NYC Comedy Picks for Week of January 6, 2014

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 1/6/14

Bestselling author Ophira Eisenberg shares her obsessions at UCB East for So Into It;
Alan Starzinski performs a clever one-man show at UCB Chelsea in Guys You Love to Hate

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

7:00 pm ($8): A (more or less) solo show by Meg Griffiths about "a hardened female New York City landlord who threatens to evict each of her tenants unless someone admits to killing her prized heirloom hydrangea bush in this comedic who-done-it" at The PIT upstairs theatre: It Came From Below

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Sharp comic Alan Starzinski (Sandino, Fat Penguin) performs a clever one-man sketch show in which he plays characters ranging from Aquaman to Gary Busey to the rescue pilot at the end of Jurassic Park at the UCB Chelsea theatre: Guys You Love to Hate...

...and in the second half of this double-bill, sketch from gal duo Samantha Schecter & Becky Chicoine, with some help from Kelly Harper and director Matt Dennie: Womantown

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A monthly show about obsessions with pop culture, featuring tonight's guests Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller with notable bangs; Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, The Today Show, host of NPR's trivia/puzzle show Ask Me Another, bestselling book being made into movie Screw Everyone) and Alison McDonald (Nurse Jackie, Alpha House) performing at UCB East hosted by Damian Bellino and Anne: So Into It: A Fanatic Variety Show

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Michael Che (hilarious rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Comedy Central, VH1), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), Marina Franklin (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle's Show, VH1), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, 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): Kevin Meaney, Michael Che, Lenny Marcus, Marina Franklin, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8 at the door or $9.47 online): Dan St. Germain (enormously likeable and rapidly rising star who has several shows in the works; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half-Hour Special, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Justy Dodge (co-host of Married to Comedy podcast and 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), Max Silvestri (host of Big Terrific), Tiffany Stevenson, and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show, Comedy Central hour-long special, Adult Swim): Night Train

8:00 pm ($5): Storytellers Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney's), Robin Gelfenbien (host of storytelling show Yum's the Word; VH1, Sirius Satellite Radio, FringeNYC), and Eli Reiter (host of Long Story Short), plus stand-up from Julia Lundy, and an open mic for 6-minute tales from the audience, at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Talk Therapy

[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

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch groups try out new material: Beige (which includes Dan Hodapp and Kelly Hudson) and (212) (which includes Natasha Rothwell, Tim Martin, Veronica Osorio, Eddie Dunn, Ari Scott, Erik Tanouye, and Achilles Stamatelaky): Maude Night: Beige and (212)

9:30 pm ($8): A solo show mixing characters & music from Jillian Green at The PIT upstairs theatre: Balls

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

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Rachael Parenta (Gawker.com, contributor to book What Was I Thinking?: Bad Boyfriend Stories; for sample video, please click here), Joe Pontillo, Alex Grubard, Dan Shaki, Kyle Ploof and Mike Spiers performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Mark Normand (hilarious red-hot rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; Jay Leno, FOX, NBC's Are You There Chelsea?, film Savages), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), Dan Soder (Comedy Central Half Hour, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads), 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): Mark Normand, Ali Wong, Nick Griffin, Greer Barnes, and More

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Ari Shaffir (Conan O'Brien, HBO's Down and Dirty, Comedy Central, National Lampoon, hour-long set Passive Aggressive), Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, writer for MTV's Girl Code, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive Comedy and Stripped Stories), Harry Terjanian (Sirius XM Radio, 2013 Andy Kaufman Award winner), Monroe Martin, Molly Austin, Kris Tinkle, and more performing for this free weekly show at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Frantic Mondays

10:00 pm ($5): Duo improv from groups Megalou, I'm Right Behind You, Eye of Tigh, Show Me Love, and Chris & Dmitry at The Magnet theatre: The Duo Show

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Following a club format, hosts Nore Davis & Andrew Short perform stand-up throughout for a total of 25 minutes, two comics each perform a 15-minute set, and then the headliner closes out the show with a 20-minute set, all at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: On the Road

[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

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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): 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 at this exceptionally supportive stand-up open-mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Jarrid Reed: Fresh

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 1/7/14

Killer lineup of Chris Gethard, Nick Kroll, and Justin Long at Sweet

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 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 10:00 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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Six improvisors make up scene while all playing Christopher Walken in this unique show at The PIT downstairs lounge: Walkens Welcome

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Current events analyzed with a comedic twist from guests Hallie Haglund (The Daily Show), Nate Dern (UCBT Artistic Director, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Gossip Girl), and Joe Burns (group Weekend of Regret) at UCB East hosted by Zhubin Parang (The Daily Show, What I Did for Love) and Cody Lindquist (Improv Everywhere): Topical Storm

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm:TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, Vanessa Bayer (cast member of Saturday Night Live), 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 CDs Vegan Mind Meld and Meat Robot), and Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever) performing stand-up, plus music from Cat Popper and host 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), all at the Housingworks Bookstore Cafe: Comedy Notebook

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Wonderful sketch/stand-up Amber Nelson and stand-up/sketch comic Ashley Brooke Roberts host a free variety show featuring stand-up, character acts, music, and who knows what else, with tonight's guests Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, blogger for Comedy Central's Indecision 2012), Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, FOX's In Living Color, Comedy Central), Jim Tews ("clawing my way to the middle for nearly a decade"), Brendan Eyre, and Lance Weiss, all performing at Brooklyn's Pete's Candy Store (709 Lorimer Street): The Dream Show

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5; includes one PBR beer): Mark Normand (hilarious red-hot rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Carmen Lynch (David Letterman, Last Comic Standing finalist, Comedy Central), Anthony P. DeVito, and Alex Edelman performing stand-up at Brother Jimmy's (116 East 16th Street) hosted by Maddog Mattern (Sirius Radio, Howard Stern): Country Time Comedy

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 online using discount code BUSINESS; no min.): Jared Logan (rising star; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, CNN, TBS), Mike Drucker (hilarious stand-up; staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney's), Michelle Wolf (super-likeable dark comic rising star; MTV's Girl Code, IFC), Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), and Alex Koll (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central) performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Jared Logan, Mike Drucker, Michelle Wolf, Christian Finnegan, Ryan Hamilton, and Alex Koll

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Michael Che (hilarious rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Comedy Central, VH1), Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; Jay Leno, FOX, NBC's Are You There Chelsea?, film Savages), Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show), Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno, Comedy Central), and Modi (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): Kevin Meaney, Michael Che, Ali Wong, and More

8:00 pm ($10): Sketch comedy from a new upbeat troupe at The PIT upstairs theatre: Totally, Yes

8:00 pm ($5): Improvisors play outside their comfort zones at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Dan Pozmanter: Fear Corner

[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: Aaron Glaser (Jimmy Fallon, host of Midnight Stand-Up), Catie Lazarus (host of Employee of the Month), Sam Grittner, Justin Lamb, Chrissie Mayr, Mike Finazzo, and Reginald Ferguson performing stand-up or sketch for this free weekly show at People's Republic of Brooklyn (247 Smith Street) hosted by Tim Ellis & Mo Fathelbab: Manifesto

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($8): Simon Rich (writer for Saturday Night Live, author of Ant Farm And Other Desperate Situations and Free Range Chickens), Mark Normand (hilarious red-hot rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), 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 CDs Vegan Mind Meld and Meat Robot), and Shannon Coffey (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central) performing various forms of comedy at Brooklyn's Union Hall with hosts Kerri Doherty and the wonderful & stunning Leslie Goshko: Geeking Out

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Killer lineup of TV & movie star Nick Kroll (Comedy Central's The Kroll Show), comedy genius Chris Gethard (Conan O'Brien, 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), Tiff Stevenson (visiting UK comic; UK's The Office), Justin Long (NBC's Ed, Galaxy Quest, Going the Distance, Live Free or Die Hard, the Mac in Apple Computer commercials), and more 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 Higgins, The Regulars, 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 hosting as "corporate owner of Advanced Tony Dynamics. All audience shareholders are to report for our annual company team-building retreat. Attendance is mandatory. Make sure to wear your button-down shirts and square glasses. Please attend with an attitude of superiority and superficiality" (with help from producer Andy Rocco and Jesse VandenBergh); plus stand-up from Sharon Spell (host of The Big Shrink), Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, ABC), and Kat Higgins, all performing at the UCB East theatre: The Tony Show

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Sketch from Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting (daring dark comedy gal duo Leah Rudick & Katie Hartman; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, FringeNYC), stand-up from Michelle Buteau (Last Comic Standing, Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central, VH1's Best Week Ever, The Jenny McCarthy Show); for stand-up video about Utah, sharing, and tits, please click here), storytelling from Micaela Blei (Moth GrandSlam Champion), and more sketch from Natasha Vaynblat, all performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Sara Jonsson: Camp Sunshine

9:30 pm ($8): NYC storytellers Jillian Green, Justin Angermeyer, Dani Alpert, and Brooke Roberts tell tales of erotic encounters gone awry at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Natalie Wall: Awkward Sex...and the City

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($12 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Mark Normand (hilarious red-hot rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Gregg Rogell (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle's Show, For the Love of the Game), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour; podcast You Had to Be There), 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), Godfrey (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, 30 Rock, VH1; films Zoolander, Original Gangsters, Soul Plane; 7 Up Yours ads), 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): Mark Normand, Gregg Rogell, Greer Barnes, Nikki Glaser, and More

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Joe List says "I've dreamed of this show since I was a little boy. Featuring some of NYC's finest comedy acts, immediately followed by a full-blown twist contest featuring some of New York's finest twisters. Everybody is welcome to join the twist contest! There will be lots of drinks and a few prizes. Show is free, contest is free" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Joe List and judged by Mark Normand and Maddog Mattern: Twist and Shout!

[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 Lucas Connolly: 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 College: 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 Hall

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 Wednesday 1/8/14

The spectacular Sasheer Zamata may or may not perform tonight as part of Bucky: Here and Now.
Either way, enormous congratulations to Sasheer for being the newest member of Saturday Night Live;
and enormous kudos to SNL for having the comedy insight to hire one of NYC's finest talents

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

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

[$] 7:00 pm ($20 plus 2-item food/drink min.): This show that interviews luminaries about what it's like to have a dreamy job tonight features Daily Show star Lewis Black, Tony Award-winning producer Daryl Roth, WNYC radio host Jad Abumrad, and Nellie McKay at at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street, between East 4th Street & Astor Place) hosted by Catie Lazarus, plus music from Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan: Employee of the Month

7:00 pm to 12:30 am ($7 for the entire evening): Five and a half hours of improv from eight groups at The Magnet theatre: Magnet Megawatt

7:00 pm ($5): NYC comics are panelists for this game show in which "four smart, funny people are quizzed on odd and obscure bits of trivia that just might save your life (probably not, though)" at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by MIchael FIsher: Pop Quiz Hotshot

[FREE] 7:30 pm show: This monthly show in which people tell both fiction and nonfiction stories revolving around a theme object that could be found in a lost and found box tonight celebrates its First Year Anniversary with Michael Maiello (Esquire, McSweeney’s), Ember Flame (Boundless Burlesque), Ken McCarthy (College Humor), Omar Olusion (Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Spike TV, Coney Island USA), Andrew Lloyd-Jones, and Sarah Peele performing at the Le Poisson Rouge's The Gallery (158 Bleecker Street) hosted by Daniel Guzman: The Lost and Found Show

7:30 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features house groups Apollo and First Lady: Lloyd Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics solve the world's problems in about an hour, with tonight's miracle workers Joe Pera (hilarious deadpan Andy Kaufman-like stand-up; for Joe's Kaufman awards submissions, please click here and here), Boris Khaykin (Comedy Central, College Humor, Huffington Post), Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, ABC), Jon Pack, and Matts McGorry performing at UCB Chelsea hosted by Aaron Kheifets: Basically Genius

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Michael Che (hilarious rising star stand-up; David Letterman, Comedy Central, VH1), Michelle Wolf (super-likeable dark comic rising star; MTV's Girl Code, IFC), Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1, host of Nick Turner & Acquaintances), and Daniel Kilpatrick performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Over the Eight (594 Union Ave) hosted by Joe Zimmerman, Jono Zalay, and Taylor Ketchum: Hot Crowd: Michael Che, Michelle Wolf, Nick Turner, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): Storytelling from Frank Coniff (TV's Frank on Mystery Science Theater 3000) and Blair Koenig (humor writer), plus Shawn T. Andrew (The Carrie Diaries, narrator for ESPN's Michael Jordan Birthday Special, VO for many commercials) plus game "Craigslist Ad or Casting Notice," at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by the quick-witted & endearing Katharine Heller (Naked in a Fishbowl): Tell the Bartender

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15; no min.): Writers & performers of The Daily Show and more, tonight including Paul Mecurio (Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show), Matt Koff (writer for The Daily Show), and Travon Free performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): The Daily Show Staff and Friends

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm, 9:45 pm, and 11:30 pm ($10-$14 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tonight's lineups include Todd Barry, Ali Wong, and Gregg Rogell at the 9:45 show, Dave Attell, and Nikki Glaser at the 11:30 show, and Big Jay Oakerson hosting all three shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane): Comedy Cellar Wednesday

[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 downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Chris Laker: The Show

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): The instructors of UCB's classes include some of the finest improvisors in the country. In this 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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Joyelle Nichole Johnson (opens for such superstars as Maria Bamford and Dave Chappelle), Adam Lowitt (The Daily Show), Kendra Cunningham (SNL, Jimmy Fallon, The Tyra Banks Show), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, ABC's The Unusuals), Greg Aidala, Amanda Baramki, and Janelle James performing stand-up at this free weekly show at Lucky Jack's Pub (129 Orchard Street) produced by Kyle Fincham, Lance Weiss, and Brendon Fitzgibbons: Gandhi, Is That You?

9:15 pm ($8): Sketch comedy from groups National Scandal and The UniSex, character sketch from Lauren Maul, plus music from Positive Feedback, and more at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Nathan Rand: January Sketch Block

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): BriTANick and the Cocoon Central Dance Team join Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer (Broad City, a web series that'll debut as a TV series January 22nd at 10:30 pm on Comedy Central) at UCB Chelsea for this "delicately crafted hour of fun:" Broad City Live

9:30 pm ($5): "Six improvisors make up scenes until someone yells 'Stop!' What happens next? Will they go through Door A, B, or C? Each door dictates the next leg of the story, but only the audience can decide their fate. Will there be glory? Will one of them find their missing cat? Or is death in their future? Come find out as you choose your own adventure" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Choose Your Own Adventure

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00: I'm not sure if this is a screening of Chris Gethard's show or a taping of the thing itself; but either either, if Chris is involved, it'll probably be great. It's happening at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Chris Gethard Show

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): UCBT Maude Night group Bucky most notably includes red-hot rising star Sasheer Zamata. Since Sasheer just got hired by Saturday Night Live, I wouldn't count on her participating; but ya never know... The group performs one long scene in the same location (a winning form that's helped such teams as Death by Roo Roo win a whole lot of Cage Match victories) at the UCB East theatre: Bucky: Here and Now

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Charla Lauriston (MTV; host of Free Cable) hosts as many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly, but for some, like me, that's part of the laid-back fun. (Tonight's scheduled guests include Phoebe Robinson; for the complete lineup, 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

Wednesday 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

[FREE] 5:30 pm: A character-based open-mic happening weekly at UCB East hosted by Sean Hart: Don't Be Yourself: Character Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open mic stand-up show that provides each performer whose name is pulled from a bucket 5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Kaity Neagle & Irene Hartmann: Ragtag Team Open Mic Stand-Up

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open mic stand-up for 15 comics performing for 5 minutes each at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.)—with drinks at half price: Happy Hour Open Mic

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

6:30 pm (no cover, 1-drink min. for comics): Walk-in open mic providing 7 minutes per stand-up at the Phoenix Bar (447 East 13th Street) hosted by Lisa Harmon: Lisa's Clubhouse

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 Wednesday 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 Lizzie Martinez: Comics Phoning It In

[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

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): Biweekly open mic stand-up, with each comic getting an unusually long 6-10 minutes, at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by James III & Jamie LeeLo: Hump Day

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your opportunity to perform on the stage of UCB East with improv veterans, hosted by UCBT Harold Night house group Bucky and DJ Cipha Sounds: The Improv Jam

[FREE] 11:00 pm: Your chance to perform on stage with experienced improvisors at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Bernard Maynore & Patrick Cucuta: Improdome

[FREE] 11:30: Sign up at 11:00 pm for the opportunity to make up scenes at The Magnet with veteran improvisors: Magnet Improv Mixer

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 Thursday 1/9/14

The smartest & funniest comedy improv troupe in the world returns to NYC through Sunday: The Improvised Shakespeare Company;
or if you'd prefer a different kind of classical experience, check out The PIT's The Improvised Opera

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 ($8): Meredith Hackman (host of Saddest Sketch Show) performs a one-woman show about highly unlikable people at The PIT upstairs theatre: I Hate You

7:00 pm ($5): All-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward, plus guests Jo Firestone, Shalyah Evans, and Megan Doherty, perform at the PIT downstairs lounge as group Taco Supreme

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Joe Pera (hilarious deadpan Andy Kaufman-like stand-up; one time I saw Joe sing beautifully and then smash three dozen plates to pieces; another time he ended his set by slicing milk; and when headlining at Carolines he had a first date on stage with a random member of the audience; for Joe's latest Kaufman awards submissions, please click here and here), Stone & Stone (Last Comic Standing, Stone & Stone Show), Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, ABC), and Emily Frankfurt performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Sean Crespo, Dan Wilbur, and/or Katina Corrao: Lasers in the Jungle

[$] 7:45 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:30 pm ($14 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tonight's lineups include Judah Friedlander and Gregg Rogell at the 9:30 show, and Mark Normand, Nikki Glaser, Kurt Metzger, and BIg Jay Oakerson at the 11:30 show, with all shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane): Comedy Cellar Thursday

[$] 7:30 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.): An Iranian-American stand-up headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Max Amini

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Stand-ups perform set lists on the spot provided by Paul Provenza, with tonight's comics 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 CDs Vegan Mind Meld and Meat Robot), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Sam Morril (Comedy Central), and more thinking quickly on their feet at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Set List with Paul Provenza

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, a double-bill from unique comedy talent Brandon Gulya. First Brandon performs witty and surreal one-man show Who Are You People and Why Are You Watching Me?...

..and then Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp prove themselves among the finest writer/performers at UCB with a consistently charming and hilarious version of Forest Gump that covers the entire film in 30 minutes, and features a deliciously funny Jenny played by Brandon Gulya, who also directed, resulting in one of the best sketch shows currently playing on an NYC stage: GUMP

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Leslie Goshko (delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic; WNYC, Sirius XM, Huffington Post, host of Sideshow Goshko), Caitlin Brodnick (co-host of Shut Up: An All-Female Storytelling Show), Christine Gentry, Ginny Leise, and Andrea Macy tell "hilarious, gross, awkward, and heartfelt stories of how they started out in NYC" at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Mallory Schlossberg ("who actually is a Girls fan, but once lived in a basement): Real Girls: Lena Dunham Got It Wrong

8:00 pm ($5): Two musical improv groups make up song-and-dance based stories on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Slick Zombie & Hemlock

8:00 pm-10:00 pm ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house improv groups Junior Varsity and Hello Laser performing improv for an hour, followed at 9:00 pm by One-Hit Wonder (veteran musical improvisors make up the story of a band: how they met, how they became successful with their big hit song, their downfall, and where they are today), at 10:00 pm by veteran improvisors making up scenes based on improvised monologues from star storyteller Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, The Dave Hill Explosion, bands Valley Lodge and Diamondsnake, champion rapper, author of Tasteful Nudes) at The Armando Diaz Experience, and finally at 11:00 by improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component): The Magnet's Night Out

[$] 8:00 pm ($15; no min.): Writers & performers of VH1's Best Week Ever, including Jared Logan, Michelle Buteau, Sherrod Small, Emily Tarver, Amanda Seales, and Pete Lee, performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): VH1's Best Week Ever Stands Up

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Guy Court, VH1), and Lukas Kaiser telling stories about movies at Videology (308 Bedford Avenue) hosted by John Murray and Matt Fisher: Low Standards with John & Matt

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Phoebe Robinson, Mike Denny, Steven Forrest, and Janelle James performing at Poco Restaurant & Bar (33 Avenue B at 3rd Street) hosted by Sooyah Jun and/or Jawann Carmona: FTH Comedy

[FREE] 8:00 pm: This monthly 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

9:00 pm ($5): Nick Vatterott (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, Second City, 2012 Andy Kaufman Award), Matt Koff (writer for The Daily Show), Alex Koll (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), Naomi Ekperigin, Nate Fridson, and Chris Laker performing at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover (College Humor, Olde English): Fresh Out

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:30 pm ($25 with discount code SHAKES FB at the door or online): Genius improvisors from Chicago delivering one of the funniest shows you'll ever see by making up a play on the spot using the language and themes of the Bard. This is the finest improv troupe in the world, and one of the best comedy shows of any kind, anywhere. Tonight is the first of a four-night NYC run at at Theatre 80 St. Marks (80 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue), with every evening utterly different from the last. This is a rare opportunity to enjoy the breathtakingly skilled Improvised Shakespeare Company

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Improvisors aim for "the comedy, drama, and vocal juiciness of a Mozart masterpiece made up on the spot; come hear beautiful arias appear out of nowhere as someone's beloved is ravaged by a cheese monster, Gary Busey, or anything else the audience suggests" at The PIT upstairs theatre: The Improvised Opera

9:30 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, writer/performers Dru Johnston & Don Fanelli demonstrate perfect comedic timing—coupled with sorta terrible singing, sketch comedy, and a PowerPoint presentation—for a very silly show aiming to prove "Billy Joel is the greatest recording artist of all time." I hope these guys aim for something meatier and more resonant to tackle next time, because they've got chops, which is especially evident at the dynamic start when they interact with the audience; but in the meantime you're likely to enjoy Sketches From an Italian Restaurant: A Billy Joel Sketch Show...

..and in the other half of this double-bill, a three-person mini-play that I'm amazed is still on the UCB schedule. Someone in management must like this, but you probably won't: Greasy Lake: Key to the City

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15; no min.): Mark Normand (hilarious red-hot rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Joe Pera (hilarious deadpan Andy Kaufman-like stand-up; one time I saw Joe sing beautifully and then smash three dozen plates to pieces; another time he ended his set by slicing milk; and when headlining at Carolines he had a first date on stage with a random member of the audience; for Joe's latest Kaufman awards submissions, please click here and here), Jared Logan (rising star; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, CNN, TBS), Ben & Josh, and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Mark Normand, Joe Pera, Jared Logan, and More

[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 & Akash Bhasin: Death Comedy Jam

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): This year's Cage Match improv playoffs continue, pitting the best against the best. Last week the longest running group at UCB, The Stepfathers, managed a close victory against Grandma's Ashes with 67 votes to 56. Tonight The Stepfathers do battle again, this time against the formidable Scrambled Legs, in what's likely to be a fierce and hilarious fight for your laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Stand-up, storytelling, and carny join forces to bring the blog And I Am Not Lying to life on stage, with storytelling by host Jeff Simmermon (NPR's This American Life), stand-up by Kara Klenk (Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon; host of If You Bring It) and carny comic Abigoliah Schamaun ("who will chew and swallow an entire light bulb during her set"), and burlesque by Matt Knife and Vada James, all at the UCB East theatre: And I Am Not Lying

Thursday 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

[FREE] 5:30 pm: All-gal open-mic at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by Anna Drezen & Sue Smith: Open Michelle: Ladies Open Mic

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up with comics' names drawn from a bucket and each chosen receiving 2 minutes—and if that goes well, maybe a hug (but not actual puppies)—at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ross Parsons & Trey Galyon: Free Puppies

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

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 Thursday 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

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

9:30 pm (free for audience members, $5 or 1 drink min. for stand-ups wanting to perform): Open mic stand-up providing 7 minutes per comic (and a free recording of your set!), with order determined raffle-style. Sign up by emailing info@oldmanhustle.com or calling (212) 253-7747, or just walk in and supply your name, to perform at the Old Man Hustle Bar (39 Essex Street) hosted by Solomon Chehebar: Peep Show Comedy Open Mic

[FREE] 11:00 pm: An open-mic show that's first come, first serve, with each comic getting 3-5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Josh Alba: Mic and Cheese

[ALMOST FREE] 11:00 pm ($1): An open stage for indie improv groups—and if you're not in a group, that's also fine, you'll simply be added to one—at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Darcy Burke & Donna Lobello: New Team Lunacy

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 Friday 1/10/14

Screenwriter/improvisor/actress Julie Sharbutt is among the stellar talents in Greg Kotis' Give the People Want They Want;
and the greatest improv troupe in the world continues making up instant classics: The Improvised Shakespeare Company

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight
(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm & 9:30 pm ($25 with discount code SHAKES FB at the door or online): Genius improvisors from Chicago delivering one of the funniest shows you'll ever see by making up a play on the spot using the language and themes of the Bard. This is the finest improv troupe in the world, and one of the best comedy shows of any kind, anywhere. Tonight is the second of a four-night NYC run at at Theatre 80 St. Marks (80 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue), with every evening utterly different from the last. This is a rare opportunity to enjoy the breathtakingly skilled Improvised Shakespeare Company

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($7): One of my favorite people in the world, the delightful Lauren Olson (powerhouse one-woman show Our Condolences at FringeNYC; brilliant writer, actress, and improvisor), and her talented comedy partner Jana Schmieding spearhead a showcase for comedic characters, tonight including Megan Gray and about 10 other comics, performing at The Magnet theatre: Jana & Lauren Presents

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): 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," and tonight are joined by stand-up Siobhan Beasley performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hodapp & Rothwell

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:45 pm, 10:30 pm, and 12:15 am ($20-$24 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tonight's lineups include Kevin Meaney, Gregg Rogell, Greer Barnes, and Lynne Koplitz at the 7:00 show; Ali Wong and Greer Barnes at the 8:00 show; Kevin Meaney, Ali Wong, and Lynne Koplitz at the 8:45 show; Ali Wong, Greer Barnes, and James Smith at the 10:30 show; and Dave Attell, Greer Barnes, Nikki Glaser, James Smith, and Big Jay Oakerson at the 12:15 show, with all shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) except for the 8:00 pm show at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Friday

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm & 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): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Dave Smith (IFC's Z-Rock), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, ABC's The Unusuals), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

7:00 pm ($8): Five veteran improvisors make stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre as troupe Lead McEnroe

[FREE] 7:30 pm: Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents, FOX, VH1, E!, host of Nearly Naked Lady Comedy Hour), Gibran Saleem (MTV), Meg Cupernall (Dr. Oz), Katie Compa, and TJ Del Reno performing at this monthly stand-up show at the One and One Bar (12 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Jeff Cerulli and the delightful Chelsea White (MTV, VH1, TLC, co-host of Call Us Crazy): What Else? Comedy

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch group (vs. improv group) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It’s earned this slot because its writers (who include stellar comics Brandon Gulya and Silvija Ozols) are terrific, and its cast is superb: Brandon Scott Jones, Molly Lloyd, John Murray, Leslie Meisel, Connor Ratliff, and Johnathan Fernandez. (If you're in the industry, hire them.) Enjoy this new collection of sketches from these sexy performers (which I hope to see soon): Stone Cold Fox: Sexy Idiots

7:30 pm ($5): NYC comics (not announced) performing stand-up or storytelling at UCB East hosted by Halle Kiefer: Splitsider's Dog and Pony Show

[$] 7:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): An Iranian-American stand-up headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Max Amini

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($15): Tony Award-winning playwright/lyricist Greg Kotis (Urinetown) has written "a collection of seven short plays that explore love, sex, truth, sex, money, sex and justice. In that order" featuring wonderful comedic actors Julie Sharbutt, Micah Sherman, Dan Hodapp, Keisha Zollar, and Chris Robert at The PIT upstairs theatre: Give the People What They Want

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($20; no min.): Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show, Comedy Central hour-long special, Adult Swim, host of Night Train), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour; podcast You Had to Be There), Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Sherrod Small (writer/performer on TBS' Are We There Yet?, Comedy Central, VH1), and Dante Nero (Comedy Central, HBO, ABC, FOX) performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Wyatt Cenac, Judah Friedlander, Nikki Glaser, Christian FInnegan, Big Jay Oakerson, and More

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10 at the door or $12.62 online): Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country) hosts this monthly show, tonight featuring Jackie Kashian, Ben Lerman, Har Mar Superstar, Doug Gillard, Mike Bocchetti, Alex Edelman, and Jodi Lennon performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Meet Me in the Bathroom and Tell Me All Your Secrets

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): 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, improv troupe Salmon Diane, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($26 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's hosted MTV's Numbnuts and Money From Strangers, and starred in a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club with terrific openers Ophira Eisenberg, Joe List, and Vic Henley: Jeff Dye, Ophira Eisenberg, Joe List and Vic Henley

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from Shannon O'Neill, Silvija Ozols, Zach Woods, Michael Delaney, Will Hines, and Connor Ratliff, performing at UCB Chelsea—the all-star members of The Stepfathers

[FREE—plus FREE DRINKS & SNACKS! Reserve seats by emailing lukaskaiser@gmail.com with subject GREAT GRANDMA PANTIES] 9:00 pm for free drinks & snacks, 9:30 pm for show: Jared Logan (rising star; Comedy Central Half Hour, Last Comic Standing, CNN, TBS), Matt Koff (writer for The Daily Show), Andy Rocco (The Tony Show, Underground Americana), Dicks & Stones, and Julio Torres performing stand-up at Brit Pack Studios (153 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor) hosted by Hoff Matthews & Lukas Kaiser: HP5000 Live Comedy

9:30 pm ($10): Two PIT upstairs theatre improv groups making up a musical on the spot, one with sharpness and the other with a friendly greeting: Dagger and Hello

9:30 pm ($5): Solo character comedy from Kelly Fitzpatrick, Kenji America, Mary Crosbie, Sharon Jamilkowski, Margaret Dodge, and talented host Jenn Dodd in a parody of a talent contest at The PIT downstairs lounge: Buttski & Glasscock's New Talent Blowout

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($10): Singing improvisors at The Magnet—tonight with extra-special guest Tara Copeland, briefly back from LA—using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($20; no min.): Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show, Comedy Central hour-long special, Adult Swim, host of Night Train), Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Half Hour; podcast You Had to Be There), Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Sherrod Small (writer/performer on TBS' Are We There Yet?, Comedy Central, VH1), and Dante Nero (Comedy Central, HBO, ABC, FOX) performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Wyatt Cenac, Judah Friedlander, Nikki Glaser, Christian FInnegan, Big Jay Oakerson, and More

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC comics performing stand-up at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Justin Grace, Mike Pullan and James Ferrarella, who also promise "skits, arm wrestling, jeopardy, contests, drinking, and everything else you would do on an" Almost Saturday Show

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Superb improvisors Craig Rowin, Matt Fisher, Sue Galloway, Dan Klein, Brian Faas, Matt Moses, and/or Conner O'Malley—who this year defeated The Stepfathers and thoroughly crushed another troupe at Cage Match before losing by a single vote—make up scenes about an audience member's legal dispute at the UCB Chelsea theatre: The Law Firm: Law & Disorder

10:30 pm ($10): Josh Sharp (co-star of superb UCB sketch show GUMP), Brandon Scott Wolf (contributing writer to SNL), and Paul Oddo (co-host of The Friday Night Hot Chicks Mic) performing stand-up or sketch at UCB East hosted by Brandon Scott Jones, D'Arcy Carden, Justin Tyler, Kelly Hudson, and/or Alden Ford: Gentrify

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): I'm not sure he's in NYC tonight, but one of the finest improvisors alive, Joe Bill (Bassprov, iO, co-founder of the Annoyance Theatre) will either personally spearhead or lead in spirit a breathtakingly brilliant group of improvisors from Chicago and New York who will blow the roof off The PIT downstairs lounge with lightning-quick dark comedy unlike anything else in NYC. The other superb players typically are Doug Stoley (Conan O'Brien, The Scene), Amey Goerlich (Indie Cage Match, Krompf, The Scene), Jodi Lennon (Exit 57, Annoyance Theatre), Jed Resnik (Annoyance Theatre, UCB), Silvija Ozols (The Stepfathers), Betsy Stover (UCB), Ari Voukydis (VH1's Best Week Ever, UCB), Russ Armstrong (iO Chicago, The Magnet), Micah Sherman (Second City, co-host of The Scene, host of Fun), Rick Andrews (Magnet teacher/performer), and Michael Burton (Act One, The Magnet), all declaring Chica Go-Go

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): A rotating cast drawing from over a dozen of the talented gal improvisors and sketch comics at The Magnet—including Artistic Director Megan Gray, Lauren Olson, Elena Fishbein, Kimberly Ferguson, and Beth Newell—aim to "give you a dark and twisted late night explosion:" The Clubhouse

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: Pot stand-up from "highly talented comics who have been highly recommended from people who are thought highly of in the business. Oh, and they'll be high" at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Clayton English & Noah Gardenswartz: High Five

[DISCOUNTED] Midnight ($10 online using discount code VORTEX; no min.): Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), DJ No Face, Giulio Gallarotti, Ben & Josh, Crystian Ramirez, and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Big Jay Oakerson and More

Midnight ($5): "A live monthly comedy game show in which three contestants participate in a battle of wits and knowledge for the chance to win a grand prize of 20 American dollars" at UCB East hosted by Ryan Simmons: Everyone's Favorite Game Show

Friday 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

5:45 pm (no cover, 1 drink min. for both comics and audience members): Open mic stand-up providing 5-7 minutes per comic, running 1 hour. 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] 6:00 pm: An open-mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

[ALMOST FREE] 6:00 pm ($1): Attend to perform improv with experienced PIT performers at The PIT downstairs lounge, with a weekly rotating selection of formats and hosts: Happy Hour

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there'll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by Sarah Tollemache and/or Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Open Mic

[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that's first come, first serve, with each comic getting 5 minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Mic and Cheese

[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 members of Maude troupe Moriarty: Liquid Courage

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 Saturday 1/11/14

Lewis Black, Wyatt Cenac, Gilbert Gottfried, Kevin Allison, Keith and the Girl, and more
are live on stage for an event running today from 3:00 pm through midnight at Fontana's: NYC Podcast Festival

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] 6:00 pm ($6.17 online or $5 at the door; show up early to nab seats): A live taping of podcast Keith and the Girl, with guests Danny Hatch, Myka Fox, Lauren Hennessy, and Emmy Pellot at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street): Keith and the Girl Live Podcast

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Tink Tank, Grade School, Three Nice Boys, and Sad Kids kicking off Saturday evening at The Magnet theatre: The Rundown

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm & 9:30 pm ($25 with discount code SHAKES FB at the door; please note the entire run has SOLD OUT, but the theatre can often squeeze people in if you're okay with standing): Genius improvisors from Chicago delivering one of the funniest shows you'll ever see by making up a play on the spot using the language and themes of the Bard. This is the finest improv troupe in the world, and one of the best comedy shows of any kind, anywhere. Tonight is the third of a four-night NYC run at at Theatre 80 St. Marks (80 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue), with every evening utterly different from the last. This is a rare opportunity to enjoy the breathtakingly skilled Improvised Shakespeare Company

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($11.34 online or $10 at the door; show up early to nab seats): A live taping of JR Havlan's podcast Writer's Bloc, with former Daily Show star correspondent and writer Wyatt Cenac interviewed at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street): Writer's Bloc Live Podcast: Wyatt Cenac Interviewed by JR Havlan

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm & 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): Judah Friedlander (one of the quickest minds in comedy; 30 Rock, Meet the Parents, Along Came Polly, author of How to Beat Up Anybody), Dave Smith (IFC's Z-Rock), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, ABC's The Unusuals), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): Improv troupe Punctual Drunks interviews an audience member about his or her favorite fairy tale, and then picks up the story where it left off so you can find out how it really ended, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Punctual Drunks & Friends

[$] 7:00 pm, 7:15 pm, 8:45 pm, 9:15 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:15 pm, and 12:15 am ($20-$24 per show, plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tonight's lineups include Greer Barnes at all shows, Ben Bailey at the 7:00, 8:45, and 9:15 shows, and Dave Attell, James Smith, and Big Jay Oakerson at the 12:15 show, with four of the shows at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane), and the 7:15 and 9:15 shows at Village Underground (130 West 3rd Street, off Sixth Avenue): Comedy Cellar Saturday

7:00 pm ($8): Duo sketch from Ruby Marez & Joanna Brown about annoying sisters at the PIT downstairs lounge: Biddies

7:30 pm ($10): Improv powerhouses Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, Natasha Rothwell, and more at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then "turn that town's tourist attractions, landmarks, hangouts, local celebrities, urban legends, and more into a hilarious show made up on the spot:" The Curfew: Not From Around Here

7:30 pm ($10): Sharp Magnet improvisors "perform organic freeform improvisation in two mind-blowing parts; the only rule is that there are no rules:" The Weave

[$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.): An Iranian-American stand-up headlining tonight through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Max Amini

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Abbi Crutchfield (MTV, VH1; co-host of Positively Awesome and The Living Room), Neil Constantine, Gregory Joseph, Craig Mahoney, and Paul Spratt performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Over the Eight (594 Union Ave) hosted by Evan Morgenstern & Darin Patterson: Comic Sans

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Mike Brown, Taylor Clark, Ben Conrad, Alex Grubard, Kerryn Feehan, and Casey James Salengo, and improv troupe Butts perform at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Peggy O'Leary: Hard, Lonely, and Vicious

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($26 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's hosted MTV's Numbnuts and Money From Strangers, and starred in a Comedy Central Presents special, headlining at the Gotham Comedy Club: Jeff Dye

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford, and last year crushed 15 improv groups in Cage Match, entirely owns the UCB East stage tonight at Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

[FREE] 8:30 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The Irish Exit (978 Second Avenue, off 52nd Street, in the back room) hosted by Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here): Comedy at Irish Exit

[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 ($16.52 online or $15 at the door; show up early to nab seats): A live taping of Kevin Allison's superb storytelling podcast Risk!, with storytellers Alex Edelman, Godfrey, and Keith Malley & Chemda from Keith and the Girl performing at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street): Risk! Live Podcast

9:00 pm ($10): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

9:30 pm ($10): Improvisors make up new episodes of a TV classic at The PIT downstairs lounge: Saved by the Bell: The Lost Episodes

[$] 9:30 pm ($11.34 online or $15 at the door): A young all-guy improv troupe making stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre: Gentlemen Party

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($11.34 online, or $10 at the door; show up early to nab seats): Wonderful comedy stars Lewis Black and Gilbert Gottfried are interviewed at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street) by host Liam McEneaney for a live taping of a podcast: TYF Live Podcast: Lewis Black and Gilbert Gottfried

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($10): UCBT Artistic Director Nate Dern, Zhubin Parang (writer for The Daily Show), Tracey Wigfield (writer for 30 Rock), Michael Kayne (Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion), Aaron Jackson (Newsadoozies), and more form an improv troupe at UCB East that won this year's prestigious Cage Match championship by springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($20): 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 West Village's Soho Playhouse: The Complete Performer

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): At UCB Chelsea, improv group Grandma's Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—takes your written secrets and turns them into very funny improv scenes: Grandma's Ashes: We Won't Tell

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney perform sharp improv at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($8): Original comedic songs are showcased, with tonight's singers Patrick Noth, Matt Starr, Tamsi New, Evan Altshuler, Edith & Franny, and Kingmaker performing at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Justin Perez and Nicole Pasquale: Total Requesty

11:30 pm ($5): NYC comics (not announced) perform at this sketch comedy/talk/variety show at UCB East hosted by Anthony Apruzzese: Showtime with Anthony Apruzzese

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] Midnight ($15 online using discount code CRINGE; no min.): Wyatt Cenac (former star correspondent for The Daily Show, Comedy Central hour-long special, Adult Swim, host of Night Train), Kurt Metzger (staff writer for Inside Amy Schumer; Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Ugly Americans), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Louis Katz (Jimmy Fallon, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Luis Gomez, and more performing "cringe" stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Cringe Humor: Wyatt Cenac, Kurt Metzger, Big Jay Oakerson, and More

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Mark Normand (hilarious red-hot rising star; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; opens for Amy Schumer; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Matt Koff (writer for The Daily Show), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central), Alan Starzinski (improv group Sandino), Johnathan Marballi (sketch group Beige), David Bluvband (improv group Good Girl), and David Ebert (improv group Alamo) performing stand-up or sketch at UCB Chelsea with hosts Andy Rocco & Steven Slate: Underground Americana

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups (not announced) joking about their culture—Jewish, African-American, Asian, geek, whatever—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Shak Standley & Paul Higbie: The Black Bar Mitzvah

Saturday Open Mics and Jams

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

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Walk-in open mic comedy show—stand-up, character, or funny story—providing 5 minutes per comic at The Fifth Estate Bar (506 5th Avenue, off 12th Street) hosted by Meghan O'Keefe: Open Mic-hael Douglas

5:30 pm ($5): Walk-in open mic, with sign-up at 5:15 pm and each stand-up performing for 5 minutes, at the Comedy Village Comedy Club (107 MacDougal Street): Comedy Village

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 Sunday 1/12/14

If you're staying home, be sure to catch Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting NBC's 2014 Golden Globe Awards...

...but if you're going out, consider enjoying Colin Quinn, Myq Kaplan, Dave Hill, Michael Che,
Jackie Kashian, W. Kamau Bell, and more at the final day of Fontana's NYC Podcast Festival

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] 3:00 pm-11:00 pm (prices vary for each show; arrive early to nab seats): Colin Quinn, Dave Hill, Michael Che, Myq Kaplan, Jackie Kashian, W. Kamau Bell, Eddie Brill, Claudia Cogan, and more appearing at this second of this weekend's live-on-stage podcast festival at Fontana's (105 Eldridge Street): NYC Podcast Festival 2014

3:00 pm ($10): A sketch and stand-up show for kids—with no irony, this is for children aged 4-10—hosted by Mark Malkoff at The PIT upstairs theatre: Two Juice Minimum

[FREE] 5:00 pm: A mix of longform, shortform, and musical improv from five groups, typically including Mishmosh, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Michael Venzor: The Long and Short of It

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

7:30 pm ($7): Sketch comedy groups Party. American Wormholes, and Baby Shoes perform new material at The Magnet theatre: Magnet Sketch Teams

[$] 7:30 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.): An Iranian-American stand-up headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Max Amini

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($25 with discount code SHAKES FB at the door; please note the entire run has SOLD OUT, but the theatre can often squeeze people in if you're okay with standing): Genius improvisors from Chicago delivering one of the funniest shows you'll ever see by making up a play on the spot using the language and themes of the Bard. This is the finest improv troupe in the world, and one of the best comedy shows of any kind, anywhere. Tonight's the conclusion of a four-night NYC run at Theatre 80 St. Marks (80 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue), with every evening utterly different from the last. This is a rare opportunity to enjoy the breathtakingly skilled Improvised Shakespeare Company

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): From the producers of The Scene, improvisors—who tonight are Micah Sherman, Joe Schiappa, and Liz Wisan, and groups You're Not My Dad and Funkie Todd—make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Act One

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Kevin Meaney (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, HBO, Comedy Central, Adult Swim), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Ryan Hamilton (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, Showtime), and William Stephenson (FX's Louie, The Chris Rock Show) 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): Kevin Meaney, Gary Gulman, Nick Griffin, Ryan Hamilton, and More

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Alex Koll (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), Amber Nelson (fearless, innovative rising star; Comedy Central; sketch troupes Murderfist and The Prom, co-host of The Dream Show), Liz Miele (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, Damaged), Dan Shaki (Sirius XM Radio), Kenny Deforest, and Seth Cockfield performing at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street) hosted by RG Daniels: Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): Sabrina Jalees (delightful dynamo stand-up; Last Comic Standing, MTV’s Failosophy), Matt Koff (writer for The Daily Show), Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central Half Hour, MTV, ABC), Jacqueline Novak, Tony Deyo, and Greg Stone performing stand-up at UCB East with host Kara Klenk (Comedy Central, Spike, Nickelodeon): If You Build It

8:00 pm ($8): "A show where we give reruns the respect the deserve—honoring the good ones, screwing with the bad ones, and generally have a great time with the best sitcom scripts of the '70s, '80s and '90" at The PIT upstairs theatre: The ReRun Project

[FREE] 8:00 pm: "A TV show that airs so late at night, it's technically the first morning show of the next day on Queens Public Television and streaming on Vimeo.com, anchored by Kevin McCaffrey & Elizabeth Kuchta, with weatherman Jon Daly, and additional help from Jaimie Hughes, Shane Heimann, and guests" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Technically Tomorrow

8:00 pm ($10 & 2-item food/drink min.): Gay-themed stand-up from Danny Cohen (Comedy Central), Emma Willmann, Chris Doucette, Graham Nolan, and Sheba Mason performing at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.) hosted by Adam Sank: Queens of Queens

[$] 9:00 pm ($15; no min.): 9:00 pm ($15): Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Harris Stanton, Chris Cotton, and Bridget Everett performing stand-up, plus music from DJ Roofeeo, at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace): Comedy Night

[$] 9:00 pm ($15; no min.): Jamie Lee (staff writer/performer for The Pete Holmes Show; Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, MTV's Girl Code, VH1), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, Louie, HBO, Showtime, MTV, IFC), Mark DeMayo (retired NYC cop with great stories), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV's Guy Code, Girl Code, Guy Court, VH1), Joe Zimmerman, and Bill Dawes performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Jamie Lee, Big Jay Oakerson, Mark DeMayo, and More

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour), Doug Smith, Maria Heinegg, and Brendan Eyre performing stand-up in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Adam Sokol, Brad Austin, and/or Nate Fridson: Comedy at Beauty Bar

[$] 9:45 pm ($14 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Ross Bennett (David Letterman, Comedy Central, A&E), Gary Gulman (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Nick Griffin (David Letterman, Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents), Keith Alberstadt (David Letterman, VH1, contributor to SNL's Weekend Update), and Louis Katz (Jimmy Fallon, HBO, Comedy Central Presents) 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): Ross Bennett, Gary Gulman, Nick Griffin, and More

Sunday Open Mics & Open Stages

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early walk-in open-mic stand-up show (put your name in the bucket at 3:45), providing 3 minutes or more per comic at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City: Face-Plant Comedy Open Mic

[ALMOST FREE] 5:00 pm ($1): Sign up at 4:30 pm to do improv with experienced PIT performers at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Sasha Capelli, Eitan Levine, and Shaina Stigler: 10K Jam Jam

[FREE] 5:30 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there'll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area ("Hot Chicks Room") hosted by Emmy Blotnick, Matt Nedostup, and/or Sachi Ezurafor: Sledgehammer

6:00 pm ($5): Open-mic stand-up that includes professional feedback on each comic's 5-minute set at Queens LIC's Laughing Devil Comedy Club (4738 Vernon Blvd.): Mic-Shop: Open Mic Workshop

[ALMOST FREE] 9:30 pm ($1): Open-mic comedy, with 4 minutes per performer, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Child Support

[FREE] 10:00 pm: The only open-stage show for entire groups of improvisors and sketch comics, running weekly at UCB East hosted by Austin Rodrigues: Bring Your Own Team: Improv/Sketch Team Jam

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Open-mic show for sketch and character bits running 3-5 minutes at The Magnet hosted by Sebastian Conelli. Everyone who signs up—at 9:45 pm at the box office—is likely to get onstage: Sketch in Progress

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.)

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