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).
In addition, you can use the links below to explore the schedules of all the major comedy venues in NYC; and you can find excellent live comedy recommendations weekly via The New York Times.
That said, my top NYC comedy recommendations for February 2018 include (with much more to come soon):
Thursday 2/1: Gilbert Gottfried (iconic comedy legend; scores of credits include Robert DeNiro film The Comedian, Showtime's Episodes, and Comedy Central's The Jim Gaffigan Show), Anthony Atamanuik (brilliantly innovative comic; star of Comedy Central hit The President Show; Trump vs. Bernie, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien; recently wrote A Viewer's Guide to Donald Trump for The New York Times), and Karley Sciortino (star of Viceland's Slut Ever...which will be released as a book this month; columnist for Vogue) perform and/or are interviewed by Scott Rogowsky and Scott's dad for this comedy talk show: Running Late with Scott Rogowsky (7:00 pm, $25, Gramercy Theatre at 127 East 23rd Street off Park Avenue South)
Thursday 2/1: Josie Long is a witty, honest, irresistible UK star who The New York Times has called "a gem" and Time Out NY has lauded for "her blend of sunny enthusiasm and intellect"—I once saw Josie advise "If you're ever short on funds and have to choose between food and a book, always buy the book." Josie is briefly visiting NYC, and tonight both performs a deliciously long stand-up set and hosts fellow UK comic Jonny Donahoe (star of musical comedy group Jonny & The Baptists): Josie Long : It Is Difficult to Be Alive (8:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Friday 2/2: "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 superstar author R.L. Stine (who, aside from selling a zillion Goosebumps books, is a delightful quick wit) and comics Annie Donley, Desi Domo, Eric Feurer, and Larry Owens hosted by Colin O'Brien & Michael Wolf: Literati: A Comedy Show About Books and the Idiots Who Write Them (9:00 pm, $8, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Saturday 2/3: Four funny people tell amazing stories. Three of the tales are absolutely true...but one of them is a pack of lies. The audience then asks questions to try and identify the fibber—and everyone who chooses correctly gets a free t-shirt! This evening's superb yarn-spinners are Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show and podcast Risk!, owner of The Story Studio), Gastor Almonte (Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening, host of Stoops2Stages), Sandi Marx (7-time Moth StorySlam champion), and Joey Novick (Comedy Central, MTV). Come let these storytellers and host Andy Christie (The New York Times, NPR, Moth GrandSlam champion, exceptionally nice guy) attempt to mislead you at The Liar Show (6:00 pm; $20, which includes one drink; reservations highly recommended by calling 212.989.9319; West Village's Cornelia Street Cafe at 29 Cornelia Street)
Saturday 2/3: Elna Baker (brilliant storyteller, and bestselling author of comedic book The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance; NPR's This American Life; writer for Glamour, Elle; for sample tales, please click here) is tonight's guest monologist, telling true personal tales springboarding off audience suggestions. Skilled improvisors will then bring Elna's stories to three-dimensional life: The Armando Diaz Experience (7:30 pm, $10, The Magnet at 254 West 29th Street)
Sunday 2/4: It's that special day for which you've waited all year: Dog Bowl (noon on Animal Planet), Kitten Bowl (noon on Hallmark Channel), and Puppy Bowl (3:00 pm on Animal Planet). Snack and enjoy.
Sunday 2/4: Mark Normand (above left; one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself; Comedy Central Half Hour, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy album Still Got It; opens for Amy Schumer), Dave Hill (above right; one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; @midnight, Inside Amy Schumer, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, This American Life; host for HBO and Cinemax; host of WFMU's The Goddamn Dave Hill Show; bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake; books Tasteful Nudes and Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore; comedy album Let Me Turn You On), Mookie Thompson (MTV's Bugging Out, TruTV; host of Everything's For Sale), and more perform for this weekly stand-up show hosted by Gianmarco Soresi (Seeso; sketch group Uncle Function; acclaimed FringeNYC play <50%) & Jay Schmidt: The Last Laugh (8:00 pm, $8, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Monday 2/5: Seaton Smith (rising star stand-up; HBO's Girls, FOX's Mulaney, Seth Meyers, Inside Amy Schumer, The Nightly Show), Chris Duffy (staff writer for NatGeo Explorer; stellar host of You're the Expert and You Get a Spoon), Leah Bonnema (VH1, IFC's Comedy Drop, WeTV's Cinematherapy, Logo, Opie & Anthony’s Virus Channel), Eman El Husseini (opens for Patton Oswalt), and Mara Wiles perform stand-up for this weekly Brooklyn show hosted by Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), Aparna Nancherla (co-star of HBO's Crashing, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate), 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)
Monday 2/5: Comics each perform an argument for why he or she should receive a Pulitzer Prize—with tonight's candidates Ashley Nicole Black (writer & correspondent for Full Frontal With Samantha Bee), Blythe Roberson (The New Yorker, The Onion, McSweeney's; co-host of The Scientists and Book Club), Joe Pera (Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), and Kerry Coddett (The Nightly Show, MTV's Joking Off, TruTV)—plus actual Pulitzer winner Tina Rosenberg (above; Fixes columnist for The New York Times; co-founder of the Solutions Journalism Network; author of three books, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction for 1995's The Haunted Land: Facing Europe's Ghosts After Communism)—hosted by Caroline Schaper (writer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, former writer for David Letterman) & Eliza Cossio (Senior Latina Correspondent for The Daily Show): Pulitzer Surprises (8:00 pm, $8, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Tuesday 2/6: Enjoy some of NYC's best new comedic character comics audition for Montreal's prestigious Just for Laughs Festival—as well as for various show biz industry execs seeking fresh talent— at this show running about an hour: Just for Laughs Character Auditions (5:30 pm, $7, UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Tuesday 2/6: Brilliant improvisors Adrian Sexton (co-star of superb Unauthorized: The Musical series; host of Pet Prov and co-host of Tamara's & Adrian's Tarot Variety Show; co-star of improv groups Ouiser & Clairee and The Community Players) & Jason Specland (public access TV show The Enchanted Wardrobe, improv group Regina) make up a guilt & stress-filled evening as Edward Albee's characters George & Martha (famously played by Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor)—and If you're not careful, you might find yourself participating in their "fun and games:" George/Martha: An Improvised Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (7:00 pm; $10, The Tank at 312 West 36th Street between Eighth & Ninth Avenues)
Tuesday 2/6: Scientists, geeks, and comics—including Hossein Aleysian (neuroscientist), Aletha Maybank (physician), Peter Brannen (science journalist), and Anita Flores (comic)—tell tales related to science, with this month's theme Destiny, hosted by Erin Barker & Paula Croxson: The Story Collider: Destiny (8:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Tuesday 2/6: Rising stand-ups will do their very best to make you laugh at these free auditions for the prestigious Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, with an 8:00 pm show hosted by Pete Lee (David Letterman, Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing), and a 10:00 pm show hosted by Aaron Berg (TV series 24 Hour Rental, documentary A Universal Language, host of Frantic Mondays) at one of NYC's best comedy clubs: Just For Laughs Stand-Up Auditions (8:00 pm & 10:00 pm, Free!, no min., The Stand at 239 Third Avenue off 20th Street)
Tuesday 2/6: On this special pre-Valentine's Day Date-a-Comic edition, Nikki Glaser (above; star of former Comedy Central series Not Safe, co-star of former MTV interview series The Nikki and Sara Show; Trainwreck, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour and hour-long special Perfect, @midnight, NBC's America Ninja Warrior: Celebrity Edition; podcast You Had to Be There), Pete Lee (David Letterman, Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing), Jordan Carlos (HBO's Girls, Comedy Central's Broad City and The Nightly Show, Showtime, MTV's Guy Code, Guy Court, VH1, Adult Swim), Julian Velard (singer/songwriter; pianist for NPR's Ask Me Another), and Steven Castillo (writer for Saturday Night Live; Steezus) are available for audience members to date, hosted by Seth Herzog (long-time staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, @midnight, CBS, VH1): Sweet: Date-a-Comic Edition (9:00 pm, $10, The Slipper Room at 167 Orchard Street)
Wednesday 2/7: In this comedy dating game, Alissa (a Brooklyn-based reporter and podcaster who lives with her best friend Peta the cat) will choose among four stand-ups—Rojo Perez, Daniel Simonsen, Raghav Mehta, and Albert Kirchner—based in part on how well they handle various amusing challenges, hosted by Emily Winter (writer for Fusion’s Come Here and Say That, TVLand, and Glamour; co-host of Backfat Variety and Side Ponytail) and Larry Mancini (band member of The Tracys): The BackFatlorette: Last Comic Standing Meets The Bachelorette (8:00 pm, $8, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 2/7: A show about philosophy, love, and happiness, with guests Skye C. Cleary (Australian philosopher teaching at Columbia University and Barnard; author of Existentialism and Romantic Love), Terri Cole (psychotherapist, relationship expert, and founder of Real Love Revolution and Boundary Bootcamp), and Dr. Home H.C. Nguyen (founder of the MindKind Institute, which provides leadership coaching) hosted by Monica McCarthy (actress, and host of numerous events focused on purpose and interdisciplinary connections): The Happier Hour: Philosophy to Make Your Life Suck Less (7:00 pm, $25, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Wednesday 2/7: Rebekah Sebastian hosts this crime trivia show that challenges your knowledge of serial killers, unsolved mysteries, the legal system, OJ, and much more: Yellow Tape (9:00 pm, $7, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 2/7: One of the very best shows at UCB is by Jay Malsky, a super-charged & hilarious character comic who also sings beautifully. This 25-minute solo musical shows off all of Jay's strengths, as he plays a variety of women whose boyfriends he stole. With musical direction by Jody Shelton, choreography by Zak Sommerfield, and taped vocals by David Carl & Taylor Ortega, this production establishes Jay Malsky as a vibrant rising star with a great comedy career ahead of him. If you're in the industry and looking for fresh talent, come check this out: Jay Malsky Slept With My Boyfriend! (9:30 pm; $9—which includes a second show, I'm Your Mommy; UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Thursday 2/8: Enjoy some of NYC's best new comedic character comics audition for Montreal's prestigious Just for Laughs Festival—as well as for various show biz industry execs seeking fresh talent— at this free show running about an hour: Just for Laughs Character Auditions (5:00 pm, Free!, The Magnet at 254 West 29th Street)
Thursday 2/8: Two exceptionally appealing comics, Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, The Today Show, host of NPR's trivia/puzzle show Ask Me Another, bestselling book Screw Everyone, comedy album Bangs!) and Adira Amram (spectacular comedic singer & dancer; HBO, Funny or Die; album Hot Jams for Teens), perform and host Emily Flake (writer/cartoonist; The New Yorker, The New York Times), Matthew Holtzclaw (ace magician), Janelle James (@midnight, SeeSo's Night Train with Wyatt Cenac), and Lucas Connolly (Comedy Central's South Beach, host of Ambush Comedy and The Secret Loft Show): Ophira & Adira (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 2/8: 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: Mortified (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 2/8: Melena Ryzik (above right; roving culture reporter for The New York TImes), Danielle C. Gray (former Cabinet Secretary and Senior Advisor to President Obama; described by Newsweek as "the most powerful staffer you've never heard of"), and Emily Wells (above left; singer/songwriter/musician acclaimed for her use of classical and modern instrumentation and deft sampling) are the impressive guests at this eclectic live podcast recording hosted by Shonali Bhowmik (Variety SHAC; leader of musical group Tigers & Monkeys) & Christian Felix: We Don't Even Know (9:30 pm, $8, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Friday 2/9: Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; @midnight, Inside Amy Schumer, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, This American Life; host for HBO and Cinemax; host of WFMU's The Goddamn Dave Hill Show; books Tasteful Nudes and Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore; comedy album Let Me Turn You On) and Phil Costello (Dave's bandmate in groups Valley Lodge and—with Moby—Diamondsnake) perform Dave's epic email exchange with a Norwegian black metal record label while pretending to be "Lance, a teenager living with his parents in Gary, Indiana who also just so happens to be the lead singer and sole member of the most extreme, brutal, and Satanic black metal band of all-time, WitchTaint, and hopes to get signed on the strength of one excruciatingly bad song called Necrodreamraper.” To get a feel, visit Dave's website devoted to these emails, The Black Metal Dialogues, and then come enjoy the stage version: Witch Taint Live (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 2/9-Sunday 2/11: The king of roasts headlines tonight through Sunday at Carolines: Jeff Ross (7:30 pm & 10:00 pm tonight & Saturday, 7:30 pm Sunday; $49 plus 2-drink min.; Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway)
Friday 2/9: Janelle James (above left; @midnight, SeeSo's Night Train with Wyatt Cenac), Dulcé Sloan (above right; powerhouse comic and correspondent for The Daily Show; Conan O'Brien, @midnight), Jordan Temple (writer for MTV's Decoded), Alex English (writer for BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede), and token white comic Josh Gondelman (Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; stand-up comedy album Physical Whisper) perform stand-up hosted by Sharron Paul (ABC, MTV, A&E, IFC) & Calvin Cole (TBS' Just For Laughs): Cheap Date: Seventh Annual Black History Month/V-Day Show (7:30 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 2/10: Rebecca Vigil (rising star powerhouse improv singer; Your Love Our Musical, The Vigilante), Anthony DeVito (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central Half Hour, This American Life, House of Cards), and Obehi Janice sing or tell jokes, then enthusiastically endorse some product they love...which will be handed out to lucky members of the audience! Hosted by the wonderful Chris Duffy (staff writer for NatGeo Explorer, host of You're the Expert), who makes this promise for one audience member per show: You Get A Spoon (4:00 pm, $10, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Saturday 2/10: Comics who make up Disney-themed ditties on the spot invite you to "Come be our guest for this magical, musical show where we take your favorite childhood movie scenes and reimagine them with improvised songs! We play clips from classic children’s films and then jump on stage as the characters you know and love to finish each scene with a never-before-heard song! Come be a part of our world and experience the Magic Kingdom in a whole new way!": The Magical World of Musical Improv (7:00 pm, $8, The PIT Mainstage at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 2/10-Sunday 2/11: The king of roasts headlines tonight through Sunday at Carolines: Jeff Ross (7:30 pm & 10:00 pm tonight, 7:30 pm Sunday; $49 plus 2-drink min.; Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway)
Sunday 2/11-Monday 2/12: The Broken Box Mime troupe performs wordless sketches & stories about love in celebration of Valentine's Day: Be Mime? BKBX (7:00 pm today and 8:00 pm Monday; $15, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 2/11: Brothers Hari Kondabolu (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; fascinating TruTV documentary The Problem with Apu) and Ashok Kondabolu (Dap in Das Racist) spontaneously interact with each other, sharing family stories, discussing current events, and more for this podcast recording: Kondabolu Brothers Podcast Live (8:00 pm, $15, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 2/11: The king of roasts headlines one last night at Carolines: Jeff Ross (7:30, $49 plus 2-drink min., Carolines Comedy Club at 1626 Broadway)
Monday 2/12: Emily Flake (writer/cartoonist; The New Yorker, The New York Times), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, HBO, VHI, FX's Totally Biased, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times, comedy album Pure Uncut Joy), Jennie Sutton (former writer for David Letterman; writer for TruTV's Paid Off), Alzo Slade, and Chloe Radcliffe perform for this weekly Brooklyn stand-up show hosted by Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), Aparna Nancherla (co-star of HBO's Crashing, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate), 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)
Monday 2/12: For one last night, the Broken Box Mime troupe performs wordless sketches & stories about love in celebration of Valentine's Day: Be Mime? BKBX (8:00 pm, $15, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) at 123 East 24th Street)
Wednesday 2/14: A show celebrating the app that redefined online dating, with the lovely and quick-witted Lane Moore (above; 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. For this special Valentine's Day edition, Lane is doing two back-to-back shows. Offering comments and suggestions during the 8:30 adventure are stellar guests Aparna Nancherla (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of HBO's Crashing and 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate; former writer for Seth Meyers; Conan O'Brien, @Midnight, Comedy Central Half Hour, comedy album Just Putting It Out There), Jon Friedman (MTV producer, Jimmy Fallon; host of former legendary annual anti-Valentine's Day event The Rejection Show: VD Edition), and Sally Kohn (CNN pundit, Daily Beast columnist; author of upcoming book The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity). And guests for the 10:30 pm show include Dodai Stewart (Editor-in-Chief of Splinter News; previously Deputy Editor at Jezebel). This show usually sells out, so I highly recommend nabbing tickets online ASAP for Tinder Live: Special Valentine's Day Early Show and Late Show (8:30 pm, $15; 10:30 pm, $15; Brooklyn's Littlefield (635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 2/14: World-class singing improvisors Evan Kaufman & Rebecca Vigil 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). This is a phenomenal show year-round, but it's extra special on Valentine's Day—which is why Evan & Rebecca will be doing it twice tonight, at 7:00 and 9:30: Your Love, Our Musical (7:00 pm & 9:30 pm; $15, which is a good deal—this show has regularly sold out at $18 at other venues; LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Wednesday 2/14: PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT. Julio Torres (staff writer for Saturday Night Live; Billy on the Street, HBO's High Maintenance, Louis C.K.’s Horace and Pete) performs a fresh, clever one-man show in which he puts different objects on the table in front of him and tells jokes evoked by how they look and feel: Julio Torres: My Favorite Shapes (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Friday 2/16-Monday 2/19: John Mulaney (former writer/performer for Saturday Night Live and star of FOX sitcom Mulaney; numerous guest TV appearances; stand-up specials The Top Part, New in Town, and The Comeback Kid) is one of the finest comics of our time, and he'll be proving that with his latest stand-up show Kid Gorgeous (I was lucky enough to catch a rehearsal). John kicks off a national tour tonight with a run through Monday at Radio City Music Hall. All shows are sold out except for Monday...and those seats are going fast. I highly recommend John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous (tickets still available for 7:00 pm Monday 2/19; $44; Radio City Music Hall at 1260 Sixth Avenue & 50th Street)
Friday 2/16: The lovely Natalie Wall (above right) hosts the best sexy storytelling show in NYC, which tonight features Anna Suzuki (above left; AzN Pop), Jeena Bloom (above middle; stand-up/actress), and Sam Morrison (one-man show Hello, Daddy!) telling tales of erotic encounters gone awry: Awkward Sex...and the City (8:00 pm; $16.62 if purchased in advance online (otherwise $20)—which includes free beer and wine; The Pleasure Chest at 1150 Second Avenue between 60th & 61st Streets)
Friday 2/16: A live version of the popular podcast Tinder Tales that provides stories of Tinder dates, dating advice, and fun games, with guests Rachel Green, Hannah Harkness, and more hosted by David Piccolomini: Tinder Tales Live (7:30 pm, $10, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Friday 2/16: Storytellers Samantha Ruddy, Andrew Casertano, Misha Han, and Nick Nicosia 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 2/16: To my eye, it's a pretty decent movie; but regardless, tonight 1997's Air Force One will be screened & mercilessly skewered by some of NYC's finest comics: Frank Conniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000; Cinematic Titanic), Aparna Nancherla (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of HBO's Crashing, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate; former writer for Seth Meyers; Conan O'Brien, @Midnight, Comedy Central Half Hour, comedy album Just Putting It Out There), Jess Salomon (Sirius XM), and Freddy G (NPR) hosted by Chris Gersbeck (co-host of Everythign Is Dumbn, and Bunk Bed and Murray Povich open mics): Movies R Dumb: Air Force One (11:00 pm, $8 online using discount code GETOFFMYPLANE [otherwise $10], , Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Saturday 2/17: TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo is interviewed live on stage by Mark Malkoff (The Carson Podcast) followed by an audience Q&A session: A Conversation with Janeane Garofalo (4:00 pm, $20, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) Theatre at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 2/17: Comics Aparna Nancherla (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of HBO's Crashing and 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None and The Standups, and Comedy Central's Corporate; former writer for Seth Meyers; Conan O'Brien, @Midnight, Comedy Central Half Hour, comedy album Just Putting It Out There), Michael Kayne (HBO's Crashing, The Chris Gethard Show; ace musical improv groups Baby Wants Candy and Diamond Lion, UCB Saturday night improv group What I Did For Love), and Sydnee Washington (MTV2's Vidiots; co-host of podcast The Unofficial Expert) learn about computers from Allison Bishop (Assistant Professor at Columbia University and Researcher for IEX) hosted by Matthew Starr & Monique Moses: Raise Your Hand: Computer Science (7:00 pm; $10, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Saturday 2/17: In this unique show, animators spontaneously bring the jokes of guest stand-ups 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. Tonight's excellent stand-up lineup consists of Dave Hill, Griffin Newman, Calise Hawkins, Ruby Karp, Farah Brook, and Jake Flores, produced by Sam Varela & Brandie Posey and hosted by Ian Fidance: Picture This! (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Saturday 2/17: Enjoy a double-bill of sketch, with a love-themed show by Uncle Function (an actor-centric group that includes award-winning playwright/performer Gianmarco Soresi) at 8:00 pm and a "best of" show by Terrorbird (a group focusing on the oddball and surreal) at 9:30 pm: Uncle Fuction Falls in Love and Terrorbird: The Hits (8:00 pm and 9:30 pm, $10 per show, The PIT Mainstage (Striker) Theatre at 123 East 24th Street)
Saturday 2/17: Improvisors make up scenes of a relationship springboarding off an audience-supplied wedding announcement from The New York Times: Forever: Improv Inspired by NYT Wedding Announcements (9:30 pm, $10, at The PIT Loft at 154 West 29th Street)
Saturday 2/17: Phoebe Robinson (co-star of HBO's 2 Dope Queens; host of podcast Sooo Many White Guys; Seth Meyers, Broad City, MTV’s Girl Code; author of You Can't Touch My Hair and Other Things I Still Have to Explain), Bowen Yang (Comedy Central's Broad City; member of sketch group Pop Roulette; co-host of podcast Las Culturistas), Michael Wolf (showrunner of MTV series After Hours with Josh Horowitz; sketch comedy groups O.S.F.U.G. and Nancy), Colin O’Brien (sketch comedy group O.S.F.U.G.), Rebecca O'Neal (Netflix's Easy; Vanity Fair, Gawker, Vulture; former host of local Chicago TV show One Night Stand-Up), Tony Zaret, Josh Nasser, and Larry Owens perform stand-up in Brooklyn hosted by Ethan Beach (MTV): Oh, Such a Good Show, Oh (10:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Sunday 2/18 (technically, these two midnight TV specials are airing on Monday 2/19; but they're happening Sunday night, which is what counts...): Jena Friedman has made a career of being angry. In her new Adult Swim special Soft Focus, Jena is still fueled by fury but expresses it with an almost zen-like air of ironic calmness. The tension between Jena's placid external demeanor—as in the scene above, where she shoots the breeze with college frat boys about campus rape—and what we know she's really feeling is often riveting. (This is epitomized in an exchange between a sex doll manufacturer who explains the difference between his products and Jena is "You fuck the doll but the doll doesn't fuck you back," to which Jena responds, "So it's pretty much the same thing." He adds, "There's no emotional connection, really." Jena shakes her head and repeats, "Same thing.") The result is a darkly funny and oddly intense show that will leave you exhausted while wanting more...
...In contrast to Jena, Eric Andre has made a career of being a wild man. In his new Adult Swim special, Eric lets his hyperactively surreal persona loose on France. I don't know anything else about this show, but Eric is always worth watching. So enjoy Jena's Soft Focus at midnight, rest and regenerate your energies during the commercial break, and then strap yourself in at 12:15ish am for Eric Andre Does Paris (Sunday night/Monday morning at midnight, with a replay at 4:30 am, on Adult Swim)
Sunday 2/18: Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, co-star of feature film The Wrestler, star of delightful documentary The Crowd Work Tour, Netflix special Spicy Honey), Michelle Buteau (HBO's 2 Dope Queens, Comedy Central's Key & Peele, VH1's Morning Buzz and Best Week Ever, FOX's Enlisted, Craig Ferguson, Last Comic Standing, @midnight, comedy album Shut Up), and Negin Farsad (author of How to Make White People Laugh) demonstrate their quick with by hilariously answering questions about what a guest scientist's job entails at this live taping of Chris Duffy's excellent podcast: You're the Expert (7:00 pm, $12, LES' Caveat at 21-A Clinton Street; take F/J/M/Z subway to Delancey Street/Essex Street)
Sunday 2/18: Aparna Nancherla (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; co-star of HBO's Crashing and 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None and The Standups, and Comedy Central's Corporate; former writer for Seth Meyers; Conan O'Brien, @Midnight, Comedy Central Half Hour, comedy album Just Putting It Out There) headlines this weekly stand-up show hosted by Gianmarco Soresi (Seeso; sketch group Uncle Function; acclaimed FringeNYC play <50%) & Jay Schmidt: The Last Laugh (8:00 pm, $8, The PIT Underground at 123 East 24th Street)
Sunday 2/18: Sasheer Zamata (cast member for three seasons of Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, Amazon’s Transparent, TBS’ People of Earth), Matt Rogers (co-host of the GAYme Show and the acclaimed Las Culturistas podcast), Michael Hartney (TV Land's Throwing Shade; co-host of Characters Welcome), and Sydnee Washington (MTV2's Vidiots) tell jokes about not having a steady job (out of work, working freelance, working part-time, etc.) hosted by Anna Roisman (MTV, Funny or Die, Tribeca Film Festival): The Unemployed Show (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield (635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Monday 2/19: Are you interested in getting more exposure via theatre and/or multi-arts festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe and FringeNYC? This free panel provides a wide range of experiences and insights about your options, plus tips & tricks, with David Lawson, Martin Dockery, Walter Michael DeForest, Ryan Adam Wells, Trish Parry, Amanda Nicastro, Heather Bagnall, Luke Tudball, Genny Yosco, Chris Weigandt, and Conor Kelly O'Brien moderated by Peter Michael Marino (co-creator of The PIT's annual comedy festival Solocom): Which Fest Next? (3:00 pm-4:30 pm, Free!, Under St. Marks at 94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue)
Monday 2/19: Chris Gethard (comedy genius; 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), Marina Franklin (Trainwreck, Louie, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle's Show), and more TBA perform stand-up for this weekly Brooklyn show hosted by Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), Aparna Nancherla (co-star of HBO's Crashing and 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate), 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)
Monday 2/19: A love letter to beloved shows such as Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Lamb Chop’s Play-Along, comedians Joe Rumrill and Mary Houlihan invite you to a cavalcade of original costumed characters, animations, and sketches from both real humans and puppet humans" with guests Tim Platt, Steven DeSiena, Joe Castle Baker, Angel Yao, Larry Owens, Annie Donnley, Bardia Salimi, Justin Linville, Caroline Yost, Maya Sharma, and Sebastian DiNatale: Cartoon Monsoon (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
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Monday 2/19: Phoebe Robinson (co-star of HBO's 2 Dope Queens; host of podcast Sooo Many White Guys; Seth Meyers, Conan O'Brien, Broad City, MTV’s Girl Code; author of You Can't Touch My Hair and Other Things I Still Have to Explain), TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up and staff writer for The President Show; previously wrote for Jimmy Fallon, SNL, Bill Nye Saves the World, The Onion, McSweeney's), Angry Bob Carbo (HBO's Bored to Death, NBC's Last Comic Standing and Next Caller, CBS, CNN, MSNBC), Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, Showtime), Margaret Dodge (host of podcast Dodge City), and Troy Allan perform stand-up hosted by the exceptionally kind and charming John Morrison: Morrison Motel (8:30 pm; $20 at the door—which includes one drink—if you mention code HyReviews.com or BestNewYorkComedy.com [otherwise $25]; this show may sell out, so making a reservation by calling 212.989.9319 is highly recommended; West Village's Cornelia Street Cafe at 29 Cornelia Street)
Monday 2/19: Stellar stand-up 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) hosts comics Baratunde Thurston, Nat Towsen, Jaqi Furback, and Eudora Peterson: The Myq Kaplan Show (8:30 pm, $6, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Tuesday 2/20: Michelle Wolf (star stand-up who's also a star writer/correspondent for The Daily Show; previously staff writer & performer for Seth Meyers; stellar HBO hour-long special Nice Lady; slated to host a Netflix weekly late night half-hour comedy news show) and Joe List (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour, comedy albums So Far No Good and Are You Mad at Me?) perform stand-up hosted by Robert Kelly (Louie, Trainwreck, HBO, CBS, two Comedy Central specials): Robert Kelly 100% Blockage Comedy Show with Michelle Wolf & Joe List (7:00 pm, $10 plus 2-item food/drink min., The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 2/20: Mark Normand (one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, HBO's 2 Dope Queens, stellar Comedy Central special Don't Be Yourself; Comedy Central Half Hour, Inside Amy Schumer, @midnight, Last Comic Standing, VH1's Best Week Ever; comedy album Still Got It; opens for Amy Schumer) performs solo stand-up in an intimate venue: Mark Normand for the Hour (8:30 pm, $8 plus 2-item food/drink min., The Fat Black Pussycat Lounge at 130 West 3rd Street)
Tuesday 2/20: Seth Herzog hosts his biannual homage to the Olympics, in which a series of comedic events is judged by industry stars Doug Liman (director of brilliant Tom Cruise films Edge of Tomorrow and American Made, plus director of Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Wall, and much more), David Wain (co-founder of legendary sketch group The State; most recently cast member of Comedy Central's Another Period and Children's Hospital, and director of Netflix's A Stupid and Futile Gesture and two seasons of Wet Hot American Summer), Josh Charles (co-star of CBS' The Good Wife, HBO's Last Week Tonight, Comedy Central's Drunk History and Inside Amy Schumer, Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Wet Host American Summer, numerous films), Alex Brightman (Tony nominee; Broadway's School of Rock, upcoming Broadway musical Beetlejuice, Showtime's SMILF), and Julian Velard (singer/songwriter; pianist for NPR's Ask Me Another; latest album Fancy Words for Failure), all hosted by Seth Herzog (long-time staff comic for Jimmy Fallon; 30 Rock, @midnight, CBS, VH1): Sweet Games (9:00 pm, $10, The Slipper Room at 167 Orchard Street)
Thursday 2/22: Come celebrate the Ninth Year Anniversary of this free and gloriously oddball monthly storytelling show at the East Village's KGB Bar, featuring such treats as a trivia contest with alcoholic prizes, hosted by the wonderful Leslie Goshko (above; delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic/pianist; Wheel of Fortune, WNYC, Sirius XM, Huffington Post, Internet Action Force, star of The Real Housewives of Columbo). Tonight's yarn-spinners are Andy Christie (The New York Times, NPR, Moth GrandSlam champion, host of The Liar Show), Gastor Almonte (Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening, host of Stoops2Stages, co-host of I'm Dead Comedy), and Catie Lazarus (The New York Times, host of Employee of the Month): Sideshow Goshko (7:00 pm, Free!, KGB Bar at 85 East 4th Street off Second Avenue)
Thursday 2/22: Sasheer Zamata (cast member for three seasons of Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, Amazon’s Transparent, TBS’ People of Earth), singing duo Friends Who Folk (Rachel Wenitsky & Ned Riseley; TheNewYorker.com), Alex Harris (mentalist), Matt DeCaro (singer/songwriter), and Sydnee Washington (MTV2's Vidiots, co-host of podcast The Unofficial Expert) perform perform for this show that's a mix of stand-up, music, and magic hosted by Jenny Gorelick (Improv Anywhere; perpetual birthday gal) & Addie Weyrich (HBO's Crashing, Hulu): Jenny's Birthday Variety Show (8:00 pm, $8, Brooklyn's Union Hall at 702 Union Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 2/22: PLEASE NOTE: This show has been CANCELED. If you purchased tickets online, you'll be refunded automatically. Brothers Hari Kondabolu (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents; fascinating TruTV documentary The Problem with Apu) and Ashok Kondabolu (Dap in Das Racist) spontaneously interact with each other, sharing family stories, discussing current events, and more for this podcast recording: Kondabolu Brothers Podcast Live (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Thursday 2/22: PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT. A glorious collection of hilarious film & TV clips and lectures by mass media experts hosted by super-fan Kevin Maher and friends, this month focusing on punk rock and related pop culture (for a sneak peek video, please click here), with guests Kirk Thatcher (above left...the Bus Punk from Star Trek IV), Tenebrous Kate (host of the Bad Books For Bad People podcast), Kevin Rice (writer/producer/director of Tv’s Ghoul A Go-Go), Heather Buckley (producer for Red Shirt Pictures), Marcus Pinn (creator of Pinnland Empire), Christopher Funderburg (editor/writer for ThePinkSmoke.com), and Kate Wilkinson (Wig Wurq website "judging pop culture's wigs from lace fronts to split ends"): Kevin Geeks Out Goes Punk! (9:30 pm, $16 [buying in advance is highly recommended, as this show crammed with rich imagery and ideas usually sells out], Brooklyn's Nitehawk Cinema at 136 Metropolitan Avenue; take the L to Bedford)
Thursday 2/22: PLEASE NOTE: This show has SOLD OUT. Star Demetri Martin (Comedy Central's Important Things with Demetri Margin; Trendspotting commentator on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; former writer/performer for Conan O'Brien; three hour-long comedy specials, including Netflix's Demetri Martin Live (at the tIme); stand-up albums These Are Jokes and Standup Comedian; bestselling author of This is a Book, Point Your Face at This, and If It's Not Funny, It's Art) performs for one night only in Brooklyn: Demetri Martin (10:00 pm, $35, Brooklyn's The Bell House at 149 7th Street; take R subway to 9th Street or F/G to Fourth Avenue)
Monday 2/26: Brilliant improvisors Brian Stack, Becky Drysdale, Tami Sagher, Adam Pally, and Michael Delaney stumble into theatre scenes of plays they've never seen—performed by superb Broadway, TV, and/or film stars Dianna Agron, Cristin Milioti, and Sandy Rustin (above), Jonathan Kaplan, and Julie Sharbutt—and make up their dialogue while the actors commit to staying in character and on book. The result is amazingly fun, hosted by actor/director Stephen Ruddy: Gravid Water (8:00 pm; $9; please note this show has sold out of seats, but you might still get in if you arrive early for the stand-by line; UCB Hell's Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street)
Monday 2/26: Josh Gondelman (Emmy & Peabody Award-winning writer/producer for HBO's phenom Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Conan O'Brien, The New Yorker; stand-up comedy album Physical Whisper), Josh Sharp (superb sketch writer/performer; CBS' Two Broke Girls, Comedy Central's The Opposition, IFC's How Shit Works, MTV; co-host of Cool Shit/Weird Shit), Kenice Mobley, Venessa Peruda, and more perform stand-up for this weekly Brooklyn show hosted by Jo Firestone (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; HBO's Crashing, Comedy Central's Broad City; co-author of #1 bestselling Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers), Aparna Nancherla (co-star of HBO's Crashing and 2 Dope Queens, Netflix's Master of None, and Comedy Central's Corporate), 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)
Tuesday 2/27: Star Wars erotic fan fiction—e.g., Fifty Shades of Rey, a sexually intense retelling of Star Wars: A Force Awakens—is read with feeling by comics Lane Moore (HBO's Girls; host of Tinder Live; Sex & Relationship Editor of Cosmo; writer for The Onion, McSweeney's), Julia Johns (writer for MTV's Girl Code), and Jessie Bangarang Atkinson (host of Family Liquid Dinner, cast member of A Drinking Game NYC), plus “Force Off,” a Star Wars-themed audience interactive game that awards prizes, all hosted by Rob Roan: Star Wars: An Erotic Live Reading (8:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 635 Sackett Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 2/28: Steven DeSiena & Colin Burgess host a throwback to grade school science fairs...but run by NYC comics. Walk the open exhibits from 7:00 to 8:15ish pm, where each participant is being tasked to prove a half-baked hypothesis of his or her choosing using disciplinary methods that might be true. There'll be poster boards, quirky dioramas, tri-fold cardboard, flasks, lab coats, and haphazard experiments. Then at 8:30 pm awards will be presented by scholars "who are maybe at the top of their respective fields. All this and much, much more, we bet:" The Educated Guess Science Fair (7:00 pm, $10, Brooklyn's Littlefield at 622 Degraw Street; take R subway to Union Street)
Wednesday 2/28: Tabitha Vidaurri (MTV, WFMU, Funny or Die), who has read every single one of Stephen King's 54 novels, hosts this monthly show devoted to the master of horror, with tonight's topic The Shining: The Stephen King and I (7:30 pm, $7, Astoria Queens' QED: A Place to Show & Tell at 27-16 23rd Avenue)
Wednesday 2/28: Andrea Alton is hilarious as Molly "Equality" Dykeman, "the loveable but barely lucid security guard at PS 339 who dabbles in a bit of poetry, a bit of Percocet, and a lot of drink," co-starring Allen Warnock: Molly's World (8:50 pm, $13.03 online using code MULLET; Under St. Marks at 94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue)
Copyright © 2018 Hy Bender
Email: hy@hyreviews.com
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