NYC Comedy Picks for Week of January 14, 2008

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 1/14/08

There's an awesome selection of great shows tonight (and especially for a Monday...).

NYC live comedy recommendations include

a Time Out New York-sponsored show raising funds for striking WGA writers, with

comedy writers from The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, etc., plus some of the finest

comics around, including Kristen Schaal and Mike Birbiglia, at Strike Night! (7:30 pm),

brilliant & unique comics Larry Murphy, Rick Shapiro, and more celebrating the one-year

anniversary of brilliant & unique Heather Fink's free comedy show Street Meat (8:00 pm),

ghosts of rock legends hosting a comedic musical extravaganza, with immensely talented guests

Adira Amram and Andres du Bouchet, at Keith & Donna's Grateful Dead Listening Hour (8:00 pm),

four sharp storytellers trying to mislead the audience in The Liar Show (8:00 pm),

hilarious hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande presenting one of my all-time fave stand-ups Anthony Jeselnik,

plus superb stand-ups Sean O'Connor and Sean Patton, and a special star guest, at Totally J/K (8:15ish pm),

and comedy treasures John Mulaney, Jon Benjamin, and more at one of the funniest shows in NYC—

which just happens to be free—starring and hosted by Human Giant (11:00 pm).

Mike Birbiglia and Kristen Schaal

Time Out New York's Strike Night!

Since the Writers Guild strike is keeping comedy writers from getting their material

on the air, Time Out New York had the lovely idea of hosting an event that

allows some of the best TV writer/performers in NYC to perform their stuff on stage.

Tonight's scheduled guests are

Kristen Schaal (one of the most talented and inventive comedy performers around;

co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; co-host of NYC live Hot Tub Variety Show),

Mike Birbiglia (razor-sharp stand-up comic—his routine about CNN is worth the trip by itself;

Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, two Comedy Central Presents

specials, comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;

for sample stand-up videos, please click here and here),

J.R. Havlan (writer for The Daily Show),

Eric Drysdale (writer for The Colbert Report),

and more writers & performers TBD.

To buy tickets online ($8 plus $3 service charge), please click here.

7:30 pm at Crash Mansion, 199 Bowery (at Spring Street); $8 plus two-drink minimum

Adira Amram and Andres du Bouchet

Keith & Donna's Grateful Dead Listening Hour

Join your hosts Keith and Donna (Matt McCarthy & Ann Carr)

"as they take you on a fun-filled journey of merry-making and music-making.

Keith may be dead, but that hasn't stopped them from reminiscing about

their days with Jerry and serenading you with the occasional impromptu tune

that never made it to record." Tonight's wonderful guests are

Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice;

nominated for ECNY Best Musical Comedy Act [by herself] and Best Variety Show

[with Rob Lathan for Get Psyched!]; for sample songs & videos, please click here), and

Andres du Bouchet (writer for & performer on FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten;

Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, Cheap Seats;

live NYC comedy show Giant Tuesday; comedy videos).

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

Larry Murphy and Rick Shapiro...

...and hosts Adam Newman & Heather Fink

Street Meat: One-Year Anniversary & Party!

Street Meat is a special monthly comedy show that's been running for a full year.

Tonight is a celebration of its anniversary, hosted—as ever—by

Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, Channel 102) and

Heather Fink (sly & sexy nominee for this year's NY Emerging Comic Award;

for videos demonstrating Heather's acting skills, please click here and here).

Joining the fun are some of the freshest and lightning-quick comics in NYC:

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),

Rick Shapiro (HBO's Lucky Louie,

PoCreations Radio, comedy CD Unconditional Love),

Adrianne Frost (The Daily Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,

VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of The Jay Thomas Show on Sirius Stars Network;

popular humor book I Hate Other People's Kids),

Marcus Monroe (street performer who juggles knives!; MTV's TRL, ABC Family's Switched,

host of Discovery Kid's Mad Science, Nickelodeon's Slime Across America), and

pseudo-metal band Uber Luber (to help everyone party hard).

8:00 pm at Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow Street (between Rivington & Stanton); free

Marlene Nichols, Ryan Britt, Cyndi Freeman, and H.R. Britton

The Liar Show

Four funny people tell amazing stories. Three of the tales are absolutely true...but

one of them is a pack of lies. The audience then asks questions to try and identify the fibber.

Host Andy Christie (The New York Times) welcomes tonight's fine yarn-spinners:

Marlene Nichols (writer/performer; one-woman show Seeing Voices is currently being developed at NYC's Stage Left Studio),

Ryan Britt (written for Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, reallysmalltalk.com;

wrote play Encounter at Greenpoint).

Cyndi Freeman (comedic actress/writer who's appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, and

Showtime; produces NYC live shows Hotsy Totsy Burlesque and Storytelling at Coraline Cafe),

and H.R. Britton ("gravitates towards the anxiously comic;" one-man show From Madison to Madurai: 134 Days in Mother India; called a most incredible storyteller by Hi! Drama).

8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Totally J/K

Hosted by quick-witted and enormously funny best buds Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel

(for dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and for other videos,

please click here and here). Tonight's terrific guests include

Anthony Jeselnik (phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of

my favorite stand-ups ever; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live,

NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Walk of Shame;

for a video stand-up sample, please click here),

Sean O'Connor (VH1; New York Post's Top 20 Entertainers to Watch For in 2006;

upcoming album Shmeat is Shmurder; host of NYC weekly live comedy show The Sean O'Connor Experiment; for hilarious stand-up samples, please click here and here),

Sean Patton (for a stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here),

and "a special guest who I can't mention by name because of a bizarre agreement

this comic has made with a particular comedy club in Times Square!!"

8:15ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5

Comic/activist Kate Clinton and her new 25th Anniversary Tour DVD , and host Lizz Winstead

Shoot the Messenger

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 live NYC show Drink at Work, please click here.)

Tonight's guest is Kate Clinton, a long-time political satirist & gay activist who's just released her 25th Anniversary "It's Come To This!" Tour DVD. Clinton's current writing includes

monthly columns for The Progressive and The Advocate, and blogs for The Huffington Post.

She's also written articles for The New York Times and George Magazine, and was

a staff writer on The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

To get a feel for STM, view a fun interview with cartoonist David Rees by clicking here.

To buy tickets online (each $10 plus $2.50 service charge), please click here.

8:30 pm at Ace of Clubs, 9 Great Jones Street (3rd St. between Lafayette and Broadway); $10

This theatre is downstairs from the Acme restaurant. Nearest subway stops are

Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.

Pent-up Hostility with David Caruso

Tom DiMenna and Stuart Luth (sketch troupe Slightly Known People)

take you on a journey through mankind's repressed emotions.

And apparently the focal point of this adventure is actor David Caruso.

How can you avoid being intrigued?

9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

Jon Benjamin and John Mulaney...

...and Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer, and Aziz Ansari (a.k.a. Human Giant)

Human Giant

Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, and Paul Scheer, the wonderful stars

of MTV comedy hit Human Giant, will be showing off clips-in-progress

for their upcoming second season (slated to air in March).

There's no one better at working an audience than these guys;

and their first season was, in my opinion, one of the funniest shows in TV history.

(For details, please click here.)

Helping the guys throw a great party will be superb comics, including

John Mulaney (one of the sharpest stand-up comics around; VH1's Best Week Ever,

Late Night with Conan O'Brien; for video stand-up samples, please click here and here), and

Jon Benjamin (superb voiceover actor for FOX's Family Guy, Adult Swim's

Lucy the Daughter of the Devil, Home Movies, Assy McGee—which he

co-writes with Jon Glaser, and Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz;

played talking can of vegetables hooked on autofellatio in film Wet Hot American Summer;

was thoroughly hilarious as Bruce Willis impersonator in classic Human Giant sketch).

This is likely to be one of the funniest shows in NYC.

And it's free.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 1/15/08

Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include

Claudia Cogan, Lang Fisher, and other delightful stand-ups at Carolyn Castiglia's Chicks & Giggles (8:00 pm),

all four writers of the new weekly Amazing Spider-Man storyline at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

lovely & witty Cathleen Carr & Daiva Deupree turning life's darkness into comedy as Two Girls for Five Bucks (8:00 pm),

champion storyteller Adam Wade and more at Charles Star's free Brooklyn comedy show Pant-Hoot (8:00 pm),

awesome star comics, including Janeane Garofalo—yes, you read that right, Janeane Garofalo!—

plus Saturday Night Live cast member Jason Sudeikis, Chelsea Peretti (Variety Shac), Laura Krafft (The Colbert Report),

and Whitney Cummings (HBO, MTV, VH1) at the fabulous Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),

and a free East Village show featuring such fine talents as God's Pottery (pseudo-Christian folk band),

Master Lee (Kung Fu comic), and Tony Pizzazz & Dr. Xanax (unusual magical act) at Flying Carpet (9:45ish).

Pent-up Hostility with David Caruso

Tom DiMenna and Stuart Luth (sketch troupe Slightly Known People)

take you on a journey through mankind's repressed emotions.

And apparently the focal point of this adventure is actor David Caruso.

How can you avoid being intrigued?

7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

Lang Fisher, Carolyn Castiglia, and Claudia Cogan

Chicks & Giggles

Carolyn Castiglia hosts a lineup of talented female stand-up comics.

Tonight's scheduled guests are:

Claudia Cogan (ECNY Award nominee for Best Female Stand-Up;

Logo Network, Sirius OutQ; for stand-up video about Claudia's aspirations to be

a stripper, please click here; for video about her being unemployed, please click here),

Lang Fisher (writer and performer of funny videos for The Onion News Network,

Comedy Central, etc.; for a video sample, please click here),

Poppi Kramer (At-Home Winner of NBC's The Biggest Loser Season 3;

Suddenly Stand-Up at The Duplex),

Jamie Lee (VH1's Best Night Ever, Archers of Ha),

Stacia Jensen (Comedyland), and

Erica Skeete (BET network, Laugh Lounge).

8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

To pump fresh energy into the comics series, Spider-Man is embarking on a Brand New Day

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

In celebration of Marvel's new direction for Spider-Man titled Brand New Day,

tonight's guests are Amazing Spider-Man editor Steve Wacker

and all four Amazing Spider-Man writers:

Bob Gale, Marc Guggenheim, Dan Slott and Zeb Wells.

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

Daiva Deupree & Cathleen Carr relaxing before their show

Carr & Deupree: Two Girls for Five Bucks

Two Girls For Five Bucks is very funny sketch comedy duo Cathleen Carr & Daiva Deupree,

who perform frequently in both NYC and Boston. These luminous women

offer a smart and wittily dark view of life and relationships,

and are well worth catching...and for a great deal more than five bucks.

Tonight is a lovely opportunity to see the gals perform at the acclaimed Ars Nova Theatre.

Bring a date to impress her with your good taste and uncannily fine sense of humor.

For a few sample MP3 audio clips—most notably, the top one in which

Daiva chats with Cathleen's vagina—please click here.

8:00 pm at the Ars Nova Theatre, 511 West 54th Street (off 10th Avenue); tickets are $15

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

T.R.U.C.K.S., fwand, Tantrum, Bastian, and Twelve Thousand Dollars—

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

Host Charles Star and champion storyteller Adam Wade

Pant-Hoot: Free Comedy in Brooklyn

This free monthly comedy show in Brooklyn is hosted by

Charles Star (Onion News Network, Stay Free! Daily blog).

Tonight's lineup includes

Adam Wade (stellar storyteller who's an 8-time StorySLAM champ

and 2006 GrandSLAM champ at The Moth),

Moody McCarthy (Last Comic Standing, Jimmy Kimmel;

for stand-up video about Web dating on NetZero, please click here),

DJ Hazard (cast member of American Misfits on Fuel TV),

Gilad Foss (for a stand-up video—ending with an impression of

Miss Piggy taking the SATs— please click here), and

Rachael Parenta (for audio clip of three hilariously shocking jokes, please click here).

8:00 pm at Brooklyn Height's Magnetic Field, 97 Atlantic Avenue (between Hicks & Henry); free

Janeane Garofalo and Chelsea Peretti...

...and Jason Sudeikis, Seth Herzog, and Whitney Cummings

Sweet

Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).

Tonight's awesome all-star (and nearly all-female) stand-ups are

Janeane Garofalo (quite simply, one of the most influential, and hilarious, comics

of our time; most recently co-host of The Majority Report on Air America Radio and co-star of the upcoming season of FOX's hit series 24; sample quote: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth."; for two decades of impressive credits, please click Janeane's photo above),

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),

Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report; former writer of Comedy Central's Crossballs;

appeared in Curb Your Enthusiasm; regular at UCBT's improv bash Let's Have a Ball),

Whitney Cummings (VH1's Best Week Ever, MTV's Punk'd, ABC's What About Brian,

HBO's Tell Me That You Love Me, host of Sundance Festival Dailies;

for rapid-fire sit-down comedy video, please click here), and

Jason Sudeikis (cast member of Saturday Night Live; frequent appearances on 30 Rock;

Late Night with Conan O'Brien).

Please Note: Because of the enormous, and entirely appropriate, popularity

of tonight's star guests, and the relatively cozy size of the theatre,

tickets sales will be limited to around 100 people.

So consider arriving early (and having alternate plans...).

Doors open at 8:30 pm, show starts around 9:00 pm; The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street

(corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5

Jeremiah Smallchild (Wilson Hall) & Gideon Lamb (Krister Johnson) are God's Pottery

Flying Carpet

Matt Ruby's free comedy show tonight stars

God's Pottery (Wilson Hall & Krister Johnson's delightful parody of a Christian folk singing duo),

John F. O'Donnell (wild man who will make you love him; Comedy Central's Fresh Faces; host of biweekly Long Island City comedy show The Kingdom of Heaven),

Master Lee (Kung Fu comic who's appeared on such diverse shows as Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Showtime At The Apollo, America's Most Wanted, and Sesame Street),

Tony Pizzazz & Dr. Xanax (magic act from Boston that Matt says is "so good it's criminal"), and

Dan Curry (author of book Drunk on a Bike; for stand-up video, please click here).

9:45ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); free

The Blender

Stellar members of various UCBT improv teams are

mixed together to form new teams for just an evening.

Tonight's one-time-only troupes are:

Team 1: Robert Cuthill, Matt Fisher, Spike Friedman, John Frusciante,

Porter Mason, Shannon O'Neill, Risa Sang-urai, and Zach Woods.

Team 2: Chelsea Clarke, Brandon Gardner, Will Hines, Anthony King,

Oscar Magallanes, Jason Mantzoukas, Gil Ozeri, and David Siegel.

Come take advantage of this chance to see wonderful improvisers

who normally don't work together try to instantly form a group mind.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 1/16/08

Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include

a free view of a sketch troupe constructing material via entertaining anecdotes

and improv, featuring superb talents such as Elna Baker and Pat Shay, at Red (6:00 pm),

one of the funniest improvisors in the world, in a rare NYC performance of a

scripted one-man show: Matt Walsh in The Drummer (7:00 pm),

five of the most talented sketch comedy groups who perform regularly at UCBT—

Get Psyched! (nominated for an ECNY Award), Two Girls for Five Bucks, Penny, Sidecar,

and The Lance & Ray Show—at UCBT's Winter Showcase (8:00 pm),

stellar stand-up comics John Mulaney, Seth Herzog, Noah Garfinkel, and more—plus the brilliant

Larry Murphy doing his character thing—at Eugene Mirman's & Bobby Tisdale's Invite Them Up (9:00 pm),

a wonderful new show combining storytelling, alcohol, and improv, with players from 30 Rock,

The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Mad TV, and more: Happy Hour (9:30 pm),

and a laid-back free show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).

Pat Shay and Elna Baker

Red: Stories->Improv->Sketch

Comedy troupe Red tells stories off the top of their heads, then improvises scenes

based on the tales; and also perform sketches from material they improvised the previous week.

It's a clever way of crafting a sketch show organically, week by week—and you can watch the whole process, at no charge. The group consists of Kevin Allison, Elna Baker, Chris Caniglia,

Scott Eckert, Sarah Lowe, Sarah Nowak, Pat Shay, Nate Starkey, Shelly Stover, and Kevin Townley.

6:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); free

Matt Walsh in The Drummer

Matt Walsh is one of the funniest men alive.

And along with the other members of the Upright Citizens Brigade,

he's had a profound impact on modern comedy.

Tonight he performs this (one time only) one-man show,

which is described as "the epic story of a part-time pot dealer

who almost rocked too hard. There may or may not be drumming."

Don't miss a rare opportunity to see this LA-based improvisor in an NYC mini-play.

7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Rob Lathan and Adira Amram of Get Psyched!; Daiva Deupree & Cathleen Carr of Two Girls for Five Bucks...

...Amber Petty, Jessie Schupack and Tricia McAlpin of Penny; Lance Rubin & Ray Munoz of The Lance & Ray Show...

...and Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler of Sidecar

UCBT's Winter Showcase

Five of the finest sketch comedy groups who perform regularly at UCBT

come together tonight to show off their stuff and make you laugh.

These highly talented writer/performers are:

Adira Amram and Rob Lathan, a spectacularly funny duo nominated for

this year's ECNY Award for their self-help parody show Get Psyched!;

for their theme song, please click here;

Two Girls For Five Bucks: sketch comedy duo Cathleen Carr & Daiva Deupree,

who offer a smart and wittily dark view of life and relationships;

for a few sample MP3 audio clips—most notably, the top one in which Daiva

chats with Cathleen's vagina—please click here,

sketch/improv group Penny: adorable & very funny comedy trio

Amber Petty, Trisha McAlpin, and Jessie Schupack,

Lance Rubin & Ray Munoz, who perform stream-of-consciousness

sketch comedy as The Lance & Ray Show, and

absurdly fun sketch/improv troupe Sidecar, consisting of Alden Ford, Matt Fisher,

and Justin Tyler; for a sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here.

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Laughing Liberally

Political humor, New York style.

Scheduled comics include Lee Camp, Katie Halper,

Jamie Kilstein, Harry Terjanian, and Elon James White.

8:00 pm at The Tank, 279 Church Street (bet. Franklin & White Streets); tickets are $10

Larry Murphy, Seth Herzog, Noah Garfinkel, and John Mulaney...

...and hosts Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale

Invite Them Up

Hosted by comedy greats Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale.

Tonight's stellar lineup includes

John Mulaney (star-calibre stand-up; nominated for this year's ECNY Award for Best Male Standup Comedian; VH1's Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O'Brien;

for stand-up videos, please click here and here),

Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever; razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious host

of one of the finest weekly live comedy shows in New York, Sweet;

nominated for this year's ECNY Award for Best Host),

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;

co-host of one of the of the finest weekly live comedy shows in New York, The Greg Johnson and Larry Murphy Show; nominated for this year's ECNY Award for Best Variety Show;

for an animated VO reel, please click here),

Noah Garfinkel (co-host with Joe Mande of NYC biweekly 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),

David Rees (witty cartoonist; for fun video clip of interview with him, please click here), and

Oren Brimer (writer/director/producer of short funny films for SuperDeluxe.com

and YouTube.com; for numerous samples, please click here).

9:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5

Becky Drysdale, Thomas Middleditch, Miriam Tolan, Tami Sagher...

...and Anthony King, Chris Gethard, and Jason Mantzoukas

Happy Hour

This new show is a wonderful blend of storytelling and improv.

A group of stellar comics take an audience suggestion and, while sipping beers, start telling personal tales related to it—with an emphasis on the ribald and ridiculous, just like what you'd want to hear from your friends while hanging out at a bar. Helping enormously with this is Chris Gethard, who's one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers in New York.

The yarn spinning is great fun; but on top of that, when the performers hear a story that especially tickles them, they jump up and instantly create scenes revolving around it. And because these talents are razor-sharp improvisors, the results are hilarious.

The players include

Deb Downing (improv at Second City),

Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces,

Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian),

Chris Gethard (The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of book Weird New York),

Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report; famed for performing numerous Sonic commercials),

Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Let's Have a Ball,

Gravid Water, off-Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical),

Jason Mantzoukas (Mother: The Soundtrack, We Used to Go Out, The Mantzoukas Brothers),

Thomas Middleditch (Second City, Baby Wants Candy; for cartoon that prompted the comment

"wow i think i actually feel my intelligence melting away as i watch this," please click here),

Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and

Miriam Tolan (sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien 1993-1994, correspondent on The Daily Show 2000-2001, acted on The Office as "fake Tina Fey").

At the end of last week's extravaganza, Becky Drysdale asked audience members to "please spread the word if you liked the show; and if you didn't, well, why are you talking about it?"

No worries, Becky. You're a treasure; and this show is a winner.

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

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,

and Rebekka Johnson—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

School Night

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); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 1/17/08

Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include

a show from a new network dedicated to creating cool videos on the Web, Black20 (8:00 pm),

wonderful sketch troupe Olde English, terrific stand-up comic Andrea Rosen, ace storyteller

Anthony Atamanuik, and some of the freshest comedy in NYC from hosts Julie & Jackie (9:30 pm),

the very odd but intriguing sketch troupe Murderfist (9:30 pm),

and a battle between two of the funniest and most fiercely competitive improvisation troupes

in New York, C, C + C Improv Factory and Reuben Williams, at Cage Match (11:00 pm).

Black20 Dot Com Slash Show

Black20.com is a group of young NYC writers, performers, and directors who make shows broadcast on the Web. They started out as tour guides at a TV network; eventually convinced the network to fund a Web-based show they were going to create; and then experienced

the agony of the network changing its mind. Instead of moping, they drove straight to

Atlantic City and gambled their entire production budget on a single spin

of the roulette wheel...betting everything on black.

After a round of spinning that felt like days to them, the roulette ball

finally came to a rest...sinking into Black20. And the guys took this as a sign

that they should quit their jobs and start their own broadband network.

Tonight, they show you some of their best work to date

so you can judge whether they made the right choice.

Appearing will be Jessie Cantrell, Nelson Castro, Pat Driscoll, Mike O'Gorman,

Ted O'Gorman, David Price, and Michael Torpey.

8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Adam Newman and Sean O'Connor

The Sean O'Connor Experiment

Stand-up comedy hosted by Sean O'Connor (VH1; New York Posts

Top 20 Entertainers to Watch For in 2006; upcoming album Shmeat is Shmurder;

for hilarious stand-up samples, please click here and here).

The "experiment" is having a different guest host each week.

Tonight, it's Adam Newman, co-host of NYC monthly live comedy show Street Meat.

(For Adam's first joke of 2008, please click here; and for his experience

in a chocolate restaurant, please click here.)

Sean doesn't tend to announce his show's lineup,

but presumably other funny comics will be performing as well.

8:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Sketch troupe Olde English...

...and Andrea Rosen, Anthony Atamanuik, and Julie & Jackie

Obsessed with Julie & Jackie

Julie Klausner and Jackie Clarke are writer/performers

creating some of the freshest & most hilarious material in NYC—

please check out their recent short films by clicking here.

Tonight's wonderful guests are

Olde English (sketch troupe and prodigious generator of funny videos;

ABC's Good Morning America, MSNBC, hosts UCBT variety show Very Fresh;

on Entertainment Weekly's" Must See" list; members are Caleb Bark,

Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg),

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

Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central's Stella, VH1's All Access, comedy troupe Variety Shac).

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Murderfist

Sketch group Murderfist creates sketches that are very odd and unsettling.

For example, to watch a somewhat grueling tale of an unlikely gay couple done in

the style of a silent film, please click here. And here's the description of tonight's show:

"Use your mind's eye, and picture your beloved and elderly grandfather. Now, bit by bit, imagine him naked and hard as the dickens. That's what we do everyday, for a long time, in order to provide for you the entertainment to quench your souls. You're welcome."

9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

vs.

Cage Match: C, C + C Improv Factory vs. Reuben Williams

This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the

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...).

Last week's spectacular semi-final match pitted the hilarious and fiercely competitive C, C + C Improv Factory—Chuck Dauble (Chuck D. & Jawnee Show), Charlie Sanders (Conan O'Brien, Reuben Williams), and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Reuben Williams)—against

Derrick—Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, who have proved to be stars both on stage and via their wildly popular YouTube videos (for samples of the latter, please click here and here and here). Derrick was an unbeatable champion in 2007 with 11 Cage Match wins, zero losses, and the breaking of several all-time records.

C, C + C Improv Factory showed no signs of being intimidated, though. In a backstage interview (broadcast to the audience via videocam), Charlie Sanders answered questions bare-chested, looking like a warrior about to enter battle.

But Derrick wasn't about to be cowed, either. When the interviewer reached them, Daniel Glover had taken his pants off.

C, C + C Improv Factory went first...and the audience suggestion was a nonsense word. "What's that?", asked Charlie Todd. "Something you made up?" The suddenly embarrassed audience member mumbled, "Yeah." Without missing a beat, Charlie responded, "Okay. We'll take it." And the three guys—who have traditionally performed as rough blue-collar characters—instantly transformed themselves into tea-sipping authors/professors who create fanciful tales. It was a bold and brilliant move; and uproariously funny. And even bolder was the choice to remain in that setting for the entire 25 minutes, building upon the characters' lives and dreams detail by comedic detail. The first half, in which the guys explored the authors' literary achievements, was near-perfect. I felt they went off-course in the second half, creating a scenario involving a murder and intrigue triangle that had little to do with literature; but to their credit, as soon as they sensed the energy lagging, they injected a boisterous fight scene...in which Charlie Sanders was spectacular in not only dodging attacks but, in one instance, leaping over a flying chair.

The men of Derrick had their work cut out for them. But while, as always, they were wonderful, they weren't quite as on point as usual. For example, the kick-off audience suggestion was "kittens." A lot of potential there; but the guys chose to do a bit about sleeping kitten videos on the Web, which went nowhere. And then they instantly dropped the animal theme to do more Web material...which also went nowhere. The lack of rich content created a stark contrast to the story-centric approach of the three Cs.

That said, Derrick's form was breathtakingly skilled; the guys flowed gracefully from scene to scene with the effortlessness of water. (And they created what felt like dozens of scenes...) And the superb comedic timing and brilliance of DC, Dominic, and Donald was evident throughout.

In the end, it was a very close contest between two awesomely talented troupes...and that was reflected by the audience vote of 96 to 85.

But the winner was C, C + C Improv Factory—which tonight is competing in the finals

for the title of 2007 Champion.

Their opponent is stellar troupe Reuben Williams, consisting of Anthony King (brilliant Artistic Director of UCBT-NY, and stellar improvisor/writer/actor), and some of the most appealing and immensely talented improvisors in the country: Eugene Cordero, Lennon Parham, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert.

This is going to be an odd match, because two of the three Cs, Charlie Sanders

and Charlie Todd, are also members of Reuben Williams.

That said, both troupes are exceptionally competitive. And greater numbers

aren't automatically an advantage in improv, which involves forming a group mind.

In a nutshell, there's no telling what will 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 1/18/08

Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy include

a show by two NYC acting coaches based on actual emails and voicemails they've received

from desperate & delusional aspiring stars: The Taste of the Backbone (7:00 pm),

uniquely quirky stand-ups such as Adam Newman and RG Daniels, plus luminous storyteller

Kambri Crews, telling funny tales about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:00),

stellar stand-ups, including Demetri Martin, Roger Hailes, and Jon Fisch, at one of the

funniest shows in NYC: The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show (8:30 pm),

one of my all-time favorite sketch troupes, tonight doing a show about commercials, and

aided by fellow ace sketch group Trophy Dad, in Fearsome Presents: A Word From Our Sponsor (9:30 pm),

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

and some of the finest improv comedy in NYC from The Stepfathers (9:30 pm) and Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm).

The Taste of the Backbone

True tales of pursuing the dream in New York, composed and performed

by NYC actors Brian Patacca and Kate Tellers. The official description:

"What do you want so badly you can taste it in your backbone? After several years working as both actors and actor career advisors, Kate and Brian bring you a show that explores the hilarious desperation and naked ambition that fuels the pursuit of a performing career. Using actual emails and voicemails from self-proclaimed 'starz' and 'expiring actors,' Brian and Kate illuminate the fire behind the pursuit of big dreams."

If you're an actor; or know any actors; or simply get a kick out of the sort of

delusional insanity that was on display this week with the return of American Idol

(whose current "auditions" month actually provides among the finest comedy in all of TV),

then this new show is worth a try.

7:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...

...and guests Adam Newman, Kambri Crews, and RG Daniels

Family Hour with Auntie Sara

A stand-up comedy show in which everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to

their family. Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (for hilarious video, please

click here; for bio, please click here). Tonight's guests are:

Adam Newman (co-host of NYC monthly live comedy show Street Meat;

for Adam's first joke of 2008, please click here; and for his experience

in a chocolate restaurant, please click here),

RG Daniels (quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries),

Kambri Crews (fabulous comedy publicist & producer, actress, and storyteller;

for video of Kambri reading her jailed deaf dad's wedding toast, please click here),

Jamie Lee (VH1's Best Night Ever, Archers of Ha),

Jon Lang (for stand-up about learning his brother is gay, please click here), and

Geoff Kole (NYC actor/comic).

7:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Roger Hailes, Demetri Martin, and Jon Fisch...

...and hosts Larry Murphy & Greg Johnson

The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show

This is one of the funniest shows in NYC, hosted by

Greg Johnson (razor-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).

Tonight's stellar stand-ups include

Demetri Martin (immensely popular stand-up star with his own segment, Trendspotting,

on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart [13 appearances]; Late Night with Conan O'Brien

[4 appearances]; Comedy Central Presents 30-minute special; Comedy Central 2007 one-hour special Demetri Martin. Person. [both specials now available on DVD]; These Are Jokes CD/DVD),

Roger Hailes (exceptionally sharp, personable, funny stand-up; VH1, Chappelle's Show;

for sample videos, please click here and here),

Jon Fisch (Last Comic Standing 4, nabbing Audience Favorite award;

Comedy Central's Fresh Faces of Comedy; designated one of "10 Standout Stand-ups"

by Backstage Magazine; for LCS stand-up video, please click here),

and probably quite a few more.

8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5

Dave Rubin, Allen Warnock, and Shawn Hollenbach

The Back Room

Gay-themed comedy hosted by Shawn Hollenbach, Dave Rubin, and Allen Warnock.

Tonight's scheduled guests include

Jenny Rubin (co-host of NYC live comedy show Max!) and

Adam Lehman (Thursday Brew-Ha-Ha).

8:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

World-class sketch group Fearsome: Shayna Ferm, Chris O'Connor, Alex Goldberg, and Katherine Bryant

Fearsome Presents: A Word from our Sponsor

One of the best sketch comedy troupes in the country is Fearsome, consisting of four hilarious performers who are each star-calibre and could carry a show on his/her own: Katherine Bryant (sexy, wry, and razor-sharp, with impeccable timing and a personality that's irresistible), Shayna Ferm (sexy, sly, one of the best poker-faces in the business, and a phenomenal comedic singer/songwriter), Alex Goldberg (brilliant comedic mind, stellar timing, perfect straight man, and award-winning playwright), and Chris O'Connor (thoroughly loveable chaotic force of nature who makes anything he appears in special).

This monthly show is entirely different each time,

so you shouldn't miss any of them.

Tonight's theme is commercials.

And guests slated to join in the fun are another top-notch sketch group, Trophy Dad;

and the burlesque of Roja Rouge.

9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8

Bobby Moynihan, Zach Woods, Christina Gausas, Michael Delaney, and Chris Gethard

The Stepfathers

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

The Made-Up Musical

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

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.

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $8

Ms. Jackson

"They're all street, all the time." Five funny women—pictured left to right,

Jessica Allen, Bayne Gibby, Stephanie Kasen, Caitlin Miller, and Tara Copeland

—who won the 2004 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group.

11:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Liquid Courage

The ultimate in audience participation: any group can submit a sketch and perform it!

If all you want is to be entertained, this show probably isn't a good choice.

But if you'd like to act on the UCBT stage, and/or have your sketch writing judged by an exceptionally savvy audience, this is a golden opportunity.

Sign-up begins at 10:30 pm and runs till 11:45 pm; sketches will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's wise to arrive early. For a complete list of the rules, please click here.

Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 1/19/08

Ochi's Motel

Lottery-style open mic for comics doing stand-up, sketch, improv, etc.,

with 4 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 35 comics perform in this two-hour show; host

John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."

If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to kick off

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.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for the show's performers,

please email host John Morrison (above) at ochismotel[at]gmail.com.

6:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Becky Drysdale, Anthony King, Christina Gausas, Peter Gwinn, and Tami Sagher

Let's Have a Ball

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

The Tiny Spectacular

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

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).

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

SKP's Stu Luth, Mel DeLancey, and Dan Maccarone, and champion storyteller Adam Wade

Slightly Known People Is Seeing Other 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 guests are

Adam Wade (stellar storyteller who's an 8-time StorySLAM champ

and 2006 GrandSLAM champ at The Moth),

The Stuff (NYC sketch troupe consisting of Addison Anderson, Ben Bloom,

Karien Cohen, Hallie Goodman, Kristen Rozanski, and Chris Wilkes), and

Leo Goodman (stand-up comic & actor).

For a hilarious SKP video deconstructing Billy Joel, please click here.

For a review of the show, please click here.

8:30 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5

Drink at Work

Comedic variety show produced by Carol Hartsell (above left) and hosted by Sean Crespo

(above right; stand-up comic and prolific filmmaker; for samples, please click here & here & here).

Tonight's scheduled guests include David Cope and Benari Poulten.

8:30 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

no cover, 1 drink or food item minimum (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Mother: The Soundtrack

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

Afternoon Playland

Quirky, amusing, and a tad creepy: it's improvised puppetry!

The official description:

"It's time to play with your friends in the Afternoon Playland. Come have fun with us and our new buddies. There will be fun and laughs and maybe even a song or two. We will be sad if we don't see you there in the place where puppets and Improv meet."

I'm not yet familiar with this troupe, so can't vouch for quality; but it's a great idea.

9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street; 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

Anthony King; Roger Hailes; Dominic Dierkes, DC Pierson, and Donald Glover of Derrick...

...and host Olde English

Very Fresh with Olde English

Hilarious sketch comedy group and prodigious generator of funny videos Olde English

(Caleb Bark, Ben Popik, David Segal, Adam Conover, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg)

host this wonderful show consisting of sketch, stand-up, short films, and more.

Tonight's scheduled guests include

Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, and one of the sharpest talents in comedy;

brilliant improvisor/actor/writer/director; Reuben Williams, Gravid Water, Shut Up! I Hate You!, Happy Hour, Let's Have a Ball, Gutenberg! The Musical),

Derrick (star sketch & improv comedy troupe, consisting of Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, who last year won a breathtaking 11 improv battles in a row at Cage Match...and broke several all-time records while at it; to sample their wildly popular YouTube videos, please click here and here and here), and

Roger Hailes (razor-sharp, personable, organic, and exceptionally funny stand-up;

VH1, Chappelle's Show; for sample videos, please click here and here).

Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 1/20/08

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),

and utterly wonderful comedy stars, including the lovely & magical Kristen Schaal (HBO's

Flight of the Conchords), her hilarious sketch partner & co-host Kurt Braunholer (Hot Tub Variety),

brilliant stand-up John Oliver (The Daily Show), and more at Brooklyn's Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm).

ASSSSCAT 3000

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. 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)