up set of both his favorite and new material—plus sets from some of Seth’s incredibly talented friends (possibly including stars)—for this evening only at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Seth Herzog’s Night of Fun

[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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