NYC Comedy Picks for Week of May 25, 2009

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 5/25/09

Jason Sudeikis (Gravid Water) and Gabe & Jenny (Whiplash)

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] luminous Broadway, TV, and sketch actors Jeremy Bobb, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Jonathan Kaplan, Ptolemy Slocum, and Shelly Stover mixing it up with some of the best  improvisors in the world—Scott Adsit, Tara Copeland, Michael Delaney, Thomas Middleditch, and Tami Sagher...and tonight, also Saturday Night Live star Jason Sudeikis—as they crash improv into classic theatre scenes at Gravid Water (8:00 pm),

a comedic play about what goes in an adolescent female mind, and young performers putting on a sketch comedy show, in Fantasies of a 12-Year-Old Girl and People's Sketch Association (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] and a free weekly show featuring some of the best stand-up comics in the country—who tonight include Pete Holmes (lightning-quick, organic stand-up; VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central, The New Yorker; co-host of Punch Up Your Life), Gabe & Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo, co-hosts of Big Terrific), Rob Delaney (popular LA comic visiting NYC), and Dan Naturman (Last Comic Standing, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm).

Ptolemy Slocum and Jason Sudeikis...

...and Scott Adsit, Michael Delaney, and Tara Copeland

Gravid Water

Classic theatre scenes performed by professional actors who stay on book—

and an improv comic who hasn't read the play and has to make up lines on the fly.

Starring these world-class improvisers (in alphabetical order):

Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel, half of stellar UCBT improv duo Adsit & Gausas),

Tara Copeland (always-inventive star at both UCBT and The Magnet; currently co-starring in new improv troupes Sleepover and The Scam; previous improv shows have included Mother, The Tiny Spectacular, Ms. Jackson, and The Made-Up Musical),

Michael Delaney (genius improvisor, actor, and improv instructor; Late Night with Conan O'Brien; Will Ferrell Broadway Bush comedy You're Welcome America; member of UCBT star troupe The Stepfathers and legendary troupe The Swarm),

Thomas Middleditch (quick-witted organic talent and rising star who honed his improv skills at Second City and iO Chicago, and is a member of superstar improv troupes Improvised Shakespeare and Baby Wants Candy; one-man show Littlebitch; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!),

Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006), and

Jason Sudeikis (cast member of Saturday Night Live..

And also starring some of NYC's top theatre actors:

Jeremy Bobb (Translations, Is He Dead?, Finian's Rainbow),

Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Tony nominee for Avenue Q)

Jonathan Kaplan (Tony nominee for Falsettos),

Ptolemy Slocum (HBO's The Wire; improv troupe Neutrino), and

Shelly Stover (half of sketch comedy duo We Kate Shelly).

Gravid Water is directed and hosted by Stephen Ruddy,

and is one of the finest comedy productions in New York.

If you want to introduce an actor friend to the world of improv, start with this show.

With SNL's Jason Sudeikis, 30 Rock's Scott Adsit, HBO's Ptolemy Slocum, Tony Award nominees, and some of the best improvisors on the planet, this show quickly sold out of seats. But if you're okay with standing, come and laugh with a boisterious packed house.

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

Fantasies of a 12-Year-Old Girl and People's Sketch Association

Two comedy shows for a mere five bucks.

First up is the debut of Fantasies of a 12-Year-Old Girl, which cautions to would-be audience perverts involves the fantasies of a young girl, not about a young girl. (In other words, expect unicorns...) The show is written by Allison Bennett; performed by Ari Scott, D’Arcy Erogan, and Nate Shelkey; and directed by Caitlin Tegart. This will probably be fun.

The double-bill then continues with the People's Sketch Association, consisting of a small mob of young writer/performers doing sketch comedy: Todd Briscoe, Dave Grilli, Marc Levasseur, Vella Lovell, Brad Mielke, Kim Rosen, Ariana Seigel, Emma Tattenbaum-Fine, and Alex Teachey.

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

Leo Allen and Pete Holmes...

....and Gate & Jenny, and Rob Delaney

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

Leo Allen is one of the most sharp, honest, and likeable stand-ups working in NYC. Leo was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 2002 through 2005. He's also performed two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; done stand-up on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.; acted on Ed and Sex and the City; and is in an upcoming HBO miniseries. Plus Leo's the host of this show—for which he crafts inventive, hilarious material week after week, and always generously demonstrates his warm appreciation of his fellow comedians. For all these reasons and more, Whiplash is one of the finest showcases of top comedy talent in the country...and it's entirely free.

Tonight's wonderful guests are

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;

co-host of smash hit new Tuesday night comedy show Punch Up Your Life;

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

Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe & Jenny, who co-host popular weekly Brooklyn live comedy show Big Terrific; for hilarious Jenny video, please click here),

Rob Delaney (popular LA comic visiting NYC; for Rob's PR effort on behalf of Christian Bale, please click here), and

Dan Naturman (Last Comic Standing, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; for a stand-up video about commitment and the Internet, please click here).

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 5/26/09

Ted Alexandro (Sweet), C, C + C Improv Factory (Harold Night), and Jim Gaffigan (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),

[TOP PICK] witty writers offering delightfully silly lectures about riding the NYC subway in the Brooklyn comedic show Adult Education (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] comedian Ben Kissel (The Brain and the Beast podcast) joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Badman, Bastian, The Law Firm, Penthouse Riot, and Robber Baron—followed by two of the best improv troupes in the country, C, C + C Improv Factory and Hot Sauce, all at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Jim Gaffigan (superstar who has virtually every comedy credit worth having), Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials; Conan O'Brien; award-winning stellar host of NYC weekly comedy show Whiplash), Chris Gethard (brilliant storyteller and improvisor; author of book Weird New York) and more performing at this free show hosted by brilliant stand-ups Jessi Klein (Comedy Central, VH1, NBC, CNN, Adult Swim) and Pete Holmes (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The New Yorker): Punch Up Your Life (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] Ted Alexandro (one of the best stand-ups around; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials), Rob Delaney (popular LA comic visiting NYC), Dan Curry (Comedy Central; author of book Drunk on a Bike) and a special "Super High" guest at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm),

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

Broadway Motel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to motelme@gmail.com.

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

$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum

Adult Education: Urban Travel

This monthly comedy show hosted by Charles Star tackles a subject with humorous "lectures." Tonight's topic is the NYC subway system.

The lectures are

Building a Better Subway Map: Can the NYC subway map be improved? Designer Eddie Jabbour thinks so.

Take the A Train: Author Suzanne Reisman provides a guide to hidden treasures along the A train's route.

The Passive-Aggressive Turd From the Suburbs: How Matt Munro learned about the true nature of his soul after building what he thought was a silly website: www.peoplewhositinthedisabilityseatswhenimstandingonmycrutches.com.

Underground Life Drawing: On the subway, you might see people reading, sleeping, listening to music, or just generally zoned out. Cully Long sees models for his sketches.

This promises to be smart, witty, and enormous fun.

Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue

in Park Slope, Brooklyn; tickets are $5

Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take

the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;

or take the  2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's comedy guest is Ben Kissel (blog Give Me a Little Kissel; podcast The Brain and the Beast).

To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—

that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.

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

Also be sure to watch a tale about Wolverine's powers from sketch duo Greg & Lou by clicking here; and a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.

And if by some fluke you don't already know: See Star Trek, which is wonderful; avoid X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which is nightmarishly dreadful; and catch a Green Lantern sneak peak by clicking here.

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

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

Badman, Bastian, The Law Firm, Penthouse Riot, and Robber Baron—

each give it a go for 30 minutes, with

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

And at 11:00 pm, there'll be 30-minute performances from each of two of the finest improv troupes in the country:

C, C + C Improv Factory—consisting of Chuck Dauble (Chuck D. & Jawnee Show), Charlie Sanders (Conan O'Brien, Reuben Williams), and Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Reuben Williams)—which was the 2008 Champion of Cage Match, beating out some of the most spectacularly skilled improvisors working today, and

Hot Sauce: Gil Ozeri, Adam Pally and Ben Schwartz. who are the 2006 Cage Match champions. and are stars for both improv and sketch comedy (for some video samples of their work, please click here and here).

Some of the groups before 11:00 pm are great; some are less so. And the

first three hours are 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.

Tonight's show is sold out of seats; but if you're okay with standing,
come and laugh with a boisterous packed house.

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

Leo Allen, Jim Gaffigan, and Chris Gethard...

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

Punch Up Your Life

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

Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star—and now also proving to be, along with Pete, among the finest comedy hosts in NYC; Rolling Stones' comedy "Hot List;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade; voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil; for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here) and

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

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

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

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

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include

Jim Gaffigan (comedy superstar who delights in observational humor about food (his Hot Pockets routine is a classic) and mundane things we take for granted ("I like escalators because they can never break, only become stairs"). As accessible as any mainstream performer alive, while simultaneously a sharp deconstructionist who can work any alternative comedy room with ease, his appeal is deep and universal; Jim's appeared over a dozen times on Late Show With David Letterman, over two dozen times on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (for which he created the animated series Pale Force), performed his own Comedy Central Presents special, and created a Beyond the Pale comedy album that's been certified Platinum (the CD and DVD versions have each sold over 150,000 copies)),

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

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

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

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

Ted Alexandro...

...and Seth Herzog and Rob Delaney

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

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"),

Rob Delaney (popular LA comic visiting NYC; for Rob's PR effort on behalf of Christian Bale, please click here),

Dan Curry (Comedy Central's Open Mike Fight; author of book Drunk on a Bike;

for a stand-up video about Christians, please click here),

and a special "Super High" guest.

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 sharp NYC stand-up comics

Giulia Rozzi, Elizabeth Simons, and Lisa Kaplan.

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 5/27/09

Todd Barry (ComedyJuice), Dave Martin (The Nights of Our Lives), and Ted Alexandro (ComedyJuice)

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] an hour-long play made up on the spot by razor-sharp, passionate improvisors Scott Adsit (30 Rock, Moral Orel) and Christina Gausas (Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report) at Adsit & Gausas (7:00 pm),

sharp NYC stand-ups Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo Network, here! TV, Sirius OutQ), Jamie Lee (VH1.com's Best Night Ever, producer of Diamonds in the Fluff), Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN, host of Too Cool for School), David Angelo (David Angelo Radio Show), and Todd Montesi (Howard Stern Show), plus music provided by Joe Yoga during the Intermission (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] brilliant comedic singer/songwriter/actor Micah Bucey performing a tour de force series of parodies in the form of mini-musicals for his intimate and joyful monthly show The Gay Agenda (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] superb stand-ups Leo Allen (writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005; two Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour specials; Conan O'Brien; upcoming HBO mini-series; award-winning stellar host of NYC weekly comedy show Whiplash), Patrick Borelli (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, ESPN, Adult Swim, co-author of book Holy Headshot!), Greg Johnson (co-host of The Comedians), and Jesse Popp (Comedy Central, co-host of Beauty Bar Comedy) at a free weekly Brooklyn extravaganza hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and Max Silvestri: Big Terrific (8:00ish pm),

[TOP PICK] Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; staff writer of upcoming Comedy Central series Michael and Michael Have Issues; Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, co-host of Game Bros. Live!), Dominic Dierkes (member of star comedy troupe Derrick), and Michelle Collins (VH1, MTV U, The Al Franken Show) joining hilarious hosts Joe Mande & Noah Garfinkel at Totally J/K (8:00 pm),

[FREE] Jena Friedman (host of Entertaining the Bartender), Charles Star (host of Adult Education), John Knefel (writer for the The Huffington Post), and David Angelo (David Angelo Radio Show) at a free weekly comedy show hosted by Matt Maragno & the luminous Margie Kment: Now We're Talking (8:00 pm),

[FREE] NYC stand-ups, musical comics, and sketch performers Nick Zimmerman, soce the elemental wizard, Brian Longwell, Evan Morgenstern, Fariaz, and Phat Man Dee & Tommy Amoeba at a free show hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell: Shrink (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] some of the most razor-sharp and uproariously funny storytellers in the country—tonight including Anthony Atamanuik, Chris Gethard, John Flynn, and Jonathan Gabrus—telling memorable tales about "Bullies" at one of the finest shows in NYC, Dave Martin's The Nights of Our Lives (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] two of the finest stand-up comedy stars in the country—Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Adult Swim, The Wrestler) and Ted Alexandro (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials)—plus sharp comics Jay Larson, Ben Morrison, Jamie Kaler, and "a surprise guest" at a stand-up series that's been immensely popular in LA and is now making an NYC home at the elegant Comix Comedy Club: ComedyJuice (10:00 pm),

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

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

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

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

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

Christina Gausas and Scott Adsit

Adsit & Gausas: Improvised One-Hour Play

A dynamo improv duo creates a one-act play on the spot "that can be hilarious and physical and heart-breaking and still—come and see for yourself."

The superb performers are

Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-director & cast member of Adult Swim's brilliant & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) and

Christina Gausas (sharp, passionate, standout improvisor/actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Colbert Report, The Al Franken Show, Let's Have a Ball, Dorff & Gausas).

Where else are you going to see a razor-sharp play for just five bucks?

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

Claudia Cogan and Jamie Lee

Intermission

This monthly show mixes stand-up with two intermissions for performances by its musical guest. It therefore claims to be "like SNL, but with stand-up instead of sketch." It's hosted by

Mo Diggs (contributing writer to TheApiary.com and Dead-Frog.com) and

Matt Nagin (Gotham, Standup New York, Comic Strip).

Tonight's fine comics are

Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo Network, here! TV, Sirius OutQ; for stand-up video about Claudia's aspirations to be a stripper, please click here; for video about her being unemployed, please click here),

Jamie Lee (VH1.com's Best Night Ever; producer of monthly NYC live comedy show for shelter animals Diamonds in the Fluff; Archers of Ha, Collegehumor.com; writer for Life & Style Magazine's "Fashion Slip-ups").

Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN, co-host of Brooklyn weekly live comedy show Too Cool for School; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).

David Angelo (David Angelo Radio Show), and

Todd Montesi (Howard Stern Show),

plus musical guest Joe Yoga.

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)

Brilliant singer/songwriter/actor Micah Bucey

Micah Bucey in The Gay Agenda

Micah Bucey is a brilliant & award-winning actor, singer, and writer who possesses the charisma of a young rock god, managing to convey sweetness, vulnerability, and menace all at the same time.

Micah also has a terrific feel for wording and timing, a powerful and expressive singing voice, and never-ending energy.

All that is evident in Micah's monthly show The Gay Agenda (performed with his composer & pianist partner Nicholas), in which Micah belts out an astonishing number of original comedic parodies back to back in the form of mini-musicals. (Most of which actually have nothing to do with being gay...)

If you've never seen Micah perform, stop depriving yourself and buy tickets to this zero-budget, super-intimate, magical show.

Please Note: Tickets are normally $15, but you can purchase them for just $10 (plus a $2 service charge) by buying in advance online and using discount code TGAFriend. This is highly recommended because the show regularly (and deservedly) sells out.

8:00 pm at The Players Loft (directly to the right of The Players Theatre), 115 MacDougal Street (between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets); $10 online using discount code TGAFriend

Leo Allen and Patrick Borelli...

...and co-hosts Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate

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

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

Tonight's superb comics are

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

Patrick Borelli (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, ESPN's Cheap Seats, writer for Adult Swim's Assy McGee, SuperDeluxe's Thunderpoint, Video Power Hour, co-author of new book Holy Headshot!),

Greg Johnson (sharp, quick-witted stand-up comic who co-hosts the weekly NYC live comedy show The Comedians), and

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

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

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; for their

recent appearance on The McLaughlin Group, please click here;

and for other videos, please click here and here.)

Tonight's superb guests are

Kumail Nanjiani (red-hot rising stand-up star; staff writer of upcoming Michael Black & Michael Showalter Comedy Central series Michael and Michael Have Issues; appeared on Saturday Night Live, and repeatedly on The Colbert Report; Comedy Central's The Hot List and Open Mic Fight; co-host of monthly NYC live comedy show Game Bros. Live!; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for both Best Male Stand-Up and Best One-Person Show (Unpronounceable; for my review, please click here); to get a feel for Kumail's style, please check out his very funny stand-up about the dark side of video games, odd memories, and the many ways cell phones are eliminated in horror films by clicking here),

Dominic Dierkes (one-man show Adventure River; one of the three quick-witted and razor-sharp members of star improv/sketch troupe Derrick. which is a star both on stage at UCBT and on the Web via their wildly popular YouTube videos—for samples, please click here and here and here and here; other notable Derrick accomplishments include wining the 2009 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Comedy Troupe; and co-writing and co-starring in an indie feature comedy film that premiered at Sundance and was recently purchased for distribution—to view the trailer of Mystery Team, please click here), and

Michelle Collins (VH1's Best Week Ever and All Access, MTV U, The Al Franken Show, YouCantMakeItUp.org; for a memorable chat about the power of penises over vaginas, please click here).

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

Charles Star, Margie Kment, and Jena Friedman

Now We're Talking

This fun new weekly stand-up comedy show is hosted by luminous, enormously likeable, and razor-sharp Margie Kment (also host of the monthly comedy/theatre networking extravaganza Hold for the Laughs), and character-based comic Matt Maragno.

Tonight's terrific guests are

Jena Friedman (razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Entertaining the Bartender; playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here; for stand-up video on Sarah Palin's choice of child names, please click here),

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

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

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

David Angelo (David Angelo Radio Show).

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

Shrink

This free weekly show tonight features NYC stand-ups, musical comics, and sketch performers Nick Zimmerman, soce the elemental wizard, Brian Longwell, Evan Morgenstern, Fariaz, and Phat Man Dee & Tommy Amoeba.

Hosted by Sharon "Mama" Spell.

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

The Nights of Our Lives: Bullies

This is one of the best shows in New York.

The format is simple: A bunch of razor-sharp writer/performers tell stories

about themselves revolving around the evening's theme—which tonight

is "Bullies."

The only rules of the show are that the tales must be true, and must be funny.

The brutal honesty, and jarring bravery, of some the participants can be hair-raising.

What they offer aren't merely jokes, but resonant, humane perspectives on life.

At the same time, there are very few shows, on or off Broadway,

that will make you laugh as consistently and as loud.

Enormous kudos go to host David Martin; and to brilliant storytellers

Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn, Chris Gethard, Curtis Gwinn, Anthony King,

Margot Leitman, Adam Pally, and the other comedy soldiers who've bared

some of their darkest and funniest secrets on the Nights of Our Lives stage.

To hear complete audio versions of previous shows, please visit BreakThruRadio.com and then click the Nights of Our Lives showdate that interests you.

This evening's yarn-spinners are stellar regulars Anthony Atamanuik, Chris Gethard, John Flynn, and Dave Martin, plus Jonathan Gabrus (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, VH1's Best Week Ever, writer and star of Spike TV sitcom The Void and and co-producer of Spike's Mocap LLC; IFC.com's Lunchbox; half of sketch comedy duo Tybrus).

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

Ted Alexandro and Todd Barry

ComedyJuice: Todd Barry, Ted Alexandro, and More

ComedyJuice is a popular & long-running comedy series in LA that's now also making a home for itself in NYC at the elegant Comix Comedy Club.

Tonight's wonderful lineup includes two stand-up superstars:

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

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

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

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

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

acted in the acclaimed Darren Aronofsky hit film The Wrestler and new film Pete Smalls is Dead; check out Todd's newest comedy CD From Heaven),

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").

Other scheduled comics are Jay Larson, Ben Morrison, Jamie Kaler...and "a surprise guest."

Expect to laugh...a lot.

Please Note: You can get $10 off the $20 cover (i.e., pay just $10 per ticket) by ordering online or calling (212) 524-2500 using discount code LAFF. There's also a two-item food or drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

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

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

tickets are $10 online using discount code LAFF, plus two-item food or drink minimum

Justin Purnell

School Night

Host Justin Purnell (The Colbert Report) provides a mix of guests who perform stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly—but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun.

Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises,

that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a show makes possible.

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 5/28/09

Super-storyteller Charlie Sanders (Minnesota Muslim) and Doug Benson (Headlining at Carolines)

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:

a simulated book club discussion of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons—mixed with improvised scenes and audience participation!—at The Bibliophiles Appreciation Consortium (7:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious autobiographical shows you'll ever see, plus a summer musical comedy written and co-starring Leslie Korein & Marcy Jarreau, in the double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Girl Camp (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] one of the sharpest stand-up comics in the world—who became a star on NBC's Last Comic Standing, and in 2007 released his version of consumer reporting via a pothead documentary titled Super High Me—headlining at Carolines through Sunday: Doug Benson (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] brilliant improvisors Tara Copeland and James Eason leading a semi-revival of legendary troupe Mother in this new Magnet show: Sleepover (8:00 pm),

[$] absurdist cult fave sketch comedy troupe Spurn (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] Adira Amram (brilliantly funny, sexy, rising star writer/singer), Timmy Williams (member of star sketch troupe & IFC TV show Whitest Kids U' Know), Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, co-host of Street Meat), Robin Gelfenbein (funny, charming singer/songwriter; former writer for Rosie O'Donnell), Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo Network, here! TV, Sirius OutQ), and Sue Funke (VH1, Funny.com) performing at a weekly variety show in the East Village hosted by sharp dark comedy stand-up Jena Friedman: Entertaining the Bartender (8:30ish pm),

[$] Jessica Chaffin & Jamie Denbo playing book authors offering sage advice to Jewish singles—with tonight's interview guest Wayne Federman (head monologue writer for Jimmy Fallon)— at Ronna & Beverly's All Jew Revue (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] stellar comics God's Pottery, Baron Vaughn, Thomas Middleditch, and more at a show where a very popular comedy site's talents come out from behind the Net: CollegeHumor.com, Live on Stage (9:30 pm),

[$] a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, tonight headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (10:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] and two vibrant improv troupes, Death by Roo Roo and Robber Baron, in a battle to win audience laughs & votes at the raucous Cage Match (11:00 pm).

The Bibliophiles Appreciation Consortium

The official description:

"The Bibliophiles Appreciation Consortium is not your typical book club. Meghan Brown, Amy Dixon, Kate Grace, Marc Maietta, Megan McCoy, Taylor Chap'lin Orci, and special improv guests will all arrive having read a pre-selected bestselling book. The Bibiliophiles will conduct a traditional book club discussion—only it'll periodically inspire a montage of improvised scenes. Then the discussion will open up to the audience for an all-out meeting of bookish minds in appreciation (or disdain) for the featured selection."

This month's book: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.

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

Ace storyteller Charlie Sanders, and musical comedy Girl Camp

Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Leslie Korein & Marcy Jarreau: Girl Camp

A phenomenal storytelling event, and a one-act musical comedy, all for a mere five bucks.

Charlie Sanders is an extraordinarily dynamic and committed comic who's performed numerous sketch comedy routines on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and is a star member of world-class improv troupes Reuben Williams, Buffoons, and C, C + C Improv Factory (which won the 2008 Cage Match Improv Championship). Tonight, however, Charlie shows another side of his vast talents by telling jaw-dropping—and entirely true—tales of his experiences growing up white in midwestern suburbia...as a Muslim.

This is one of the most hilarious and brilliantly performed one-man shows you'll ever see—with definite theatrical potential—and has my highest recommendation. Don't miss rising star Charlie Sanders demonstrate what he can do when running on all gears.

The fun then continues with a musical comedy written and co-starring Leslie Korein & Marcy Jarreau titled Girl Camp. The official description:

"Remember the pillow fights, the creepy cook, and Frank, the sexually ambiguous camp owner? Come relive it all at Camp Chickasoota, boy-free since 2008! Whether you’re on the ropes course, in the communal showers, or realizing you’re gay, Girl Camp is the Sapphic musical that will warm both your heart and loins."

Also starring Chris Tuttle, Emily Askin, Meghan O'Neill, Sam Reiff-Pasarew, and Elana Fishbein. Directed by the fabulous John Flynn (Showgirls: The Best Movie Ever Made. Ever!, The Nights of Our Lives). Musical Direction by Lavell Blackwell.

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

Doug Benson

Doug Benson: Headlining at Carolines

Doug Benson is one the sharpest stand-ups in the world.

Among Doug's many credits are his stints on NBC's Last Comic Standing (he came in sixth) and NBC's Friends; his Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mr. Show, and VH1's Best Week Ever; his hit UCBT show The Benson Interruption; his creating, writing, and starring in the off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues (which subsequently spawned an album and a book); and his documentary Super High Me (a riff on Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, but forgoing burgers for weed).

This New York comedy club show has a $26.75 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Doug is headlining at Carolines tonight through Sunday.)

If you want to save some dough, I recommend seeing Doug tonight. Ticket prices are higher for his weekend performances; and besides, why wait? Come and have a great time with one of the funniest stand-ups in the biz.

8:00 pm at Carolines, 1626  Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);

$26.75 ticket plus two-drink minimum

James Eason and Tara Copeland

Sleepover (Mother, Take 2)

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

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

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

According to the Spurn Web site, this sketch group has "amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts." For examples of the troupe's work, please click here and here.

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $12

Adam Newman, Adira Amram, and Timmy Williams

Entertaining the Bartender with Jena Friedman

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

Tonight's superb guests are

Adira Amram (brilliantly funny and sexy writer/singer; Jane Magazine Editor's Choice;

co-star of Get Psyched!, one-woman show Adira Amram is an American Idol at Ars Nova; upcoming second album Hot Jams 4 Teens; for sample songs & videos, please click here),

Timmy Williams (member of star comedy group Whitest Kids U' Know, which currently has a TV show on the Independent Film Channel; writes a sharp comic book blog),

Adam Newman (CMT's Prankville'd, VH1's Best Week Ever blog, co-host of

monthly NYC live comedy show Street Meat; host of weekly NYC live open mic comedy show

Blowtorch Slaughter; half of musical comedy duo Uber Luber Death Metal).

Robin Gelfenbein (funny, charming singer/songwriter; former writer for Rosie O'Donnell; sketch troupe Freedumb; hit FringeNYC 2008 one-woman show My Salvation Has a First Name),

Claudia Cogan (MTV, Logo Network, here! TV, Sirius OutQ; for stand-up video about Claudia's aspirations to be a stripper, please click here; for video about her being unemployed, please click here), and

Sue Funke (VH1, Funny.com; for a stand-up video, please click here).

8:30 pm at The Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A (between 6th & 7th Streets); tickers are $5

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

Jessica Chaffin and Jamie Denbo

Comedy Below Canal: Ronna & Beverly's All Jew Revue

Jessica Chaffin & Jamie Denbo play Ronna Glickman & Beverly Kahn, the bestselling authors of You'll Do a Little Better Next Time: A Guide to Marriage and Remarriage for Jewish Singles. To get a feel for the gals' act, please visit ronnaandbeverly.com.

Tonight's guests include Wayne Federman, the head monologue writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

For more info and/or to order tickets, please click here.

9:00 pm at 92YTribeca Mainstage, 200 Hudson Street (intersection of Canal & Hudson Streets); $15

Take the 1/6/E subway to Canal Street stop

CollegeHumor.com, Live on Stage

The folks behind highly popular Web site CollegeHumor.com get on stage tonight, along with top-notch comics God's Pottery, Baron Vaughn, Thomas Middleditch, and "Hardly Working."

Tonight's lineup is simply wonderful.

As for the comedy of CollegeHumor.com, it isn't for every taste. But the site clearly understands its audience; and if you're one of the folks it appeals to, this is a great opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes stories and watch material too raw even for the Web.

Please note that this show is sold out of seats. But if you're okay with standing, come and enjoy.

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

Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines

Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.

This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines tonight through Sunday.)

10:00 pm at Carolines, 1626  Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);

$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum

vs.

Cage Match: Death by Roo Roo vs. Robber Baron

This delightful show pits two improv teams against each other while creating the

atmosphere of a professional wrestling arena—and providing such side-shows

as a bout to the death between guys costumed as an alcoholic wolf and TV's Alf.

(For a spirited weekly report on the wrestling aspect of Cage Match, please click here.)

This seaon's champion, for several months running, is arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC—Death by Roo Roo, consisting of uniformly brilliant comics Anthony Atamanuik, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Gil Ozeri, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller.

DBRR was by far the winning-est group last season, trouncing 17 troupes in a row—handily breaking the previous Cage Match winning streak record of 14 set by Optimist International in 2002! It went on to win last season's Cage Match Championship with breathtaking skill and comedic grace. And it's repeating history this season, steamrolling over opponents with apparent ease—for example, it won last week's bout by a vote of 117 to 17. (Ouch...)

Tonight's improv team on a suicide mission against the DBRR juggernaut is Harold Night troupe Robber Baron, consisting of Eddie Brawley, Shannon Coffey, Nicole Drespel, Jamison Guest, Brandon Scott Jones, Dan Klein, Tracey Wigfield, and Terry Withers.

Will the challenger rob DBRR of victory? Not likely. But come and enjoy the bloodshed at this beloved improv extravaganza.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 5/29/09

Doug Benson (Headlining at Carolines) and the unforgettable Billy the Mime

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:

NYC comics gathering to tell dating horror stories at the fun new show Misery Date (7:30 pm),

[MEGA-TOP PICK] a spectacular and unforgettable demonstration of the artful power of mime when combined with a wickedly sharp modern sensibility, executed with great wit and style, in a not-to-be-missed one-night event at UCBT: Billy the Mime (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] one of the sharpest stand-up comics in the world—who became a star on NBC's Last Comic Standing, and in 2007 released his version of consumer reporting via a pothead documentary titled Super High Me—headlining at Carolines through Sunday: Doug Benson (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] the revival of a popular comedic play, smartly directed by the wonderful Kimmy Gatewood and with a standout performance from actress Lee Eddy: Kidnapped by Craigslist (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [FREE] the wonderful Baron Vaughn (Comedy Central, MTV, Cloverfield, Shoot the Messenger, Awkward Kings of Comedy) and Matt McCarthy (Comedy Central, AMC, Verizon FIOS guy), plus Steve O’Brien, Ray Devito, and Mo Diggs, and sketch comedy troupes Bronx Cheer and Manhussy, at this free weekly show in Brooklyn hosted by Nick Turner and Cassidy Henehan: Too Cool for School (8:00 pm),

NYC stand-up comics Katina Corrao (HBO, Logo), Vicki Kuperman (Homo Comicus), H. Alan Scott (Sirius XM Radio), Edison Apple (Logo), and more at a gay-themed comedy show hosted by Jenny Rubin: The Back Room (9:00 pm),

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

[$] absurdist cult fave sketch comedy troupe Spurn (9:30 pm),

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

odd and unsettling dark comedy from—for better or worse—one of the most fearless sketch troupes in New York: Murderfist (11:00 pm),

two not very famous sketch comedy troupes, Bleak! Comedy and Toast Ampersand Whiskey,

competing for audience laugh & votes at Backyard Brawl (11:00 pm),

five women performing an improvised, and possibly tipsy, parody of The View at Focus (11:30 pm),

[FREE] a free opportunity for you to perform improv with UCBT veterans at Jammin' with Ralph (12:20ish am).

[$] and a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (12:30 am).

Misery Date: Online, Blind, and Simply Ridiculous Dating Stories

This intriguing new show tells tales of dating gone awry. The official description:

"Are you single and frustrated? Perpetually the third wheel? Sexless and the City? Anne Altman (Mortified, diary blog Two Can Anne) feels your pain because she's experienced the lion's share of terrible dates in this town: Cheap Guy, Gross Guy, Dumb Guy, Silent Guy, Militant Zionist Guy, "No Doubt About It" Guy (his favorite phrase), Creepy Vasectomy Guy, Yoga Guy, Guy Who Smelled Like a Hamper, Yellow Rubber Bracelet Guy, and she could go on. Oh, and she will—-misery loves company, so she's invited some similarly disenchanted folks to share their miserable stories for a cathartic evening of laughs, pity, and a sliver of hope!"

Tonight's terrific guest storytellers are Adam Wade, Katina Corrao, Brian Christensen, and Jenn Wehrung.

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)

Billy the Mime

If you're typical, you cringe with disgust at the word mime.

That's largely due to a barrage of awful street performers who believed they were being creative by pretending to be trapped in boxes.

If you think about it, though, what mime does is boil a situation down to its essential elements, and then express those elements in a manner that's instantly and universally understood.

And that's really what art is all about.

That's also what Billy the Mime does, often brilliantly. His production typically consists of a dozen vignettes, each of which tells a story (ranging from small to epic) in mere minutes. The titles of these mini-shows have included A Romance, Van Gogh, San Francisco Nights—1977, Close to You: Karen Carpenter, World War II, The Priest and the Alter Boy, The Abortion, Terry Schiavo—Adieu, A Day Called 9/11, and The Clown and the Beautiful Woman.

Regarding the latter, there was some extra drama on the performance of Billy's I attended at the 2006 FringeNYC Festival. Billy reappeared dressed as a clown, walked into the audience, and invited a young woman to come on stage with him. He then proceeded to lead her through several generations of dance routines within a few minutes. She was up for the challenge, and everyone was enthralled by the two of them doing the show-stopping number from Pulp Fiction—when the lovely volunteer danced one step too far backwards and flew off the stage in a spectacular arc. (Most stages have wings, but the one at the Player's Theatre simply cuts off at its borders.) Very fortunately, her head missed hitting a number of metallic objects by just about an inch; and thanks to martial arts training, she knew how to handle a fall. In fact, after about 30 seconds of deep concern from the audience, and especially Billy, she bounced back up and pluckily continued the dance routine. This brave woman (whose name is Miranda) was my pick for Fringe audience hero of the festival.

And while Billy probably saw his career flash before his eyes that night, he proved to be a trooper as well.

This guy is amazing. Don't miss him.

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

Doug Benson

Doug Benson: Headlining at Carolines

Doug Benson is one the sharpest stand-ups in the world.

Among Doug's many credits are his stints on NBC's Last Comic Standing (he came in sixth) and NBC's Friends; his Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mr. Show, and VH1's Best Week Ever; his hit UCBT show The Benson Interruption; his creating, writing, and starring in the off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues (which subsequently spawned an album and a book); and his documentary Super High Me (a riff on Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, but forgoing burgers for weed).

This New York comedy club show has a $28.75 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Doug is headlining at Carolines tonight through Sunday.)

8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Carolines, 1626  Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);

$28.75 ticket plus two-drink minimum

Kidnapped by Craigslist

Want to buy a couch? Find a date? Complain about your roommate? This 90-minute play "explores the carnivalistic, cult-like phenomenon that is Craigslist. Combining actual postings from the New York Web site with scripted material and live music, the play tells the true stories that are locked inside an online community that has shaped and inspired today's Internet generation."

This was a wildly successful show during its original run two years ago. The Los Angeles Times called it "a freewheeling specialty piece with insidious verve." It's now been updated for this revival.

The show is far from perfect; the writing periodically lags, and some of the performances are so-so.

That said, a number of the bits are delightful; and the direction, by the brilliantly talented Kimmy Gatewood, is sharp and inventive.

Further, you're sure to enjoy short-haired dynamo Lee Eddy (above right), who moved to NYC just a few months ago from Texas, where she was voted "Best Actress in Austin" three years in a row. Lee's always funny and electric performances are worth the trip all by itself. Keep an eye on this smart, appealing talent; I'm guessing she has a bright future.

Written by Katie Goan and Nitra Gutierrez. For brief samples from the original run, please click here and here; and for the show's MySpace page, please click here.

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

tickets are $13.29 in advance online or $15 at the door

Baron Vaughn, and hosts Cassidy Henehan and Nick Turner

Too Cool for School

This new & free weekly comedy show is hosted by

Cassidy Henehan (for very long video attempt to break a bottle over a guy's head post-Katrina, please click here) and

Nick Turner (VH1, ESPN; for video about how to spend an inheritance, please click here).

Tonight's superb guests are

Baron Vaughn (rising star comic; NBC's Teachers, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, MTV's The Gamekillers, VH1's Awesomely Oversexed and Best Week Ever, co-star of NYC live political comedy show Shoot the Messenger; feature film Cloverfield, upcoming concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy to air on Comedy Central; for a radio interview, please click here; for stand-up videos about the KKK and cell phones, please click here and here),

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

Steve O’Brien (Team Submarine, NPR),

Ray Devito (MTV, Lifetime, The Bob and Tom Show),

Mo Diggs (The Apiary, host of Intermission),

and sketch comedy troupes Bronx Cheer and Manhussy.

8:00 pm at Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Avenue in Brooklyn; free

Take the G subway to Greenpoint Avenue stop

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 guest comics include

Katina Corrao (HBO, Logo),

Vicki Kuperman (Homo Comicus)

H. Alan Scott (Sirius XM Radio), and

Edison Apple (Logo), 

plus

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

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

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

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

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

Front: Chris Gethard, Silvija Ozols, and Will Hines

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

According to the Spurn Web site, this sketch group has "amassed a cultish following and a cast who blindly throw themselves into the most questionable of onstage situations, bless their black little hearts." For examples of the troupe's work, please click here and here.

9:30 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $12

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

Murderfist: Late and Dirty

Sketch group Murderfist creates dark comedy sketches that are unsettling, and may elicit more discomfort than laughs. (For example, to watch a somewhat grueling tale of an unlikely gay couple done in the style of a silent film, please click here.) But if you like East Village performance art, you'll probably like this troupe.

The official description of tonight's show:

"Moments after setting off on their quest for one thousand testicles, Murderfist slipped between the cracks of reality. Somewhere between Seventh Avenue and the gates Hell, late night comedy festered and boiled. Witness as the stars align on the last Friday of every month and brand new sketch material spews from the inter-dimension truck stop that is Late and Dirty with Murderfist."

11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $10

vs.

Backyard Brawl: Bleak! Comedy vs. Toast Ampersand Whiskey

This show is a sketch comedy version of UCBT's wildly popular improv battles at Cage Match. However, in contrast to Cage Match's use of the best troupes in New York, it features relatively obscure groups. (Don't ask me why, I don't know...) Anyway, as in Cage Match, the teams compete for audience laughs & votes.

The brawl is hosted by Sidecar (talented & brave trio Alden Ford, Matt Fisher, and Justin Tyler; for a sample sketch about their interrogation technique, please click here).

Tonight's contenders are Bleak! Comedy and Toast Ampersand Whiskey.

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

Focus

This show is a parody of The View that's mostly improvised by performers Brigid Boyle, Emily Bryan, Nicole Cascio, Caroline Ficksman, and Alexis Saarela. The official description:

"Hey, Darlings! Come sit down with a cup of coffee (or perhaps a martini) and join the panel

of five of New York's most talkative and opinionated women as they discuss the week's events, and interview alluring guests from the worlds of literature, politics, comedy, and more.

This show will keep you in Focus. Let's talk about issues, over drinks!"

11:30 pm at The Magnet Theatre, 254 West 29th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

Jammin' With Ralph

To perform improvisation at UCBT, you must spend years taking classes and carefully perfecting your craft...or you can come to this monthly free show, which allows audience members to jump on stage and participate!

Hosted by popular long-form improv troupe The Law Firm, which consists of superb talents Dominic Dierkes, Matt Fisher, Jonathan Gabrus, Sue Galloway, Fran Gillespie, Nate Lang, DC Pierson, and Gregory Tuculescu. (Though Derrick's Dom & DC might be seeking fame & fortune in LA by now...)

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

Paul Mooney: Headlining at Carolines

Fire-tongued comedy star Paul Mooney's numerous credits include writing for Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live, and In Living Color, and performing on Late Show with David Letterman and Chappelle's Show. For video samples, please click here and here.

This New York comedy club show has a $31 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Mooney is headlining at Carolines tonight through Sunday.)

12:30 am at Carolines, 1626  Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);

$31 ticket plus two-drink minimum

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 5/30/09

Big Jay Oakerson (Eastville Comedy Club), Doug Benson (Headlining at Carolines), and Terminator (Raspberry Brothers)

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] the debut of a superb comedy concert film (that I saw when it was originally shot) with stellar stand-ups Eric André, Hannibal Buress, Marina Franklin, Victor Varnado, and Baron Vaughn: The Awkward Kings of Comedy (7:00 pm & 9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] Leo Allen (upcoming HBO miniseries, writer for Saturday Night Live 2002-2005, two Comedy Central Presents specials, host of Whiplash), Jena Friedman (host of Entertaining the Bartender), Allison Castillo (Comedy Central, VH1, BBC), Blaine Perry & Pat Stango (hosts of Don't Touch Me There), and Matt Ruby (host of We're All Friends Here), and Rachael Parenta at NYC stand-ups 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 joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] one of the sharpest stand-up comics in the world—who became a star on NBC's Last Comic Standing, and in 2007 released his version of consumer reporting via a pothead documentary titled Super High Me—headlining at Carolines through Sunday: Doug Benson (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm),

[$] the revival of a popular comedic play, smartly directed by the wonderful Kimmy Gatewood and with a standout performance from actress Lee Eddy: Kidnapped by Craigslist (8:00 pm),

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

[TOP PICK] superb sketch comics, stand-ups, and comedic storytellers—Kevin Allison (HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Reno 911, legendary MTV sketch show The State), Melanie Hamlett (stellar & unique storyteller; Moth StorySlam Champion), and many more—telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives at a monthly show hosted by gorgeous rising star Sara Benincasa (CNN, MTV, The Sarah Palin Vlogs): Family Hour (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, quick-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer (9:00 pm),

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] comedy stars Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime), Rob Cantrell, and more performing at a no-cover show (if you use code HyReviews) at the Eastville Comedy Club (11:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] [$] The Raspberry Brothers—Jerm Pollet, Johnny McNulty, and Aaron Glaser—making funny remarks about a Hollywood feature film screened in an actual movie theatre, with tonight's victim being Terminator (midnight),

[TOP PICK] three sharp NYC sketch troupes—Murderfist, Free Love Forum, and New Excitement—each performing one of their most popular bits and one of their personal favorites in the fun sketch revue A-Side/B-Side (midnight),

[$] and a provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining at Carolines: Paul Mooney (12:30 am).

The Awkward Kings of Comedy

Billed as "Comedy plus blackness, to the nerd power," this delightful concert film shot earlier this year features some of the best stand-ups in New York—in alphabetical order, Eric André, Hannibal Buress, Marina Franklin, Victor Varnado, and Baron Vaughn.

I saw this when it was shot, and had a ball. Baron recently told me that the film is even better, because fun stuff was added beyond what happened on stage.

This movie has already been picked up by Comedy Central. But you can see it with a live audience tonight for its world premiere.

To purchase tickets ($12), pleae click here, or simply buy at the door.

To watch a trailer (which doesn't really do justice to the concert), please click here.

7:00 pm & 9:00 pm screening at 92YTribeca Mainstage, 200 Hudson Street (intersection of

Canal & Hudson Streets); tickets are $12; take the 1/6/E subway to Canal Street stop

Leo Allen and Jena Friedman...

...and Sean Donnelly, and Blaine Perry & Pat Stango

Lil' 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 sharp stand-ups.

Tonight's superb guests are

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

Jena Friedman (razor-sharp and delightfully dark stand-up comic; host of weekly NYC live comedy show Entertaining the Bartender; playwright of 2008 FringeNYC show Refugee Girls; for a stand-up video about sexual predators, eggs, and Tai food, please click here; for stand-up video on Sarah Palin's choice of child names, please click here),

Allison Castillo (Comedy Central's Premium Blend, VH1's Best Week Ever, BBC's The World Stands Up)

Rachael Parenta (for audio clip of three hilariously shocking jokes, please click here),

Blaine Perry and Pat Stango (hosts of NYC live comedy show Don't Touch Me There), and

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

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), and Tami Sagher (writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006).

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

Doug Benson

Doug Benson: Headlining at Carolines

Doug Benson is one the sharpest stand-ups in the world.

Among Doug's many credits are his stints on NBC's Last Comic Standing (he came in sixth) and NBC's Friends; his Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mr. Show, and VH1's Best Week Ever; his hit UCBT show The Benson Interruption; his creating, writing, and starring in the off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues (which subsequently spawned an album and a book); and his documentary Super High Me (a riff on Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, but forgoing burgers for weed).

This New York comedy club show has a $31.00 cover plus two-drink minimum (with tax & tip, figure another $13 or up).

To order tickets, please click here and then click the Buy Now button for the evening you want. (Doug is headlining at Carolines tonight through Sunday.)

8:00 pm & 10:30 pm at Carolines, 1626  Broadway (between 49th and 50th Streets);

$31.00 ticket plus two-drink minimum

Kidnapped by Craigslist

Want to buy a couch? Find a date? Complain about your roommate? This 90-minute play "explores the carnivalistic, cult-like phenomenon that is Craigslist. Combining actual postings from the New York Web site with scripted material and live music, the play tells the true stories that are locked inside an online community that has shaped and inspired today's Internet generation."

This was a wildly successful show during its original run two years ago. The Los Angeles Times called it "a freewheeling specialty piece with insidious verve." It's now been updated for this revival.

The show is far from perfect; the writing periodically lags, and some of the performances are so-so.

That said, a number of the bits are delightful; and the direction, by the brilliantly talented Kimmy Gatewood, is sharp and inventive.

Further, you're sure to enjoy short-haired dynamo Lee Eddy (above right), who moved to NYC just a few months ago from Texas, where she was voted "Best Actress in Austin" three years in a row. Lee's always funny and electric performances are worth the trip all by itself. Keep an eye on this smart, appealing talent; I'm guessing she has a bright future.

Written by Katie Goan and Nitra Gutierrez. For brief samples from the original run, please click here and here; and for the show's MySpace page, please click here.

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

tickets are $13.29 in advance online or $15 at the door

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

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

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

Kevin Allison, "Auntie" Sara Benincasa, and Melanie Hamlett

Family Hour with Auntie Sara

In this unique weekly comedy show, everyone tells jokes and/or stories related to

their family. It's hosted by stand-up comic, actress, and stellar storyteller...

Sara Benincasa (recent instant star & 2009 ECNY Award winner for her Sarah Palin vlogs; co-host of Get in Bed, a comedic sex-chat show on Cosmo Radio, Sirius 111/XM 162, every weeknight from 8 to 11 pm; MTV's Total Request Live and Choose or Lose Campaign; Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com; host of NYC live comedy shows The Ultimate Gossip Girl Summit and Short & Curlies; to watch Sara be hilarious as Sarah Palin and as a yoga instructor, please click  here & here and here).

Tonight's superb guests are

Kevin Allison (former cast member of legendary MTV sketch comedy show The State, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1's Best Week Ever,  Comedy Central's Reno 911),

Melanie Hamlett (stellar & unique storyteller; The Moth StorySlam Champion; for hilarious illustrated tales of shucking corn and conversations with mermaids, please click here and here),

Anne Altman, Rob O’Reilly, Kenny Zimlinghaus, Calvin Cato, Micah Sherman, and Harry Terjanian,

and free cookies!

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)

Ted Greenberg: The Complete Performer

It would be hard to go wrong with a show from Ted Greenberg, the Emmy Award winning writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman. So it's not surprising this 30-minute act was a hit at this year's FringeNYC, often selling out performances.

The Complete Performer is a parody of typical NYC acts in small venues—improv, mind reading, card tricks, playing with the audience. It's essentially a comedy club act, but with gags in place of standard jokes. (If you're okay with having surprises spoiled, you can get a feel for Ted's approach by clicking here.)

Come enjoy quirky laughs from this seasoned pro; and hang out afterwards to chat with Ted, who's one of the friendliest Emmy winners you're ever likely to meet...and even promises to drive some audience members home!

Tickets are $15 at the door, or $15.50 online using discount code STIX (otherwise $18).

9:00 pm at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street (between 6th Avenue & Varick); tickets are $15