Please note that these listings are updated frequently. The best way to be instantly notified about new show postings is to subscribe to my BestNewYorkComedy.com blog and allow for email notifications, and/or to follow me on Twitter (@hybender) or Instagram (@hybenderny).
That said, my top NYC comedy recommendations for December 2019 included the following:
Sunday 12/1: There are open mics for stand-up, storytelling, poetry, and music. And now there's also an open mic devoted to a particular emotion: rage. Come get stuff off your chest for just $5 (notably cheaper than therapy) at host Jennifer Harmon's Rage Blooms Within Me (3:00 pm, $5, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Sunday 12/1: Comics Shalewa Sharpe (above left; Comedy Central's The New Negroes; HBO's 2 Dope Queens; comedy album So, You Just Out Here?) and Courtney Fearrington (above right; co-host of Thug Passion Presents) help host Raj Sivaraman (middle)—and science—determine if telling jokes related to racism deflates or promotes actual racism: Test Tube Comedy: Exploring Racist Humor (7:00 pm, just $5!, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Sunday 12/1: Doug Smith (Conan O'Brien, co-host of See You In Hell) celebrates the release of his stand-up album Barely Regal by performing and hosting fellow comics Matt Wayne (Adam Devine's House Party; co-host with Doug of See You in Hell), Alison Leiby (writer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, former writer for Comedy Central's The Opposition and The President Show; VICE, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog; host of It's a Long Story), Rebecca Vigil (powerhouse improv singer; Your Love Our Musical, The Vigilante), George Gordon (co-host of The Afterlife; stand-up album Your Good Friend), and Robert Dean (Comedy Central): Doug Smith’s Album Release Party (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 12/1: If you haven't already seen Gary Gulman's HBO special The Great Depresh, do. In addition to delivering his usual razor-sharp and hilarious stand-up, Gary allows himself to be exceptionally open and vulnerable about his struggles with clinical depression, making it clear it's a disease as real and potentially deadly as any other serious illness. Creating a new show to follow this special is no small challenge—and you can help tonight by offering visceral reactions with your laughs as Gary tries out a bunch of new jokes. Also on the lineup of this safe space for stand-up development will be Jay Welch (McSweeney's, Someecards), Paul Oddo (host of podcast ScienPaulogy), and host Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 12/1: Jo Firestone (one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits), brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Joe Mande (Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour, Ben on Modern Family; former writer for The Good Place, Parks & Recreation, Kroll Show, Delocated, Master of None; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster, comedy album Bitchface; Netflix's Joe Mande's Award-Winning Comedy Special), Sean Donnelly (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, MTV; host of Celebrate! on Sirius Raw Dog 99; host of podcast Defend Your Movie; stand-up album Manual Labor Face), Petey DeAbreu (host of Petey's World and co-host of White Chocolate), Eliot Chang (Comedy Central Half Hour, Chelsea Lately, Showtime), Mike Lebovitz (HBO's The Deuce, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing), and Sophie Buddle perform stand-up hosted by Robert Dean (Comedy Central): If You Build It (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Sunday 12/1: Michelle Buteau (co-star of Netflix's Always Be My Maybe and BET+'s "The First Wives Club; co-host of popular WNYC podcast Adulting; HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Comedy Central's Key & Peele, Amazon's The Tick, VH1's Morning Buzz and Best Week Ever, FOX's Enlisted, Craig Ferguson, Last Comic Standing, @midnight, comedy album Shut Up) performs a solo stand-up show: Michelle Buteau (7:30 pm [sold out] & 10:00 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Sunday 12/1: Comics competitively roast each other, with tonight's main bout Jess Feeney ("I'm really nice till you get to know me") vs. Jake Vevera (podcast "Too Ugly for TV"), all hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (10:00 pm, $10, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
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Monday 12/2: Corinne Fisher & Krystyna Hutchinson (authors of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed) perform and host an original stage show—i.e., something separate from their wildly popular Guys We Fucked: The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast, but probably with the same delicious energy and quick wit: Guys We F*cked LIVE (6:00 pm; $22.32 in advance online or $24 at the door; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Monday 12/2: If you love shadow puppetry—as I do—check out this show playing in NYC tonight only as part of a national tour (please see trailer here). The recipient of two Jim Henson Foundation grants and two years in the making, the show describes itself as follows: "As a storm brews on the horizon, three women take refuge in an abandoned house. Their presence awakens a strange and shadowy world of memory and desire where fantasies are possible…if only for a night. This surreal, enchanting production is told entirely without words and features original music, agile scenery, and intricate shadow design:" Flying Lessons (7:00 pm, $17.35 in advance online or $18 at the door, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Monday 12/2: Tonight is probably the last chance to see Douglas Widdick & Ken McGraw's hour-long musical, directed by Caitlin Bitzegaio, in its original version developed for and performed at the UCBT-NY theatre. The show is about the myriad wrong ways to try to pick up women and live a bachelor lifestyle: Toxic Masculinity: The Musical (7:30 pm, $9, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Monday 12/2: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, creator & former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire; very nearly a cast member of SNL), and Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/2: Great lineup of Mike Drucker (above right; hilarious stand-up and staff writer for TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; previously staff writer for Comedy Central's The President Show and nearly 400 episodes of NBC's Jimmy Fallon, and contributing writer for Saturday Night Live), Joe Mande (above left; Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour, Ben on Modern Family; former writer for The Good Place, Parks & Recreation, Kroll Show, Delocated, Master of None; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster, comedy album Bitchface; Netflix's Joe Mande's Award-Winning Comedy Special), Erica Rhodes (HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern; #1 iTunes stand-up album Sad Lemon), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), and Mike Lebovitz (HBO's The Deuce, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing) performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Donwill, hosted by Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers) and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America, co-host of Nat Geo's Star Talk): Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street)
Monday 12/2: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, creator & former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Janelle Draper (IFC), Francis Ellis (co-host of Oops the Podcast), Danny Polishchuk (co-host of podcast Fckonomics), and Joe Praino try out material at this free weekly show hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language) and/or Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV): Frantic (10:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/2: Sam Jay (writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, MTV's SafeWord; host of Adult Swim's Ricking Morty; stand-up album Donna's Daughter) performs a deliciously long stand-up set at an intimate venue in the West Village: Sam Jay for the Hour (10:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 12/3: Stand-ups and/or storytellers Ben Hargrave, Tim Keck, Laura Zabolotsky, Maritza Montañez, Brian Allen Mitchell, Amanda Van Nostrand, and Shenuque Tissera "share what scares the sh*t out of them," with tonight's guests Ben Hargrave, Tim Keck, Laura Zabolotsky, Maritza Montañez, Brian Allen Mitchell, Amanda Van Nostrand, and Shenuque Tissera, all hosted by Tracy Soren: My Nightmare (8:30 pm, $6, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Tuesday 12/3: Family Ghosts is a podcast that "investigates the true story behind a mysterious figure whose legend has followed a family for generations. Grandmothers who were secretly jewel smugglers, uncles who led double lives, siblings who vanished without a trace, and other specters who cast shadows over family members in ways that might not be immediately obvious. We're all formed in part by our familial collections of secrets, intrigues, and myths. Engaging with each others’ legends can help us see each others’ realities more clearly." Host Sam Dingman (above right; Moth GrandSlam Champion) celebrates the kickoff of Season Three with this live-on-stage edition: Family Ghosts Live (7:00 pm; $15; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Tuesday 12/3:Vibrant lineup of Dulcé Sloan (powerhouse comic and correspondent for The Daily Show; Conan O'Brien, @midnight), Matthew Broussard (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour), Janelle James (HBO's Crashing, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Comedy Central's @midnight, Fuse's Uproarious), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me),and TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo perform stand-up for hosts Anya Volz (writer for Riot Fest, The Hard Times; host of Thirst Trap With Anya Volz) & Gabby Bryan (co-host with Katie Hannigan of podcast Apodcalypse): Our Time of the Week (7:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/3: A raucous monthly pun competition hosted by Fred Firestone (co-author with Jo Firestone of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), with 18 audience members (a dozen sign-ups and six returning champions) fiercely competing for wordplay dominance—and the chance to become an instant star based on verbal cleverness, and the ability to drum up the most applause from a packed and loudly cheering crowd: Punderdome 3000 (8:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; show up early—doors open at 7:00—to nab a seat, or plan on standing)
Tuesday 12/3: The Lucas Brothers (above middle; Jimmy Fallon, 22 Jump Street, FOX's Lucas Bros Moving Company, Arrested Development), Matthew Broussard (left, on the N; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour), Sam Morrison (top right; writer for Bravo's Blind Date), Ja-Ron Young (left, on the lamp), and Brian Enck (right, on the stool) perform stand-up hosted by Nore Davis (HBO's Last Week Tonight, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer and Russell Simmons Presents The Ruckus, Showtime's Boardwalk Empire, MTV; album You Guys Are Dope) representing both well-known and less-known comics considered worthy of your attention by comedy blog Stellar Underground (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Tuesday 12/3: With brutal honesty, comics Ron Bennington (host of radio shows Bennington and Unmasked), Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress),and Stavros Halkias (Comedy Central Stand-Up, IFC; co-host of podcast Cum Town; host of Fat Tuesdays) each shares a story of one of the worst things he or she has ever experienced, with periodic questions and other interjections from host Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of Sirius XM's The Bonfire, and podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall): The Worst (9:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/3: Gabe Gonzalez (Scruff, MTV News) and Steve Dean (dating industry consultant & relationship coach) offer dating app tips, play interactive games, and answer audience questions to help you find your mate onlne. "Along the way we'll hear some crazy stories, learn insane truths about the dating industry, and meet some new people:" The Nerds & the Bees (9:30 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Tuesday 12/3: Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV, co-host of podcast The Brilliant Idiots), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Francis Ellis (co-host of Oops the Podcast; former host of Sirius XM show Barstool Breakfast), and Joe Praino: $5 Funnies (10:00 pm, $5 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/4: Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV) records a comedy album via early and late shows. Come lend your joy and get your laughs immortalized at Chanel Ali Stand-Up Album Recording (7:00 pm and 9:30 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Wednesday 12/4-Thursday 12/19: UK-based brilliant writer/performer/lightning-wit Daniel Kitson is back in NYC, and tonight kicks off a two-week run of his new solo show titled Keep playing in Brooklyn. I don't know to what extent it's comedic vs. dramatic, but a fair bet is it's a tasty blend. Barring something going awry, I'll be seeing it tomorrow. If it sort-of qualifies as a comedy show, I'll report on it here. Either way, it's always wonderful to see Daniel Kitson, and on that basis alone I recommend you nab tickets—which, per Daniel's policy of high accessibility, are an affordable $25 across the board: Daniel Kitson: Keep (8:00, $25, Brooklyn's St. Ann's Warehouse at 45 Water Street; take the F subway to York Street, or the A/C to High Street-Brooklyn Bridge, or the 2/3 to Clark Street)
Wednesday 12/4: Jo Firestone (one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits), Clare O'Kane (Comedy Central Half Hour, Amazon's Budding Prospects, Viceland's Flophouse, webseries Semi-Famous; former writer for SpongeBob SquarePants; stand-up album Let It Be), Megan Stalter (star of webseries The Megan Stalter Show; member of National Lampoon Radio Hour), Alex English (writer for BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede), and Joe Castle Baker (host of monthly Williamsburg show Get Reel) perform stand-up for Tim Platt (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central, Sesame Street; member of The Story Pirates and Cartoon Monsoon; host of podcast Hampton High) & Drew Anderson (McSweeney's, Reductress; co-host of Stevie): Sweethearts of Comedy (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 12/4: Great lineup of Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Erica Rhodes (HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern; #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon), Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV, co-host of podcast The Brilliant Idiots), Michael Kosta (correspondent for The Daily Show), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Sal Vulcano (co-star of TruTV's Impractical Jokers), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/4: The luminous Maria DeCotis (above left; Comedy Central, Mike Birbiglia's The New One, champion improv group The Sister Wives), Dina Hashem (right; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Stand-Up and Roast Battle), Jeff Simmermon (middle top; NPR's This American Life, Moth GrandSlam Champion, comedy album & show And I Am Not Lying), Rojo Perez (middle bottom; HBO's Entre Nos: Spot On, Conan O'Brien, MTV's Decoded, TruTV), Maddy Smith (MTV's Wild N Out), Will Abeles (stand-up album Regrets of My Father), and Lindsay Boling perform stand-up hosted by Ahri Findling: Hey! It's a Comedy Show (8:00 pm, $5 [includes one free beer—make free online reservation and then pay at door], Brooklyn's Silver Light Tavern at 689 Lorimer Street; take L subway to Lorimer Street)
Wednesday 12/4: The Sister Wives is an improv group that's a UCB Cage Match champion, and is comprised of Maria DeCotis (front; racing over from Brooklyn show directly above), Felicia Blum, Emily Bradshaw, Molly Brown, Emily Evans, Eileen Hanley, and Lauren Schiebly. Tonight the team hosts female comics in "a variety slumber party for a night of gossip, pillow fights, and maybe even drawing penises on each other’s faces:" Sister Wives Slumber Party (9:30 pm, $10, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Wednesday 12/4: Strong lineup of Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, creator & former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV, co-host of podcast The Brilliant Idiots), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Sal Vulcano (co-star of TruTV's Impractical Jokers), and Amy Miller (Last Comic Standing; host of podcast Who's Your God?; stand-up album Solid Gold): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/5: This monthly comedic show about the MTA tonight deals with one of the most frustrating aspects of the NYC transit system: service changes. "We've all been there. You're about to head out for Saturday brunch in Queens when you think, Wait, is the R running this weekend? What's up with the Q26? Can I even get to where I need to go? So what are service changes even about, and who decides we need them? This month we dive into the forces driving these nuisances: issues with weather, signals, track, even holidays." Helping untangle it all wil be guest Stephanie Burgos-Veras, a native New Yorker and Campaign Manager of the Riders Alliance, plus hosts Meg Pierson (TEDx, Alchemy Comedy) and Justin Williams (Comedy Central; host of Death Comedy Jam): Why Your Train is F*cked: Service Changes (7:00 pm; $17 online or $20 at the door; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 12/5-Saturday 12/7: Janelle James (staff writer for Showtime's Black Monday; Seth Meyers, HBO's Crashing, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Comedy Central's @midnight; has toured with Amy Schumer and Chris Rock) produces this second annual comedy mini-festival, consisting of three Bell House shows happening tonight, Friday, and Saturday. You can see any individual show for $20, or go all in on the fest with a 3-night festival pass for $55. Tonight's event features Ilana Glazer, Abi Sanchez, Kristen Toomey, Daniel Simonsen, and Chloé Hilliard and is titled Comedians That Don't Owe Me Money. It's likely to be a fun, high-energy way to kick off The 2nd Annual Janelle James Comedy Festival (Thursday-Saturday, 8:00 pm, $20-$55, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Thursday 12/5: Open mic storytelling show, with each yarn-spinner whose name is picked from a basket receiving 5 minutes on stage to share something that happened in his or her life, hosted by David Lawson (Comedy Central; solo storytelling shows include The Flyer Guy, No Oddjob, The Prequels; and The 2020 Book Report): The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show (7:00 pm, Free!, Astoria Bookshop at 31-29 31st Street)
Thursday 12/5: Dan Perlman (cast member of MTV's Vidiots; co-writer, co-director, and co-star of series Flatbush Misdemeanors; written for Lewis Black and Roy Wood Jr.) records a stand-up album via early and late shows. Come share your joy and have your laugh immortalized at Dan Perlman Album Recording (7:30 pm and 10:00 pm, $8-$10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 12/5: Francis Ellis (Senior Editor of BroBible.com, co-host of Oops the Podcast) and Ashley Hesseltine (founder of BrosBeingBasic, co-host of podcast Girls Gotta Eat) tell jokes and stories for this monthly show: Stay Humble (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/5: Because there isn't enough strife pitting the living against each other, comicss Manolo Moreno (Dr. Gameshow, Comedy Central), Kady Ruth Ashcraft (IFC, Reductress), MK Doherty (MTV, TruTV), and Juliet Prather (MTV) roast long-past historical figures and events, ranging from Rasputin to The Beat Generation to The 1968 Democratic Convention hosted by Matt Strickland (Comedy Central): The Roast of History (9:30 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 12/6: Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV), Calise Hawkins (Jimmy Fallon, Last Comic Standing, @midnight, TruTV, Oxygen; writer for Comedy Central, Playboy.com), and Jay Jurden (Jimmy Fallon; written for The New Yorker, McSweeney's, Vutlure) perform stand-up hosted by Jax Dell'Osso (MTV, Twitch TV) & Alia Janine (former adult film star; host of the Whormones Podcast): Jawbreakers! (7:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/6-Saturday 12/7: Day #2 of the Janelle James Comedy Festival features Baron Vaughn & Open Mike Eagle (above; hosts of Comedy Central's The New Negroes) hosting stellar comics Kevin Iso, Yassir Lester, Hadiyah Robinson, Janelle James, and more: A Black Ass Show (8:00 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Friday 12/6: Stand-up from Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Jim Florentine (co-host of VH1 Classic's That Metal Show; Comedy Central's Crank Yankers, MTV; film A Little Help; stand-up album Cringe N Purge), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast), and Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/6: Stand-up from Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Charles Engle (co-host of podcast Please Send Nudes), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): Nikki Glaser, Subhah Agarwal, and More (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/6: Comics Rachel Sennott (above), Kylie Holloway, Ari Durnell, and Bradley Sinanan try to figure out and articulate the meaning of a piece of art. Then an actual art expert tells them what the piece is generally considered to be about and its cultural impact. Plus select audience members—maybe including you—will draw their art on the spot and have it interpreted by the comics. According to hosts Matt Hartin & Akmal Tajihan, "This is the only show you'll want to Van Gogh to:" Modern Whitney (9:30 pm; $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 12/6: Host Chris Gersbeck screens a "cheesy" porn movie that comics make fun of MST3K-style, with tonight's riffers Laura Merli (above middle; McSweeney's, Reductress; half of sketch duo Soul Crush Comedy; host of podcast How to be Less Awkward), Brian McGuinness (bottom right; Inside Amy Schumer, co-host of Retro Bits, Playable Characters podcast), Bobby Hankinson (left; host of Kweendom; webseries Single Blonde Failure), and Jenn Wehrung (top right; BBC; this show's producer): Soft Core! (11:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Saturday 12/7: Wil Sylvince (HBO's Crashing and Def Comedy Jam, Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, Showtime, film Top Five; has toured with D.L. Hughley, Damon Wayans, Katt Williams) performs a deliciously long stand-up set on an intimate Comedy Cellar stage: Wil Sylvince (6:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Saturday 12/7: In this unique show, animators—including Dan Pinto & Gabe Pinto—spontaneously bring the jokes of stand-ups Dave Hill, Allison Leiby, Shalewa Sharpe, Wendi Starling, and Mike Feeney to visual life with lightning speed & wit. Part of the fun is that the comics don’t know what the animators will draw and the animators don’t know how the comics will react. Produced by Sam Varela & Brandie Posey and hosted by Ian Fidance (regular on SiriusXM's You Up? with Nikki Glaser, Comedy Central Radio): Picture This! (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/7: Outstanding lineup of Laurie Kilmartin (dynamite stand-up; writer for Conan O'Brien; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, VH1; special 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad; author of books Dead People Suck and Sh*tty Mom), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Jim Florentine (co-host of VH1 Classic's That Metal Show; Comedy Central's Crank Yankers, MTV; film A Little Help; stand-up album Cringe N Purge), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and movie & TV star Janeane Garofalo: Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/7: This third and final day of the Janelle James Comedy Festival features ace comics Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin (above middle; hosts of podcast The Unofficial Expert and, with Aminah Imani, highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit), The Lucas Brothers (top right; Jimmy Fallon, 22 Jump Street, Netflix's The Lucas Bros: On Drugs and Lady Dynamite, FOX's Lucas Bros Moving Company and Arrested Development, HBO's Crashing), Ayo Edebiri (top left; Comedy Central, The New Yorker), Jaboukie Young-White (bottom left; correspondent for The Daily Show), Ethan Simmons-Patterson (bottom right), Casey Balsham, and more: Comedians Who Flewed Out (8:00 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Saturday 12/7: Stand-up from Laurie Kilmartin (dynamite stand-up; writer for Conan O'Brien; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, VH1; special 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad; author of books Dead People Suck and Sh*tty Mom), Kristen Toomey (#1 on iTunes stand-up album Mother. F*cker.), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Stavros Halkias (Comedy Central Stand-Up, IFC; co-host of podcast Cum Town; host of Fat Tuesdays), Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Laurie Kilmartin, Kristen Toomey, and More (9:00 pm & 11:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/7: The wonderful Ophira Eisenberg (one of the finest comedic storytellers and stand-ups in the country; host of weekly NPR/WNYC show Ask Me Another, author of bestselling book Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy, comedy album Bangs!; NBC, CBS, Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), Eman El Husseini (opens for Patton Oswalt; stand-up albums Unveiled and Handsome Daughter), Ray Gootz (stand-up album Go Down Swinging), and Misho Shakur ("America's top-rated Syrian Refugee Comedian") perform extra-long stand-up sets hosted by Ben Asher: Double Plus Good Comedy (9:00 pm, $5 suggested contribution or $1 for students, but paying is optional; Brooklyn's Cherry Tree Bar at 65 Fourth Avenue; take 2/3/4/5/B/D/N/Q/R subway to Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center)
Saturday 12/7: Dan Soder is a popular actor (Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions) and radio host (SiriusXM 95's The Bonfire with co-host Big Jay Oakerson). But on top of all that, Dan is one of the very finest stand-up comics alive—and he'll be letting the world know it at 10:00 pm via his first hour-long special, Son of a Gary, on HBO. Whether you tune in live or stream at your leisure, don't miss it.
Saturday 12/7: Great lineup of stand-ups Laurie Kilmartin (dynamite stand-up; writer for Conan O'Brien; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, VH1; special 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad; author of books Dead People Suck and Sh*tty Mom), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Jim Florentine (co-host of VH1 Classic's That Metal Show; Comedy Central's Crank Yankers, MTV; film A Little Help; stand-up album Cringe N Purge), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire; very nearly a cast member of SNL): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/8: Enjoy brunch with laughs at this comedy show that provides free bacon and $20 bottomless mimosas along with ace comics Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Sydnee Washington (Conan O'Brien, MTV2's Vidiots; host with Marie Faustin of podcast The Unofficial Expert; host with Marie Faustin & Aminah Imani of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit), Kristen Toomey (#1 on iTunes stand-up album Mother. F*cker.), Amy Miller (Comedy Central Stand-Up, Last Comic Standing; host of podcast Who's Your God?; stand-up album Solid Gold), and host Remy Kassimir (host of podcast How Cum): Bacon Bits Brunch Show (3:00 pm, $15, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/8: Storytellers share tales of when they did something terrible—but if given the chance would absolutely do the same thing again! Featuring the great Sean Patton, SallyAnn Hall, Sam Evans, Jared Waters, and Dara Jemmott hosted by Joe Perrow & Sam Mazany: Sorry Not Sorry (7:00 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/8: Lorelei Ramirez (fresh, explosively brilliant comic; Adult Swim, VICE), Tim Platt (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central, Sesame Street; member of The Story Pirates and Cartoon Monsoon; host of podcast Hampton High), and Peter Mills Weiss perform & host "a night of sketches and stories and sorrows" that provide "absurd, thoughtful catharsis." If you enjoy the cool and different, consider going on A Date with Sloop Jumbly (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 12/8: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Francis Ellis (Senior Editor of BroBible.com, co-host of Oops the Podcast), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Last Comic Standing, TruTV; co-host of podcast Legion of Skanks), Kristen Toomey (#1 on iTunes stand-up album Mother. F*cker.), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Nina Daniels (The Last O.G., Shameless, Maron), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas):: Sunday Night Comedy at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/8: Mary Houlihan (The New Yorker, Difficult People, The Chris Gethard Show, Cartoon Monsoon), Alise Morales (News & Politics Editor of Betches; Reductress, Above Average; voice of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Showtime's Our Cartoon President), Christian Finnegan (three Comedy Central specials, Netflix special The Fun Part; TBS, VH1, MSNBC, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show; stand-up album 60% Joking), and Phil Jamesson (YouTube star) try out new jokes via deliciously long sets at this popular weekly safe space for the stand-up creation process hosted by Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor, host of Downtown Variety): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street; Please Note: Jordan Klepper was slated to headline tonight, but he had to cancel. Jordan may be back on a later show.)
Sunday 12/8: Sasheer Zamata (cast member for three seasons of Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, Amazon’s Transparent, TBS’ People of Earth; Amazon special Pizza Mind; podcast Best Friends), Hadiyah Robinson (The Nightly Show, MTV, Oxygen), Megan Stalter (star of webseries The Megan Stalter Show; member of National Lampoon Radio Hour), Amy Miller (Comedy Central Stand-Up, Last Comic Standing; host of podcast Who's Your God?; stand-up album Solid Gold), Rojo Perez (HBO's Entre Nos: Spot On, Conan O'Brien, MTV's Decoded, TruTV), and Mark Gregory perform stand-up for stellar hosts Sydnee Washington, Marie Faustin, and Aminah Imani: Comedy Night at the Knit (9:00 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Knitting Factory at 361 Metropolitan Avenue; take the G/L subway to Lorimer Street-Metropolitan Avenue)
Sunday 12/8: This weekly competitive roast battle tonight features a main bout of long-time friends Dylan Negri vs. DC Williams judged by Zac Amico, Ryan Long, Danny Polishchuk, and Chris from Brooklyn hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm; $8.13 online using code CFC, otherwise $13.13; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/8: New York University's sketch comedy group Comic Sans (consisting of Graham Dunn, Pete Simmons-Hayes, Hamilton O'Toole, Simon Ong, Jenna Sherriton, Nikki Haririan, George Hajjar, Sophie Bramnick, Kyle Ryan, Elliot Ong, Lucas Kernan, Jared Kirsch, Sophia Rogers, Michael Oluokun, Behnam Ardebili, Hannah Fewel, Sara Pachauri, and/or Erin Dugan) performs its latest bits at The PIT for one night only: Comics Sans Presents: The End (9:00 pm, $10, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 12/8: From top left to right: Christian Finnegan (creator & co-host of A&E's Black and White; co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; Conan O'Brien; three Comedy Central specials, Netflix special The Fun Part; TBS, VH1, MSNBC, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show; stand-up album 60% Joking), Pat Burtscher (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Amy Miller (Comedy Central Stand-Up, Last Comic Standing; host of podcast Who's Your God?; stand-up album Solid Gold), Caitlin Peluffo (Stephen Colbert, co-host of Karen), host Alison Leiby (writer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, former writer for Comedy Central's The Opposition and The President Show; VICE, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog; host of It's a Long Story), Rebecca Vigil (powerhouse improv singer; Your Love Our Musical, The Vigilante), Pete Bladel (TruTV), and Conner McNutt perform stand-up in the East Village: If You Build It (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Monday 12/9: Married couple Rich Vos & Bonnie McFarlane host this unusual comedy game show they describe as "part stand-up, part roast, and all good harmless sexist fun. Here’s how it works: Male comedians perform stand-up for a panel of female comedians. After each set, the women decide—sometimes in graphic detail—if they would 'bang' him.'" The guy stand-ups tonight are Francis Ellis, Brendan Sagalow, Ryan Long, Lev Fer, and Usama Siddiquee; and the judges are Carmen Lynch, Hannah Berner, Mehran Khaghani, and Vanessa Ramos: Would You Bang Him? (8:00 pm, $20, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/9: This solo production, which debuted at the 2018 FringeNYC and is now enjoying a monthly revival at LES' Caveat, starts out pretending to be a scientific lecture about and demonstration of chaos theory.
But it's really a highly interactive show that uses comedy and thoughtfully structured game-play for nudging audiences to explore their wishes and desires, push past boundaries, connect with everyone around them, and be open to anything.
It's all courtesy of writer/performer Jessica Ellen Creane, who cycles between faux-shyly giving illustrated talks about such things as fractals, love, and velociraptors, making herself fearlessly vulnerable, and improvising quick-witted responses to audience choices. For example, when Creane asked me to name a goal, I replied, "writing and selling a movie." She immediately gave me the best pep talk I've ever had, stating beyond doubt that I'd succeed. In gratitude, I added, "I'll cast you in it." Without missing a beat, and fully committing to her scientist character (wearing thick black-frame glasses with no lenses), Creane tossed off, "I'm not good at acting" before moving on to help someone else. That she even thought of that line demonstrates what a superb actress Creane is...and how completely she performs in the moment.
Because this show relies so deeply on interaction, each edition will be different based on the decisions made by you and your fellow audience members. Along the same lines, how much you enjoy it, and genuinely get out of it, will depend heavily on what you bring to it.
For me, it was a **** (out of 4) show. If you come experience this—and you should—I hope you have a wonderful time too; and that it moves you closer to your dreams.
Chaos Theory (7:00, $27.50 in advance online or $30 at the door, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Monday 12/9: Stand-up from Meg Statler, Amy Miller, Rachel Pegram, Drew Anderson, Norlex Belma, and Wendy Wroblewski, plus music from DJ Donwill, hosted by Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers) and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America, co-host of Nat Geo's Star Talk): Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street)
Monday 12/9: Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies) and Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), @Derek1Gaines (@WillAndGrace) join hosts Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcast The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall; Netflix's The Degenerates), Luis J. Gomez (special Luis J. Gomez Presents Luis J. Gomez), and Dave Smith (FOX; host of podcast Part of the Problem) to "discuss the skankier sides of life, love, and stand-up comedy" for this free weekly podcast taping: Legion of Skanks (9:30 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/9: Killer lineup—for any show, let alone this free one—of Erica Rhodes (star visiting from LA; HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern; #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Joe List (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The StandUps, comedy albums So Far No Good and Are You Mad at Me?), Amy Miller (Comedy Central Stand-Up, Last Comic Standing; host of podcast Who's Your God?; stand-up album Solid Gold), Caitlin Peluffo (Stephen Colbert, co-host of Karen), and Nick Mullen (co-host of podcast Cum Town) trying out material at this free weekly show hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language) and/or Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV): Frantic! (10:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/9: Sherrod Small (Jimmy Kimmel, A&E's Black & White, TBS' Are We There Yet?, NBC's Showtime at the Apollo, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of podcast Race Wars) performs a deliciously long stand-up set in an intimate West Village club: Sherrod Small (10:30 pm, $20 plus 2-item food/drink min., Comedy Cellar's Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 12/10: Members of the West Wing Writers group (which includes former Presidential speechwriters) will break down their favorite speeches, give behind-the-scenes looks at the speech drafting process, and even lead you in crafting your own keynote speech, all hosted by Chandler Dean (McSweeney's): SpeakEasy (7:00 pm; $15; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Tuesday 12/10: A beloved Broadway, TV, and film star who said, "The thing that drives me crazy is when comics say 'I have low self-esteem.' No, you don't. You're standing on stage asking people to pay. You don't play an instrument. You want people to pay to hear what's in your mind. You don't have low self-esteem. You might have other problems." tries out new material in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 12/10: Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm, comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club (8:00 pm, Free!, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Tuesday 12/10: Top comics Dan Soder & Big Jay Oakerson do a live-on-stage version of their highly popular Comedy Central Radio Sirius XM 95 show to celebrate the season. This is SOLD OUT, but you can try getting in by arriving early and waiting on the stand-by line: The Bonfire Live Holiday Spectacular (8:30 pm, $14 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's Village Underground at 130 West 3rd Street off Sixth Avenue)
Tuesday 12/10: Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; four Comedy Central specials; HBO, Showtime, Jimmy Kimmel; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast) tapes his sixth stand-up album. (Rich's fifth one, titled simply V, hit #1 on iTunes and Billboard, and was voted Best Comedy Album of the Year by the readers of Interrobang.) Come help Rich make this evening electric by lending your joy and getting your laughs immortalized at an intimate West Village club: Rich Vos Album Recording (8:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., Comedy Cellar's Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 12/10: Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Krystyna Hutchinson (with comedy partner Corinne Fisher, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), Ray DeVito (The Jim Gaffigan Show, MTV; co-host of The Ghole Podcast) and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas) perform stand-up for host Josh Carter (Comedy Central's Broad City and The Jim Gaffigan Show): Northern Discomfort (9:30 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/10: Great lineup of Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America), Michael Kosta (correspondent for The Daily Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), and Janelle Draper (IFC): $5 Funnies (10:00 pm, $5 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Celebrating the debut of @thatsfunny-TV is a great lineup of Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, upcoming HBO special; hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Todd Barry (Netflix special Spicy Honey, star of delightful documentary The Crowd Work Tour; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, co-star of feature film The Wrestler), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Chris Laker (Jimmy Kimmel; opens for Mike Birbiglia; stand-up album Moments of Greatness), and Damien Lemon (host of TruTV's Comedy Knockout; Comedy Central Half Hour; MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Guy Court): @thatsfunny TV Premiere Party & Stand-Up Show (9:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Ziwe Fumudoh (writer for Showtime's Desus & Mero, and previously for The Rundown with Robin Thede; host of hilarious webseries Baited with Ziwe) invites comics Natalie Walker, Rachel Pegram, Jes Tom, Max Wittert, and Walter Kelly to perform pop songs, preceded by comedic presentations: Pop Show (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
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Wednesday 12/11: A Broadway, TV, and film star who once said, "Marie Antoinette, I'm sure she was just misinterpreted. You know the 'Let them eat cake' line? She seems kind of funny, like a Kathy Griffin type" tries out new material tonight and tomorrow in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Stand-up from the great Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds and very finest stand-ups in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly; Netflix stand-up special America is the Greatest Country in the United States; bestselling cartoon book If the Raindrops United), Joe List (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The StandUps, comedy albums So Far No Good and Are You Mad at Me?), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic), and Drew Dunn (winner of the Boston Comedy Festival 2017 and Seattle International Comedy Competition 2018): World Champs at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/11: As a backup for the first recording last night, Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; four Comedy Central specials; HBO, Showtime, Jimmy Kimmel; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast) tapes his sixth stand-up album. (Rich's fifth one, titled simply V, hit #1 on iTunes and Billboard, and was voted Best Comedy Album of the Year by the readers of Interrobang.) Come help Rich make this evening electric by lending your joy and getting your laughs immortalized at an intimate West Village club: Rich Vos Album Recording (8:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., Comedy Cellar's Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Celebrating the debut of @thatsfunny-TV is a great lineup of Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, upcoming HBO special; hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Todd Barry (Netflix special Spicy Honey, star of delightful documentary The Crowd Work Tour; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, co-star of feature film The Wrestler), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Chris Laker (Jimmy Kimmel; opens for Mike Birbiglia; stand-up album Moments of Greatness), and Damien Lemon (host of TruTV's Comedy Knockout; Comedy Central Half Hour; MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Guy Court): @thatsfunny TV Premiere Party & Stand-Up Show (9:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic; author of How to Write Cheesy Movies) hosts an open mic for MST3K-style riffing on film clips of awful movies, tonight with guest co-host Myka Fox (fearless, boundary-busting stand-up; SNL freelance contributor; host of Myka Fox & Friends podcast on Keith and The Girl Network) . Sign-up is open to all, and riffing happens in randomly assigned groups of three, with no advance knowledge of what's going to be screened. Whoever Frank and Myka decide is best will get to riff with them at the end of the night: Frank Conniff's Open Riff Night (9:00 pm, $5 to riff or $8 to just watch, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 12/11: Alise Morales (above right; News & Politics Editor of Betches; Reductress, Above Average), Michael Hartney (top left; TV Land's Throwing Shade, Broadway's School of Rock; co-host of Characters Welcome), and Natasha Vaynblat (left; Comedy Central, IFC, Funny or Die, McSweeney's, Reductress; ace improv group What I Did For Love) perform comedy for hosts Amanda Giobbi & Ariel Gitlin (middle), who ask you to "join us as we welcome some people we love to do some comedy they love and that we think you'll love too:" We Love You: A Fucking Positive Comedy Show (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Joe List (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The StandUps, comedy albums So Far No Good and Are You Mad at Me?), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Last Comic Standing, TruTV; co-host of podcast Legion of Skanks), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), and Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app): Stand-Up Wednesday at The Stand (10:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/11: Judah Friedlander, or a reasonable facsimile, performs a deliciously long set of new material at an intimate West Village club: World Champion (10:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., Comedy Cellar's Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Thursday 12/12: Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Justin Flanagan, Sarah Bell, and Yannis Pappas perform stand-up for hosts Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire) & Abby Rosenquist (Fuse TV): Citywide (7:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/12: Andrea Jones-Rooy, who is a Professor and Director of Undergraduate Study at the NYU Center for Data Science—and also a fire-wielding circus performer (yes, that's really her above)—uses decades of data-driven political research to "help us understand what our political structures are actually doing, why, and how (and whether) to change them. We explore such questions as 'What does majority rule even mean, and what are the consequences of it? Are we actually getting more polarized? Why, despite the historical records in the midterm election, do so many candidates and leaders still look the same?": Political Circus: Why Democracy is F*cked and What to Do About It (7:00 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 12/12: One of the best innovations of UCBT-NY Artistic Director Michael Hartney was creating a new category of house teams (beyond those for improv and sketch) devoted to talented comedic character actors. Tonight one of those two groups, Leather Father—Jason Gore, Cameron McCall, Alex Otis, Xavier Padin, Nathan Pearson, Elena Skopetos, Graham Techler, and Nichole Yannetty—perform original characters or impersonations directed & hosted by Michael Hartney, Eric Feurer, and/or Sarah Parsons: Characters Welcome: Leather Father (7:30 pm, $7, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Thursday 12/12: Killer great lineup of Erica Rhodes (HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern; smart, elegant #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon), Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), and Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/12: Comedy icon Michael Ian Black has acted in over a dozen movies, including Wet Hot American Summer; and in scores of TV series—including Netflix's Insatiable, Comedy Central's Another Period and The Jim Gaffigan Show, and such classics as seminal MTV sketch series The State and NBC's Ed. He's also the author of over a dozen books, including the 2016 bestseller A Child’s First Book of Trump. And on top of all that, he enjoys performing stand-up...which is what he's doing tonight: Michael Ian Black Does Brooklyn (8:00 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Thursday 12/12: Enjoy a comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) shared by their original authors before total strangers at this popular monthly show—which is now also a six-part series titled The Mortified Guide on Netflix: Mortified (8:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 12/12: Following an established audition format for shows like SNL, sketch/character comics Melissa Aquiles, Gary DeNoia, Sarah Ann Houghton, Mary Cait Kelly, Dejen Tesfagiorgis, and Kaili Y. Turner will each perform three characters and three impersonations in an attempt to impress you—and whoever else might be watching: TV Sketch Show Audition Show (8:30 pm, $10, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Thursday 12/12: Great lineup of Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central), and Nina Daniels (The Last O.G., Showtime's Shameless, Maron): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/13: Mike Drucker (above left; hilarious stand-up and staff writer for TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; previously a staff writer for NBC's Jimmy Fallon and Comedy Central's The President Show), Shane Torres (above right; fresh, hilarious stand-up; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Stand-Up Presents and Comedy Cellar, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, stand-up album Established 1981), Meg Stalter (National Lampoon Comedy Hour, The Chris Gethard Show) and Dylan Adler (sketch comic on Maude Night; co-host of Woke AF and Just Come) help hosts Emily Winter (writer for NPR's Ask Me Another; The New Yorker, The New York Times) & Larry Mancini (ESPN Radio; band member of The Tracys) celebrate this show's 7 years to date: BackFat Variety's 7 Year Anniversary Show (9:30 pm; $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 12/13: Krystyna Hutchinson (with comedy partner Corinne Fisher, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Mike Yard (former correspondent for Comedy Central's The Nightly Show; host of podcast YardTalk), Gina Brillon (ABC's The View, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Chelsea Lately), Dante Nero (Comedy Central, HBO, ABC, FOX; co-host of podcast Man School 202), and Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress) perform stand-up hosted by Von Decarlo (co-producer of Comedy Central documentary on her late fiancé Patrice O'Neal; author of book Speak Fluent Man): Grown AF Comedy (7:00 pm; $14.72 online using code HAPPY, otherwise $24.72; no min.; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/13: Stand-up from powerhouses Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of Sirius XM's The Bonfire, and podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic), and Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentaries 25 Sets, A Universal Language, co-host of CompoundMedia.com's In Hot Water and The Stand's Frantic!): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/13: Carly Ann Filbin (luminous sketch comic/comedic actress/writer; on-camera correspondent for Cosmopolitan.com; host of Let Me Break You Up: An Anti-Dating Game Show) pushes boundaries with this comedic game show in three segments: straight date, lesbian date, and gay date. Carly says, "Romance today isn't what it used to be—swiping, clicking, dick-picing. It's time we went retro with an old fashioned IRL dating show! Millennials choose their hottie based on how well they answer questions like 'If you wanted morning sex, how would you initiate it?', all while I make fun of them because, well, why not? Let's make some love connections or, at the very least, a one-night stand to talk about at brunch:" Young Hot Sluts: A Matchmaking Show (8:00 pm; $15 at the door or $14.30 online; Brooklyn's C'mon Everybody at 325 Franklin Avenue—take the G subway to Classon Avenue)
Friday 12/13: Stand-up from Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of Sirius XM's The Bonfire, and podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Janelle Draper (IFC; host of Host of Twisted Sistas), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): Friday Night Stand-Up at The Stand (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/13: The PIT's sketch comedy collective tonight presents group Yuck Yuck Goose, consisting of Vincent Martella, Sarah Wharton, Alexandra Sanchez, Amaka Orji, Claudine Bryant, Dominick Nero, Jake Lucas, Jeffrey Elizabeth Copeland, Lizzie Logan, Nivedita Kulkarni, and Laura Canty-Samuel. You can get a feel for the group by checking out its videos—which include Date Joe Biden—here: BoogieManja (9:30 pm, $12, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Friday 12/13: Ace musical improvisors—Desi Domo, Alyssa Davis, Ali Gordon, Kiki Mikkelsen, Eric Lockley, Ali Reed, Matt Giroveanu, Philip Markle, and/or Chris Simpson—make up the story, songs, and dances of a new musical on the spot based on "fill in the blank" audience suggestions: Blank! The Musical (9:30 pm; $22.60 in advance online or $25 at the door; The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Friday 12/13: Stellar stand-ups Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of Sirius XM's The Bonfire, and podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/14: A highly popular show that reenacts bizarre events of the past, with all sketches researched, written, and directed by award-winning journalist Malorie Cunningham (ABC News, NBC News) and Heath Harckham (Food Network), and performed by comics including Malorie, Heath, Victoria Hoffman, Sophia Shefner, Talia Heller, Ian Mather, and/or Mike Newkirk: Sketchy History (7:00 pm, $12, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/14: World-class singing improvisors Rebecca Vigil & Evan Kaufman interview an audience couple about their love life and then turn it into a musical—with breathtaking skill (see my review of their award-winning FringeNYC 2015 shows here). I highly recommend the phenomenal Your Love, Our Musical (7:00 pm; $22.32 for a seat, or $17 for standing room, online; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street. Please note this show consistently sells out, so buying in advance online is highly recommended.)
Saturday 12/14: Friends Who Folk—i.e., delightful singing duo Rachel Wenitsky (writer for Jimmy Fallon, freelance writer for SNL; Deputy Editor of Reductress; co-host of Mouth Time! podcast; Head Writer of The Story Pirates podcast) & Ned Riseley; TheNewYorker.com—host guests Jo Firestone (one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits), Max Wittert (HBO's High Maintenance), Francesca D'Uva (Chris Gethad Presents), and Karolena Theresa (host of Star F*ckers): Friends Who Folk & Friends (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/14: All-star lineup of Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds and very finest stand-ups in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly; Netflix stand-up special America is the Greatest Country in the United States; bestselling cartoon book If the Raindrops United), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo: Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/14: Acclaimed groundbreaking improvisors Patrick McCartney, Matt Higgins, Jay Rhoderick, and Kevin Scott make up scenes that often have a theatrical quality: Centralia (8:00 pm; $12, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Saturday 12/14: Winning lineup of Erica Rhodes (star visiting from LA; smart, elegant #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon; HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds and very finest stand-ups in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly; Netflix stand-up special America is the Greatest Country in the United States; bestselling cartoon book If the Raindrops United), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic): Stars at The Stand (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/14: Every Saturday night, a highly talented freestyle rapping long form improv group takes the stage for an hour: North Coast (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/14: Superb lineup of Erica Rhodes (star visiting from LA; smart, elegant #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon; HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds and very finest stand-ups in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly; Netflix stand-up special America is the Greatest Country in the United States; bestselling cartoon book If the Raindrops United), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/14: Blythe Roberson (bottom left; The New Yorker, The Onion, McSweeney's; author of How to Date Men When You Hate Men) & Colin Stokes (bottom right; Associate Cartoon Editor at The New Yorker; The Onion, GQ) select a book, and then each guest comic uses it as a springboard for a set that might provide insights about the work but, more typically, have almost nothing to do with the book. If you actually love the book—which this month is cookbook Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman—you may find this a painful experience; but if you love snark, come. Plus this month's comics are stellar: Jo Firestone (top right; one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits), Karen Chee (top left; staff writer for Seth Meyers; The New Yorker, McSweeney's), Fran Hoepfner (The Onion, Vulture, ClickHole, Maxim), and Dash Turner (improvisor): Book Club—A Comedy Show: Nothing Fancy (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/14: Using low-brow horror films often purchased in local gas stations and bodegas, host J.W. Crump plays select clips for 30 seconds, then asks his talented cast of improvisers—Sean Reidy, Connor McClure, B.J. Thorne, Josh Krebs, Kaitlin Fontana, Sam Jackel, Michelle Francesca Thomas, Tim Mele, Ali Gordon, Jordan Hirsch, Alyson Cripps, and/or Táhlia Robinson—to complete the scene: Gas Station Horror (10:30 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/14: Late night stars Erica Rhodes (star visiting from LA; smart, elegant #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon; HBO's Veep, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's New Girl, @midnight, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, A Prairie Home Companion, Howard Stern), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Late Night Stars at The Stand (11:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/15: Enjoy brunch with laughs at this comedy show that provides free bacon and $20 bottomless mimosas along with witty comics Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Hannah Berner (cast of Bravo's Summer House; host of podcast Berning In Hell), Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, @midnight; regular on WB's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and host Remy Kassimir (host of podcasts How Cum and We Really Love Island): Bacon Bits Brunch Show (3:00 pm, $15, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/15: "Eliot Glazer, a classically trained vocalist-turned-comedian, takes some of pop music's most infamous songs and turns them into highbrow, sweeping ballads. Like a twisted version of MTV Unplugged, Austin City Limits, or VH1 Storytellers, it's an intimate night of bad music made good," with an incredible lineup of singing Saturday Night Live cast members: Melissa Villaseñor (force-of-nature voiceover artist who's performed characters for Family Guy, Scooby Doo, and many other shows; also a brilliant illustrator and moving singer/songwriter whose first music album is Dreamer), Cecily Strong (left), and Ego Nwodim (right); plus iconic fashion designer Isaac Mizrathi!: Haunting Renditions (7:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 12/15: Great lineup of Sam Jay (writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, MTV's SafeWord; former host of Adult Swim's Ricking Morty; stand-up album Donna's Daughter), Julia Shiplett (HBO's Crashing, Moth Radio Hour; The New Yorker, The New York Times, McSweeney's; producer of Side Ponytail), Alex English (Starz, Viceland; former writer of BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede and Netflix's The Fix with Jimmy Carr), Mia Jackson (NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer and This Week at the Comedy Cellar; films Mother's Day and Postal), Mike Rowland (Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar), and hosts Cody Wilkins & Electra Telesford—who between sets will read questions and comments from audience members dropped into a Pomodoro Punch Bowl: Pomodoro (7:00 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/15: UK-based comic Sean McLoughlin (Comedy Central, Viceland; co-hosts the podcast Sean & Eliot Read The Bible, "dragging The Bible into the 21st Century;" album Support Act) performs an hour of stand-up in Brooklyn for one night only: Sean McLoughlin (7:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/14: Great lineup of Erica Rhodes (smart, graceful #1 stand-up album Sad Lemon, which includes this advice: "It's easy. Say 'You look so beautiful tonight. I am so lucky to be spending an evening with you.' And then just SHUT UP"), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Yedoye Travis (CBS, Comedy Central, TBS, Netflix; host of Dark Tank Podcast), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central), and Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, @midnight; regular on WB's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/15: Three brilliantly innovative comics—Lorelei Ramirez, Ana Fabrega, and Amy Zimmer—host comics and filmmakers Jaboukie Young-White (correspondent for The Daily Show), Larry Owens (staff writer for TruTV's Paid Off; HBO's High Maintenance; feature film To Dust), George Civerris (winner of MoveOn.org's nationwide Laughter Trumps Hate contest; co-host of Living For It), Sarah Kinlaw (actor/director), and Arjun Srivatsa (animator): Not Dead Yet (8:00 pm, $10 at the door, Brooklyn's C'mon Everybody at 325 Franklin Avenue—take the G subway to Classon Avenue)
Sunday 12/15: Erik Bergstrom (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, VH1, Fuse; cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker), Dave Merheje (Ahmed on Hulu's Ramy; Dave on CBC's Mr. D; Netflix's Comedians of the World; award-winning album Good Friend Bad Grammar), Jackie Fabulous (NBC's America's Got Talent semi-finalist; FOX, CW, BET; album Who is Jackie Fabulous?), Mary Beth Barone (Viceland; host of podcast Mildly Offensive), and Gordon Baker-Bone (host of podcast Bad Advice Show; album Nobody? Just Me?) perform stand-up for stellar hosts Sydnee Washington, Marie Faustin, and Aminah Imani: Comedy Night at the Knit (9:00 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Knitting Factory at 361 Metropolitan Avenue; take the G/L subway to Lorimer Street-Metropolitan Avenue)
Sunday 12/15: This weekly competitive roast battle tonight features a main bout of Dave Sheehan vs. Andrew Manning (”Dan’s a coder, and you can tell he’s into 1’s and 0’s by the people he dates") judged by Kerryn Feehan, Joel Walkowski, and Crisse Mayr and hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm; $8.13 online using code CFC, otherwise $13.13; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/15: From top left to right: Shalewa Sharpe (Comedy Central's The New Negroes; HBO's 2 Dope Queens; comedy album So, You Just Out Here?), Josh Gondelman (one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try [directly below]; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), David Angelo (David Letterman, The Daily Show), Devon Walker (Comedy Central), Julia Claire (NPR, Nerdist), Drew Anderson (NPR, McSweeney's, Reductress; co-host of Stevie), and JC Cassis (VO for Disney Junior’s P. King Duckling;producer for Risk; contributor to Risk book) perform stand-up in the East Village hosted by Robert Dean (Comedy Central): If You Build It (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Monday 12/16: This fundraiser for The Bowery Mission, which has served the homeless since the 1870s, has a great lineup of Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), and TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo: Canned Laughter (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min.—or get free admission by bringing any can or nonperishable box of food to donate to The Bowery Mission; The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/18: Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers) and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America, co-host of Nat Geo's Star Talk) host stand-ups Dave Hill (WFMU's The Goddamn Dave Hill Show and Dave Hill's Podcasting Incident; bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake; books Tasteful Nudes, Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and Parking the Moose; comedy album Let Me Turn You On), Greta Titelman (HBO's Los Espookys, Comedy Central, Vice; host of acclaimed podcast The Worst), Desiree Burch (Comedy Central, VH1, BBC's American Autopsy, Welcome to Night Vale), Christian Finnegan (creator & co-host of A&E's Black and White; co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; Conan O'Brien; three Comedy Central specials, Netflix special The Fun Part; TBS, VH1, MSNBC, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show; stand-up album 60% Joking), and Ian Aber (host of podcast str8 ppl), plus music from DJ Donwill: Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street)
Monday 12/16: This show is about "the science of astrology, which is very real and definitely not fake. Each month, hosts Melissa Stokoski, Karolena Theresa, and Brian Bahe (famously all Virgos) along with resident Astrologist Lizzie Martinez (Taurus) welcome a lineup of comedians all born under the current zodiac." This month's group of Sagittarius stand-ups include Larry Owens (staff writer for TruTV's Paid Off; feature film To Dust), Alex English (writer for BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede), and Jes Tom (Reductress): Star F*ckers: Astrology, But Make It Comedy (7:30 pm, $8, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT.)
Monday 12/16: Host Winnifred Coombe (Caroline Kingsley), a Victorian spiritualist and magical traveler, transcends time and space to interview Julio Torres (marvelously nuanced, outside-the-box stand-up; creator and star of HBO's Los Espookys series and My Favorite Shapes special; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Billy on the Street, HBO's High Maintenance) on such topics as quantum physics and having fun before we destroy ourselves, plus other characters and surprises (maybe including a couple of SNL drop-ins): The Violet Hour with Space Prince Julio (9:30 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Monday 12/16: Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire) joins hosts Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcast The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall; Netflix's The Degenerates), Luis J. Gomez (special Luis J. Gomez Presents Luis J. Gomez), and Dave Smith (FOX; host of podcast Part of the Problem) to "discuss the skankier sides of life, love, and stand-up comedy" for this free weekly podcast taping: Legion of Skanks (9:30 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/16: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Michael Kosta (correspondent for The Daily Show), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central), Yedoye Travis (CBS, Comedy Central, TBS, Netflix; host of Dark Tank Podcast), Mike Suarez, and Chlose LaBranche try out material at this free weekly show hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language) and/or Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV): Frantic! (10:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Comedic characters by hosts Becky Chicoine (above left; Comedy Central; half of sketch duo Girls With Brown Hair) and Amanda Giobbi (above right; webseries Puppet Soap Opera; co-host of Power Hour) and their guests Chrissy Shackelford, Jason Gore, Rachel Joravsky, Ariel Gitlin, and more. There'll probably be fun surprises, because according to the hosts "The less you know, the better:" Huge Character Showcase (6:00 pm, $10, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Readings of short humor pieces by the wonderful Emily Flake (star cartoonist for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Time, Forbes, etc.; author of books Mama Tried, Lulu Eightball, These Things Ain't Gonna Smoke Themselves, and That Was Awkward: The Art and Etiquette of the Awkward Hug), Colin Nissan (The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Onion, McSweeney’s), and Diana Chan (Flexx Magazine; PIT sketch comedy collective Boogiemanja), plus hosts Brian Angler, Luke Burns, and James Folta (all writers for The New Yorker and McSweeney's): An Evening of Humorous Readings (7:00 pm—arrive at 6:30 to hang out a bit with the guests, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
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Tuesday 12/17: A Broadway, TV, and film star who once said, "There’s no way to predict what is good or bad. You just do what you think is funny, and either it works or you’re finished" tries out new material tonight and tomorrow in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Todd Barry (Netflix special Spicy Honey, star of delightful documentary The Crowd Work Tour; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, co-star of feature film The Wrestler), Brandon Wardell (Comedy Central's @midnight, Adam Devine's House Party, The Meltdown, VICE's Flophouse; co-host of podcast Yeah, But Still), Anthony DeVito (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central Half Hour, This American Life, House of Cards), and Xazmin Garza perform stand-up for host Stavros Halkias (Comedy Central Stand-Up, IFC, co-host of podcast Cum Town): Fat Tuesdays (7:30 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm, comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club (8:00 pm, Free!, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Slated to perform at this Christmas-themed blowout show are John Hodgman (bestselling author of Medallion Status, Vacationland, The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That Is All; Humor Editor of The New York Times Magazine; former star correspondent of The Daily Show; former iconic personification of a PC in Apple Mac ads; podcast Judge John Hodgman), Jerry O'Connell (iconic star of TV series Sliders, My Secret Identity, Crossing Jordan, and The Defenders; films include Stand By Me, Joe's Apartment, Jerry Maguire, Scream 2, and the voice of Superman/Clark Kent in numerous DC animated movies), Alex Brightman (Tony nominee for currently starring in Broadway's Beetlejuice and previously starring in Broadway's School of Rock; Showtime's SMILF), Kate Walsh (Dr. Addison Montgomery on ABC's Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, NBC's Bad Judge, Netflix's Umbrella Academy and 13 Reasons Why), Jo Firestone (one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits), Mike Dicenzo (former long-time writer and Executive Producer of Jimmy Fallon), Mary Beth Barone (Viceland; host of podcast Mildly Offensive), Toby Huss (King of the Hill, Adventures of Pete & Pete; AMC's Halt and Catch Fire, HBO's Carnivàle), Julian Velard (singer/songwriter; pianist for NPR's Ask Me Another; albums include Fancy Words For Failure), Stro Elliot (member of top band The Roots), and more all hosted by Seth Herzog (long-time staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, @midnight, CBS, VH1): Sweet Christmas (9:00 pm, $16.50 online [all tickets sold via DICE app], Chelsea Music Hall at 407 West 15th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Hannah Berner (cast of Bravo's Summer House; host of podcast Berning In Hell), Hanna Dickinson (Comedy Central Stand-Up; wrote for TruTV's Comedy Knockout), Ian Fidance (regular on SiriusXM's You Up? with Nikki Glaser, Comedy Central Radio; host of Picture This!), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr) perform stand-up for hosts Sara Armour & Chloe LaBranche: Weep at The Stand (9:30 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: This inexpensive show features world-class comics Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV, co-host of podcast The Brilliant Idiots), Charles Engle (co-host of podcast Please Send Nudes), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), and Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentaries 25 Sets, A Universal Language, co-host of CompoundMedia.com's In Hot Water and The Stand's Frantic!): $5 Funnies (10:30 pm, $5 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/17: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; tours with Amy Schumer) hosts stand-ups TBA, plus show co-producers Matt Ruby & Gary Vider, at an intimate Comedy Cellar venue: Hot Soup (10:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 12/18: What a year it's been. Remember when we saw the first recorded image of a black hole (above right)? What about the rise of new illnesses linked to vaping (above middle)? Or the clinical trials on the medical effectiveness gene editor CRISPR (above left)? Host Ira Flatow brings on three professional science reporters—Rachel Feltman, Umair Irfan, and Wendy Zukerman—to discuss 2019's biggest science news stories. And he also has three other writers—Ariel Zych, Sarah Zhang, and Arielle Duhaime-Ross—share behind-the-scenes details of major science stories they worked on this year: Science In The Headlines: 2019's Discoveries, Disappointments, And Downright Weirdness (6:30 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
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Wednesday 12/18: A Broadway, TV, and film star who once said, "Marie Antoinette, I'm sure she was just misinterpreted. You know the 'Let them eat cake' line? She seems kind of funny, like a Kathy Griffin type" tries out new material tonight and tomorrow in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 12/18: Chrissie Mayr (NBC's America's Got Talent, FOX, The Chris Gethard Show, Wendy Williams; host of Comedy at Stonewall) hosts this live-on-stage recording of her weekly advice podcast about sex, love, and relationships, with tonight's guests Stoya (adult film actress whose movies include A.I Rising and Talk Derby to Me; co-star of TV series Dagger Kiss; author of Philosophy, Pussycats & Porn; two op-eds for The New York Times), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), and Geno Bisconte (HBO's Crashing; Howard Stern; written for Comedy Central Roasts of Rob Lowe and Charlie Sheen), plus the show's announcer Mike Figs (host of Arthur Avenue's Bronx Beerhall show Figs in the Hall): Chrissie Mayr: Wet Spot Live (7:30 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/18: Comics each perform a stand-up set on this month's topic of Miracles—while host/adjudicator Matt Storrs periodically interjects and cross-examines them about their facts! Meanwhile the bailiff—who is Santa Claus—keeps the proceedings from descending into chaos and maintains the requisite holiday cheer. Tonight's comics slated to have their sets disrupted are Brittany Brave, Linnette Palladino, Tristan Miller, Ronnie Flemming, Jourdain Searles, Mark Volinski, and Ricardo Rocha: The Storrs Objection: Miracles (7:30 pm, $7, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 12/18: Scientists dissect the scientific soundness, and also legal and moral ramifications, of popular Christmas movies, addressing such questions as, "What are the psychological effects of being abandoned by your family?," "What is the best legal defense for dressing like Santa and assaulting people?," "Is fighting German terrorists really the perfect way to repair your fractured marriage?" To learn the answers to all this and more, come to Publish or Perish: Scientists Review Christmas Movies (9:30 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Wednesday 12/18: The great Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Bardia Salimi (Stephen Colbert, CBS' Madam Secretary, TBS' Search Party, Comedy Central, MTV), Matthew Broussard (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, The Mindy Project), Hannah Berner (cast of Bravo's Summer House; host of podcast Berning In Hell), and Bryan Dey (vegan Mexican-American with a white name who sometimes deals with hecklers) perform stand-up for hosts Kate Robards (writer/actress) & Betsy Carroll (software engineer/rapper): Peach Pit Comedy (9:30 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/18: Killer lineup of Melissa Villaseñor (Emmy-winning star cast member of Saturday Night Live; force-of-nature voiceover artist who's performed characters for Family Guy, Scooby Doo, and many other shows; also a delightful illustrator—please check out http://bit.ly/melvart—and moving singer/songwriter whose first music album is Dreamer), Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; HBO special Son of a Gary; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Joe List (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The StandUps, comedy albums So Far No Good and Are You Mad at Me?), Michael Kosta (correspondent for The Daily Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic): Stars at The Stand (10:30 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Hosts Molly Gaebe & Kylie Holloway invite female storytellers, comics, and historians to share the tales of "some of the greatest women the world has ever known, but history erased" for this live-on-stage podcast recording, with this week's theme Female Spies tackled by guests the fabulous Tallie Medel (above left; Cocoon Central Dance Team), Anna Cain Bianco (above right; FringeNYC), Junior Mint, and Solange Azor: Nevertheless She Existed: The Spy Who Inspired Me (5:30 pm for an all-gals networking discussion of how the podcast is made, 6:30 pm for a happy half-hour, and 7:00 pm for show; $17 online or $20 at the door; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 12/19: Starting with the leftmost window: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), Ahamed Weinberg (Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, HBO's Insecure, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show, Hulu, TruTV), Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV), Andrew Casertano, and Mike Recine (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour) perform stand-up for hosts Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire) & Abby Rosenquist (Fuse TV): Citywide (7:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Superb storyteller David Lawson (Comedy Central; solo shows include The Flyer Guy, No Oddjob, The Prequels; host of The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show) performs a one-man show "standing onstage judging people who are seeking The White House in 2020. The only qualification David has? He's read their books:" David Lawson's 2020 Book Report (7:30 pm, $15, The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street off Second Avenue; followed at 9:00 pm by a live screening of the Democratic Debate)
Thursday 12/19: This show's goal is to, for one hour, make you a little happier through niceness. It features "some very nice performers who all say very nice things" via stand-up, storytelling, satire, and/or music. Regular very nice segments between each very nice act include 'Super Easy Trivia,' 'Unironic Dad Jokes,' and 'Happy Headlines.' It's all hosted by Johnathan Appel (writer for The New Yorker, McSweeney's, and PIT sketch group Boogiemanja; Producer & Teaching Artist for Story Pirates; host of Some Fun Lines, the only open mic for satire & humor writing) & Zach Lennon-Simon (writer/director/editor of documentary Shakertown Road; cinematographer for documentary The Dark Side of Disney). Isn't that nice?: Very Nice People Saying Very Nice Things (7:30 pm, $7, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Thursday 12/19: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentaries 25 Sets, A Universal Language, co-host of CompoundMedia.com's In Hot Water and The Stand's Frantic!), and Mehran Khaghani (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, MTV, IFC, TruTV; co-hosts Sirius XM's Paid or Pain): There's No Debating This (8:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Come join a comedy-loving group watch seven Democratic Presidential candidates debate for the sixth, and last, time this year, moderated in LA by the PBS Newshour and Politico, and enhanced in Queens NYC by the lightning-quick wit of host Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic) and other comics TBA: Democratic Debate Watch Party: PBS/Politico Edition (9:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Thursday 12/19: This free stand-up show with rotating hosts—tonight it's Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV)—features Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Kate Willett (Comedy Central's The Jim Jeffries Show and This Is Not Happening; VICE's Flophouse, Netflix's Comedy Lineup; comedy album Glass Gutter), Petey DeAbreu (host of Petey's World and co-host of White Chocolate), Samantha Ruddy (Stephen Colbert; warm-up comic for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; written for College Humor, Reductress, Someecards), JP McDade (Comedy Central's Roast Battle II, TruTV; writer for webseries Sports Balls), and more: Too Many Cooks (9:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Comedic storytellers Melanie Hamlett (above left; stellar storyteller briefly back in NYC for the holidays), Rory Scholl (above, right of Melanie; Chicago City Limits, The Moth, BTK Band; co-host of QED show Two-Prov), Carolyn Castiglia (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1; for sample of Carolyn as white rapper, please click here), and Jenna K join pioneering sketch comic and storyteller Kevin Allison (The State; owner of The Story Studio) at what's typically one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk! (9:30 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 12/19: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Nina Daniels (The Last O.G., Showtime's Shameless, Maron), Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): There's No Debating This (10:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Hosts Molly Gaebe & Kylie Holloway invite female storytellers, comics, and historians to share the tales of "some of the greatest women the world has ever known, but history erased" for this live-on-stage podcast recording, with this week's theme Female Spies tackled by guests the fabulous Tallie Medel (above left; Cocoon Central Dance Team), Anna Cain Bianco (above right; FringeNYC), Junior Mint, and Solange Azor: Nevertheless She Existed: The Spy Who Inspired Me (5:30 pm for an all-gals networking discussion of how the podcast is made, 6:30 pm for a happy half-hour, and 7:00 pm for show; $17 online or $20 at the door; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 12/19: Starting with the leftmost window: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), Ahamed Weinberg (Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, HBO's Insecure, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show, Hulu, TruTV), Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV), Andrew Casertano, and Mike Recine (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour) perform stand-up for hosts Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire) & Abby Rosenquist (Fuse TV): Citywide (7:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Superb storyteller David Lawson (Comedy Central; solo shows include The Flyer Guy, No Oddjob, The Prequels; host of The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show) performs a one-man show "standing onstage judging people who are seeking The White House in 2020. The only qualification David has? He's read their books:" David Lawson's 2020 Book Report (7:30 pm, $15, The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street off Second Avenue; followed at 9:00 pm by a live screening of the Democratic Debate)
Thursday 12/19: This show's goal is to, for one hour, make you a little happier through niceness. It features "some very nice performers who all say very nice things" via stand-up, storytelling, satire, and/or music. Regular very nice segments between each very nice act include 'Super Easy Trivia,' 'Unironic Dad Jokes,' and 'Happy Headlines.' It's all hosted by Johnathan Appel (writer for The New Yorker, McSweeney's, and PIT sketch group Boogiemanja; Producer & Teaching Artist for Story Pirates; host of Some Fun Lines, the only open mic for satire & humor writing) & Zach Lennon-Simon (writer/director/editor of documentary Shakertown Road; cinematographer for documentary The Dark Side of Disney). Isn't that nice?: Very Nice People Saying Very Nice Things (7:30 pm, $7, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Thursday 12/19: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentaries 25 Sets, A Universal Language, co-host of CompoundMedia.com's In Hot Water and The Stand's Frantic!), and Mehran Khaghani (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, MTV, IFC, TruTV; co-hosts Sirius XM's Paid or Pain): There's No Debating This (8:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Come join a comedy-loving group watch seven Democratic Presidential candidates debate for the sixth, and last, time this year, moderated in LA by the PBS Newshour and Politico, and enhanced in Queens NYC by the lightning-quick wit of host Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic) and other comics TBA: Democratic Debate Watch Party: PBS/Politico Edition (9:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Thursday 12/19: This free stand-up show with rotating hosts—tonight it's Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV)—features Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Kate Willett (Comedy Central's The Jim Jeffries Show and This Is Not Happening; VICE's Flophouse, Netflix's Comedy Lineup; comedy album Glass Gutter), Petey DeAbreu (host of Petey's World and co-host of White Chocolate), Samantha Ruddy (Stephen Colbert; warm-up comic for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; written for College Humor, Reductress, Someecards), JP McDade (Comedy Central's Roast Battle II, TruTV; writer for webseries Sports Balls), and more: Too Many Cooks (9:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/19: Comedic storytellers Melanie Hamlett (above left; stellar storyteller briefly back in NYC for the holidays), Rory Scholl (above, right of Melanie; Chicago City Limits, The Moth, BTK Band; co-host of QED show Two-Prov), Carolyn Castiglia (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1; for sample of Carolyn as white rapper, please click here), and Jenna K join pioneering sketch comic and storyteller Kevin Allison (The State; owner of The Story Studio) at what's typically one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk! (9:30 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 12/19: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Nina Daniels (The Last O.G., Showtime's Shameless, Maron), Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): There's No Debating This (10:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/20: Stand-up from audio comedy masters Corinne Fisher & Krystyna Hutchinson (hosts of wildly popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and authors of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central; co-host with Corinne of podcast Two Less Lonely Girls; also a notable podcast guest here and here), and Hannah Berner (cast of Bravo's Summer House; host of podcast Berning In Hell): Podcast Stars (7:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/20: The world of Influencers is explored by host Mark Vigeant (Funny Or Die, Prairie Home Companion) with Sally Burtnick (comic who tried to become an influencer in one month), Tim Jeffreys (Influencer Expert & Marketing Director at Fohr), and working influencers Eva Goicochea (founder and CEO of Maude), Lauren Caruso (Managing Editor of the Zoe Report), Angelique Miles (fitness influencer), YanYi (fashion & lifestyle blogger), and Nicole Loher (runner & fitness Influencer): Internet Explorers: Influencers (7:00 pm; $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 12/20: Lectures and/or stand-up in some way related to this month's theme Rats from Ariel Dumas (Head Writer for Late Show with Stephen Colbert), Usama Siddiquee (Showtime's Desus and Mero), Jessica Henderson (co-creator of webseries Growing Down), and more TBA hosted by Blythe Roberson (The New Yorker, The Onion, McSweeney's; author of book How to Date Men When You Hate Men) & Madelyn Freed (ace improvisor & computer programmer): The Scientists (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 12/20: Storytellers TBA share tales of relationships in front of a panel of comics and bona fide therapists who then provide their professional advice, hosted by Lynn Bixenspan (Comedy Central, MTV; former writer for Fuse TV) & Morgan Pielli (cartoonist): Relationshit (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 12/20: Stand-up by Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic), and more: Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/20: "When a mutant-hunting robot decimates the X-Men mansion on Christmas Eve, can our heroes overcome their differences to create the best X-Mas yet? Not if that grinch Magneto has anything to say about it!" This musical's book & lyrics are by Sarah A. Mucek and its music by Christian Duhamel; for a sample from 2017, please click here. There are just two chances to experience the show this year at The PIT, tonight and Saturday: X-MAS: A Merry Mutant Musical in Concert (8:00 pm, $17.35 in advance online or $20 at the door, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Friday 12/20: Stand-up by Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central; co-host with Corinne Fisher of podcast Two Less Lonely Girls), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Charles Engle (co-host of podcast Please Send Nudes), and more: Friday Night Stand-Up at The Stand (9:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/20: Ace musical improvisors—Desi Domo, Alyssa Davis, Ali Gordon, Kiki Mikkelsen, Eric Lockley, Ali Reed, Matt Giroveanu, Philip Markle, and/or Chris Simpson—make up the story, songs, and dances of a new musical on the spot based on "fill in the blank" audience suggestions: Blank! The Musical (9:30 pm; $22.60 in advance online or $25 at the door; The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Friday 12/20: Comedy duo Sloan Brettholtz & Julie Tran perform dark and silly sketches they're written for the holidays: Dark With a Chance of Stupid (9:30 pm, $12, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Friday 12/20: Storytellers TBA share cringe-worthy experiences from their pasts hosted by Brendan Busee & Ron Raganella: Shame!: The Not-So-Honorable Comedy Show (9:30 pm, $8, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 12/20: Wonderfully innovative comics Lorelei Ramirez (above left), Amy Zimmer (middle), Sam Taggart (right), Clare O'Kane, Becca O'Neal, Alex English, Edy Modica, and Jordan Temple try out their latest bits: New Material from Decaying Minds (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 12/20: Stand-up by Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; new album When I Saw Hamilton), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas), and more: Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/20: In the wise words of media critic Cyndi Freeman: "The Star Wars Holiday Special was broadcast in its entirety only once, in the United States and Canada, on November 17, 1978, preempting Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk. It has never been rebroadcast or officially released on home video. David Hofstede called it 'the worst two hours of television ever.' George Lucas has reportedly said 'If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.'" See it screened, dissected, and mercilessly savaged tonight by Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic), Kat Burdick (Moth Grandslam champion; webseries KCK; host of Let's Say You're Right), Rory Scholl (Chicago City Limits, The Moth, BTK Band; co-host of QED show Two-Prov), and Derek Humphrey (ABC, MTV, host of podcast Derek Mansplains It All) hosted by Chris Gersbeck (host of Casual Sets, Soft Core!, and Bunk Bed Time Open Mic; producer of numerous comedy shows): Movies R Dumb: The Star Wars Holiday Special (11:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 12/20: Stand-up by Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central; co-host with Corinne Fisher of podcast Two Less Lonely Girls), Subhah Agarwal (writer for Comedy Central's The Jim Jefferies Show; TruTV, Fusion), Crystal Marie (Jane the Virgin, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Quality Problems), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Mo Vida, Richie Redding (toured with Katt Williams), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): Late Night Stand-Up at The Stand (11:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/20: Veteran NYC comic turned Londoner Desiree Burch (Netflix's Flinch, Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Live from the BBC, New York Neo-Futurists) describes her award-winning solo show as follows: "Have you ever been caught in a loop? Does the arc of history bend toward justice or chaos? What if it's just a massive spiral we are all stuck in, being sucked back into the void? How do we escape the narratives that determine our lives in spite of our drives? And how does a black girl with an expensive education and a faltering sense of self-confidence cross an actual desert to reconcile her first-world problems with the cracks she's had to climb through in order to even have them? I dunno...some dancing, drugs, and a quest for d*ck? Have you ever been caught in a loop?...At a moment in history where societal progress has swung back around to authoritarianism and regression, Desiree embarks on a journey of mythically ridiculous proportions into the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, to figure out how she, and all of us, have gotten here, and how we might turn the dial and alter the course for those of us still to come." There are just two performances with tickets left, tonight and Monday: Desiree's Coming Early (11:00 pm; $23.75 using code BESTLIFE online, otherwise $39 at the door; Soho Playhouse at 15 Vandam Street; take the C/E subway to Spring Street or 1 subway to Houston Street)
Saturday 12/21: Stand-up from audio comedy vets Hannah Berner (cast of Bravo's Summer House; host of podcast Berning In Hell), Kim Congdon (writer for Impractical Jokers; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV; host of podcast/YouTube series Broad Topix), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic; frequent guest on podcasts Keith and The Girl, Guys we Fucked, Myka Fox and Friends, and more), Ashley Hesseltine (co-host of podcast Girls Gotta Eat), and Remy Kassimir (host of Sunday stand-up show Bacon Bits Brunch; co-host of podcasts How Cum and We Really Love Island): Podcast Stars (7:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/21: Indie character group Poughkeepsie—which consists of Johnathan Appel (above left; writer for The New Yorker, McSweeney's, and PIT sketch group Boogiemanja; Producer & Teaching Artist for Story Pirates; host of Some Fun Lines, the only open mic for satire & humor writing), Marina di Marzo (above right; Producer for CNN's Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter; previously Associate Producer for MSNBC's The Beat with Ari Melber), Hugh Hobbs, Rafael Rautha, Kevin Necciai, Mary Nepi, Julia Ogilvie, and Kathleen Cameron—performs brand new characters every month to surprise and delight you: Poughkeepsie’s Character Showcase (7:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/21: Beth Stelling (Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, Chelsea Lately; Comedy Central's Half Hour, @midnight, Corporate, and High Court; Netflix special The Standups 1.5; Amazon's Red Oaks; written for HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Another Period, and Hulu's I Love You America with Sara Silverman) performs a stand-up show in Brooklyn, with an opening set by the hilarious Naomi Ekperigin (dynamite rising star stand-up; Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for NBC's Great News; former writer for Comedy Central's Broad City and Hulu's Difficult People; MTV, VH1, FX): Beth Stelling plus Naomi Ekperigin (7:30 pm, $15, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Saturday 12/21: Comedy and/or music from Shauna Lane (Comedy Central, MTV; co-host of podcast The Gone Girls), Devo Spice (singer/writer of nerdy comedy-rap songs; frequent guest on The Dr. Demento Show; host of podcasts Manic Mondays and The Insider and co-host of The Funny Music Podcast), and host Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 15 million people on YouTube, please click here): The Odd Rock Comedy Hour (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Saturday 12/21: The Christmas season can get a bit lonely for Jews. So Jewish hosts Lana Schwartz (The New Yorker, Vulture; author of Build Your Own Romantic Comedy) & Ilana Michelle Rubin (webseries deada$$ and Pluto Girl; host of music podcast The Bop Pad) have called on Jewish NYC comics to come gather for this show celebrating "the Miracle of Lights: Chanukah. Hannukah. Hanukah. However you choose to spell it. There will be songs, there will be laughter, there will be surprises, and you know there will be snacks," with Emmy Blotnick, Josh Gondelman, Naomi Ekperigin, Alison Leiby, Matt Koff, Anna Roisman, Jess Salomon, Charles Gould, Charlie Bardey, and Yaari Nadav Tal: The Fourth Annual Chanukahstravaganza: Brighter Than Ever (7:30 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street. PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT.)
Saturday 12/21: Stand-up by Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; new album When I Saw Hamilton), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show) , Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress), @Yamaneika (@HBO, @NBC, CC), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/21: A show celebrating the app that redefined online dating, with the lovely and quick-witted Lane Moore (above middle; author of bestselling book How to Be Alone; HBO's Girls; Sex & Relationship Editor of Cosmo; writer for The Onion, McSweeney's) going on a live Tinder safari for guys while a packed audience watches her every choice with fascination. Offering comments and suggestions are guests Josh Gondelman (left; one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), Hari Kondabolu (top right; fresh, sharp, rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; fascinating TruTV documentary The Problem with Apu; Netflix special Warn Your Relatives; co-host of Kondabolu Brothers podcast), and Frank Conniff (bottom right; TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic) : Tinder Live (8:30 pm, $18 at the door or $19.51-$22.76 online; Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/21: Stand-up by Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), @IanLaralive (@FallonTonight), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Saturday Night Stand-Up at The Stand (9:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/21: Every Saturday night, a highly talented freestyle rapping long form improv group takes the stage for an hour to make up scenes, songs, and witty wordplay: North Coast (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/21: Great lineup of Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Josh Gondelman (one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), Usama Siddiquee (Showtime's Desus and Mero), and Sydnee Washington (Conan O'Brien, MTV2's Vidiots; host with Marie Faustin of podcast The Unofficial Expert; host with Marie Faustin & Aminah Imani of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit) performing stand-up by sandwiching new jokes in between time-tested opening and closing material for hosts Gastor Almonte (Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening, host of Stoops2Stages, co-host of I'm Dead Comedy, comedy album Immigrant Made) & Jess Salomon (former UN war crimes attorney turned comic; Jimmy Fallon, CBS, Sirius XM): Sandwich (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/21: Stand-up Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress), @Yamaneika (@HBO, @NBC, CC), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; new album When I Saw Hamilton), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/21: "When a mutant-hunting robot decimates the X-Men mansion on Christmas Eve, can our heroes overcome their differences to create the best X-Mas yet? Not if that grinch Magneto has anything to say about it!" This musical's book & lyrics are by Sarah A. Mucek and its music by Christian Duhamel; for a sample from 2017, please click here. This is the final performance of its two-night PIT run: X-MAS: A Merry Mutant Musical in Concert (10:00 pm, $17.35 in advance online or $20 at the door, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/21: Stand-up by Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Mike Vecchione (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Half Hour and Inside Amy Schumer, Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern; stand-up album Muscle Confusion), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), @IanLaralive (@FallonTonight), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Late Night Stand-Up at The Stand (11:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/21: Enjoy brunch with laughs at this comedy show that provides free bacon and $20 bottomless mimosas along with witty comics Phoebe Bottoms (Adult Swim's Decker; Jim Henson Foundation-trained puppeteer; written for Tig Notaro's Twitter account; 4-time Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction winner), Rosebud Baker (Comedy Central; co-hosts with Corinne Fisher podcast Two Less Lonely Girls), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and host Remy Kassimir (host of podcasts How Cum and We Really Love Island): Bacon Bits Brunch Show (3:00 pm, $15, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/22: Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy; finalist on Last Comic Standing, semi-finalist on America's Got Talent; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents; comedy albums No Kidding, Small, Dork, and Handsome, Vegan Mind Meld, and Meat Robot; podcast Broccoli and Ice Cream) performs stand-up, as do Rhett Sever (top left), plus assorted silly bits from Mr. Tickles (bottom left): Myq Kaplan, Rhett Sever, and Mr. Tickles (7:00 pm, $10, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 12/22: Sam Morril (Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, America's Got Talent), Alex English (Starz, Viceland; former writer of BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede and Netflix's The Fix with Jimmy Carr), Erica Spera (host of podcasts Shooters Gotta Shoot and 20 Minutes of Fire; co-host of Bitches Brew), and more perform stand-up for hosts Zain Sharif & Bassam Shawl: Brown Mirror Comedy (7:00 pm; $5 cover and no min.; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/22: In the near future—2021—Joy (Jessy Morner-Ritt) is the only who still cares about upholding Bed and Breakfast culture. This immersive comedy show features air mattresses and pillow mints; stand-up from Rachel Kaly, Celeste Yim; and host Jessy Morner-Ritt, and performances from Ana McCasland, Jeremy Levick, and Rajat Suresh: Joy's Bed and Breakfast (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 12/22: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast), and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): Sunday Night Stand-Up at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/22: Jes Tom (sharp, fresh rising star; Reductress; solo stand-up show Cold Brew), Eman El Husseini (opens for Patton Oswalt; stand-up albums Unveiled and Handsome Daughter), Halle Kiefer (MTV, TruTV, Friends of the People, Vulture), and Christian Finnegan (creator & co-host of A&E's Black and White; co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; Conan O'Brien; three Comedy Central specials, Netflix special The Fun Part; TBS, VH1, MSNBC, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show; stand-up album 60% Joking) try out new jokes via deliciously long sets at this popular weekly safe space for the stand-up creation process hosted by Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor, host of Downtown Variety): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 12/22: An autobiographical show by Andrew Steiner (host of the podcast True K) about his studying meditation with Zen masters at a temple in Japan—and especially his experiences with Shodo Harada Roshi, sometimes called the Nuclear Reactor of Zen: How To Meditate: Jokes, Burlesque, and Guided Meditation (8:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Sunday 12/22: This weekly competitive roast battle tonight features a main bout of Katie Boyle ("He didn’t know how to use the Xbox controller and I’ve never been more turned on") vs. Chloe McGovern ("Guys, let's make this quick, Sally Ann has to pretend to be unconscious at a frat party") hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm; $8.13 online using code CFC, otherwise $13.13; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/22: Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy; finalist on Last Comic Standing, semi-finalist on America's Got Talent; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents; comedy albums No Kidding, Small, Dork, and Handsome, Vegan Mind Meld, and Meat Robot; podcast Broccoli and Ice Cream), Anthony DeVito (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central Half Hour, This American Life, House of Cards), Carolyn Busa (writer for Emojibator, Liberator, Hello Giggles, and her own My Sex Project; webseries Sexually Speaking; co-host of long-running Brooklyn stand-up show Side Ponytail), Matt Wayne (Adam Devine's House Party, co-host of See You in Hell), Pamela Ross (co-host of weekly East Williamsburg stand-up show Just Come), Brendan Sagalow (written for MTV's Joking Off; host of The Stupid Little Podcast) perform stand-up hosted by Robert Dean (Comedy Central): If You Build It (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Monday 12/23: "Most people having a midlife crisis buy a motorcycle. Jason Gore is having a midlife crisis and putting on a one-man sketch comedy show. And if it's successful enough, he's going to buy a motorcycle, too." Co-written by Emmy-nominated Kristen Bartlett (staff writer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, previously for Saturday Night Live), and directed by Kristen & Hunter Nelson, as half of a double-bill with the James Bond parody For Everyone's Eyes Only: Jason Gore's Midlife Crisis (7:30 pm, $9, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street off Eleventh Avenue)
Monday 12/23: This fundraiser for The Bowery Mission, which has served the homeless since the 1870s, has a great lineup of Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of Sirius XM's The Bonfire, and podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), and TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo: Canned Laughter (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min.—or get free admission by bringing any can or nonperishable box of food to donate to The Bowery Mission; The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/23: Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers) and Gary Richardson (writer for Saturday Night Live; brilliant improvisor; Comedy Central) host Naomi Ekperigin (dynamite rising star stand-up; Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for NBC's Great News; former writer for Comedy Central's Broad City and Hulu's Difficult People; MTV, VH1, FX), Zach Zimmerman (The New Yorker, McSweeney's; comedy album Clean Comedy), Robert Dean (Comedy Central), Tina Friml, and Franqi French performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Donwill: Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street)
Monday 12/23: Veteran NYC comic turned Londoner Desiree Burch (Netflix's Flinch, Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Live from the BBC, New York Neo-Futurists) describes her award-winning solo show as follows: "Have you ever been caught in a loop? Does the arc of history bend toward justice or chaos? What if it's just a massive spiral we are all stuck in, being sucked back into the void? How do we escape the narratives that determine our lives in spite of our drives? And how does a black girl with an expensive education and a faltering sense of self-confidence cross an actual desert to reconcile her first-world problems with the cracks she's had to climb through in order to even have them? I dunno...some dancing, drugs, and a quest for d*ck? Have you ever been caught in a loop?...At a moment in history where societal progress has swung back around to authoritarianism and regression, Desiree embarks on a journey of mythically ridiculous proportions into the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, to figure out how she, and all of us, have gotten here, and how we might turn the dial and alter the course for those of us still to come." Tonight is the final performance of this Soho run: Desiree's Coming Early (9:00 pm; $23.75 using code BESTLIFE online, otherwise $39 at the door; Soho Playhouse at 15 Vandam Street; take the C/E subway to Spring Street or 1 subway to Houston Street)
Monday 12/23: Free stand-up by Ron Bennington (host of radio shows Bennington and Unmasked), Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), Von Decarlo (co-producer of Comedy Central documentary on her late fiancé Patrice O'Neal; author of book Speak Fluent Man), Colum Tyrrell (co-host of podcast Big Dogs; co-host of stand-up show Luck of the Irish), Neil Rubenstein (HBO, NBC, Comedy Central, Paramount Network), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX): Frantic (10:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/24: Most comedy venues are closed today and Christmas...but Broadway plays on. Comedies today include Beetlejuice the Musical at 2:00 pm and Aladdin on Broadway at 2:00 pm; and shows running on Christmas include The Play That Goes Wrong at 7:00 pm, Waitress at 7:00 pm, and Wicked at 8:00 pm. You can find major discounts on tickets for these and hundreds of other Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway shows by clicking here.
Tuesday 12/24: Holiday cheer from Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast), and Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX): Christmas Eve Stand-Up at The Stand (7:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/24: Most venues are dark tonight, but stellar club Comedy Cellar is hosting 10 shows starting 6:00 pm and going past midnight. Looking especially fun are the 7:30 pm show at the intimate Fat Black Pussycat Lounge featuring Seaton Smith, Myq Kaplan, Nimesh Patel, Lenny Marcus, and more ($15 plus 2-item food/drink min. at 130 West 3rd Street)....
...and the 8:45 pm show at MacDougal featuring Des Bishop, Jessica Kirson, Nick Griffin, Keith Robinson, Myq Kaplan, Lenny Marcus, and more ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min. at 117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane). You can find all 10 of the club's Christmas Eve lineups at Comedy Cellar.
Tuesday 12/24: Xmas laughs from Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress): Christmas Eve Stand-Up at The Stand (9:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 12/25: Most venues are closed today...but Broadway plays on. Comedies on Christmas include The Play That Goes Wrong at 7:00 pm, Waitress at 7:00 pm, and Wicked at 8:00 pm. For multiple ways of scoring major discounts on tickets to these and hundreds of other Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway shows, please click here.
Thursday 12/26: A razor-sharp roaster (watch her battle with Todd Barry here), writer for Comedy Central's Roast of Bruce Willis, and co-host of immensely popular The Doug Stanhope Podcast performs a deliciously long stand-up set: Olivia Grace for the Hour (7:00 pm, $10, Queens LIC's The Creek and the Cave-Upstairs at 10-93 Jackson Avenue; take 7 subway to Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue)
Thursday 12/26: Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; former staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell), and Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentaries 25 Sets, A Universal Language, co-host of CompoundMedia.com's In Hot Water and The Stand's Frantic!) perform stand-up for host Nick Mullen (co-host of podcast Cum Town): Citywide (7:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/26: Jessica Kirson (above left; HBO's Crashing, The Tonight Show, The View, Last Comic Standing, Celebrity Apprentice, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Showtime, Bravo, VH1), Erin Maguire (above right; host of Dear Pod!, which looks back at advice columns from a bygone era to see if their wisdom still works), Sam Morril (Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, America's Got Talent), Dante Nero (Comedy Central, HBO, ABC, FOX; co-host of podcast Man School 202), and more perform stand-up for both an early and late show in Chelsea: Jessica Kirson, Erin Maguire, and More at Gotham (7:00 pm & 9:30 pm, $17 plus 2-drink min., Gotham Comedy Club at 208 West 23rd Street off Seventh Avenue)
Thursday 12/26-Sunday 12/29: Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; Netflix's Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attell; webseries ComedyUndergroundLive.com; star of Comedy Central's Comedy Underground, Showtime's Dave's Old Porn, Comedy Central's Insomniac, and two Comedy Central specials; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show) headlines through Sunday at Carolines: Dave Attell (8:00 pm Thursday, 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm Friday-Saturday, 8:00 pm Sunday; $43.75 plus 2-drink min.; Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway, between 49th and 50th Streets)
Thursday 12/26: Stand-up from Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast), and Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell): Holiday Stand-Up at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/26: This free stand-up show with rotating hosts—tonight it's JP McDade (Comedy Central's Roast Battle II, TruTV; writer for webseries Sports Balls)—features a superb lineup of Josh Gondelman (one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), Jessica Kirson (HBO's Crashing, The Tonight Show, The View, Last Comic Standing, Celebrity Apprentice, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Showtime, Bravo, VH1, Logo one-woman show My Cookie's Gone), Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV), Jake Flores (co-host of podcasts Pod Damn America and Why You Mad), Rachel McCartney (PBS), and Bryan Yang: Too Many Cooks (9:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/26: Stand-up from Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Aminah Imani (host with Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix, Last Comic Standing; podcast Tim Dillon is Going to Hell): Holiday Stand-Up at The Stand (10:00 pm, $15, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 12/26: In celebration of the holidays, improvised Jews battle improvised Christians for supremacy—via audience laughs and votes. Overall, history favors the Christians. But this is New York, where Jewish comics may well have the edge. There's no telling what will happen...which is one of the great pleasures of the extravaganza that from the dawn of time has been called Cage Match: Jews vs. Christians (10:30 pm, $9, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Friday 12/27-Sunday 12/29: Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; Netflix's Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attell; webseries ComedyUndergroundLive.com; star of Comedy Central's Comedy Underground, Showtime's Dave's Old Porn, Comedy Central's Insomniac, and two Comedy Central specials; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show) continues his headlining run through Sunday at Carolines: Dave Attell (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm Friday-Saturday, 8:00 pm Sunday; $43.75 plus 2-drink min.; Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway, between 49th and 50th Streets)
Friday 12/27: Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Chris Distefano (star of Comedy Central's hour-long special Size 38 Waist and weekly interstitial series Stupid Questions; David Letterman, Seth Meyers, MTV2's Guy Code), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast) perform stand-up in an intimate club venue: Friday Night Stand-Up at The Stand (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min.,, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/27: In this one-man show, comic & impressionist Gary DeNoia plays Nicolas Cage, Vin Diesel, and other celebrities teaching children—and you—lessons through books, games, and more (directed by Desmond Thorne): Celebrities Teach Kids Sh*t (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Friday 12/27: Stand-up from Chris Distefano (star of Comedy Central's hour-long special Size 38 Waist and weekly interstitial series Stupid Questions; David Letterman, Seth Meyers, MTV2's Guy Code), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic): Friday Night Stand-Up at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/27: Hari Kondabolu (above right; fresh, sharp, rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; fascinating TruTV documentary The Problem with Apu; Netflix special Warn Your Relatives; co-host of Kondabolu Brothers podcast), Chanel Ali (middle; MTV's Girl Code, Starz, TruTV), Claudia Cogan (Last Comic Standing, MTV, Logo, here! TV), and Chris Castelli (host of Shine Box Comedy) perform stand-up hosted by Sharron Paul (left) & Calvin Cole: Cheap Date Comedy Show (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 12/27: Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV, FX) hosts stand-ups Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Von Decarlo (co-producer of Comedy Central documentary on her late fiancé Patrice O'Neal; author of book Speak Fluent Man), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Andrew Casertano, Chris Scopo, and Alex Carabaño: Late Night Stand-Up at The Stand (11:00 pm; $20—which includes after-party; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/28: New show (epstein didn't kill himself) has had a great start, selling out in advance for both its debut yesterday and its follow-up tonight at The Stand. There's clearly an audience for conspiracy buffs Tim Dillon, Nick Mullen, Sam Mazany, Adam Friedland, and Ray Kump telling jokes and confronting the powerful forces that secretly control our lives—because, like the show title says:
Please stay tuned here to learn when further shows are scheduled.
Saturday 12/28: A rare screening of early filmed comedy shorts and animation long thought lost—until discovered recently in New Zealand—curated & hosted by Nelson Hughes and Tommy Jose Stathes: That Slapstick Show (4:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Saturday 12/28-Monday 12/30: Maryann Aita describes her one-woman show as follows: "After several disappointing visits with a gynecologist, and many failed efforts to Sex and the City it up with friends, 'Detective' Maryann takes it upon herself to figure out what’s going on with her body and how to fix it, relying mostly on whatever she could find on Amazon.com. This is a hilarious (and just a touch sentimental) show about a woman taking charge of her own body that's perfect for fans of Law & Order, vibrators, and vagina: My Dysfunctional Vagina (7:00 pm, $12, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street; running tonight, Sunday, and Monday at 7:00 pm)
Saturday 12/28: Aminah Imani (co-host of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit; host of podcast Wine Before Nine) performs a deliciously long stand-up set, with openers her Comedy at The Knit co-hosts Sydnee Washington (Conan O'Brien, MTV2's Vidiots; co-host of podcast The Unofficial Expert) and Marie Faustin (MTV's Girl Code and Vidiots; co-host of 99.5 FM's Tall Tales in the Big City; the other co-host of The Unofficial Expert): Aminah Imani with Sydnee & Marie (7:30 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 12/28: Six comics who weren't born here—Colum Tyrrell (Ireland; co-host of podcast Big Dogs and NYC stand-up show Luck of the Irish), Jack Comstock (Nebraska), Jhanelle Dennis (Canada), Zain Sharif (Atlanta), Molly Ruben-Long (Los Angeles), and this show's charming producer Katie Boyle (above, from Ireland; co-host of podcast The Shift)—perform stand-up that might include material about where they came from and the journey that led them to NYC: Transplants (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Saturday 12/28: Stand-up from Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV, FX), and TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo: Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/28: Ben Tomassetti & Kevin C. Hill play rock duo Tips Moncrief & Gary Van Patten, a band named Jeez "known for its pedestrian 'hits' in the 80’s such as 'Teen Crocodile,' '96 Olympics in Cincinatti,' and 'Talk to Me (You Dirty Dirty Dirty Computer).' The guys are hitting the road again in support of a Greatest Hits album—as bands do. Tonight they discuss their songs Storyteller’s style—or at least that’s what their tour manager told them they were doing. Come see your oddball uncle’s second favorite band:" Jeez! The “Greatest Hits of 1979-1992” Tour (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Friday 12/27: Francis Ellis (Senior Editor of BroBible.com, co-host of Oops the Podcast), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic) perform stand-up in an intimate club venue: Stars at The Stand (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min.,, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 12/28: Every Saturday night, a highly talented freestyle rapping long form improv group takes the stage for an hour: North Coast (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 12/28: Stand-up from Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV, FX): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 12/27: Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Francis Ellis (Senior Editor of BroBible.com, co-host of Oops the Podcast), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic), and Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app) perform stand-up in an intimate club venue: Late Night Stand-Up at The Stand (11:00 pm, $20 cover and no min.,, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/29: Enjoy brunch with laughs at this comedy show that provides free bacon and $20 bottomless mimosas along with jokes from NYC stand-ups Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of free Monday stand-up showcase Frantic), Mehran Khaghani (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, MTV, IFC, TruTV; co-hosts Sirius XM's Paid or Pain), Lev Fer (host of the Yung Daddy podcast)—and just added, Francis Ellis (Senior Editor of BroBible.com, co-host of Oops the Podcast) and Chloe LaBranche (host of Weep at The Stand)—hosted by Remy Kassimir (host of podcasts How Cum and We Really Love Island): Bacon Bits Brunch Show (3:00 pm, $15, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/29: Evan Forde Barden & Patrick Cartelli, who host music podcast Repeater, recap the year by inviting some of their favorite comics to make their case for the best song of 2019. "After the arguments have been made, Evan and Pat will mercilessly rank their selections." Purchase tickets in advance online to be entered to win vinyl from Astoria’s HiFi Records & Cafe: Repeater's Top 10 Countdown of 2019 (7:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Sunday 12/29: Stand-up from Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentaries 25 Sets, A Universal Language, co-host of CompoundMedia.com's In Hot Water and The Stand's Frantic!), Usama Siddiquee (Showtime's Desus and Mero; podcast Mango Bae), and more hosted by Sharon Simon: Privileged Pain (7:00 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/29: This charming show puts comics who are duos behind the scenes on stage for an evening to adorably perform together,with tonight's close friends and/or couples Jo Firestone & Mike DiCenzo, Griffin Newman & Alejandro Kolleeny, brothers Hari & Ashok Kondabolu, Larry Owens & Chris Murphy, and Rae Sanni & Marcia Belsky hosted by lovers Naomi Ekperigin (dynamite rising star stand-up; Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for NBC's Great News; former writer for Comedy Central's Broad City and Hulu's Difficult People; MTV, VH1, FX) & Andy Beckerman (The Pete Holmes Show, host of podcast Beginnings, co-host with Naomi of this show's podcast): Couples Therapy (7:30 pm, $15, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Sunday 12/29: Stand-up from Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Francis Ellis (Senior Editor of BroBible.com, co-host of Oops the Podcast), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire), and Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/29: Comics Nick Naney (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central), Chanel Ali (MTV's Girl Code, STARZ, TruTV), Annie Donley (Chris Gethard Presents; host of Poppin' Off), Sandy Honig (one-third of sketch group Three Busy Debras; host of Pig and The Bongo Hour), and Devon Walker (Comedy Central) perform for this monthly stand-up showcase named after Stevie Nicks and hosted by Marcia Belsky, Sam Taggart, and Drew Anderson: Stevie (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 12/29: Jessica Henderson (co-creator of webseries Growing Down), Jared Goldstein (ABC's Modern Family, SNL, Starz, TNT), Casey Balsham (co-host of Another True Crime Podcast; stand-up album Son of a Barb), Drew Dunn (winner of the Boston Comedy Festival 2017 and Seattle International Comedy Competition 2018), and Desi Johnson perform stand-up for stellar hosts Sydnee Washington, Marie Faustin, and Aminah Imani: Comedy Night at the Knit (9:00 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Knitting Factory at 361 Metropolitan Avenue; take the G/L subway to Lorimer Street-Metropolitan Avenue)
Sunday 12/29: This weekly competitive roast battle tonight features a main bout of Andrew Casertano ("Just made the list of ‘Comedians You Should Ignore in 2020’") vs. Diego Lopez ("Reminder, if you book me on your show you get both a comedian and a bouncer") judged by Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, NBC's Last Comic Standing, MTV's Guy Code, TruTV; co-host of Sirius XM's The Countdown and podcast Legion of Skanks), Krystyna Hutchinson (with comedy partner Corinne Fisher, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast & stage show, and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s crewed), and more, and hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm; $8.13 online using code CFC, otherwise $13.13; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 12/29: Robert Dean (Amazon's Inside Jokes, Comedy Central) records his second stand-up album For Serious, with the help of your laughs; plus opening sets from Jared Logan (staff writer 2015-2018 for Late Late Show with James Corden; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, CNN, TBS), Kara Klenk (writer for MTV's Girl Code & Guy Code and contributor to Broad City; TruTV, Spike, Nickelodeon; producer of If You Build It and Homeschooled), and tonight's host Alison Leiby (writer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, former writer for Comedy Central's The Opposition and The President Show; VICE, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog; host of It's a Long Story): If You Build It: Robert Dean Album Recording (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Sunday 12/29: Stand-up from Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW), and Nina Daniels (The Last O.G., Showtime's Shameless, Maron): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/30: Legendary retired professional wrestler—and current comic—Mick Foley, whose characters have included Cactus Jack Manson, Dude Love, and Mankind, celebrates the 20th Anniversary of his bestselling book Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks with this national tour in which he tells stories of his decades in the ring "with explosives, golden thumbtacks, and barbed wire instead of rope," "the missing ear that was ripped off during a bout in which he kept fighting," and much more; plus a concluding 45-minute Q&A session, all hosted by fellow comic Alia Janine (former adult film star; host of podcast Whormones). For one day only in NYC: Mick Foley: The Nice Day Tour (7:00 pm, $25; or $75 for both the show and a VIP meet & greet 6:00-7:00 pm; The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 12/30: Tonight concludes the three-night PIT Loft run of a solo show Maryann Aita describes as follows: "After several disappointing visits with a gynecologist, and many failed efforts to Sex and the City it up with friends, 'Detective' Maryann takes it upon herself to figure out what’s going on with her body and how to fix it, relying mostly on whatever she could find on Amazon.com. This is a hilarious (and just a touch sentimental) show about a woman taking charge of her own body that's perfect for fans of Law & Order, vibrators, and vagina:" My Dysfunctional Vagina (7:00 pm, $10, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Monday 12/30: Comics who've worked as teachers—Lana Schwartz (left), Andrew Barlow (middle), Scott Lamica (right), Tiffany Firebaugh, and Eitan Levine—reveal what actually happens behind the scenes in schools hosted by Mike Zakarian (solo show Christ Kid: A Journey Through Snow Camp; sketch teams Mom's Night Out and Physically Bold Comedy): The Teacher's Lounge (7:30 pm, $8, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Monday 12/30: Stand-up by Erin Maguire (co-host of Dear Pod), Sue Funke (host of Happy Place Comedy), Lauren Hope Krass (co-host of Casual Sets), Gianmarco Soresi (ABC's Deception; sketch group Uncle Function; acclaimed FringeNYC play <50%; co-host of The Last Laugh), and Caitlin Peluffo (Stephen Colbert; co-host of podcast Beasts; co-host of Karen): QED Presents (9:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Tuesday 12/31: Share New Year's Eve with movie star Janeane Garofalo, TV actor/writer Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire), and Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV, FX): New Year's Eve at The Stand (6:30 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/31: Chris Gethard (star of HBO 90-minute special Career Suicide; star of TruTV's & Fusion's The Chris Gethard Show; host of Webby-winning podcast Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People; producer of fresh comedy webseries Chris Gethard Presents) and a bunch of his friends—so far including Martin Urbano (Jimmy Kimmel) and Meg Stalter (National Lampoon Comedy Hour, The Chris Gethard Show)—perform comedy on New Year's Eve. Come for just the show, running from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, or buy a "Party Package" that includes drinks, music and dancing post-show to celebrate 2020: Pregame with Gethard and Friends (7:00 pm; $15 for 2-hour show only, $35 for "Party Package" that also includes food/drinks at Parklife and a Littlefield afterparty; Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street. PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT.)
Tuesday 12/31: Heating up your New Year's Eve with comedy are Rachel Pegram (Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, Comedy Central's Alternatino, MTV, BET; movies Don't Think Twice and The Week Of; member of National Lampoon Radio Hour and UCB star improv group ASSSSCAT 3000), Jared Goldstein (ABC's Modern Family, SNL, Starz, TNT), Mary Beth Barone (Viceland; host of podcast Mildly Offensive), and Junior Mint hosted by Jenny Gorelick (host of Jenny's Birthday Party, co-host of First Impressions) and Zach Teague (TruTV): Hot & Fun New Year's Eve (7:30 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street. PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT.)
Tuesday 12/31: Welcome 2020 with a night of drag, burlesque, comedy, singing, dance, and more hosted by Ellipsis Queen: Creatures Of The Night (8:30 pm; just $10!; The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Tuesday 12/31: Enjoy New Year's Eve with married couple Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; new album When I Saw Hamilton) & Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), plus Ron Bennington (host of radio shows Bennington and Unmasked), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), and Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire): New Year's Eve at The Stand (8:30 pm, $75 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 12/31: Usher in 2020 with radio star Ron Bennington (host of radio shows Bennington and Unmasked), married couple Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show, co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; new album When I Saw Hamilton) & Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Tim Dillon (Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, Last Comic Standing; podcast The Tim Dillon Show), and Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, frequent guest on Sirius XM's The Bonfire): New Year's Eve at The Stand (10:30 pm, $75 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Happy New Year's Eve!
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Friday 12/20: Sydnee Washington (Conan O'Brien, MTV2's Vidiots; host with Marie Faustin of podcast The Unofficial Expert; host with Marie Faustin & Aminah Imani of highly popular weekly Brooklyn stand-up showcase Comedy at The Knit) performs a solo show "about not being ashamed of being an open book of beautiful garbage:" Sydnee Washington: My Favorite Open Book Of Beautiful Garbage (10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 11/1: Stars Jean Grae (top left; renowned, seminal hip hop recording artist; also sharp pro comic and comedy host), Arturo Castro (top right; Comedy Central's Broad City and Alternatino), and Tim Herlihy (The Wedding Singer) are the guests of brilliant improvisor & character comic Connor Ratliff (bottom right; Netflix's Orange is the New Black, Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Comedy Central, TBS, TruTV), who transforms into "filmmaker George Lucas (Radioland Murders) as he embarks upon an exciting new career as a comedian and talk show host!" He's joined by talk show sidekick Griffin Newman (bottom left; brilliant character/improv comic; Arthur on Amazon's The Tick, Jared Kushner on Showtime's Our Cartoon President, HBO, CBS, MTV, TBS; feature films Draft Day, Fort Tilden, Night Moves) "as they revolutionize the talk show format the same way Lucas once revolutionized cinema:" The George Lucas Talk Show (7:30 pm, $14, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Friday 11/1: David Cross (right; comedy legend; Mr. Show, Arrested Development, Modern Family), Josh Gondelman (left; one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), Myka Fox (SNL freelance contributor; host of Myka Fox & Friends podcast on Keith and The Girl Network), Kerry Coddett (writer for HBO's Wyatt Cenac: Problem Areas; HBO's Crashing, BET's The Rundown, Comedy Central's The Nightly Show, MTV's Joking Off; host of Brooklyn, Stand Up!), and Alex English (writer for BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede) perform stand-up at this comedy show that's also a voter registration drive for 2020 hosted by Selena Coppock, Alison Klemp, Matt Nedostop, and Jarret Bernstein: Standup 2020 (7:30 pm, $15, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Friday 11/1: TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Josh Gondelman (one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), The Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon, 22 Jump Street, FOX's Lucas Bros Moving Company, Arrested Development),Tom Thakkar (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour; co-host of podcast Stand by Your Band), Shalewa Sharpe (Comedy Central's The New Negroes; HBO's 2 Dope Queens; comedy album So, You Just Out Here?), and more perform for this seminal monthly stand-up show: Whiplash (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 11/1: Because there isn't enough strife pitting the living against each other, comics Alise Morales (News & Politics Editor of Betches; Reductress, Above Average), Kevin Bauer (MTV), Julian Edward Williams (co-host of WALT), Lucyana Randall, and Danny Groh roast long-past historical figures and events, ranging from Rasputin to The Beat Generation to The 1968 Democratic Convention hosted by Matt Strickland (Comedy Central): The Roast of History (7:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 11/1: Musical improvisors make up the story, songs, and dances of a new musical on the spot based on periodic "fill in the blank" audience suggestions: Blank! The Musical (9:30 pm; $22 in advance online or $25 at the door; The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Saturday 11/2: Femme fatales Selena Coppock (right; Amazon's Red Oaks, VH1, author of book The New Rules for Blondes, stand-up album Seen Better Days, co-host of Standup 2020) and Lauren Maul (left; host of Gathering the Coven) perform songs, frequently change costumes, and host stand-up and/or music from Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed),
Shalewa Sharpe (Comedy Central's The New Negroes; HBO's 2 Dope Queens; comedy album So, You Just Out Here?), Shonali Bhowmik (singer/songwriter/guitar player of indie band Tigers and Monkeys; host of show/podcast We Don't Even Know), Danny Artese (The Moth), Brändy Rowëll, and BLK GRL MGK (Tahlia Sworld & Tiara Francis):
Bitchcraft! (7:30 pm, Free!, Sid Gold's Request Room at 165 West 26th Street)
Saturday 11/2: In this unique show, animators spontaneously bring the jokes of stand-ups Rachel Pegram, Mary Houlihan, Martin Urbano, Tim Platt, Nick Naney, and Carmen Christopher to visual life with lightning speed & wit. Part of the fun is that the comics don’t know what the animators will draw and the animators don’t know how the comics will react. Produced by Sam Varela & Brandie Posey and hosted by Clare O'Kane (Amazon, Viceland, stand-up album Let It Be): Picture This! (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/2: Dan St. Germain (right; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, John Oliver, Comedy Central Half Hour, Crashing, @midnight, This is Not Happening, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1; former staff writer for CBS' Superior Donuts, Netflix's The Break with Michelle Wolf, and TruTV's Ten Things; album No Real Winners Here), Brian Parise (left; staff writer and Emmy Award winner for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; co-host and chef of The Pasta Show), Nimesh Patel (exceptionally sharp stand-up; staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, TruTV; written for Chris Rock hosting the 2016 Oscars; co-host of Broken Comedy), Molly Kornfeld, Fareeha Khan, Maddy Smith, and Kevin Sean perform stand-up for host Khalid A. Rahmaan (Conan O'Brien): Electric Laughs (7:30 pm; Free!, plus free "magic punch surprise"!; Brooklyn's Work Heights/Franklin Electric at 650 Franklin Avenue; take the S subway to Park Place or the A/C to Franklin Avenue)
Saturday 11/2: Every Saturday night, a highly talented freestyle rapping long form improv group takes the stage for an hour: North Coast (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
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Saturday 11/2: A top musical improv troupe that has wowed audiences around the world with its skill at making up an hour-long musical moment by moment. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment, even the song lyrics and "choreography" are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure, by such ace talents as Becky Drysdale, Zack Willis, Amber Ruffin, Tim Sniffen, Katy Berry, Olivia Petzy, Jeff Hiller, Tarik Davis, Elizabeth Slack, William Martinez, MIke Poole, and Woody Fu, plus stellar improv musicians Dan Reitz (keyboards) & Sarah Mullins (drums/percussion). Come see why this show won a FringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event: Baby Wants Candy (10:30 pm, $14, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Sunday 11/3: A correspondent for The Daily Show who's also performed on Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show, and Seth Meyers performs a deliciously long stand-up set in an intimate comedy club: Michael Kosta (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Sunday 11/3: A show based on this premise: "Influencers. They’re hotter than you. They have more followers. People love them. Brands love them. They’re not just people, they’re also brands themselves. #TheirPostsMatter. They live their dreams and graciously let you live…vicariously. Without influencers, all that we know and love would die. If you’re not influencing, why do you even bother? Why are you even alive? Watch two real, live influencers, Jerome Lamaar (Instagram influencer extraordinaire, fashion designer, and Beyonce’s Adidas campaign director) and Steve Faktor (LinkedIn influencer, futurist, entrepreneur, and satirist) deconstruct the dirty secrets, lies, and future of Instafame. This is your last chance to get your Insta-sh!t together before it’s too late!" If you want your life to have meaning, come and learn at Influencers: The Dirty Secrets, Lies, and Future of Insta-Fame (7:00 pm, $25, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Sunday 11/3: Roy Wood Jr. (correspondent for Comedy Central's The Daily Show and host of This is Not Happening) and Aasif Mandvi (HBO's The Brink, Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events, numerous films; former correspondent for The Daily Show; author of No Man's Land) try out new jokes at this popular weekly safe space for the stand-up creation process hosted by Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor, host of Downtown Variety): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 11/3: Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Melanie Maras (Indonesian stand-up; two-time Moth Storyslam winner; writer of acclaimed play Kiss Me on the Mouth), Sammy Obeid (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing; "voted #1 comedian by animals"), Andy Haynes (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour), Kevin McCaffrey (former warm-up comic for David Letterman; TruTV), Dina Hashem (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Roast Battle), and Sam Evans perform stand-up hosted by Alison Leiby (writer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, former writer for Comedy Central's The Opposition and The President Show; VICE, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog; host of It's a Long Story): If You Build It (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Sunday 11/3: This weekly comedy roast battle tonight features Gianmarco Soresi vs. Alex La, Drew Drevyanko vs. Jill Weiner, John Ajodah vs. Jerry LaLee, and Vanetta Schoefield vs. Oscar Aydin judged by Maddy Smith, Mike Feeney, and more TBA hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm; $8.13 online using code CFC, with no min.; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/4: Max Wittert, who is both an illustrator for The New Yorker and a stand-up, performs alongside his drawings for a visually driven night of comedy, with openers Ana Fabrega (breakout star of HBO's Los Espookys; Am Home with Amy Sedaris, Portlandia, The Jim Gaffigan Show, The Chris Gethard Show) and Rachel Kaly (Clickhole): Max Wittert: Portrait of the Artist Seated with Grapes (7:30 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Monday 11/4: Lindsey Metselaar hosts this show that encourages uncommon openness and honesty in talking and telling stories about millennial dating in NYC, with tonight's guests Mark Normand, Napoleon Emill, Remy Kassimir, and Ali Kolbert: We Met at Acme (7:30 pm, $22, Chelsea Music Hall at 407 West 15th Street)
Monday 11/4: The annual Roastmasters Tournament returns (after a year's hiatus), with comics & judges TBA, giving NYC Champion Eli Sairs the chance to defend his title. This competition kicks off tonight at 7:30 pm, will continue Tuesday at 9:30 pm, and then climax Sunday at 10:00 pm, all hosted by master insulter Kim Congdon: Roastmasters NYC Tournament 2019 (7:30 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street; #NYCF2019)
Monday 11/4: Aparna Nancherla (co-star of HBO's Crashing, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate), Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America, co-host of Nat Geo's Star Talk) host TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Hari Kondabolu (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; fascinating TruTV documentary The Problem with Apu; Netflix special Warn Your Relatives; co-host of Kondabolu Brothers podcast), Lorelei Ramirez (fresh, explosively brilliant stand-up; Adult Swim, VICE), The Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon, 22 Jump Street, FOX's Lucas Bros Moving Company, Arrested Development), Clare O'Kane (Amazon's Budding Prospects, Viceland's Flophouse, webseries Semi-Famous; former writer for SpongeBob SquarePants; stand-up album Let It Be), and Kaleb Stewart (Comedy Central) performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Donwill: Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street; #NYCF2019)
Monday 11/4: True tales on this month's theme of Outliers from comedic storytellers and/or scientists Saad Sarwana (physicist; co-host of ScienceChannel's Outrageous Acts of Science), Bryan Berlin (storyteller; host of podcast Love Hurts), Carla Katz (storyteller; solo show Body Parts), Tazmin Uddin (teacher), and Karen Washington (community activist) hosted by Zack Stovall (Splitsider) & Paula Croxson (neuroscientist; Senior Manager for Education Programs at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute; please wish Paula a Happy Birthday!): The Story Collider: Outliers (8:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Monday 11/4: Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcast The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall; Netflix's The Degenerates), Dave Smith (FOX; host of podcast Part of the Problem), Luis J. Gomez (special Luis J. Gomez Presents Luis J. Gomez), and other NYC comics "discuss the skankier sides of life, love, and stand-up comedy" for this free weekly podcast taping: Legion of Skanks (9:30 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/4: Alice Wetterlund (Conan O'Brien; Carla on HBO's Silicon Valley, TBS' People of Earth, Netflix's Glow, SyFy's Resident Alien) hosts Hari Kondabolu (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; fascinating TruTV documentary The Problem with Apu; Netflix special Warn Your Relatives; co-host of Kondabolu Brothers podcast), Dulcé Sloan (powerhouse comic and correspondent for The Daily Show; Conan O'Brien, @midnight), Sonia Denis (HBO's High Maintenance, Netflix's Set It Up, Emmy-nominated webseries Brown Girls), James Harris (co-host of JLTV's James & Sunda), and Zach Sims: Alice Wetterlund and Friends (10:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/5-Sunday 11/10: On top of the 100+ shows of @NYComedyFest , the 8th Annual Gotham Storytelling Festival kicks off today and runs through Sunday, with shows from such treasures as Ophira Eisenberg (How to Get Rid of Scars) and David Lawson (The 2020 Book Report). For a complete list of offerings and ticket-buying links, please click here—and use code 8YEARS for discounts: The Eighth Annual Gotham Storytelling Festival (running 11/5-11/10 at various times; $15-$20, with online discounts using code 8YEARS; The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street, off Second Avenue)
Tuesday 11/5: Mark Normand, Tim Dillon, Ian Fidance, and Kerryn Feehan (please note Chris Gethard and Yamaneika Saunders, while in the show poster above, can't make it tonight) reveal neuroses and dark obsessions that either hinder or fuel their comedy, hosted by Ron Bennington: One Flew Over the Comedy Club: Addictions and Compulsions of Stand-Ups (8:00 pm, $15, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street; #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/5: Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Nicole Conlan (staff writer for Stephen Colbert), Miriam Nielsen (co-host of PBS-sponsored Hot Mess), and more discuss climate change with hosts Rollie Williams (who pretends to be Al Gore) and Mark Vigeant (who pretends to be his trusty sidekick Sandy the Crab): An Inconvenient Talk Show (7:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street; #NYCF2019)
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Tuesday 11/5: A Broadway, TV, and film star who once said, "There’s no way to predict what is good or bad. You just do what you think is funny, and either it works or you’re finished" tries out new material tonight and tomorrow in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 11/5: Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Paula Cole helped define the late 1990s with such haunting hits as "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" and "I Don't Want to Wait" (used as the theme song for all six seasons of Dawson's Creek). She's released nine albums to date, with This Fire in 1996 going double platinum, and her most recent Ballads in 2017 and Revolution in 2019. And she's tonight's guest of this NPR comedy trivia show taped live in Brooklyn hosted by the wonderful Ophira Eisenberg (one of the finest comedic storytellers and stand-ups in the country; author of bestselling book Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy, comedy album Bangs!; NBC, CBS, Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime) with music by Jonathan Coulton: Ask Me Another (7:30 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Tuesday 11/5: An LA-based filmmaker and actress (NBC's Sunnyside, The Mindy Project, Weeds) and stand-up who advocates, Buddha-like, getting into a healthy range (see video here) performs a deliciously long set for one night only in Brooklyn: Kiran Deol (7:30 pm, $12, Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/5: A comic who's starred on shows for HBO and Comedy Central, won Emmy and Peabody Awards for his work at Jon Stewart's The Daily Show, and is now working for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, performs a deliciously long stand-up set at an iconic comedy club: Paul Mecurio Headlines at Gotham (7:30 pm, $20 plus 2-drink min., Gotham Comedy Club at 208 West 23rd Street; #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/5: A raucous monthly pun competition hosted by Fred Firestone (co-author with Jo Firestone of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), with 18 audience members (a dozen sign-ups and six returning champions) fiercely competing for wordplay dominance—and the chance to become an instant star based on verbal cleverness, and the ability to drum up the most applause from a packed and loudly cheering crowd. This special Halloween edition also features a spooky Pun-Costume competition: Punderdome 3000: Halloween Special (8:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; show up early—doors open at 7:00—to nab a seat, or plan on standing)
Tuesday 11/5: Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm, comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club (8:00 pm, Free!, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
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Tuesday 11/5: Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies) performs an autobiographical stand-up show about his growing up in the foster care system, experiencing multiple failed relationships. and now being a newly married man trying to build a family and figure it all out: Monroe Martin: System Failure (8:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., Comedy Cellar's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street; #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/5: It's Night #2 of the annual Roastmasters NYC Tournament, with Kim Congdon hosting and Luis J. Gomez judging. The winners from yesterday and tonight will face off at the Finals on Sunday at 10:00 pm to cap New York Comedy Festival 2019: Roastmasters NYC Tournament 2019 (9:30 pm, $10, The Stand at 116 East 16th Street #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/5: Ace stand-ups Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights) & Joe Zimmerman (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing) host fellow comics Michael Kosta, Shalewa Sharpe, Daniel Simonsen, Greg Stone, and Doogie Horner. After each guest's stand-up set, Emmy & Joe ask follow-up questions to generate yet more and more jokes for an endless conveyor belt of comedy they call the Joke Machine (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Tuesday 11/6: Hosts Karen Chee (staff writer for Seth Meyers; The New Yorker, McSweeney's) & Larry Owens (staff writer for TruTV's Paid Off; feature film To Dust) fight the power with tonight's stellar guests Aparna Nancherla (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of Super Bowl 2019 commercial, Comedy Central's Corporate, and HBO's Crashing; also performed on HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None and The Standups, TBS' Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's @Midnight and Half Hour; former writer for Seth Meyers; comedy album Just Putting It Out There), Jaboukie Young-White (correspondent for The Daily Show), Ana Fabrega (breakout star of HBO's Los Espookys; Am Home with Amy Sedaris, Portlandia, The Jim Gaffigan Show, The Chris Gethard Show), Ziwe Fumudoh (writer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously writer for The Rundown with Robin Thede; host of hilarious webseries Baited with Ziwe; host of Pop Show), and Randall Otis (writer for The Daily Show): Decolonize Your Mind (10:30 pm, $11, Chelsea Music Hall at 407 West 15th Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: The National Lampoon Radio Hour ran weekly from November 1973 through December 1974. A number of its comics then moved on to Saturday Night Live, including John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Harold Ramis, and brilliant writer Michael O'Donoghue. Decades later, you can come see NLRH resurrected as a podcast and stage show with a brand new cast of writers and performers: Jo Firestone, Maeve Higgins, Aaron Jackson, Brett Davis, Alex English, Rachel Pegram, Lorelei Ramirez, Meg Stalter, Martin Urbano, and Cole Escola: The National Lampoon Radio Hour (7:30 pm, $25, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: Comics share their rejected comedy material at this all-star show with Aparna Nancherla (left, abandoned by Elmo; one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of Super Bowl 2019 commercial, Comedy Central's Corporate, and HBO's Crashing; also performed on HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None and The Standups, TBS' Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's @Midnight and Half Hour; former writer for Seth Meyers; comedy album Just Putting It Out There), Michelle Collins (middle, holding axed jokes; host of TLC's 90 Day Live and Sirius XM's The Michelle Collins Show; former co-host of ABC's The View and Bachelor in Paradise: After Paradise), and Scott Rogowsky (right, dumped by umbrella; NBC's The Voice, WB's Penn & Teller: Fool Us; host of wildly popular trivia game app HQ Trivia), plus music from superb duo Stuckey & Murray, fab band The Defibulators, and SNL Musical Director Eli Brueggemann, all hosted by Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon; former writer for MTV's Guy Code and Girl Code, YouTube series Part Timers): The Rejection Show (7:30 pm, $11, Chelsea Music Hall at 407 West 15th Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: "Do you ever leave a comedy show saying 'Hmm, that was pretty funny but not enough reading'? Literati is a night of comics in character performing hilarious readings—sometimes while wearing wigs," with tonight's small army of guests John Reynolds (Stranger Things, Search Party), Lorelei Ramirez (Adult Swim, VICE), Clare O’Kane (VICE, Comedy Central Half Hour), Josh Sharp (The Opposition, At Home w/Amy Sedaris), Monique Moses (Netflix, Comedy Central), Sydnee Washington (The Unofficial Expert Podcast), Natasha Vaynblat (Comedy Central), Meg Stalter (National Lampoon Comedy Hour), Alex Song (HBO, Netflix, Tonight Show), Branson Reese (Cartoon Network), Becky Chicoine & Sam Reece (Comedy Central’s Shop Talk), Rollie Williams (An Inconvenient Talk Show), Mark Vigeant (Internet Explorers), and Carmen Christopher (The Chris Gethard Show) hosted by Colin O'Brien & Michael Wolf: Literati: A Comedy Show About Books and the Idiots Who Write Them (7:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: Barry Katz is a long-time TV comedy producer (Last Comic Standing, Whitney, Tourgasm) and has managed such giants as Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Tracy Morgan, and Whitney Cummings. Tonight he interviews a top comic about what it takes to have a successful career for this live version of his podcast: Industry Standard (7:00 pm, $15, The Stand at 116 East 16th Street #NYCF2019)
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Wednesday 11/6: A Broadway, TV, and film star who once said, "There’s no way to predict what is good or bad. You just do what you think is funny, and either it works or you’re finished" tries out new material tonight and tomorrow in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 11/6: Mekki Leeper is an LA-based stand-up who grew up in a Muslim-Christian home, has appeared on James Corden (please see his January 2019 set here), wrote & directed the Comedy Central digital series Resolutions, and stars in the Comedy Central digital special Control Room—and he's performing a solo stand-up show tonight in Brooklyn as part of #NYCF: Mekki Leeper (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: Representing some of UCB-New York's best scripted comedy for the New York Comedy Festival is this double-bill. First up is a mini-play written and co-starring Elena Skopetos titled Impressing My Dad, and then Maude house group The Foundation reprises its favorite sketches: The Best of UCBT-NY (9:00 pm, $12, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: Stand-ups tell their darkest and most personal jokes, and then sit down for an intimate conversation with Crystal Marie about the real-life experiences that inspired them, answering such questions as "When and how did you give yourself permission to talk about your trauma?", featuring guests Chris Redd (cast member of Saturday Night Live; NBC's Will & Grace, Netflix's Disjointed, movie Popstar: Never Stop Stopping), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Dulcé Sloan (powerhouse comic and correspondent for The Daily Show; Conan O'Brien, @midnight), Andrew Schulz (MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy), Sam Morril (Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Half Hour, America's Got Talent), Petey DeAbreu (host of Petey's World and co-host of White Chocolate), and Moses Storm (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing): Behind the Bit (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: A solo show about losing a sister to suicide, quitting stand-up, and eventually finding joy in comedy again, loosely based on the 2018 memoir Tragedy Plus Time: Adam Cayton-Holland: Happy Place (10:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Wednesday 11/6: Mind reader Eric Dittelman (America’s Got Talent, Ellen) hosts professional magicians testing out new acts—including comedic bits—for this long-running free monthly show: Amazeballs (10:00 pm, Free!, The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC at 10-93 Jackson Avenue; take 7 subway to Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue)
Thursday 11/7-Sunday 11/10: Hilarious, quick-witted Norm Macdonald both gets in trouble and is beloved for not being afraid to make waves. For example, way back in 1997 Norm got the biggest laugh ever out of Conan O'Brien when he began by declaring that if Carrot Top is the star of the new movie of another guest, a good title for the film would be "Box Office Poison." Conan then asked the guest for the actual title, and she responded Chairman of the Board. Conan turned to Norm and said, "Do something with that, you freak." Without missing a beat, Norm replied, "I bet Board is spelled B-O-R-E-D." Conan, and the audience, went into hysterics. (Also famed is Norm's moth story.) Norm was a popular cast member of Saturday Night Live for five seasons and the anchor of Weekend Update for three seasons. He was also a regular on several network sitcoms, and even starred in his own ABC sitcom The Norm Show, which ran for three seasons. More recently, Norm is the voice of Yaphit on The Orville and hosts the Netflix interview program Norm Macdonald Has a Show. Norm is also one of the most acclaimed stand-ups in the biz, and well worth catching. He's headlining Thursday through Sunday as part of the New York Comedy Festival: Norm Macdonald (8:00 pm & 10:30 pm, $57.25 plus 2-drink min., Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway; #NYCF2019)
Thursday 11/7: Writer/actress/producer/comic Quinta Brunson has co-starred on HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show, the webseries Girl Who Has Never Been on a Nice Date, a bunch of Buzzfeed videos, and more—including a pilot she's developing for CBS. Tonight you can see this red-hot rising star live on stage hosting Sam Jay (writer for Saturday Night Live; performed on Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents, Take My Wife), Sydnee Washington (Conan O'Brien, MTV2's Vidiots, co-host of podcast The Unofficial Expert), Taylor Garron (editor for Reductress), Ayo Edebiri (Comedy Central), and Anthony Moore: Quinta Brunson + Friends (7:30 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue; #NYCF2019)
Thursday 11/7: This solo production, which debuted at last year's FringeNYC and is now enjoying a monthly revival at LES' Caveat, starts out pretending to be a scientific lecture about and demonstration of chaos theory.
But it's really a highly interactive show that uses comedy and thoughtfully structured game-play for nudging audiences to explore their wishes and desires, push past boundaries, connect with everyone around them, and be open to anything.
It's all courtesy of writer/performer Jessica Ellen Creane, who cycles between faux-shyly giving illustrated talks about such things as fractals, love, and velociraptors, making herself fearlessly vulnerable, and improvising quick-witted responses to audience choices. For example, when Creane asked me to name a goal, I replied, "writing and selling a movie." She immediately gave me the best pep talk I've ever had, stating beyond doubt that I'd succeed. In gratitude, I added, "I'll cast you in it." Without missing a beat, and fully committing to her scientist character (wearing thick black-frame glasses with no lenses), Creane tossed off, "I'm not good at acting" before moving on to help someone else. That she even thought of that line demonstrates what a superb actress Creane is...and how completely she performs in the moment.
Because this show relies so deeply on interaction, each edition will be different based on the decisions made by you and your fellow audience members. Along the same lines, how much you enjoy it, and genuinely get out of it, will depend heavily on what you bring to it.
For me, it was a **** (out of 4) show. If you come experience this—and you should—I hope you have a wonderful time too; and that it moves you closer to your dreams.
Chaos Theory (7:00, $27.63 in advance online or $30 at the door, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 11/7: Superb UCB character comics—including such rising stars as Desi Domo and Michael Cruz Kayne—perform some of their best solo bits for the New York Comedy Festival: UCBT Character Showcase (7:30 pm, $12, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street; #NYCF2019)
Thursday 11/7: Open mic storytelling show, with each yarn-spinner whose name is picked from a basket receiving 5 minutes on stage to share something that happened in his or her life (and that's interesting enough to make the audience feel okay about missing tonight's debate), hosted by David Lawson (fresh, sharp, edgy storyteller; The Flyer Guy): The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show (7:00 pm, Free!, Astoria Bookshop at 31-29 31st Street)
Thursday 11/7: A group of nearly a dozen Philadelphia comics (Joe Bell, Shannon Fahey, Caitlin Feeney, Ari Fishbein, Kyle Harris, Rose Luardo, Pete Steele, Dan Vetrano, Christine Walden, Michael S. Watkins, and Andrew Jeffrey Wright) visits us to participate in #NYCF2019, with stellar guests Ana Fabrega (breakout star of HBO's Los Espookys; Am Home with Amy Sedaris, Portlandia, The Jim Gaffigan Show, The Chris Gethard Show) and Sarah Squirm (creator of infamous Adult Swim video here): Darlings (8:00 pm, $5, The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street, off Second Avenue)
Thursday 11/7: Douglas Widdick & Ken McGraw perform an hour-long musical, directed by Caitlin Bitzegaio, on the myriad very wrong ways to try to pick up women and live a bachelor lifestyle: Toxic Masculinity: The Musical (9:00 pm, $12, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street; #NYCF2019)
Thursday 11/7: With brutal honesty, top comics Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, upcoming HBO special; hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Robert Kelly (Louie, Trainwreck, HBO, CBS, two Comedy Central specials, YKWD podcast), and Lynne Koplitz (star of stand-up specials Hormonal Beast on Netflix and a Comedy Central Presents; HBO's Crashing; upcoming Judd Apatow movie Staten Island; Joan Know's Best, IFC's Z Rock, host of WB's Life & Style, Chris Rock movie Top Five) each shares a story of one of the worst things he or she has ever experienced, with periodic questions and other interjections from host Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall): The Worst (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand at 116 East 16th Street; #NYCF2019)
Thursday 11/7: Stand-ups Chris Gethard (star of HBO 90-minute special Career Suicide; star of TruTV's & Fusion's The Chris Gethard Show; co-star of Mike Birbiglia film Don't Think Twice; host of Webby-winning podcast Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People) and Meg Stalter (National Lampoon Comedy Hour) each performs a stand-up set and is then analyzed by a genuine professional therapist based on the material, all hosted by by Michael S. Watkins & Joe Bell: Comedian Psychoanalysis (9:30 pm, $5, The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street, off Second Avenue; #NYCF2019)
Friday 11/8: Superb storyteller David Lawson (Comedy Central; solo shows include The Flyer Guy, No Oddjob, The Prequels; host of The Astoria Bookshop Storytelling Show) performs a one-man show "standing onstage judging people who are seeking The White House in 2020. The only qualification David has? He's read their books:" David Lawson's 2020 Book Report (7:00 pm; $13.72 online using code 8YEARS; The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street off Second Avenue)
Friday 11/8: Ace comics Jo Firestone, Ana Fabrega, Sydnee Washington, Catherine Cohen, Natalie Walker, and Ayo Edebiri—aided by musical director James Harvey—perform for host Larry Owens (staff writer for TruTV's Paid Off; feature film To Dust): Larry Owens + Friends (7:30 pm, $20, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue; #NYCF2019)
Friday 11/8: Storytelling, catharsis, and laughter as comics who identify as survivors of sexual assault or harassment share their experiences, featuring Amber Rollo, Wendi Starling, Arti Gollapudi, Irene Fagan Merrow, Rebecca O'Neal, and Dylan Adler hosted by Kelly Bachman (filmmaker/comic; recent op-ed in The New York Times). This show will be filmed as part of a documentary: Rape Jokes by Survivors (7:30 pm, $17, UCB at SubCulture at 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop; #NYCF201)
Friday 11/8: A solo stand-up show self-described as "fiercely personal, remorselessly dark, morally bankrupt comedy" from a comic who's performed on Comedy Central and Amazon Prime: Rosebud Baker (7:30 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Friday 11/8: Baron Vaughn (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half Hour, co-host of Comedy Central's The New Negroes; Tom Servo in the Netflix reboot of Mystery Science Theater 3000; cast member of Netflix's Grace and Frankie and USA's Fairly Legal; films Cloverfield, Black Dynamite, and his own documentary Fatherless) and Open Mike Eagle (stand-up and hip-hop artist; Adult Swim; co-host with Baron of The New Negroes) perform and host other notable stand-ups in this stage version of their Comedy Central showcase: The New Negroes Live (8:00 pm, $25, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Friday 11/8: A unique game show in which an oddball Internet video is screened, and then over a dozen contestants have three minutes to prepare a dance routine inspired by what everyone just experienced. It'll all be judged by typically cool comics TBA: Dancify That! (8:00 pm, $15, The PIT Mainstage at 123 East 24th Street)
Friday 11/8: Sarah Squirm, who created the infamous Adult Swim video here, gifts us with a live show filled with her disturbingly gross dark comedy, plus for musical guests phenom comics Ana Fabrega & Lorelei Ramirez (as duo Beautiful Souls Al Fresco): Sarah Squirm's HellTrap Nightmare (10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue; #NYCF2019)
Friday 11/8: A game show that describes itself as follows: "Ever talk to a straight guy and think, 'Jesus Christ you're boring!' Two straight men (who tonight are comics Moses Storm and Michael Cruz Kayne) enter the arena, but only one leaves with the title of Queen of the Straights. Lifelines include a Woman Who Gets It (Catherine Cohen) and a Wise Queer (Pat Regan)" hosted by Matt Rogers & Dave Mizzoni, who invite you to "come witness the ultimate test of who Is honorarily Gay As Fuck:" GAYme Show (Midnight, $25, Gramercy Theatre at 127 East 23rd Street off Park Avenue South; #NYCF2019)
Saturday 11/9: Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin (above) host this live-on-stage recording of their podcast that tests stand-ups on their masterful knowledge of an intriguing subject, with tonight's topic and guests TBA: The UnOfficial Expert Live (5:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall (702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/9: Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me; writer/director of documentary Women Aren't Funny) records a new comedy album tonight...with the help of your energy and joy. Come have your laughs immortalized at Bonnie McFarlane: 3 1/2 Stars (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street; #NYCF2019)
Saturday 11/9: This "woke" Japanese-style game show will push to the max the problem-solving skills of comedy giants (in alphabetical order) Wyatt Cenac, Judah Friedlander, Aparna Nancherla, and Larry Owens. Hosting this star-studded event, which promises to be enormous fun, will be the charming Atsuko Okatsuka (HBO's Room 104; writer for Adult Swim's wonderfully surreal The Eric Andre Show and Soft Focus with Jena Friedman): Let's Go, Atsuko! (8:30 pm, $11, Chelsea Music Hall at 407 West 15th Street)
Saturday 11/9: A show celebrating the app that redefined online dating, with the lovely and quick-witted Lane Moore (above middle; author of bestselling book How to Be Alone; HBO's Girls; Sex & Relationship Editor of Cosmo; writer for The Onion, McSweeney's) going on a live Tinder safari for guys while a packed audience watches her every choice with fascination. Offering comments and suggestions are guests Jean Grae (left; renowned, seminal hip hop recording artist; also sharp pro comic and comedy host), Connor Ratliff (right; brilliant improvisor & character comic; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Orange is the New Black, Broad City, The Chris Gethard Show, The President Show; co-star of legendary improv group The Stepfathers; host of The George Lucas Talk Show), and Chase Mitchell (staff writer for FOX's What Just Happened?; former long-time staff writer for Jimmy Fallon): Tinder Live (8:30 pm, $18 at the door or $19.51-$22.76 online; Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street; #NYCF2019)
Saturday 11/9: Gastor Almonte (Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening, host of Stoops2Stages, co-host of Sandwich, comedy album Immigrant Made) hosts a long-form storytelling show with Aida Rodriguez, Jay Jurden, and Chanel Ali that, like a good meal, will satisfy and sustain you: Beef & Broccoli (8:30 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street; #NYCF2019)
Saturday 11/9: Every Saturday night, a highly talented freestyle rapping long form improv group takes the stage for an hour: North Coast (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street; #NYCF2019)
Saturday 11/9: Director, writer, actor, and national treasure Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Comic Book Men, Jay and Silent Bob) and Jason Mewes (co-star of the View Askewniverse; host of popular and long-running podcast Jay & Silent Bob Get Old) perform a storytelling and Q&A show—which I'll be attending—promoting their just-released latest movie Jay and Silent Bob Reboot: The Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow (9:45 pm, BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center at 99 Chambers Street; take the 1/2/3 subway to Chambers Street; #NYCF2019. PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT.)
Saturday 11/9: "When I encountered rich people for the first time, I discovered that not only do they holiday in places that are hard to find on a map, but that they use the names of seasons as verbs. When they asked me, 'Where did you summer and winter growing up?' I would usually say, 'As a child? The same place I springed and autumned.'" A veteran comic performs a long stand-up set at midnight: Artie Lange is Back (Midnight, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 11/10: Each of us endures a lot more, and is far tougher, than is apparent from surface appearances. And that refers to not only emotional and spiritual hardships, but permanent bodily mementos. In this show, Ophira Eisenberg (one of the very finest storytellers in the country; NBC's The Today Show, CBS' The Late Late Show, Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, host of NPR's trivia/puzzle show Ask Me Another, bestselling book Screw Everyone, comedy album Bangs!; for a sampling of Ophira's remarkably deep comedic tales, please click here) reveals "I have a lot of scars. And I don’t mean metaphorical ones, I'm talking actual physical scars. I'm actually covered in them. They stem from incidents throughout my life, from putting my finger into a meat grinder at age 4 to surviving a near-fatal car crash. This show is about my scars, filled with both comedic and tragic stories, and how to accept these patterns etched in my skin day after day after day." Opening for Ophira during this 90-minute show are storytellers Michaela Murphy (recommended by The New Yorker) and Mike Albo (writer for The New Yorker, The New York Times, New York Magazine; author of novels Homito and The Underminer): Ophira Eisenberg: How to Get Rid of Scars (2:00 pm; $17.96 in advance online using code 8YEARS; The Kraine Theatre at 85 East 4th Street off Second Avenue)
Sunday 11/10: Amazing lineup of some of the finest comics in the biz—Judah Friedlander, Aparna Nancherla, Mark Normand, Alison Leiby, and Peter Grosz—performing stand-up hosted by Robert Dean: If You Build It (9:30 pm, $12, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop; #NYCF2019)
Sunday 11/10: Mothers, and nonprofit group MIMSI that "offers life-saving prenatal care to mothers in areas of the world that need it most," are celebrated by Judy Gold (top left; star of HBO's At The Multiplex With Judy Gold; star of multiple stand-up specials on HBO, Comedy Central, and LOGO; former writer & producer for The Rosie O’Donnell Show, for which Judy won two Daytime Emmy Awards; Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here; Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The View; popular weekly podcast Kill Me Now), Karen Chee (bottom left; staff writer for Seth Meyers; The New Yorker, McSweeney's), Krystyna Hutchinson (bottom right; with comedy partner Corinne Fisher, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed), Chris Distefano (top right; star of Comedy Central's hour-long special Size 38 Waist and weekly interstitial series Stupid Questions; David Letterman, Seth Meyers, MTV2's Guy Code), and Lucas O'Neil in this fundraiser hosted by X Mayo (The Daily Show): Another Mother's Day (7:30 pm, $25, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue; #NYCF2019)
Sunday 11/10: Aasif Mandvi (HBO's The Brink, Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events, numerous films; former correspondent for The Daily Show; author of No Man's Land), Erik Bergstrom (Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, VH1, Fuse; cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker), and Kelsey Claire Hagen (host of Don't Grab My Pussy) try out new jokes at this popular weekly safe space for the stand-up creation process hosted by Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor, host of Downtown Variety): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 11/10: Comics competitively roast each other, with tonight's main bout Anya Volz (writer for Riot Fest, The Hard TImes; host of Thirst Trap With Anya Volz) vs. Dan Wickes (producer of Popped Collar Comedy and Stationary Circus), all hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 11/10 SOLD OUT, but buy tix for Tuesday 11/12: Jena Friedman (wry dark political stand-up; star of Adult Swim's Soft Focus; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, @midnight, The New Yorker, Netflix mockumentary Undecided; former staff writer for David Letterman and Roseanne; former producer for The Daily Show) performs a solo show "as America slips into fascism that celebrates free speech, while she still has it." Sunday's 7:00 pm show quickly sold out, so a 5:00 pm show was added...and it sold out too. So if you didn't nab tickets in time, you can't see this show today. However, you can still buy tickets for one more performance (outside #NYCF2019) this Tuesday 11/12 at 10:00 pm—which I recommend you do right now, before it sells out too: Jena Friedman: Miscarriage of Justice (Tuesday 11/12 at 10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 11/10 SOLD OUT, but buy tix for Saturday 11/16: Courtney Pauroso (Jimmy Kimmel, Key & Peale, American Housewife) performs her hit Edinburgh Fringe show that “takes its audience on an intense and hilarious journey in an hour of chaos that somehow portrays a deep, life-spanning story.” Today's show is SOLD OUT, but you can still nab tickets for additional performances (outside #NYCF2019) on Saturday 11/16: Gutterplum (Saturday 11/16 at 7:30 pm or 10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Monday 11/11: New York Comedy Festival 2019 is over, but its fond memories will linger for years. Personally, I want to give special thanks to two of the greatest comics ever, Pete Holmes and John Mulaney, for bringing the fest to a spectacular close at Pete's (almost instantly) sold out show Sunday night at Brooklyn's Murmrr Theatre. John was an unannounced opener, and an enormously happy and much-beloved surprise. And Pete reminded NYC why he's one of the finest and most joyful stand-ups of all time. Gratitude and blessings to both of these giants.
Monday 11/11: Celebrating their show's Second Year Anniversary are stellar comics Aparna Nancherla (co-star of HBO's Crashing, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate), Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America, co-host of Nat Geo's Star Talk), who tonight host Todd Barry, Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Rob Haze, Jes Tom, James Fritz, and more performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Donwill: Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve: 2 Year Anniverary Show (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street)
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Monday 11/11: Ace comics Mark Normand & Joe List take their popular weekly yarn-spinning podcast with guests to the Comedy Cellar stage (on a Monday, but suspend your disbelief and have fun): Tuesdays With Stories Live (8:00 pm, $15 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's Village Underground at 130 West 3rd Street off Sixth Avenue)
Monday 11/11: Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcast The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall; Netflix's The Degenerates), Dave Smith (FOX; host of podcast Part of the Problem), Luis J. Gomez (special Luis J. Gomez Presents Luis J. Gomez), and tonight's slated guests Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction) and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic Mondays) "discuss the skankier sides of life, love, and stand-up comedy" for this free weekly podcast taping: Legion of Skanks (9:30 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/11: Deliciously long stand-up sets from each of two recently married comics: Clare O'Kane (Comedy Central Half Hour, Amazon's Budding Prospects, Viceland's Flophouse, webseries Semi-Famous; former writer for SpongeBob SquarePants; stand-up album Let It Be) and Courtney Maginnis (Comedy Central, College Humor; host of podcast The Narcisistas and free weekly East Village stand-up show Let's See, What Else?), plus an opening set from phenom Lorelei Ramirez (fresh, explosively brilliant stand-up; Adult Swim, VICE): Clare O'Kane, Courtney Maginnis, Lorelei Ramirez: The Newlywed Hour (10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
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Monday 11/11: Sherrod Small (Jimmy Kimmel, A&E's Black & White, TBS' Are We There Yet?, NBC's Showtime at the Apollo, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of podcast Race Wars) performs a deliciously long stand-up set in an intimate West Village club: Sherrod Small (10:30 pm, $20 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
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Tuesday 11/12: A Broadway, TV, and film star who once said, "Marie Antoinette, I'm sure she was just misinterpreted. You know the 'Let them eat cake' line? She seems kind of funny, like a Kathy Griffin type" tries out new material tonight and tomorrow in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 11/12: David Cross (comedy legend; Mr. Show, Arrested Development, Modern Family, latest comedy special Oh Come On) tries out new stand-up material in Brooklyn: David Cross: Shootin' the Shit, Seein' What Sticks (8:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Tuesday 11/12: Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm, comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club (8:00 pm, Free!, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Tuesday 11/12: Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed) and Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction) team up to launch a new podcast tonight which they describe as follows: "Amidst a culture filled with loud pigs and whiny cows, we discuss current news stories and how each is covered differently by our media's most biased, poker-prodding news sources. We are hell bent on finding the quiet, spineless middle ground that must exist somewhere between cries of Vulture and Breitbart:" Without A Country Podcast— Live! (9:30 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 11/12: Jena Friedman (wry dark political stand-up; star of Adult Swim's Soft Focus; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, @midnight, The New Yorker, Netflix mockumentary Undecided; former staff writer for David Letterman and Roseanne; former producer for The Daily Show) performs a solo show described as follows: "As America slips into fascism, Jena celebrates free speech while she still has it in this unapologetic political hour of comedy. Fresh off a critically acclaimed 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival run, Jena brings her unique insight and acerbic wit at a time when politics in America and worldwide has become more contentious and divisive than ever." This show was part of the New York Comedy Festival, and quickly sold out. Another performance was added...and it quickly sold out too. Don't miss this additional chance to experience Jena Friedman: Miscarriage of Justice (10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 11/13: Mike Zakarian (solo show Christ Kid: A Journey Through Snow Camp) hosts comedic storytellers Milly Tamarez, Lana Schwartz, Eitan Levine, Amanda Giobbi, Tiffany Firebaugh, and Adrian Frimpong sharing their experiences "growing up in the eyes of the Lord:" Holy Hour (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
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Wednesday 11/13: A beloved Broadway, TV, and film star (Trainwreck, Sandy Wexler, Drunk Parents), and star of Netflix specials Red State Blue State, The New York Story, and Unconstitutional, tries out new material in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 11/13: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Paul Virzi (FOX, Spike TV), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), and Nina Daniels (IFC's Maron, Showtime's Masters of Sex): Stars at the Stand (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 11/13: Josh Gondelman (one of the sharpest comics in the country; writer/producer for Showtime's Desus & Mero; previously Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; author of book Nice Try; stand-up albums Dancing On a Weeknight and Physical Whisper), Sonia Denis (HBO's High Maintenance, Netflix's Set It Up, Emmy-nominated webseries Brown Girls), Katie Boyle (co-host of podcast The Shift; host of Transplants Comedy), Jared Goldstein, Ronnie Fleming, and Zain Sharif perform stand-up for hosts Julia Shiplett, Carolyn Busa, and/or Ben Wasserman: Side Ponytail Comedy (8:00 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Friends and Lovers at 641 Classon Avenue)
Wednesday 11/13: Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic; author of How to Write Cheesy Movies) hosts an open mic for MST3K-style riffing on film clips of awful movies. Sign-up is open to all, and riffing happens in randomly assigned groups of three, with no advance knowledge of what's going to be screened. Whoever Frank and guest judges decide is best will get to riff with Frank at the end of the night: Frank Conniff's Open Riff Night (9:00 pm, $5 to riff or $8 to just watch, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 11/13: Stand-up from Tom Green (icon), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Paul Virzi (FOX, Spike TV), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic Mondays): Stars at the Stand II (10:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 11/14: What's it like to reach age 28 without ever having an orgasm? Comic Molly Brenner shares her "long, harrowing, and strangely expensive journey to her first orgasm" in this solo storytelling show that was a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, plus an opening stand-up set by Jess Salomon (Jimmy Fallon, CBS, Sirius XM, co-host of Sandwich; stand-up album All the Best Choices): Molly Brenner: "I'm Coming" (7:30 pm, $7, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Thursday 10/14: Andrea Jones-Rooy, who is a Professor and Director of Undergraduate Study at the NYU Center for Data Science—and also a fire-wielding circus performer—uses data-driven political research to answer such questions as "Are protests actually effective? How often, and under what conditions, do people engaged in protests actually get what they want? Even if they don't get what they want, are there other indirect benefits (or costs) of protests? And what might make your next protest more likely to succeed?:" Political Circus: Do Protests Work? (7:00 pm, $15, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 11/14: Strong line-up of Robert Kelly, Rachel Feinstein, Joe DeRosa, and Corinne Fisher performing stand-up for hosts Justin Silver & Krystyna Hutchinson...who want to be sure you know they're involved only comedically: We're Not Banging (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 11/14: Enjoy a comic excavation of teen angst artifacts (journals, letters, poems, lyrics, home movies, stories, and more) shared by their original authors before total strangers at this popular monthly show—which is now also a six-part series titled The Mortified Guide on Netflix: Mortified (8:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 11/14: Storytellers Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 20-time StorySlam Champion; album The Human Comedy; for a sampling of Adam's award-winning tales, please click here), Grant Bowen (writer/actor), and Katie Rivard (copywriter) tell comedic tales on this month's theme Holidays for this long-running stage series and podcast hosted by the wonderful David Martin: The Nights of Our Lives: The Holidays (8:30 pm, $7, The Magnet at 254 West 29th Street)
Thursday 11/14: Stars Nikki Glaser (left; host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty) and Rachel Feinstein (right; HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), plus Katharyn Henson (co-host of podcasts Somewhat Scientific and Yikes Yikes Baby), Josef Anolin, and Peter Ryan O'Connell perform stand-up hosted by Joe Gorman: Dog & Pony (9:30 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 11/14: Skilled punsters Sam Corbin, Tim Donnelly, Jerzy Gwiazdowski, Ally Spier, and Nikolai Vanyo will show off their word expertise by punching up news headlines, tightening movie titles, merging words to create new terms, taking etymological deep-dives, and playing a variety of other word games: The PUN-ch Up (9:30 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 11/14: Ziwe Fumudoh (writer for Showtime's Desus & Mero, and previously for The Rundown with Robin Thede; host of hilarious webseries Baited with Ziwe) invites comics Eudora Peterson, Benito Skinner, Ayo Edebiri, and Hannah Berner to perform pop songs, preceded by comedic presentations—plus a reading by Larry Owens: Pop Show (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 11/14: Seaton Smith (HBO's Girls, FOX's Mulaney, Chris Rock's film Top Five, Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Inside Amy Schumer, The Nightly Show; album Greatest Album of the Year) performs a deliciously long stand-up set in an intimate venue, with several other talented stand-ups as openers: Seaton C. Smith (10:30 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Friday 11/15: Superb comics Gastor Almonte (left), Jeena Bloom (middle), Josh Gondelman (right), Carolyn Castiglia, and more perform stories or sketches on sexual topics—including a "best of" segment celebrating this show's One Year Anniversary—hosted by Dani Faith Leonard: Adult Sex Ed: Happy Anniversary Edition (7:00 pm; $17 online or $20 at the door; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 11/15: Josh Sharp (HBO's 2 Dope Queens, CBS' Two Broke Girls, Comedy Central's The Opposition, IFC's How Shit Works, MTV; co-creator of Cool Shit/Weird Shit) and Natasha Vaynblat (Comedy Central, Funny or Die, McSweeney's, Reductress; ace improv group What I Did For Love) each perform stand-up and/or characters for 30 minutes: Josh Sharp & Natasha Vaynblat Do Half Hours (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 11/15: Storytellers TBA share tales of relationships in front of a panel of comics and bona fide therapists who then provide their professional advice, hosted by Lynn Bixenspan (Comedy Central, MTV; former writer for Fuse TV) & Morgan Pielli (cartoonist): Relationshit (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 11/15: Jo Firestone (above; one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits), Damien Lemon (host of TruTV's Comedy Knockout; Comedy Central Half Hour; MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Guy Court), and Christian Finnegan (creator & co-host of A&E's Black and White; co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; Conan O'Brien; three Comedy Central specials, Netflix special The Fun Part; TBS, VH1, MSNBC, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show) perform stand-up for the only comedy club in Brooklyn: Firestone, Lemon, and Finnegan at Eastville (8:00 pm; normally $21 with no min., but free following these instructions [support this special by optionally buying food and/or drinks]; Brooklyn's Eastville Comedy Club at 487 Atlantic Avenue—take 2/3/4/5/B/D/N/Q/R subway to Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center)
Friday 11/15: Comics TBA try to figure out and articulate the meaning of a piece of art. Then an actual art expert tells them what the piece is generally considered to be about and its cultural impact. Plus select audience members—maybe including you—will draw their art on the spot and have it interpreted by the comics. According to hosts Matt Hartin & Akmal Tajihan, "This is the only show you'll want to Van Gogh to:" Modern Whitney (9:30 pm; $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 11/15: Storytellers TBA share cringe-worthy experiences from their pasts hosted by Brendan Busee & Ron Raganella: Shame!: The Not-So-Honorable Comedy Show (9:30 pm, $8, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 11/15: The 1943 movie Son of Dracula starring Lon Chaney is a terrible sequel to the Bela Legosi classic. (Chaney plays Count Alucard—which is Dracula spelled backwards—and the script goes downhill from there...).Tonight this embarrassment will be screened and mercilessly skewered by ace comics Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up and staff writer for TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; previously staff writer for Comedy Central's The President Show and nearly 400 episodes of NBC's Jimmy Fallon, and contributing writer for Saturday Night Live), Eric Drysdale (hilarious stand-up and staff writer for TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; previously staff writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show), Carolina Hidalgo (co-host with MST3K's Frank Conniff & Trace Beaulieu of Movie Sign with the Mads podcast), and Matthew Reiser (co-host with Chris Gersbeck of podcast Hacks on Drac). Their cruelty will be contrasted by exceptionally kind host Chris Gersbeck (co-host of Soft Core!, which is essentially a porn version of this show, and producer of many other shows): Movies R Dumb: Son of Dracula (11:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 11/15: Alia Janine (above right; former adult film star; host of the Whormones Podcast; owner of Hardcore Comedy Entertainment) hosts this free monthly comedy show featuring stand-ups, porn stars, and/or more, plus audience games and sex toy prizes: The Hardcore Comedy Show (Midnight, Free!, The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' LIC at 10-93 Jackson Avenue; take 7 subway to Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue)
Saturday 11/23: Dina Hashem (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Stand-Up and Roast Battle) and Kevin Iso (Hulu's High Fidelity, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and Adam Devine’s House Party) each performs a 30-minute stand-up set: Dina Hashem and Kevin Iso Do Long Sets (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/16: Laurie Kilmartin (dynamite stand-up; writer for Conan O'Brien; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, VH1; special 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad; author of books Dead People Suck and Sh*tty Mom) & Jackie Kashian (Comedy Central Presents, Last Comic Standing; podcast and album I Am Not The Hero Of This Story; podcast The Dork Forest; for hilarious cartoon about LA pet owners, please click here) perform stand-up and record an episode of their long-running (since 2015) podcast that covers current events in comedy and typically spotlights a female comic: The Jackie & Laurie Show Live (6:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 11/16: Jeff Simmermon (NPR's This American Life, Moth GrandSlam Champion, host of And I Am Not Lying) records his second stand-up & storytellling comedy album—twice, via 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm shows—with openers Joe Zimmerman, Nonye Brown-West, and Fem Appeal. Come lend Jeff your joy and get your laughter immortalized at Jeff Simmermon Album Recording Show (7:00 pm & 9:30 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Bluebird: The Nest at 504 Flatbush Avenue); take B/S/Q subway to Prospect Park)
Saturday 11/16: World-class singing improvisors Rebecca Vigil & Evan Kaufman interview an audience couple about their love life and then turn it into a musical—with breathtaking skill (see my review of their award-winning FringeNYC 2015 shows here). I highly recommend the phenomenal Your Love, Our Musical (7:00 pm; $22.32 for a seat, or $17 for standing room, online; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street. PLEASE NOTE: The 11/16 show has SOLD OUT. However, you can still nab tickets for the Saturday 12/14 show here.)
Saturday 11/16: Courtney Pauroso (Jimmy Kimmel, Key & Peale, American Housewife) performs her hit Edinburgh Fringe and sold out New York Comedy Festival show (directed by award-winning Phil Burgers) that “takes its audience on an intense and hilarious journey in an hour of chaos that somehow portrays a deep, life-spanning story.” Catch this delightful character comic tonight at either 7:30 or 10:00 because she returns to LA: Gutterplum (7:30 pm or 10:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/16: Stand-up from Tom Green (icon), Laurie Kilmartin (dynamite stand-up; writer for Conan O'Brien; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, VH1; special 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad; author of books Dead People Suck and Sh*tty Mom), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Sherrod Small (Jimmy Kimmel, A&E's Black & White, TBS' Are We There Yet?, Comedy Central, VH1), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Ian Lara (Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny), and Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX): Stars at the Stand (8:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street; PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT.)
Saturday 11/16: Every Saturday night, a highly talented hip-hop improv group takes the stage for an hour: North Coast (9:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 11/17: This amazing smorgasbord of a show provides stand-up from Aparna Nancherla (Comedy Central's Corporate, HBO's Crashing and 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None and The Standups, TBS' Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's @Midnight and Half Hour; former writer for Seth Meyers; comedy album Just Putting It Out There) and Nick Maritato (This American Life, MTV, host of podcast Reality Blows), and interviews & games with Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; comedy album The Hits) and Gary Richardson (writer for Saturday Night Live; brilliant improvisor; Comedy Central), all revolving around the theme of self-discovery hosted by Ashley Brooke Roberts (energetic, enormously likeable rising star stand-up, sketch comic, and actress; stellar host of Fresh Out; former writer for NatGeo Explorer and MTV's Guy Code; UCB Maude sketch groups The Prom and Absolutely): Ashley Explains How To Be Yourself (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 11/17: Sketch group and stand-up trio Three Michelles—consisting of Belinda Boxer, Alli Brown, and Meghan Radespiel—perform and host NYC stand-ups TBA. To get a feel for the dark comedy of these gals, please click here and here: Three Michelles (7:00 pm, $5 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 11/17: Stand-up and/or music from Anna Drezen (superb stand-up who blends jokes with characters, movement, and sketch; Supervising Writer for Saturday Night Live; Editor-at-Large of Reductress; co-author of How May We Hate You and How to Win at Feminism), Sydnee Washington (Conan O'Brien, MTV2's Vidiots, co-host of podcast The Unofficial Expert), Sarah Dooley (author of book Are You My Uber? and music album Stupid Things), Emma Jayne (award-winning singer/songwriter; music album Jetlag), Lauren Servideo (character comic Instagram star), and Devon Walker (Comedy Central) hosted by Benito Skinner (YouTube star) & Mary Beth Barone (Viceland; host of podcast Mildly Offensive): Cruel Intentions (7:30 pm, $18, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Sunday 11/17: Anya Volz (above; writer for Riot Fest, The Hard Times; host of Thirst Trap With Anya Volz), Aasif Mandvi (HBO's The Brink, Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events, numerous films; former correspondent for The Daily Show; author of No Man's Land), and Steve Whalen (HBO, Comedy Central) try out new jokes via deliciously long sets at this popular weekly safe space for the stand-up creation process hosted by Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor, host of Downtown Variety): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $10, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 11/17: Comics competitively roast each other, with tonight's main bout Mark Benjamin ("Looking forward to the Senate acquitting Trump on this sham so he can get to work for the American people and ask Saudi Arabia to murder Elizabeth Warren") vs. Shawn Gardini, all hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 11/17: Stand-ups Joe Kwaczala, Jess Salomon, Rob Cantrell, Sarah Tollemache, Glenn Moore, Kenice Mobley, and Kendall Farrell perform for host Alison Leiby (writer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, former writer for Comedy Central's The Opposition and The President Show; VICE, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog; host of It's a Long Story): If You Build It (9:30 pm, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Sunday 11/17: Patrick McCartney (member of acclaimed theatrical improv group Centralia) performs a comedic solo show about addiction and recovery, directed by Shira Piven (HBO's Divorce and Room 104, Amazon's Transparent), that's received raves from the likes of Elizabeth Gilbert (superstar author of Eat Pray Love), who wrote, "Patrick McCartney is a phenomenally gifted performer, whose work I have admired for years. But we almost lost this extraordinary artist to alcoholism and drug addiction—which would have been a tragedy on so many levels. Now McCartney has returned to the stage with a one-man show about his struggle with substance abuse. Miraculously, it manages to be simultaneously brilliant, devastating, hilarious, humble, searching, and triumphant. Go see it. It’s a beautiful piece of work:" Sinister Kid (10:30 pm, $10, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Monday 11/18: Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers) and Maeve Higgins (Maeve in America, co-host of Nat Geo's Star Talk) host stellar stand-ups Chris Gethard (above; star of HBO 90-minute special Career Suicide; star of TruTV's & Fusion's The Chris Gethard Show; co-star of Mike Birbiglia film Don't Think Twice; host of Webby-winning podcast Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People; The Office, Comedy Central, IFC; author of A Bad Idea I'm About to Do and Weird New York), Christi Chiello (above; multi-talented rising star; Comedy Central's Roast Battle, MTV's Girl Code, TruTV, PBSKids, stellar solo show It's Christi, B*tch!, co-host of Battle of the Divas and White Chocolate; tours with Chris Gethard), Liza Treyger (fresh, fierce, fearless stand-up; Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour, This Is Not Happening, @midnight, Horace and Pete, Chelsea Lately), Glenn Moore (UK-based comic; Comedy Central, BBC, Absolute Radio), and Rohan Padhye, plus music from DJ Donwill: Butterboy with Jo, Aparna, and Maeve (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; 10:00 pm afterparty at Parklife at 636 Degraw Street)
Monday 11/18: This brand new show is about "the science of astrology, which is very real and definitely not fake. Each month, hosts Melissa Stokoski, Karolena Theresa, and Brian Bahe (famously all Virgos) along with resident Astrologist Lizzie Martinez (Taurus) welcome a lineup of comedians all born under the current zodiac." This month's group of Scorpio stand-ups include Petey DeAbreu (host of Petey's World and co-host of White Chocolate), Marcia Belsky (Reductress; Handmaid's Tale The Musical; lead singer of band Free the Mind), and Pooja Reddy (host of Kutti Gang): Star F*ckers: Astrology, But Make It Comedy (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Monday 11/18: Anna Drezen (superb stand-up who blends jokes with characters, movement, and sketch; Supervising Writer for Saturday Night Live; Editor-at-Large of Reductress; co-author of How May We Hate You and How to Win at Feminism) headlines, with opening stand-up from Anna's Saturday Night Live colleagues Bowen Yang, Alex Moffat, and Sam Jay: Anna Drezen and SNL Friends (8:30 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Murmrr Ballroom at 17 Eastern Parkway—take 2/3 subway to Grand Army Plaza)
Monday 11/18: The great Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America) is this week's guest of Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcast The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall; Netflix's The Degenerates), Dave Smith (FOX; host of podcast Part of the Problem), and Luis J. Gomez (special Luis J. Gomez Presents Luis J. Gomez) "discussing the skankier sides of life, love, and stand-up comedy" for this free weekly podcast taping: Legion of Skanks (9:30 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/18: Great lineup of Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Joe DeRosa (razor-sharp stand-up; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central Presents and Comedy Central Half Hour specials, HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, FX's Louie, AMC's Better Call Saul, E!'s Chelsea Lately, stand-up album The Depression Auction), Olivia Grace (Comedy Central's Roast Battle; writer for Roast of Bruce Willis; co-host of The Doug Stanhope Podcast), Shalewa Sharpe (Comedy Central's The New Negroes; HBO's 2 Dope Queens; comedy album So, You Just Out Here?), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Francis Ellis (co-host of Oops the Podcast), Annette Mullaney (San Francisco-based comic; host of "Shame Cave"), Phoebe Bottoms (Adult Swim; writer for Tig Notaro), and Chloe McGovern try out material at this free weekly show hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language) and/or Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV): Frantic Mondays (10:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/18: Dina Hashem (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Stand-Up and Roast Battle) and Kevin Iso (Hulu's High Fidelity, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and Adam Devine’s House Party) each performs a 30-minute stand-up set: Dina Hashem and Kevin Iso Do Long Sets (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Tuesday 11/19: Colin Quinn (above left; iconic TV, film, and Broadway comedy star; SNL, Tough Crowd, HBO, NBC; movies Trainwreck, Sandy Wexler, Drunk Parents; star of Netflix specials Red State Blue State, The New York Story, and Unconstitutional), Wyatt Cenac (above middle; star of HBO's Problem Areas and TBS' Friends of Earth; former star correspondent for The Daily Show; writer for South Park; albums Comedy Person, Brooklyn, and Furry Dumb Fighter; host of Night Train, Shouting at the Screen), Tara Summer (above right; numerous TV acting appearances include Master of None, Madam Secretary, Lucifer, Mercy Street, CSI, and Boston Legal, and films include Driven, Hitchcock, and What a Girl Wants), Seaton Smith (HBO's Girls, FOX's Mulaney, Chris Rock's film Top Five, Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Inside Amy Schumer, The Nightly Show; album Greatest Album of the Year), Rebecca Vigil (powerhouse improv singer; Your Love Our Musical, The Vigilante), Avital Ash (LA-based comic/actress; for sample stand-up, please click here), Chris Matesevac (SNL, Girls, Inside Amy Schumer, The Wolf of Wall Street), and more, all hosted by Seth Herzog (long-time staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, @midnight, CBS, VH1): Sweet (9:00 pm, $13 at the door or $15.61 in advance online, Chelsea Music Hall at 407 West 15th Street)
Tuesday 11/19: Unique and delightfully unsettling stand-up Joe Machi (above; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar & Roast Battle, Netflix's Bumping Mics; breakout star of 2014 Last Comic Standing), plus TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress), and Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL) perform stand-up for host Stavros Halkias (Comedy Central Stand-Up, IFC, co-host of podcast Cum Town): Fat Tuesdays (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 11/19: A beloved Broadway, TV, and film star who said, "The thing that drives me crazy is when comics say 'I have low self-esteem.' No, you don't. You're standing on stage asking people to pay. You don't play an instrument. You want people to pay to hear what's in your mind. You don't have low self-esteem. You might have other problems." tries out new material in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 11/19: Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm, comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club (8:00 pm, Free!, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Tuesday 11/19: The innovative and award-winning Broken Box Mime troupe performs their finest wordless sketches & stories, mixed with fresh bits, all set to a "rip-roarin' soundtrack:" BKBX: Quiet Riot (9:00 pm, $17.35 in advance online or $20 at the door, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Tuesday 11/19: Stand-up from the great Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America), Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Paul Virzi (FOX, Spike TV) , and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas): $5 Funnies (10:00 pm, $5 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 11/20: Superb comics Dan St. Germain (Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, John Oliver, Comedy Central Half Hour, Crashing, @midnight, This is Not Happening, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1; former staff writer for CBS' Superior Donuts, Netflix's The Break with Michelle Wolf, and TruTV's Ten Things; album No Real Winners Here), Rachel Feinstein (HBO's Crashing, Amazon's Red Oaks, Netflix's The Standups, Comedy Central special Only Whores Wear Purple; finalist on Last Comic Standing; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Inside Amy Schumer, The View; films include Trainwreck and Top Five), and Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV; co-host of The Brilliant Idiots podcast) perform stand-up and more for this interactive audience show that will probably include a rap battle, all hosted by Brendan Gay, Charles Engle & Santiago Angel: Freestyle Comedy Show (7:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 11/20: Come join a comedy-loving group watch 10 Democratic Presidential candidates debate, enhanced by the lightning-quick wit of host Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic) and other comics TBA: Democratic Debate Watch Party: Second Rachel Maddow/MSNBC Edition (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 11/20: Get in the right mood for tonight's debate with a beloved Broadway, TV, and film star (Trainwreck, Sandy Wexler, Drunk Parents) who is also a political comic via Netflix specials Red State Blue State (above) and Unconstitutional, and is trying out new material in an intimate club for his next mass media solo show: Colin Quinn (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 11/20: A mostly-gal stand-up show with Rachel Sennott (HBO's High Maintenance), Saurin Choksi (Comedy Central; former co-host of Fuse's White Guy Talk Show, now host of Brown Privilege Comedy), Chanel Ali (MTV), Zach Zimmerman (The New Yorker), and Ellen Harrold hosted by Molly Brenner (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) & Laura Merli (McSweeney's, Reductress; half of sketch duo Soul Crush Comedy; host of How to be Less Awkward podcast): Good Girl (7:30 pm, $7, Brooklyn's Cantina Royale at 58 North 3rd Street between Wythe & Kent; take the L subway to Bedford Avenue)
Wednesday 11/20: Participants (maybe you, if you apply) pitch their single friends via fun PowerPoint presentations and then conduct a Q&A session with the audience, after which everyone mingles: YouShouldDate.ppt (7:30 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 11/20: Mike Drucker (right; hilarious stand-up and staff writer for TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; previously staff writer for Comedy Central's The President Show and nearly 400 episodes of NBC's Jimmy Fallon, and contributing writer for Saturday Night Live), Caitlin Peluffo (left; Stephen Colbert), Richie Owens, and more TBA perform stand-up hosted by Emily Winter, Julia Shiplett, Carolyn Busa, and/or Ben Wasserman: Side Ponytail Comedy (8:00 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Friends and Lovers at 641 Classon Avenue)
Wednesday 11/20: Stand-ups Remy Kassimir, Christiana Jackson, Drexton Clemons, Gus Constantellis, and host Sarah Garner tell jokes about their lives and then take questions about yours. Come to the show that provides not only laughs but personalized life advice for way less than a therapist would charge: Not a Therapist: A Stand-Up Comedy Advice Show (9:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 11/20: Stand-up Trixx records a comedy album, with the help of your laughs. The 8:00 pm show has sold out, but there are still tickets available for this late show: Trixx Comedy Album Recording (10:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 11/21-Sunday 11/24: It's the 7th year of this annual 4-day PIT festival devoted to over 100 new comedic solo shows. (The fest was originally created by Peter Michael Marino & Toby Knops and co-produced by Ronny Pascale, all giants in PIT history, but they've moved on to let others curate & run the extravaganza.) The only requirements for any production are it's a one-person show that's funny and has never been performed in public before. The types of entertainment are therefore wide-ranging, encompassing sketch, characters, storytelling, stand-up, cabaret, music, dance, puppetry, magic, clowning, multimedia, and more. Based on nothing other than a quick skim of the performers involved, shows that appear especially promising include Carolyn Bergier and Cole Steffensen (Thursday 7:00 at UG), Micaela Blei (Thursday 11 at UG), Regan Sims and Matt Zambrano (Friday 7:00 at Striker), Jack Blankenship and Rachael Burke (Friday 9:30 at Loft), Adrien Pellerin and Adrian Sexton (Saturday 7:30 at UG), Lagina Hill and Anoush Froundjian (Saturday 8:00 at Striker), Sarah Morgan Ashey and Dillon Geyselaers (Saturday 8:30 at UG), Angela Cobb (Saturday 10:30 at Striker), Abby Feldman (Sunday 4:30 at Striker), and Andi Lee Carter (Sunday 8:00 at Loft): Solocom 2019 ($12 per show, or $30 for an all-you-can-see festival pass (a fantastic deal for a vibrant, fun festival with scores of shows): The PIT Mainstage (Striker) and PIT Underground (UG) at 123 East 24th Street and The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Thursday 11/21: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of this superb storytelling show are stellar comic Aparna Nancherla (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of Super Bowl 2019 commercial, Comedy Central's Corporate, and HBO's Crashing; also performed on HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None and The Standups, TBS' Conan O'Brien, and Comedy Central's @Midnight and Half Hour; former writer for Seth Meyers; comedy album Just Putting It Out There) and storytellers Nick Flynn, Kera Bolonik, Andrew McGill, and Anita Flores telling tales on this month theme "It's Not Like on TV" hosted by Blaise Allysen Kearsley: How I Learned It's Not Like on TV: Tenth Anniversary Show! (7:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Thursday 11/21: Jo Firestone (one of the most relentlessly inventive comics in the biz; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; star of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; radio host of WFMU's Dr. Gameshow; live-on-stage co-host of Butterball; comedy album The Hits) and Michael Kosta (correspondent for The Daily Show) perform stand-up in an intimate space for twin hosts Max & Nicky Weinbach: Jo Firestone, Michael Kosta, and Max & Nicky (9:00 pm, $10 cover and no min., The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Thursday 11/21: Sherrod Small (Jimmy Kimmel, A&E's Black & White, TBS' Are We There Yet?, NBC's Showtime at the Apollo, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of podcast Race Wars) performs a deliciously long stand-up set in an intimate West Village club: Sherrod Small (10:30 pm, $20 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Thursday 11/21: Stand-up from Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language, host of Frantic Mondays), and Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV; co-host of Frantic Mondays): Stars at The Stand (11:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 11/22-Sunday 11/24: It's Day #2 of the 7th Annual Solocom, a 4-day PIT festival devoted to over 130 new comedic solo shows. Events that sound promising include Matt Zambrano and Regan Sims (above left and middle; Friday 7:00 at Striker), Jack Blankenship and Rachael Burke (above right; Friday 9:30 at Loft), Adrien Pellerin and Adrian Sexton (Saturday 7:30 at UG), Lagina Hill and Anoush Froundjian (Saturday 8:00 at Striker), Sarah Morgan Ashey and Dillon Geyselaers (Saturday 8:30 at UG), Angela Cobb (Saturday 10:30 at Striker), Abby Feldman (Sunday 4:30 at Striker), and Andi Lee Carter (Sunday 8:00 at Loft): Solocom 2019 ($12 per show, or $30 for an all-you-can-see festival pass (a fantastic deal for a vibrant, fun festival with scores of shows): The PIT Mainstage (Striker) and PIT Underground (UG) at 123 East 24th Street and The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Friday 11/22: Mammoth social media platform Twitter is explored by host Mark Vigeant (Funny Or Die, Prairie Home Companion), his comedic helpers Sam Reece & Rollie Williams, and his guests Eve Peyser (The New York Times, Vice), Ryan Broderick (Buzzfeed), Nathan Allebach (@steak_umm), and Shoshana Wodinsky (Adweek): Internet Explorers: Twitter (7:00 pm; $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 11/22: Karen Chee (staff writer for Seth Meyers; The New Yorker, McSweeney's) and Rachel Pegram (Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, Comedy Central's Alternatino, MTV, BET; movies Don't Think Twice and The Week Of; member of UCB star improv group ASSSSCAT 3000) each performs a deliciously long 30-minute stand-up set hosted by Jeff Hiller (30 Rock, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, musical improv group Rumpleteaser): Karen Chee and Rachel Pegram Do One Collective Hour of Comedy (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 11/22: Stand-up from Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female, Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), Yamaneika Saunders (HBO's Crashing, NBC's Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Roast Battle; stand-up album Damsel in Distress), and Lev Fer (host of Yung Daddy Podcast): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 11/22: Native Americans Brian Bahe (Tohono O'odham/Hopi/Navajo), Tai Leclaire (Mohawk/Mi'kmaq), Dash Turner (Yurok), and more offer their own take on the holidays via stand-up, characters, and games: Thanks But No Thanksgiving (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/23-Sunday 11/24: It's Day #3 of the 7th Annual Solocom, a 4-day PIT festival devoted to over 130 new comedic solo shows. Delightful surprises yesterday included fascinating shows by Dylan Eshbaugh about his experiences as an early YouTube teen star (above left) and Jack Blankenship about his being an Internet meme as Alabama's "The Face Guy" (above right). Events that sound promising for this weekend include Adrien Pellerin and Adrian Sexton (Saturday 7:30 at UG), Lagina Hill and Anoush Froundjian (Saturday 8:00 at Striker), Sarah Morgan Ashey and Dillon Geyselaers (Saturday 8:30 at UG), Angela Cobb (Saturday 10:30 at Striker), Abby Feldman (Sunday 4:30 at Striker), and Andi Lee Carter (Sunday 8:00 at Loft): Solocom 2019 ($12 per show, or $30 for an all-you-can-see festival pass (a fantastic deal for a vibrant, fun festival with scores of shows): The PIT Mainstage (Striker) and PIT Underground (UG) at 123 East 24th Street and The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Saturday 11/23: Charlyne Yi (FOX's House; voiceover for Steven Universe, We Bare Bears, Summer Camp Island; winner of the prestigious Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award) performs comedy, music, and/or magic, and hosts guests including Casey Trela (singer/songwriter): Charlyne Yi Variety Show (5:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/23: Ron Funches (one of the funniest and most irresistibly likeable performers in show biz—co-stared in NBC's Powerless and Undateable; HBO's Crashing, ABC's Black-ish; Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Chelsea Lately, King Shark on Harley Quinn; starred in a Comedy Central Half Hour, was a writer & cast member of Kroll Show, and the top contestant on @midnight; comedy album The Funches of Us ) headlines one last night at Carolines: Ron Funches (7:30 pm & 10:00 pm, $35 plus 2-drink min., Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway, between 49th and 50th Streets)
Saturday 11/23: Stand-ups sandwich new jokes they're trying out in between reliably time-tested opening and closing material, with tonight's guests Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Marie Faustin (co-host of 99.5 FM's Tall Tales in the Big City and podcast The Unofficial Expert; former host of Oxygen's Very Real Talk; MTV's Girl Code and Vidiots), and Jeff Simmermon (NPR's This American Life, Moth GrandSlam Champion, comedy album & show And I Am Not Lying) performing for hosts Gastor Almonte (Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening, host of Stoops2Stages, co-host of I'm Dead Comedy, comedy album Immigrant Made) & Jess Salomon (former UN war crimes lawyer turned comic; Jimmy Fallon, CBS, Sirius XM): Sandwich (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/23: Langston Kerman (Comedy Central Half Hour; cast member of ABC's Bless This Mess, HBO's Insecure, and Comedy Central's South Side; written for Chris Rock's hosting of the Oscars) performs stand-up with Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer) and more: Langston Kerman, Mark Normand, and More (9:00 pm, $20 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 11/23: Stand-up from Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Dan Soder (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Dudley Mafee on Showtime's Billions; films Trainwreck, Drunk Parents; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central hour-long special Not Special, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The Standups, Inside Amy Schumer, MTV's Guy Code and Guy Court, upcoming HBO special; hosts with Big Jay Oakerson Sirius XM's The Bonfire), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Marina Franklin (staff writer for HBO's Divorce; HBO's Crashing, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, @midnight, Chappelle's Show; film Trainwreck; stand-up special Single Black Female), Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and more: Stars at the Stand (10:00 pm, $25 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 11/24: It's the fourth and final day of the 7th Annual Solocom, a 4-day PIT festival devoted to over 130 new comedic solo shows. Yesterday's highlights included Anoush Froundjian (above left) sharing memorable and moving coming of age tales (for a stellar sample, please click here), and witty original comedic songs and banter by Gwendolyn Coburn (above right). Take full advantage of this final day of shows, running from noon to 10:30 pm at all three PIT theatres: Solocom 2019 ($12 per show, or $30 for an all-you-can-see festival pass (a fantastic deal for a vibrant, fun festival with scores of shows): The PIT Mainstage (Striker) and PIT Underground (UG) at 123 East 24th Street and The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Sunday 11/24: LA-based star Langston Kerman (Comedy Central Half Hour; regular on ABC's Bless This Mess and HBO's Insecure, and both writer and actor on Comedy Central's South Side; written for Chris Rock's hosting of the Oscars; comedy album Lightskinned Feelings) performs a rare NYC solo stand-up show: Langston Kerman for the Hour (5:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 11/24: This weekly stand-up show isn't formally part of The PIT's Solocom fest (which will be happening all around it), but it's done in the same spirit—four comics each perform 30 minutes of solo stand-up that's either brand new or relatively new, for the sake of honing their material. Tonight's comics are the luminous Maria DeCotis (above), Phil Jamesson, Adam Mamawala, and Doogie Horner, all hosted by Nat Towsen (Esquire, VICE, College Humor, host of Downtown Variety): New Material Night (8:00 pm, $12, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 11/24: This weekly competitive roast battle tonight features a main bout of Bobby Sheehan ("When I ask a woman out and she says yes, I get the same feeling as when I type a long word and spell check doesn't correct me") vs. Ryan Long hosted by Matt Maran: Comedy Fight Club (9:00 pm; $8.13 online using code CFC, otherwise $10; The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Sunday 11/24: Stand-up from Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland; feature film Wifed Out; former co-host of Esquire Network's Best Bars in America), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Joe List (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour, Netflix's The StandUps, comedy albums So Far No Good and Are You Mad at Me?), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Shane Gillis (co-host of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast; very nearly a cast member of SNL), and Lev Fer (host of Yung Daddy Podcast): Stars at The Stand (10:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/25: Three comics whose names are Carolyn— Carolyn Riley (left), Carolyn Busa (middle), and Carolyn Castiglia (right)—perform stand-up for host Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy; finalist on Last Comic Standing, semi-finalist on America's Got Talent; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents; comedy albums No Kidding, Small, Dork, and Handsome, Vegan Mind Meld, and Meat Robot; podcast Broccoli and Ice Cream): Myq Kaplan and Friends (9:00 pm, $8, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Monday 11/25: The guys from High Society Radio are this week's guests of Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcast The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall; Netflix's The Degenerates), Dave Smith (FOX; host of podcast Part of the Problem), and Luis J. Gomez (special Luis J. Gomez Presents Luis J. Gomez) "discussing the skankier sides of life, love, and stand-up comedy" for this free weekly podcast recording and GaS Digital Network live stream: Legion of Skanks (9:30 pm, Free!, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Monday 11/25: Seven comics (see above left) and one audience member compete to win the heart of comic Mary Beth Barone (Viceland; host of podcast Mildly Offensive) for this 1990's-style dating game show hosted by Taylor Ortega, John Everett Trowbridge, Jenny Gorelick, and Yoni Lotan: First Impressions: The 90’s Dating Game Show (9:30 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Monday 11/25: Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; Comedy Central Half Hour, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself, comedy album Still Got It; hosts podcast Tuesdays With Stories; tours with Amy Schumer), Mary Beth Barone (Viceland; host of podcast Mildly Offensive), Chrissie Mayr (co-host of Comedy at Stonewall), Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, @midnight), Lauren Vino (MTV News), Luz Pazos (Kroll Show). Saunt Yübear (musical comedy duo, and sisters, Gracie Walsh and Maddy Hubert), and more try out material at this free weekly show hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language) and/or Kerryn Feehan (Comedy Central, TruTV, Spike TV): Frantic Mondays (10:00 pm, Free!, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 11/26:: Readings of short humor pieces by guest comics Jen Spyra (staff writer for Stephen Colbert; The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast; former Senior Writer/director/producer for The Onion), Kate Villa (writer for MTV, TruTV, NPR, McSweeney's, Mad Magazine; voice of Amy Klobuchar on Showtime's Our Cartoon President), and Delmonte Bent (Editor of Flexx), and by hosts Brian Angler, Luke Burns, and James Folta (all writers for The New Yorker and McSweeney's): :An Evening of Humorous Readings (7:00 pm—arrive at 6:30 to hang out a bit with the guests, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street—take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Tuesday 11/26: Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), and Ian Fidance (regular on SiriusXM's You Up? with Nikki Glaser, Comedy Central Radio; former host of Picture This!) perform stand-up for host Stavros Halkias (Comedy Central Stand-Up, IFC, co-host of podcast Cum Town): Fat Tuesdays (8:00 pm, $15 cover and no min., The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Tuesday 11/26: Comics Joe Castle Baker, Joe Rumrill, Kenice Mobley, Annie Donley, Edy Modica, and Karolena Theresa perform for this monthly stand-up showcase named after Stevie Nicks and hosted by Marcia Belsky, Sam Taggart, and Drew Anderson: Stevie (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Tuesday 11/26: The wonderful Shonali Bhowmik (second row; singer/songwriter/guitar player of indie band Tigers and Monkeys) & Christian Felix host exceptional people for their live show & podcast recording. This month's guests are Hope Hall (above left; documentary filmmaker who was previously Principal Videographer for President Barack Obama and is currently Senior Advisor for Video for Elizabeth Warren), McQueen Adams (above middle; Comedy Central, Funny or Die; popular experimental album Black Cat), and Kenice Mobley (co-host of podcast Love About Town and The Pasta Show): We Don't Even Know—Live (8:00 pm; no cover charge but 2-drink min., with cheapest options $8 each, so figure on spending at least $16 plus tip; KGB Bar's upstairs Red Room at 85 East 4th Street off Second Avenue)
Tuesday 11/26: Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm, comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture, with giveaways of comics and gift certificates: Comic Book Club (8:00 pm, Free!, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Tuesday 11/26: The fab Emma Vernon (North Coast Hip-Hop Improv, Anybody: The Improv Musical, Off Top; host of In a World) & Pooja Reddy (host of Kutti Gang) host this free biweekly comedy show, tonight featuring Myka Fox (above right; fearless, boundary-busting stand-up; SNL freelance contributor; host of Myka Fox & Friends podcast on Keith and The Girl Network), Melissa Stokoski (above middle; TruTV; regular on John Fuselsang's Tell Me Everythling; co-writer & co-star of Handmaid's Tale The Musical; host of Star Fuckers), Emma Jayne (above left; award-winning singer/songwriter; music album Jetlag), Julian Edward Williams (WALT), and Ilana Rubin (The Bop Pod): Critical Darlings (8:30 pm, Free!, LES' Under the Oven Gallery Serafina Ludlow at 98 Rivington Street—take the F/M/J/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Tuesday 11/26: The innovative and award-winning Broken Box Mime troupe performs their finest wordless sketches & stories, mixed with fresh bits, all set to a "rip-roarin' soundtrack:" BKBX: Quiet Riot (9:00 pm, $17.35 in advance online or $20 at the door, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Tuesday 11/26: Dan Perlman (right; cast member of MTV's Vidiots; co-writer, co-director, and co-star of series Flatbush Misdemeanors; written for Lewis Black and Roy Wood Jr.), Dina Hashem (left; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Stand-Up and Roast Battle),and Molly Austin (middle; TruTV's Late Night Snack; stand-up album Zero to New Jersey) each performs a deliciously long 30-minute stand-up set: Dan Perlman, Dina Hashem, and Molly Austin: Triple Half Hours (9:30 pm, $10, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 11/27: On Thanksgiving Eve, The PIT is offering a myriad of improv shows. A stand-out for being different is Kevin McNair taking an audience suggestion of "a universally shared experience" and then performing a one-man improv show of which he "doesn't promise funny or tears, but tons of heart;" plus guests Kathryn Whisler (storyteller) and improv duo Kermit's Flailing Arms (Michelle Drozdick & Benjamin Jones): A Significant Moment (7:00 pm, $10, The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Wednesday 11/27: Something to be grateful for—a free Brooklyn stand-up show, co-sponsored by Union Square comedy club The Stand, starring Derek Gaines (Jaybird on The Last O.G.; NBC's Will & Grace; former host of MTV's Broke A$$ Game Show), Monroe Martin (David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, finalist on Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show, Netflix's Master of None; host of podcast No Need for Apologies), Lawrence DeLoach (CBS Sports Network; host of lifestyle podcast Sup?), Aminah Imani (host of podcast Wine Before Nine, co-host of Comedy at The Knit), and Corinne Fisher (with comedy partner Krystyna Hutchinson, host of popular Guys We Fucked podcast and author of F*CKED: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That’s Screwed): Pop-Up Show (7:30 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Arrogant Swine at 173 Morgan Avenue; take the L subway to Morgan Avenue)
Wednesday 11/27: The wonderful Comedy Cellar is charging a $24 "holiday cover" at most of its venues tonight, but is asking for just a $15 cover at the intimate Fat Black Pussycat Lounge...and the 7:30 show features a terrific lineup of Emmy Blotnick (brilliant and Emmy-nominated rising star stand-up who's performed on Stephen Colbert and in a Comedy Central Half Hour; staff writer for Stephen Colbert; comedy album Party Nights), Ryan Hamilton (above left; one of the finest stand-ups in the country, with consistently fresh ideas and great crafting of language; Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime; Netflix special Happy Face; opens for Jerry Seinfeld), Kevin Iso (above middle; Hulu's High Fidelity, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and Adam Devine’s House Party), Nick Griffin (above right; Stephen Colbert, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Half Hour), Nathan Macintosh (Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien), and Eagle Witt (Amazon Prime, MTV) hosted by Eric Neumann (stand-up album Nervous Lover): Ryan Hamilton, Kevin Iso, Nick Griffin, Emmy Blotnick, and More (7:30 pm, $15 plus 2-item food/drink min., West Village's The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Wednesday 11/27: Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Paul Virzi (hour-long special I'll Say This, currently streaming on Comedy Central; TruTV, FOX; host of podcast The Virzi Effect; stand-up album Night at The Stand, which hit #1 on iTunes; tours with Bill Burr), Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, @midnight; regular on WB's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Kevin Brennan (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Carson Daly; star of HBO special One Night Stand; former writer for SNL; co-host of podcast Misery Loves Company), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app) and Yannis Pappas (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; co-host of podcast History Hyenas)): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm, $20, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Wednesday 11/27: Stand-ups and/or storytellers Michelle Drozdick, Meghan O'Malley, Carole Montgomery, Esther Chen, Ron Prendimano, and Jared Schwartz tell tales about losing their virginity hosted by Angela Cobb (Sirius XM): My First Time: A Stand-Up and Storytelling Show (9:00 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 11/27: A long-running November tradition at UCBT-NY is this competition of three-person improv groups, which in the past has produced some epic battles. Tonight you can catch the quarter-finals at 9:00 pm and 10:30 pm, which will then be capped by the Semi-Finals 7:30 pm & 10:30 pm on Friday and Finals 10:30 pm on Saturday: 3-On-3 Improv Tournament (9:00 pm and 10:30 pm, $9, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street off Eleventh Avenue)
Most NYC comedy venues are closed today, but you can find superb stand-up at Comedy Cellar and/or a genuine Thanksgiving dinner with fellow comedy lovers at The Creek:
Thanksgiving 11/28: "The Creek’s Motto: You don’t have to be alone for the holidays unless you want to be (and even then, just come party!) What you can do: Make a donation for groceries, $20 suggested (but only if you can swing it); bring dessert; bring wine; and/or help set up/break down/clean up." On the menu are Sage Roasted Turkey, Truffle Rubbed Turkey, Deep Fried Turkey, Bacon Wrapped Turkey, Maple Glazed Ham, Giblet Gravy, Truffle Gravy, Rubbed Sage Stuffing, Seafood Cornbread Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, Garlic Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Corn Pudding, Cranberries, and Parker House Rolls via comics/cooks Rebecca A. Trent, Gerrilea Adams, Cassidy Weeks, Joseph Roberts, Jamie Cook, and more: The Creek's Orphan Thanksgiving (5:00 pm, $20 (suggested), The Creek and the Cave in Queens' LIC at 10-93 Jackson Avenue; take 7 subway to Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue)
Thanksgiving 11/28: Superb comics—Dave Attell, Myq Kaplan, Joe Machi, Seaton Smith, Andrew Schulz, Shane Torres, Kevin Iso, and more—are slated to perform stand-up in the West Village at 7:30 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane), and 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street), for a $24 cover charge plus 2-item food/drink min.: Comedy Cellar Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Friday 11/29: Ally Hord (above left; writer for Seth Meyers), Zhubin Parang (above right; writer for The Daily Show; UCB Saturday night improv group What I Did For Love), and Jason Selvig (half of prankster duo The Good Liars; co-star of 2016 film Undecided) chug a couple of beers on stage and talk politics for this live recording of a podcast hosted by Charlie Todd & Cody Lindquist: Two Beers In (6:00 pm, $9, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street off Eleventh Avenue)
Friday 11/29: Native New Yorkers Ilana Michelle Rubin & Lana Schwartz invite comics who came here from somewhere else to talk about their home towns, with tonight's guests Jes Tom, Arti Gollapudi, Chrissy Shackelford, Sam Saulsbury, Joe Leonardo, and Corie Johnson: My Hometown (7:30 pm, $8, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 11/29: Powerful lineup of NYC stand-ups Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Andrew Schulz (Amazon's Sneaky Pete, Hulu's There's...Johnny!, HBO's Crashing, Netflix, MTV, podcast The Brilliant Idiots), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), and Aminah Imani (host of podcast Wine Before Nine, co-host of Comedy at The Knit): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm, $25, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Friday 11/29: Sydnee Washington & Marie Faustin (hosts of podcast The Unofficial Expert and, with Aminah Imani, of highly popular weekly Brooklyn showcase Comedy at the Knit) each perform a deliciously long half-hour stand-up set emceed by Petey DeAbreu (host of Petey's World and co-host of White Chocolate). Time Out New York advises, "They may look like models, but Faustin & Washington are...a duo of mercilessly funny stand-ups changing the standards...just try them:" Black Friday (8:00 pm; $8.68 in advance online or $10 at the door; Brooklyn's C'mon Everybody at 325 Franklin Avenue—take the G subway to Classon Avenue)
Friday 11/29: New Zealand comic Guy Montgomery (co-host of the popular podcast The Worst Idea of All Time) performs stand-up about friendship and hosts fellow stand-ups Ayo Edebiri (Comedy Central, The New Yorker), Clare O'Kane (Comedy Central Half Hour, Amazon's Budding Prospects, Viceland's Flophouse, webseries Semi-Famous; former writer for SpongeBob SquarePants; stand-up album Let It Be), Colin Burgess (videomaker for Adult Swim, Comedy Central, Vice), and Carmen Christopher (Seth Meyers, HBO's High Maintenance, TruTV's The Chris Gethard Show, Comedy Central's Alternatino, MTV's Bugging Out) for one night only in Brooklyn: Guy Montgomery: I'm Friends With These People (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 11/29: Late night stand-up from Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Last Comic Standing, TruTV; co-host of podcast Legion of Skanks), Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, @midnight; regular on WB's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), and Luz Pazos (Kroll Show): Late Show & Afterparty at The Stand (11:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 11/30: Joe Mande (Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Comedy Central Half Hour, Ben on Modern Family; former writer for The Good Place, Parks & Recreation, Kroll Show, Delocated, Master of None; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster, comedy album Bitchface; Netflix's Joe Mande's Award-Winning Comedy Special) performs in Brooklyn as part of his national tour, along with friends and/or business acquaintances Chris Gethard (comedy genius; HBO special Career Suicide, star of TruTV's The Chris Gethard Show, host of Webby-winning podcast Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People), Guy Montgomery (New Zealand comic; co-host of the popular podcast The Worst Idea of All Time), and Ayo Edebiri (Comedy Central, The New Yorker): Joe Mande Definitely Has Friends (8:00 pm, $12, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street—take R subway to Union Street; show up early—doors open at 7:00—to nab a seat, or plan on standing)
Saturday 11/30: A stand-up veteran who once said, "When did I start comedy? I came out of the womb and did 10 minutes" performs an early and late solo show in Brooklyn for one night only: Andy Kindler: Live and Loaded (7:30 pm & 10:00 pm, $20, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 11/30: Stand-up from Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Sean Patton (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien; Comedy Central's Half Hour, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, This Is Not Happening, The Meltdown; VH1, TruTV, IFC, Viceland), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Josh Wesson (Comedy Central, MTV2, FX), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Stars at The Stand (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm, $25, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 11/30: The wonderful Ophira Eisenberg (above right; one of the finest comedic storytellers and stand-ups in the country; host of weekly NPR/WNYC show Ask Me Another, author of bestselling book Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy, comedy album Bangs!; NBC, CBS, Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), Shane Torres (above left; fresh, hilarious stand-up; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Stand-Up Presents and Comedy Cellar, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, stand-up album Established 1981), Michael Cruz Kayne (sketches on Seth Meyers and The Chris Gethard Show; HBO's High Maintenance; former writer for @midnight and Billy on the Street; member of ace musical improv group Baby Wants Candy and UCB Saturday night improv group What I Did For Love; co-host of monthly comedy show The Exhibition), and Lizzie Martinez (co-host of Star F*ckers) perform stand-up hosted by Emily Winter, Julia Shiplett, Carolyn Busa, and/or Ben Wasserman: Side Ponytail Comedy (8:00 pm, Free!, Brooklyn's Friends and Lovers at 641 Classon Avenue)
Friday 11/29: Big Jay Oakerson (left; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Bonnie McFarlane (HBO, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents special; co-host of My Wife Hates Me podcast; author of You're Better Than Me), Ian Lara (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Stand-Up, NBC's Bring the Funny; former host of Out of Tune music app), Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, @midnight; regular on WB's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and Vladimir Caamaño (Jimmy Kimmel, CW): Big Jay Oakerson, Nikki Glaser, Bonnie McFarlane, and More (9:00 pm & 11:00 pm, $20, The Stand Upstairs at 116 East 16th Street)
Saturday 11/30: The charming Ruby Karp (left) hosts The Lucas Brothers (right; Jimmy Fallon, 22 Jump Street, Netflix's The Lucas Bros: On Drugs and Lady Dynamite, FOX's Lucas Bros Moving Company and Arrested Development, HBO's Crashing), Rachel Pegram (middle; Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, Comedy Central's Alternatino, MTV, BET; movies Don't Think Twice and The Week Of; member of National Lampoon Radio Hour and UCB star improv group ASSSSCAT 3000), Samantha Ruddy (Stephen Colbert; warm-up comic for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; written for College Humor, Reductress, Someecards), and Matt Bachus (co-host of podcast Hold My Bread) performing stand-up: We Hope You Have Fun (Midnight, $9, UCB at SubCulture, 45 Bleecker Street—take #6 subway to Bleecker Street stop)
Saturday 11/30: Superb late-night stand-up from Nikki Glaser (host of You Up on SiriusXM; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe; Comedy Central and Netflix specials; films Trainwreck and I Feel Pretty), Big Jay Oakerson (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Louie, Inside Amy Schumer, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC; co-host of podcasts Legion of Skanks and The SDR; stellar comedy special Live at Webster Hall), Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, former host of Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening, HBO's Down and Dirty, National Lampoon, Comedy Central special Passive Aggressive, Netflix special Double Negative), Luis J. Gomez (Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Last Comic Standing, TruTV; co-host of podcast Legion of Skanks), Emma Willmann (Stephen Colbert, Netflix's The Comedy Lineup, @midnight; regular on WB's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Lawrence DeLoach (CBS Sports Network; host of lifestyle podcast Sup?), and more: Midnight at The Stand (Midnight, $20, The Stand Mainstage at 116 East 16th Street)
Copyright © 2019 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
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