NYC Comedy Picks for Week of February 6, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 2/6/12

Todd Bieber screens TV commercials that come off as Bizarro World Super Bowl ads where bad is good
—and in the process delivers one of the very best solo comedy shows in NYC: Commercial Interruption...

...Colin Quinn is at Whiplash; and true tales of young romance doomed to failure at My High School Boyfriend Was Gay

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): The lovely and unique Violet Krumbein (30 Rock) performs solo sketch comedy—along with three other comics, somehow all crammed into an hour—at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Nick Kocher (BriTANick): Violet Krumbein and More Do Solo Sketch

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

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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Todd Bieber, the razor-sharp Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com, has had his video/film work viewed over 25 million times via such sites as YouTube.com, NewYorkTimes.com, and EntertainmentWeekly.com. But before his success, Todd spent a couple of years churning out, as he bluntly puts it, "shitty local commercials in rural Pennsylvania." If you're a filmmaker, a fan of ridiculously awful late-night TV ads, or someone who likes to laugh, come enjoy this fascinating and hilarious insider look at microbudget commercials and the creative process (for a trailer, please click here). Directed by UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, this debuted in December and was instantly one of the very best solo shows of 2011: Commercial Interruption...

...and in the second half of this double-bill at UCB Chelsea, a sketch play about the opening of a trendy restaurant that serves nothing but pig (including "bacon-infused martinis"), written with wit and bite by Leila Cohan-Miccio (Stone Cold Fox), directed with style by Caitlin Bitzegaio (MTV, PBS, ESPN), and performed superbly by comedic actress Lauren Conlin Adams (keep an eye out for her playing Aurora, a hot and hilariously bubble-headed waitress): Pig: A Restaurant

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): John Hodgman (The Daily Show, PC vs. Mac commercials, bestselling author), Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Harrison Greenbaum (writer for Mad Magazine; head writer of Tu Nite con Lorenzo Parro on NBCU/Telemundo; winner of the 2010 Andy Kaufman Award), Jamie Lee (College Humor), and Brandon Wardell performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) guest-hosted by ace comedic musician Ted Leo: Hot Tub Variety

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Bored to Death and Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, co-host of Righteous Kill, comedy CD The Depression Auction), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), and The Beards of Comedy performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, Sweet): Comedy Central Corporate Retreat

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Gary Vider (hilarious; current Joke of the Week); Justy Dodge (co-host of Too Much Information on comicalradio.com; "I was kind of a tomboy growing up. Like, I had Barbies, but only because my Ninja Turtles needed bitches;" for dark bio video, please click here), Selena Coppock (author of upcoming book The New Rules for Blondes), Amy Carlson, Calvin Cato, the Lucas Brothers, and more performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Bar Matchless back room (557 Manhattan Avenue, near the G subway's Nassau Avenue stop) hosted by Nimesh Patel, Michael Che, and/or Mike Denny: Broken Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: Gramp's (which includes such talents as Laura Grey, Eddie Dunn, and Don Fanelli) and Onassis (which includes such talents as Lauren Conlin Adams): Maude Night: Gramp's and Onassis

9:30 pm ($5): D&D-style epic fantasy improv, plus nerdy stand-up from Matt Hobby and Jake Young, at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Eric Grundhauserled as your Dungeon Master

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Eighth Year Anniversary Show, featuring NYC stand-ups Mike Dobbins, Phoebe Robinson, Jay Nog, Kendra Cunningham, Mark Ramirez, Josh Gondelman, James Search, Adam Cozens, and Garry Hannon performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Charmingly silly & very funny performer Brandon Gulya can also be a charming & very funny writer. Hence this one-man show he's hoping will make his career (and which I've missed due to deadlines but will finally catch tonight): Brandon Gulya Will Be Famous Soon...

...and in the other half of this UCB East double-bill, Inspired by the popular blog My High School Boyfriend Was Gay, this new show "celebrates our most tragic, hilarious, and heinous teenage memories, full of chaste hugs, Grease sing-alongs, and trips to the stage door to accost the cast of Rent," with true stories from Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!), Kyle Supley (Victor Victrola), and Liz Black Kocan (VH1.com) hosted by Damian Bellino and the super-delightful Camille Harris: My High School Boyfriend Was Gay

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic storytelling show at The Magnet hosted by Kelly Buttermore: Storytelling Mixer

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who tonight include TV & Broadway star Colin Quinn, Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Joe Mande (razor-sharp writer/performer; Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Totally J/K; author of book Look at This F*cking Hipster), and Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central Presents)—performing at UCB Chelsea and hosted by comedy genius Chris Gethard: Whiplash

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 2/7/12

Tonight at The PIT rising comedic musical star Camille Harris nourishes and entertains you at So Pumped!,
and then Michelle Markowitz hosts stellar storytellers telling tales of being jilted at Failing Our Twenties

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Comedic songs from super-delightful rising star Camille Harris (FringeNYC, co-host of My High School Boyfriend Was Gay) and Glennis McCarthy (GLOC) and the band Summer & Eve at The PIT upstairs theatre: So Pumped!

7:00 pm ($5): A romantic comedy play about dating in New York City debuting at The Magnet: Please Don't Let Me Die Alone

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Robert Dean: The Dean's List

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Witty writers offering delightfully wry lectures about a wide range of topics, which this month range from How to Make Money From Occupy Wall Street to The Closest Thing We Have to Thor to What I've Learned From The New York Times Corner Office, at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe for Charles Star's comedic show Adult Education

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comedian and comic book fan Greg Stone joining super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at The PIT downstairs lounge: Comic Book Club

8:00 pm ($5): Stuckey & Murray (terrific comedic singing duo; Chelsea Lately, NBC, VH1, Fuse), Sabrina Jalees, Jacqueline Novak, David Smithyman, and Kara Klenk performing at UCB East for a comedy variety show hosted by the delightful Sara Schaefer and Scott Moran: Hot Dang

8:00 pm-Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv at UCB Chelsea for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Dance Break, Mr. Crime, Sandino, Grandma's Ashes, and Very Good Kiss—and at 11:00 pm advanced improv students perform scenes in which a very small occurrence can produce unpredictable and sometimes explosive results—all at Harold Night

8:00 pm ($5): Veteran improv troupe SidViscous debuts a change-of-pace scripted comedic play about "what happens when a gay single father gets caught in a lie and has to pretend his daughter is his wife whenever these mobsters are around, but can’t let his ex-wife or the private investigator she’s hired find out what he’s up to" at The PIT upstairs theatre: My Daughter, My Wife

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

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10 at the door, $12.75 online): A new monthly storytelling show from Jeff Simmermon (NPR's This American Life), Cyndi Freeman (The Moth, burlesque star) and Brad Lawrence (Moth GrandSlam champion), with tonight's guests Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller with notable bangs; VH1, Showtime, host of TV pilot of The Liar Show), "Bob" (HBO's Real Sex), Schaffer The Darklord (Epic Win Burlesque), and Chris McDaniel (world champion trick roper) performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall: And I Am Not Lying

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Typically stellar comics (unusually, not announced yet, but please check for an update by clicking here) performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1): Sweet

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Storytelling titans Seth Lind (NPR's This American Life, host of Told) and Dave Martin (host of The Nights of Our Lives) anticipate Valentine's Day with tales of being Jilted at The PIT downstairs lounge along with hosts Michelle Markowitz & Bryan Rucker, who say they're Failing Our Twenties

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up, sketch, videos, and more at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre with Jeffrey Joseph and hosts Ron Krasnow & Joel Walkowski: The Short Bus

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Two of the most brilliant, fearless, and innovative comics in the biz, John Gemberling (Death by Roo Roo, Adult Swim, Comedy Central) and Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, Huffington Post, The Nights of Our Lives), team up to create their special dark version of a comedy variety show at UCB East. Tonight's guests are Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 17-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Tales of the Cosmos and The Adam Wade show; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), Roger Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE's A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), and Myq Kaplan (one of the quickest minds in comedy, and rapidly rising star; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, hit comedy CD Vegan Mind Meld), Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), and Kara Klenk (host of If You Build It): The Tony and Johnny Show

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

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

[FREE] 11:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up at UCB East hosted by Boris Khaykin, John Trowbridge, and/or Katie East: Tuesday Night Open Mic

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 2/8/12

Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson debut their monthly show Broad City Live; Leslie Meisel performs at School Night

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

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

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

7:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Gutbucket and Mustache Party), Matt Ruby (co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here, blog Sandpaper Suit), Jay Nog (Paid or Pain), Seth Davis (visiting from Chicago), and Sue Funke (seen on NY1 recently) performing at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) with host Selena Coppock: Connotation

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): For this double-bill at UCB East, genius improvisors Gavin Speiller of Death By Roo Roo, Ben Rodgers of The Curfew, and Jonathan Gabrus of The Law Firm) perform as Outlook of the Poet; and then Nicole Byer, Sasheer Zamata, and Keisha Zollar are the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:30 pm ($20 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BOOK): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A top group of improvisors including Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, and Brandon Scott Jones "will take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter" by making up scenes on the spot at UCB Chelsea: Grandma's Ashes

[FREE—plus FREE PIZZA for first 30 people, from Artichoke Pizza!] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up; staff writer for David Letterman), Jared Freid, Alison Leiby, and Jason Burke performing at the East Village's Beauty Bar with hosts Negin Farsad, Amy Albert, and Beth McGregor for their free weekly show Comedy School Dropout

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

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

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: As many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly, but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. (Tonight's scheduled lineup includes Leslie Meisel and Matt Fisher; for the complete list, please click here.) Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 2/9/12

Renowned theatrical storyteller Mike Daisy helps celebrate the Fifth Year Anniversary of Stripped Stories;
Morgan Grace Jarrett is a delightful highlight at the mini-play parody The Bachelor: Romance, Roses & Romance

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Jesse Falcon (famed improv troupe Mother) is tonight's guest at this weekly open mic storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn: Oh, Hey Guys!

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

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): The wonderful Mamrie Hart & Stephen Soroka audition their newest BoF show Friends Without Benefits, plus the audition of a show titled Hobby & Grill: Tying the Knot, at UCB Chelsea: Spank

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

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): "If you were alive in the 70's, you may have attended some 'Key Parties' where you were randomly paired with someone to go home with and engage in free spirited coitus. (Today we either stay at home alone or congregate at an improv theater.) Key Party combines the 70's arrangement with modern anxiety, exploring the rich moments leading up to that act of coupling and the fallout that follows" at UCB East with stellar comics Jordan Klepper (Lights Out Shirley!), Laura Grey (delightful old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm), and guest improvisors: Key Party; plus in the second half of this double-bill, improv based on the iPods, CDs, and mp3 players provided by audience members, executed by superb performers Fran Gillespie, Ryan Karels, Megan Neuringer, Jesse Falcon, Silvija Ozols, Doug Moe, Lou Perez, Sue Galloway, and Emily Axford: Soundtrack USA

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($41 plus 2-drink minimum):The longest-running cast member in Saturday Night Live's history, and whose impressions have been widely applauded for their uncanny accuracy and range; and a talented stand-up who's been a frequent guest on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Darrell Hammond

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($22 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's starred on two seasons of Last Comic Standing; has performed a very popular Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; was a regular on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; was the first white comic on Def Jam; wrote for Chris Rock; played Lenny Bruce on NBC's American Dreams; was an unlikely guest on The View; and is a regular on the Opie and Anthony radio show, headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Rich Vos

8:00 pm ($5):A parody of The Bachelor written by UCB Chelsea faves Caitlin Bitzegaio (MTV, PBS, ESPN, writer or director of numerous UCBT sketch shows) and Leila Cohan-Miccio (Stone Cold Fox, Pig: A Restaurant), and worth catching if only to experience the delicious comedic performances of standouts Morgan Grace Jarrett (Big Fish, Love Liza, Buffy fan) and Nicole Byer (Doppelganger)—who are especially fun when they turn into an unlikely a comedy duo...: The Bachelor: Romance, Roses, and Romance...

...and in the second half of this double-bill, a one-woman show by Sue Smith about anger, directed by the always inventive and delightful Laura Grey: Minimum Rage

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes Hello Laser, Junior Varsity, The Boss, and Phooka performing improv, followed at 10:00 pm by the brilliant Ed Herbstman directing improvisors to perform in the style of a feature film at The Director Series: The Movie, and then at 11:00 pm improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) with last week's winner challenged by Mr. Gorsky: The Magnet's Night Out

[$] 8:00 pm ($20): Storyteller Martin Dockery (The Moth, The Liar Show; acclaimed as "fantastic" by The New York Times) and Canadian actress Vanessa Quesnelle performing a self-described "high-energy, high-comedy, highly surreal play about a guy trying to get a girl into his flying bed. Tempting her with the forbidden promise of a wild flight through paradise, they must negotiate a bizarre and harrowing journey through a wilderness of seduction, temptation, and betrayal at the Under St. Marks Theatre (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue): Oh, That Wily Snake

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; The New York Times, The Huffington Post), Neal Brennan (HBO, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, co-creator of Chappelle's Show), Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Bunk; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), and Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE's A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus) performing at UCB East with best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster) at Totally J/K

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

[$] 9:00 pm ($15): Producers & writers for The Daily Show, including Rory Albanese, Elliott Kalan, Michael Hogan, and JR Havlan, performing stand-up at 92Y Tribeca: The Daily Show Does Stand-Up

9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Calise Hawkins, Damien Lemon, Christopher Calogero, and Ramon Rivas performing at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for a weekly comedy show with hosts Dan Wllber & Sean Crespo and producer Carol Hartsell: Lasers in the Jungle

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Mike Daisey (NPR's This American Life, world-class theatrical performer with numerous top one-man shows, called "the master storyteller" by The New York Times) and Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller with notable bangs; VH1, Showtime, host of TV pilot of The Liar Show) joining sensual hosts Margot Leitman (VH1, Spike TV) and Giulia Rozzi (MTV, VH1.com, co-host of Dive Comedy) telling erotic true tales celebrating this show's Fifth Year Anniversary—plus hot songs from Johnny Showcase (a Philly favorite with album Love Is The Message)—at the best sexy storytelling comedy show in NYC: Stripped Stories

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge, produced by Dan Hodapp & Micah Sherman: The Scene

9:30 pm ($5): Ashley Ward & Chris Grace host indie musical improv troupes, and also perform themselves as A/C, a musical monoscene duo, at The PIT upstairs theatre: Playlist

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (lineup not announced) performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Justin Williams: Death Comedy Jam

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Vibrant improv troupes Fuck That Shit and Deckard compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) hosts a variety show at UCB East that's a mix of stand-up, sketch, improv, dance, music, and video: The Soul Glo Project

11:00pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) bringing their A-game—because their sets are captured at this monthly show as audition tapes—performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Grass Route

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 2/10/12

Darrell Hammond (SNL) headlines tonight and Saturday at Carolines;
Bobby Tisdale (Jimmy Fallon) tells tales at Tom Shillue's Funny Story

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

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

7:00 pm ($7): Improv that flows from moment to moment, with no sweeps or tag outs—"each exit starts a new scene, while performers use devices ranging from monologues to in-scene questions to break into characters and relationships quicker and deeper:" Scoresby

7:00 pm ($5): At this PIT double-bill, Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell "bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure" as Hodapp & Rothwell, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller) gathers top comics to tell funny stories at UCB Chelsea, with tonight's guests Bobby Tisdale (senior staff writer for Jimmy Fallon), Bob Walles, and & Gavin McInnes: Tom Shillue's Funny Story

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors at UCB East making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($41 plus 2-drink minimum):The longest-running cast member in Saturday Night Live's history, and whose impressions have been widely applauded for their uncanny accuracy and range; and a talented stand-up who's been a frequent guest on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and Jay Leno, headlining tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Darrell Hammond

8:00 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

8:00 pm ($5): Improvisors perform as duos at The PIT downstairs lounge: Couples' Retreat

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups delivering their A game—since they're being videotaped as they perform sets—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, with a different host each week: Mixed Tape

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Wil Sylvince, Del Harrison, Corey Rodrigues, and Josh Carter performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Postmark Cafe (326 6th Street) hosted by Abbi Crutchfield & Luke Thayer: The Living Room

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's a regular on Chelsea Lately and After Lately, has performed on Last Comic Standing, United States of Tara, and Monk, and is the author of the new book Life As I Blow It, headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Sarah Colonna

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

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($7): Theatrical sketch comedy at The Magnet that tonight features "three cowboys settling their score the old-fashioned way; an old Broadway star attempting her long-anticipated comeback; in a blatantly self-referential sketch, a young comedian trying to convince his friend to come see his show," and more at Citizen Models

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Emily Heller (staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV, VH1), and Sean Donnelly (host of Lil' Seany Boy) performing at UCB East hosted by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, and/or David Cope: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): Christian Finnegan (co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), David Foster (TV series Prankville and Boiling Points), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

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

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: An all-musical comedy night with Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by over 9 million people on YouTube, please click here), The Moon Players, David Cope, and Amy Albert performing at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ben Lerman and Tim Dimond: Now That's What I Call Musical Comedy

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

10:30 pm ($5): NYC comics (not announced) performing at UCB East hosted by Emily Axford, D'Arcy Carden, Alden Ford, Brandon Scott Jones, and/or Justin Tyler: Gentrify

11:00 pm ($5): All-gal improv at The PIT from troupe Goldie and the Hawns (Jennifer Bild, Christine DeNoon, Julianne Dunn, and Brandy Mitchell), plus guest stand-up and sketch gal comics: Boneless! A Night of Women in Comedy

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

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

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 2/11/12

Improv genius Ed Herbstman joins Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney to form comedy trio Trike;
Darrell Hammond headlines one last night at Carolines

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes CSO, Upstate, and Swartzlander at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A comedy quiz show full of heavily researched quirky facts in which contestants Ellena Chmielewski, Morgan Phillips, Moujan Zolfaghari, and Amy Whitehouse get points if their answers are correct but get more points if their answers are "quite interesting" at UCB East created & hosted by Katey Healy-Wurzburg: The Fascinator

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, Kay Cannon, Christina Gausas, Brandon Gardner, Jed Resnik, and/or other stellar performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and legendary Chicago improv institutions at UCB Chelsea all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball

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

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

[FREE] 8:00 pm: From the producers of The Scene, improvisors at The PIT downstairs lounge make up one-act plays on the spot: Act One

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC comics performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City for this talk & stand-up show hosted by Sarah Tollemache: Last Night

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Kimmel), Calise Hawkins (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, writer for Playboy.com), and Owen Smith (Conan O'Brien, Russell Simmons Presents The Ruckus) performing at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): One of the gutsiest and most hilarious troupes in comedy history—with honors including being Cage Match Champion for three years in a row, and winning the 2011 ECNY Award for Best Improv Group—UCB Chelsea's genius improvisors Death by Roo Roo

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): A sharp Magnet musical improv troupe makes up stories with song and dance based on an audience suggestion: Choral Rage

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

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount code SBWC, otherwise $20): This top musical improv troupe 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 the "choreography" are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come to the Soho Playhouse tonight to see why BWC won a FringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event: Baby Wants Candy

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: A sketch & interview show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Zach Sims: Too Late With Zachary Sims

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($7): Improv genius Ed Herbstman is tonight's extra special guest at The Magnet as he joins Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney to form comedy trio Trike

[TOP PICK] 10:30 ($8): NYC's heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which doesn't always ht the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won last year's ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group, tonight joined by guest sketch duo Rue Brutalia: Murderfist: Late and Dirty

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Ben Rodgers, Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then create an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here

10:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf makes stuff up at UCB East: Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

11:00 pm ($8): "A 17-person middle school talent show created and performed by two people—Jo Firestone and Dylan Marron—who like themselves more now that they're older. A comedic tribute to the best three years of our lives, and a comedic play for anyone who ever thought it couldn't get any better than prank calls and slow-dancing" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Ridgefield Middle School Talent Nite

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

[FREE] Midnight: A weekly chance for you to shine at The Magnet, as students and veteran improvisors share the stage to form "rare and wonderful one-night-only teams," with sign-up starting at 11:30 pm: Magnet Mixer

Midnight ($10): Typically disturbing and semi-obscene sketches at The PIT downstairs lounge from troupe FUCT

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 2/12/12

Sean Patton performs at Beginnings and Sunday Night Stand-Up; Kumail Nanjiani performs at Pretty Good Friends

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

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

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash) and Michael Kupperman (surreal cartoonist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and DC Comics) are interviewed about "their earliest creative experiences and the nuances of having a creative career" for a weekly podcast that tonight goes live on the UCB East stage with hosts Andy Beckerman & Mark Bisi: Beginnings

[FREE] 6:00 pm: "Short-form improv teams battle it out for the most points and a prize. C’mon, admit it! You miss the quick-witted fun and audience involvement of short-form improv. A different short-form team joins Mishmash! each month and struts their stuff for a panel of judges (including one judge chosen from the audience) until a winner emerges. There will be a series of completely improvised scenes, stories and musicals all based on your suggestions. Come ready to shout out suggestions, and even shout at the judges," at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Scrimmage

6:30 pm ($5): A monthly screening of new short filmed sketch and comedy produced by members of the Magnet community: Flick Video Showcase

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Kumail Nanjiani (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel, writer/performer for Comedy Central's Michael & Michael Have Issues; winner of the 2009 ECNY Awards for Best Male Stand-Up), Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Comedy Central's John Oliver's NY Stand-Up), and Jacqueline Novak performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Union Hall for guest host Jared Logan's Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language, frequent guest-host of Whiplash), Jamie Kilstein (Huffington Post; co-host of Citizen Radio), Kate Berlant, Assad Motavaselli, and Jon Savoy performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge for a free weekly show typically hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[$] 8:30 pm ($20 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's a regular on Chelsea Lately and After Lately, has performed on Last Comic Standing, United States of Tara, and Monk, and is the author of the new book Life As I Blow It, headlining tonight and Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Sarah Colonna

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) typically hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress: Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Jared Logan (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Vince Averill (founder of this show), Rojo Perez, and Kunal Arora performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Brad Austin, Nate Fridson, and/or Adam Sokol: Comedy at Beauty Bar

9:30 pm ($5): Jarret Berenstein performs a one-man show at The Magnet that "mixes stand-up, sketch, and poorly executed animation:" Boosh. Kla-Klau.

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Hilary Schwartz (VH1’s Why am I Still Single?), Jessimae (VH1), and Kate Wolff performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tonight

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