NYC Comedy Picks for Week of April 13, 2009

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/13/09

John Mulaney (Whiplash), Tom Shillue (Supernormal), and Victor Varnado (Tell Your Friends)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

Rob Lathan debuting a new show starring his hyperactive life coach character in Get Psyched: Suck It, Recession! (6:30 pm),

the perfect show for short attention spans, open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—tonight including Joselyn Hughes, Jared Logan, Dan St. Germain, Emily Epstein, Leah Dubie, Sean Crespo, Hilary Schwartz, Mark Normand, Sean Donnelly, Blaine Perry, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents) performing what's likely to be a mesmerizing comedic one-man show: Supernormal (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] brilliantly funny comics Dave Hill (HBO, VH1, Spike TV, The New York Times), Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, NBC's My Name is Earl, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Josh Comers, Moe & Mary, and more at Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country—who tonight include John Mulaney (one of the best stand-ups in the biz; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien; just aired his first Comedy Central Presents half-hour special and released his first comedy CD, The Top Part), Jon Glaser (long-time writer & sketch performer for Conan O'Brien; creator & star of new Adult Swim series Delocated), and Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central, VH1; recently released his first comedy CD, Lou Diamond Phillips?—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

Get Psyched!: Suck It, Recession!

Parodying faddish life coaching seminars such as The Secret, hyperactive host "Lanny Lathan" (Rob Lathan) has his own book, Top Secret, which he explains is much better because it reveals what you really must do to succeed: "Get Psyched!"

If you've seen Rob perform as Lanny before, please know this is an new show he's trying out. So come cheer Rob on as he debuts fresh material to rev you up.

This time slot is actually a double-bill. Also getting a tryout is Roll Call...about which I know nothing. But how wrong can you go at the cost of $2.50 per show?

6:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Ochi's Motel

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 25 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.

There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm, with entirely different groups of stand-ups.

Tonight's 6:30 lineup include Joselyn Hughes, Jared Logan, Emily Epstein, Leah Dubie, Sean Crespo, Mark Normand, Danny Solomon, Mick Diflo, Lisa Kaplan, Mona Cooper, Gilad Foss, Michelle McGill, Sean Donnelly, Blaine Perry, and John Morrison.

And the 9:00 pm lineup includes Dan St. Germain, Hilary Schwartz, Michelle Dobrawsky, Shannon Brandt, Edward Ayres, Francoise Gordon, Jessie Geller, Barb Heller, Pat Galante, Jeff Callan, Colin Dempsey, Aalap Patel, and Matteson Perry.

Ochi's Motel is hosted at 6:30 by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry:

...and at 9:00 pm by Aalap Patel and Matteson Perry:

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.

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)

Tom Shillue

Tom Shillue: Supernormal

Star comedic storyteller Tom Shillue had done a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; does storytelling podcasts; hosts acclaimed monthly NYC live comedy show Moonwork; and has a comedy CD, Overconfident!. For stand-up samples, please click here and here.

Tonight Tom performs a theatrical one-man show. It's likely to be mesmerizing; and, sight unseen, is recommended.

Please Note: Tickets are half-price—a bargain $7.50 instead of $15—when you buy online using discount code HALF. (In addition, there's a very mild $1.18 service charge.)

7:30 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette);

tickets are $7.50 if you use code HALF when ordering online (otherwise $15)

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.

Victor Varnado, Liam McEneaney, and Dave Hill

Tell Your Friends

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 hosts are comedy couple Moe & Mary (stars of the Friday night MNN Channel 56 Moe & Mary Show; for a video sample, please click here).

And tonight's wonderful guests are

Dave Hill

Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here), and

Victor Varnado (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's My Name is Earl, Adult Swim's Fat Guy Stuck in Internet, Chicago City Limits; wrote and directed the movie Twist the Cap, starring Charlie Murphy; acted in such films as Pluto Nash, End of Days, and A Guy Thing; co-star of recent concert film

The Awkward Kings of Comedy; for a stand-up sample, please click here),

Josh Comers (writes topical humor on his blog Jokes That Won't Matter Tomorrow).

Please note: This show, which has been free for years, now has to meet expenses by charging $5. But for the quality of talent performing, that's near-free...

8:00ish pm at Lolita Bar, 226 Broome Street (between Allen and Orchard Streets); tickets are $5

Nearest subway stops are Delancey Street via the F or Delancey-Essex via the J/M/Z

Leo Allen and John Mulaney...

...and Jon Glaser

Whiplash with Leo Allen: The Finest in Stand-Up Comedy, Free

Leo Allen is one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC. Leo was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005. He's also performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; and acted on Ed and Sex and the City. Leo has now taken over the Monday-at-11:00 pm UCBT spot made super-special by Aziz Ansari's Crash Test and Jeremy Levenbach's Cavalcade! (in fact, Whiplash is produced by Jeremy).

Tonight's wonderful guests include

John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-up comics in the country; since August 2008 has been staff writer for Saturday Night Live; frequently appears on VH1's Best Week Ever; performed stand-up twice on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; just aired his first Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up Comedian; selected by Variety as among the 10 Comics to Watch for 2008; just released his first comedy CD, The Top Part; to check out videos of John's two Conan sets, please click here and here),

Jon Glaser (creator & star of new Adult Swim series Delocated;

long-time writer & sketch performer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien;

writer/performer for ESPN's Cheap Seats; frequent performer on Human Giant;

star of new Adult Swim show Delocated; voiceover actor for such animated series as

David Cross' Freak Show, and Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Stroker & Hoop

(as Stroker), and, with Eugene Mirman, Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil (playing Jesus);

writer/star of Comedy Central's online show Tiny Hands; writer/filmmaker

partner with stellar VO actor/comic Jon Benjamin in Midnight Pajama Jam;

and—with Todd Barry, Jon Benjamin, James McNew, and Tom Shillue—

member of NYC comedic band A Matter of Trust), and

Tom McCaffrey (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Shorties Watchin' Shorties, and Secret Stash Movie; VH1's All Access; The Onion; just released his first comedy CD, Lou Diamond Phillips?).

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/14/09

Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, Gloria Bigelow, and Jackie Monahan host their long-running show Dykes on Mics

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—and for tonight only on the East side, at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),

Hilary Schwartz Rachael Parenta debuting an intriguing show described as "emotionally inappropriate comedy:" Please Someone Kill Me (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Craig Yoe (Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Shuster) and Fabian Nicieza (Trinity, Gotham Gazette) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes

Ragnaröck, Bastian, The Stepfathers, Reuben Williams, and DeCoster,

plus a great troupe reshuffling at 11:00 pm called The Blender—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] typically stellar comics performing at this free show hosted by brilliant stand-ups Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim) and Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker): Punch Up Your Life (8:30 pm),

[DISCOUNTED] NYC stand-ups Ross Bennett, Hari Kondabolu, Mike Trainor, Mark Normand, Josh Comers, David Cope, and more at John Morrison's Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Morgan Murphy (Comedians of Comedy, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel), Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central Presents), Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, award-winning Verizon FIOS guy), Donald Glover (30 Rock, Derrick), and more at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),

and sharp NYC stand-ups joining delightful hosts Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, and Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (9:00 pm).

Broadway Motel

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, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 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.

Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to motelme@gmail.com.

Please note that, for tonight only, this show will be at the New York Comedy Club instead of the Broadway Comedy Club.

6:00 pm at New York Comedy Club, 241 East 24th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues);

$10 cover plus two-drink minimum

Please Someone Kill Me

Rachael Parenta and Hilary Schwartz host this brand new comedy show with the intriguing title Please, Someone Kill Me. According to Schwartz, "This show captures their style of emotionally inappropriate comedy—humor that is honest, gutsy, vulnerable, and not afraid of the dark side of life. It’s hilarity that hits you on a deep level. It is a show perfect for people who are not drawn to the typical comedy show and are looking for something fresh, funny, and smart, with a defined point of view. Please, Someone Kill Me delivers all that, and silliness too."

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)

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's guests are Craig Yoe (Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Shuster) and Fabian Nicieza (Trinity, Gotham Gazette).

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 two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.) Please also check out the YouTube version of the show by clicking here.

Also be sure to watch a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.

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

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

Ragnaröck, Bastian, The Stepfathers, Reuben Williams, and DeCoster—

each give it a go for 30 minutes, with

short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.

And at 11:00 pm, members of these troupes are randomly mixed
together with each other and UCBT improv stars for a show titled The Blender.
For details on the latter, please click here.

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

Brilliantly funny hosts Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein

Punch Up Your Life

This free weekly stand-up show is a spectacular addition to NYC Tuesday night comedy. Its hosts are two of the finest comics in the country:

Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star—and now also proving to be, along with Pete, among the finest comedy hosts in NYC; 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) and

Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;

cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;

host of UCBT's monthly open mic stand-up show Gutbucket;

for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).

Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they typically include star comics; and this show virtually always delivers a great time. (But if you don't want to stand through it, arrive way early; because it attracts a large crowd, the available chairs fill quickly...).

8:30 pm at Housing Works’ Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby Street (bet. Prince & Houston); free

Nearest subway stops are Bleecker Street on the #6 and Broadway-Lafayette on the B/D/F/V

John Morrison

Morrison Motel

John Morrison, a wise & razor-sharp comic who produces the NYC weekly

open mic show Ochi's Motel, welcomes a mix of veteran & rising stand-up talents in this monthly showcase.

Tonight's performing comics are Ross Bennett, Hari Kondabolu, Mike Trainor, Mark Normand, Josh Comers, David Cope, and John Morrison; and tonight's show will be hosted by Sean Donnelly.

8:30 pm at Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker);

no cover if you mention HyReviews.com (otherwise $5), plus $7 food or drink minimum

Leo Allen and Morgan Murphy...

...and Matt McCarthy and Donald Glover

Sweet

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 superb guests include

 Morgan Murphy (acclaimed LA comic now moved to NYC to be staff writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Comedians of Comedy; Variety's 2007 "Top 10 Comics to Watch;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend; Last Call with Carson Daly; former long-time writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live, and for Crank Yankers; for sample stand-up videos, please click here and here and here),

Leo Allen (one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC; writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005; performed two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials (one by himself and one with his writing partner Eric Slovin); done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; acted on Ed and Sex and the City; host of NYC weekly live comedy show Whiplash),

Matt McCarthy (razor-sharp stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; won 2009 ECNY Award for Best Performance in a Commercial for his work as the Verizon FIOS Guy; co-host of NY live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; for stand-up videos about unsolicited advice and measuring love, please click here and here),

Donald Glover (writer and performer for NBC's 30 Rock; appeared multiple times on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; member of three-man improv/sketch comedy troupe Derrick, which is a star both on stage at UCBT and on the Web via their wildly popular YouTube videos—

for samples, please click here and here and here and here; other notable Derrick accomplishments include wining the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Troupe; and writing, composing, and starring in an indie feature comedy film that recently premiered at Sundance—to view the trailer of Mystery Team, please click here),

and more.

9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street  (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5

Gloria Bigelow, Amy Beckerman, Leah Dubie, and Jackie Monahan

Dykes on Mics

Free gay-themed stand-up comedy show featuring the superb gals above

as regulars/hosts, plus other sharp NYC stand-up comics.

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)

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/15/09

Leslie Goshko (Sideshow Goshko), The Liar Show, and Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),

[TOP PICK] stellar comedic storytellers Kambri Crews (Comix, UCBT, The PIT, The Moth, The Bitter End; author of hot upcoming memoirs about her childhood), Jim O'Grady (The New York Times, Moth GrandSlam Champion), Jeff Simmermon (Moth StorySlam Champion), John Knefel (Huffington Post), and Juliet Jeske (CNN)—plus live accordion music by Michelle Leona, and a quiz for a free bottle of wine—at a show hosted by the razor-sharp and immensely talented Leslie Goshko (Manhattan Monologue Champion, UCBT) in which top comics and storytellers reveal odd aspects of themselves: Sideshow Goshko (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] four stellar storytellers—who tonight are Mark Katz (former White House humor writer for President Bill Clinton), Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Steve Osbourne (NYPD Manhattan Gang Squad CO), and Faye Lane (Beauty Shop Stories)—ably abetted by host Andy Christie (The New York Times) at The Liar Show (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] razor-sharp comics Jessi Klein (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim), Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever, host of top weekly NYC comedy show Sweet), Joe Mande (winner of 2008 ECNY Award for Best Emerging Comic;  co-host of Totally J/K), and Matt Ruby (MTV; co-host of We're All Friends Here) at a new biweekly show hosted by Michael Terry and David Cope: Extra Fancy (8:00 pm),

[FREE] stand-ups Matt Goldich (Comedy Central, VH1), Jesse Pop (Comedy Central), Mike Trainor (TruTV, Sirius), Josh Rencher, and TJ Del Reno at a new free weekly comedy show hosted by Matt Maragno & the luminous Margie Kment: Now We're Talking (8:00 pm),

[FREE] typically stellar NYC stand-ups at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),

[FREE] NYC stand-ups Ray Devito, Lisa Kaplan, Dustin Chafin, Meg Cupernall, Hari Kondabalu, and Vinny Fallon at a free show hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),

comics, writers, and others telling tales of their worst NYC experiences in New York Sh*tty (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] an entirely improvised musical from a genius comedy duo, and an improvised soap opera,

in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

For five hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Halfbear and Ali Farahnakian kick things off at 6:00 pm; The Wilhelm and Tomahawk perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Mrs. Esterhouse go on at 8:00 pm; The Baldwins and Punch show their stuff at 9:00; and Party Lights and The Faculty (consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, Chris Grace, and Rebekka Johnson) round out the evening at 10:00.

If you then feel sufficiently inspired, you can participate in the free show Improdome at 11:00 pm, which allows audience members to get on stage and improvise with each other in trios for 5-7 minute sets.

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

Jim O'Grady, Leslie Goshko, and Kambri Crews

Sideshow Goshko

This delightful show asks some of the finest comics and storytellers in New York to reveal aspects of themselves that are odd and unusual.

It also includes such carnival elements as an accordion player, and a challenging trivia contest for someone in the audience to win a bottle of wine.

It's hosted by Leslie Goshko, who's an exceptionally sharp comedic actress/writer, and a 2008 Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion. (For Leslie's award-winning comedy bit about Internet dating, please click here; and for her bit on "the End Times Awareness Carnival," please click here.)

Tonight's superb funny storytellers & comics 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; and keep an eye out for Kambri's first autobiographical book towards the end of this year),

Jim O'Grady (former writer for The New York Times; Moth GrandSlam Champion; for storytelling video about respect, please click here),

John Knefel (writer for the The Huffington Post; co-host of NYC live comedy show (D)evangelical Comedy, member of sketch group Bare Hand Wolf Chokers Association; for stand-up video about tracking falafel sales to catch terrorists, please click here),

Jeff Simmermon (Moth StorySlam Champion), and

Juliet Jeske (CNN).

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)

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 fibbers. Hosted by Andy Christie (The New York Times, 2007 Moth GrandSlam Champion, author of book I Wasn't Kidding).

Tonight's stellar yarn-spinners are

Tom Shillue (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; does storytelling podcasts; hosts acclaimed monthly NYC live comedy show Moonwork; one-man show Supernormal; comedy CD Overconfident!; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),

Mark Katz (from 1993 to 2000, White House humor writer for President Bill Clinton; The New Yorker, The New York Times; called "The reigning king of humor speechwriters" by The New York Times),

Faye Lane (Carolines, Beauty Shop Stories), and

Steve Osbourne (Manhattan Gang Squad Commanding Officer of the NYPD).

The Liar Show was a smash hit at this August's Edinburgh Festival, and is recommended.

To learn more and/or to order, please click here.

8:00 pm at The Triad, 158 West 72nd Street (between Columbus & Amsterdam Avenues); $12

Jessi Klein, Seth Herzog, and Joe Mande

Extra Fancy

This new biweekly comedy show is hosted by Michael Terry (member of sketch comedy troupe Party Central USA) and David Cope (member of sketch comedy troupe Sweet Haven).

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are

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;

co-host of smash hit new weekly NYC live comedy show Punch Up Your Life;

for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save

 the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here),

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

the very best live comedy shows in NYC, Tuesday night's Sweet),

Joe Mande (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic; co-host of superb NYC live comedy show Totally J/K; comedic play Workdays with Maury; for some video samples, please click here and here and here), and

Matt Ruby (MTV's FNMTV, co-host of monthly Queens LIC live comedy show We're All Friends Here).

8:00 pm at Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery (between 2nd & 3rd Streets); tickets are $5

Matt Goldich and Margie Kment

Now We're Talking

This fun new weekly stand-up comedy show is hosted by luminous, enormously likeable, and razor-sharp Margie Kment, and character-based comic Matt Maragno.

Tonight's guests are

Matt Goldich (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NY1's The Call, contributor to book Bar Mitzvah Disco; for a stand-up sample, please click here),

Mike Trainor (TruTV series The Smoking Gun Presents, Sirius Satellite Radio), 

Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, co-host of weekly NYC live stand-up show Beauty Bar Comedy),

Josh Rencher, and TJ Del Reno.

8:00 pm at Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street); free

Co-hosts Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate

Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri

Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for hilarious Jenny video, please click here) and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com) host this free weekly Brooklyn show.

Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're typically top NYC comics.

8:00ish pm at Cameo, 93 North 6th Street (behind Lovin' Cup) in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk two blocks; between Berry & Wythe

Shrink

This free weekly show tonight features NYC stand-ups Ray Devito, Lisa Kaplan, Dustin Chafin, Meg Cupernall, Hari Kondabalu, and Vinny Fallon. Hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell.

8:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free

Ilana & Eliot Glazer

New York Sh*tty

New York has eight million stories. This show focuses on the ones that are icky. The official description:

"The traditional 'New York experience' is all but a mirage now, replaced by chipotles, cosmotinis, and management companies starving for horizontal space. Although it's become a cliche to romanticize Ed Koch's New York—one rampant with drugs, crime, and bankruptcy—you have to honor the city's two-faced ability to enthrall and excite you one day and wring you dry the next. Simply put, New York can suck—hard—and brother-sister duo Eliot & Ilana Glazer invite comedians, writers, bloggers, and performers to share their worst experiences in this new cathartic storytelling series."

Tonight's lineup hasn't been announced; but with the right storytellers, this could be terrific.

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)

Glennis & Eliza: I Eat Pandas and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns

Two unique improvisation shows for a mere five bucks.

Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner are simply geniuses

at taking a suggestion from the audience and creating

an entire musical based around it, using only their imaginations,

immense talent, and the aid of their wonderful improv pianist

Frank Spitznagel. Each of these gals is a powerhouse performer;

what they manage to create together tends to be sheer magic.

You don't have to take my word for it, either:

the duo won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group; and they

recently starred in the Fringe festival hit Gem! A Truly Outrageous Parody,

which won two FringeNYC 2008 Awards.

Eliza will soon be moving to LA. Don't miss one of your final chances

to enjoy these comedic wizards at play on an NYC stage.

The double-bill then continues with Hot Lather, an improv group that specializes

in the soap opera format. Its members include some powerhouse performers:

Mike Cavanaugh, Matt Fisher,  Jon Gutierrez, Molly Lloyd, Anna Rubanova, Achilles Stamatelaky, Mike Still, Abra Tabak, Andree Vermeulen, and Paul Welsh,

with direction by Rob Webber.

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

Justin Purnell

School Night

Host Justin Purnell provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, sketch,

and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly—

but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun.

Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,

that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.

Please note that while it costs nothing to get in, if you have a good time (which is likely), you should drop a dollar or two into the contribution bucket on your way out. It's the only way this beloved show—which has been running for five years—can stay alive as a vibrant showcase.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 4/16/09

On TV tonight, brilliant & breathtaking Mother improv alum Jessica St. Clair, and force of nature Horatio Sanz,

in the new ABC sitcom In The Motherhood...

...and in NYC at The Magnet, the debut of a new improv show from Mother alums James Eason and Tara Copeland: Sleepover

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] stellar storyteller/stand-up Leslie Goshko (Manhattan Monologue Champion, host of Sideshow Goshko), Charles Star (host of Adult Education), and David Cope (co-host of Extra Fancy) performing stand-up comedy...and then being analyzed on stage!: Stand Up, Lie Down (7:30 pm),

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 (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland and James Eason leading a semi-revival of legendary troupe Mother in this new Magnet show: Sleepover (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Jessica Delfino (immensely talented comic and raunchy singer/songwriter), Sean Patton (VH1, Just for Laughs Festival), Ali Wong (hilarious San Franciscan comic; The Onion), and more at a free weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] acclaimed TV writer Laura Krafft (The Colbert Report), brilliant alt stand-up Dave Hill (King of Miami, HBO, The New York Times), and brilliant comedic storyteller & improvisor Chris Gethard (The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Magic Box of Stories, Weird New York), performing improvised monologues at Three-Piece! (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and For Richard Stands, competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).

Charles Star, Leslie Goshko, and David Cope

Stand Up, Lie Down

In this unique show, stage therapist Lisa Levy brings in stand-up comics to perform...and then analyzes them!

Tonight's comedic patients are

Leslie Goshko (immensely talented comedic actress/storyteller/stand-up; 2008 Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion; host of superb monthly NYC live comedy show Sideshow Goshko; for award-winning comedy bit about Internet dating, please click here; for bit on "the End Times Awareness Carnival," please click here)

David Cope (comedic storyteller, and member of Sweet Haven sketch troupe; co-host of new bimonthly NYC live comedy show Extra Fancy; for videos of David relating an encounter with a prophet and reading his romance novel, please click here and here), and

Charles Star (Onion News Network, Stay Free! Daily blog, Laughing Liberally,

host of Brooklyn monthly comedic lecture show Adult Education at Union Hall).

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)

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."

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10

Tara Copeland and James Eason

Sleepover (Mother, Take 2)

A group of stellar improvisors, some of whom are former members of legendary improv troupe Mother, perform long-form improv based on an audience suggestion. This new group's members are Tara Copeland, James Eason, Jessica Allen, Paul W. Downs, Jesse Falcon, and Rachel Hamilton.

Please note: Paying $5 actually entitles you to see shows at The Magnet for the entire evening, which includes two improv shows following this one. For details, please click here and then scroll down to Thursday's listings.

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

Sean Patton, Ali Wong, and Jessica Delfino

Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman

Razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic Jena Friedman (playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here) hosts this entirely free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn. This is actually a version of an acclaimed show Jena used to do in a Chicago bar run by a gal named Tammy. When the bar started out it was often near-empty, so Jena began the show to entertain her friend and develop steady traffic. On both counts, it was a wild success...

Tonight's superb guests include

Jessica Delfino (brilliantly funny and stunning writer/singer; enjoys singing songs

about her vagina, as demonstrated by her acclaimed CDs Dirty Folk Rock and I Wanna Be Famous; created the hilarious and wildly popular YouTube animated short film I Wanna Be Famous; toured the country with the wonderful Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players;

was a big hit at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival; has a cool MySpace page),

Sean Patton (VH1, 2008 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival; for stand-up audio clip about vitamin-coated condoms, please click here; for stand-up videos about drugs & weapons and Sean's crackhead aunt, please click here and here),

Ali Wong ("sass-filled San Franciscan comic;" comedy series for The Onion),

and more.

Please note this show is free if you arrive before 9:00 pm; if you're way late, expect to pay $5.

8:30 pm at The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A (between 6th & 7th Streets); free

Take the F subway to 2nd Avenue & Houston stop or the L subway to 1st Avenue & 14th Street stop

Chris Gethard, Laura Krafft, and Dave Hill

Three-Piece!

An evening of improvised monologues (springboarding off

audience suggestions), performed in three parts.

This show is hosted and stars the multi-talented Laura Krafft, who's a

former staff writer for Comedy Central's The Colbert Report and Crossballs,

and has acted on such series as on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

And performing with Laura tonight are thoroughly wonderful guests

Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues; written & starred in MOJO TV's King of Miami; written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the much-missed Smoking Gun TV series; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here), and

Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York; performs every Friday night as a member of ace improv group The Stepfathers, and every month as a member of the razor-sharp storytelling show the The Nights of Our Lives; stellar one-man show Magic Box of Stories; author of the book Weird New York).

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

vs.

Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. For Richard Stands

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.)

Look out, everybody—the kings are back in the castle!

After spending the previous week defeating one of the finest troupes in improv history (The Stepfathers...who can still be seen every Friday night at UCBT), last year's Cage Match juggernaut is back—arguably the gutsiest improv team in NYC—Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Liz Cackowski, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller.

DBRR was by far the winning-est group last season, trouncing 17 troupes in a row—handily breaking the previous Cage Match winning streak record of 14 set by Optimist International in 2002! And it went on to win last season's Cage Match Championship with breathtaking skill and comedic grace.

Tonight's challenger—almost by definition a David to the DBRR Goliath—is young troupe For Richard Stands, consisting of Michael Boothroyd, Mike Camerlengo, Nicole Drespel, Miles Klee, Brendan Regan, Matt Stroup, and Zachary Verhoff.

Some might think the challenger doesn't Stands a chance. But there's really no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.

This show is sold out of seats; but if you don't mind standing, come and enjoy another epic DBRR battle.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 4/17/09

Janeane Garofalo (Headlining at Comix) and Morgan Murphy (Very Fresh)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] [$] a movie and TV superstar—who's also a comedy genius—delivering a deliciously long headlining set at the elegant Comix Comedy Club tonight through Sunday: Janeane Garofalo (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] star comics Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Greg Giraldo, Jessica Kirson, and more performing—though not all on the same lineups—at Comedy Cellar (8:00 pm, 9:45 pm, and 11:30 pm),

stand-up comics Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo, here! TV), Mike Singer (here! TV), Michael Brill, and more at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),

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

[$] [DISCOUNTED] superb stand-ups Joe DeRosa (Comedy Central Presents special, HBO's Down & Dirty), Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, VH1, CNN, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Late Night Stand-Up at Eastville (10:00 pm),

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

[TOP PICK] brilliant stand-ups—who also happen to be staff writers for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon—Anthony Jeselnik (one of the finest comics in the biz; HBO, Comedy Central Presents) and Morgan Murphy (former staff writer for Jimmy Kimmel and Crank Yankers) joining ace sketch troupe Olde English to perform all-new material for a show that's Very Fresh (11:00 pm),

and a free opportunity for you to perform sketch on the UCBT stage at Liquid Courage (12:20ish am).

Comedy genius Janeane Garofalo

Janeane Garofalo: Headlining at Comix for Three Glorious Nights

Janeane Garofalo is, quite simply, one of the most influential and beloved comics of our time (no matter how much she gripes or pretends otherwise...). Most recently, Janeane was co-host of The Majority Report on Air America Radio and co-star of the FOX's hit series 24.

Janeane's also a frequent guest on cable king Keith Olbermann's Countdown on MSNBC. (in fact, Janeane was on just last night, patiently explaining why far-right Republicans can't be judged too harshly because they all suffer from malformed brains...)

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 breathtakingly impressive credits, please click here.

This comedy club show has a $41 cover plus two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up). For a superstar of Janeane's caliber, that's quite reasonable.

If you'd like to save a few bucks, though, you can buy tickets for Saturday night for $36, and for Sunday evening for a mere $32, as long as you do so before the day of the show.

To learn more and/or to order, please click here.

8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$41 ticket (or $36 if you buy today for Saturday, or $32 if you buy for Sunday), plus 2-item min.

Greg Giraldo and Dave Attell

Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, Greg Giraldo, Jessica Kirson, and More at Comedy Cellar

Tonight's three lineups at the Comedy Cellar club feature some heavy-duty talent.

The 8:00 show includes Colin Quinn and Greg Giraldo.

The 9:45 show includes Dave Attell and Greg Giraldo.

And the 11:30 show includes Dave Attell and Jessica Kirson.

To see the complete lineups for the 8:00 pm (doors at 7:30) and 9:45 pm (doors at 9:15) and 11:30 pm (doors at 11:00) shows, please click here, click the Lineup link near the top, click today's date, and click the Go button. To make an online reservation, please click here.

This comedy club show has an $18 cover and 2-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up).

8:00 pm & 9:45 pm & 11:30 pm at Comedy Cellar, 117 MacDougal Street (between 3rd St. & Minetta Lane); $18 cover plus two-item minimum

Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach

The Back Room

Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics),

hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV’s Cinematherapy and The Gutter).

Tonight's comics include

Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo Network, here! TV, 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),

Mike Singer (here! TV, Veteran of the Mic),

Michael Brill (2007 MAC Award Winner),

plus

Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio, here! TV's Bent),

Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted), and

Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! TV's Dave Rubin Project and Hot Gay Comics).

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)

Back: Zach Woods, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Secunda, Michael Delaney, and Shannon O'Neil

Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines

The Stepfathers

Some of the smartest & finest improv comics in NYC—Michael Delaney,

Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols,

Andy Secunda, and Zach Woods—make up a series of scenes from a one-word audience suggestion.

Just to give you a feel for the talent involved, Delaney and Secunda are members of legendary improv troupe The Swarm; Gethard is a storytelling genius; and Moynihan (who still comes by on Fridays when he can steal the time) since 2008 is a stellar cast member of Saturday Night Live.

With art and grace, these quick-witted comedy stars will make you laugh—a lot.

9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Rachel Feinstein and Joe DeRosa

Joe DeRosa, Rachel Feinstein, and More at Eastville

Tonight at the intimate Eastville, the only comedy club in NYC's East Village, the lineup includes superb stand-up comics

Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, HBO's Down & Dirty, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, Insomniac Tour with Dave Attell, Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival; for stand-up video about why Joe hates weddings, please click here),

Rachel Feinstein (very funny stand-up; Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Samurai Love God, VH1, CNN, Court TV's Parko PI, regular on Sirius Satellite Radio, written for The Onion and Heeb Magazine, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour),

and more.

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $15 cover by mentioning discount code HyReviews at the door.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

10:00 pm at Eastville Comedy Club, 85 East 4th Street (slightly west of 2nd Avenue);

tickets are $10 if you mention discount code HyReviews at the door, plus two-drink minimum

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

Morgan Murphy and Anthony Jeselnik...

...and ace sketch troupe Olde English

Very Fresh with Olde English

World-class 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 extravaganza mixing sketch, stand-up, short films, and more—

and that asks comics to perform material that's all-new (i.e., Very Fresh).

Tonight's wonderful guests include two brilliant stand-ups who are also staff writers for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:

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

my favorite stand-ups ever; staff writer for NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO's Down & Dirty, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live,  NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players; for hilarious stand-up videos, please click here), and

 Morgan Murphy (acclaimed LA comic now moved to NYC to be staff writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; Comedians of Comedy; Variety's 2007 "Top 10 Comics to Watch;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend; Last Call with Carson Daly; former long-time writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live, and for Crank Yankers; for sample stand-up videos, please click here and here and here).

11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th 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.

12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 4/18/09

Mary Theresa Archbold of ace sketch comedy troupe Drop Six, and Janeane Garofalo (Headlining at Comix)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] a world-class sketch troupe specializing in physical comedy and music: Drop Six (7:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,

and The Daily Show who joyously declare Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] a movie and TV superstar—who's also a comedy genius—delivering a deliciously long headlining set at the elegant Comix Comedy Club tonight and Sunday: Janeane Garofalo (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] clever wordplay, conceptual comedy, and relentless silliness—in an all-new show based around the already-goofy film Con Air—from sketch troupe Elephant Larry (8:00 pm),

[$] [DISCOUNTED] star stand-up Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Adult Swim), Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, VH1, CNN, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Late Night Stand-Up at Eastville (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm),

[FREE] a special edition of this free comedy show in Queens' Long Island City in which the hosts—the three members of star sketch/improv troupe Derrick—each perform a 25-minute stand-up set: This Is New York (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] inventive & hilarious sketch comedy from The Harvard Sailing Team (9:30 pm),

[$] comedy club lineups that tonight include one of the most brilliant & hilarious rising stars in New York: Anthony Jeselnik and More at Comedy Cellar (9:45 pm & 11:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and rising star comics Kumail Nanjiani (Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report) and Thomas Middleditch (genius improv troupes Baby Wants Candy and Improvised Shakespeare) proving themselves to also be nerds by hosting this fun show about the video game industry, tonight with special guest Chris Gethard (brilliant storyteller & improvisor, and author of Weird New York): Game Bros. Live! (midnight).

Drop Six: Right Next to You

Drop Six is a superb NYC-based sketch troupe that makes great use of physical comedy and music. The group consists of Mary Theresa Archbold (for my review of this star's funny & touching 2007 FringeNYC show Jazz Hand, please click here), Tim Girrbach, Jason Salmon, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen. This group's honors include Best of the Fest selection 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). For a brief medley of memorable Drop Six moments, please click here.

7:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10

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

Let's Have a Ball

Some of the sharpest writers and performers in NYC get together for long-form improv fun.

Among the players often performing are 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), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), and Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006).

7:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

Comedy genius Janeane Garofalo

Janeane Garofalo: Headlining at Comix for Three Glorious Nights

Janeane Garofalo is, quite simply, one of the most influential and beloved comics of our time (no matter how much she gripes or pretends otherwise...). Most recently, Janeane was co-host of The Majority Report on Air America Radio and co-star of the FOX's hit series 24.

Janeane's also a frequent guest on cable king Keith Olbermann's Countdown on MSNBC. (in fact, Janeane was on just last night, patiently explaining why far-right Republicans can't be judged too harshly because they all suffer from malformed brains...)

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 breathtakingly impressive credits, please click here.

This comedy club show has a $41 cover plus two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up). For a star of Janeane's caliber, that's quite reasonable.

If you'd like to save $9, though, you can buy tickets for Sunday evening for $32, as long as you do so today.

To learn more and/or to order, please click here.

8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

tickets are $41 (or $32 if you buy for Sunday), plus 2-item food or drink minimum

Elephant Larry Presents Con Air

Elephant Larry (above) is a NYC-based sketch group consisting of Geoff Haggerty, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon, and Alex Zalben (former artistic director of  The PIT, co-host of the fabulous Comic Book Club, and co-producer of the spectacular annual SketchFest NYC). The troupe specializes in conceptual humor, silliness, and wordplay—for example, demonstrating that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement..." For videos about a sci-fi version of Beckett and using Adobe Photoshop, please click here and here.

Tonight's show revolves around an already-goofy movie: "This set of all-new sketches is about the 1997 Jerry Bruckheimer blockbuster Con Air, which asked the question, 'What would happen if you took the world's worst convicts and put them on one airplane? Wouldn't that be awesome?' Please contact Elephant Larry if you'd like to see the film beforehand. Seriously, they'll lend you a copy."

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10

Todd Barry and Rachel Feinstein

Todd Barry, Rachel Feinstein, and More at Eastville

Tonight at the intimate Eastville, the only comedy club in NYC's East Village, the 10:00 pm lineup includes superb stand-up comics

Todd Barry (wryly brilliant stand-up who's one of the very best in the biz;

Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien,

Comedy Central Presents; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Lucky Louie, and Sex in the City;

Comedy Central's Freak Show, Dr. Katz, and Shorties Watching Shorties;

Adult Swim's Space Ghost, Aqua Teen Hunger Force,  and Tom Goes To The Mayor;

acted in the acclaimed Darren Aronofsky hit film The Wrestler;

check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven), and

Rachel Feinstein (very funny stand-up; Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Samurai Love God, VH1, CNN, Court TV's Parko PI, regular on Sirius Satellite Radio, written for The Onion and Heeb Magazine, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour).

In addition, the 8:00 pm will consist of Todd Barry with up-and-coming comics. Considering Todd's acerbic wit, this might be special fun.

For detailed lineup info, please click here.

Please Note: You can save $5 off the $15 cover by mentioning discount code HyReviews at the door.

Please also note there's a two-item minimum;

with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.

8:00 pm & 10:00 pm at Eastville Comedy Club, 85 East 4th Street (slightly west of 2nd Avenue);

tickets are $10 if you mention discount code HyReviews at the door, plus two-drink minimum

Donald Glover, DC Pierson, and Dominic Dierkes of Derrick

This Is New York

Derrick is three sharp and enormously appealing performers,

Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, who are sketch comedy

stars via their wildly popular YouTube videos—

for some samples, please click here and here and here—

and won the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Troupe.

The guys also completed a comedy feature film, which they

wrote, composed, and star in—and which recently premiered at Sundance!

(To view the trailer of Mystery Team, please click here.)

In this weekly free show in Queens' Long Island City, these impressively

multi-talented comics host a comedy showcase featuring NYC stand-ups

...and perform some stand-up and/or sketch themselves.

In tonight's special show, however, there'll be no guests. Instead, DC, Dom, and Donald will each perform a 25-minute stand-up set.

8:00 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

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story via improvised scenes. These winners of the prestigious 2009 Cage Match Championship are always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.

9:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10

4 Track!

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.

9:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5