Best New York Comedy

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Super-fan Kevin Maher screens a breathtaking collection of hilarious film clips tonight when Kevin Geeks Out About Monkeys

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 ($5): Improvisors Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela parodying The View in a show self-described as “Hey, Darlings! Come sit down with a cup of coffee (or perhaps a martini) and join the panel of five of New York’s most talkative and opinionated women as they discuss the week’s events, and interview alluring guests from the worlds of literature, politics, comedy, and more. Let’s talk about issues, over drinks!” This show will keep you in Focus

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Wonderful stand-ups Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; recent killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central) and Victor Varnado (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC’s My Name is Earl, Adult Swim, Awkward Kings of Comedy; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), and Neil Stastny (MTV); sketch comedy from Roger Hailes, Steve Bossous, Sean Donnelly, and hosts Pat Stango & Blaine Perry; musical group Fortress of Attitude; and a super-secret script reading of the last episode of Lost, all at Karma Lounge for this endearingly oddball monthly comedy show: Don’t Touch Me There

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A glorious collection of hilarious film clips from super-fan Kevin Maher and friends at 92 Y Tribeca, which tonight is summed up by this trailer; the show is sold out, but grab tickets for subsequent shows now while they’re still available; or show up and hope for a stand-by line for Kevin Geeks Out About Monkeys

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Amy Heidt’s one-woman show was one of the very best productions at this past August’s FringeNYC Festival (for my review, please click here); if you didn’t catch it then, don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to see Amy demonstrate her brilliance as both actress and writer. Plus Kate McKinnon, Sarah Claspell, Nicole Drespel, Jocelyn Guest, Veronica Osorio, and Aaron Glaser perform a sketch show written by written by Leila Cohan and by Caitlin Tegart about Smith, our nation’s largest women’s college, in the double-bill Amy Heidt: Dominate Yourself! and This is About Smith

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Wonderful stand-ups Hannibal Burress, Kurt Braunohler, Stuckey and Murray, Hari Kondadbolu, Bobby Miyamoto, Claudia Cogan, and Mike Recine performing at Brooklyn’s Coco 66 for hosts Nick Turner’s & Jason Saenz’s Too Cool for School

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($18): One of the highlights of FringeNYC 2008 was Hot Cripple, a superb and heartfelt one-woman show by Hogan Gorman about her experiences with the US health care system, legal system, and government programs for the down-but-not-out. (The performance I attended was especially memorable because a small fire broke out on the second floor of the venue. Hogan had to stop two-thirds into her monologue so the building could be evacuated; and she did so with a wry smile, telling a comforting audience member “Oh, I’ve been though a whole lot worse than this.” Three fire trucks and 30 minutes later, the fire was out…and Hogan made a quick joke about the Hot in her show’s title and then resumed performing as if nothing had happened…) Come catch the final performance of this February commercial run: Hot Cripple

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($30 online if you use code VIPFEB [otherwise $35], plus 2-item minimum): An MTV and movie film star headlining at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Tom Green

8:00 pm ($10): “A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics,” following sold out shows at Joe’s Pub: Political Subversities

8:00 pm ($5): John O’Donnell tells lots of comedic stories in his long-running one-man show The O’Donnellogues

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

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

9:30 pm ($10): Improv duo Lucas Kavner and Bradford Jordan following up winning the recent SketchProv Tournament with this PIT run, and veteran improv duo formerly known as Project:Projekt, in the double-bill Swords and The Nathan & Joe Show

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

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 12:20ish am: My favorite open-mic stand-up show, where odd things involving drunk audience members tend to happen at it heads towards 2:00 am, normally hosted by brilliant & lightning-quick Pete Holmes (one of the very best stand-ups in the country; Comedy Central Presents, The Daily Show, VH1’s Best Week Ever, The New Yorker, host of Punch Up Your Life)…though if Pete isn’t back in town yet, expect a stellar guest-host for Gutbucket

[$] 12:30 am ($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

For full details, please visit HyReviews.com.