NYC Comedy Picks for Week of May 19, 2008

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/19/08

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

an entire evening of sketch comedy double-bills at UCBT, kicking off with

the enjoyably disturbing Murderfist (6:30 pm & 8:00 pm & 9:30 pm),

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

and around 30 comics crammed into 2½ hours—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

world-class storyteller Kambri Crews, stand-up comic Christian Finnegan (VH1, Comedy Central...

and Kambri's husband), Brian Kiley (genius head writer for Conan O'Brien), Charles Star,

and more at Liam McEneaney's free Tell Your Friends (8:00ish pm),

political sketch comedy, plus an interview with journalist John Gorenfeld (NPR; author of book

about Sun Myung Moon titled Bad Moon Rising), at Liz Winstead's Shoot the Messenger (8:00 pm),

stand-up guests Jen Kwok, Shawn Hollenbach, and Mimi Gonzalez joining delightful hosts

Jackie Monahan, Leah Dubie, Amy Beckerman, & Gloria Bigelow at Dykes on Mics (8:00 pm),

and stellar stand-ups Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central), Baron Vaughn

(MTV, VH1, Shoot the Messenger), Eric Andre (Comedy Central), and Sean Patton (Tommy Danger)

at one of the finest comedy shows in NYC—which just happens to be free—Cavalcade! (11:00 pm).

Maude Night

Writers, performers, and directors, most of whom are students at UCBT,

 try out their sketch comedy routines.

Tonight features six groups in three double-bill slots:

at the 6:30-7:45 pm show, experienced troupes Murderfist and Zehl Steen Think Pound;

at the 8:00-9:15 pm show, The Skuntz and mixtape '98;

and at the 9:30-10:45 pm show, Stone Cold Fox and 27 Kidneys.

Some of the material will probably be very funny.

And a lot of it probably won't.

But if you enjoy the raw energy of young artists trying out bits,

come and support tonight's experiments, live on stage.

6:30 pm & 8:00 pm & 9:30 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5 per show

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 30+ 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.

Ochi's Motel is hosted & booked by Sean Donnelly and Joe Powers.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to ochismotel[at]gmail.com.

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

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 (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Brian Kiley, Christian Finnegan, Kambri Crews, and Liam McEneaney

Tell Your Friends

This free weekly comedy show is produced by Liam McEneaney

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

former writer for Standup Nation with Greg Giraldo).

Tonight's superb guests are

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, Comedy Central Presents),

Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to  stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here),

Christian Finnegan (VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central Presents, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show, host of TVLand's Game Time, former staff writer for Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; just released first comedy CD, 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), and

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

host of monthly Brooklyn live comedy show Pant-Hoot).

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.

John Gorenfeld's new book, and STM host Lizz Winstead

Shoot the Messenger

Lizz Winstead is co-creator and former head writer of the original The Daily Show; former Executive VP of Air America Radio; and a performer on such shows as Comedy Central Presents and HBO's Women of the Night. (She's also a character; e.g., for a memorable anti-apology after canceling her appearance on the live NYC show Drink at Work, please click here.)

Tonight's guest is journalist and author John Gorenfeld, who wrote the recently published book Bad Moon Rising: How Reverend Moon Created the Washington Times, Seduced the Religious Right, and Built an American Kingdom. Gorenfeld has also written for numerous magazines, including Salon, Wired, Mother Jones, and the UK Guardian; and he's appeared on ABC’s World News Tonight, NPR, Pacifica, and Air America.

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

and read a March 2008 New York Times article about the show by clicking here.

8:00 pm at The Green Room, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette); tickets are $12.50

Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)

 and Broadway-Lafayette on the F/V/D/B.

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

Dykes on Mics

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

as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's guests

Jen Kwok, Shawn Hollenbach, and Mimi Gonzalez.

8:00 pm at RubyFruit Bar & Grill, 531 Hudson Street (between West 10th & Charles);

no cover, one item (food or drink) minimum

Baron Vaughn, Victor Varnado, and Eric Andre...

...and concerned citizens watching a video by Oren Brimer

Cavalcade!

This razor-sharp stand-up extravaganza is no place for the innocent.

However, it's enormous fun.

Tonight's superb comics are

host Baron Vaughn (MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and

Best Week Ever, co-star of weekly NYC live comedy show Shoot the Messenger;

for a radio interview, please click here),

Victor Varnado (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NBC's My Name is Earl, Chicago City Limits; wrote and directed the movie Twist the Cap, starring Charlie Murphy; for a stand-up sample, please click here),

Eric Andre (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; 2007 HBO Aspen Comedy Festival;

Geico caveman; for a video sample, please click here),

Sean Patton (LES' The Tommy Danger Show, founder of the New Orleans Comedy Festival;

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

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

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

Tonight's show—produced by Jeremy Levenbach—is likely to be one of the funniest in NYC.

And it's free.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 5/20/08

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

Jesse Joyce (Comedy Central), Jamie Lee (VH1), Jodie Wasserman (Comedy Central), Maddog Mattern,

and several folks randomly selected from the audience battling it out on stage

for your vote in the biweekly stand-up competition Eric I's Comedy Showdown (7:30 pm)

superb stand-ups Joe Mande, Jon Friedman, Greg Johnson, and Brad Stauernagel

performing deliciously long sets at Ken Zimlinghaus' Fat Tuesday (8:00 pm),

comics writer Ron Marz (Green Lantern, Broken Trinity) and artist Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow/Black Canary)

joining in on a lively & fun discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

three full hours of improv for only five bucks at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

improv troupe Stray following the twists & turns of an audience-selected object, and the acclaimed

Adrianne Frost creating a unique show based on improvised character monologues, at Thread and Be (8:00 pm),

two of the most brilliant stand-up comics in the country, Mike Birbiglia and Pete Holmes, plus

rising stand-up star Julian McCullough, and genius comedic chameleon Larry Murphy, at one

of the finest & funniest shows in NYC, the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),

stand-ups Patrick Borelli (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, ESPN), Brooke Van Poppelen (Slumber Party),

David Cope (comedic storyteller), and more at Carol Hartsell's & Sean Crespo's Drink at Work (9:00 pm),

and an innovative new improv form, plus a one-woman show: Tracers and Big, Bad, and Pink (9:30 pm).

Jesse Joyce and Jamie Lee

Eric I's Comedy Showdown

This new biweekly extravaganza is a comedy competition hosted by Eric I.

Four established NYC comics, plus two up-and-coming comics selected at the show's start

from the audience, each get 8 minutes on stage to be funny. The audience then votes

on who it believes was most hilarious. The winner receives an additional 5 minutes

of stage time to make comedic fun of the losers; and also moves on to a semi-final round in June to determine a season champion (with a prize of $500, and bragging rights).

Tonight's four battling veteran comics are

Jesse Joyce (Comedy Central's Live At Gotham and 2007 Campus College Tour; hosted AMC's

Date Night; comedy CD Joyce To The World; for video about killer bees, please click here),

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

Jodie Wasserman (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix, BET),

and Maddog Mattern.

Expect sparks to fly.

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 (on low-cost menu; e.g., draft beer for $4-$5)

Greg Johnson and Jon Friedman

Fat Tuesday

This free weekly show allows a few talented comics to perform long stand-up sets, just as if they —and you—were in a swanky comedy club. It's hosted by Ken Zimlinghaus, who can be heard regularly on Sirius Satellite Radio's Wake Up With Cosmo; and the best bits from this evening will probably end up getting broadcast on Sirius as well.

Tonight's superb guests are

Joe Mande (2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic;

co-host of weekly NYC live comedy show Totally J/K),

Jon Friedman (host of the superb NYC live comedy extravaganzas Slightly Buzzed and

The Rejection Show; author of the book Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled),

Greg Johnson (razor-sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic, and co-host of the award-winning

NYC weekly live comedy extravaganza The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show), and

Brad Steuernagel (ImprovOlympic, shows Ice Cream Before Bed and Local Comedian;

for video with Brad as scary-hilarious magazine subscription salesman posing the

memorable question "Do you like information, sir?", please click here).

8:00 pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); free

Visions of Dr. Thirteen and Batman from DC Comics artist Cliff Chiang

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's guests are comics writer Ron Marz

(Green Lantern, Silver Surfer, Broken Trinity, Beyond) and

comics illustrator Cliff Chiang (Green Arrow/Black Canary).

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 current fave, a delightful show with Kevin "Batman" Conroy, please click 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—

Whorenado, The F*cking Kennedys, The Law Firm, The Scam, and Bangs—

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

Thread and Be

Two unique improv shows for just five bucks.

First, improv troupe Stray performs a show titled Thread: "After getting a physical, tangible object from the audience, Stray follows this object as though a camera were trained on it, catching the action that happens around it. Whether the object stays in one place or moves through a variety of different people and places, you're along for the ride." The group consists of Jill Farris, Wendy Herlich, Kristy Kershaw, and Stefan Schick.

The double-bill then continues with a one-woman improvised show by veteran comic Adrianne Frost,  who'll use suggestions from the audience to craft complex and unique character monologues on the spot. Frost has previously performed similar show to great acclaim at the Toronto Improv Festival. Her many credits include The Daily Show, VH1s Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and the book I Hate Other Peoples Kids.

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

Julian McCullough and Larry Murphy...

...and Seth Herzog, Pete Holmes, and Mike Birbiglia

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 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),

Pete Holmes (razor-sharp & lightning-fast, and also one of the finest stand-ups in the country;

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 extravaganza Gutbucket),

Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the

key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include

Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;

host of superb weekly NYC live comedy show Friday nights at Rififi;

for an animated VO reel, please click here), and

Julian McCullough (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; Montreal Comedy Festival's New Faces; joining Mike Birbiglia at Central Park's Summerstage in June; and according to Seth, "becoming known for his intelligent insights and 'going places' most comics in a club wouldn't dare take their audience").

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

Carol Hartsell, Brook Van Poppelen, and Sean Crespo

Drink at Work

Weekly show produced by Carol Hartsell and hosted by Sean Crespo

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

Tonight's fine guests include

Patrick Borelli (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend,

ESPN's Cheap Seats, Video Power Hour),

Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Laugh Factory; host of bimonthly NYC live comedy show Slumber Party; for a video sample, please click here),

David Cope (comedic storyteller; for videos of David relating an encounter with a prophet

and reading his romance novel, please click here and here), and

Prescott Tolk (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Web sites for The Humor Network).

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

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

The Song of the Irish Peddler

A celebration of St. Patrick's Day written by BJ Gallagher, with music by Chris Caniglia, and performed by John Flynn, Jacob Brown, Yang Miller and Kirk Damato. The official description:

"In 1963 Irish folk band The Irish Peddlers was formed...in Canada! Join brothers Paddy, Maddy, Laddy, and the boys for a look at their rollicking career from rainbow's beginning to pot o' gold ending. Watch and listen as The Irish Peddlers themselves enchant you with original music and tales spun in traditional Irish yarn. One lucky audience member will win a Potato Surprise!"

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

Factory Factory: Tracers and Ali Bernstein: Big, Bad, and Pink

An innovative sketch troupe and one-woman sketch show for five bucks.

First, Chicago troupe Factory Factory demonstrates a fascinating new improv form called Tracers. The official description: "Two young lovers sneak into the boys locker room for a forbidden kiss. Morris, a retiring janitor, inadvisably tries out for the school play in the theater. The sound of a lot of broken glass rings out from the parking lot. The roar of a yeti is heard coming from the direction of the gym...Tracers allows the audience to see all of those locations over the same time period, and how they affect one another. When you fire a bullet into the next room, where does it go? With Tracers, the mystery is revealed." Factory Factory consists of Jon Bander, Karsten Cross, Luke Franklin, Megan Gray, Leslie Korein, Garrett Palm, and Morgan Phillips.

The double-bill then continues with a one-woman sketch show

written and performed by Ali Bernstein (and directed by Joe Schiappa).

9:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 5/21/08

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

genius stand-up/sketch comic John Oliver (The Daily Show) hosting a recording of his show

for UK radio, with guests Mike Birbiglia, John Mulaney, and Lee Camp, in Political Animal (7:00 pm),

typically stellar stand-up comics, plus hilarious character-based sketch comedy, at comedic chameleon

Brett Gelman's (Cracked Out, Death by Roo Roo, NY Lotto's "Little Bit of Luck") Gelmania (8:30ish pm),

superb stand-ups Rick Shapiro, Dan Mintz, Mike Destefano, and more at Whatever (8:30 pm),

improvised political satire, and an improvised soap opera, in the double-bill

The Spin Room and Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns (9:30 pm),

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

John Mulaney, John Oliver, and Mike Birbiglia

John Oliver's Political Animal

John Oliver is the delightful & hilarious news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;

recently aired a superb hour-long Comedy Central special, Terrifying Times;

and is the co-writer/star of The Department for BBC Radio 4.

Tonight John hosts another BBC radio show, Political Animal, recorded right in front of you,

with these thoroughly wonderful guests:

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),

John Mulaney (one of the most razor-sharp stand-ups around; VH1's Best Week Ever,

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

Lee Camp (Sometimes Funny Hurts DVD; SharkBaby Comedy News Webcast; Spike TV,

 E!, Law and Order: SVU; for stand-up video on political hypocrisy, please click here).

Seats for tonight are sold out; but if you're okay with standing,

you can still get in and enjoy this wonderful show.

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

Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon

This free weekly show features the two PIT improv teams above,

each of which performs for about 30 minutes. For a video sample of Big Black Car,

please click here; and for a video sample of Fancy Dragon, please click here.

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

Brett Gelman

Gelmania

This superb weekly show is hosted by Brett Gelman, a comedic chameleon

who's currently ubiquitous as the Little Bit of Luck guy in New York Lottery ads.

Brett's numerous credits include Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report,

and ace improv troupe Death by Roo Roo. For a recent interview with Brett, please click here; for samples of Brett's mind-blowing work with partner Jon Daly, please click here and here,

and also check out their hip-hop parody album Fleetwood Cracked.

Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're usually gems.

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

Whatever

Monthly NYC Live comedy show hosted by Gary Vider and Phil Murphy, "childhood friends who combine forces to bring you the most laid-back comedy atmosphere. More of a state of mind than a comedy show. For example, when a comedian wants to know what type of material to do, our answer is simply Whatever."

Tonight's fine guests are

Rick Shapiro (fresh, hilarious stand-up; HBO's Lucky Louie, PoCreations Radio,

comedy CD Unconditional Love),

Dan Mintz (HBO's Lucky Louis, Comedy Central Presents, MTV's Human Giant,

upcoming show Important Things; "It's so much easier for kids to jerk off than it used to be.

When I was young, you had to find the Sears catalog, flip to the lingerie section.

Now, with the Internet, I just turn on my computer, get online, and go right to Sears.com.")

Mike Destefano (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing),

Nick Griffin (Comedy Central Presents half-hour Special, Late Show with David Letterman), and

Kurt Metzger (White Boys in the Hood; writer for Chappelle's Show).

8:30 pm at Failte Irish Whiskey Bar, 531 Second Avenue (between 29th and 30th Streets); $5

Hot Lather: As the Diamond Burns and The Spin Room

Two unique improvisation shows for a mere five bucks.

First up is As The Diamond Turns from 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.

The double-bill then continues with The Spin Room, which takes a current political news story chosen by the audience and then improvises scenes about it. The troupe consists of Jeremy Bent, Beth Cartier, Guy Cohen, Timothy Cooper, Eric Hollerbach, Barry Lank, Beth Newell, David Siegel, Matt Stillman, and John Robert Wilson, with direction by Doug Moe.

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

Kurt Braunohler, Pat Shay, and Kimmy Gatewood

The Faculty and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous

Some of the PIT's instructors—who include such talents as Ali Farahnakian,

Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Scott,

Rebekka Johnson, and Kimmy Gatewood—perform improv for around 30 minutes.

And opening for them will be house improv troupes The Baldwins and Sid Viscous.

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

School Night

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

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

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

Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,

that this free show makes possible.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 5/22/08

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

world-class storyteller Kambri Crews, and a small mob of talented comics—including Hayes Hargrove, Anthony DeVito, Rob O'Reilly, and Brooke Van Poppelen—telling funny and sometimes poignant  tales about their relatives at Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (7:30 pm),

Lennon Parham, one of the most appealing & hilarious comedic actresses you'll ever see on stage,

tackling eight wildly different characters, plus sketch/improv duo Nick Kocher & Brian McElhaney,

in Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and BriTANick: Begging for Approval (8:00 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),

brilliant stand-up Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, HBO, Comedy Central), genius

comedic chameleon Larry Murphy (Adult Swim), world-class storyteller Chris Gethard (Weird New York),

and Mike Drucker (Comedy Central) at the hilarious Joe Mande's & Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K (8:30 pm),

super-talented raunchy singer/songwriter Jessica Delfino, and popular comics artist & musician Dame Darcy,

hosting a comedy/music party like no other, with both fine comics and musicians, plus

"hot sailors, sexy mermaid babes, and dancing till the place shuts down:" The Naughty Nautical Night (9:00 pm),

superb stand-ups Michelle Buteau (Comedy Central), Claudia Cogan (Logo), and more

at gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),

Dave Hill demonstrating he's one of the sharpest, freshest, funniest comics around,

with guests John Oliver (genius stand-up and correspondent for The Daily Show) and

music by Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices) at The Dave Hill Explosion (9:30 pm),

and energetic & inventive improv troupes Death by Roo Roo and Load competing for audience

laughs & votes—plus the rare appearance of a dancing Baer—at Cage Match (11:00 pm).

Happy children with "Aunt" Sara Benincasa...

...and Rob O'Reilly, Kambri Crews, and Brooke Van Poppelen

Family Hour with Auntie Sara

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

their family. Hosted by comic/actress Sara Benincasa (MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign;

host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com; for video sample, please click here).

Tonight's fine guests are

Kambri Crews (luminous performer, stellar publicist & producer, and one of the most sharp, charming, and heartfelt comedic storytellers working in NYC; for Kambri's correspondence with her deaf dad, who's in a Texas prison for trying to  stab his wife to death, please visit Web site LoveDaddy.org; for a video of Kambri reading her jailed dad's wedding toast, please click here),

 Hayes Hargrove (This Is Spinal Tap, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Larry Sanders Show,

The Muppets, The Office (UK), The Groundlings, gobeyondthepale.com),

Anthony DeVito (Late Night With Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever, Rescue Me,

one-fifth of NYC live comedy show 500% Italian),

Rob O'Reilly (The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Live At Gotham; took second place out of 64 comics in this year's March Comedy Madness stand-up competition at Carolines;

for stand-up video about why you shouldn't trust Trojans, please click here);

Brooke Van Poppelen (Carolines, Laugh Factory; co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Slumber Party; for a video sample, please click here),

Taylor Williamson (Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Fuel TV's The Daily Habit,

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

Elon James White (stand-up comedy series Hey Mon),

Adam Strauss (for stand-up video about bathroom etiquette, please click here), and

Chelsea White (for video in which Chelsea tells Mike Meyers to "get in my belly," please click here).

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

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

Lennon Parham, and Nick Kocher & Brian McElhaney of BriTANicK

Lennon Parham: She Tried to Be Normal and BriTANick: Begging for Approval

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.

(And if you don't want 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." )

The extravaganza is directed by the brilliant Jason Mantzoukas, who should take a bow 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 New York.

The double-bill then continues with sketch/improv duo BriTANicK, consisting of 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.

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

Dave and Ethan: Double Date Us

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

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

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

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

Totally J/K

Hosted by quick-witted best buds Noah Garfinkel and

Joe Mande, the 2008 ECNY Award winner for Best Emerging Comic.

(For dueling birthday videos, please click here and here; and

 for other videos, please click here and here.)

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests are

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;

check out his newest comedy CD From Heaven),

Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the

key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include

Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;

co-host of the award-winning NYC weekly live comedy extravaganza The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show; for an animated VO reel, please click here),

Chris Gethard (one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, Happy Hour, author of book Weird New York), and

Mike Drucker (winner of Disney's 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition

and performer on Comedy Central's The Watchlist; 23/6.com contributor; for Drucker's explanation of how life is like video games and comic books, please click here; and to learn

why Drucker's girlfriend wouldn't give him a gold star, please click here).

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

The Naughty Nautical Night

Monthly comedy & music show with a nautical theme, described as

"a cabaret/carnival that turns into a dance party...with something

for everyone's fishy side." The hosts are two phenomenally talented sirens:

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

about her vagina, as demonstrated by her acclaimed CD Dirty Folk Rock;

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 Edinburgh Festival this summer; has a cool MySpace page, and

an even cooler blog; to get a feel for Jessica's amazing range and talent, please click here), and

Dame Darcy (acclaimed comic book artist whose graphic novels include The Illustrated Jane Eyre, Frightful Fairytales, Gasoline, and Dame Darcy's Meat Cake Compilation;

also rocks in her band Death By Doll).

Tonight's Fleet Week show features

"Ben Lerman, hot sailors,

Bex Schwartz, Jen Dziuria, Soce,

Diane O'Debra will jolly roger the place up,

house band Anchor Panky rocks the boat,

DJ Kai keeps the tide high,

Magin Schantz, DJ Kai,

and fun surprises and treats for best sea-themed costumes

 (so come all dolled up pirate / sailor / sea-theme style).

It's like a children's show on acid, and not that junky acid that hurts your back,

the real good shit that is so fresh and clean and when you wake up the next morning,

it's like it was all a dream."

Wow.

Plus "midnight dancing till the place shuts down."

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

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

The Back Room

Gay-themed comedy (with both gay and straight comics), hosted by the charming Jenny Rubin.

Tonight's fine guests are

Michelle Buteau (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend),

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

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

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

Mike Singer (here! tv.com, Veteran of the Mic),

Jason Scarlotti (Last Comic Standing),

Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV),

Back Room co-producer Shawn Hollenbach (here! tv.com), and

Back Room co-producer Dave Rubin (here! tv.com).

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

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

John Oliver and Dave Hill

The Dave Hill Explosion

Dave Hill has written for The New York Times, Salon, HBO, and the eerie Web site Black Metal Dialogues. Dave has also written and performed for VH1, Spike TV, The Learning Channel, and the fabulous Smoking Gun TV series. Dave says, "Sometimes I miss being able to walk into the free clinic and stuff without being harassed by people who watch television really late at night, but for the most part I gotta say this 'fame thing' suits me well. Really, really well."

Indeed it does; Dave is an enormously witty, razor-sharp comic.

Dave's wonderful guests tonight include

John Oliver (genius who's one of the very finest—and nicest—stand-up comics in the biz;

delightful & hilarious news correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

co-writer/star of The Department for BBC Radio 4; recently aired

his superb hour-long Comedy Central special, Terrifying Times), and

Doug Gillard (guitarist and solo artist who's played in such bands as

Guided by Voices, Death of Samantha, Cobra Verde, and Gem).

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

vs.

Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. Load

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.)

two of the finest improv troupes in the country, The Stepfathers and Mother.

The current reining champ at Cage Match is arguably the gutsiest improv group in NYC, Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn. Having trounced its first two opponents—winning audience votes of 82-24 and 101-19—the troupe has proven itself a formidable defender of the UCBW improv throne.

Tonight's challenger is Load, consisting of Greg Aponte, Kristen Aldrich, Maura Kane, Jacob Knoll, Trey Kollmer, and Ben Rameka.

The odds seem to heavily favor the champion, but there's really no telling what'll happen...

which is one of the great pleasures of this extravaganza.

Plus if the rumors that UCBW referee Pat Baer is dancing on stage tonight

prove true, that will in itself be worth the price of admission.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 5/23/08

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

superb stand-ups Leo Allen (SNL, Comedy Central) and Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show),

world-class sketch troupe Olde English, and much more at the two-year anniversay

of Blaine Perry's and Pat Stango's Don't Touch Me There (7:00 pm),

one of the funniest stand-up comics in the country, Mike Birbiglia (David Letterman,

Conan O'Brien, three Comedy Central specials), performing a deliciously long set

of fresh material in a UCBT showcase: 60 Minutes of New Comedy (8:00),

the return to The PIT stage of an acclaimed improv troupe—Centralia: Au Bon Panic! (8:00 pm),

typically stellar stand-up comics at one of the funniest productions in NYC—and winner of

the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Variety Show—The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show (8:30 pm),

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

joyously vibrant comedy from wonderful sketch troupe The Apple Sisters, superb stand-up

Joselyn Hughes, improv troupe Kape, and Mamrie Hart at Desiree Nash's All You Can Laff Buffet (9:30 pm),

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

one of my all-time favorite improv troupes, the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (11:00 pm),

and terrific stand-ups, including Carolyn Castiglia, Kumail Nanjiani, Dan Allen, Bernadette Pauley, and

Jenny Rubin, talking about their impoverished and/or diffficult childhoods at Meat and Potatoes (11:00 pm).

Don't Touch Me There

The poster above pretty much says it all.

Blaine Perry and Pat Stango are celebrating the two-year anniversary of their comedy show Don't Touch Me There with a superb lineup, including stand-ups Leo Allen, Roger Hailes, Dan Allen, Sean Crespo, and Eliza Faria-Santos, and stellar sketch troupe & makers of hilarious short films Olde English.

Pat Stango is showcased in the current Time Out New York, which selected one of his bits as the Joke of the Week: "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; so why not join tonight's gala?

7:00 pm at Pianos, 158 Ludlow Street at Stanton; tickets are $5

Mike Birbiglia: 60 Minutes of New Comedy

Mike Birbiglia is flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country.

He's not loud or rude—just smart, relaxed, honest, and very funny. (Sample line:

"If the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup, I'm not sure I want to wake up.")

This razor-sharp comic recently performed an hour-long Comedy Central special

titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing. Mike's also performed two

Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; appeared multiple times on

Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;

and has released the comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live.

The latter was chosen by Time Out New York as the Comedy Album of the Year.

Tonight, as his show's on-the-nose title states, Mike will be performing

an entire hour of fresh material...which, if you already know Mike's work, is thrilling.

For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;

and then come let Mike make you laugh helplessly with this solo show.

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

Centralia: Au Bon Panic!

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 is known as one of the boldest, most inventive, ground-breaking improvisation groups to ever hit a New York stage. See the performers the Daily News called 'the purest form of theatre,' the Chicago Sun said is 'advancing the art of improvisation,' and the Village Voice said watching is 'like having a front row seat at a stranger's dream.' Au Bon Panic is Centralia's trademark surreal, satirical, hysterical spontaneous theater."

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

The Greg Johnson & Larry Murphy Show

This is one of the best comedy shows in New York.

Hosted by Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic)

and Larry Murphy (brilliant voiceover actor who performs all the

key characters on Adult Swim's Assy McGee; other TV series include

Home Movies, O'Grady, Cheapseats, Computer Lab, Puppets N Such;

for an animated VO reel, please click here).

The lineup is typically announced on the day of the show

—and is almost always stellar.

To check for news on tonight's show, please click here.

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

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

The Stepfathers

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

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

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

With art and grace, these star talents will make you laugh—a lot.

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

The Apple Sisters (Sarah Lowe, Rebekka Johnson, & Kimmy Gatewood), and Joselyn Hughes

Desiree's All You Can Laff Buffet

This monthly variety show hosted by Desiree Nash (member of improv groups Frank

and Trainwreck) provides a mix of stand-up, sketch, improv, and music.

Tonight's superb guests are

The Apple Sisters (the delicious Kimmy Gatewood, Rebekka Johnson, and Sarah Lowe, with Tom Thomsen on keyboard, who have sung, danced, and naughtily joked their ways into New York City's heart; their yoyous homage to 1940s girl groups like The Andrew Sisters won them numerous sold-out shows...and the 2008 ECNY Award for Best Musical Comedy Act),

Joselyn Hughes (co-host of biweekly NYC live comedy show Slumber Party; for video questioning the effectiveness of rape whistles, please click here),

KAPE (all-female improv troupe consisting of Kelly Hudson, Amber Nelson, Emily Strachan, and Jill Morris), and

Mamrie Hart (member of new PIT sketch troupe Finger).

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

The Made-Up Musical

Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied

by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as

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

 Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray

—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—

turn an interview with an audience member

into a musical they make up on the spot.

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

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, Jackie Clarke, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, and Curtis Gwinn—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story

via improvised scenes. Sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.

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

Meat and Potatoes

This fine new show allows "big city" comedians to tell tales about their struggles growing up poor, lower-middle class, or in some other way challenged. It's hosted by the wonderful Carolyn Castiglia (VH1, MTV2, Sirius Satellite Radio, The Huffington Post, host of NYC live comedy show Chicks and Giggles) and Shawn Hollenbach (here! TV's Busted, co-producer of weekly NYC live comedy show The Back Room).

Tonight's fine guests are

Kumail Nanjiani (rising stand-up comedy star; Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight; recently premiered terrific one-man show about his experiences with Islam—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 Allen (Comedy Central's Premium Blend; FlockofMullets.com; host of monthly NYC live comedy show ¡Sacapuntas!),

Bernadette Pauley (Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, FOX's Red Eye; for Bernadette's views on boobs and jobs, please click here),

Jenny Rubin (WE's Cinematherapy, here! TV's Hot Gay Comics, host of weekly NYC live comedy show The Back Room), and

Kyle Supley (series of autobiographical videos).

11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $8

Liquid Courage

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

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

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

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/24/08

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

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),

Second City veterans, Magnet instructors, UCBT stars, and occasional celebs

at the Magnet's signature improv show, The Tiny Spectacular (7:30 pm),

top comics Chelsea Peretti, Patrick Borelli, Rob Gorden, Jake Goldman, and Matt Sears

join a champion storyteller at his new show Adam Wade from NH (8:00ish pm),

improv comedy mixed with audience-supplied music at the rockin' Mother: The Soundtrack (9:00 pm),

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

improvised TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

fun sketch troupe The Stuff and comic Rob Gorden joining Slightly Known People in Random Hookups (10:30 pm),

organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track! (10:30 pm),

and stellar stand-ups Pete Holmes (VH1, Comedy Central), Dan Mintz (HBO, MTV, Comedy Central Presents),

and Kumail Nanjiani (Comedy Central, Unpronounceable), plus ace improv/sketch comic Ben Schwartz,

performing all-new material on a show hosted by world-class sketch troupe Olde English: Very Fresh (Midnight).

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

Let's Have a Ball

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

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

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

The Tiny Spectacular

Magnet instructors & Second City veterans such as Rachel Hamilton, Ed Herbstman, Abby Sher, and Miriam Tolan, plus stars of Mother: The Soundtrack (see below) Jason Mantzoukas, Tara Copeland, James Eason, Christine Walters, plus occasional special guests (such as superstar Mike Meyers), turn a tiny suggestion into larger-than-life improvised scenes.

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

Adam Wade, Claudia Cogan, and Chelsea Peretti

The Adam Wade From NH Show

This new show is hosted by world-class storyteller Adam Wade (Moth 2006 GrandSlam Storytelling Champion and record-breaking 8-time StorySlam Champion; fiction story in The New York Times Magazine; columnist for ReallySmallTalk.com; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here).

Tonight's superb guests are

Chelsea Peretti (exceptionally fresh, smart stand-up comic; member of superb

comedy troupe Variety Shac; writer for Village Voice, Details, Playgirl, Jest,

blackpeopleloveus.com, and Rejection Line: 212/479-7990),

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

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

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

Rob Gorden (former co-host of Spike TV's Geek-Ray Vision and NYC's The Rob and Mark Show; for flat-rate phone sex service ad, please click here),

plus regulars Jake Goldman and Matt Sears.

8:00ish pm at Rififi, 332 East 11th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues); tickets are $5

Mother: The Soundtrack

Jason Mantzoukas leads a vibrant team of improv comics—Scot Armstrong, Tara Copeland, Jon Daly, James Eason, Jesse Falcon, Doug Moe, and Christine Walters—who make up scenes based on CD tracks contributed by the audience. One of UCBT's most beloved shows.

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