NYC Comedy Picks for Week of April 9, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 4/9/12

30 Rock's Scott Adsit and John Lutz blow the roof off tonight as genius improv duo John & Scott

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic stand-up show running about 90 minutes at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Chris Gaynor: Open Mic Mondays

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with each of the four audience members chosen from the bucket of names getting to tell tales for 7 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart: The Dump

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A monthly storytelling show from the wonderful Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 15-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of Real Tales of College; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), along with guest storyteller Jon Friedman (The Rejection Show, The Jon Friedman Internet Program), at Under St. Marks: The Adam Wade from New Hampshire Show: Tales of Life, Love, and Little League

7:00 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4 minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2 hours—with an early show hosted by Sean Donnelly & Blaine Perry at 7:00 pm, and an entirely different group of stand-ups hosted by Dan Cartwright & Dave Greek at 9:00 pm—at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for Carol Hartsell's & John Morrison's Motel Luca

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Four improvisers form teams with comics they've never performed with before at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Kaleidoscope

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim's awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo that's become one of the very best attractions at UCB Chelsea and should not be missed: John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Arden Myrin (Conan O'Brien, Mad TV, Chelsea Lately, host of The Party Machine; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here), Murderfist (NYC's fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), and Adam Newman (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from host Kristen Schaal (one of the sharpest & funniest comics alive): Hot Tub Variety with Kurt & Kristen

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Making great use of UCB East's previous incarnation as an indie movie theatre, tonight features screenings of select films running five minutes or less—most of them funny—crafted in the style of TV pilots. The shorts receiving the most audience votes get to continue with additional episodes, while the others are "canceled" at Channel 101

8:00 pm ($8): Improv performed by talented duos at The PIT upstairs theatre: Ampers&nd

8:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups Justy Dodge, Damien Lemon, George Gordon, Matt Wayne, and Amanda Baramk performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Bar Matchless back room (557 Manhattan Avenue, near the G subway's Nassau Avenue stop) hosted by Mike Denny, Michael Che, and Nimesh Patel, and often featuring free beer: Broken Comedy

9:00 pm ($5): Musical guest Kristin Plater, plus NYC stand-ups Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream, 9 Am Meeting), Ashley Brooke Roberts, Charlie Kasov, and Nate Fernald performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Bar (627 Fifth Avenue; take R subway to Prospect Avenue) hosted by Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant stand-up, writer, and storyteller; trutV, TLC, co-host of Dive Comedy; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here) and Giulia Rozzi (VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Stripped Stories): Dive Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new bits: Neighbor Boy (which tends to be weak on material, but includes such talents as Kate Hess, Tim Dunn, and Beth Appel, and may get a shot in the arm with the addition of writer Caitlin Bitzegaio), and Fambly (which includes wonderful rising star Mamrie Hart, Nicole Byer, Dan Chamberlain, Veronica Osorio, and a sharp crew of writers): Maude Night: Neighbor Boy & Fambly

9:30 pm ($5): The debut of a monthly stand-up competition at UCB East in which "new and emerging stand-up comics face off against each other in front of a panel of judges eager to provide unsolicited advice and even more unsolicited scores"—the judges being Brian Cichocki (Caroline's, Stand-Up New York), and Shannon Coffey. If you're an up-and-coming stand-up, send a video link and brief bio to john@ucbcomedy.com for a chance to participate in Stand-Up Smackdown!

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Improv spinning off sets by NYC stand-ups (not announced, but you can check for an update here), with the improvisors typically including such talents as Micah Sherman, Cathleen Carr, Nick Vatterott, and/or Sarah Nowak performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Micah Sherman: Fun

[FREE] 10:30 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Keith Huang: Base Jam

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who haven't been announced yet for tonight, but you can check for an update by clicking here—performing at UCB Chelsea and hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (HBO, Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central): Whiplash

[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on UCBT's all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills at this stand-up open mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Erin Lennox & Michelle Wolf: Fresh

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 4/10/12

Wanderlust's David Wain is the DJ at Sweet, Al Madrigal goes nerd at Comic Book Club...

...and Todd Barry headlines at ComedyJuice

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Chesley Calloway (co-host of renowned Comedy as a Second Language): The Ches Club

7:00 pm ($5): Two sketch shows auditioning for a regular spot at The Magnet: a one-woman show about "coming into her own as a broke and unemployed hot mess living in Queens through Facebook stalking, online dating, and adventures in Brooklyn" in Molly Marjorie Rosenblatt Needs A Man (And Other Stuff); and "three men and two women who all do each other.. and sketch comedy" in Idle Idols

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Al Madrigal (newest correspondent for The Daily Show) and Axel Alonso (relatively new Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, having replaced Joe Quesada in June 2011) joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Pianos (158 Ludlow Street), with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 at the door or $7.63 online): Movie & TV star Janeane Garofalo, Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, Comedy Central, FOX), Calise Hawkins (Comedy Central), and RG Daniels (host of Sunday Night Stand-Up) performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Union Hall for this show that calls attention to its inexpensive price: Cheap Date

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, upcoming one-hour Comedy Central special), Kris Tinkle (visiting from San Francisco; upcoming album Almost Awesome), musical guest Scott Gibson, and more performing at Lolita Bar hosted by Liam McEneaney: Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!), Hallie Haglund (Web writer for The Daily Show), and Savoir Adore (Cantora Records) are interviewed about "their earliest creative experiences and the nuances of having a creative career" for a weekly podcast that once a month goes live on the UCB East stage with hosts Andy Beckerman & Mark Bisi: Beginnings

8:00 pm-Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv at UCB Chelsea for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes The Pox, Creature, GoodGirl, Sandino, and Johnny Romance—and at 11:00 pm advanced improv students make up two complete documentary films—all at Harold Night

8:00 pm ($5): This one-woman show at The PIT upstairs theatre "follows Leanne’s journey from Waukegan, Illinois to Vegas, baby! Doesn't every woman want to move to Vegas, sell guns, and get married a few times? It would be completely made up if it weren't totally true:" Lady Luck is a Whore

8:00 pm ($5): A one-woman show from Darcy Burke about Kenny Rogers and Jean Claude Van Damme at The PIT downstairs Lounge: Rocky Mountain Van Damage

[FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly show features "a swarthy selection of fine stand-up comics and mildly entertaining recurring segments" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, hosted by Jim Tews & Brendan Eyre: Chest Hair

8:30 pm ($5): In this double-bill, each of two of The Magnet's singing improv troupes will make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Mint Condition and Aquarius

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): David Wain (member of seminal MTV sketch show The State and comedy group Stella; writer/director whose work includes feature films Wanderlust, Role Models, Little Big Men, The Ten, Wet Hot American Summer), Ron Lynch (visiting from LA; The Five Year Engagement, Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, The Sarah Silverman Program, Bob's Burgers), Bill Dawes (visiting from LA; recently starred on Broadway in Lombardi; was long-time cast member of All My Children; Sex and the City, Oz, Law & Order), and Patrick Borelli (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, and previously for Conan O'Brien; Adult Swim, ESPN; author of book Holy Headshot!) performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet

9:00 pm (no cover, one drink min.): Janine Brito (top stand-up visiting from San Francisco), Adrienne Iapalucci (Last Comic Standing), Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party), and George Gordon performing stand-up for this weekly show at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) with tonight's host Josh Gondelman: The Afterlife

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A weekly wild experiment in dark comedy, blending sketch and improv, from two of the most brilliant, fearless, and innovative comics in the biz, John Gemberling (Death by Roo Roo, Adult Swim, Comedy Central) and Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives) at UCB East with guests (not yet announced but whatever, it'll be good): The Tony and Johnny Show

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), and Larry Bailey performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up and sketch at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, typically hosted by sketch troupes Savage Animal and/or Jerk Practice: Savage Animal

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Paul Mercurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Jay Leno, MSNBC, CNN, VH1), Matt Fulchiron (Comedy Central Presents, Last Comic Standing), and Streeter Seidell (VH1, College Humor, The New York Times) Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice

[FREE] 10:15 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members can join in with musical improv troupe Aquarius to make up stories in song on the spot: Musical Magnet Mixer

[FREE] 11:00 pm: A breathtaking 40 comics are given 2 minutes each in this rapid-fire open mic stand-up show at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted with wit and energy by Jay Welch: Bring It

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 4/11/12

A homage to one of DC Comics' most delightful forgotten superteams, Krypto and the Space Canine Patrol Agency,
tonight at UCBT Chelsea writers Craig Rowin & Rory Panagotopulos present Dog Fleet

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: Six free hours of improvisation at The PIT upstairs theatre for PIT Super Free Wednesday

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up providing four minutes per comic, with "15 people chosen randomly through e-mail, and five walk-ins; and a guaranteed spot to anyone who performs in character as a famous explorer" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: Comedic Exploration Club of Long Island City, West

7:00 pm-12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Magnet house troupes The Party Lions, Grappler, Leviathan, Horses, Chet Watkins, Brick, The Wrath, and Featherweight performing improv, followed by a free audience interactive show with The Party Lions at 11:30 pm: The Magnet's Megawatt

7:00 pm ($5): New UCBT longform improv house troupes Kinsey and Graceland performing at UCB East for Lloyd Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A sketch play about crime fighting dogs from outer space co-written and co-starring Craig Rowin, and performed by such other stars as Neil Casey, Sue Galloway, Jim Santangeli , Rob Lathan, and Lou Perez—am eagerly hoping to catch this tonight, and would love for you to join me: Dog Fleet...

...and in the second half of this UCB Chelsea double-bill, "Welcome to Twilight City where the nights are long and the dresses are short. Join Detective Brick Hardgrave as he investigates a tangled web of fast-talking femme fatales, underground crime lords, and jilted lovers" written by Michael Trapp (Stone Cold Fox), and performed by stellar talents John Murray, Brandon Scott Jones, D'Arcy Carden, Don Fanelli, Zachary Broussard, and Cody Lindquist: Death Wears Stilettos: A Noir Comedy

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB East, Sasheer Zamata, Nicole Byer, and Keisha Zollar are the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups do sets "and then have a discussion about what’s going on in the world and the mysteries of life" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BBOX): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing at the East Village's Beauty Bar with hosts Negin Farsad, Amy Albert, and Beth McGregor for their free weekly show Comedy School Dropout

8:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) at this new monthly show happening at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Charla Lauriston & Shawtane Bowen: Just Let It Happen

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically terrific NYC comics (not announced) performing at this free weekly comedy show at Brooklyn's Cameo (behind Lovin' Cup) typically hosted by Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and/or Max Silvestri: Big Terrific

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): At UCB East, Neil Casey & Anthony Atamanuik, both genius members of Death by Roo Roo, perform the jaw-dropping feat of making up an entire feature film as The Two-Man Movie

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Superb storytellers John Flynn (The Nights of Our Lives, host of storytelling show Oh, Hey Guys!), Leslie Goshko (WNYC, Manhattan Monologue Slam Champ, host of Sideshow Goshko), and Colin Dempsey (Single White Band, The Liar Show), plus stand-ups Naomi Ekperigin (VH1) and Garry Hannon performing at this free weekly show at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by Sharon Spell: Shrink

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer created Broad City as a Web series, which was then picked up for development as a TV series for FX...and now it's a live monthly show at UCB Chelsea. Tonight's theme is Celebrate the Holidays With Broad City, with new videos, stand-up, character pieces, and "a delicately crafted hour of fun:" Broad City Live

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): The instructors of UCB's classes include some of the finest improvisors in the country. In this new weekly show a bunch of them get on stage at UCB East, along with hosts Betsy Stover and Ari Voukydis: Hot for Teacher: The UCB Faculty Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: The wonderful Sasheer Zamata (Doppelganger) hosts as many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing 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; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. (Tonight's scheduled lineup includes Racoon Hotplates and Slambot; for the complete list, please click here.) Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your opportunity to perform on the stage of UCB East with improv veterans, hosted by UCBT Harold Night house troupe Grandma's Ashes: The Improv Jam

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up running until 1:00 am, with time divided evenly between performers (up to five minutes), at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City with host Rob Stern: Bucket 'O Buckets

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 4/12/12

Red-hot stand-up Hannibal Buress headlines through Sunday at Carolines;
UCBT's Sue Galloway singlehandedly delivers one of the best sketch shows of the year in Pose

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Andy Ross (written for Mad Magazine, The Onion News Network) is tonight's guest at this weekly open mic storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn (memorably featured here): Oh, Hey Guys!

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics' names drawn from a bucket and each chosen one receiving three minutes at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Corby Haas

6:30 pm ($5): Two shows about which I know nothing audition for a regular spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea schedule: Five Finger Discount and Profiles in Cowardice. These might be great or awful; but at $2.50 per show, you can't go far wrong either way. That's part of the fun of Spank

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): A comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) are shared by their original authors before total strangers at 92Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street): Mortified

7:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT upstairs theatre: Hot Diner and THEM

7:00 pm ($5): Improv duo Steve Soroka (BoF) & Jen Curran team with improv troupe The Imposters at The PIT downstairs lounge to kick off your Evening Bliss

[FREE] 7:00 pm: In this free Magnet show, audience members (signing in at 6:00) can join in with improv troupe The Boss to make up scenes on the spot: Magnet Mixer

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) gathers top comics to tell funny stories at UCB Chelsea, with tonight's all-star guests Jeannie Gaffigan (Jim Gaffigan's partner in crime), Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 18-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Tales of the Cosmos and The Adam Wade show; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), and Jeff Simmermon (NPR's This American Life): Tom Shillue's Funny Story

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): It was a sad time for me when UCBT sketch comedy genius Kate McKinnon moved late last year to LA. No one in NYC has really stepped into the void Kate left...but this show is the closest I've seen so far as a contender. Sue Galloway delivers smart, organic, beautifully crafted physical & verbal comedy that's fresh, specific, at times surreal, and very funny. It's no easy thing to walk the tightrope between darkness and hilarity, but Sue manages it here with impressive grace. Kudos also go to UCBT's Artistic Director Nate Dern, who did a brilliant job of providing guidance and judgment as the show's director. Ignore this production's lame title and official description, which don't do it justice, and simply come to see one of the best one-woman sketch shows of 2012: Pose

...and in the other half of this double-bill at UCB Chelsea, unique and relentlessly silly performer Brandon Gulya does a one-man sketch show at that's at times hilarious (the restaurant bit, which is an instant classic) , and at other times less so, in the hope that Brandon Gulya Will Be Famous Soon

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.): A former staff writer for Saturday Night Live and writer/performer for 30 Rock who's also performed on David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, and an upcoming one-hour Comedy Central special headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Hannibal Buress

8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT upstairs theatre: Frogmen and Harvey

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Hello Laser, Junior Varsity, and Phooka performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by Mark Grenier directing The Bat (improvised scenes that happen entirely in the dark), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) with troupe Upstate battling troupe Listen, Weirs! for laughs & votes: The Magnet's Night Out

8:00 pm ($5): Layer by layer, improvisers build a town based on an audience member’s suggestion for the town’s name, while artist Asher Rogers paints a large map of the town based on the improvisers’ descriptions. This cool-sounding new show is at The PIT downstairs lounge: Our Town

[FREE] 8:00 pm: "A stand-up comedy showcase and baking competition—come to eat or come to compete" at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Cody Hess & Jessica Gross: Cookies!

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): John Mulaney (one of the finest stand-ups in the country; writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here),Starlee Kine (sharp storyteller; NPR's This American Life), and Anthony Atamanuik (30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, Death by Roo Roo, The Nights of Our Lives, The Tony and Johnny Show) performing at UCB East with best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster) at Totally J/K

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: Terrific NYC stand-ups (the lineup is typically announced around 3:00 pm; for an update, please click here) performing on this free weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and/or comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

[$] 9:00 pm ($15): The Daily Show producers Rory Albanese and Adam Lowitt, and writers Michael Hogan, JR Havlan, and Jenna Kim Jones, performing stand-up at 92Y Tribeca: The Daily Show Does Stand-Up

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups Jess Dweck, Kevin Seccia, and Michael Che performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for this weekly comedy show hosted by Sean Crespo & Dan Wilbur and produced by Carol Hartsell: Lasers in the Jungle

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, first up is a witty and ultimately exhilarating exploration of baring it all by fabulous long-time nudist Julia Wiedeman (who I had the great fortune of seeing about a decade ago as she walked around with zero clothing, like a glorious tigress, in broad daylight on the streets of the East Village). Check out promo videos here and here, and then run to see Naked People...

...and in the other half of this double-bill, a one-man sketch show by George Kareman about which I know nothing, but the title alone makes the pulse race: Incredibly Extreme and Extremely Incredible

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge for The Scene

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($7; or FREE COVER if you show up 30-60 minutes early and buy $7 worth of snacks/drinks): Mystery Science Theater 3000 goes blaxploitation in this delightful new series by Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show) and Donwill (hip-hop group Tanya Morgan) in which the boys watch a black cinema cult classic and yell comments at it throughout. It all happens at Brooklyn's reRun (147 Front Street, between Pearl & Jay Streets), with tonight's film a happy surprise: Shouting at the Screen

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($22 & 2-drink min.): A veteran NYC stand-up who's performed on HBO, Comedy Central, and IFC headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Big Jay Oakerson

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Ouch. Last week Airwolf crushed and humiliated Sandino, beating it with a stick 110-38. This gives Airwolf three consecutive wins, but it's no time to get cocky because tonight's challenger is formidable troupe The Law Firm. Don't miss the bloodshed as they compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

11:00 pm ($5): Nick Offerman (NBC's Parks and Recreation) and musical legend Corn Mo performing at UCB East offering "cautionary tales, woodworking tips, and minor nudity:" American Ham

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 4/13/12

Star stand-up Hannibal Buress continues his headlining run at Carolines...

...and Brandon Scott Jones is among the top sketch comics in Crisistown

Correction: Yesterday I wrote that Kate McKinnon had moved to LA. She had...but is now back in NYC as the newest cast member of Saturday Night Live! I'm incredibly happy about this, and imagine anyone familiar with Kate's genius talent is too. Kudos to SNL for making one of the best choices in its 37-year history. You can watch Kate's wonderful debut here (Bobby Moynihan, playing deadpan, is also way fun)—and tune in for more on NBC every Saturday at 11:29 pm.

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups start at 5:30 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Mike Recine (Comedy Central) and Annie Lederman (Comedy Central): The Shinebox

7:00 pm ($8): At this PIT double-bill, Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell "bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure" as Hodapp & Rothwell, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

7:00 pm ($5): All-gal Improvisors who've previously created viral sketch videos performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Candy Slice Comedy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch troupe (vs. improv troupe) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It's earned this slot because its cast is one of the finest in comedy, with each performer strong enough for potential stardom; and, at their best, the troupe's writers sizzle too. Both strengths are evident in Crisistown, an interactive sketch show in which the audience is periodically asked to choose which of two paths it wants to go down next. This highly playful approach puts you in charge; and it also tempts you to see the show repeatedly (just as you might return to a favorite improv group week after week), because each performance is a never-to-be-repeated event. A vibrant, brilliant cast and mostly terrific comedy writing—plus what was probably a near-superhuman directorial effort by comedy giant Shannon O'Neil—equals a wonderful way to kick off your Friday evening: Stone Cold Fox: Crisistown

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.): A former staff writer for Saturday Night Live and writer/performer for 30 Rock who's also performed on David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, and an upcoming one-hour Comedy Central special headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Hannibal Buress

[FREE] 8:00 pm: The third annual comedy tournament featuring 40 improv groups...only one of which will triumph. Tonight four improv troupes battle for superiority, pride, and glory at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by James Ferrarella: The Arena, Round 5

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open mic show that's first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): The co-author of He's Just Not That Into You and It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken, and a comic who's performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from UCB Chelsea's all-star members of The Stepfathers

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): DC Benny, Mike Britt, "and others" performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:00 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted tonight by David Cope: Hot Soup

9:30 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

9:30 pm ($5): All-gal improv at The PIT downstairs lounge from troupe Goldie and the Hawns (Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell), plus guest stand-up and sketch gal comics: Boneless! A Night of Women in Comedy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: An all-musical comedy night with unforgettable dark comedy band The Cowmen, plus The Parodivas, Jeffrey Kornberg, Phoebe Kreutz, and David Cope with "Harp Secrets"performing at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ben Lerman and Tim Dimond: Now That's What I Call Musical Comedy

10:00 pm ($7): Singing improvisors at The Magnet using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Fran Gillespie, Jon Gabrus, Sue Galloway, Matt Fisher, Craig Rowin, Nate Lang, and other superb improvisors at UCB Chelsea making up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

10:30 pm ($10): NYC comics (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D'Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups—sometimes stellar ones—pushing boundaries for a show designed for looseness and experimentation at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Jacqueline Novak and Chris Laker: Permission to Fail

[FREE] Midnight: This show might not be much fun for audience members, but it's an amazing opportunity if you want to perform sketch for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. Hosted by Maude troupe Onassis: Liquid Courage

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 4/14/12

Star stand-ups Hannibal Buress at Carolines and Greg Behrendt at Gotham...

...Katey Healy-Wurzburg hosts UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern and ace improvisor/actress Shannon O'Neill
as the razor-sharp panelists of a witty game show taking a skewed look at facts: The Fascinator...

...and Oscar Montoya presents a tale about giant insect space wars: Midnight Movie at Montoya’s: Starship Troopers

Correction: On Thursday I wrote that Kate McKinnon had moved to LA. She had...but is now back in NYC as the newest cast member of Saturday Night Live! I'm incredibly happy about this, and imagine anyone familiar with Kate's genius talent is too. Kudos to SNL for making one of the best choices in its 37-year history. You can watch Kate's wonderful debut here (Bobby Moynihan, playing deadpan, is also way fun)—and tune in for more on NBC tonight at 11:29 pm.

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show ("starts late enough to sleep off that hangover but ends just in time to begin a new one") at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Jhoel Walkowski & Evan Davis: The Amateur Hour

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Dr. Ballroom, Deleted Scenes, and Mr. Gorsky at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An improv show that asks you to drop written suggestions into a box before it begins and then dips into the collection of suggestions throughout to propel new scenes: The Drop Box

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A comedy quiz show full of heavily researched quirky facts in which brilliant contestants Nate Dern (UCBT Artistic Director), Shannon O'Neill (breathtakingly innovative improvisor/sketch comic and rising star; The Stepfathers, Diamond Lion), Beth Appel (Maude Night, This is Not a SketchShow), and Jesse Lee get points if their answers are correct but get more points if their answers are "quite interesting" at UCB East created & hosted by Katey Healy-Wurzburg: The Fascinator

7:00 pm ($5): Young improvisors from Evanston, Illinois making their NYC debut at The PIT downstairs lounge: Dilly Bar

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm (please note this is the new time slot for this show previously on at 10:30; $10): Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, D'Arcy Carden, Chelsea Clarke, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then "turn that town's tourist attractions, landmarks, hangouts, local celebrities, urban legends, and more into a hilarious show made up on the spot:" The Curfew: Not From Around Here

7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft at The Magnet making up a play on the spot: Theory of Everything

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.): A former staff writer for Saturday Night Live and writer/performer for 30 Rock who's also performed on David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, and an upcoming one-hour Comedy Central special headlining tonight and Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Hannibal Buress

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm, 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): The co-author of He's Just Not That Into You and It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken, and a comic who's performed on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club: Greg Behrendt

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Sharp stand-ups Jared Logan, Amber Nelson, Michelle Wolf, Robbie Collier & Chris Waelti, Nathan Anderson, Eli Sairs, and Bill Squireare performing anything except stand-up—e.g., sketch, storytelling, improv, songs, dance, puppetry, and things we can't even imagine—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City produced by Kelly Fastuca, Reid Faylor, and Andrew Short, and hosted tonight by Andrew Short and Tim Dimond: Underbelly

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill—and occasionally with comedy giants Kristen Schaal and/or Kurt Braunohler participating: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

8:00 pm ($5): From the producers of The Scene, improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Act One

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Adira Amram (fresh, hilarious rising star singer/songwriter; winner of the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Musical Act), Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), Jade Catta-Preta (CBS' Two Broke Girls, MTV's Punk'd), Michael Che (Comedy Central), Sam Morril, and Chris Laker performing at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Two of the most respected improvisors in the country, Magnet co-owner Armando DIaz and UCBT star Christina Gausas, team up for one night only: Diaz & Gausas

9:30 pm ($15): "A cabaret of darkly funny songs and topical sketch comedy about culture and politics," following sold out shows at Joe's Pub and now enjoying a long run at The PIT upstairs theatre: Political Subversities

[TOP PICK] 10:00 ($8): NYC's heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which doesn't always ht the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won the 2010 ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group: Murderfist: Late and Dirty

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15): Ted Greenberg (Emmy-winning David Letterman writer) performing a fun, fast-paced theatrical comedy show—complete with audience interaction and audience rides home!—at The Complete Performer

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing stand-up at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ray DeVito, Ben Kronberg, Nick Cobb, and/or Tim Dimond: Shoot the Shite

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Improv troupe Grandma's Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—promises to "take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter" at this newest UCB Chelsea show to be honored with a weekend time slot: Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf—which recently crushed into powder improv troupes The Law Firm and Sandino at Cage Match—makes stuff up at UCB East for an entire hour: Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

10:30 pm ($7): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney perform at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike

11:00 pm ($8): A young all-guy improv troupe making stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre: Gentlemen Party

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: This free show at The PIT upstairs theatre does a great job of describing itself: "Bad movies. We can’t stop watching them. Is it because the plot is so enjoyably paper-thin? Or maybe the acting is so deliciously cheesy? Whatever the reason may be, Oscar Montoya (Local 154, Aquarius) is inviting you to his house to watch all of his favorite so-bad-they’re-awesome movies." Joining him is SF fan Steve Siddell (Someday the Cake, The Scene). Tonight's feature is a clearly stupid and yet quite likeable film about a space war with giant insects that many consider a guilty pleasure: Midnight Movie at Montoya’s Presents: Starship Troopers

Midnight ($5): Caitlin Bitzegaio directs this UCB Chelsea sketch show that's "a super-positive lifestyle program for teenage girls hosted by two guys with a huge passion for glossy pop music, Lisa Frank school supplies, and all that the world presents as 'hip' to young women during the melodramatic years of adolescence. With help from their outstanding panel of experts, Dan Chamberlain & Jason Flowers rap about entertainment, fashion, boys, and more in an effort to bring empowerment and enlightenment to the teen girl inside all of us:" Cool Show 4 Teen Girlz

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, with host Andy Haynes promising "a rowdy late night comedy melee with beers being thrown, jokes being told, partial nudity, audience participation...there's no telling what might happen:" Midnight Run

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 4/15/12

Hannibal Buress completes his smash headlining run at Carolines (which I caught last night, and can fully recommend you see)...

...and Wyatt Cenac performs at Pretty Good Friends

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Showcase

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Improv duo The Bedtime Brothers begin by making up scenes based on an audience member's horrible dating or break-up experience, and end with scenes springboarding off an audience-supplied movie quote; and in between invited stand-ups and sketch comics perform. It all happens at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Love Sucks! Movies Rock!

6:00 pm ($5): Andrew Beckerman & Mark Bisi (hosts of the Beginnings podcast), plus a "surprise guest," participate in "a weekly podcast that assembles a new panel of comedians and weird characters to give funny advice, or at the very least relate to the people's problems with their own stories" at UCB East hosted by Andy Rocco: Here to Help

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCB Chelsea's signature improv comedy extravaganza, which typically includes stars in the improv world, and sometimes even TV & movie stars such as Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz: ASSSCAT 3000

7:30 pm ($5): Improv troupes not affiliated with any comedy school compete at UCB East for audience laughs and votes—and the privilege to go on to perform at the primary Cage Match show at UCB Chelsea—in this show hosted by the delightful Amey Goerlich & Ryan Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Sketch, improv, and more at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City from comedy troupe Froduce

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.): A former staff writer for Saturday Night Live and writer/performer for 30 Rock who's also performed on David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, and an upcoming one-hour Comedy Central special—and who, at 29, has already developed into a world-class stand-up you should go and enjoy experiencing, as I gratefully did last night—headlining one last evening at the Carolines Comedy Club: Hannibal Buress

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up; staff writer for David Letterman), Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, Comedy Central, FOX), and Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here) performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Streeter Seidell (Editor-in-Chief of College Humor; Jimmy Kimmel, MTV), Molly Knefel (Naked in a Fishbowl, John & Molly Get Along), Nore Davis (Comedy Central's Russell Simmons Presents The Ruckus), and more performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast recently clobbered some of the best improv troupes in NYC at UCBT's Cage Match. Tonight come enjoy this troupe perform on its own for a full hour at The Magnet theatre: North Coast

8:00 pm ($5): Short-form improv at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Sunday ShortForm Show

9:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) with a guest host (because Hannibal's completing his run at Carolines tonight): Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Kara Klenk (host of If You Build It), Monroe Martin, Scott Chaplain, and more performing stand-up in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at the Beauty Bar

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VHI, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times) and Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central; opens for Sarah Silverman on tour) performing sets at The PIT, and then improv troupe Before the Accident making up scenes springboarding off the material, at Daws of Jeath

9:30 pm ($5): A monthly screening of new short filmed sketch and comedy produced by members of The Magnet Theatre comedy community: Flick Video Showcase

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with four minutes per comic, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Molly Austin & Mike Brown: Vicious Cycle

[FREE] 10:00 pm: All-gal lineup of Allison Castillo (VH1), Erika Wasser (MTV), and Kate Hendricks (North Carolina Comedy Festival) performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy (348 West 52nd Street) hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

10:00 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, and Phillip Jackson hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with improvisors taken from the audience...and who may include you: Improv Nerds Jam

NYC Comedy Picks for Tonight

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