NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/30/08
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),
a free stand-up comedy show hosted by Jon Friedman, and featuring such sharp talents
as Greg Johnson, Giulia Rozzi, Michelle Collins, and Jiwon Lee, at Chelsea Market's Comedy Night (7:30 pm),
Tony nominees Jonathan Kaplan (Falsettos) and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Anna in the Tropics), and
other top actors mixing it up with brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland, Michael Delaney, Christina Gausas,
and Anthony King as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00 pm),
stars & comics John Fugelsang (former co-host of America's Funniest Home Videos), Ted Alexandro
(Letterman, Conan, Comedy Central Presents), The Hazzards (popular comedic band with hit Gay Boyfriend),
Jamie Kilstein (Just for Laughs Festival), and more at Liam McEneaney's free Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
one of the funniest stand-up comics in the country, Mike Birbiglia (David Letterman,
Conan O'Brien, three Comedy Central specials), performing a deliciously long set
of mostly fresh material in a solo showcase in Brooklyn: 60 Minutes of Comedy (8:00 pm),
political sketch comedy, plus a lively interview with Jezebel.com writer/editors Tracie Egan & Moe Tkacik about sex, celebrities, fashion, and whatnot at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),
a sketch show about break-ups and a one-man show: Banging My Dick Against a Wall and Nate Lang (9:30 pm),
and some of the best improvisors in NYC performing in pairs—tonight featuring the extra-special duo
of UCBT Artistic Director Anthony King and UCBT Head Tech Pat Baer—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)
Greg Johnson, Jon Friedman, and Giulia Rozzi
Comedy Night at Chelsea Market
One of New York's great shopping institutions is the Chelsea Market,
which plays host to a wide range of nourishing foods and additively delicious snacks.
(Be sure to try the Fat Witch brownies, which are half-price from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm...)
But with the aim of also being a cultural institution, Chelsea Market
plays home to a variety of fun events...including a Comedy Night.
In charge of the latter is Jon Friedman, host of the superb monthly NYC live comedy extravaganza The Rejection Show and author of the book Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled.
Jon's terrific lineup tonight includes Greg Johnson, Giulia Rozzi,
Michelle Collins, Jiwon Lee, Mike Weingartner, Eliot Glazer, and Max Silvestri.
The show takes place near the waterfall...and is entirely free.
7:30 pm at Chelsea Market, 75 9th Avenue (between 15th &16th Streets); free
Christina Gausas, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Kate Hess...
...and Anthony King, Tara Copeland, and Michael Delaney
Classic theatre scenes performed by professional actors who stay on book—
and an improv comic who hasn't read the play and has to make up lines on the fly.
Starring world-class improvisers (in alphabetical order):
Tara Copeland (always-inventive star at both UCBT and The Magnet; weekly shows include Mother: The Soundtrack, The Tiny Spectacular, Ms. Jackson, and The Made-Up Musical),
Michael Delaney (genius improvisor, actor, and improv instructor; Late Night with Conan O'Brien; member of UCBT star troupe The Stepfathers and legendary troupe The Swarm),
Christina Gausas (sharp, passionate, standout improvisor/actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, The Al Franken Show, Let's Have a Ball, Dorff & Gausas), and
Anthony King (brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director; Reuben Williams, Happy Hour,
Let's Have a Ball, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical).
And also starring are some of NYC's top theatre & TV actors: Kay Cannon (30 Rock), Matt Cavenaugh (A Catered Affair, Grey Gardens, Urban Cowboy), Kate Hess (half of UCBT sketch show We Kate Shelly), Jonathan Kaplan (Tony nominee for Falsettos), and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Tony nominee for Rent; Anna in the Tropics).
Gravid Water is directed, hosted, and co-stars Stephen Ruddy—
and is one of the finest comedy productions in New York.
If you want to introduce an actor friend to the world of improv, start with this show.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jamie Kilstein, John Fugelsang, and Pete Fitzpatrick...
...and Anne Harris & Sydney Maresca of The Hazzards, Liam McEneaney, and Ted Alexandro
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 host is Josh Comers (writes topical humor
on his blog Jokes That Won't Matter Tomorrow).
And the superb guests are
John Fugelsang (son of an ex-nun and Franciscan brother; host or co-host of several TV shows, including America's Funniest Home Videos 1997-2000; over 20 appearances on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect; acclaimed 2007 one-man show All the Wrong Reasons, which garnered him a Drama Desk nomination),
Ted Alexandro (performed stand-up on Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The View, and two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; described by Uproar as having "an appeal similar to Ray Romano and Jerry Seinfeld"),
The Hazzards (comedic band focused around two gals, ukuleles, glockenspiel, casio sk-1, tambourine, cowbell, bass, drums, and harp!; members are Anne Harris & Sydney Maresca, plus Will Carlough, Andrew Dickerson, and Paul Thureen; Comedy Central's The World Stands Up; Kennedy Center Honors Steve Martin; charted with their song Gay Boyfriend; new album Secrets),
Jamie Kilstein (2007 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; has opened for Lewis Black,
Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, and Marc Maron), and
musical guest Pete Fitzpatrick (former member of band Clem Snide; for sample music video, please click here; and for Part 1 of his Hamster Robot trilogy, please click here).
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.
Mike Birbiglia: 60 Minutes of Comedy
Mike Birbiglia is flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country.
He's not loud or rude—just smart, relaxed, honest, and very funny. (Sample line:
"If the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup, I'm not sure I want to wake up.")
This razor-sharp comic recently performed an hour-long Comedy Central special
titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing. Mike's also performed two
Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; appeared multiple times on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
and has released the comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live.
The latter was chosen by Time Out New York as the Comedy Album of the Year.
Tonight, as his show's on-the-nose title states, Mike will be performing
an entire hour of material...most of which is relatively new.
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo show.
8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $7
Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take
the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;
or take the 2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.
Tracie Egan & Moe Tkacik of Jezebel.com, 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 guests are Tracie Egan and Moe Tkacik, who are writer/editors for Web site Jezebel.com: "Celebrity, sex, fashion. Without airbrushing."
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.
Dan Gregor & Doug Mand of Banging; and Nate Lang
Banging My Dick Against a Wall and Nate Lang
Two sketch comedy shows for five bucks.
The festivities kick off with a comedic mini-play about relationships
from Dan Gregor and Doug Mand (members of sketch troupe
The Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz) : Banging My Dick Against a Wall.
To get a feel for how these guys deal with break-ups, please click here.
The double-bill then continues with Nate Lang (member of
improv troupe Beatrice), who'll be performing a new solo show.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Anthony King, Pat Baer, and Silvija Ozols
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 superb lineup consists of
Anthony King (brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director; Reuben Williams, Let's Have a Ball,
Gravid Water, Shut Up! I Hate You!, Happy Hour, member of UCBT Touring Company, co-writer of award-winning off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical) with
Pat Baer (wonderful and invaluable head of UCBT's Tech department since 2004—for which he's won the ECNY Award in 2004, 2007, and 2008; referee on hit weekly comedy show Cage Match; host of annual 3-on-3 Improv Tournament; member of Harold improv team Bangs), and
Adam Pally (wonderful sketch/improv member of star troupe Hot Sauce; storyteller on ace comedy show The Nights of Our Lives; Cage Match improv champion) with
Silvija Ozols (member of star improv troupe The Stepfathers and Harold team Creep;
founding member of sketch troupe Rogue Elephant), and
Curtis Gwinn (co-creator, co-writer, and co-star of Adult Swim's Fat Guy Stuck in the Internet; member of ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; razor-sharp storyteller on ace comedy show The Nights of Our Lives) with
Gavin Speiller (member of improv troupes 1985, Chubby Chase, and Outlook of the Poet—which was runner-up of the thrilling 2007 3-on-3 Improv Tournament; like Silvija, founding member of sketch troupe Rogue Elephant).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 7/1/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
razor-sharp stand-up Dan Boulger (winner of Boston Comedy Festival), plus Sean Patton, Barry Rothbart,
Becky Ciletti, and six 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),
industry guests 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),
two of the sharpest stand-up comics in the country, Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN)
and Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, two Comedy Central Presents specials), plus
genius musical improv duo Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas, and more
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),
two innovative improv troupes: Stray follows the twists & turns of an audience-selected object, and
Factory Factory demonstrates how actions in different locales affect each other, in Thread and Tracers (9:30 pm),
and typically fine stand-ups performing deliciously long sets at Ken Zimlinghaus' Fat Tuesday (10:00 pm).
For details, please click here.
Getting Canceled...and Starting Over
Dan Boulger and Barry Rothbart
This biweekly extravaganza is a comedy competition hosted by Eric I.
Four established NYC comics, plus six 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 later in July to determine a season champion (with a prize of $500, and bragging rights).
Tonight's four battling veteran comics are
Dan Boulger (winner of the 2006 Boston Comedy Festival competition; performed on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, BBC America's The World Stands Up, and the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival; inexplicably does not host a comedy show; for a video sample, please click here),
Sean Patton (LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival;
for a stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here),
Barry Rothbart (member of sketch troupe The StraightMen; for video about a robot roommate, please click here),
and Becky Ciletti.
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)
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's guest hasn't been announced yet, but please stay tuned.
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—
Whorenado, DeCoster, The Scam, Bangs, and The F*cking Kennedys—
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
Jessi Klein, and Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas...
...and Seth Herzog and Ted Alexandro
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 wonderful guests are
Ted Alexandro (performed stand-up on Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The View, and two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; described by Uproar as having "an appeal similar to Ray Romano and Jerry Seinfeld"),
Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star; Rolling Stones' comedy "Hot List;"
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn;
VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade;
voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil;
for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save
the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here),
Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner as improv duo I Eat Pandas (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),
Sean Patton (LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival;
for a stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here),
and Seth's sidekick for tonight, who's billed as "a very special guest."
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)
Stray: Thread and Factory Factory: Tracers
Two unique improv shows for just five bucks.
First, improv troupe Stray performs a show titled Thread: "After getting a physical, tangible object from the audience, Stray follows this object as though a camera were trained on it, catching the action that happens around it. Whether the object stays in one place or moves through a variety of different people and places, you're along for the ride." The group consists of Jill Farris, Wendy Herlich, Kristy Kershaw, and Stefan Schick.
The double-bill then continues with Chicago troupe Factory Factory demonstrating a fascinating new improv form called Tracers. The official description: "Two young lovers sneak into the boys locker room for a forbidden kiss. Morris, a retiring janitor, inadvisably tries out for the school play in the theater. The sound of a lot of broken glass rings out from the parking lot. The roar of a yeti is heard coming from the direction of the gym...Tracers allows the audience to see all of those locations over the same time period, and how they affect one another. When you fire a bullet into the next room, where does it go? With Tracers, the mystery is revealed." Factory Factory consists of Jon Bander, Karsten Cross, Luke Franklin, Megan Gray, Leslie Korein, Garrett Palm, and Morgan Phillips.
9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $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...
10:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 7/2/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
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),
open mic stand-up in Queens' LIC, with guest headliner Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1,
Stripped Stories) and host John F. O'Donnell at The Kingdom of Heaven (8:30 pm),
some of NYC's finest stand-up comics—Fred Armisen, Jessi Klein, Chelsea Peretti, Kumail,
and Sean Patton—hosted by brilliantly original comic Dave Hill at Gelmania (9:00 pm),
one of the funniest stand-up comics in the country, Mike Birbiglia (David Letterman,
Conan O'Brien, three Comedy Central specials), performing a deliciously long set
of fresh material in a solo showcase: 80 Minutes of New Comedy (9:30 pm),
and a laid-back free variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
For details, please click here.
TV Alert: South Park is one of the funniest shows in TV history, and this season
has been especially superb—which, considering the series is in its 11th year,
is little short of astonishing. On tonight's repeat, Stan and Kyle experience
the agony and ecstasy of playing Guitar Hero.
Set your TiVo to 10:00 pm or midnight at Comedy Central
to rock while learning the meaning of friendship.
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
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 Giulia Rozzi
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 Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts; MTV; video series The Message Board, which makes fun of brides, on ComedyNet.com; co-producer of East coast version of hit national show Mortified; Web columnist for 236.com and HuffingtonPost.com; and co-host of monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories; for a video sample, 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.
Tonight's extravaganza is being hosted by the brilliantly funny Dave Hill.
And the magnificent lineup consists of some of the finest stand-ups in NYC: Fred Armisen, Jessi Klein, Chelsea Peretti, Kumail, and Sean Patton.
This will be a wonderful show. If you aren't at UCBT tonight (see directly below), I recommend going for Gelmania.
9:00 pm (doors open at 8:00) at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); $5
Mike Birbiglia: 80 Minutes of New Comedy
Mike Birbiglia is flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country.
He's not loud or rude—just smart, relaxed, honest, and very funny. (Sample line:
"If the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup, I'm not sure I want to wake up.")
This razor-sharp comic recently performed an hour-long Comedy Central special
titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing. Mike's also performed two
Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; appeared multiple times on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
and has released the comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live.
The latter was chosen by Time Out New York as the Comedy Album of the Year.
Tonight, Mike will be performing an hour and 20 minutes of mostly new material...
including a tale of sleepwalking that many consider an instant classic.
For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;
and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo show.
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 7/3/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include
world-class storyteller Kambri Crews, plus fine stand-up comics—including Mike Drucker,
Anne Neczypor, and Jamie Kilstein—telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales
about their relatives at the gorgeous Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),
original, manic, and very funny comic Rick Shapiro (HBO's Lucky Louie) performing
a deliciously long stand-up set in his new one-man show Wild Card (8:00 pm),
a clever sketch troupe with tales of suicidal presidents & sentient mustaches: Secret Hospital (8:00 pm),
exceptionally fresh & razor-sharp stand-ups Chelsea Peretti (Variety SHAC) and Roger Hailes
(Chappelle's Show, MTV, VH1), plus fine stand-ups Kurt Metzger (Chappelle's Show), Myq Kaplan,
and more at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),
sketch/improv troupe Krompf performing a romp about America's founding fathers Adams,
Franklin, Jackson, and Jefferson pulling off a casino heist in The July 4 (9:30 pm),
and energetic & inventive improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and The Scam
competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Many have a love/hate relationship with NBC's Last Comic Standing. The show can make careers; but it can also be oblivious to genuine talent, opting for shallow nonsense over substance. (I'm still shaking my head over this season's quick dismissal of Michelle Buteau...) And LCS is also surprisingly uneven—at times gripping and hilarious, but just as often tediously dull.
Still, LCS is worth keeping an eye on this summer because of the flashes of originality amidst the snoozes. I was happy to see NYC's own Wilson Hall & Krister Johnson (a.k.a. Jeremiah Smallchild & Gideon Lamb of God's Pottery) make it into the top 16 finalists last week. And tonight we can watch another unique comedic personality, the passive-aggressive Eddie Pepitone (above right), whose previous performance work includes Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, King of Queens, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, ER, and the hit movie Old School. To get a feel for Pepitone's approach, check out this stand-up video about personalized heckling by clicking here; and then root for him tonight from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on NBC.
"Auntie" Sara Benincasa and Mike Drucker...
...and Anne Neczypor, Jamie Kilstein, 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—if luck is with you—addictively delicious free cookies
courtesy of stand-up comic & baking master 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),
Mike Drucker (winner of Disney's 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition
and performer on Comedy Central's The Watchlist; 23/6.com contributor; for Drucker's explanation of how life is like video games and comic books, please click here; and to learn
why Drucker's girlfriend wouldn't give him a gold star, please click here),
Jamie Kilstein (2007 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival; has opened for Lewis Black,
Dave Chappelle, Dave Attel, and Marc Maron),
Anne Neczypor (co-host of here! TV.com's Girls on Girls; for very fun
stand-up video about being a "ChapStick lesbian," please click here),
Diana Saez (DC Comedy Festival; XM Radio; created/produced Washington DC's
first all-female comedy showcase; for stand-up videos, please click here and here), and
Hilary Schwartz (songwriter, guitarist and co-lead singer for Manson Family Singers;
XM Radio; DC improv champion).
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)
Secret Hospital: Live From Budapest
Secret Hospital performs a sketch comedy show that may well involve
street urchins, presidential suicides, and sentient mustaches.
The troupe consists of Michael Hartney, Rachel Korowitz,
Dan McInerney, and Jeff Scherer. (For performer bios, please click here).
To get a feel for SH, check out its fun video about how you should never shake a baby by clicking here; and its hilarious parody of oddball Larry Sinclair by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
Rick Shapiro
Rick Shapiro is a hilarious hyper & unrestrained stand-up who's a breath of fresh air. Rick's acted on HBO's Lucky Louie and PoCreations Radio; did a hit show at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival; has performed at virtually all the top comedy clubs in NYC; and has a comedy CD titled Unconditional Love. Come experience this manic, honest comic deliver an extended set.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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 superb guests are
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),
Roger Hailes (exceptionally sharp, personable stand-up; Chappelle's Show,
VH1's All Access; writer for Comedy Central and MTV;
for sample videos, please click here and here),
Kurt Metzger (writer for Chappelle's Show; for a video stand-up sample, please click here), and
Myq Kaplan (for superb stand-up video about religion, gay marriage, and dumplings,
please click here).
8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5
Joe Wengert, Ryan Karels, Amey Goerlich, and Neil Casey
Krompf is one of NYC's finest comedy troupes: Neil Casey (member of UCBT's weekly hit show Death by Roo Roo), Ryan Karels, Amey Goerlich, and Joe Wengert (member of UCBT's weekly hit show Reuben Williams). At a 2007 Cage Match bout, these improvisors took the kickoff suggestion Christendom to heights of delicious absurdity, in which young children about to be initiated into Catholicism are made to wear suits of armor and engage in swordplay while a voracious winged monster (played memorably by Ryan Karels) perches ready to gobble up the head of any who show hints of wavering. And in another subplot, Neil Casey was hilarious as a perpetually grieving cab driver who tells every passenger about his bride dying on their wedding day. At the end, we learn that as he backed up the cab preparing to drive them both to the Church, he accidentally ran her over...
Tonight Krompf tackles sketch comedy in a romp celebrating our upcoming Independence Day: America's founding fathers Adams, Franklin, Jackson, and Jefferson join forces to pull off a casino heist. Expect much silliness, and (at minimum) flashes of comedic brilliance.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs. 
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. The Scam
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 seven troupes, winning a total of 679 audience votes vs. a mere 203 for all its opponents combined.
Tonight's contender is brand new Harold team The Scam, which includes powerhouse rising star Jeff Hiller (Conan O'Brien, MTV's Boiling Points, FUSE's The PA, VH1, and the comedic horror musicals Silence! and The Children). The other fine members are Eddie Dunn (sketch troupe Rogue Elephant), Birch Harms (improv troupe Creep), Kevin Hines (half of improv/sketch duo The Brothers Hines), Porter Mason (nationally syndicated cartoonist of strip Bassist Wanted), Risa Sang-urai (Conan O'Brien, VH1), Betsy Stover (long-time and esteemed UCBT improv performer & instructor), and Erik Tanouye (Comedy Central).
The odds favor Roo Roo, but there's really 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 7/4/08
The usual suspects are closed tonight.
But if you're craving live laughs on Independence Day,
consider visiting one of NYC's 18 comedy clubs.
Readers of this site can get discounts for select shows at the Comix Comedy Club
and a 50% discount on all tickets for the Broadway Comedy Club.
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 7/5/08
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:
Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell relating their YouTube-documented romantic adventures
live on stage—possibly accompanied by visits from some of the gals—on Double Date Us (7:00 pm),
Second City veterans, Magnet instructors, UCBT stars, and occasional celebs
at the Magnet's signature improv show The Tiny Spectacular (7:30 pm),
a comedic mini-play about relationships written and performed by the talented Brian Finkelstein
(Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central): Broken Girl, Stupid Boy (8:00 pm),
comics experiencing the rush of performing with no clothes on in The Naked Comedy Showcase (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC, tonight honoring Independence Day with a sweeping look
at America, from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers: Sweet Land of Hilarity (9:00 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),
organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (10:30 pm),
a sketch troupe taking simple premises to wild conclusions: The Impending Moustache (11:00 pm), and
[TOP PICK] exceptionally sharp comics Kumail Nanjiani (Comedy Central, one-man show Unpronounceable)
and Thomas Middleditch (genius improv troupe Baby Wants Candy) proving themselves to also be nerds
by hosting this fun new show about the video game industry: Game Bros. Live! (midnight).
Dave and Ethan: Double Date Us
Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell challenged pairs of women to double date them,
then documented the results on YouTube. Tonight they relate their tales live on stage...
along with guest appearances. "And possibly even a live date."
7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
Brian Finkelstein is a talented writer/actor who's performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Comedy Central; and whose previous work includes the acclaimed FIrst Day Off in a Long TIme (selected for HBO's Aspen Comedy Festival).
All I know about this brand new production is it's a mini-play about relationships.
And that it being granted UCBT's opening Saturday night slot indicates this one-man show will be something special.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Magnet instructors & Second City veterans such as Rachel Hamilton, Ed Herbstman, Abby Sher, and Miriam Tolan, plus stars of Mother: The Soundtrack 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
Andy Ofiesh, creator of The Naked Comedy Showcase
Oddly enough, this is just what it sounds like;
stand-up, sketch, and improv comics performing in the buff.
A reviewer from The Boston Globe observed, "The dynamic of nude comedian
and clothed audience added an extra dimension to self-deprecating material."
For a New York Magazine review, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Bobby Moynihan, Zach Woods, Christina Gausas, Michael Delaney, and Chris Gethard
The Stepfathers: Sweet Land of Hilarity
Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney, Chris Gethard,
Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols, and Zach Woods—
perform a special Independence Day show in which they "take you on a tour of everything that's both cute and brutal about America, from the first nomads who crossed the Bering Strait in search of elk, to their descendants who cross the TGI Friday's parking lot in search of jalapeno poppers." With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.
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
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
The Impending Moustache consists of 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." For a memorable sketch about prisoner abuse, please click here; and for a tragic tale about Jews for Jesus, please click here.
11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8
In case video games weren't funny enough by themselves, this show provides a comedic perspective on the industry that's "knowledgeable enough to satisfy the nerds but charming enough to entertain the gals." It's hosted by two of the sharpest comics in NYC:
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up star; Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight; terrific one-man show Unpronounceable about 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
Thomas Middleditch (Second City, iO Chicago, improv troupes Baby Wants Candy and Broad Shoulders; wildly popular character performer at monthly Morrison Motel; for cartoon that prompted the comment "wow i think i actually feel my intelligence melting away as i watch this," please click here).
The show will include special guests, reviews, previews, competitions, and audience prizes.
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 7/6/08
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),
rising star stand-ups Kumail Nanjiani (Comedy Central, Unpronounceable), Sean Patton (Tommy Danger), Julian
McCullough (Comedy Central), and more at Sam Brown's & Timmy Williams' free Scum and Villainy (8:00 pm),
superb stand-ups Josh Haness (ESPN, Smoking Gun), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central),
Noah Garfinkel (co-host of Totally J/K), Scott Moran (co-host of Sweet Haven), and
Grant Gordon at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
and sharp stand-ups Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1), Sharon Simon (Comedy Central), 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)
Kumail Nanjiani and Sean Patton...
...and Julian McCullough, and Timmy Williams & Sam Brown
This free weekly show is hosted by Timmy Williams and Sam Brown, members of
popular comedy group The Whitest Kids U' Know that's currently starring in a TV show on IFC. (Timmy won't be hosting tonight, though, as he's a guest on a "competing" comedy show; for details, please click here.)
Tonight's terrific guests are
Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up star; Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight; terrific one-man show Unpronounceable about 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),
Sean Patton (LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival;
for a stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here),
Julian McCullough (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Montreal Comedy Festival's New Faces),
and Ben Kissel (for stand-up video about envying the homeless, please click here).
8:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; free
Matt McCarthy, Josh Haness, and Noah Garfinkel...
...and hosts Vince Averill & Jesse Popp
Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival) and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend) host this free comedy show.
Tonight's superb stand-up guests include
Josh Haness (ESPN's Cheap Seats, Court TV's much-missed Smoking Gun; now-LA comic who used to host this show),
Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp comic; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham),
Noah Garfinkel (co-host with Joe Mande of top-notch NYC Thursday night live comedy show Totally J/K; for video dissections of Andy Rooney and Bill Engvall, please click here and here;
for dueling birthday videos with Joe Mande, please click here and here),
Scott Moran (member of Seattle-bred sketch troupe The Peoples Republic of Komedy; co-host of Sweethaven, the hot new Tuesday night comedy show at Rififi mixing sketch & stand-up), and
Grant Gordon (for video stand-up about relationship fantasies, please click here).
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Adam Sank and Giulia Rozzi
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
Giulia Rozzi (VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts; MTV; video series The Message Board, which makes fun of brides, on ComedyNet.com; co-producer of East coast version of hit national show Mortified; Web columnist for 236.com and HuffingtonPost.com; and co-host of monthly NYC red-hot live comedy show Stripped Stories; for a video sample, please click here), and
Sharon
Simon (Comedy Central), Peter
K, and Nkosi
Brown.
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
