NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/15/09
Reggie Watts (Whiplash), Brett Gelman (Whiplash), and Dave Hill (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:
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 Emily Epstein, Chelsea White, Kara Buller, Sue Funke, RG Daniels, Luke Cunningham, Mark Normand, Mike Lawrence, Matteson Perry, Aalap Patel, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, and John Morrison—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Salon, HBO, VH1, MOJO TV's King of Miami, The Dave Hill Explosion), Ali Waller (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon), Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1, YouTube star), Carla Rhodes (rock 'n roll ventriloquist), Sean Crespo (Comedy Central, Shoot the Messenger, host of Drink at Work), and musical guest Patrick Salt Ryan at Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),
fresh sketch comedy from UCBT house groups Gramp's and Thunder Gulch at Maude Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free weekly show featuring some of the best stand-up comics in the country—who tonight include Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius; 2009 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act and the 2007 Andy Kaufman Award; cast member of the new Electric Company; Jimmy Fallon), Rob Huebel (co-star of Human Giant; VH1's Best Week Ever, 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, Arrested Development), Brett Gelman (fearless and always inventive comedic chameleon; Little Bit of Luck guy in NY Lottery ads; Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo, sketch duo Cracked Out), Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live, Chappelle's Show, Mad TV, The Chris Rock Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn), and Brooke Van Poppelen (Maxim Radio, Cosmo Radio, Chicago Public Radio; half of sketch duo Macho!)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, HBO, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)
A breathtaking 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 includes Emily Epstein, Sue Funke, Francoise Gordon, Amy Albert, RG Daniels, Luke Cunningham, Mark Normand, Mike Lawrence, Andy Haynes, Matt Maragno, Danny Solomon, Blaine Perry, Sean Donnelly, and John Morrison.
And the 9:00 pm lineup includes Chelsea White, Kara Buller, Cassandra Yekani-Zaree, Matt Ruby, J-L Cauvin, 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)
Carla Rhodes & friend, Dave Hill, and Rob Paravonian
This popular weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney
(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,
former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).
Tonight's host is Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, The Huffington Post, 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 Smoking Gun TV; interviewed on This American Life; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here).
And tonight's fine guests are
Ali Waller (staff writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; former writer for Comedy Central's The Showbiz Show with David Spade),
Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; opened for George Carlin on tour; to see his hit video
Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 6 million people on YouTube, please click here),
Carla Rhodes ("rock 'n roll ventriloquist;" for shout-out from David Letterman, please click here; for act with "Keith Richards," please click here),
Sean Crespo (Comedy Central, Shoot the Messenger; host of NYC live comedy show Drink at Work; also prolific comedy filmmaker—for samples, please click here & here & here), and
musical guest Patrick Salt Ryan.
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
UCBT's house sketch comedy groups try out their latest material at this monthly extravaganza. Tonight features the two troupes Gramp's and Thunder Gulch. (For cast bios, please click here and then click the photo of whoever interests you.)
Not every routine will hit the mark; but these are talented young comics and, if you're patient, worth catching for the bits that score, and for their charismatic comedy performances.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Leo Allen and Reggie Watts...
...Brett Gelman and Rob Huebel...
...and Bryan Tucker
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 half-hour specials; done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; acted on Ed and Sex and the City; and is in an upcoming HBO miniseries. Plus Leo's the host of this show—for which he crafts inventive, hilarious material week after week, and always generously demonstrates his warm appreciation of his fellow comedians. For all these reasons and more, Whiplash is one of the finest showcases of top comedy talent in the country...and this stellar show is entirely free.
Tonight's flat-out awesome guests are
Reggie Watts (musical improv comedy genius—a scary talented vocalist, beatboxer, and musician whose unique skills will likely amaze you; won the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act and the 2007 Andy Kaufman Award; is a cast member of the new Electric Company; and recently delivered a bravura performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; to learn more, please visit ReggieWatts.com; please explore his album Pot Cookies; and please check out some of his best videos by clicking here),
Rob Huebel (co-star of wonderful sketch troupe & MTV series Human Giant—and unofficial co-host of this UCBT time slot not so long ago, when it was Aziz Ansari's Crash Test; was regular on VH1's Best Week Ever; acted on 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, Arrested Development; former producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart),
Brett Gelman (comedic chameleon who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads; numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo; former host of delightful weekly NYC live comedy show Gelmania, which wrapped when Brett's success led him to move to LA; for an interview, please click here; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here; please also explore their parody of a hip-hop group called Cracked Out via their album Fleetwood Cracked),
Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live 2005-2008; also wrote for Chappelle's Show, Mad TV, The Chris Rock Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; performed on Comedy Central's Premium Blend; for a stand-up video sample, please click here), and
Brooke Van Poppelen (Maxim Radio, Cosmo Radio, Chicago Public Radio; Carolines, Comix; half of sketch duo Macho!; popular blog NYisretarded.blogspot.com; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here).
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 6/16/09
Mike Birbiglia (Sweet), Before They Were Famous: Babe Ruth (Comic Book Club), and Andy Blitz (Punch Up Your Life)
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—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),
comedians getting rid of their stuff by telling tales about the items and then selling to the highest bidder at the way fun Auction! (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Pat Cashin (former circus clown who created comic Ringling Bros.) and Vito Delsante & Andrés Vera Martinez (graphic novel Before They Were Famous: Babe Ruth) 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 The Bishop, Bastian, The Scam, Ragnaröck, and Scootch—followed by high-level UCBT students improvising the end of the world, all at Harold Night (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Mike Birbiglia (one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country; three Comedy Central specials, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, hit off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me), Andy Blitz (comedy genius; writer & performer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1999), and Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live, Chappelle's Show, Mad TV, The Chris Rock Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn) 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),
[TOP PICK] Mike Birbiglia (racing over from Punch Up Your Life above, in preparation for an upcoming national tour; again, one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country; three Comedy Central specials, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, hit off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me), Rob Lathan (goofy comedic character actor who's performed sketches on Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1, Adult Swim), Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, co-host of Beauty Bar Comedy), Josh Charles (Drama Desk-winning actor; HBO's In Treatment, ABC's Sports Night; movies including Hairspray, Dead Poets Society, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, S.W.A.T., and Four Brothers), and more performing at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),
and a popular six-time Drag Queen of the Year award-winner (via HX Magazine) struts her stuff tonight in Hedda Lettuce (9:00 pm).
Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,
with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.
(In addition, 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.
6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum
This fun show hosted by Chris Sifflet and Kevin Tor "acts as an alternative to the impersonality of eBay and the seriousness of The Antiques Road Show. At Auction!, comedians bring hilarious stories along with their objects, and you bring riot gear and a few bucks for the bid wars that follow."
Expect to be given 25 cents for your kick-off bid. Most items sell for under $5; and they can range from hockey posters to drug paraphernalia.
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)
Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,
who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.
Tonight's industry guests are Pat Cashin (former circus clown who created comic Ringling Bros.) and Vito Delsante & Andrés Vera Martinez (graphic novel Before They Were Famous: Babe Ruth).
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 tale about Wolverine's powers from sketch duo Greg & Lou by clicking here; and a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.
And if by some fluke you don't already know: See Star Trek, which is wonderful; avoid X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which is nightmarishly dreadful; and catch a Green Lantern sneak peak by clicking here.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.
Tonight, five improv troupes—
The Bishop, Bastian, The Scam, Ragnaröck, and Scootch—
each give it a go for 30 minutes, with
short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.
And at 11:00 pm, there'll be a performance from advanced UCBT students
improvising a global cataclysm, and then what life will be like afterwards.
Some of these 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.
This show is perennially sold out of seats; but if you're okay
with standing,
come
and laugh with a boisterous packed house.
8:00-midnight pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Mike Birbiglia and Andy Blitz...
...and brilliantly funny hosts Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein
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 thoroughly wonderful guests are
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS; for info on Mike's current
superb off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me, please click here),
Andy Blitz (comedy genius best known for being a writer and performer for
Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1999; also a thoroughly unique stand-up
whose sets—ranging from talking peanut butter to jet-flying cats—tend to be unforgettable;
to read about Andy's memorable hosting of Crash Test at UCBT, please click here), and
Bryan Tucker (writer for Saturday Night Live 2005-2008; also wrote for Chappelle's Show, Mad TV, The Chris Rock Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; performed on Comedy Central's Premium Blend; for a stand-up video sample, please click here).
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
Mike Birbiglia and Rob Lathan...
...and Seth Herzog and Jesse Pop
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 are
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS; for info on Mike's current
superb off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me, please click here),
Rob Lathan (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, MTV, VH1, Adult Swim; plays comedic characters such as Lanny Lathan and "Quick Lips" Lathan; performs in the UCBT shows Get Psyched! and High School Talent Show; for Rob's reel, please click here), and
Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, co-host of weekly NYC live stand-up show Beauty Bar Comedy for 7 years running),
Josh Charles (superb actor who's performed in HBO's In Treatment and ABC's Sports Night; movies including Hairspray, Dead Poets Society, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, S.W.A.T., and Four Brothers; and NYC theatre including Neil LaBute's The Distance From Here, for which he and other cast members won a 2004 Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble),
and more.
9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5
Hedda Lettuce, six-time Drag Queen of the Year award-winner (via HX Magazine) stars in this gay-themed show. The official description: "Hedda Lettuce has received national acclaim for her poised characters, startling satire, and original music. Hedda's TV appearances include Sex and the City, Chappelle's Show, MTV Movie Awards, 20/20 with Barbara Walters, and Oprah; and Hedda's acted in the films Flawless (Robert De Niro), The Look (Carol Alt), and To Wong Foo."
No details are available about tonight's show; but to get a feel for Hedda, visit her MySpace page.
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 6/17/09
The Best of the Sci-Fi Screening Room, Charlie Sanders (Minnesota Muslim), and Ted Alexandro (Big Terrific)
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] legendary Saturday Night Live writer Tom Davis, Doug Gillard (guitarist for Guided by Voices), and singer Lena Potapova at a live broadcast of the WFMU radio show 7 Second Delay (6:00 pm),
[FREE] six free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (6:00 pm-midnight),
[MEGA-TOP PICK] a spectacular 2-hour "best of" collection of oddball film clips featuring super-heroes, robots, bigfoot, SF musicals, and more at The Best of the Sci-Fi Screening Room (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] stellar comedic storytellers Margot Leitman (Conan O'Brien, VH1, co-host of Stripped Stories), Robin Gelfenbien (VH1, 2008 FringeNYC show My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey), Mark Normand (co-host of We're All Friends Here), and H. Alan Scott (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics, Sirius XM Radio)—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] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious autobiographical shows you'll ever see, plus a one-woman comedic play performed and co-written by Jill Donnelly, in the double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Weird Birds (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Mike Birbiglia (one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country; three Comedy Central specials, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, hit off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me), Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials), and more at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Salon, HBO, VH1, MOJO TV's King of Miami, The Dave Hill Explosion), Jena Friedman (host of Entertaining the Bartender), Dan Hirshon, Adrienne Iapalucci, Tracy Marhal, Chris Doucette, and Tom Ragú at a free weekly show hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),
[FREE] Jessica Delfino (brilliantly funny, raunchy writer/singer), Ali Wong (hilarious stand-up dynamo; The Onion), Rob O'Reilly (Jay Leno, Comedy Central), Lisa Delarios, Charlie Gaeta, and Neil Charles at a free weekly stand-up comedy show tonight hosted by Matt Maragno: Now We're Talking (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] stand-ups and comedic storytellers Rob Gorden, Sean O'Connor, Sara Jo Allocco, Daniel Mahoney, and Trevor Williams telling tales of their worst NYC experiences in Ilana & Eliot Glazer's 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] [FREE] and a free, laid-back, and occasionally magical variety show where virtually anything can happen on a School Night (11:00).
Tom Davis
A live broadcast of radio station 91.1 FM WFMU's 7 Second Delay, hosted by Ken Freedman and Andy Breckman.
Tonight's guests include Emmy-winning SNL legend Tom Davis. Davis is best known for his work with Al Franken in the comedy duo Franken & Davis. He and Franken were among the original writers of Saturday Night Live back in 1975, and Davis spent 12 years on SNL helping make it into a comedy institution that defined a generation.
Davis is also the author of the new book Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There. Tonight he's likely to talk about "everything from coming up with the idea for the Coneheads with Dan Aykroyd, to bar-hopping around Manhattan with Bill Murray and Paul Shaffer creating the Nick the Lounge Singer sketches, to his 20-year relationship with comedy partner Al Franken, to creating The Continental sketches for Christopher Walken"—and more.
Also on tonight's show are musician Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices), and singer Lena Potapova.
6:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
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. Party Lights 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 Halfbear 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
The Best of Sci-Fi Screening Room
The Sci-Fi Screening Room is a monthly showcase of offbeat videos, cult classics and TV rarities. Previous events (including nights devoted to Super-Heroes, Robots, and Bigfoot) have been a Village Voice Choice, a Time Out NY Best Bet, a Gothamist pick, and highlighted in The New York Times Urban Eye and Scientific American.
According to the official description, tonight's show is "the ultimate video cavalcade with highlights from previous screenings. From Frankenstein Night, you get a 20-foot-tall Japanese Monster wrestling a mutant Octopus. From Batman Night, you'll see an animated sequence based on Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight. From Bigfoot Night, you'll witness The Six Million Man fighting Bionic Bigfoot. From Sci-Fi Musicals Night, you'll enjoy songs such as “I Want to Eat Your Face” from Spaceship. And at the end of the show, the winner of Video Game Night’s Pac-Man tournament will defend his title against a member of the audience."
Also expect trivia, prizes, free snacks, and cheap beer.
This 2-hour extravaganza is created and and hosted by Kevin Maher.
7:00 pm at UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place (bet. 1st Avenue & Avenue A); tickets are $7
Robin Gelfenbien and Margot Leitman...
...and Leslie Goshko and Mark Normand
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
Margot Leitman (stellar storyteller, especially about sexual escapades; Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1, Spike TV; co-host of red-hot comedy show Stripped Stories; for Margot's fun reel, please click here),
Robin Gelfenbien (VH1's Awesomely Badder Videos and What's My 20?; sings
funny original songs on Sirius Satellite Radio; wrote jokes for Rosie O'Donnell,
2008 FringeNYC show My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey, sketch comedy troupe Freedumb),
Mark Normand (co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show We're All Friends Here; for stand-up video about evaluating hookers, please click here), and
H. Alan Scott (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics, Sirius XM Radio; for stand-up video about being Mormon and gay, please click here).
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)
Ace storyteller Charlie Sanders, and the inventive & irrepressible Eugene Cordero
Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Eugene Cordero: Weird Birds
A phenomenal storytelling event and a one-many sketch show from two of UCBT's finest comedy geniuses, all for a mere five bucks.
Charlie Sanders is an extraordinarily dynamic and committed comic who's performed numerous sketch comedy routines on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and is a star member of world-class improv troupes Reuben Williams, Buffoons, and C, C + C Improv Factory (which won the 2008 Cage Match Improv Championship). Tonight, however, Charlie shows another side of his vast talents by telling jaw-dropping—and entirely true—tales of his experiences growing up white in midwestern suburbia...as a Muslim.
This is one of the most hilarious and brilliantly performed one-man shows you'll ever see—with definite theatrical potential—and has my highest recommendation. Don't miss rising star Charlie Sanders demonstrate what he can do when running on all gears.
The fun then continues with Eugene Cordero, a brilliant improvisor who performs in troupes Reuben Williams, The Buffoons, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company. Tonight, however, Eugene goes scripted & solo, pretending to be a variety of oddballs performing at a shabby open mic show. Directed by brilliant UCBT-NY Artistic Director Anthony King.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Mike Birbiglia and Ted Alexandro...
Hosts Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri
Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri
Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for Jenny's dating tips, please click here and 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 thoroughly wonderful guests include
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS; for info on Mike's current
superb off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me, please click here) and
Ted Alexandro (one of the best stand-ups around; Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The View, and two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; described by Uproar as having "an appeal similar to Ray Romano and Jerry Seinfeld").
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
Dave Hill and Jena Friedman
This free weekly show features a mix of comedic storytelling, stand-up, and sketch.
Tonight's superb guests are
Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; written for The New York Times, The Huffington Post, 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 Smoking Gun TV; interviewed on This American Life; hosts monthly UCBT live comedy extravaganza The Dave Hill Explosion—for sample videos, please click here),
Jena Friedman (razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Entertaining the Bartender; playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here; for stand-up video on Sarah Palin's choice of child names, please click here),
Dan Hirshon, Adrienne Iapalucci, Tracy Marhal, Chris Doucette, and Tom Ragú.
Hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell.
8:00 pm at Otto's Shrunken Head, 538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B); free
Ali Wong, Rob O'Reilly, and Jessica Delfino
This fun weekly stand-up comedy show is hosted by luminous, enormously likeable, and razor-sharp Margie Kment (also host of the monthly comedy/theatre networking extravaganza Hold for the Laughs), and character-based comic Matt Maragno.
Margie is teaching drama to kids in Iowa this week, so Matt will be hosting solo.
Tonight's superb guests are
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),
Tonight's superb performers include
Ali Wong (hilarious stand-up dynamo, recently moved from San Francisco; comedy series for The Onion),
Rob O'Reilly (The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central's Live At Gotham; took second place out of 64 comics in the March 2008 Comedy Madness stand-up competition at Carolines; for stand-up videos about why you shouldn't trust Trojans and the joys of Chlamydia, please click here and here),
Lisa Delarios, Charlie Gaeta, and Neil Charles.
8:00 pm at Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue (corner of 27th Street); free
Ilana & Eliot Glazer
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 terrific comedic storytellers are
Rob Gorden, Sean O'Connor,
Sara Jo Allocco, Daniel Mahoney, and Trevor Williams.
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
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.
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 over 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 6/18/09
Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler (Hot Tub Variety), Maria Bamford (Comedy Below Canal), and Gil Ozeri (Cage Match)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] a long-running and beloved LES comedy show enjoying a rebirth at UCBT—with stellar guests Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Adult Swim's Delocated, VH1, book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life, host of Tearing the Veil of Maya), Jon Benjamin (FOX, Adult Swim, Comedy Central, MTV's Human Giant), and Gabe & Jenny (hosts of superb Brooklyn comedy show Big Terrific)—hosted by two of the sharpest & most respected comics in NYC, Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety Show (8:00 pm),
[$] a Curb Your Enthusiasm star headlining through Saturday at Carolines: Susie Essman (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 (8:00 pm),
typically superb stand-up comics, and a musical guest, performing at a weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30ish pm),
[FREE] sketch troupes The Chris and Paul Show and Geek Dreams at the new free show Sketch Block (8:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] two of the most beloved and hilarious female comics alive, Janeane Garofalo and Maria Bamford, performing stand-up; and if that's not enough, they'll be joined by Paul F. Tompkins (host of VH1's Best Week Ever) and stellar improv/character comic Thomas Middleditch, plus musical guest Mike Doughty, all at the 92YTribeca comedy showcase Comedy Below Canal (9:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Charlie Sanders (genius storyteller who grew up in Minnesota as a secret Muslim) and H. Alan Scott (who grew up Mormon and gay) tell sexual tales on tonight's theme "Oh My God," accompanied by musical guest Ninja Sex Party, at the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC: Margot Leitman's & Giulia Rozzi's Stripped Stories (9:30),
[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and Thank You Robot, in a battle to win audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).
Eugene Mirman, and Jenny Slate & Gabe Liedman...
...and NYC comedy royalty Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunohler
This beloved comedy show, which ran for years to huge audiences in the Lower East Side, has now moved to UCBT. It's hosted by two phenomenally talented writer/performers:
Kristen Schaal (lovely, brilliant, breathtakingly talented writer/actress/comic;
thoroughly delightful correspondent and shining star on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart;
co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords; writer for MTV's Human Giant;
AMC's Mad Men; upcoming feature film Cirque du Freak (with Salma Hayek);
co-star of Web & upcoming UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; winner of numerous comedy awards, including the prestigious 2nd Annual Andy Kaufman Award and the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Female Stand-Up; to read about Kristen's killer set headlining at Comix, please click here) and
Kurt Braunohler (Kristen's frequent comedy partner, performing sketches that are hilariously indescribable; Comedy Central; co-star of Web & upcoming UK TV series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;
two comedy albums, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and
En Garde, Society!; award-winning co-host of hit weekly Brooklyn comedy show Tearing the Veil of Maya; humor book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life),
Jon Benjamin (superb voiceover actor for FOX's Family Guy,
Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil, Home Movies, Assy McGee,
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), and
Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; co-hosts of acclaimed weekly Brooklyn live comedy show Big Terrific; for Jenny's dating tips, please click here and here).
This show is sold out of seats; but if you're okay with standing, come and enjoy this wonderful event with a boisterous packed house.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Susie Essman: Headlining at Carolines
Susie Essman plays wife Susie Greene on HBO's wonderful Curb Your Enthusiasm...and she's also a highly respected and in-demand stand-up comic. She'll be headlining at Carolines through Saturday.
This New York comedy club show has a $38.00 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$38.00 ticket plus two-drink minimum
James Eason and Tara Copeland
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 several improv shows following this one. For details, please click here and then scroll down to Thursday's listings.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Jena Friedman
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 guests haven't been announced, but they're usually superb.
8:30ish pm at The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A (between 6th & 7th Streets); tickers are $5
Take the F subway to 2nd Avenue & Houston stop or the L subway to 1st Avenue & 14th Street stop
This free new show, produced by Chris O'Neill and Paul Valenti, is a showcase for NYC sketch troupes.
Tonight's host is Adam Lash.
And tonight's troupes are
The Chris and Paul Show (superb comedic partners Chris O'Neill and Paul Valenti, who have performed at the 2008 SkitSkat Comedy Festival and 2009 Sacramento All Sketch Festival, and won the Audience Choice Award and Best Sketch Group Award at the 2008 Chicago Snubfest) and
Geek Dreams (comedy duo Becky Flaum and Jessica Marasco).
8:30 pm at National Comedy Theatre, 347 West 36th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); free
Janeane Garofalo and Maria Bamford
Comedy Below Canal: Janeane Garofalo, Maria Bamford, Paul F. Tompkins, and More
Maria Bamford is one of the most distinctive comics in the biz, and any chance to see her is highly recommended. Her official bio:
"What young stand-up comedienne/actress was able to marry John Travolta in the feature film Lucky Numbers, teach Jenna Elfman how to play the violin on Dharma and Greg, and make out with Jon Cryer on ABC’s The Trouble with Normal? Only Maria Bamford.
"Her unique character-based quirky performance style quickly separated her from the pack. Her career took off with notable performances at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and multiple appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. In addition to having her own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Maria has contributed voices for Nickelodeon cartoons including Charlotte’s Web, Hey Arnold, CatDog (in which she’s a series regular), and the upcoming animation feature Barnyard.
"In 2003, Maria went international, performing at The Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, The Edinburgh Comedy Festival, The Melbourne Comedy Festival, The Murphy Cat Laughs Festival (in Ireland), and The Brighton Comedy Festival. In 2005, she triumphantly returned to Australia with a month of sold-out performances of her one-woman show Plan B.
"She also completed work on a new Comedy Central series called The Comedians of Comedy, based on the documentary of the same name.
"On a more personal note, she can’t wait to settle down and get married and/or be surrounded in warm, rising bread dough!"
Tonight Maria performs with the hosts for this show:
Janeane Garofalo (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 (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) and
Paul F. Tompkins (host of VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; The Daily Show, The Root of All Evil; HBO's Mr. Show, Tenacious D, and Real Time with Bill Maher; commentator on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann; ABC's Pushing Daisies; feature films include Anchorman, Magnolia, and Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny; for stand-up video about dogs, please click here).
Also performing will be stellar improv/character comic Thomas Middleditch and musical guest Mike Doughty.
For more info and/or to order tickets, please click here.
9:30 pm at 92YTribeca Mainstage, 200 Hudson Street (intersection of Canal & Hudson Streets); $15
Take the 1/6/E subway to Canal Street stop
Margot & Giulia are two fun-lovin' gals...who are world-class storytellers
Sexual storytelling with a comedic slant.
Tonight's theme is "Oh My God."
Expect shocking and highly entertaining yarns from stellar guests
Charlie Sanders (extraordinarily dynamic and committed comic who's performed over 40 sketch comedy routines on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and is a star member of world-class improv troupes Reuben Williams, Buffoons, and C, C + C Improv Factory (which won the 2008 Cage Match Improv Championship; tonight Charlie shows another side of his vast talents by telling jaw-dropping—and entirely true—tales of his experiences growing up white in midwestern suburbia with an unusual secret life via an excerpt from his genius one-man show Minnesota Muslim) and
H. Alan Scott (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics, Sirius XM Radio; for stand-up video about being Mormon and gay, please click here),
and music from Ninja Sex Party.
Plus there'll be hilarious tales from the two sensual hosts, Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1's Best Night Ever podcasts) and Margot Leitman (Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1, Spike TV); and "audience interviews, sex games, and hookups...hopefully."
Come to laugh, to get turned on, and to make choices you'll regret in the morning.
This is a wonderful show, and highly recommended.
9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
vs.
Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. Thank Your Robot
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.)
This season's champion, for several months running, is arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC—Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, 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! It went on to win last season's Cage Match Championship with breathtaking skill and comedic grace. And it's repeating history this season, steamrolling over opponents with apparent ease—for example, last week DBRR nabbed 128 votes to its opponent's 47.
Tonight's challenger is popular improv troupe Thank You Robot, consisting of Jeremy Bent, Seth Lind, Matt Little, Casey Savage, Christopher Scott, Abra Tabak and John Robert Wilson.
Can technology-enhanced comics triumph over mere flesh & blood Roo Rooers? With the release of the new Terminator movie, this match couldn't be more current.
And there's 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're okay with standing, come and enjoy with a boisterous packed house.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 6/19/09
Lennon Parham (She Tried to Be Normal), Maria Bamford (Headlining at Comix), and Comedy Short Film Festival (Too Cool for School)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] Lennon Parham, one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses you'll ever see on stage or screen, and who's about to become a national TV star, tackling eight wildly different characters in her acclaimed one-woman show She Tried to Be Normal (7:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] a celebration of co-host Blaine Perry's birthday, with red-hot stand-up Kumail Nanjiani (staff writer of upcoming Michael Black & Michael Showalter Comedy Central series; Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for Best Male Stand-Up), Dan St. Germain (MTV), and Rob O'Reilly (Jay Leno, Comedy Central), plus regulars including Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1), joining in on occasionally uncomfortable comedy hosted by Blaine Perry & Pat Stango: Don't Touch Me There: Happy Birthday Blaine! (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] the debut of a one-man spoof of guides on how to break into the biz from hilarious improvisor & sketch comic Gil Ozeri, and a fantasy play starring our past Presidents, in Buzzy Shore's Master Class in Comedy and Waiting for Obama (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] two star comics—beloved comedy genius Maria Bamford (The Comedians of Comedy) and respected satirist of the comedy scene Andy Kindler (co-star of The Root of All Evil)—joining forces to perform tonight and Saturday night Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[$] Curb Your Enthusiasm star Susie Essman performing tonight and Saturday night Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] a special all-film edition show, featuring the best comedy shorts made by sharp NYC comics Jon Friedman, Chris O'Connor, Sean Crespo, Kenny Zimlinghaus, Andy Haynes & Scott Moran, King Lou Fernandez, Jason Saenz, Dan Hodapp, Dustin D’Addato, Barry Rothbart, Kevin Tor, Yannis Pappas, and more at this free weekly event in Brooklyn hosted by Nick Turner and Cassidy Henehan: Too Cool for (Film) School (8:00 pm),
sketch troupe Secret Hospital hosting stellar gay comics, including the wonderful Kate McKinnon (cast member of Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show) and Ben Lerman (hilarious, razor-sharp singer/songwriter; Sirius Radio) on The Same Sextacular (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] NYC stand-up comics Lisa Kaplan, Jason Saft, Scout Durwood, Christian Shrim, and more at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers (9:30 pm),
a groundbreaking and surreal improv troupe tackling our new hard times
in Centralia: The Really Great Depression (9:30 pm),
a group of superb comics creating sketch comedy as Rogue Elephant (10:30 pm),
sketch troupes Bleak! Comedy and The Jerk Practice competing for audience laugh & votes at Backyard Brawl (11:00 pm),
[$] The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Aaron Glaser—making funny remarks about a Hollywood feature film screened in an actual movie theatre, with tonight's victim being Garden State (midnight),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] and UCBT's free monthly open mic stand-up show, where deliciously odd things
tend to happen around 1:30 am, hosted by lightning-quick & hilarious Pete Holmes
(Comedy Central, VH1; one of the finest comics in the country) at Gutbucket (12:20ish am).
The incomparable Lennon Parham
Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal
There are few performers, comedic or otherwise, as appealing as
the sexy, laid-back, wry, and hilarious Lennon Parham.
Whether she's playing Nomi Malone (see my review of her Showgirls parody), author JK Rowling (as the clear highlight of a Harry Potter parody, in which Rowling reveals all the novels are based on actual events in her life), Sandy Michaelson as a Solid Gold Dance understudy, or zillions of characters while delivering world-class improvisation every Saturday night as part of stellar troupe Reuben Williams, watching the wonderful Ms. Parham is always a treat.
Tonight Lennon burns up the stage with an array of characters ranging from an unsettling radio DJ to a sweet little girl to Freddy Kruger...and will likely have you helpless with laughter.
You don't have to take just my word for it, Jane Borden has written in Time Out New York that Lennon's antics "will leave you wondering why she isn't famous yet;" and writes in this week's edition, "Attention Lorne Michaels, please give Lennon Parham a job."
And Jane and I were proved right a couple of weeks ago; if press reports are accurate, Lennon is a cast member in an upcoming network TV sitcom.
Tonight's extravaganza was directed by the brilliant Jason Mantzoukas, who deserves kudos for helping Lennon really show off what she can do in this solo outing.
Stop by and fall in love with one of the finest comedic actresses in the country.
7:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Dan St. Germain, Blaine Perry & Pat Stango, and Kumail Nanjiani
Don't Touch Me There: Happy Birthday Blaine!
Blaine Perry and Pat Stango host this comedy show
that doesn't mind being unsettling.
A typical Stango bit: "It creeps me out when I visit my parents' house and listen to them
say what a great sex life they still have. It especially freaks me out because
they died in a car accident 10 years ago."
If that made you laugh, you're a Don't Touch Me There kind of person.
Tonight, Blaine Perry's birthday will be celebrated by these superb stand-ups:
Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; staff writer of upcoming Michael Black & Michael Showalter Comedy Central series Michael and Michael Have Issues; appeared on Saturday Night Live, and repeatedly on The Colbert Report; Comedy Central's The Hot List and Open Mic Fight; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for both Best Male Stand-Up and Best One-Person Show (Unpronounceable; for my review, please click here); to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here),
Dan St. Germain (MTV; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here), and
Rob O'Reilly (The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central's Live At Gotham; took second place out of 64 comics in the March 2008 Comedy Madness stand-up competition at Carolines; for stand-up videos about why you shouldn't trust Trojans and the joys of Chlamydia, please click here and here),
plus sketches and other bits from regulars/co-producers Steve Bossous, Sean Donnelly, Eliza Faria-Santos, and Roger Hailes.
7:10 pm doors, 7:30 pm show at Karma Lounge, 51 1st Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Streets); free
Gil Ozeri: Buzzy Shore's Master Class in Comedy and Waiting for Obama: A Night at the Halls of Presidents
Two superb comedy shows for a mere 10 bucks.
Gil Ozeri has performed on Saturday Night Live, is a brilliant member of ace improv/sketch troupe Hot Sauce, and is an animator who created Team Gibba. Tonight Gil debuts a one-man show that parodies instructional guides on breaking into the comedy business. Directed by the wonderful John Flynn (Showgirls: The Best Movie Ever Made. Ever!, John Flynn Has Terrible Sex, The Nights of Our Lives). This is likely to be hilarious, and I'm recommending it sight unseen.
The double-bill then continues with a comedic one-act play written by Caitlin Tegart titled Waiting for Obama: A Night at the Halls of Presidents. The official description: "On July 4, 2009, President Barack Obama will be inducted into Disney World's Hall of Presidents. Find out just how the other presidents feel about that. Join Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Hayes, Roosevelt (the one that's a Democrat), Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan as they all vie for the coveted spot next to the Hall's newest occupant." Directed by comedy genius Neil Casey, it stars Timothy Dunn, Matt Fisher, Will Hines, John Murray, Winston Noel, Ben Rameaka, and Joe Spellman. While all the guys are fun, pay special attention to Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower—Will Hines' performance is a standout.
8:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Maria Bamford & Andy Kindler: Headlining at Comix
Maria Bamford is one of the most distinctive comics in the biz, and any chance to see her is highly recommended. The official description:
"What young stand-up comedienne/actress was able to marry John Travolta in the feature film Lucky Numbers, teach Jenna Elfman how to play the violin on Dharma and Greg, and make out with Jon Cryer on ABC’s The Trouble with Normal? Only Maria Bamford.
"Her unique character-based quirky performance style quickly separated her from the pack. Her career took off with notable performances at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and multiple appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. In addition to having her own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Maria has contributed voices for Nickelodeon cartoons including Charlotte’s Web, Hey Arnold, CatDog (in which she’s a series regular), and the upcoming animation feature Barnyard.
"In 2003, Maria went international, performing at The Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, The Edinburgh Comedy Festival, The Melbourne Comedy Festival, The Murphy Cat Laughs Festival (in Ireland), and The Brighton Comedy Festival. In 2005, she triumphantly returned to Australia with a month of sold-out performances of her one-woman show Plan B.
"She also completed work on a new Comedy Central series called The Comedians of Comedy, based on the documentary of the same name.
"On a more personal note, she can’t wait to settle down and get married and/or be surrounded in warm, rising bread dough!"
Andy Kindler is a frequent guest on and correspondent for The Late Show with David Letterman, He's also performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Lewis Black's The Root of All Evil, Dr. Katz Professional Therapist, The Larry Sanders Show, and as the life-affirming character "Andy" on the CBS sitcom classic Everybody Loves Raymond.
Among Kindler's specialties is satirizing his own field by making fun of fellow comics. For example, he's the author of Hack's Handbook (National Lampoon), which parodies comedy formulas.
This spectacular comedy club show is $30 tonight, or $25 for Saturday if you buy today online.
Please note there's also a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
tickets are $30 tonight, $25 Saturday if you buy today online, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Susie Essman: Headlining at Carolines
Susie Essman plays wife Susie Greene on HBO's wonderful Curb Your Enthusiasm...and she's also a highly respected and in-demand stand-up comic. She'll be headlining at Carolines through Saturday.
This New York comedy club show has a $38.00 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$38.00 ticket plus two-drink minimum
You'll laugh, clap, and laugh even more as NYC comics show off their best short films
This new & free weekly comedy show is hosted by
Cassidy Henehan (for very long video attempt to break a bottle over a guy's head post-Katrina, please click here) and
Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).
Tonight is a special all-film edition, featuring shorts brought in by sharp NYC comics including Jon Friedman, Chris O'Connor, Sean Crespo, Kenny Zimlinghaus, Andy Haynes & Scott Moran, King Lou Fernandez, Jason Saenz, Dan Hodapp, Dustin D’Addato, Barry Rothbart, Kevin Tor, and Yannis Pappas.
8:00 pm at Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn; free
Take the G subway to Greenpoint Avenue stop
Back: Zach Woods, Bobby Moynihan, Andy Secunda, Michael Delaney, and Shannon O'Neil
Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines
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
Kate McKinnon and Ben Lerman
Secret Hospital: The Same Sextacular
Sketch troupe Secret Hospital hosts a show with stellar gay comics:
Kate McKinnon (sharp, witty actress who "gets" both verbal and physical comedy down to her bones; cast member for three seasons, and counting, of Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show; also a superb stand-up comic; previously performed delightful one-woman UCBT show Disenchanted: "Watch the beloved fairy princesses of your childhood pop a few Klonopins and eat themselves into a coma;" recent winner of Logo's 'Brink of Fame Comic" award—but in all the ways that matter, Kate's already a star),
Ben Lerman (hilarious, razor-sharp singer/songwriter; Sirius Radio),
The Bruised Fruits, and Stephen Guarino.
8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Jenny Rubin, Dave Rubin, Paul Case, and Shawn Hollenbach
Gay-themed comedy (with both gay & straight comics)
hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin (WE TV’s Cinematherapy and The Gutter).
Tonight's stand-up guests are Lisa Kaplan, Jason Saft, Scout Durwood, and Christian Shrim,
plus
Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio, here! TV's Bent) and
Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted).
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
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
Centralia: The Really Great Depression
Acclaimed improv troupe Centralia consists of Kevin Scott, Jay Rhoderick, and Matt Higgins (Comedy Central, PSNBC; former improv instructor at Yale School of Drama; also founding member of improv troupe Burn Manhattan; three-time finalist for the Andy Kaufman award; for a stand-up sample, please click here).
The official description: "Centralia returns with hit show The Really Great Depression, an improvisational journey through the new Hard Times. Centralia weaves its surreal and hilarious tales inspired in part by market nosedives, corporate bailouts and bank implosions. As we teeter on the brink of new Hoovervilles, breadlines and asking a brother to spare a dime, Centralia delivers its patented brand of script-less scenes, songs and mayhem. Matt Higgins, Jay Rhoderick, and Kevin Scott have been performing together for more than a decade, beginning with the legendary Burn Manhattan. The Really Great Depression is the latest step in their evolution, and it features the amazing musical talents of (Antibalas, TV On The Radio, Fela)."
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
Sketch comedy troupe Rogue Elephant was born in 2004 at UCBT, and it still consists of its original group of superb improvisors and comedic performers: Susannah Becket, Tim Curcio, Eddie Dunn, Silvija Ozols, Jim Santangeli, Nate Smith, and Gavin Speiller. For a video about a guy who's notorious, please click here.
10:30 pm at UNDER St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place (bet. 1st Avenue & Avenue A); tickets are $6
vs. 
Backyard Brawl: Bleak! Comedy vs. The Jerk Practice
This show is a sketch comedy version of UCBT's wildly popular improv battles at Cage Match. However, in contrast to Cage Match's use of the best troupes in New York, it features relatively obscure groups. (Don't ask me why, I don't know...) Anyway, as in Cage Match, the teams compete for audience laughs & votes.
The brawl is hosted by Sidecar (talented & brave trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler; for a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here).
Tonight's contenders are Bleak! Comedy and The Jerk Practice.
11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
The Raspberry Brothers Grenade Garden State
Effectively providing a live version of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Aaron Glaser—tear to shreds a Hollywood feature film with clever observations throughout. The movie is screened in a genuine movie theatre, Chelsea Cinemas on 23rd Street off 8th Avenue (just a few blocks away from UCBT).
Tonight's victim is Garden State, which is actually considered a superb film. Come see if the boys can rise to the challenge of making biting fun of it regardless.
To purchase tickets in advance, please click here.
Midnight at Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $15
Pete Holmes
UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics.
If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be
lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who turns up.
But if you're a comic yourself, it's a fine opportunity
to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.
And in my opinion, it's well worth sitting through five minutes of
a dreadful comic to get even 30 seconds of hilarious comments
about the set afterwards from brilliant host Pete Holmes (VH1's Best Week Ever,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;
cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl;
for a hilarious range of videos, please click here).
Pete's lightning-fast mind will generate more perfect remarks
in a few moments than most comics can manage in a week.
Watching a master like Pete Holmes is a great treat;
and this show is free.
On top of that, the fact Gutbucket runs from roughly 12:20 am to 2:00 am
adds a surreal, drunken spin to the festivities that usually results in something
weird and memorable happening with either an amateur comic or an audience member.
For all these reasons, this is my favorite open mic show; and if you're both
patient and adventurous, it's highly recommended.
12:20ish am at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); free
NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/20/09
Maria Bamford (Headlining at Comix) and Melanie Hamlett (All-Star Going Away Party)
Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[TOP PICK] [FREE] a Long Island City party for Melanie Hamlett (Moth StorySlam Champion and superb writer/adventurer) who's about to embark on a cross-country tour living in her truck for the summer, and who'll be bid farewell by some of the most brilliant storytellers in NYC: Charlie Sanders, Adam Wade, Ophira Eisenberg, Margot Leitman, Jim O'Grady, and John Flynn, after which there'll be a fun auction to raise money for the trip, all at Melanie Hamlett's Going Away Party (6:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] star improvisation from writers & performers at 30 Rock, The Colbert Report,
and The Daily Show joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] Lauren Olson performing a one-woman show about the death of her mom that's reportedly funny and superb in Our Condolences (7:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] two star comics—beloved comedy genius Maria Bamford (The Comedians of Comedy) and respected satirist of the comedy scene Andy Kindler (co-star of The Root of All Evil)—completing their joint run tonight Headlining at Comix (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),
[$] Curb Your Enthusiasm star Susie Essman completing her run tonight Headlining at Carolines (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [FREE] a gathering of top comedy shows—Big Terrific, Comedy As a Second Language, and Murderfist—running from 8:00 pm through 1:00 am at this one-time free Long Island City extravaganza: LIC Comedy Festival (8:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and this year delivered a magnificent performance to capture the Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),
[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (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),
[TOP PICK] improvised furious action from world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),
vibrant improv from acclaimed trio Statues of LIberty (10:30 pm),
[TOP PICK] and a small mob of superb comedic performers join —Livia Scott, Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, Andrea Rosen, John Gemberling, Elephant Larry, Rob Lathan, Adolpho Blaire, and Andree Vermeulen—and show creators Ilana & Eliot Glazer, performing highly unusual acts at High School Talent Show (midnight).
Melanie Hamlett's Going Away Party
Melanie Hamlett is a Moth StorySlam Champion. She's also a stellar & unique storyteller who does cross-country tours while living in her truck and posting hilarious photo-caption reports on her adventures at blog Melanie Hamlett: Wandering Narcoleptic. (For illustrated tales of shucking corn and conversations with mermaids, please click here and here.)
Melanie is about to embark on another truck tour for the summer, but she's first throwing this comedy party in which stellar comics perform, and then offer their services or goods to raise money for the trip. (For a partial list, please click here.)
The participants include some of the finest storytellers in NYC:
Charlie Sanders (extraordinarily dynamic and committed comic who's performed over 40 sketch comedy routines on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and is a star member of world-class improv troupes Reuben Williams, Buffoons, and C, C + C Improv Factory (which won the 2008 Cage Match Improv Championship; tonight Charlie shows another side of his vast talents by telling jaw-dropping—and entirely true—tales of his experiences growing up white in midwestern suburbia with an unusual secret life via an excerpt from his genius one-man show Minnesota Muslim),
Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 10-time StorySlam Champion; fiction story in The New York Times Magazine; columnist for ReallySmallTalk.com; for his Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here),
Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever, Showtime's Queer as Folk; The Guardian),
Margot Leitman (stellar storyteller, especially about sexual escapades; Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1, Spike TV; co-host of red-hot comedy show Stripped Stories; for Margot's fun reel, please click here),
Jim O'Grady (former writer for The New York Times; Moth GrandSlam Champion; for storytelling video about respect, please click here), and
John Flynn (Showgirls: The Best Movie Ever Made. Ever!, John Flynn Has Terrible Sex, The Nights of Our Lives).
Come to be dazzled by their talent, and to bid for what they're offering.
6:00 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
Anthony King, Scott Adsit, Christina Gausas, and Tami Sagher
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), 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
Lauren Olson performs a one-woman show about "the awkward, uncomfortable crap we all unavoidably experience when someone dies." In fact, it's about the death of Lauren's mom. And, somehow, it's funny.
I haven't seen this yet, but have heard good things.
7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Maria Bamford & Andy Kindler: Headlining at Comix
Maria Bamford is one of the most distinctive comics in the biz, and any chance to see her is highly recommended. The official description:
"What young stand-up comedienne/actress was able to marry John Travolta in the feature film Lucky Numbers, teach Jenna Elfman how to play the violin on Dharma and Greg, and make out with Jon Cryer on ABC’s The Trouble with Normal? Only Maria Bamford.
"Her unique character-based quirky performance style quickly separated her from the pack. Her career took off with notable performances at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and multiple appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. In addition to having her own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, Maria has contributed voices for Nickelodeon cartoons including Charlotte’s Web, Hey Arnold, CatDog (in which she’s a series regular), and the upcoming animation feature Barnyard.
"In 2003, Maria went international, performing at The Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, The Edinburgh Comedy Festival, The Melbourne Comedy Festival, The Murphy Cat Laughs Festival (in Ireland), and The Brighton Comedy Festival. In 2005, she triumphantly returned to Australia with a month of sold-out performances of her one-woman show Plan B.
"She also completed work on a new Comedy Central series called The Comedians of Comedy, based on the documentary of the same name.
"On a more personal note, she can’t wait to settle down and get married and/or be surrounded in warm, rising bread dough!"
Andy Kindler is a frequent guest on and correspondent for The Late Show with David Letterman, He's also performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Lewis Black's The Root of All Evil, Dr. Katz Professional Therapist, The Larry Sanders Show, and as the life-affirming character "Andy" on the CBS sitcom classic Everybody Loves Raymond.
Among Kindler's specialties is satirizing his own field by making fun of fellow comics. For example, he's the author of Hack's Handbook (National Lampoon), which parodies comedy formulas.
This spectacular comedy club show is $30 tonight, or $25 for Saturday if you buy today online.
Please note there's also a two-item minimum;
with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up.
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);
tickets are $30 tonight, $25 Saturday if you buy today online, plus two-item food or drink minimum
Susie Essman: Headlining at Carolines
Susie Essman plays wife Susie Greene on HBO's wonderful Curb Your Enthusiasm...and she's also a highly respected and in-demand stand-up comic. She'll be headlining at Carolines through Saturday.
This New York comedy club show has a $38.00 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).
To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button.
Please note: This show may sell out. If it does, the green Buy Now button will turn gray and say Sold Out instead.
8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626 Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);
$38.00 ticket plus two-drink minimum
Jenny Slate & Gabe Liedman, Murderfist, and Sean Patton
Big Terrific, Murderfist, and More at the Long Island City Comedy Festival
Three NYC comedy shows gather to put on a free mini-festival in Long Island City.
Running from 8:00 pm to 10:00 is stellar show Big Terrific, hosted by Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny; for Jenny's dating tips, please click here and here) and and Max Silvestri (VH1's Best Week Ever, weekly podcast Best Night Ever, videos for 236.com), with surprise guests.
The 10:00 pm - midnight slot belongs to Comedy As a Second Language, hosted by Sean Patton and Chesley Calloway, with Mike Drucker, Mike McCarthy, Rojo Perez, and "a special guest."
And the midnight to who-knows-when slot goes to fearless troupe Murderfist, which is essentially a heavy metal version of a sketch comedy group. (And if you think that's weird, just wait till you see them perform...)
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, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, 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
Ted Greenberg: The Complete Performer
It would be hard to go wrong with a show from Ted Greenberg, the Emmy Award winning writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman. So it's not surprising this 30-minute act was a hit at this year's FringeNYC, often selling out performances.
The Complete Performer is a parody of typical NYC acts in small venues—improv, mind reading, card tricks, playing with the audience. It's essentially a comedy club act, but with gags in place of standard jokes. (If you're okay with having surprises spoiled, you can get a feel for Ted's approach by clicking here.)
Come enjoy quirky laughs from this seasoned pro; and hang out afterwards to chat with Ted, who's one of the friendliest Emmy winners you're ever likely to meet...and even promises to drive some audience members home!
Tickets are $15 at the door, or $15.50 online using discount code STIX (otherwise $18).
9:00 pm at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between 6th Avenue & Varick); tickets are $15
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
The Harvard Sailing Team, which won the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group,
performs their special brand of fresh, imaginative comedy
that turns familiar rituals on their head. (For a video about awkward goodbyes
at the end of a party, please click here.) The very talented troupe consists of
Rebecca Brey, Jen Curran, Clayton Early, Faryn Einhorn, Katie Larson,
Adam Lustick, Chris Smith, Billy Scafuri, and Sara Taylor.
9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10
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, Porter Mason, Lennon Parham, Ben Rodgers, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Charlie Todd, and Joe Wengert. These improv stars tonight let "the gloves come off in a show that will give you a bloody nose from laughing so hard, and a bruise on your knee from slapping it the way people do when they laugh...Come get your head blown off as some of NYC's funniest improvisers attack the stage."
10:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $10
Statues of Liberty is a 3-man improv troupe Nick Kanellis, Peter McNerney, and Russ Armstrong. Their experience ranges from iO Chicago to Second City Chicago to Northwestern University, and according to the show's description "gushes with characters, visceral drama, lightning bolt organic transitions, and awesome energy and fearlessness." A Time Out New York Critics Pick.
10:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Glennis McMurray, and High School Talent Show's producers Ilana & Eliot Glazer
High School Talent Show is a fun extravaganza written, directed, and produced by brother-sister duo Eliot & Ilana Glazer in which "Upper Central High School's brightest stars take to the stage to deliver rabble-rousing performances in song, dance, magic, slam poetry, stilts, and more!" The stellar comics playing high school students tonight are
Glennis McMurray (I Eat Pandas),
Rob Lathan (Conan, Jimmy Fallon, ABC),
Faryn Einhorn and Clay Early (Harvard Sailing Team),
Carolyn Castiglia and Leslie Goshko (VH1, MTV, NBC; Manhattan Monologue Slam Champ, Sideshow Goshko),
Sidecar (Matt Fisher, Alden Ford, and Justin Tyler),
Abbi Jacobson and Mackenzie Condon (SPC; M.A.D.),
For Frank (Matt Mayer, Shaun Diston, Mike & Paul Costabile),
Tony Rodriguez (Bishop, Oscarbait), and
David Carl (Guiding Light, winner of Music Is A Joke).
Midnight at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/21/09
Janeane Garofalo, Eugene Mirman, Mike Birbiglia, and other stars perform tonight at a blowout edition of Tearing the Veil of Maya
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] [FREE] UCBT's playground for celebrities and ace improvisors,
ASSSSCAT 3000 (paid show at 7:30 pm, free show at 9:30 pm),
[MEGA-TOP PICK] a blowout show with many of the top comics in the country—Janeane Garofalo, Mike Birbiglia, Todd Barry, John Mulaney, and more—joining fellow comedy giant Eugene Mirman (winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Host) for an extra-special edition of his weekly shindig, which tonight takes place at Brooklyn's Bell House: Tearing the Veil of Maya (8:00 pm),
Sean Patton, Lee Camp, Dave Rosinsky, and other fine stand-ups at a free weekly LES show hosted by Greg Johnson: The Comedians (7:30 pm),
[FREE] Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), Dan St. Germain (MTV), Adam Lowitt (producer at The Daily Show; host of It Is It!), Matt Ruby (MTV, co-host of We're All Friends Here), and more at RG Daniels' free Sunday Night Stand-Up (8:00 pm),
the NYC debut of a sketch troupe that'll be performing at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Berty Haddock (8:00 pm),
[FREE] Morgan Murphy (staff writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, former staff writer for Jimmy Kimmel and Crank Yankers), Katina Corrao (HBO, Logo), Barry Rothbart (Comedy Central), and Hari Kondabolu performing at Vince Averill's & Jesse Popp's free stand-up show Beauty Bar Comedy (9:00 pm),
[FREE] and stand-ups Ali Wong (The Onion), Bernie Pauley (Comedy Central), Louis Katz (VH1), and Scout Durwood at a free gay-themed show hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour (10:00 pm).
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre's signature show, which features a monologist telling stories based on audience suggestions and a group of top improvisers (sometimes including stars such as SNL's Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz) creating scenes based on the stories. There are two shows every Sunday which share the same format, but are otherwise entirely different because everything is improvised. The 7:30 pm show is $10; advance tickets might be sold out by the time you read this, but a limited number of seats are available at the door for
those who arrive early enough to nab 'em...and even more tickets are available for those willing to watch the show standing. The 9:30 show is free, with tickets distributed outside the theatre at 8:15 pm; but again, you may need to come early and wait on line to ensure getting into this first come, first served performance.
7:30 pm ($10) & 9:30 pm (free) at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue)
Eugene Mirman and Janeane Garofalo...
...and Todd Barry, Mike Birbiglia, and John Mulaney
If you live in Brooklyn, or simply don't mind going a few subway stops beyond Manhattan,
some of the best funny minds in New York can be found at this weekly show
run by comedy giant, and winner of the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Host,
Eugene Mirman (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special,
Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, and Adult Swim;
The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman and En Garde, Society! comedy albums; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life).
Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are
Janeane Garofalo (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 (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),
Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country;
hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing;
two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on
Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;
comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live;
upcoming comedy series on CBS; for info on Mike's current
superb off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me, please click here),
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 and new film Pete Smalls is Dead; check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven),
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),
and more.
This show is likely to sell out. To purchase tickets in advance online, please click here.
8:00 pm at The Bell House, 149 7th Street (bet. 2nd & 3rd Avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn; free
Take the M/F/R train to 9th Street - 4th Avenue Union Street, and walk 2 blocks to 7th Street
and 1 1/2 avenues (between 3rd & 2nd Avenues)
Greg Johnson and Sean Patton
This is often one of the best comedy shows in New York—and is entirely free.
It's hosted by sharp, quick-witted Greg Johnson (check out his hilarious blog by clicking here) and Jacqueline Novak (Comedy Central Live Tour, XM Radio, CollegeHumor.com; for "response to heckler" video, please click here).
Tonight's guests include Sean Patton, Lee Camp, and Dave Rosinsky.
7:30 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; tickets are $5
Ophira Eisenberg and RG Daniels
Sunday Night Stand-Up with RG Daniels
This free weekly stand-up comedy show features both established talents and up-and-comers. It's hosted by RG Daniels (sweetly quirky experimental comic; influences include Woody Allen and french fries; occasionally refers to himself as "Hanukah-face").
Tonight's terrific guests include
Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever, Showtime's Queer as Folk; The Guardian),
Dan St. Germain (MTV; for reenactment of Dan's breakup, please click here),
Adam Lowitt (producer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; host of NYC live comedy show
It Is It!; for a video stand-up sample, please click 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 Three of Cups downstairs lounge, 83 1st Avenue (off 5th Street); free
Three-man sketch troupe Berty Haddock, led by Brit Saul Goldberg (holding the umbrella), will be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August. Tonight the group will test its show out...and perform its NYC debut.
Also on the double-bill is improv troupe Mountain ManProv.
8:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5
Morgan Murphy, and hosts Vince Averill & Jesse Popp
This long-running free weekly comedy show is hosted by Vince Averill (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, DC Comedy Festival) and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central's Premium Blend).
Tonight's terrific guests are
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),
Katina Corrao (VH1's Best Week Ever, HBO's Daddy, Comedy Central; co-host of biweekly LIC live comedy extravaganza The Matt and Katina Show; for video samples, please click here and here),
and Barry Rothbart (Comedy Central, Discovery Channel; for stand-up video about magic and break-ups, please click here),
and Hari Kondabolu.
9:00 pm at Beauty Bar, 231 East 14th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues); free
Ali Wong and Brad Loekle
The Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour
Brad Loekle (cast member of TruTV’s weekly The Smoking Gun Presents, co-host of Sirius Radio’s weekly OUT Q, columnist for monthly magazine Key West Gay Rag) hosts this gay-themed weekly stand-up comedy show. It's entirely free if you're okay with standing; otherwise plan on ordering food or a drink if you prefer sitting at a table.
Tonight's guests are
Tonight's superb performers include
Ali Wong (hilarious stand-up dynamo, recently moved from San Francisco; comedy series for The Onion),
Bernie Pauley (Comedy Central), Louis Katz (VH1), and Scout Durwood.
10:00 pm at Therapy, 348 West 52nd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); free
Alternatively, consider seeing a funny and/or musical
Broadway, off-Broadway, or off-off-Broadway show.
To learn how theatre tickets can be purchased for around 50% off—
or, in some cases, for as little as $3.50 each—
please read Hy on Theatre Discounts.
Copyright © 2009 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
