NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/16/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set
and around 30 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
razor-sharp comics Joe Mande, Chris Gethard, and Jenny Slate recreating on stage
Joe's experiences interning for The Maury Povich Show, plus smartly silly sketch comedy
from Sidecar, in Workdays with Maury and This One's for the Losers (8:00 pm),
fine stand-ups Scott Jacobson (writer for The Daily Show, SNL, Adult Swim), Jamie Kilstein
(Montreal Comedy Festival), and more at Liam McEneaney's free Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
stand-ups Sharon "Mama" Spell, Kelli Dunham, and Brad Loekle joining delightful hosts
Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, & Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (8:00 pm),
political sketch comedy, plus an interview with Daily Show writer Rob Kutner about his helpful
book on meeting the world's end Apocalypse How, at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),
an entirely improvised musical from genius duo Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner, plus a clever
improvised soap opera, in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),
and some of the best improvisors in NYC performing in pairs at Couples Skate (11:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 30+ comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer
John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."
If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend
your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.
And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.
Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,
you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.
Ochi's Motel is hosted & booked by Sean Donnelly and Joe Powers.
To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,
please send email to ochismotel[at]gmail.com.
There are two shows tonight, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Joe Mande creates a mini-play about his internship on The Maury Povich Show...
...and Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler create major silliness with their troupe Sidecar
Mande, Gethard & Slate: Workdays with Maury and Sidecar: This One's for the Losers
Two terrific sketch shows for a mere five bucks.
Kicking off the evening is Workdays with Maury, a comedic memoir about an unpaid internship on The Maury Povich Show. If you've ever wondered what it's like to work on a seedy talk show, don't miss this true-life tale written and starring Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb weekly NYC show Totally J/K).
The mini-play also co-stars these two hilarious and razor-sharp comedic actors:
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York), and
Jenny Slate (VH1; co-host of Brooklyn live comedy show A New Experience with Gabe & Jenny;
for very funny video, please click here).
The double-bill then continues with absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar,
which consists of very talented & brave comedic trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler.
The official description: "A lot of sketch shows are for guys like David Beckham and George Clooney, but not this one. This one's for the rest of us, this one's for you, This One's For The Losers." For a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jamie Kilstein, Scott Jacobson, and Liam McEneaney
This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's guests include
Scott Jacobson (Emmy Award-winning writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; also writes for The Academy Awards, SNL's/Robert Smigel's TV Funhouse, and Adult Swim's Squidbillies) and
Jamie Kilstein (2007 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; has opened for Lewis Black,
Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, and Marc Maron).
8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); free
Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z.
Amy Beckerman, Gloria Bigelow, Jackie Monahan, and Leah Dubie
Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the gals above
as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's guests
Sharon "Mama" Spell, Kelli Dunham, and Brad Loekle.
8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);
no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum
Rob Kutner and his new book Apocalypse How, and STM host Lizz Winstead
Lizz Winstead is co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; and a performer on such shows as Comedy Central Presents and HBO's Women of the Night. (She's also a character; e.g., for a memorable anti-apology after canceling her appearance on the NYC show Drink at Work, please click here.)
Tonight's guest is Rob Kutner, who's a writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and author of the new book Apocalypse How: Turn the End-Times into the Best of Times! about how to cheerily meet the inevitable upcoming End of Days.
To get a feel for STM, please view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here
and read a March 2008 New York Times article about the show by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12.50
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Glennis & Eliza: I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns
Two unique improvisation shows for a mere five bucks.
Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses
at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating
an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,
immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist
Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;
what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.
You don't have to take my word for it, either;
the duo won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group.
Don't miss any chance to enjoy these comedic wizards at play.
The double-bill then continues with Hot Lather, an improv group that specializes
in the soap opera format. Its members include some powerhouse performers:
Mike Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher, Jon Gutierrez, Molly Lloyd, Anna Rubanova, Achilles Stamatelaky, Mike Still, Abra Tabak, Andree Vermeulen, and Paul Welsh,
with direction by Rob Webber.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Matt DeCoster, Charlie Sanders, and Charlie Rodgers
In this new show, some of the best improvisors in NYC are paired up
and perform, often for the first time, as duos.
Hosted by Sean Clements (30 Rock) & Brandon Gardner (for sample sketch, please click here).
Tonight's fine lineup consists of
Charlie Sanders & Matt DeCoster,
Ben Rodgers & Brian Barrett, and
Risa Sang-urai & Shannon O'Neill.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 6/17/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
comedians Helen Hong (TLC, E!, Little Ethnic Girls), Eliza Faria-Santos (Comedy Central), Dan Goodman,
Charlie Gaeta, plus five comics randomly selected from the audience, battling it out on stage
for your vote in the biweekly stand-up competition Eric I's Comedy Showdown (7:15ish pm)
typically fine stand-ups performing deliciously long sets at Ken Zimlinghaus' Fat Tuesday (8:00 pm),
Marvel Comics Executive Editor Tom Brevoort (overseer of such titles as Fantastic Four and New Avengers)
joining in on a lively & fun discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),
three full hours of improv for only five bucks at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
what appears to be a fun sketch show parodying college graduation speeches at Achievement (8:00 pm),
brilliant star comic Todd Barry (HBO, Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, Comedy Central, Adult Swim),
musical improv comedy genius Reggie Watts (2007 Andy Kaufman Award, Electric Company),
and stand-ups Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien), Melinda Hill (Sarah Silverman Program), and Susanna Spies
at one of the finest & funniest shows in NYC, the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
occasionally uncomfortable comedy at Blaine Perry's & Pat Stango's Don't Touch Me There (9:00 pm),
Chicago-style improv, with such talents as Thomas Middleditch, from improv troupe Broad Shoulders (9:30 pm),
and delightful comedic actress Ellie Kemper (Conan O'Brien, The Onion) performing a new one-woman show,
plus charmers Phaea Crede & Becca Jones doing sketch, at Ellie Kemper and Delusions of Spandex (11:00 pm).
Eliza Faria-Santos, Dan Goodman, and Helen Hong
This biweekly extravaganza is a comedy competition hosted by Eric I.
Four established NYC comics, plus five up-and-coming comics selected at the show's start
from the audience, each performs a set. The audience then votes on who it believes
was most hilarious. The winner receives an additional 5 minutes of stage time
to make comedic fun of the losers; and also moves on to a semi-final round on July 1st to determine a season champion (with a prize of $500, and bragging rights).
Tonight's four battling veteran comics are
Helen Hong (TLC's What Not to Wear; E!'s Exposed: 25 Most Notorious Fashion Week Moments; co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Little Ethnic Girls and Friends;
Helen says " I love it when people ask me 'Where are you from?' and I say 'New York' and they say 'No, where are you really from???' I know they want me to name some Asian country like Japan or Korea. Instead I just stab them in the eye with a chopstick and scream 'I'm from the Land of Deadly Chopsticks, you evil Round Eye!' And then I shuffle away like a dainty geisha...;"
for hilarious stand-up video about assumptions and misunderstandings, please click here),
Eliza Faria-Santos (Comedy Central's Fresh Faces of Comedy, MTV's Stand-Up Showcase, NBC's Stand Up for Diversity; co-host of NYC live comedy show Don't Touch Me There; for sketch about stalking celebrities, please click here),
Dan Goodman (for stand-up video on making sports more lively, please click here), and
Charlie Gaeta (for stand-up video about having a gay dad in North Carolina, please click here).
Plus to further spice things up, also visiting tonight is sketch troupe
The Impending Moustache (Katie Hartman, Daniel Kelley, Gabriel Pacheco, and Leah Rudick: "We attack our material with a joyous and infectious theatricality. We send our audiences home shaken with laughter so constant, it gives them nightmares. Beautiful, vivid nightmares").
7:15ish pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Ken Zimlinghaus
This weekly show allows a few talented comics to perform long comedy sets, just as if they —and you—were in a swanky comedy club. It's hosted by Ken Zimlinghaus, who can be heard regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Wake Up With Cosmo; and the best bits from this evening will probably end up getting broadcast on Sirius as well.
Tonight's lineup hasn't been announced. But if you're feeling adventurous...
8:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Marvel Comics Executive Editor Tom Brevoort
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's powerhouse industry guest is
Tom Brevoort, Executive Editor of Marvel Comics and
overseer of such titles as New Avengers, Civil War, and Fantastic Four.
To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—
that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.
(And for my current fave, a delightful show with Kevin "Batman" Conroy, please click here).
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
The F*cking Kennedys, DeCoster, Whorenado, Bastian, and Bangs—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show
is designed more for students of improv than the general public.
But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you
a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.
8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
It's hard to be sure, but this sounds like a fun sketch show parodying college graduation speeches.
Judge for yourself based on the following official description:
"Melanie Hoopes, Rachel Hamilton, and Jean Villepique have put together another evening of essays! We've achieved that much, and have even chosen achievement as a theme so please come and join us and you will have achieved something by making a commitment.
Achieve. Bless you."
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Todd Barry and Reggie Watts...
...and Seth Herzog and Craig Baldo
Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).
Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Todd Barry (wryly brilliant stand-up who's one of the very best in the biz;
Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
Comedy Central Presents; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Lucky Louie, and Sex in the City;
Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz, and Shorties Watching Shorties;
Adult Swim's Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Tom Goes To The Mayor;
recently acted in the upcoming Darren Aronofsky film The Wrestler;
check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven),
Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; winner of 2007 Andy Kaufman Award;
cast member of the new Electric Company; scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; for video samples of what Reggie does, please click here and here and here; and keep an eye out Reggie's upcoming new album),
Craig Baldo (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, The Onion;
for Craig's recent stand-up set on Conan O'Brien, please click here),
Melinda Hill (Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program; UK's World Stands Up;
CBS' Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson; FOX, VH1, E!; The Groundlings;
for Melinda as adorable and thoroughly hilarious tooth fairy, please click here), and
Susanna Spies (founder of Comedy Playground and Laughlinks.org;
former producer of LA's acclaimed Comedy Store Character Show;
for stand-up video about stoners and slackers, please click here).
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Blaine Perry and Pat Stango (above) host this comedy show that doesn't mind being unsettling.
A typical Stango bit: "It creeps me out when I visit my parents' house and listen to them
say what a great sex life they still have. It especially freaks me out because
they died in a car accident 10 years ago."
If that made you laugh, you're a Don't Touch Me There kind of person.
Tonight's guests haven't been announced; for a last-minute update, please click here.
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Broad Shoulders: Chicago Improv
The six members of improv troupe Broad Shoulders met while performing at the
famed I.O. Theater and The Second City in Chicago, and they'll be showing off their stuff at this one-night-only NYC performance. The group consists of the acclaimed Thomas Middleditch, Mackenzie Condon, Mary Grill, James Harris, Scott Markman, and Steve Pasieka.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Ellie Kemper; and Becca Jones & Phaea Crede of Delusions of Spandex
Ellie Kemper and Delusions of Spandex
Two new all-woman comedy shows for five bucks.
First up is terrific comedic actress Ellie Kemper (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Onion, McSweeney's; two-woman improv troupe KEMPAS and popular improv troupe fwand) performing a one-woman extravaganza.
The double-bill then continues with Delusions of Spandex (adorable female duo Phaea Crede & Becca Jones), who will attempt to make you laugh with their sketch comedy. For videos of the gals goofing around, please click here and here.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 6/18/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
comedy writing juxtaposed with improv jazz music in Liam McEneaney's Writings with Music (7:00 pm),
open mic stand-up in Queens' LIC at John F. O'Donnell's The Kingdom of Heaven (8:30 pm),
a blow-out final show—before comedic chameleon Brett Gelman (Conan O'Brien, Colbert Report)
leaves NYC to pursue even greater fame and fortune in LA—featuring Wyatt Cenac (newest
correspondent for The Daily Show), A.D. Miles (Comedy Central), Bobby Tisdale (Invite Them Up),
Chelsea Peretti (Variety SHAC), Anthony Antamanuik (30 Rock), and Joe Mande (Totally J/K) at a show mixing
superb stand-up comics with hilarious sketch comedy (that's mostly improvised!): Gelmania (9:00 pm),
comics, writers, and others telling tales of their worst NYC experiences in New York Sh*tty (9:00 pm),
two ace Chicago-trained improvisors, Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report) and John Lutz
(writer/actor for Saturday Night Live since 2004; 30 Rock), making up scenes as 2 Square (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
Liam McEneaney's Writings with Music
According to the official description, "Every musician secretly wants to be a comedian.
All comedians have a secret yearning to play music. On the third Wednesday each month,
these worlds collide in a music/comedy experiment, as some of New York's best comedy writers read pieces, creating a rhythm that a jazz band will use to create
a live, improvised musical background."
Sounds tough to pull off; but an interesting experiment. There's no cover charge at Ochi's
so, if you're at all curious, poke your head in and see if the show grabs you.
Hosted by Liam McEneaney (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
7:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon
This free weekly show features the two PIT improv teams above,
each of which performs for about 30 minutes. For a video sample of Big Black Car,
please click here; and for a video sample of Fancy Dragon, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
John F. O'Donnell and Brent Sullivan
Free open mic stand-up comedy show in Queens' Long Island City
(just one stop from Manhattan on the #7 train).
Hosted by John F. O'Donnell (Comedy Central's Fresh Faces; for stand-up video, please click here),
a wild man who will make you love him...and who genuinely loves comedy and fellow comics.
If you're looking for stage time, John makes this a very friendly place to perform.
Sign-up for the open mic is at 7:30.
Tonight's guest headliner is Brent Sullivan (for video about crying
while reading The Giving Tree, please click here).
8:30 pm at The Creek and The Cave, 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens; free
From Manhattan, take the #7 subway to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop (one stop after Grand Central);
exit on Jackson Avenue and walk one block north to 49th Avenue.
This weekly show is hosted by Brett Gelman, a comedic chameleon
who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads.
Brett's numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report,
and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. For a recent interview with Brett, please click here.
For samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here;
please also explore their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked...and keep an eye out
for their recently-completed Cracked Out pilot for Comedy Central.
Tonight is a blow-out goodbye party for Brett, who's moving to pursue even greater adventures and soul-corrupting fame & riches in LA. And the guest list is spectacular:
Bobby Tisdale (comedy great who for five years hosted the wonderful
NYC weekly live comedy show Invite Them Up that's the spiritual father of Gelmania;
Comedy Central album; film Junebug; HBO's Hysterical Blindness; show on SuperDeluxe.com),
Wyatt Cenac (newest correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
for a blacks vs. gays competition, please click here),
AD Miles (Human Giant, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Dog Bites Man,
Reno 911, TV Funhouse, legendary comedy troupe Stella),
Chelsea Peretti (exceptionally fresh, smart stand-up comic; member of superb
comedy troupe Variety Shac; writer for Village Voice, Details, Playgirl, Jest,
blackpeopleloveus.com, and Rejection Line: 212/479-7990),
Joe Mande (2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic;
writer/co-star of new autobiographical comedic play Workdays with Maury at UCBT;
co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Totally J/K), and
Anthony Atamanuik (actor on NBC's 30 Rock; hilarious reporter who recently covered the New Hampshire primaries for The Huffington Post; ace storyteller on NYC monthly comedy show
The Nights of Our Lives; member of great NYC Friday night improv show Death by Roo Roo...and the wonderful comic who'll be taking over the show after this week!).
9:00 pm (doors open at 8:00) at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); $5
Ilana & Eliot Glazer
Honestly, if I didn't love New York, I wouldn't be running a Web site mostly focused on NYC.
Nonetheless, this show is intriguing. The official description:
"The traditional 'New York experience' is all but a mirage now, replaced by chipotles, cosmotinis, and management companies starving for horizontal space. Although it's become a cliche to romanticize Ed Koch's New York—one rampant with drugs, crime, and bankruptcy—you have to honor the city's two-faced ability to enthrall and excite you one day and wring you dry the next. Simply put, New York can suck—hard—and brother-sister duo Eliot & Ilana Glazer invite comedians, writers, bloggers, and performers to share their worst experiences in this new cathartic storytelling series."
Tonight's lineup hasn't been announced; but with the right storytellers, this could be great.
9:00 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
John Lutz and Peter Grosz
Superb comics Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials, co-writer & co-star of UCBT sketch show The Steve Miller Band and Other Annoying Monsters) and John Lutz (writer & occasional actor on SNL since 2004; recurring character on 30 Rock) perform a two-man improv show (a version of their previous long-running and acclaimed Chicago show 4 Square, which also included Dan Bakkedahl and Rob Janas).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Faculty and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous
Some of the PIT's instructors—who include such talents as Ali Farahnakian,
Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Scott,
Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood—perform improv for around 30 minutes.
And opening for them will be house improv troupes The Baldwins and Sid Viscous.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free
Justin Purnell
Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, music,
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.
Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,
that this free show makes possible.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 6/19/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
world-class storyteller Kambri Crews, award-winning comedic actress Leslie Goshko, and
razor-sharp stand-up comics Matt Goldich, Robin Gelfenbien, Maysoon Zayid, and more
telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives—plus,
addictively delicious free cookies!—at the gorgeous Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),
one of the most charming & entertaining groups in NYC, recently off a sold-out three-city tour and winning
the ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act, performing a laugh-packed musical: The Apple Sisters (8:00 pm),
musical improv comedy genius Reggie Watts (2007 Andy Kaufman Award, Electric Company),
brilliant comedic storyteller Chris Gethard (Weird New York, The Nights of Our Lives), Lucas Held,
and Billy Conohan at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),
acclaimed stand-ups Becky Donohue (Comedy Central, TLC), Leah Dubie (co-host of
Dykes on Mics), and more at a gay-themed show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
TV and book writers Laura Krafft (The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (30 Rock), and David Rakoff
(Fraud; Don't Get Too Comfortable) performing improvised monologues at Three-Piece! (9:30 pm),
and energetic & inventive improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and RAGNARÖCK
competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
"Auntie" Sara Benincasa and Robin Gelfenbien...
...and Leslie Goshko, Matt Goldich, and Kambri Crews
In this unique weekly comedy show, everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to
their family. It's hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa, whose many credits include correspondent for MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign and host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com. (For a video sample, please click here.)
Plus expect some of the most delicious free cookies you'll ever taste,
courtesy of stand-up comic H. Alan Scott.
Tonight's superb guests are
Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here),
Leslie Goshko (exceptionally sharp comedic actress/writer, and 2008 Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion; for Leslie's award-winning comedy bit about Internet dating, please click here; and for her bit on "the End Times Awareness Carnival," please click here),
Matt Goldich (lightning-fast stand-up; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NY1's The Call, contributor to book Bar Mitzvah Disco; for a stand-up sample, please click here),
Robin Gelfenbien (VH1's Awesomely Badder Videos and What's My 20?; sings
funny original songs on Sirius Satellite Radio; wrote jokes for Rosie O'Donnell,
member of sketch comedy troupe Freedumb),
Maysoon Zayid ("the Palestinian Muslim virgin from New Jersey with Cerebral Palsy;" actress in Adam Sandler's film You Don't Mess with the Zohan; co-founder of New York Arab-American Comedy Festival; PBS 2008 American Crossroads documentary STAND UP: Muslim American Comics Come of Age),
Joe Powers (co-host of weekly NYC open mic comedy show Ochi's Motel),
Calvin Cato (for his fun blog, which currently includes recipes for the anorexic poor, please click here), and
Sheridan Botros (her dad was an Egyptian gynecologist in a small Texas town, so expect some memorable stories...).
7:30 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Photo on left: Rebekka Johnson, Kimmy Gatewood, and Sarah Lowe
Photo on right: Sarah Lowe, Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood
The Apple Sisters: The Musical
The delicious Apple Sisters—Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, and Sarah Lowe, with Tom Thomsen on keyboard—have sung, danced, and naughtily joked their ways into New York City's heart. This homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters has been one of the great successes of 2007, having done 10 original shows, sold-out performances at comedy festivals around the country, and recently winning the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act.
Tonight the gals have put together their best bits, along with new material, to create a laugh-packed musical running over an hour. Featuring FDR, pickles, and God, it's full of fun and surprises.
From the official description: "The Apple Sisters are Candy, Cora, and Seedy. Their mother, Ms. Reddy Apple, was a vaudeville star and she passed down the legacy to her three girls! The trio present their live show, broadcast on WXYZ AM Radio, straight to the troops in Germany, and present the show on stage at the Peoples Improv Theater in their first and favorite home, the Big Apple! Be a chum and always use Doramad Toothpaste, now with Thorium!"
To get a feel for the production, please click here & here & here & here.
The show tends to sell out, so it's recommended you buy an advance ticket
online ($9.19, including service charge) by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; tickets are $8 at the door
Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and
Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.
(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and
for other videos, please click here and here.)
Tonight's wonderful guests are
Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; winner of 2007 Andy Kaufman Award;
cast member of the new Electric Company; scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; for video samples of what Reggie does, please click here and here and here; and keep an eye out Reggie's upcoming new album),
Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York;
The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York),
Lucas Held (writes popular blog The Most Famous Dolphin),
and Billy Conohan.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),
hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV).
Tonight's terrific guests are
Becky Donohue (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and
Shorties Watchin' Shorties; TLC's Trading Spaces; Fashion Police writer for US Weekly),
Leah Dubie (co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Dykes on Mics),
Jason Scarlatti (Last Comic Standing),
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio),
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and
Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Topical and Hot Gay Comics).
9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)
Laura Krafft, Tami Sagher, and David Rakoff
An evening of improvised monologues (springboarding off
audience suggestions), performed in three parts.
This show is hosted and stars the multi-talented Laura Krafft, who's a
staff writer for The Colbert Report, a former writer for Comedy Central's Crossballs,
and has acted on such series as on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm.
And performing with Laura tonight are superb guests
Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006) and
David Rakoff (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; NPR; author of the
humor essay books Fraud and Don't Get Too Comfortable).
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs. 
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. RAGNARÖCK
This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the
atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows
as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.
(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)
The current reining champ at Cage Match is arguably the gutsiest improv group in NYC: Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn. This 800-pound gorilla doesn't merely defeat opponents, it pounds them into near-oblivion. So far this season, DBRR has trounced five troupes, winning audience votes of 82-24, 101-19, 117-18, 76-52...and two weeks ago scored its most impressive victory yet with 102-11—which means even friends of the challengers ended up voting for Roo Roo.
Tonight's show is extra special because Brett Gelman will soon be leaving to pursue even greater fame & fortune in LA. It's hard to imagine Death by Roo Roo without him; or, for that matter, NYC without him. So catch Brett's remaining performances while he's still around...
Tonight's contender is Harold team RAGNARÖCK, consisting of Emily Axford, Patrick Clair, Erik Dies, Jill Donnelly, Brian Glidewell, Ben Rameaka, Morgan Grace Jarrett, and Winston Noel. These soldiers of destiny predict that "if you like the Apocalypse, you'll love RAGNARÖCK."
Which means tonight will reveal which is stronger: hideous Roo Roo-induced deaths or Viking Armageddon.
There's no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 6/20/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
a wonderful free outdoor concert showcasing world-class stand-up Mike Birbiglia,
star comedic singer/songwriter Stephen Lynch, and comedy host Julian McCullough
providing jokes, stories, and music at Central Park's SummerStage (8:00 pm),
Pangea 3000, one of the best sketch troupes in the country and a highlight of last weekend's
SketchFest NYC 08, plus sketch/improv duo Nick Kocher & Brian McElhaney, in the double-bill
Pangea 3000 Recommends the Beatles and BriTANick: Begging for Approval (8:00 pm),
a brand new set of disturbingly odd sketch comedy routines from Rue Brutalia (8:00 pm),
typically stellar stand-up comics at one of the funniest productions in NYC—and winner of
the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show—The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show (8:30 pm),
some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical (10:00 pm),
one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—and possibly the final NYC performance for a while of
the wonderful Brett Gelman—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm),
and UCBT's free monthly open mic stand-up show, where deliciously surreal things tend to happen
around 1:30 am, hosted by the lightning-quick & hilarious Pete Holmes: Gutbucket (12:15ish am).
Stephen Lynch and Mike Birbiglia
Mike Birbiglia & Stephen Lynch at Central Park's SummerStage
A wonderful—and free!—outdoor concert at Central Park,
with star stand-up comic and musical comedy performers.
The stellar headliners are
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS) and
Stephen Lynch (comedic actor/singer/songwriter; co-star of Broadway musical The Wedding Singer, for which he received Tony, Drama Desk, and Drama League nominations; two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly; Opie and Anthony radio show; bestselling albums Superhero, A Little Bit Special, and The Craig Machine),
plus the evening's host Julian McCullough (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham;
Montreal Comedy Festival's New Faces).
The show is slated to begin at 8:00 pm; doors open at 7:00 pm.
Even though SummerStage is spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of visitors,
it's not uncommon for every square inch of ground to be occupied with folks eager to laugh.
It's therefore recommended you arrive early for this lovely comedy party
to ensure you get in, and can nab either a seat or a comfortable spot on the grass.
(And consider bringing a large blanket...)
Directions to SummerStage
SummerStage is located at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
From the East side: Take the #6 subway to 68th Street and Lexington,
or the M1/M2/M3/M4 bus to 72nd Street and 5th Avenue;
enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue;
and then walk a bit following the map above.
Traveling crosstown: Take the M-66 or M72 bus to Fifth Avenue;
enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue;
and then walk a bit following the map above.
From the West side: Take the 1/2/3/B/C subway to 72nd Street,
or the M7/M10/M11 bus to 72nd Street and Central Park West;
enter the park at 72nd Street and Central Park West;
and then walk a whole lot following the map above.
For more stuff you ought to know, please click here.
Behind-the-scenes member of wonderful troupe Pangea 3000; and Nick Kocher & Brian McElhaney of BriTANicK
Pangea 3000: Recommending the Beatles and and BriTANick: Begging for Approval
Two superb sketch comedy shows for eight bucks.
First up is sketch troupe Pangea 3000, which consists of
Andrew Cleary, Sam Kemmis, Dan Klein, Arthur Meyer, and Seth Reiss.
At last week's magical SketchFest NYC 08, these guys proved themselves as funny
as any group in the country, blowing the roof off with such bits as a spelling bee
for fart noises (an instant classic, and one of the most hilarious sketches ever created...).
To view two of Pangea 3000's surreal tales of games guys play, involving
whoopee cushions and tag, please click here and here; and then come
let these exceptionally clever writer/performers make you laugh hard and often.
The double-bill then continues with sketch/improv duo BriTANicK, consisting of Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher. To get a feel for these young performers, check out their videos about post-sex desires and drug cravings by clicking here and here.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Rue Brutalia is comedy duo Jon Pack and Jason Kalter, who create
quirky, unsettling sketches you may have trouble getting out of your head.
To obtain a feel for their odd work, check out a saga about a cartoon character with no balls,
and another about two guys who are the same man, by clicking here and here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show
This is one of the best comedy shows in New York.
Hosted by Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic)
and Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the
key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include
Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;
for an animated VO reel, please click here).
The lineup is typically announced on the day of the show
—and is almost always stellar.
To check for news on tonight's show, please click here.
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Bobby Moynihan, Zach Woods, Christina Gausas, Michael Delaney, and Chris Gethard
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas,
Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,
and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.
With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
According to the Spurn Web site, this sketch group has "amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts." For examples of the troupe's work, please click here and here.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied
by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as
Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,
Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray
—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—
turn an interview with an audience member
into a musical they make up on the spot.
10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7
Stacy Mayer, Carrie Sipple, and Jeremiah Murphy
Manhattan Comedy Collective: 3rd Anniversary Celebration
If you'd like to experience a gentler, more relaxed, but still quite smart type of improv, visit the Manhattan Comedy Collective run by the wonderful Stacy Mayer (who's quick as lightning, but much funnier). Almost every Friday features Character Dogville, in which performers dress up as odd characters and spontaneously interact with each other.
Tonight features an MCC birthday party, celebrating three years of performances
with a hodgepodge of improv, sketches, music...and possibly cake.
10:00 pm at the Sage Theatre, 711 Seventh Avenue, 2nd floor (bet. 47th and 48th Streets); $10
Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family
Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story
via improvised scenes. Sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.
Tonight may be the final performance for a while from Brett Gelman, a wonderful comedic chameleon who's moving to LA to become rich and famous. Don't miss what may be the last chance to see this phenomenal troupe perform together.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Pete Holmes
UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics.
If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be
lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who turns up.
But if you're a comic yourself, it's a fine opportunity
to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.
And in my opinion, it's well worth sitting through five minutes of
a dreadful comic to get even 30 seconds of hilarious comments
about the set afterwards from brilliant host Pete Holmes (VH1's Best Week Ever,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl).
Holmes' lightning-fast mind will generate more perfect remarks
in a few moments than most comics can manage in a week.
Watching a master like Pete Holmes is a great treat;
and this show is free.
On top of that, the fact Gutbucket runs from roughly 12:15 am to 2:00 am
adds a surreal, drunken spin to the festivities that usually results in something
weird and memorable happening with either an amateur comic or an audience member.
For all these reasons, this is my favorite open mic show; and if you're both
patient and adventurous, it's highly recommended.
12:15ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/21/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
Second City veterans, Magnet instructors, UCBT stars, and occasional celebs
at the Magnet's signature improv show The Tiny Spectacular (7:30 pm),
musical improv comedy genius Reggie Watts (2007 Andy Kaufman Award) visiting a wonderful
sketch show revolving around physical comedy and music from ace troupe Drop Six (8:00 pm),
improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),
one of the funniest storytellers alive, with an emphasis on tales of marriage and family,
performing tonight and Sunday at Carolines: Louis C.K. (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
one of the sharpest stand-up comics in the world—who became a star on NBC's Last Comic Standing,
and recently released his version of consumer reporting via a pothead documentary titled
Super High Me—headlining at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Doug Benson (8:30 pm & 10:45 pm),
inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),
improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
sketch troupe Better Than The Machine (MTV) and comedy twins Stone & Stone (Last Comic Standing)
joining in on this evening's Random Hookups with Slightly Known People (10:30 pm),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (10:30 pm),
a new sketch troupe focusing on the shocking and politically incorrect: Classy (11:00 pm),
and world-class sketch troupe Olde English performing all-new routines
that parody a wide range of TV shows: Very Fresh (Midnight).
For details, please click here.
For comedy club discounts, please click here.
Currently available are discounts for select shows at the Comix Comedy Club
and a 50% discount on all tickets for the Broadway Comedy Club.
Doug Benson and Louis C.K.
Tonight's Hot Club Shows: Doug Benson at Comix (discount provided to HyReviews.com readers)
Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Peter Gwinn, and Tami Sagher
Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.
The players typically include Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), Peter Gwinn (writer for The Colbert Report), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and Rob Riggle (correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Saturday Night Live, The Office).
7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Magnet instructors & Second City veterans such as Rachel Hamilton, Ed Herbstman, Abby Sher, and Miriam Tolan, plus stars of Mother: The Soundtrack (see below) Jason Mantzoukas, Tara Copeland, James Eason, Christine Walters, plus occasional special guests (such as superstar Mike Meyers), turn a tiny suggestion into larger-than-life improvised scenes.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Drop Six and Reggie Watts
Drop Six is a superb NYC-based sketch troupe that makes great use of physical comedy.
The group—consisting of Marcus Bonnée, Tim Girrbach, Alicia Levy, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen—was awarded Best of the Fest by Second City at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. And their Drop Six: Mr. Lucky show killed at last year's FringeNYC, placing in my top 15 of the festival (out of 188 wildly diverse & competitive productions).
Tonight features new sketches, plus musical improv comedy genius musical Reggie Watts (winner of 2007 Andy Kaufman Award; cast member of the new Electric Company; scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; for video samples of what Reggie does, please click here and here and here; and keep an eye out Reggie's upcoming new album).
If you like sketch comedy, or simply enjoy laughing, I recommend Drop Six.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Louis C.K.
Louis C.K.: Headlining at Carolines
Louis C.K. is one of the most hilarious stand-ups and storytellers alive.
A comedian, TV writer, producer, and filmmaker, he's best known for creating and starring in HBO's first family sitcom Lucky Louie. But this 20-year veteran of stand-up is also a regular on the Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien—in fact, he was one of Conan's original staff writers.
Louis has also performed three stand-up comedy specials for HBO (the most recent being Louis C.K.: Shameless) and a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special.
As a writer and producer, Louis won an Emmy Award for his work on HBO’s The Chris Rock Show; and he co-wrote the Chris Rock feature film I Think I Love My Wife.
In addition, Louis both wrote and directed the cult feature film Pootie Tang.
Tonight's show is pricey at $41.75 plus a two-drink minimum.
But if you've got the cash, this is a good way to spend it.
To order tickets, please click here.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$41.75 plus two-drink minimum
Doug Benson
Doug Benson: Headlining at Comix
Doug Benson is one the sharpest stand-ups in the world.
Among Benson's many credits are his stints on NBC's Last Comic Standing (he came in sixth) and NBC's Friends; his Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mr. Show, and VH1's Best Week Ever; his hit UCBT show The Benson Interruption; his creating, writing, and starring in the off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues (which subsequently spawned an album and a book); and his just-released documentary Super High Me (a riff on Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, but forgoing burgers for weed).
Tonight Benson headlines at the elegant Comix Comedy Club.
Tickets are $25; but you can get $5 off by using discount code HyReviews.
There's also a two-item (food or drink) minimum.
To order, please click here. To learn more about Doug, and for links to his Web sites and interviews, please click here.
8:30 pm & 10:45 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$20 online with code HyReviews, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Jason Mantzoukas leads a vibrant team of improv comics—Scot Armstrong, Tara Copeland, Jon Daly, James Eason, Jesse Falcon, Doug Moe, and Christine Walters—who make up scenes based on CD tracks contributed by the audience. One of UCBT's most beloved shows.
9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
The Harvard Sailing Team: A Hundred Years of Song and Dance
The Harvard Sailing Team, which just won the ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group,
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy
that turns familiar rituals on their head. (For a video about awkward goodbyes
at the end of a party, please click here.) The very talented troupe consists of
Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor.
This new collection of sketches, titled
A Hundred Years of Song and Dance, covers such topics
as Melissa Etheridge, Duck Tales, and American Gladiators.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Reuben Williams: As Seen on TV
Anthony King demonstrates that in addition to running UCBT-NY brilliantly, he's a superb improvisor and actor. Joining him are stellar talents Eugene Cordero, Lennon Parham, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. Together, they interview an audience member, and then use the answers as the basis for a new TV show...which this fiercely talented comedy troupe creates & performs for you on the spot.
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8
Sketch troupe Better Than The Machine; and Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone of Slightly Known People
Random Hookups with Slightly Known People
Slightly Known People—Erik Bowie, Mel DeLancey, Stu Luth,
Dan Maccarone, and Josh Mertz—performs funny songs and sketch comedy.
In this weekly show SKP invites other talented comics
to come play along with it for an evening.
Tonight's fine guests are
Better Than The Machine (sketch troupe consisting of Carlos Cabrera, Matt Gallo, Reid Levin, Christina Reynolds, and Paul Syracuse; for BTTM's videos about apathy, The Most Nonchalant Man In The World and Give a Shit, please click here and here), and
Todd & Adam Stone (twins who perform stand-up and sketch, and whose signature style is double breasted blazers; hosts of the Stone and Stone Show at The PIT; currently finalists on this season of Last Comic Standing).
For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.
For a review of the show, please click here.
10:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12
Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)
and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.
Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,
George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans
perform organic & energetic long-form improv for about 40 minutes.
Basil is a stand-out, but they're all sharp, committed improvisors.
There's also a warm chemistry between the men, which is especially evident
if you arrive early to watch them getting ready on stage: They toss a ball
back and forth, and then toss each other back and forth...sending
a body message of "If you throw an improv concept at me, you can trust me
to not let it drop..." One of the Magnet's most popular shows.
10:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Classy is a new young sketch troupe consisting of Sam Forman, Aaron Kheifets, James Rich, and Dave Warth. The group leans towards politically incorrect and blunt shock, with sporadic success; but these guys are promising. And their director is Kevin Allison, former cast member of MTV's seminal sketch show The State. For videos about planning this show and providing an antidote to Apple's Mac vs. PC commercials, please click here and here.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
...and host Olde English
Very Fresh with Olde English: Our Show of Shows
Hilarious sketch comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English
(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)
star in this wonderful show consisting of sketch, stand-up, short films, and more—
and devoted to all-new (i.e., Very Fresh) material.
Tonight Olde English will be "trying their hands at tons of tiny TV shows-- sitcoms, britcoms, sketch shows, and kvetch shows--live on the UCB stage. It'll be like late night channel surfing...except live, and not nearly as anti-social."
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/22/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors, ASSSSCAT 3000 (7:30 & 9:30 pm),
some of the funniest stand-up comics in the country, including Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1),
John Mulaney (Conan O'Brien, VH1), Kumail Nanjiani (Unpronounceable), and Jared Logan at
Whitest Kids U' Know Timmy Williams' and Sam Brown's free show Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
one of the funniest storytellers alive, with an emphasis on tales of marriage and family
(e.g., HBO's Lucky Louie), completing his current run at Carolines: Louis C.K. (8:00 pm),
brilliant comic Dave Hill (HBO, VH1, The New York Times), and terrific stand-ups Giulia Rozzi, Matt
Ruby, Ann Carr, and Zach Sims at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
five women performing an improvised, and possibly tipsy, parody of The View at Focus (9:30 pm),
and stand-ups Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1), Reese Waters (winner of Carolines' 2008 Comedy
Madness contest), and more at Adam Sank's gay-themed Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's signature show, which features a monologist telling stories based on audience suggestions and a group of top improvisers (sometimes including stars such as SNL's Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz) creating scenes based on the stories. There are two shows every Sunday which share the same format, but are otherwise entirely different because everything is improvised. The 7:30 pm show is $8; advance tickets might be sold out by the time you read this, but a limited number of seats are available at the door for
those who arrive early enough to nab 'em...and even more tickets are available for those willing to watch the show standing. The 9:30 show is free, with tickets distributed outside the theatre
at 8:15 pm; but again, you may need to come early and wait on line to ensure getting into
this first come, first served performance.
7:30 pm & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
John Mulaney, Pete Holmes, and Kumail Nanjiani...
...and Timmy Williams & Sam Brown, and Jared Logan
This free weekly show is hosted by Timmy Williams and Sam Brown, members of
popular comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know (currently starring in a TV show on IFC).
Tonight's fine guests are
Pete Holmes (razor-sharp & lightning-fast mind, and one of the finest stand-ups in the country;
VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload;
writer for CollegeHumor.com; cartoonist for mags ranging from
The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl; host of UCBT's monthly open mic extravaganza Gutbucket),
John Mulaney (also one of the finest and most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for John's Conan sets, please click here and here),
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up comedy star; recently premiered terrific one-man show about
his experiences with Islam—for my review, please click here; to get a feel for Kumail's style,
please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories,
and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here), and
Jared Logan (hilarious kinetic comic; named Best Comedian by the Chicago Comedy Awards; won Detroit's contest for Comedy Idol; for stand-up video about fast food and comic books, please click here; for set on scary things, including toy ads for girls, please click here).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Louis C.K.
Louis C.K.: Headlining at Carolines
Louis C.K. is one of the most hilarious stand-ups and storytellers alive.
A comedian, TV writer, producer, and filmmaker, he's best known for creating and starring in HBO's first family sitcom Lucky Louie. But this 20-year veteran of stand-up is also a regular on the Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien—in fact, he was one of Conan's original staff writers.
Louis has also performed three stand-up comedy specials for HBO (the most recent being Louis C.K.: Shameless) and a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special.
As a writer and producer, Louis won an Emmy Award for his work on HBO’s The Chris Rock Show; and he co-wrote the Chris Rock feature film I Think I Love My Wife.
In addition, Louis both wrote and directed the cult feature film Pootie Tang.
Tonight's show is pricey at $38 plus a two-drink minimum.
But if you've got the cash, this is a good way to spend it.
To order tickets, please click here.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$38 plus two-drink minimum
A showcase for talented improvisation twosomes.
Tonight's duos haven't been announced,
but some fine scenes usually arise from this show.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Giulia Rozzi and Dave Hill...
...and hosts Vince Averill & Jesse Popp
Vince Averill and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend) host this free comedy show.
Tonight's superb guests are
Dave Hill (written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie
Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV,
The Learning Channel, and the fabulous Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly
UCBT extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—to learn more, please click here),
Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts; monthly video series The Message Board, which makes fun of brides, on ComedyNet.com; co-producer of East coast version of hit national show Mortified; co-host of monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories;
for a video sample, please click here),
Ann Carr (Comedy Central Motherload's Honesty Wedding, UCBT's High School Talent Show,
The PIT's Keith & Donna's Grateful Dead Listening Hour),
Matt Ruby (host of monthly NY live comedy shows Flying Carpet and We're All Friends Here), and
Zach Sims ("quite possibly the funniest person in his Financial Math class").
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
This weekly comedy show is a parody of The View that's mostly improvised by performers
Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela.
The official description:
"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.
This show will keep you in Focus. Let's talk about issues, over drinks!"
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Adam Sank (Last Comic Standing; former TV news producer for FOX and WABC-TV;
written for The New York Times, Esquire Magazine, and The San Francisco Sentinel)
hosts this free gay-themed stand-up comedy show.
Tonight's fine guests are
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever,
E!; Fashion Police writer for US Weekly),
Reese Waters (winner of 2008 Carolines March Comedy Madness, beating out 63 other talented comics; for a Carolines stand-up video, please click here),
Zach Toczynski (co-creator of Washington, DC monthly comedy show Gay-larious at the Riot Act Comedy Club), and
Laura Nikifortchuk (host of Danny's Upstairs, a weekly show produced by actor Danny Aiello).
To get a feel for the show, please click here.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Return to Previous NYC Comedy Picks
Copyright © 2008 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
