Luminous TV & movie star Kristen Schaal and UK star Glenn Wool celebrate Liam McEneaney's birthday at Tell Your Friends
6:30 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours—with wildly varying quality, but potentially fun for those with short attention spans—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel
[TOP PICK] [FREE BEER] 8:00 pm ($5): Blowout celebration of host Liam McEneaney's birthday, with some of the most brilliantly funny comics alive: Kristen Schaal, Todd Barry, Glenn Wool (visiting from the UK), and SNL's Bryan Tucker—with free beer open bar from 7:00 pm on courtesy of tonight's sponsor Pabst Blue Ribbon—at Lolita Bar stand-up comedy show Tell Your Friends
8:00 pm ($5): Two of UCBT's best house sketch comedy troupes, Stone Cold Fox and Gorilla Gorilla, trying out new bits at Maude Night
[TOP PICK] [$] 9:00 pm ($25, 2-item min.): An amazing comedic freestyle hip-hop group, using audience suggestions as a springboard for creating improvised music inspired by jazz, rap, and comedy, with Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale (Miranda and Veneziale are the writer and director of the Broadway hit In the Heights, which won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical), and more performing at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Freestyle Love Supreme
[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Dan Fontaine, Julien Dionne, Phoebe Robinson, and many more performing at the final installment of the summer of Pat O'Shea's Brooklyn showcase at Freddy's Backroom: Ed Sullivan on Acid
9:30 pm ($5): Improv veterans Peter Grosz (The Colbert Report) and John Lutz (SNL) making stuff up as comedy duo 2 Square
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: A free weekly show featuring some of the best stand-up comics in the country—who tonight are comedy giants Jim Gaffigan, Marc Maron, Andy Blitz, Glenn Wool, Kumail Nanjiani, and Sean Patton—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 8/4/09
Kumail Nanjiani (Michael & Michael
Have Issues; SNL, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel), Hannibal
Buress
(Comedy Central, Craig
Ferguson), and Jon Glaser (Conan O'Brien, Delocated) at this summer's
final Sweet
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Marvel Comics writer Alex Irvine (Daredevil: Noir) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club
8:00 pm-midnight ($5): four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Badman, Scootch, The Bishop, The Law Firm, and Penthouse Riot—followed by UCBT students at the top 600 level performing improv as citizens of Tiny Town, all at Harold Night
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Some of the finest comics in the world—UK star Glenn Wool, Jon Glaser, Kumail Nanjiani, and Hannibal Buress—performing at the final installment for the summer of the LES weekly stand-up show at The Slipper Room hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet
NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 8/5/09
Andrea Rosen (Big Terrific), and Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner (I Eat Pandas)
[FREE] 6:00 pm-midnight: six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday
7:00 pm ($5): A comedic play written by Jill Donnelly & Amy Flanagan, performed by Jill, and directed by Amy, described as "We've all been pushed down the stairs once or twice by a family member and fallen into a coma, right? And who hasn't woken up a year later with amnesia? Ten characters fill in the details for one amnesiac, Jane, in a night filled with dirty tales, creepy songs, deranged siblings, dungeons and dragons, and more:" Amnesia & Attempted Murder in Upstate NY
[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Emily Epstein, Phoebe Robinson, J-L Cauvin, Paul Goncalves, Jay Nog, and Kyle Fincham at a free weekly stand-up comedy show at Rodeo Bar hosted by the luminous Margie Kment (who's away tonight) & Matt Maragno: Now We're Talking
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($6): innovative TV mini-shows (no longer than 5 minutes each) that live or die by audience votes, screening tonight at the 92Y Tribeca Mainstage: Channel101: NY
[FREE] 8:30 pm: terrific stand-ups Jon Fisch (Comedy Central), Andrea Rosen (Variety SHAC), Kyle Kinane (Carson Daly), and Greg Johnson ("security in the basement?") at a free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) hosted by Gabe Liedman & Max Silvestri: Big Terrific
9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Sharp NYC comics Kevin McCaffrey, Adam Newman, Luke Cunningham, Pat Cassel, Ryan Reiss, and many more each trying out a one-liner in Matt Goldich's unique show at Ochi's Lounge: 25 Words or Less
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): an entirely improvised musical from genius comedy duo Glennis McMurray and Eliza Skinner, and a comedic play with music, dancing, and fisting from Mary Elizabeth Ellis (the waitress on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Artemis Pebdani (foul-mouthed Artemis on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; for memorable audition video, please click here) in the double-bill I Eat Pandas and Mother May I Dance with Mary Jane's Fist?
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) 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: School Night
NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 8/6/09
Susie Essman (Headlining at Carolines) and Adam Pally (Cage Match)
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Two of the sharpest & most respected comics in NYC, Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler, honing a show they'll be performing next week at the Edinburgh Festival: Double Down Hearts
[$] 8:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A Curb Your Enthusiasm star and superb stand-up headlining at Carolines: Susie Essman
8:00 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors directed by James Eason "take an audience suggestion and break it into a million funny pieces" in The Deconstruction
8:00 pm ($8): Clever wordplay, conceptual comedy, and relentless silliness—applied to a parody of the already-goofy film Con Air—from sketch troupe Elephant Larry (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Stand-up Jodi Wasserman (Comedy Central), sketch comic Matt Higgins (Centralia), John Gemberling (world-class improv troupe Death By Roo Roo), and Will Hines (ace improv troupe The Stepfathers) joining the four hard-to-resist members of a hilarious comedy group—musical host Shonali Bhowmik, and superbly quirky stand-ups Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, and Andrea Rosen—in Variety SHAC
[$] 9:30 pm ($20 & 2-item min.) The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Shane Breaux, and Scott Rogowsky—making funny remarks about a teen martial arts classic at the Comix Comedy Club: The Karate Kid
[$] 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and Iron Ruckus, in a battle to win audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 8/7/09
Christina Casa (Don't Cry Out Loud) and Kate McKinnon (Best Actress)
7:00 pm ($10): Christina Casa, who memorably played Angelina Jolie at UCBT's Jen & Angie (a production which will be reprised this month at FringeNYC) demonstrates she's got other hilarious characters in her in this debut of a one-woman show: Don't Cry Out Loud
7:00 pm ($5): Razor-sharp improvisors Laura Krafft (former staff writer for The Colbert Report), Abby Sher, Rachel Hamilton, and "special guests" make up scenes based on audience suggestions at Moon Crackers
[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Brilliant character performer Kate McKinnon (co-star of Logo's Big Gay Sketch Show) plays five very different actresses waiting to hear which of them won an Oscar (keep an eye out for the old lady, who's one of the funniest characters you'll see this year, anywhere); and foreign-born Greg Tuculescu (member of stellar sketch troupes Quiet Library and Stone Cold Fox, and superb improv troupe The Law Firm) debuts a one-man show, in the double-bill Best Actress and F@#&ing Foreigners!
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Genius character comic Nick Kroll, brilliant stand-up Kumail Nanjiani (catch him headlining at Comix on 8/11), and razor-sharp stand-ups Jared Logan, Roger Hailes, Vince Averill, Liz Miele, and Chuck Watkins at a free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Coco 66 hosted by Nick Turner: Too Cool for School
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($37 & 2-item min.): A TV star who's made a career out of confessional comedy headlining at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Chris Titus
[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers
10:00 pm ($5): singing improvisors who use an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Andy Christie (host of The Liar Show) and Zach Dressler (Sirius Radio) tell tales on tonight's theme "After Hours" at the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC, hosted by the sensual Margot Leitman (VH1, Spike TV) and Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1.com): Stripped Stories
[FREE] 12:20ish am: A free opportunity for you to perform sketch on the UCBT stage at Liquid Courage
[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 8/8/09
MC Chris (Andy Rocco's Hipster Show), Christopher Titus (Headlining at Comix), and Sara Benincasa (AGORAFABULOUS)
Saturday August 8th, 2009
7:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Sharp NYC stand-up comics—Kumail Nanjiani (writer & performer on Comedy Central's Michael & Michael Have Issues; Colbert Report, SNL, Jimmy Kimmel), Barry Rothbart, Claudia Cogan, Kara Klenk, Pat Stango, Steve Bossous, Cory Jarvis, Ben Kissel, and David Lee Nelson—in Ochi's Lounge performing at Lil' Seany Boy
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,and The Daily Show joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($37 & 2-item min.): A TV star who's made a career out of confessional comedy headlining at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Christopher Titus
[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle's Show headlining at Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings
8:00 pm ($10): 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
[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): The gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, Death by Roo Roo
[$] 9:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer
9:00 pm ($10): Delightfully multi-talented gal comics Leslie Goshko, Jen Kwok, and Leigh Ann Cobb performing at Brooklyn's Jalopy (F/G subway to Carroll Street) in the stand-up, sketch, and music show Dirty Girls in Brooklyn
9:30 pm ($10): Sara Benincasa performing her one-woman show AGORAFABULOUS
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): All-star improv troupe Reuben Williams
12:00 am ($5): Andy Rocco's sketch comedy, music, dancing, special guests, and free t-shirts extravaganza: The Hipster Show
[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 8/9/09
Donnell Rawlings (Headlining at Carolines), Ophira Eisenberg (Electro Shock Therapy), and Horatio Sanz (ASSSCAT 3000)
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT's signature improv comedy extravaganza—which tonight may well include celebrities in town to enjoy next weekend's gala Del Close Marathon—at ASSSCAT 3000
7:30 pm ($5): typically superb stand-ups at a weekly LES show at Pianos hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians
[FREE] 8:00 pm: sharp NYC comics at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up
[$] 8:00 pm ($26.75 & 2-drink min.): A cast member of the much-missed Chappelle's Show headlining at Carolines Comedy Club: Donnell Rawlings
[FREE] 9:00 pm: Sharp NYC stand-ups DJ Hazard, Greg Johnson, Kenny Zimlinghaus, and Tom McCaffrey celebrating the 3-year Anniversary of Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free weekly East Village stand-up show Beauty Bar Comedy
[FREE] 10:00 pm: Brilliant comedic storyteller Ophira Eisenberg, and stand-ups Hilary Schwartz and Danny Siegel, at an all-Jews edition of the free gay-themed show hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
[$] 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
