NYC Comedy Picks for Week of June 11, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 6/11/12

One of NYC's funniest shows is a noir comedy where the wonderful cast has a great time even backstage: Death Wears Stilettos...

..and Jena Friedman (writer for David Letterman), Wyatt Cenac (correspondent for The Daily Show),
and more will delight you at Jena's free monthly show Entertaining the Bartender

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

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

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Open-mic storytelling, with each of the four audience members chosen from the bucket of names getting to tell tales for 7 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart: The Dump

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): A monthly storytelling show from the wonderful Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 18-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Tales of the Cosmos and Whatever Happened to the Nerds?; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), along with guest storyteller Tommy Pryor, at Under St. Marks: The Adam Wade from New Hampshire Show: Tales of Life, Love, and Little League

7:00 pm ($5): Sketch troupe Shelby Company performs oddball bits for this Magnet sketch show show that in the past has included two-timing monsters and presidential ninjas: Ephemerama

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, one of the very best sketch shows of 2012. It's a noir mini-play written & directed with immense wit by Michael Trapp (Stone Cold Fox), who with this script demonstrates he's a rising star with a surefire career in the biz. And beyond the pages, Michael's put together an all-star cast, including John Murray (simultaneously gripping and hilarious as a hardboiled detective with an absurdly short attention span), Brandon Scott Jones (who delivers an unforgettable scene with John that's worth the trip all by itself), and D'Arcy Carden (who abandons her usual laid-back persona here to be smoking hot). These are all total pros who are virtually assured careers in TV and film. Catch them while they're honing their craft and waiting to be noticed in one of the most consistently fun shows in NYC: Death Wears Stilettos...

...and in the other half of this double-bill, a show for which I had high hopes since some of my fondest childhood memories are of Krypto and his Space Canine Patrol Agents (S.C.P.A.). But this ain't that. Instead, it's a deliberately dumb version of Saturday morning cartoon shows that demonstrates little respect, affection, or wit towards its source material. The most notable elements are Neil Casey, who is hilarious as an evil alien insect-man; Rob Lathan as Neil's lackey; and Sue Galloway as the gal even dog creatures want to make out with. This could have been so much more, especially with the brilliant Craig Rowin as co-writer; but instead it's Dog Fleet

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Tom Papa (host of Jerry Seinfeld-produced NBC comedy The Marriage Ref; numerous appearances on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno; three Comedy Central specials), Barbara Holm (SF Sketchfest, Bumbershoot), and muscial guest John Wesley Harding performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from a duo who between them won four 2011 ECNY Awards—including Best Variety Show and Best Hosts—Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety

8:00 pm ($5): Making great use of UCB East's previous incarnation as an indie movie theatre, tonight features screenings of select films running five minutes or less—most of them funny—crafted in the style of TV pilots. The shorts receiving the most audience votes get to continue with additional episodes, while the others are "canceled" at Channel 101

8:00 pm ($8): A sketch comedy show that "captures all the emotions associated with the daily grind—pain, boredom, fun, exhaustion, and did we mention pain?" Among the show's performers is the lovely Katey Healy-Wurzburg (The Fascinator) at The PIT upstairs theatre: Pink Slip This, B*tch

[FREE] 8:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Jamie Lee (Last Comic Standing, MTV's Ridiculousness, VH1), Michelle Wolf, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Sam Morril, Chris Lamberth, and Gabe Pacheco performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Matchless (557 Manhattan Avenue) hosted by Mike Denny, Michael Che, and/or Nimesh Patel: Broken Comedy

8:30 pm ($7): Sketch troupe Shelby Company performs oddball bits for this Magnet sketch show show that in the past has included two-timing monsters and presidential ninjas: Ephemerama

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, The Dave Hill Explosion, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; new bestselling book Tasteful Nudes), Seth Cockfield (visiting from Austin), Dava Krause and Jake Weisman (both visiting from LA), and musical guest Adam Day performing 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 stand-up, writer, and storyteller; TLC, trutV; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here) and Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Stripped Stories): Dive Comedy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: This monthly stand-up show from wonderful dark humor comic Jena Friedman (staff writer for David Letterman) tonight features Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Calise Hawkins (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, writer for Playboy.com), and Jessica Delfino (co-creator of New York Funny Songs Festival), plus maybe "a surprise guest," all performing at the Ace Hotel lobby (20 West 29th Street, between Fifth Avenue & Broadway): Entertaining the Bartender

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out new bits: Fambly (which includes wonderful rising star Mamrie Hart, Nicole Byer, Dan Chamberlain, Veronica Osorio, and a sharp crew of writers), and Neighbor Boy (which tends to be weak on material, but includes such talents as Tim Dunn and Beth Appel, and may get a shot in the arm with the addition of writer Caitlin Bitzegaio): Maude Night: Neighbor Boy & Fambly

9:30 pm ($8): Young improvisors at The PIT upstairs theatre make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: The Shady Bunch

[FREE] 9:30 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 a seasoned headliner closes out the show with a 20-minute set, all at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: On the Road

9:30 pm ($5): A monthly stand-up competition at UCB East in which "new and emerging stand-up comics face off against each other in front of a panel of judges eager to provide unsolicited advice and even more unsolicited scores"—the judges being Brian Cichocki (Caroline's, Stand-Up New York), and Shannon Coffey. If you're an up-and-coming stand-up, send a video link and brief bio to john@ucbcomedy.com for a chance to participate in Stand-Up Smackdown

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who are no longer being announced in advance, but it's virtually always a great lineup—at UCB Chelsea hosted by the wonderful Leo Allen (HBO, Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central): Whiplash

11:00 pm ($5): A sketch comedy radio show/podcast live on the UCB East stage, with tonight's guests musical group Summer & Eve, George Kareman, Laura Willcox, and Ryan Williams, plus regulars Adam Bozarth, Dan Chamberlain, Matt Little, Taylor Moore, and Anna Rubanova: Left Handed Radio

[FREE] 11:00 pm: If you're an audience member who loves stand-up, Monday at 11 should be Whiplash! night (see listing above). If you're a comic who couldn't get booked on UCBT's all-star show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills at this exceptionally supportive stand-up open mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Jarrid Reed: Fresh

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 6/12/12

Eric Andre (star of Adult Swim's wonderful The Eric Andre Show) is briefly back in NYC,
and performing tonight at Sweet and Comedy Juice

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] 6:30 pm: Open mic for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Chesley Calloway (co-host of renowned Comedy as a Second Language): The Ches Club

7:00 pm ($5): A two-person sketch show about dating and choices at The PIT downstairs lounge that I haven't seen but sounds sweet & fun: The New York Smiths—Speed Dating

7:00 pm ($5): Twin brothers Buck & Clint Vrazel perform improv, sketch and musical comedy at The Magnet as duo TwinProv

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:30 pm: Ben McCool (comic book writer for PIGS, Choker) joining 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: Comic Book Club

7:30 pm-9:15 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes GoodGirl, The Regulars, and The Pox at this first half (see 9:15 pm for more) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($15 at the door or $18.88 online): W. Kamau Bell (host of new FX late-night summer series Totally Biased, exec produced by Chris Rock; co-host of The Field Negro Guide to Arts & Culture podcast with Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid), James Adomian (hilarious, super-charged character comic/impressionist; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Harold and Kumar 2), Baratunde Thurston (author of How to Be Black; The Onion, Discovery Science), Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central Presents, Jimmy Kimmel), and Janine Brito (just moved here from San Francisco; 2011 “Best Comedian with a Message” via East Bay Express) performing at Lolita Bar hosted by Liam McEneaney: Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 at the door or $7.63 online): Leo Allen (former writer for Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central Presents, Conan O'Brien, HBO's Funny or Die, director/co-writer of Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van, host of top NYC comedy show Whiplash), Phil Hanley (Craig Ferguson), Adam Pateman (NPR), and Josh Gondelman performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Union Hall for this show hosted by Calvin Cole and Sharron Paul that calls attention to its inexpensive price: Cheap Date

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): A musical show at UCB East describing itself as "Female-fronted folky-pop band. Hyper-articulate, nerdy, post-modern sort of musical comedy. Folk singalongs and catchy pop jams are merely the metaphorical table holding up the buffet of wordplay, sarcastic wit, and rapid-fire pop culture references:" Summer & Eve: Folky-Pop Musical Comedy

8:00 pm ($5): Cathleen Carr (Two Girls for Five Bucks, Birds, The Scene) and Bob Kulhan (Second City, The Scene) host a show featuring two-person improv teams challenged with separation anxiety—the audience is asked to scramble them and create one-night-only pairings.The established duos participating tonight are Brigid Boyle & Alexis Saarela, Lucas Kavner & Bradford Jordan (Swords), and Cathleen Carr & Bob Kulhan at The PIT downstairs Lounge: Carr Kulhan: Dos Experimento

8:00 pm ($8): Newest PIT house sketch troupe National Scandal performs at The PIT downstairs lounge: National Scandal

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

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

9:00 pm (no cover, one drink min.): Louis Katz (HBO, Comedy Central), Erik Bergstrom (cartoonist/author of Grimmer Tales, The New Yorker, Comedy Central's Indecision 2012), Dan Soder (Comedy Central, VH1; for set about being a hypochondriatic drug user, please click here), Jake Weisman (The Morning After podcast), and George Gordon performing on the topic Enlightenment for this weekly show at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) hosted tonight by Emily Heller: The Afterlife

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Eric Andre (hilarious wild man; creator and co-star of genius new Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show; HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, ABC's Apartment 23, Comedy Central, FOX, TBS), Neal Brennan (razor-sharp stand-up veteran; HBO, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, co-creator of Chappelle's Show), Streeter Seidell (Editor-in-Chief of College Humor; Jimmy Kimmel, MTV), Kevin Barnett (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes Johnny Romance, Creature, and Sandino—plus four separate three-person groups of advanced students each perform one long scene in a form called The Three-Hander—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Bunk; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), Dan McCoy (staff writer for The Daily Show), and musical guest Moon Hooch (2 saxophones + drums) are interviewed about "their earliest creative experiences and the nuances of having a creative career" for a weekly podcast that once a month goes live on the UCB East stage with hosts Andy Beckerman & Mark Bisi: Beginnings

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Stand-up and sketch at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre, typically hosted by sketch troupes Savage Animal and/or Jerk Practice: Savage Animal

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Eric Andre (hilarious wild man; creator and co-star of genius new Adult Swim series The Eric Andre Show; HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, ABC's Apartment 23, Comedy Central, FOX, TBS), Neal Brennan (razor-sharp stand-up veteran; HBO, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, co-creator of Chappelle's Show), James Adomian (hilarious, super-charged character comic/impressionist; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Harold and Kumar 2), John Mooney (Reverend Gary on 30 Rock), Bryan Callen (The Hangover 1 and 2, Comedy Central, Chelsea Lately, HBO's Entourage), and more performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice

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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal practices for her upcoming one-hour taped special (in San Francisco) at UCB East. This has already sold out, but you might be able to get in if you're okay with standing: Kristen Schaal: Going Blue

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 6/13/12

Thoroughly lovely comedy genius Kristen Schaal goes to Queens LIC to practice for a one-hour TV special: Going Blue...

...and the beautiful Mamrie Hart and pretty cute Stephen Soroka perform as comedy duo BoF: Friends Without Benefits

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 for PIT Super Free Wednesday

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

6:30 pm ($5): Two shows about which I know nothing audition for a regular spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea schedule: The Cole County Book Club Presents Local Authors Night at The Mid-Missouri Public Library and Moustache Man: Confessions of a NYC Graffiti Artist. These might be great or awful; but at $2.50 per show, you can't go far wrong either way (heck, those super-long titles are worth a buck all by themselves...). That's part of the fun of Spank

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

7:00 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features troupes Hoops and Spooky Ghost: Lloyd Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Mamrie Hart is a rising star who somehow manages to be razor-sharp and immensely warm & accessible at the same time—and is always worth catching. Mamrie and her superb comedy partner Stephen Soroka tonight perform puns, wild facial expressions, dance, rock trivia, audience pranks, murder reenactments, and more as sketch duo BoF: Friends Without Benefits...

...plus in the other half of this double-bill, "Matt Hobby & Mary Grill have a love deeper than one thousand really deep oceans. Through storytelling and sketch comedy, Matt & Mary show you the characters who helped them on their journey from fiancés to newlyweds:" Tying the Knot

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB East, Sasheer Zamata, Nicole Byer, and Keisha Zollar perform as the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger

8:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Leslie Goshko (delightful & razor-sharp storyteller/comic; WNYC, Manhattan Monologue Slam Champ, host of Sideshow Goshko), and stand-ups Jon Savoy, Jason Marcus, Katie Compa, and Cory Reppond performing at McSwiggan's (393 Second Avenue off 23rd Street) hosted by Selena Coppock, Dan Cartwright, and Emily Epstein: Connotation

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5 if you say "It's not a tumor," otherwise $8): Stand-up/storyteller Selena Coppock (author of upcoming book The New Rules for Blondes), Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Kevin Laferriere (character comic), and sketch troupes The Chris & Paul Show, Rachel & the Elf, and Charm Noodle performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Jay Welch: June Sketch Block

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:30 pm ($5): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal practices for her upcoming one-hour taped special (in San Francisco) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre. If you got shut out of Kristen's UCBT shows, which all sold out tickets in a flash, here's your chance for a show that can't get sold out because it's free and doesn't accept reservations (but arrive early because it's first come, first serve): Kristen Schaal: Going Blue

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

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

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

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 6/14/12

TV & movie star Richard Lewis is scheduled to perform at tonight's Hot Soup

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: Nisse Greenberg (Moth StorySlam winner, sketch comic, blogger) is tonight's guest at this weekly open mic storytelling show, with each performer given a whopping eight minutes to captivate & impress, at UCB East hosted by John Flynn: Oh, Hey Guys!

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Veteran musical improvisors at The PIT mix with novices on-stage at Pitch

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

6:30 pm ($5): Two shows about which I know nothing audition for a regular spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea schedule: The Honeymen Present: A Salute to Honey! and 404ing It: Breaking (Down) the Internet. These might be great or awful; but at $2.50 per show, you can't go far wrong either way. That's part of the fun of Spank

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($15): A delightful comedic singing duo (according to Molly, "really smart, funny, talented, awesome people with great bods; Molly is bitter, heavily medicated and she reads poetry") performing at 92Y Tribeca for an intimate hour of music and more: Mel & El: Our Time of the Month

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

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): TV & movie star Richard Lewis, Neal Brennan (razor-sharp, edgy comedy veteran; HBO, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, co-creator of Chappelle's Show), Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno, Comedy Central, MTV's Punk'd, IFC), Calise Hawkins (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, writer for Playboy.com) , and Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party) performing at UCB East produced by Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, and David Cope: Hot Soup

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): The Emmy-winning writers of The Colbert Report gather on the UCB West stage to perform an all-improvised show at Seize the Mustard

8:00 pm ($5): Two singing improv troupes make up entire musicals on the spot in this double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: The East Side Orphan Riot and Harvey

[$] 8:00 pm ($53 & 2-drink min.) Former co-host of The Man Show and Loveline, and now host of one of the most popular comedy podcasts on the Net, headlining tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Adam Carolla

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

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Hello Laser, Phooka, and Junior Varsity performing improv, followed at 10:00 pm by Charlie Whitcroft directing Jazz Freddie (improvised scenes that focus on show the past, present, and future of one character and then spirals into an exploration of the character's world), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component): The Magnet's Night Out

[FREE] 8:00 pm: "A stand-up comedy showcase and baking competition—come to eat or come to compete" at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Cody Hess & Jessica Gross: Cookies!

[$] 8:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up and impressionist who's done a one-hour Comedy Central special, and performed on Jay Leno and Mad TV, headlining tonight through Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Pablo Francisco

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal practices for her upcoming one-hour taped special (in San Francisco) at UCB East. This has already sold out, but you might be able to get in if you're okay with standing: Kristen Schaal: Going Blue

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

[$] 9:00 pm ($15): Producers & writers for The Daily Show, plus a friend or two, who tonight are Paul Mecurio, Michael Hogan, Hallie Haglund, and host Rory Albanese perform stand-up at 92Y Tribeca: The Daily Show Does Stand-Up

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Comedy duo Nick Kocher & Brian McElhaney perform new sketches at UCB Chelsea, as well as host stand-up and improv guests: BriTANicK: The Monthly Mankerthon

9:30 pm ($5): Improvisors (not announced) make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge for The Scene

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

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Last week Airwolf turned challenger Hoops in Whoops, scoring its 12th victory in a row 134-17 (ouch!). Tonight Airwolf will aim to squelch the passions of troupe Johnny Romance in this raucous competition at UCB Chelsea for audience laughs and votes: Cage Match

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Shannon O'Neill (comedy genius), Morgan Grace Jarrett (wonderful comedic actress), and Lydia Hensler (member of red-hot improv troupe Grandma's Ashes) host a showcase of female comics at UCB East who tonight include Brandon Scott Jones (the token male) & D’Arcy Carden (sketch), Daisy Rosario (storytelling), P.I.G. (sketch), Emily Axford (musical performance), and Glennis McCarthy (stand-up): Ladies Night: Men Welcome

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 6/15/12

Luminous, down to earth, fearless, and always hilarious, comedy superstar Amy Poehler is interviewed at the 92nd Street Y

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): A beloved high-concept sketch troupe that delights in exploring silly ideas and wordplay (for example, demonstrating that a caveman and the Cookie Monster sound remarkably alike when saying such things as "Me have problem with subject/verb placement...") at The PIT upstairs theatre debuting an all-new show: Elephant Larry

7:00 pm ($5): Improv at The PIT that flows from moment to moment, with no sweeps or tag outs—"each exit starts a new scene, while performers use devices ranging from monologues to in-scene questions to break into characters and relationships quicker and deeper:" Scoresby

7:00 pm ($7): A one-man show by Athos Cakiades at The Magnet about "marginal portraits of masculinity as in a Roman poet, a college dean, a frat brother, two inmates, and your average rooster:" Cock of the Walk

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch troupe (vs. improv troupe) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It's earned this slot because its cast is one of the finest in comedy, with each performer strong enough for potential stardom; and, at their best, the troupe's writers sizzle too. Both strengths are evident in Crisistown, an interactive sketch show in which the audience is periodically asked to choose which of two paths it wants to go down next. This highly playful approach puts you in charge; and it also tempts you to see the show repeatedly (just as you might return to a favorite improv group week after week), because each performance is a never-to-be-repeated event. A vibrant, brilliant cast and mostly terrific comedy writing—plus what was probably a near-superhuman directorial effort by comedy giant Shannon O'Neil—equals a wonderful way to kick off your Friday evening: Stone Cold Fox: Crisistown

[TOP PICK] 7:30 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), Abra Tabak (Grandma's Ashes), and more perform improv at UCB East springboarding scenes off interviewing an audience member about his or her love life: What I Did For Love

[FREE] 7:30ish pm: NYC stand-ups Ben Kissel, Katie Compa, Lauren Vino, Michael Che, Brad Howe, Ben Conrad, and more performing at One and One (76 1st Street, corner of First Avenue) hosted by Josh Cahn & Ed Delapine (The Bedtime Brothers) and produced by Ben Conrad: Cranky Pants Comedy Hour

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: To prepare for the miserably low pay of stand-up, many comics start out as teachers. This new show gathers ex-teachers who have gone on to achieve, in some cases, even less money and respect by pursuing their dreams, with tonight's guests Katie Hannigan, Ryan Conner, Gabe Pacheco, Josh Gondelman, and Brandon Collins performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Charlie Kasov: Waiting For Superman: Stand-Up by Ex-Teachers

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($30): An award-winning sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar situations & rituals on their head (for a video about how boys will be girls, please click here): The Harvard Sailing Team

8:00 pm ($5): All-gal Improvisors who've previously created viral sketch videos performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Candy Slice Comedy

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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 8:15 pm ($29-$32 online or at the door): Is there anyone who doesn't love the luminous and fearlessly playful Amy Poehler? The star of NBC's Parks and Recreation, previously a star cast member of Saturday Night Live, and a co-founder of the invaluable Upright Citizens Brigade, Amy is one of comedy's greatest treasures—not to mention one of the most thoroughly beautiful performers in show biz. On June 15th Amy will be doing a rare on-stage interview with Caryn James (former New York Times TV & film critic, novelist, and prominent blogger) at the 92nd Street Y's Kaufmann Concert Hall (1395 Lexington Avenue, between 91st and 92nd Streets). I've already nabbed my ticket for this intimate evening (in a 917-seat concert hall...). Join me and make it a party: Amy Poehler Interviewed by Caryn James

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm ($15): A musical comedy at The Magnet "inspired by the real life plans of the US military to build a bomb that would make their enemies gay. The show is a cautionary tale set in a not-to-distant America that is a xenophobic, homophobic wet dream. This timely political piece is not only topical but extremely on point, leaving no stereotype unscathed." Directed by Michael Martin, with music by Frank Spitznagel, and book and lyrics by Chris Friden & Steve Whyte: Gay Bomb

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East making up a musical on the spot—tonight featuring Arthur Meyer (Jimmy Fallon): Diamond Lion

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

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): TV & movie star Todd Barry (might be 9:00 pm only), Dean Edwards (HBO, Saturday Night Live), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:30 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: "Improv comedy that's all like, 'Have you been drinking tonight, sir?' but then is all like, 'Lemme get a sip'" at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Teenage Cop

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

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

[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

11:00 pm ($8): In the June show notice host Danny Jolles writes, "Last month's show didn't have our usual size crowd." That's probably because last month he stopped mentioning who he's invited to perform. This month: same deal. But if you're feeling adventurous, someone or other will be performing stand-up and sketch, along with sketch troupe Carousel of Characters, at The PIT upstairs theatre: Danny's Funhouse

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($7): 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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups—sometimes stellar ones—pushing boundaries for a show designed for looseness and experimentation at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Jacqueline Novak and Chris Laker: Permission to Fail

Midnight ($5): A three-person improv competition at UCB East hosted by Brian Glidewell, Josh Patten, and Ben Rameaka: Three for All

Midnight ($5): Improvisor & life coach Dion Flynn, creator/star of Web series Your Dad’s Friends Aaron Eisenberg, and improvisor/stand-up Chris Grace are talk show guests at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Paul Gutkowski: Sex in the Late Night Air

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 6/16/12

Star stand-ups Todd Barry and Amy Schumer perform at the Eastville Comedy Club...

...and comedy giants Kristen Schaal, Jon Benjamin, and Jon Glaser perform at Heart of Darkness

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[FREE] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open mic stand-up show ("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: New improv teams experimenting with new forms at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City, hosted by Andy Rocco and Jon Monje: Anybody Vs. Everybody: An Improv Show for You

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Cyclone, Sad Kids, and GCA at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Todd Bieber (Commercial Interruption, Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com) hosts this monthly open mic storytelling show at UCB East that at the end selects a favorite from the audience tales to be turned into an animated short film premiering the following month (for hilarious samples, please click here). Tonight's pro comic guests are Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer (Broad City): Animated Stories

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($12 at the door or $15.30 in advance online): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal (one of the funniest women alive; shining star correspondent on The Daily Show; co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords and NBC's 30 Rock; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; FOX's Bob's Bugers; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; co-author of bestselling book The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex), Jon Benjamin (one of the funniest comics in the biz; FOX's Bob's Burgers, FX's Archer, Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van, FOX, Adult Swim, MTV's Human Giant), Jon Glaser (star of Adult Swim's Delocated; long-time writer/performer for Conan O'Brien), Hamilton Morris ("Mind Warrior"), Alexandre Tannous (gong mystic), musical guests Aerial and piano virtuoso Pete Drungle, and more performing at Brooklyn's The Bell House (149 7th Street, between Second and Third Avenues) hosted by Greg Barris: Heart of Darkness

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, D'Arcy Carden, Chelsea Clarke, and/or other stellar improvisors 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

8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, Kevin Cobbs & Alessandro King perform sketch or improv set in old-time Hollywood: Listen, Kid!

[$] 8:00 pm ($30): An award-winning sketch troupe that uses song, movement, and clever scenarios to turn familiar situations & rituals on their head (for a video about how boys will be girls, please click here): The Harvard Sailing Team

[$] 8:00 pm ($53 & 2-drink min.) Former co-host of The Man Show and Loveline, and now host of one of the most popular comedy podcasts on the Net, headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Adam Carolla

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A stand-up and impressionist who's done a one-hour Comedy Central special, and performed on Jay Leno and Mad TV, headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club: Pablo Francisco

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing stand-up at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ray DeVito, Ben Kronberg, Nick Cobb, and/or Tim Dimond: Shoot the Shite

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Liz Miele (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), Phoebe Robinson (100 TV Shows To See Before You Die), Susan Prekel (Comedy Central), Amber Nelson (sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party), Justy Dodge (co-host of Too Much Information on comicalradio.com; "I was kind of a tomboy growing up. Like, I had Barbies, but only because my Ninja Turtles needed bitches;" for dark bio video, please click here) performing at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm & 11:00 pm (FREE TICKETS if you reserve in advance by calling (212) 260-2445 and mention HyReviews.com, but there's still a 2-drink min. per person): Amy Schumer (9:00 pm only; one of the very finest stand-ups in the country; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, Last Comic Standing, 30 Rock), Todd Barry (9:00 pm only; also one of the finest stand-ups in the country; David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Dean Edwards (HBO, Saturday Night Live), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

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

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($8): From the producers of The Scene, improvisors—tonight including Casey Jost & Jodi Lennon— make up one-act plays on the spot at The PIT downstairs lounge: Act One

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

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): Musical improv troupe Dumpster Tequila, improv troupes Good Girl and Fart Police, and storyteller Halle Kiefer performing at The Players Theatre (115 MacDougal Street (between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets): The Improvised Musical

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Stand-up, sketch, and who knows what else at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by a stand-up/sketch duo: Team Submarine and Friends

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Improv troupe Grandma's Ashes—which includes stellar talents Ryan Karels, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Brandon Scott Jones, and more—promises to "take your stories of the tragic and depraved and scatter them into laughter" at this newest UCB Chelsea show to be honored with a weekend time slot: Grandma's Ashes Gets Dark

10:30 pm ($7): Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney perform at The Magnet as comedy duo Trike

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Sketch duo Chris & Paul perform at UCB East before taking their new show to Scotland: Chris & Paul: Insaniac

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($8): "Jack Dishel is best known as a songwriter and musician, touring all over the world performing as Only Son and also playing lead guitar in The Moldy Peaches. This year he's exploded onto the comedy scene, doing a two-month run of hour-long shows at the Sidewalk Cafe—without ever repeating material. It’s sometimes hilarious, sometimes dark, but always interesting. Whether speaking as one of his many characters or in his own voice, his ideas come through loud and clear, and it’s a fast hour. Let's see what happens when Dishel brings the drunken night club insanity into The PIT upstairs theatre:" Jack Dishel: And Then Things Got Weird

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Improv is dominated by guys...and for no good reason. A way to help remedy this situation are shows like this one, which is an open improv jam for any gal wanting to participate, at any experience level. This new monthly UCB Chelsea event is helmed by the wonderful Shannon O'Neill Shannon O'Neill (breathtakingly innovative, lighting-quick, and fearless improvisor/sketch comic and rising star; The Stepfathers, Diamond Lion): The Lady Jam

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 6/17/12

Fozzie Bear is honored just so The Muppet Vault can use the terrible pun Happy Fozzie's Day;
comedy treasure Kristen Schaal is in Brooklyn practicing for her upcoming one-hour TV special Going Blue...

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] 2:00 pm ($8): Some of the best-ever Muppet moments starring Fozzie Bear (mostly for the sake of a terrible pun on Father's Day) "including his tryst with Raquel Welch, the time he traded barbs with Milton Berle, and his ongoing feud with Statler and Waldorf" at Brooklyn's Union Hall, plus Muppet-themed drink specials, cool giveaways, sing-along fun, and more:" The Muppet Vault: Happy Fozzie's Day

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

6:00 pm ($8): Female comics (sadly, not announced) perform at The PIT upstairs theatre with host Julia Morales (Someday The Cake, Northcoast, Nobody’s Token): It's Ladies Night

[FREE] 6:30 pm: Magnet sketch comics performing new material: Ripe Sketch Comedy

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10 at the door, $12.75 in advance online—the latter is recommended as this will probably sell out): TV & movie star Kristen Schaal (one of the funniest women alive; shining star correspondent on The Daily Show; co-star of HBO's Flight of the Conchords and NBC's 30 Rock; Comedy Central Presents half-hour special; FOX's Bob's Burgers; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; co-author of bestselling book The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex) practices for her upcoming one-hour taped special (in San Francisco); plus she'll be joined at times by her sketch comedy partner in crime Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Bunk; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; co-host of Hot Tub Variety; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner), all at Brooklyn's Union Hall: Kristen Schaal: Going Blue

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($15; sold out, but there'll be some stand-by tickets at the door): David Cross (in a rare NYC appearance, one of the most respected guys in the biz; credits as writer, actor, and comic include HBO's Mr. Show, FOX's Arrested Development, Comedy Central's Freak Show, Adult Swim's Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show...and scores of other TV and feature film roles), Jon Glaser (star of Adult Swim's Delocated; long-time writer/performer for Conan O'Brien), Camille Harris & Her Band (irresistible rising star singer/sketch comic/cutie; co-host of My High School Boyfriend Was Gay), Harvard Sailing Team (award-winning sketch troupe), MC Chris (white rapper, Adult Swim cartoonist), and "a special secret guest" performing at 92Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street) along with sketches from Moon regulars Camille Harris, Jordan Clifford, James Beard, Tim Skinner, Tim Whitney, Bryan Condon, and Kenny Pickett, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Sketch troupe Fish Reynolds—"born from the union of a famous southern leading man and a pack of salmon"—performs its greatest hits at The Magnet: The Best of Fish Reynolds

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE's A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), Adam Paterman, Nimesh Patel, and more performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups may or may not be performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue); for an update, please click Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Joe Pera (very funny deadpan comic; for reasons to hire Joe, please click here), Seaton Smith (Opie & Anthony Virus Tour), Jessica Watkins, and Matt Gifford 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 the Beauty Bar

9:30 pm ($5): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

9:30 pm ($10): Brothers Hari Kondabolu (Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel) and Ashok Kondabolu (Dap in Das Racist) host a talk show at The PIT upstairs theatre, with tonight's guest "a super secret:" The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Project

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Jessimae Peluso (Last Comic Standing, Chelsea Lately, TruTV, Tyra Banks), Hadiyah Robinson (VH1), and Neil Thornton performing stand-up at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

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

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