NYC Comedy Picks for Week of January 13, 2014

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 1/13/14

Taylor Williamson (almost-winner of America's Got Talent) and many other superb stand-ups at TV Late-Night Auditions;
Veronica Osorio kicks off five hours of great comedy at UCB Chelsea with the debut of her one-woman show Corn Teeth

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): Veronica Osorio debuts a one-woman show "about coming from a crazy oil country and body cavities" at the UCB Chelsea theatre: Corn Teeth

7:00 pm ($8): Feline-based improv from duo David Frasure & Jenn Welch at The PIT upstairs theatre: CATS! CATS! CATS! CATS! CATS!

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Tami Sagher (former writer for 30 Rock; writer and producer for Mad TV 2001-2006) and Chris Gethard (comedy genius; The Office, Comedy Central, IFC; star of The Chris Gethard Show; author of bestseller A Bad Idea I'm About to Do and Weird New York) perform duo improv at the UCB Chelsea theatre: Sagher & Gethard

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15; no min.): Auditions for late-night TV appearances, featuring terrific stand-ups Taylor Williamson (almost-winner of 2013's America's Got Talent), Jared Logan (rising star), Michelle Wolf (rising star), Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), Jermaine Fowler (Comedy Central, MTV, Adult Swim), Sam Morril (Comedy Central), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), Monroe Martin, Chris Laker, and more performing at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): TV Late-Night Auditions: Taylor Williamson, Jared Logan, Michelle Wolf, Sheng Wang, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): A potentially fascinating inside look at what goes on in a comedy writers' room, allowing you to "watch a group of seasoned joke writers put together a late night talk show opening monologue," with Neil Berliner, Mark DeMayo, Sandy Ehlers, and Mark Byrnes collaborating at The PIT upstairs theatre: Fly on the Wall: Inside a Monologue Writers’ Room

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8 at the door or $9.47 online): Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, FOX's Bob's Burgers, Adult Swim's Delocated, VH1; pioneer of NYC downtown comedy), Jackie Kashian (Comedy Central Presents, Last Comic Standing; for hilarious cartoon about LA pet owners, please click here), Dan Wilbur (College Humor), John F. O'Donnell, and Will Miles hosted by Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show, Comedy Central hour-long special, Adult Swim): Night Train

8:00 pm ($5): Claire Ayoub and friends put on "a super silly sketch show" with interviews and surprises at the UCB East theatre: The In Too Steep Tea Party

[FREE] 8:00 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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Kevin McCaffrey (writer for David Letterman; TruTV), Maria Heinegg, Joe Larson, Jake Flores, and Brendon McClaughlin at Brooklyn's Freddy's Bar (627 Fifth Avenue; take R subway to Prospect Avenue) for this free biweekly show hosted by Brooke Van Poppelen (brilliant writer, stand-up, and storyteller; writer and/or producer for MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy, and Nikki & Sara Show; trutV, TLC, co-host of Dive Comedy) and tonight's guest host Naomi Karavani: Dive Comedy

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Selena Coppock (author of book The New Rules for Blondes, host of Connotation), Andrew Short, Taylor Ketchum, Ndidi Oriji, Tyler Gildin, and Hoff Matthews performing stand-up, sketch, or storytelling, plus music from Liza Dye, at Brooklyn's Over the Eight (594 Union Ave) hosted by Charla Lauriston (MTV; co-host of School NIght) and Sue Smith (VH1): Free Cable

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch groups try out new material: Legs for Days (whose stellar performers include Livia Scott, Ann Carr, and Dan Chamberlain) and Bellevue: Maude Night: Legs For Days and Bellevue

9:30 ($10): Zoe Farmingdale hosts a variety show with NYC comics (not announced) at The PIT downstairs lounge: The ZoeShow

9:30 pm ($5): Improv veterans Brandon Gardner, Chelsea Clarke, Phillip Jackson, and/or Steve Theiss hosting & performing in a show at UCB East with guest improvisors: Improv Nerds

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; Jay Leno, FOX, NBC's Are You There Chelsea?, film Savages), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Andrew Schulz (MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Failosophy), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), and Modi (Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Ardie Fuqua (HBO's Bad Boys of Comedy, Comedy Central): Paul Mecurio, Ali Wong, Wil Sylvince, Dan Soder, and More

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), Jared Logan (rising star; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, CNN, TBS), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Neil Constantine, Alexis Guerreros, Jena Kingsley, Jonathan Randall, and more performing for this free weekly stand-up show at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Frantic Mondays

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Twelve improv comics who are "friends of Dorothy" perform at The Magnet hosted by Andrew Fafoutakis: There's No Place Like Home: A GLBTQ Event

[FREE] 10:00 pm: A showcase of NYC comics (not announced) performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Creek Cave Live

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who aren't announced in advance, but it's virtually always a great lineup—at UCB Chelsea hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen: Whiplash

Monday Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

6:00 pm & 8:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, with each show running 1 hour and 45 minutes. Arrive 30 minutes before the show you want to be in to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show, with 10 comics each performing for 5 minutes, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Abigoliah Schamaun & Peggy O'Leary: Dicks Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 6:30 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room"), hosted by Julia Wiedeman: Happy Hour Open-Mic Storytelling with Julia Wiedeman

7:00 pm ($2, which includes a free beer or water): Open mic stand-up providing a whopping 10 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com with subject line Phoning Monday to sign up; or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45 at Brit Pack Studios (153 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor) hosted by Tim Duffy: Comics Phoning It In

[FREE] 7:00 pm: An open-mic stand-up show, with 10 comics each performing for 5 minutes, at Brooklyn's Colony (274 4th Avenue) hosted by Emily Winter: Sparky the Dog Open Mic

7:30 pm ($10; sign-up starts at 7:00 pm): Open mic for stand-ups, storytellers, singers, poets, actors, and more, with 5 minutes per performer and 25 slots available, at One and One Bar's Downstairs Nexus Lounge (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Nathan P., followed by a raucous afterparty with dancing & drink specials from 10:00 to midnight: Inspired Word's Open Mic Joint

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Unique open mic for any comedy except stand-up—e.g., characters, sketch, stories, poetry, music—providing 6 minutes for each performer signed up in advance (email sdesiena@gmail.com with the subject line No Jokes Allowed Sign-Up) and 4 minutes per walk-in performer at the East Village's Beauty Bar hosted by Steven DeSiena & Stephen Whalen: No Jokes Allowed Open Mic

10:30 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

[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 & Langston Belton: Base Jam

11:00 pm ($3; sign up here): If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night. 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 via a 5-minute set at this stand-up open-mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Lorelei Ramirez: Sharing Time With Your Host Mom

Best Inexpensive Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, and Storytelling

Upright Citizens Brigade Chelsea
(307 West 26th Street; 150-seater; shows free-$10; one of the most respected comedy theatres in the world)

Upright Citizens Brigade East
(153 East 3rd Street; 99-seat main theatre, bar area for open mics; shows free-$10)

The PIT
(123 East 24th Street; 99-seat upstairs theatre, 40-seat downstairs theatre; shows free-$15)

The Magnet
(254 West 29th Street; 60-seat theatre; shows $5-$10)

The Creek and the Cave
(Queens' Long Island City; 40-seat theatre upstairs, 25 downstairs; virtually all shows free)

Best NYC Stand-Up Comedy Clubs

Comedy Cellar
(117 MacDougal Street; among the finest daily stand-up lineups in the world; 2-item min.)

The Stand
(239 Third Avenue; recent competitor to Comedy Cellar; no drink min.—support this policy!)

Carolines Comedy Club
(1626 Broadway; focuses on the world's top headliners, who perform hour-long sets; 2-drink min.)

Gotham Comedy Club
(208 West 23rd Street; headliners on weekends, specialty & lineup shows weekdays; 2-drink min.)

Eastville Comedy Club
(85 East 4th Street; strong weekend lineups; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Greenwich Village Comedy Club
(99 MacDougal Street; convenient if Comedy Cellar's sold out; no cover using code HyReviews; 2-drink min.)

Comic Strip Live
(1568 Second Avenue, off 81st; Upper East Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Stand Up NY
(236 West 78th Street, off Broadway; Upper West Side club with typically solid lineups; 2-drink min.)

Laughing Devil
(4738 Vernon Blvd., by #7 train; Queens LIC club, with MST3K-style movie night on Thursdays; 2-drink min.)

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 1/14/14

Anthony Atamanuik takes you on a unique tour of the universe at The Tony Show;
go out tonight, but set your recording device for 10:30 pm on Comedy Central for the return of Kroll Show

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-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, five of The Magnet's singing improv groups make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion, followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with a musical improv group to make up stories in song: Magnet Musical Megawatt

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comics creators join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street), with giveaways of comics and gift certificates (and if you can't make it, watch in online here): Comic Book Club

7:00 pm ($5): Christine Holt & Mary Guiteras tend bar for a living, then let off steam by performing improv at The PIT downstairs lounge where they unleash the secrets they've heard, and also host storytelling from tonight's guests Ashley Ward and TJ Mannix: Bartenders

7:30 pm-9:15 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house groups Greg, Graceland, and Namaste at this first half of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; Jay Leno, FOX, NBC's Are You There Chelsea?, film Savages), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Ali Wong, Gary Gulman, Gregg Rogell, Greer Barnes, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7.25 online using discount code NORTHERN; no min.): John Fugelsang (former host of America's Funniest Home Videos), Jared Logan (rising star; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, CNN, TBS), Jessica Kirson (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, HBO, Showtime, Bravo, VH1, Logo one-woman show My Cookie's Gone), Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern), and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): John Fugelsang, Jared Logan, Jessica Kirson, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): A sketch comedy group that includes Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger, host of The Soul Glo Jam, Andy Kaufman Award finalist) at The PIT upstairs theatre: Slap Fight

8:00 pm ($5): Jackie Kashian (Comedy Central Presents, Last Comic Standing; for hilarious cartoon about LA pet owners, please click here), Becky Yamamoto (rave reviews from The New York Times and The New Yorker; former beard-wearing member of band Stickerbook), Kevin Avery, Jay Welch, and Kerry Coddett-Francis performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Union Hall for this show hosted by Calvin Cole & Sharron Paul that calls attention to its inexpensive price: Cheap Date

8:00 pm ($5): "People from all across America have submitted ideas for the wackiest and most expensive game shows on earth. At this showcase we'll try out three lucky shows with the help and participation of our gracious live audience. After we've attempted to recreate all three, audience members get the chance to vote on which idea gets to go straight to TV" at UCB East hosted by Jo Firestone: The Incredible Game Show Showcase

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by the brilliantly surreal and hilarious Joe Pera, plus Charles Gould and Dan Licata: Dan + Joe + Charles' Show

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Sketch group Awful DJ, and NYC stand-ups Lynn Bixenspan, Naomi Ekperigin, Sam Grittner, Lauren Maul, Charles McBee, and Tony Zaret performing for this free weekly show at People's Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Tim Ellis & Mo Fathelbab: Manifesto

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm (reserve your free spots by clicking here): Taylor Williamson (almost-winner of 2013's American's Got Talent, and genuinely wonderful guy; take advantage of his brief return to NYC), Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), and more performing stand-up at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street, in the back room) produced every Tuesday by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Gary Vider, and Sachi Ezura: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:30 pm: Storytellers John Asante, Victoria Scroggins, Jamie Leelo, and Michele Carlo tell true tales about this month's theme Out in the Cold at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by Andrew Linderman: Local Stories: Out in the Cold

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Typically wonderful stand-ups (not yet announced, probably because Seth was busy last night premiering his first TV hosting gig for new show Duck Quacks Don't Echo on Nat Geo) performing at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon long-time staff comic, VH1, Nat Geo): Sweet

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house groups Grammer, GoodGirl, and Bucky at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Brilliantly innovative comic Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, The Nights of Our Lives) plays oddball characters in a mix of sketch and improv, tonight asking you to "take a journey to the stars by sitting in a chair and looking up at a projection of them on a dirty ceiling. Dr. Neil DeAss Tyson Chickensticks guides us through time and space, and teaches us why the human race is a worthless shit-blip in the grand scheme of the universe" (with help from producer Andy Rocco and Jesse VandenBergh); plus stand-up from Bridey Elliott (razor-sharp rising star; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Witstream, Fambly), Lukas Kaiser (Spike TV), and Morgan Evans (VH1's Best Week Ever), all performing at the UCB East theatre: The Tony Show

9:30 pm ($5): Comedy groups Gentlemen Party, Nerds on Fire, and Captain's Hat compete in the realms of sketch and improv at The PIT downstairs lounge: Sketchy Sketchy Prov Prov

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; star of Showtime's Dave's Old Porn and Comedy Central's Insomniac; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), James Smith (Australian comic; HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Comedy Central; for stand-up video on what it's like to be Australian in New York, please click here), Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern), Steve White (Last Comic Standing), and Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show): Dave Attell, Kevin Meaney, Nick Griffin, and More

10:00 pm ($15; no min.): Broadway actors try their hand at stand-up and/or other comedy at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street) hosted by Bill Dawes: Broadway Bombers

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Luis J. Gomez, Dave Smith, and other NYC stand-ups performing live on stage for this podcast show at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Legion of Skanks

Tuesday Open Mics & Jams

5:00 pm ($5): Two-hour open-mic for 20 stand-ups performing for 5 minutes each, with sign-up online here, at the Stand Up NY Comedy Club (236 West 78th Street): Stand Up NY Open Mic

[TOP PICK] [ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): In this delightful weekly open-mic show, each comic has 3 minutes to try out a character-based bit (e.g., for a solo show, sketch, or audition) at The PIT downstairs lounge, hosted by Jen Kwok (Comedy Central) and Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger): Imposter Open Mic

[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Open-mic sketch that allows you to either perform a sketch with your own performers or bring in pages for the audience to perform at The PIT Green Room, followed by feedback on your bit from PIT "sketch-perts:" Pens & Pencils

6:00 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, running 2 1/2 hours. Arrive 30 minutes before the show to get on the signup sheet. This is a fine opportunity to perform at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club Open Mic

[FREE] 6:15 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types providing 2 minutes for each performer (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Jay Dean and Tynan DeLong: Two Nice Guys Open MIc

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Weekly stand-up open mic (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at People's Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Dustin Drury: This Is Happening Open MIc

7:00 pm ($2, which includes a free beer or water): Open mic stand-up providing a whopping 10 minutes per comic. Email PhoningItInMic@gmail.com with subject line Phoning Tuesday to sign up; or take a chance at lottery sign-up live between 6:45 and 7:45 at Brit Pack Studios (153 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor) hosted by Ian Fidance: Comics Phoning It In

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: This weekly two-hour open mic storytelling show allows each performer 8 minutes to tell a compelling and funny tale at Queens LIC's The Creek downstairs lounge, with host Jake Hart and tonight's guest Danis Perafan: The Dump

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:15: Sign up at 9:30 pm for the opportunity to make up a musical on the spot with The Magnet improv group Mint Condition: Magnet Musical Improv Mixer

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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): 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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): An improv jam for students at all levels to work on their skills at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Elke Reid and David Frasure: Study H all