NYC Comedy Picks for Week of March 9, 2009

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 3/9/09

NYC comedy's biggest awards show of the year happens tonight: The ECNY Awards

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 Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] a who's who of NYC comedy at the spectacular ECNY Awards (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] Greg Giraldo (Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, Root of All Evil, Comedy Central Presents), Brian Kiley (writer for Conan O'Brien; David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Andres du Bouchet (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten), Todd Levin (writer for Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central) and more at Liam McEneaney's free Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),

three hours of fresh new sketch comedy by talented young UCBT writer/performers at Maude Night (8:00 pm & 9:30 pm),

Nick Turner, Jen Kwok, Matt Erlbach, The Young Dads, and more performing at a free weekly variety show in Brooklyn hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country—who tonight include Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, Adult Swim), Mike Birbiglia (three Comedy Central specials, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me), Pete Holmes (one of the quickest & sharpest minds in comedy; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central, The New Yorker), Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, Court TV, Sirius, The Onion), Todd Levin (writer for Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central), and John Wesley Harding (bestselling novelist Wesley Stace; singer/songwriter who performs "gangsta folk")—guest-hosted this evening by the hilarious Bobby Tisdale (HBO, Comedy Central, SuperDeluxe.com, Invite Them Up) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

Ochi's Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

(In addition, Ochi's 1-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

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

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

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

There are two shows, at 6:30 and 9:00 pm (with entirely different sets of comics).

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)

The ECNY Awards

This show promises to be one of the best comedy events of the year.

After an almost two-year hiatus, in 2007 the ECNY Awards, New York's original comedy awards, were resurrected and completely revamped by a group of brilliant NYC comedy stars:

Alex Goldberg (world-class sketch troupe Fearsome), Jon Friedman (The Rejection Show), Carol Hartsell (Drink at Work), Nate Sloan (gold standard comedy site The Apiary), and Alex Zalben (spectacular annual SketchFest NYC, Comic Book Club at The PIT,  ace sketch troupe Elephant Larry). Bless them all for the enormous hard, and very smart, work they put into making it happen.

The result, culminating in the awards gala on January 28, 2008, was a tremendous success; and so the same team repeated their efforts this year.

And tonight you can enjoy it, at this extravaganza that's the closest the NYC comedy community has to the Oscars.

ECNY was originally an acronym for Emerging Comics of New York,

but that was ditched to allow top NYC comedians

to be recognized whether they're "emerging" or not.

And the nominees truly do include some of the most razor-sharp,

awesomely talented, and hilarious comics in the country.

(To learn more about ECNY, please click here and here.)

According to producer Alex Goldberg, "The ECNY Awards will now, more than ever,

serve as a reflection of what's going on in New York comedy. We're

seeing an explosion of talent in the city right now, and how better to honor that

than with an overblown, self-important awards show?"

Indeed. And expect a memorable party afterwards.

The show is at the gorgeous Comix Comedy Club. Tickets are $20, plus a a two-item

minimum (figure another $13 or up).

If you're at all interested in NYC's live comedy scene, don't miss this special event.

To order tickets online, please click here.

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

$20 plus two-item minimum

Maude Night

UCBT's four house sketch comedy groups try out their latest material at this monthly extravaganza. Tonight features these two double-bill slots:

at the 8:00-9:15 pm show, 27 Kidneys and The Skuntz;

and at the 9:30-10:45 pm show,Stone Cold Fox and mixtape '98.

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

Brian Kiley, Greg Giraldo, and Liam McEneaney

Tell Your Friends

This free weekly comedy show is produced—and tonight is also hosted—by Liam McEneaney

(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,

former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).

And tonight's superb guests are

Greg Giraldo (Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; host of The Stand-Up Show with Greg Giraldo; was regular on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Comedy Central Roasts of such celebrities as William Shatner, Pamela Anderson, Howard Stern, Jeff Foxworthy, and Flavor Flav; Comedy Central's Root of All Evil; frequent guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late Show with David Letterman; regularly contributes to a "rant" segment to NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly; comedy album Good Day to Cross a River),

Brian Kiley (brilliant writer for Late Night with Conan O'Brien since 1994; has performed on Late Show with David Letterman, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special),

Andres du Bouchet (writer for & performer on FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten; also performed on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, and ESPN's Cheap Seats; to watch Andres explain song lyrics, please click here; and for lots more videos, please click here),

Todd Levin (writer for Late Night With Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, The Onion, popular blog Tremble, host of NYC live comedy show Todd Levin's TV Book Club),

and more.

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

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

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 are Nick Turner, Jen Kwok, Matt Erlbach, The Young Dads...and more.

Please note this show has moved to a new venue.

8:00 pm at Public Assembly (70 North 6th Street) in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue; cross streets are Wythe and Kent

Eugene Mirman, Bobby Tisdale, and Wesley Stace (a.k.a. John Wesley Harding)...

...and Pete Holmes and Rachel Feinstein

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

Leo Allen is in California this week filming a TV pilot for HBO. Guest-hosting for Leo is

Bobby Tisdale (comedy giant who for five years co-hosted the seminal

NYC weekly live comedy show Invite Them Up with Eugene; Comedy Central album;

film Junebug; HBO's Hysterical Blindness; show on SuperDeluxe.com).

Tonight's wonderful guests include

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; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life),

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),

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;

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

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

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

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

Todd Levin (writer for Late Night With Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Premium Blend, The Onion, popular blog Tremble, host of NYC live comedy show Todd Levin's TV Book Club), and

John Wesley Harding (bestselling novelist Wesley Stace, who's also a popular singer/songwriter under the JWH stage name and refers to his music as "gangsta folk").

If you love comedy, make a habit of attending this stellar free weekly extravaganza.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 3/10/09

Comedy stars Ted Alexandro (Morrison Motel) and Janeane Garofalo (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),

superb NYC storytellers, singers, sketch comics, and stand-ups—who tonight include Margot Leitman (Conan O'Brien, Stripped Stories), Robin Gelfenbein (Sirius Radio, Wienermobile), Brandy & Sara, soce the elemental wizard (MTV), and Danny Leary (MTV)—at a show pretending to be from the Pennsylvania heartland: Skip & Sparkle Variety (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Koren Shadmi (In The Flesh) and Brendan McGinley (Heist), joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

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

Bangs, The Law Firm, The Scam, Bastian, and Whorenado—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (comedy genius who's currently an FBI agent on FOX's 24), and other stellar comics performing at this wonderful 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] brilliant star stand-up Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central), rising star Hannibal Buress (Comedy Central, Awkward Kings of Comedy), and more at John Morrison's Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1, Adult Swim), Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien), Ahna Tessler (sketch comic & screenwriter), and Ali Wong (San Francisco-based stand-up) at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),

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

For details, please click here.

2009 ECNY Award Winners

This year's ECNY Awards were presented March 9, 2009 at a gala event at Comix.

After an almost two-year hiatus, in 2007 the ECNY Awards, New York's original comedy awards, were resurrected and completely revamped by a group of brilliant NYC comedy stars:

Alex Goldberg (world-class sketch troupe Fearsome), Jon Friedman (The Rejection Show), Carol Hartsell (Drink at Work), Nate Sloan (gold standard comedy site The Apiary), and Alex Zalben (spectacular annual SketchFest NYC, Comic Book Club at The PIT,  ace sketch troupe Elephant Larry). Bless them all for the enormous hard, and very smart, work they put into making it happen.

The result was an awards show (not unlike a very, very low-budget Oscars) on January 28, 2008, which was a tremendous success. And so the same stellar team repeated their efforts this year...and scored another home run.

ECNY was originally an acronym for Emerging Comics of New York,

but that was ditched to allow top NYC comedians

to be recognized whether they're "emerging" or not.

And the nominees truly do include some of the most razor-sharp,

awesomely talented, and hilarious comics in the country.

(To learn more about ECNY, please click here and here.)

There were some incredibly competitive categories this year; and almost every performer on the ballot merited a win. "It's an honor just to be nominated" is 100% true for the 2009 ECNYs.

As for the razor-sharp and wondrously talented winners, each of whom richly deserves the recognition, they are as follows:

Emerging Comic Award

Lennon Parham

Best Host

Leo Allen (Whiplash)

Best Male Stand-Up Comedian

Kumail Nanjiani

Best Female Stand-Up Comedian

Michelle Collins

Best Musical Comedy Act

Reggie Watts

Best Improv Group

Mother

Best Sketch Comedy Group

Derrick

Best Variety Show

Jon Friedman: The Rejection Show

Best One Person Show

Kumail Nanjiani: Unpronounceable

Best Short Comedic Film

Sara Benincasa & Diana Saez (The Sarah Palin Vlogs)

Best Performance in a Commercial or Episode of Law and Order

Matt McCarthy: Verizon FIOS Guy

Best Web Site

UCB Comedy

Best Technician

Pat Baer

Outstanding Achievement in Postcard or Flyer Design

Anya Garrett (Jar Full of Roaches)

ECNY Lifetime Achievement Award

The Dearly Departed (to LA) Late Show with Conan O'Brien Writing Staff

As eloquent ECNY producer Alex Goldberg put it last year, "We couldn't be more proud

of the winners. Over 5,000 people voted online, coupled with our industry committee

votes, making sure this was the fairest ECNYs ever. These winners truly represent

the best New York, and the world, has to offer."

Agreed. Huge congratulations to the winners...and to everyone who was nominated.

HyReviews.com's Videos of the Month:

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

The Brilliant & Thoroughly Loveable Jack McBrayer Proves He's Not Bobby Jindal

SNL Flashback Before Late Night De Niro Interview

Conan O'Brien Interview Before Debut

Jay Leno Tells Jimmy the "Talk Show" is Now Really a Comedy Show, with Guests

Awkward Silence Bear

The Giant Pickle

Jimmy Gets Last-Minute Advice from Lorne Michaels

Highlight of Week 1: Dance-Off with Cameron Diaz

Conan O'Brien is moving up to NBC's Tonight Show, and so March 3rd, 2009 was the debut of his replacement: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Taking over from a comedy genius like Conan is daunting—but the same was true when Conan replaced David Letterman back on September 13, 1993. There were some bumps then, but Conan ultimately more than rose to the occasion; and here's hoping Jimmy does too. His show's writing staff includes genius stand-up & rising star Anthony Jeselnik (HBO, Comedy Central), and creepily hilarious comedic actor AD Miles (Human Giant, Conan O'Brien, Dog Bites Man, Reno 911). Behind the awkwardness, Jimmy is a powerful talent and quick learner—as was demonstrated beautifully by the dance-off with Cameron Diaz. The nerves showed at times during the first week (a low point was Jimmy mock-snoring when Billy Crudup tried to provide a few seconds of information about Watchmen; honestly, it's okay to let people say intelligent things now and then...). But tune in to watch Mr. Fallon grow and, over time, make his own special mark as a Late Night host.

Broadway Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

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

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

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

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

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to motelme@gmail.com.

6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum

The Skip & Sparkle Variety Show

"Pennsylvania's favorite jokester song-and-dance team, Skip Lickdale (Shawn Hollenbach) and Sparkle Montgomery (Katina Corrao) bring you the most fun cast of characters that New York has to offer. Gags, singing-n-dancing, ukuleles and more!"

Tonight's superb guests are Margot Leitman (VH1 and Conan), Robin Gelfenbein (Sirius Radio), Brandy & Sara, soce the elemental wizard (MTV), and Danny Leary (MTV and here! Networks).

7:30 pm at Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

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

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's guests are Koren Shadmi (In The Flesh) and Brendan McGinley (Heist).

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.)

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

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

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

Bangs, The Law Firm, The Scam, Bastian, and Whorenado—

each give it a go for 30 minutes, with

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

Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show

is designed more for students of improv than the general public.

But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you

a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.

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

Comedy superstar Janeane Garofalo...

...and brilliantly funny hosts Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein

Punch Up Your Life

This new, free weekly stand-up show is a wonderful 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; 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 include

Janeane Garofalo (quite simply, one of the most hilarious and beloved performers alive

—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. Sample quote: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth." For two decades of impressive credits, please click here).

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

Ted Alexandro, John Morrison, and Hannibal Buress

Morrison Motel

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

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

Tonight's wonderful guests are

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"), and

Hannibal Buress (rising star; Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Chicago's Finest,

upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy),

and Alia Tarraf, Matt Ruby, Gilad Foss, and Arthur Carlson.

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

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

Eugene Mirman and Ahna Tessler...

...and Seth Herzog and Craig Baldo

Sweet

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

Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.

Tonight's wonderful guests include

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; new book The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life),

Craig Baldo (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, E!, The Onion;

for Craig's 2008 stand-up set on Conan O'Brien, please click here),

Ahna Tessler (innovative sketch comedy performer, usually with partner Lauren Engel; written pilots for NBC and a movie for Dimension Films, and currently writing film for Relativity Films; performed in upcoming horror movie Offspring),

Ali Wong (San Francisco-based comic who breaks down stereotypes with a fiery tongue),

and more.

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

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

Dykes on Mics

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

as regulars/hosts, plus guest comics.

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 3/11/09

Todd Barry (Headlining at Carolines), Baron Vaughn & Joe Mande (Headlining at Comix),

and Chris Gethard (Magic Box of Stories)

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:

five free hours of improvisation in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday (7:00 pm-midnight),

[TOP PICK] [$] one of the funniest men in the world performing a deliciously long, wry

headlining set at Carolines: Todd Barry (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] two of NYC's best rising comedy stars, Baron Vaughn (Comedy Central, MTV, Cloverfield, Shoot the Messenger) and Joe Mande (Totally J/K, Workdays with Maury), performing long stand-up sets at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Baron Vaughn & Joe Mande (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of the most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country performing a one-man show that should not be missed: Chris Gethard's Magic Box of Stories (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] superb comics Kurt Braunohler (sketch comedy master, frequently in partnership with Kristen Schaal), Andres du Bouchet (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten), Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central, VH1, Variety SHAC), and Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, Comedy Central, VH1, MTV, Bravo) at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),

[TOP PICK] superb NYC stand-ups & sketch performers Jason Trachtenberg, The Bitter Poet, Dan Allen, Katina Corrao, E.J. Murphy, and Seth Madej at the free Shrink (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] three popular NYC sketch troupes—Elephant Larry, BriTANick, and Rue Brutalia—each performing one of their most popular bits and one of their personal favorites in the very fun sketch revue A-Side/B-Side (9:30 pm),

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

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

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

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

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

Todd Barry

Todd Barry is a wryly brilliant stand-up who's one of the very best in the biz.

He's appeared numerous times on Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and performed a Comedy Central Presents half-hour special.

Todd's also appeared on 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;

and acted in the recent Darren Aronofsky film The Wrestler.

Todd has also created several comedy CDs; his most recent is From Heaven.

Don't miss this opportunity to catch one of the funniest guys in the country performing a deliciously long set at a top NYC comedy club.

Please Note: You can get tickets for only $9 each (versus the official $19.50 cover) by

ordering online and entering discount code TODDB in the Promotion box.

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

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

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

7:30 pm at Carolines, 1626  Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);

$9 ticket online with discount code TODDB, plus two-drink minimum

Baron Vaughn and Joe Mande

Baron Vaughn and Joe Mande, Headlining at Comix

Two of NYC's sharpest rising comedy stars each perform a deliciously long set tonight at the elegant Comix Comedy Club. The duo is:

Baron Vaughn (rising star comic (whose most recent triumph was directing Carolyn Castiglia's hit one-woman show Brown Ambition at Ars Nova); Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger; feature film Cloverfield, upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy; for a radio interview, please click here; for stand-up videos about the KKK and cell phones, please click here and here) and

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

This comedy club show has a $17 cover plus two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

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

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

$17 ticket plus two-item food or drink minimum

Brilliant comedic storyteller Chris Gethard will shower us tonight with his magically hilarious tales

Chris Gethard's Magic Box of Stories

Chris Gethard is one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York. Chris can be seen every Friday night as a member of ace improv group The Stepfathers, and every month as a member of the razor-sharp storytelling show the The Nights of Our Lives. Chris is also the author of the book Weird New York.

And tonight Chris lets his storytelling prowess fully shine as he asks audience members to pick story titles out of a box filled with his wondrous, unforgettable, and jaw-droppingly funny tales. Since Chris has many more tales in the box than can be told during this 90-minute slot, every performance is fresh and unique.

Come catch this rising star demonstrate why he should be famous in a show that gets my highest recommendation.

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

Kurt Braunohler and Andres du Bouchet...

...and Roger Hailes, and the hosts

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

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

Tonight's superb guests are

Kurt Braunohler (frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal, performing  sketches that are hilariously indescribable; co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director, and which is being turned into a UK TV series),

Andres du Bouchet (writer for & performer on FOX's Talkshow with Spike Feresten; also performed on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, and ESPN's Cheap Seats; to watch Andres explain song lyrics, please click here; and for lots more videos, please click here),

Andrea Rosen (stellar stand-up who's appeared on VH1 and Comedy Central, is a member of comedy group Variety SHAC, and has performed in ads for the New York Lottery, Fig Newtons, Staples, and Hershey's), and

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

VH1's All Access; writer for VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central, MTV, Bravo, E!;

for sample videos, please click here and here).

Please note this is a new location and night for the show. (It was previously Thursdays at Sound Fix, but that music store is, sadly, closing.) Come and celebrate this premiere at Cameo; there'll be a party afterwards...

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

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

Shrink

This free weekly show tonight features superb comics Jason Trachtenberg, The Bitter Poet, Dan Allen, Katina Corrao, E.J. Murphy, and Seth Madej.

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

Sketch group Elephant Larry...

...Nick Kocher & Brian McElhaney of BriTANicK, and Jon Pack & Jason Kalter of Rue Brutalia

Elephant Larry, BriTANick, and Rue Brutalia: A-Side/B-Side

Three popular NYC sketch comedy groups each show off a bit that's most popular with audiences (A-Side) and then a personal oddball favorite (B-Side).

Tonight's sharp troupes are

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

BriTANicK (sketch/improv duo Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher; to get a feel for these young performers, check out their videos about post-sex desires and drug cravings by clicking here and here), and

Rue Brutalia: Jon Pack and Jason Kalter (to obtain a feel for this duo's odd work, check out a saga about a cartoon character with no balls, and another about two guys who are the same man, by clicking here and here).

The proceedings are hosted by delightful comedy duo—and real-life cousins—Aaron Kheifets (sketch troupe Classy) & James Eason (brilliant improvisor of beloved improv troupe Mother), whose banter is typically among the most entertaining parts of the show.

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

Justin Purnell

School Night

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

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

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

Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,

that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 3/12/09

Raunchy versions of tales written by NYC schoolchildren can be experienced tonight at Story Pirates After Dark

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 highly acclaimed theatrical comedy troupe that stages tales written by NYC schoolchildren after enhancing the details with adult content: Story Pirates After Dark (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] fearless and hilarious sketch comedy performer Alicia Levy performing her new one-woman show Red Carpet Ride (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] superb comics Seth Herzog and Baron Vaughn joining the fresh, sexy, and razor-sharp gals of Variety Shac (9:30 pm),

[$] The Chosen Chicks declaring "Faster, Pussycat! Kvetch! Kvetch!" at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and two superb improv troupes, The Stepfathers and Secret Promise Circle, competing for audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).

Story Pirates After Dark

The Story Pirates take stories written by New York City elementary schoolchildren, "enhance" them with adult language and themes, and them perform the heck out of them using music, puppets, and "a David Bowie-style tribute to a good Hebrew School education." With tales ranging from the shame of chronic bedwetting, to the tender love between the Devil and some guy she met at Starbucks, the Story Pirates have blown the minds of over 100,000 second graders (sans the narrative enhancements), and lots of adults in their "After Dark" version. You're next.

This comedy club show has a $20 cover and a two-item minimum

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

7:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); $20 plus 2-item minimum

Alicia Levy's Red Carpet Ride

Alicia Levy is a member of world-class sketch troupe Drop Six, which is famed for its wonderful mix of physical comedy and music. Alicia also performed the memorable one-woman show Totally Worth It last year, in which she played such characters as a painfully clumsy stripper, an insanely cautious expert on child safety, and a splendorous fairy contemplating a wing reduction.

Tonight Alicia debuts a brand new one-woman show—and it's undoubtedly worth catching.

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

SHAC gals Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, Andrea Rosen, & Shonali Bhowmik

Variety Shac

The hard-to-resist members of this hilarious group are musical host Shonali Bhowmik,

and superbly quirky comics Heather Lawless, Chelsea Peretti, and Andrea Rosen.

The show typically features songs, brilliant stand-up comedy, and funny short films

made by the foursome; for samples of the latter, please click here and here.

Tonight's guests include superb comics Seth Herzog and Baron Vaughn.

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

Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad

The official description:

"Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad are going get jew, sucka. These badass balabustehs of comedy, music and show-stopping burlesque are coming to Comix for their 6th annual Xmas Eve bash. These are the gals who learned to smoke at Hebrew School, got drunk at their Bat-Mitzvahs, and would rather have more schtuppa than the chupah, featuring performers seen on Comedy Central, HBO, and Late Night TV. These chosen chicks boldly dare to deconstruct years of tradition, expectations, and guilt in a fast-paced vaudeville extravaganza. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen gets remixed, dreidals tap dance, and we all find out what’s in gefilte fish (Fear Factor for Jews).

"Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad has been spreading their own brand of nuevo schmaltz across the land to sold-out crowds in NYC, DC, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Providence, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Pittsburgh, Madison, Detroit, Montreal, Burlington, Provincetown, The Berkshires, The Hamptons, and, of course, The Catskills. Audiences can’t get enough of these wayward girls!"

This comedy club show has a $20 cover a two-item minimum

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

9:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); $20 plus 2-item minimum

vs.

Cage Match: The Stepfathers vs. Secret Promise Circle

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.)

Tonight's defending champion is The Stepfathers, consisting of some of the sharpest & funniest improv comics in the country: Michael Delaney, Chris Gethard, Will Hines, Bobby Moynihan, Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols, Andy Secunda, and Zach Woods.

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 might not be participating tonight) since 2008 is a stellar cast member of Saturday Night Live.

Doing their best against this goliath is Secret Promise Circle, consisting of Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobsen, Tim Martin, Matt Mayer, and Tony Rodriguez, and self-described as a "long-form improv team from the south of France, making people make laughter, whether they want to or not, since 2099."

There's no telling what'll happen...which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 3/13/09

Super-storyteller Charlie Sanders (Minnesota Muslim), and 2009 ECNY Award-winning sketch troupe Derrick (Street Legal)

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] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious autobiographical shows you'll ever see, plus sharp sketch comedy duo Greg & Lou debuting a show about an art heist, in the double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Grand Theft Auto...Oh (8:00 pm),

[$] a frequent comedic commentator on Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever headlining at Comix: Christian Finnegan (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] two comedy giants as part of tonight's lineup at Stand Up NY: Marc Maron and Todd Barry (8:00 pm),

stand-ups including Allison Castillo (Comedy Central) and Danny Leary (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics) 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),

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

[TOP PICK] a sketch show (with some improv thrown in) that just won its superb stars the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group: Derrick (11:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] 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).

Ace storyteller Charlie Sanders, and sharp comedy duo Lou Perez & Greg Burke

Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Greg & Lou: Grand Theft Art...Oh

A phenomenal storytelling event, and one-woman sketch comedy, for a mere 10 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 smart writing and committed performances from Greg & Lou: Greg Burke (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Law & Order, Guiding Light) and Lou Perez (co-star with Greg in sketch comedy group The Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz; also a talented short story writer & contributor to Fiction Magazine as Luis Amate Perez). For a video sample of the duo, please click here.

Tonight's all-new sketch show is described as follows: "There's one final job going down at the museum. The security's tight, the stakes are high, and the night watchman is...rocking out? Greg & Lou present action, intrigue, and sex with inanimate objects. Grand Theft Art... Oh, where every sketch is a masterpiece waiting to be stolen." Co-written and directed by AJ Morales.

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

Christian Finnegan, Headlining at Comix

Christian Finnegan has performed his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, and can be seen regularly as a commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever.

He's also appeared on Chappelle's Show and The Today Show; was host of TVLand's Game Time; was a staff writer for Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; and has a comedy CD titled Two For Flinching.

For stand-up videos on how to get rid of a boring  guy and what your movie choices say about you, please click here and here.

This comedy club show is $27 tonight or $22 for Saturday night (if you purchase the ticket today).

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

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

For more information and/or to buy tickets, please click here.

Tonight & Saturday at 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between

8th & 9th Avenues); $27 per ticket tonight or $22 for Saturday (if you order today)

Marc Maron, Todd Barry, and More at Stand Up NY

Comedy club Stand Up NY's lineup tonight includes two of the finest comics in the country:

Marc Maron (exceptionally passionate and personally revealing star who's a comic's comic highly respected for his observations; frequent guest on Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien; performed solo comedy special for HBO Comedy Half-Hour and two solo specials for Comedy Central Presents; many other TV appearances include being a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; performed a popular off-Broadway one-man show, Jerusalem Syndrome, which he then turned into a 2001 book; co-hosted Morning Sedition on Air America Radio, and hosted The Marc Maron Show on LA's KTLK-AM; currently developing a killer set about his recent divorce that's as fine and rich as any theatrical production) and

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

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

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

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

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

acted in the acclaimed Darren Aronofsky hit film The Wrestler;

check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven).

This comedy club show is $15, plus a two-drink minimum (figure another $13 or up).

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

8:00 pm at Stand Up NY, 236 West 78th Street (off Broadway); $15 plus two-drink minimum

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

The Back Room

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

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

Tonight's talented stand-ups comics include

Allison Castillo (Comedy Central),

Danny Leary (here! TV's Hot Gay Comics),

Aaron Sweeny (Gotham Comedy Club),

Blanca Dominguez (Stand-Up NY),

plus

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

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

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

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

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

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

Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines

The Stepfathers

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Made-Up Musical

Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied

by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as

Tara Copeland, Scott Glover, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld,

 Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray

—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—

turn an interview with an audience member

into a musical they make up on the spot.

10:00 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $7

Derrick Comedy: Street Legal

Derrick is three sharp and enormously appealing performers,

Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, and DC Pierson, who have

proven themselves to be both stars and improvisation champions,

winning a breathtaking 11 improv matches in a row in 2007 at Cage Match...

and breaking several all-time records while at it.

The guys also make wildly popular YouTube videos—

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

And they also completed a feature comedy film, which they wrote,

composed, and star in—and which recently premiered at Sundance.

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

In tonight's show, however, they perform sketch comedy live:

and have proven themselves masters at that too,

by recently winning the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Group!

These wonderfully inventive writer/actors are continually creating,

so even if you've seen this show before, don't hesitate to come tonight;

the trio will be performing all-new material.

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

Pete Holmes

Gutbucket

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 3/14/09

Mary Theresa Archbold (Drop Six), and Hot Sauce (Dirtiest Sketch in NYC Contest)

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] superb stand-ups Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, 2009 ECNY Award for Best Male Stand-Up), Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central, VH1, Tell Your Friends), Pat Stango (Don't Touch Me There), Rich Duncan (co-author of upcoming book The Werewolf's Guide to Life), and Ali Wong (The Onion) at Sean Donnelly's Lil Seany Boy (7:00 pm),

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

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

an exciting new NYC show developed at Chicago's legendary iO theatre in which veteran

improvisors create a play on the spot based on audience suggestions: New Play (7:30 pm),

[$] a frequent comedic commentator on Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever headlining at Comix: Christian Finnegan (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] comedy club lineups that tonight include one of the most brilliant & hilarious rising stars in New York: Anthony Jeselnik and More at Comedy Cellar (8:00 pm & 9:45 pm),

Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell relating their YouTube-documented romantic adventures

live on stage—possibly accompanied by visits from some of the gals—on Double Date Us (8:00 pm),

[FREE] sharp NYC comics at a free stand-up comedy show hosted by star sketch/improv troupe Derrick in Queens' Long Island City: This Is New York (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which in 2008 broke the UCBT improv competition record for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and recently delivered a magnificent performance to capture the 2009 Cage Match Championship—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

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

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

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] a musical made up on the spot from magical Chicago improv group

Baby Wants Candy (10:30 pm),

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

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

[TOP PICK] and razor-sharp UCBT star troupe Hot Sauce hosting a show made special by

knowing no boundaries: The Dirtiest Sketch in NYC Contest (midnight).

Drop Six: Right Next to You

Drop Six is a superb NYC-based sketch troupe that makes great use of physical comedy and music. The group consists of Mary Theresa Archbold (for my review of this star's funny & touching 2007 FringeNYC show Jazz Hand, please click here), Tim Girrbach, Jason Salmon, Rodney Umble, and director Larry Rosen. This group's honors include Best of the Fest selection by Second City at the 2006 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. And their Drop Six: Mr. Lucky show killed at last year's FringeNYC, placing in my top 15 of the festival (out of 188 wildly diverse & competitive productions). For a brief medley of memorable Drop Six moments, please click here.

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

Liam McEneaney, Ali Wong, and Kumail Nanjiani

Little Seany Boy

Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; co-host of weekly NYC open mic live comedy show Ochi's Motel; member of sketch comedy & funny short film troupe Don't Touch Me There; for a stand-up video, please click here) emcees this showcase for stellar stand-ups.

Tonight's superb guests are

Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for both Best Male Stand-Up and Best One-Person Show; Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, The Hot List , and Open Mic Fight; terrific one-man show Unpronounceable about experiences with Islam—for my review, please click here; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; 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),

Liam McEneaney (producer of weekly NYC live comedy show Tell Your Friends; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo),

Pat Stango (co-host of NYC live comedy show Don't Touch Me There; "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"),

Rich Duncan (co-author of upcoming book The Werewolf's Guide to Life), and

Ali Wong (comedy series for The Onion).

7:00 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)

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

Let's Have a Ball

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

Among the players often performing are Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel), Kay Cannon (writer for 30 Rock), Becky Drysdale (acclaimed one-woman show One Woman in Several Pieces, Web video series Time Traveling Lesbian), Christina Gausas (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Stepfathers, Dorff & Gausas), Anthony King (UCBT-NY Artistic Director, Reuben Williams, Gutenberg! The Musical), Laura Krafft (writer for The Colbert Report), Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and Dan Goor (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show).

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

New Play: Improvised Theatre in One or Two Acts

Chicago's legendary iO Theatre developed an improv form called Play in which comics took an audience suggestion and then created "a play of two acts or less" on the spot. Bringing this exciting comedic game to NYC are Chicago-trained improv veterans Peter Grosz (writer for The Colbert Report, member of acclaimed Chicago improv troupe 4 Square, star of over 100 Sonic fast-food commercials), Deb Downing, Ed Herbstman, Katie Caussin, Melanie Hoopes, Jonathan Karpinos, and Kelly Haran, with direction by Sandy Marshall.

According to the official description, "the ensemble writes a play while they are performing it, streamlining the cumbersome and often wasteful 'process' traditionally used to develop scripts. Eliminating rewrites, readings, rehearsals, and other distractions, the cast of New Play harnesses the power of live theatre with no preparation, opening (and closing) a brand new play each week.

"New Play doesn't rehash the stereotypes of well-known theatrical styles or authors for easy laughs. Instead, the cast explores original stories and characters every show, as if in the voice of some yet undiscovered playwright. The results range from poignant to hilarious, and occasionally both at the same time.

"The show may contain strobe lights, loud explosions, nudity, objectionable themes, and gunfire. Or it may not."

If you love both improv and theatre, how can you resist?

7:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Christian Finnegan, Headlining at Comix

Christian Finnegan has performed his own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, and can be seen regularly as a commentator on MNBC's Countdown with Keith Oberman and VH1's Best Week Ever.

He's also appeared on Chappelle's Show and The Today Show; was host of TVLand's Game Time; was a staff writer for Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; and has a comedy CD titled Two For Flinching.

For stand-up videos on how to get rid of a boring  guy and what your movie choices say about you, please click here and here.

This comedy club show is $27 per ticket.

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

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

For more information and/or to buy tickets, please click here.

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

$27 cover plus two-item minimum

Anthony Jeselnik

Anthony Jeselnik and More at Comedy Cellar

The lineup for tonight's two main shows at the Comedy Cellar club include Anthony Jeselnik, a phenomenal comic specializing in darkly shocking jokes and one of my favorite stand-ups ever. Anthony has performed (brilliantly) on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, HBO, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live,  NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV's Most Valuable Players. Anthony is currently both a staff writer and performer for NBC's new show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. For numerous stand-up videos, please click here.

To see the complete lineups for the 8:00 pm (doors at 7:30) and 9:45 pm (doors at 9:15) shows, please click here. To make an online reservation, please click here.

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

8:00 pm & 9:45 pm at Comedy Cellar, 117 MacDougal Street (between 3rd St. & Minetta Lane);

$18 cover plus two-item minimum

Dave and Ethan: Double Date Us

Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell challenged pairs of women to double date them,

then documented the results on YouTube. Tonight they relate their tales live on stage...

along with guest appearances. "And possibly even a live date."

Please note: A ticket to this show buys you entree to The PIT's Valentine's Day Party at 11:00 pm (which otherwise costs $5).

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

Donald Glover, DC Pierson, and Dominic Dierkes of Derrick

This Is New York

Derrick is three sharp and enormously appealing performers,

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

stars via their wildly popular YouTube videos—

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

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

The guys also completed a comedy feature film, which they

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

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

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

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

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

8:00 pm at The Creek and The Cave, 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens; free

From Manhattan, take the #7 subway to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop (one stop after Grand Central); exit on Jackson Avenue and walk one block north to 49th Avenue

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

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

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

4 Track!

Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,

George Basil, Frank Campanella, Christian Capozzoli, and Matt Evans

perform organic & energetic long-form improv for about 40 minutes.

Basil is a stand-out, but they're all sharp, committed improvisors.

There's also a warm chemistry between the men, which is especially evident

if you arrive early to watch them getting ready on stage: They toss a ball

back and forth, and then toss each other back and forth...sending

a body message of "If you throw an improv concept at me, you can trust me

to not let it drop..." One of the Magnet's most popular shows.

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