NYC Comedy Picks for Week of November 10, 2008

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 11/10/08

TJ Miller, John Oliver, and Rachel Feinstein (Whiplash)

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

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

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

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, who tonight include Sean Patton, Jiwon Lee, Emily Epstein,

Mike Drucker, Matt Ruby, and John Morrison—at John Morrison's Ochi's Motel (6:30 pm & 9:00 pm),

a free weekly comedy show in Brooklyn featuring stand-up, sketch, music, and more,

hosted by the razor-sharp Jena Friedman: Entertaining Tammy (8:00 pm),

three hours of new sketch comedy by UCBT students at Maude Night (8:00 pm & 9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] world-class comedic freestyle hip-hop from the stars of Freestyle Love Supreme (9:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] a free weekly show featuring some of the finest comics in the country—who tonight include John Oliver (star correspondent of The Daily Show), TJ Miller (David Letterman, ABC's Carpoolers, Cloverfield), Baron Vaughn (MTV, VH1, The Awkward Kings of Comedy), and Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central, The Onion, opens for Sarah Silverman)—hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central) at Whiplash (11:00 pm),

and master sketch comic Kurt Braunohler performing a one-man show:

A Meditation on Dum Dums and B-Holes (11:00 pm).

Ochi's Motel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tonight's 6:30 lineup includes such fine stand-ups as Sean Patton, Emily Epstein, Mara Herron, Gary Vider, and John Morrison.

And the 9:00 pm show includes such talents as Jiwon Lee, Mike Drucker, Matt Ruby, Phil O'Reilly, Josh Comers, and Blaine Perry.

Ochi's Motel is hosted by Sean Donnelly and Blaine Perry.

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to ochismotel@gmail.com.

6:30 pm & 9:00 pm, Ochi's Lounge at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)

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

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

Dykes on Mics

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

as regulars/hosts, plus tonight's guests

Robin Fox, Matt Ruby, Erica Skeete, and Myq Kaplan.

7:00 pm at The Stonewall Inn, 53 Christopher Street (at 7th Avenue South); free

Jena Friedman

Entertaining Tammy with Jena Friedman

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

Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they're typically a mix of talented stand-ups, sketch comedy performers, and musicians.

8:00 pm at Sound Fix Records, 110 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn; free

Take the L subway to Bedford Avenue and walk four blocks to N 11th Street

Maude Night

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

 try out their sketch comedy routines.

Tonight features four groups in two double-bill shows:

at the 8:00-9:15 pm slot, mixtape '98 and 27 Kidneys;

and at the 9:30-10:45 pm slot, The Skuntz and Stone Cold Fox.

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.

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

Freestyle Love Supreme

Freestyle Love Supreme is an amazing comedic freestyle hip-hop group, using audience suggestions as a springboard for creating improvised music inspired by jazz, rap, and comedy. Tonight's performers include Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale. The last three guys co-founded FLS; and Miranda and Veneziale are the writer and director of the Broadway hit In the Heights, which recently won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical. Don't miss this chance to catch these exceptional performers while they're still charging affordable prices to see them.

Please Note: Comix is waiving its two-drink minimum policy tonight,

so the only obligatory cost for this show is the ticket fee of $25.

9:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); tickets are $25

Baron Vaughn, John Oliver, and TJ Miller...

...and Leo Allen and Rachel Feinstein

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 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.; and acted on Ed and Sex and the City. Leo has now taken over the Monday-at-11:00 pm UCBT spot made super-special by Aziz Ansari's Crash Test and Jeremy Levenbach's Cavalcade! (in fact, Whiplash is produced by Jeremy).

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests—who are likely to have some fascinating observations about last week's joyous election results—are:

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

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

superb 2008 hour-long Comedy Central special Terrifying Times; co-writer/star

of The Department for BBC Radio 4; host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal),

TJ Miller (co-star of ABC's Carpoolers; co-star of hit movie Cloverfield; razor-sharp

stand-up who's performed on Late Show with David Letterman and Opie & Anthony),

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

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

recently taped concert film The Awkward Kings of Comedy; for a radio interview, please click here), and

Rachel Feinstein (Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Samurai Love God, Court TV's

Parko PI, regular on Sirius Satellite Radio, written for The Onion and Heeb Magazine,

opens for Sarah Silverman on tour).

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

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

Kurt Braunohler's One Man Show: A Meditation on Dum Dums and B-Holes

Kurt Braunohler is a frequent comedy partner of Kristen Schaal, performing  sketches that are hilariously indescribable. He's also a co-star of Web series Penelope, Princess of Pets, for which Kurt won the 2008 ECNY Award as Best Director; and

co-host with Kristen of NYC/LA comedy show Hot Tub Variety Show.

Tonight, however, Kurt will perform solo (not counting occasional fish cameos), demonstrating he's a formidable comic on his own as well.

11:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 11/11/08

Seth Herzog (Sweet) and Roy Zimmerman (Morrison Motel)

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

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

comedians getting rid of their stuff by telling tales about the items

and then selling to the highest bidder at Auction! (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] comics creators Brian Michael Bendis (Secret Invasion), Ed Brubaker (Captain America),

Matt Fraction (Iron Man), and Jeff Katz (Booster Gold) joining in on a lively & hilarious

discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

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

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

[TOP PICK] a small mob of superb comics, headlined by legendary San Francisco

comedic singer/songwriter Roy Zimmerman, at John Morrison's The Morrison Motel (8:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] star comics TJ Miller (David Letterman, ABC's Carpoolers, Cloverfield), Ted Greenberg

(Emmy-winning writer for David Letterman), Gabe & Jenny (VH1, CNN, Bravo), and Craig Baldo (Conan O'Brien)

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

[TOP PICK] and hilarious & quick-witted stand-ups including Pete Holmes (Comedy Central,

VH1, The New Yorker) and Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central)

performing along with sharp sketch comics at Sweet Haven (9:00 pm).

Auction!

This new show "acts as an alternative to the impersonality of eBay and the seriousness of The Antiques Road Show. At Auction!, comedians bring hilarious stories along with their objects, and you bring riot gear and a few bucks for the bid wars that follow." Hosted by Chris Sifflet.

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

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

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's industry guests are Brian Michael Bendis (Secret Invasion), Ed Brubaker (Captain America), Matt Fraction (Iron Man), and Jeff Katz (Booster Gold).

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

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

(And for my two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.)

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

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

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

The Scam, Bangs, Ragnaröck, Bastian, and Whorenado—

each give it a go for 30 minutes, with

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

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

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

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

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

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

Albums by acclaimed satiric singer/songwriter Roy Zimmerman, and host John Morrison

Morrison Motel

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

open mic show Ochi's Motel, welcomes veteran stand-up talents in this monthly showcase. In John's own words:

"We are going to have an extra-special Morrison Motel for you. Now that the earth has moved, and before anything can happen to dampen our new-found love for the wisdom of all the Joe the Plumbers out there who voted the right way for once, we're going to party like it's 1992.

We're so happy to have San Francisco's legendary Roy Zimmerman as our headliner this month in a rare New York performance. What's funny about war, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, neo-conservatism, homophobia, greed, lust and fear? Ask Roy Zimmerman. He's been writing satirical songs for twenty years. The Los Angeles Times says, 'Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society's foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer.' Tom Lehrer himself says, 'I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs. And the rhymes actually rhyme, they don't just rhyne.' Joni Mitchell says, 'Roy's lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve perfection.' We say: 'You're going to love him... click on over to royzimmerman.com for a preview, then call the Cafe at (212) 989-9319 and make your reservations now.

Joining Roy, our good friend Allison Castillo returns. From the HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen to Comedy Central's Premium Blend to one-woman shows at Joe's Pub, we're happy Allison's decided to slum with us for a night, and you will be too.

Baby Loves Candy's Thomas Middleditch has promised to show up, and we're glad that Don't Touch Me There's Pat Stango can join us. Add the lovely and hysterical Abbi Crutchfield, toss in the marvelous pair of Dan St. Germain and Charlie Kasov, and you've got yourself 90 minutes of silliness and sedition.

Please call 212-989-9319 for your reservations now while you're thinking about it, because this show will SELL OUT. We thank you so much for your support, and we will leave the light on. (Yes we can. And thanks to you, you and you, we did.)"

Please Note: Tickets are normally $5, but are free if you mention HyReviews.com at the door. There's a $7 food or drink minimum.

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

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

Ted Greenberg, TJ Miller, and Craig Baldo...

...and Seth Herzog and Gabe & Jenny

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 are

TJ Miller (razor-sharp stand-up who's performed on Late Show with David Letterman and Opie & Anthony; co-star of ABC's Carpoolers;; co-star of hit movie Cloverfield, and upcoming comedy features She's Out of Your League and The Goods: the Don Ready Story),

Ted Greenberg (Emmy Award winner & writer for seven seasons of Late Night with David Letterman; fun one-man show The Complete Performer that played to acclaim at this year's FringeNYC—and is currently running Saturday nights at the Soho Playhouse; for stand-up samples, please click here and here),

Gabe & Jenny (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate,

who host weekly comedy Big Terrific at Brooklyn's Sound Fix Records, and are commentators are VH1, Bravo, and CNN's Showbiz Tonight and Headline News), and

Craig Baldo (performed over 30 sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Comic Remix; VH1, Bravo, E!, The Onion;

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

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

Sweet Haven

This show comes from sketch troupe Peoples Republic of Komedy, whose members learned how to be funny in Seattle and then sunk all their savings into making a mark in NYC. They're off to a great start with this weekly extravaganza which uses uses sketch (and even a theme song) to create a comedic framework for their stand-up guests.

Tonight's lineup consists of superb stand-ups

Pete Holmes (razor-sharp & lightning-fast mind, and 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),

Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, CBS's Late Late Show, VH1; off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues),

and more.

9:00 pm at SB3, 33 Avenue B (red & gold building at corner of 3rd Street); free

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 11/12/08

Justin Purnell (School Night), Jenny Slate (It's Always Funny), and Adam Wade (True Tales From College)

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

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

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

stellar storyteller Adam Wade and comic Jake Goldman hosting a show in which comedians

share their favorite campus anecdotes in True Tales From College (7:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] superb comics including Seth Herzog (VH1, Sweet), Gabe & Jenny (VH1, Bravo, CNN),

Big Jay Oakerson (HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime, MTV), and Julian McCullough (Comedy Central,

2008 New York Comedy Festival award winner) at Matt Goldich's It's Always Funny in Philadelphia (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] top comics—tentatively including brilliant stand-ups John Oliver and Jessi Klein—at FatSmiles (8:00 pm),

a hilarious staged reading of a movie parody starring such wonderful comedic performers as

Lennon Parham (She Tried to Be Normal), Julie Halston (The Class), David Rakoff (This American Life),

and Peter Frechette (Tony Nominee) in Posteriors (8:00 pm),

comics competing for laughs based on an assigned topic in So You Think You Can Stand (9:00 pm),

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

Kurt Braunohler and Pat Shay

The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

For four hours every Wednesday, The PIT provides free shows featuring its improv house troupes. Vacation Island and The Wilhelm perform at 7:00 pm; Big Black Car and Fancy Dragon go on at 8:00 pm; and The Baldwins and Sid Viscous show their stuff at 9:30. Rounding out the evening are The Faculty, consisting of The PIT's superb improv instructors, including such talents as Ali Farahnakian, Kurt Braunohler, Ptolemy Slocum, Jen Nails, Pat Shay, Kevin Scott, and Rebekka Johnson.

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

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

Adam Wade and friend

Adam Wade: True Tales From College

This new show invites comics to tell their true tales of college.

It's hosted by comic Jake Goldman, and 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 his Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here).

Tonight's scheduled guests include Jon Levin, Dina Pearlman, and Sara Jo Allocco.

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)

Matt Goldich and Julian McCullough...

...and Seth Herzog and Gabe & Jenny

CBS/NYC Presents: It's Always Funny in Philadelphia

An evening of comedians from Philly—or thereabouts—hosted by Matt Goldich

(VH1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, NY1's The Call, contributor

to book Bar Mitzvah Disco; for a stand-up sample, please click here).

Tonight's superb guests include

Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever, host of world-class weekly NYC live comedy show Sweet),

Gabe & Jenny (adorable and foul-mouthed comedy duo Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate,

who host weekly comedy Big Terrific at Brooklyn's Sound Fix Records, and are commentators are VH1, Bravo, and CNN's Showbiz Tonight and Headline News),

Julian McCullough (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Montreal Comedy Festival's New Faces,named 2008 Funniest Stand-Up at last week's New York Comedy Festival), and

Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV).

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

FatSmiles

This show aims to combine the best of US and UK comedy.

There have been conflicting reports about tonight's guests, so it's hard to be sure who's actually appearing. That said, the scheduled performers include some of the best stand-ups in the business, including

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

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

superb 2008 hour-long Comedy Central special Terrifying Times; co-writer/star

of The Department for BBC Radio 4; host/star of BBC stand-up radio show Political Animal), and

Jessi Klein (deliciously honest, brilliant, hilarious stand-up star; Rolling Stones' comedy

"Hot List;" Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn;

VH1's Best Week Ever; NBC's The Today Show; CNN; The Showbiz Show with David Spade;

voice of Lucy on Adult Swim's Lucy the Daughter of the Devil;

for a video stand-up sample about which celebrity would save

 the most Jews, and on email etiquette, please click here and here).

If John and/or Jessi are actually performing, that's all the reason you need to come and thoroughly enjoy this stand-up comedy show. For updated info, please click here.

8:00 pm at Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery (between Houston & Bleecker); tickets are $7

Posteriors

The acclaimed TWEED Fractured Classicks tonight presents a fully staged reading of "a classic film exploring the dynamics of a family in crisis. Twisted by jealousy, insecurity and resentment, this is the story of an interior designer mother deserted by her husband and her emotionally glacial relationships of their three grown daughters." This parody will be interpreted by such wonderful comedic performers as Lennon Parham (one-woman show She Tried to Be Normal), Julie Halston (The Class), David Rakoff (This American Life), Peter Frechette (Tony Nominee), Steve Hayes, Brenda Bergman, David Ilku, and Jodi Lennon. Directed by TWEED's Kevin Malony.

$20 cover, plus two-item minimum (with tax & tip, figure on spending an additional $13 or up).

8:00 pm at Comix, 353 West 14th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues); $20 plus two-item min.

So You Think You Can Stand

This biweekly show is a competition between stand-up comedians based on an assigned topic, provided beforehand, that each comic must somehow address in his or her set. After the field is narrowed to two, there's a final round in which a short and completely improvised Q & A determines the winner. Hosted by Al Alvarez and Jessie Richardson.

Tonight's comics haven't been announced;

to check for a last-minute update, please click here.

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)

Justin Purnell

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 typically wonderful free show makes possible.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 11/13/08

Chris Gethard, Stuckey & Murray (CollegeHumor.com, Live on Stage), and C, C + C Improv Factory (3-on-3 Improv Tournament)

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

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[TOP PICK] a world-class sketch troupe and brilliant comedic storyteller provide a hilarious double-bill

in Pangea 3000 and Chris Gethard (6:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] a very popular comedy site's talents coming out from behind the Net tonight,

accompanied by stellar comics Arj Barker, Stuckey & Murray, and Donald Glover

at CollegeHumor.com, Live on Stage (9:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] and the second raucous evening of 2008 quarter-final competition

at Pat Baer's 3-on-3 Improv Tournament (11:00).

Stellar sketch troupe Pangea 3000, and brilliant comedic storyteller/improvisor/performer Chris Gethard

Pangea 3000 and Chris Gethard

Two exceptionally sharp comedy shows for a mere five bucks.

First up is world-class sketch troupe Pangea 3000, consisting of Andrew Cleary, Sam Kemmis, Dan Klein, Arthur Meyer, and Seth Reiss. These clever guys have blown the roof off with such instant classics as a spelling bee for fart noises, and a doctor announcing devastating news and then going off to calmly eat a chicken sandwich while family members panic around him. To view two of Pangea 3000's surreal tales of games guys play, involving whoopee cushions and tag, please click here and here.

The double-bill then continues with Chris Gethard, who's one of the most talented and brilliant storytellers and improvisors in New York. Chris can be seen every Friday night as a member of ace improv group The Stepfathers, and every month as a member of the razor-sharp storytelling show the The Nights of Our Lives. Chris is also the author of the book Weird New York. Tonight he'll probably be telling hilarious and memorable tales you won't want to miss.

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

Stuckey & Murray, and Arj Barker

CollegeHumor.com, Live on Stage

The folks behind highly popular Web site CollegeHumor.com get on stage tonight,

along with superb comics including

Arj Barker (superb and internationally popular stand-up; cast member on HBO's Flight of the Conchords; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien; off-Broadway show The Marijuana-Logues),

Stuckey & Murray (singing duo who write and perform hilarious songs, and who have appeared on The Discovery Channel, E!, VH1, Fuse, The College Sports Network, and done two comedy music series for NBC Digital Media and Heavy.com; also create wildly popular comedy videos for YouTube, Funnyordie.com, and their own Web site), and

Donald Glover (writer for NBC's 30 Rock; multiple appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; member of three-man improv/sketch comedy 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).

These stellar comedians aside, please note the comedy of CollegeHumor.com isn't for every taste—like, for example, mine. 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.

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

Host Pat Baer

3-on-3 Improv Tournament

Throughout November, 21 select comedy troupes, each with three members, battle for audience votes in this Eighth Annual Citywide 3-on-3 Improv Tournament.

In addition, a wildcard team is chosen lottery-style from the audience during each quarter-final, making for a total of eight teams competing per evening. This wildcard group adds a delicious extra element of surprise, as well as making the audience feel like it's part of the action.

The four teams with the most votes from each quarter-final advance to the semi-finals on Saturday, November 29th.

For a highly informed history of the tournament, please click here.

The extravaganza is hosted by the wonderful and invaluable Pat Baer (above).

Tonight is the second evening of the tournament, and the second of three semi-quarter matches. Last week's four winners were:

• According to Jim, Rory and Craig (Craig Rowin, Rory Panagotopulos, Jim Santangeli)
• Avenue Fag (Pamela Murphy, Kirk Damato, Michael Martin)
• Kevin Kevin Hines Hines (Kevin Cragg, Kevin Hines, Will Hines)
• Hot Sauce (Adam Pally, Gil Ozeri, Ben Schwartz)

The eight teams for tonight's competition are, in order of scheduled appearance:

Pig F*cker (Ashley Hale, Jessica Stickles, Paul Welsh)

Greg, Gregor, Greggest (Greg Burke, Dan Gregor, Greg Tuculescu)

B'Garce (Joe Spellman, Sean Clements, D'arcy Erokan)

ManCrush (Kevin Devlin, Tim Duffy, Casey Jost)

The Greatest Actor In All Of France (Birch Harms, Oscar Magallanes, Brandon Gardner)

Boywonder (Frank Spitznagel, Ben Whitehouse, Alan Starzinski)

C, C + C Improv Factory (Charlie Todd, Charlie Sander, Chuck Dauble)

Wildcard Team #2

C, C + C Improv Factory is one of the finest troupes in improv history and worth the trip all by itself. Plus if you're a performer, don't miss this chance at instantly joining the tournament as part of the formed-on-the-spot wildcard team.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 11/14/08

Tonight Charlie Sanders performs one of the best shows you'll ever see in Minnesota Muslim

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

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] rising star Charlie Sanders performing one of the most vibrant and hilarious

autobiographical shows you'll ever see, and 30 Rock actor Anthony Atamanuik delivering another

brilliant one-man show, in the double-bill Minnesota Muslim and Pissing My Pants on Vine (8:00 pm),

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

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

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

a sketch show (with some improv thrown in) from the superb stars of Derrick (11:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] and UCBT's free monthly open mic stand-up show, where deliciously odd things

tend to happen around 1:30 am, hosted by lightning-quick & hilarious Pete Holmes

(Comedy Central, VH1; one of the finest comics in the country) at Gutbucket (12:20ish am).

World-class storytellers Charlie Sanders and Anthony Atamanuik

Charlie Sanders: Minnesota Muslim and Anthony Atamanuik: Pissing My Pants on Vine

Two phenomenal one-man shows for a mere 10 bucks.

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

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

The double-bill then continues with Pissing My Pants on Vine, a one-man autobiographical show about doing drugs and booze while writing for children's television from the wonderful Anthony Atamanuik. Anthony is an actor on NBC's 30 Rock; a hilarious reporter who covered the New Hampshire primaries for The Huffington Post; an ace storyteller on NYC monthly comedy show The Nights of Our Lives; and a member of champion improv troupe Death by Roo Roo.

This double-bill is about as good as it gets (and would be a solid deal at $40). Don't miss it.

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

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).

Tonight's stand-ups include

Back Room co-producer Paul Case (MTV, D-Listed Radio),

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

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

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

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

Back: Will Hines, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, and Bobby Moynihan

Front: Chris Gethard, Shannon O'Neill, and Silvija Ozols

The Stepfathers

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

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 $10

The Made-Up Musical

Veteran improvisor John O'Donnell is accompanied

by a rotating cast that might include such superb talents as

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

 Jessica Allen, Robin Rothman, and Megan Gray

—and with Frank Spitznagel on piano—

turn an interview with an audience member

into a musical they make up on the spot.

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

Derrick Comedy: Street Legal

Derrick is three sharp and enormously appealing performers,

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

proven themselves to be both stars and improvisation champions,

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

and breaking several all-time records while at it.

The guys also make wildly popular YouTube videos—

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

In this show, they perform sketch comedy live,

and throw in an improv session to boot.

These wonderfully inventive writer/actors are continually creating,

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

the trio will be performing all-new material.

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

Pete Holmes

Gutbucket

UCBT's monthly open mic show for stand-up comics.

If you're simply looking to laugh, this show can be

lots of fun, or deadly, depending on who turns up.

But if you're a comic yourself, it's a fine opportunity

to perform in front of an exceptionally sharp audience.

And in my opinion, it's well worth sitting through five minutes of

a dreadful comic to get even 30 seconds of hilarious comments

about the set afterwards from brilliant host Pete Holmes (VH1's Best Week Ever,

Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Motherload; writer for CollegeHumor.com;

cartoonist for mags ranging from The New Yorker to Cosmo Girl).

Holmes' lightning-fast mind will generate more perfect remarks

in a few moments than most comics can manage in a week.

Watching a master like Pete Holmes is a great treat;

and this show is free.

On top of that, the fact Gutbucket runs from roughly 12:20 am to 2:00 am

adds a surreal, drunken spin to the festivities that usually results in something

weird and memorable happening with either an amateur comic or an audience member.

For all these reasons, this is my favorite open mic show; and if you're both

patient and adventurous, it's highly recommended.

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 11/15/08

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

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

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

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

an improv troupe with a theatrical approach: Stray (7:30 pm),

Kevin Allison (member of legendary sketch troup The State) in a new one-man show: F*** Up (8:00 pm)

[TOP PICK] one of my all-time favorite improv troupes—which this season broke the Cage Match record

for winning streaks with 17 triumphs in a row, and has now taken over UCBT's prestigious prime-time

Saturday night slot—the brilliant and daring members of Death by Roo Roo (9:00 pm),

a small mob of talented comics telling funny, poignant, and at times unforgettable tales about their relatives at the gorgeous Sara Benincasa's Family Hour (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 TV shows about audience members via world-class troupe Reuben Williams (10:30 pm),

[TOP PICK] a blowout party celebrating Gossip Girl, the TV teen drama sensation of the year, hosted by

Sara Benincasa (MTV, Family Hour, star Sarah Palin impersonator), and including a small mob of NYC comics,

Emmy-winning writers, and other very smart fans having enthusiastic fun at the Gossip Girl Summit (11:00),

and five superb female comics who are also a terrific experimental cover band

interviewing a comedy celeb and rockin' the house as Stickerbook (midnight).

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

Let's Have a Ball

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

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

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

Stray

Improv troupe Stray "plays in a theatrical, narrative style that was developed in Seattle, honed in Europe, and blended in New York. Stray's unique approach creates spontaneous theatre that is comedic, dramatic, or abstract, sometimes all at once." The group consists of Jill Farris, Wendy Herlich, Kristy Kershaw, and Stefan Schick.

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

Kevin Allison: F*** Up

Kevin Allison (member of legendary sketch comedy troupe The State, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, VH1's Best Week Ever,  Comedy Central's Reno 911) tonight performs a new one-man show.

I haven't seen this but, given Kevin's track record, it's probably worthwhile.

For a recent interview with Kevin, please click here.

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

Death by Roo Roo: Your F*cked Up Family

Arguably the gutsiest improv troupe in NYC, and unquestionably among the finest groups in improv history, the brilliant comics of Death by Roo Roo—Anthony Atamanuik, Liz Cackowski, Neil Casey, John Gemberling, Curtis Gwinn, Adam Pally, and Gavin Speiller—interview an audience member about family and then act out his or her life story

via improvised scenes. Always razor-sharp, sometimes scary, and usually hilarious.

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

"Auntie" Sara Benincasa

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 Sara Benincasa, whose many credits include correspondent for MTV's Choose or Lose Campaign and host of Tub Talk with Sara B. on Nerve.com. (Sara is also a fine comedic actress; to watch her be hilarious as Sarah Palin and as a yoga instructor, please click  here & here and here.)

Tonight's guests haven't been announced, but they usually consist of around 10 terrific NYC stand-up comics.

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

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

4 Track!

Springboarding from a word suggested by the audience,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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