NYC Comedy Picks for Week of October 8, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 9/8/12

Jena Friedman hosts her monthly stand-up extravaganza, which tonight includes
lovely MTV star Sara Schaefer, plus "surprises," at Entertaining the Bartender...

...and Sirius Radio's Pete Dominick, SNL Weekend Update's Alex Baze, and star stand-up Nick DiPaolo
discuss the role of conservatives in comedy at The Magnet

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] [FREE] 6:00 pm: Weekly hour-long open-mic storytelling show, with audience members chosen from a bucket of names getting to tell tales for 8 minutes each at The PIT downstairs lounge along with host Jake Hart—and tonight featuring Jake's fabled dad!: The Dump

6:00 pm ($5 cover for comics, no cover for audience with code HyReviews, plus 1-drink min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4 1/2 minutes per set and 20 comics crammed into 2 hours—at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club (99 MacDougal Street) for John Morrison's Village Motel

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Alex Baze (Producer and Head Writer of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update), Nick DiPaolo (star stand-up, Emmy-nominated comedy writer, talk show host), Pete Dominick (CNN, SIRIUS XM political talk show host), and Alison Dagnes (author of A Conservative Walks into a Bar) discuss "Why is most political comedy liberal? Can conservatives be hilarious? Do your politics change your sense of humor? A lively conversation about politics, comedy, and who brings the funny" at The Magnet: A Conservative Walks into a Bar

[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 a sampling of Adam's award-winning tales, please click here), with tonight's guest storyteller Christine Gentry, at Under St. Marks: The Adam Wade from New Hampshire Show: Tales of Life, Love, and Little League

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: A TV & Broadway stand-up star hones material at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre—for free!: Colin Quinn Tries Stuff Out

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Katey Healy-Wurzburg (delightful stand-up; host of The Fascinator), sketch troupe Pirate Sugar, and musical group Summer and Eve performing at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by all-gal improv troupe Gypsy: The Mélange

[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

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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Scott Adsit (cast member of 30 Rock, and co-writer/director/producer & cast member of Adult Swim's awesome & Emmy-winning Moral Orel) teaming up with fellow 30 Rock actor John Lutz (who previously spent six years as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live) to form a super-smart and hilarious star improv duo that's become one of the very best attractions at UCB Chelsea and should not be missed: John & Scott

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8):Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), Lance Weiss (CMT’s 2012 Next Big Comic, MTV), Alexis Guerreros (Def Comedy Jam), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, MTV, VH1), musical guest Matt Sweeney (Chavez), and "special surprises" performing at the Ace Hotel lobby (20 West 29th Street, between Fifth Avenue & Broadway) for this monthly stand-up show hosted by wonderful dark humor comic Jena Friedman (producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman): Entertaining the Bartender

8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Rory Scovel (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central), Jamie Lee (Last Comic Standing, MTV's Ridiculousness, VH1), Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon), Team Submarine, and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Time Out New York Comedy Editor Matthew Love: Time Out LIve

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 ($5): Matthew Robert Gehring (Political Subversities) and Sam Martin (gal musical improviser) perform duo sketch comedy at The PIT upstairs theatre: Matt & Sam

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, "strange, mysterious, beautiful, and disgusting, this show will dazzle you with sketch comedy... and magic!" from witchy duo Angela DeManti & Emily Shapiro: The Weird Sisters

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: The Prom (which includes such stellar talents as Sasheer Zamata, Amber Nelson, Stephen Soroka, Siobhan Thompson, and Ari Scott), and Onassis (which has seldom been strong on the writing side but includes superb actress Lauren Conlin Adams): Maude Night: The Prom & Onassis

[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): 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

9:30 pm ($8): Improvisors and more gather to make fun of the Presidential election at The PIT upstairs theatre: Electoral Dysfunction 2012

[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 & Langston Belton: Base Jam

[FREE] 10:30 pm: Karaoke at the UCB East Bar for the 9:30 BYOT improvisors and more: Karaoke Night at the Hot Chicks Room

[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 probably hosted by someone wonderful: Whiplash

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 9/10/12

Jamie Lee and Nikki Glaser perform stand-up at ComedyJuice...

...and Katie Hartman & Kevin Shimko perform duo sketch at Katie and Kevin Make Shit Happen

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm-Midnight ($7 for the whole evening): In this 5-hour extravaganza, each of four of The Magnet's singing improv troupes make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Mint Condition and BEEES! (at 7:00) and Aquarius and Legend (at 8:30); followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with musical improv troupe Legend to make up stories in song: Magnet Musical Megawatt

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: A TV & Broadway stand-up star hones material at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre—for free!: Colin Quinn Tries Stuff Out

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Katie Hartman (Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting) and Kevin Shimko (Pyramid Scheme) perform oddball dark sketch comedy at The PIT downstairs lounge: Katie and Kevin Make Shit Happen

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comics creators Bill Willingham (Fables) and Daniel Way (Deadpool) 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 Rocks, Guthrie, and The Regulars at this first half of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Sara Schaefer (inventive, luminous comic; co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Emmy-nominated staff writer for Jimmy Fallon; VH1's Best Week Ever; co-host of hit podcast You Had to Be There), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), and Cymbals Eat Guitars (Barsuk Records) 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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Original comedic songs are showcased, with tonight's performers Rob Paravonian (Comedy Central, VH1; to watch his hit video Pachelbel Rant, which has been viewed by nearly 11 million people on YouTube, please click here), Katie Hartman (half of sketch duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting), Ashley Brooke Roberts, Beardonna, and J Hobart at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Justin Perez & Shaina Stigler: Totally Requesty

8:00ish pm (no cover, 1 drink min.): Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here), Mike Recine (Comedy Central), Jeff Dye (Last Comic Standing), Hadiyah Robinson, and Jason Saenz performing on this week's topic Monument at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) produced by Chenoa Estrada, Emily Heller, and George Gordon and hosted tonight by Josh Gondelman: The Afterlife: Monument

8:00 pm ($8): A house sketch troupe performs at The PIT upstairs theatre: 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

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Typically sharp NYC stand-ups (for an update, please click here) performing at Cake Shop (152 Ludlow Street, between Rivington & Stanton) hosted by Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, notable hair): Crime & Punishment

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Adam Newman (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), Alison Leiby (It's A Long Story), Michael Che (IFC's Bunk), Nate Fernald (Team Submarine), Matt Wayne, and Eli Sairs performing stand-up at this weekly show at Brooklyn's The Alligator Lounge (600 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Sean Donnelly, Steve O'Brien, Robert Dean, and/or Kevin McCaffrey: Comedy at Alligator Lounge

9:15 pm-Midnight ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes GoodGirl, Salmon Diane, and Johnny Romance—plus advanced improv students make up an entire feature film for a form called The Movie—at this second half (continued from 7:30 pm) of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo, and possibly another special guest, help stand-up Greg Barris (host of Heart of Darkness) celebrate the release of his comedy album Shame Wave at UCB East: Greg Barris: Shame Wave

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.): I attended last week's show—and it was mind-blowing. The lineup was Nate Bargatze, Ophira Eisenberg, Ted Alexandro, Al Madrigal, Jim Gaffigan...and Jerry Seinfeld! Huge thanks to ComedyJuice, Gotham, and stellar host Jared Logan for an unforgettable event. As for tonight: Nikki Glaser (co-star of MTV's The Nikki and Sara Show; Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing; podcast You Had to Be There), Jamie Lee (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, MTV's Ridiculousness, VH1), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), and "a special guest" (no idea who) performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club hosted by Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central): ComedyJuice

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 9/11/12

The newest production of the highly inventive musicians/puppeteers/myth-makers of PigPen Theatre
is running every day except Mondays through November 26th: The Old Man and The Old Moon

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—starting downstairs at 6:00, then upstairs from 7:00 on—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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: A TV & Broadway stand-up star hones material at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre—for free!: Colin Quinn Tries Stuff Out

7:00 pm ($5): A staged reading of a sitcom pilot written by Mark Sarian & Ari Voukydis about "four sad middle-aged comedians who––searching for meaning in their lives––accidentally take over a Baltimore crime syndicate" at UCB Chelsea performed by such wonderful talents as John Flynn, Ryan Karels, Nicole Byer, Gavin Speiller, and Doug Moe: Amateurs

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

7:30 pm ($5): Expanding the UCB longform improv showcased on Harold Night is this weekly show at UCB East which tonight features troupes Huxtable and City Mouse: Lloyd Night

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): An hour of stand-up from B. J. Novak (The Office, Inglorious Basterds) UCB Chelsea for one night only: B. J. Novak

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

8:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): NYC stand-ups Luke Younger, Frank Gallo, Tom Steffen, Lafayette Wright, Aaron Kominos-Smith, and Irene Bremis performing at McSwiggan's (393 Second Avenue off 23rd Street) hosted by Selena Coppock, Dan Cartwright, and/or 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): Superb improvisors—and actual brothers—Will Hines and Kevin Hines make use of their intimate knowledge of each other to gracefully invent scenes (hopefully without any fighting) at UCB East performing as duo The Brothers Hines

9:00 pm ($5 if you say Bring Out Your Dead, otherwise $8): Stand-up Calvin Cato, music from Amy Albert, and sketch from Force the Hand, ManiPedi, The Chris & Paul Show, and Down the Show, all performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Boris Khaykin: October Sketch Block

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Louis Katz, Yannis Pappas, Phil Hanley, Jonesy, Aaron Kominos-Smith, and Meghan Hanley performing at this free weekly comedy show at Lucky Jack's Bar (129 Orchard Street) produced by Kyle Fincham, Lance Weiss, and Brendon Fitzgibbons: Gandhi, Is That You?

[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 is also a monthly stage show at UCB Chelsea. Tonight's theme is Halloween for this "delicately crafted hour of fun:" Broad City Live

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Kevin Allison, Jodi Lennon, Adam Conover, Will Hines, and Ron Babcock perform stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge "while they are drawn live by animators, cartoonists, and other artists. The comedians don't know what the animators are drawing and the animators don't know how the comedians will react. It may be weird. It may different. But it will be a unique comedy experience" hosted by Brandie Posey: Picture This

[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

[FREE] 10:00 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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: The wonderful Sasheer Zamata (Doppelganger) 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; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. (Tonight's scheduled guests include Phoebe Robinson; 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: 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

[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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 9/12/12

Wyatt Cenac headlines tonight through Saturday at Carolines

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 6:00 pm: Cammi Climaco (co-host of Ask Me Stories) 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!

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm ($5): Popular UCBT star & Chris Gethard Show icon Vacation Jason tonight performs his own show, Vacation Jason's Island Flavors at 7:00. And preceding it on this triple-bill are two productions I know nothing about—Apocalypse in Connecticut and Altar'd—all auditioning for a spot on the schedule of the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. At $1.66 per show, it's hard to go wrong with Spank

[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 I know nothing about but sound cool—Rewrite Movie Night and Bedtime Sketches—audition for a spot on the schedule of the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage: Spank

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: A TV & Broadway stand-up star hones material at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre—for free!: Colin Quinn Tries Stuff Out

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm show ($10—which includes free slices of homemade ice cream cakes!): Storytellers Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), Jiji Lee (The Soundtrack Series), Steven Berkowitz (The Moth, Story Collider), and Colin Dempsey (The Liar Show) telling tales about this month's theme Vacations at the Le Poisson Rouge's The Gallery (158 Bleecker Street) hosted by Robin Gelfenbien (storyteller and singer/songwriter; VH1, AMC, Sirius Radio, acclaimed one-woman show at FringeNYC) and that includes free ice cream cakes made by Robin herself: Yum's the Word

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): A beloved show that brings dead celebrities back to life at UCB East, with magical comedic chameleon Livia Scott (Conan O'Brien, Law & Order, Dirty Movie) hosting tonight as Marie Antoinette, with ace musician Corn Mo, stand-up Greg Barris, and burlesque talent Laura Anderson: Livia's Castle of Enchantment

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A star correspondent for The Daily Show headlining tonight through Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Wyatt Cenac

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "For over a year, Patrick Waldo scrawled his moustache tag on countless advertisements around New York City, entertaining commuters and causing thousands of dollars in damage. After a three month investigation, the NYPD put an end to his spree when they arrested Waldo under felony charges of graffiti, criminal mischief, and fucking shit up," written & starring Patrick Waldo, and directed by Nate Dern & John Flynn: Moustache Man: Confessions of a NYC Graffiti Artist...

...and in the other half of this UCB Chelsea double-bill, a sketch show about one of the sadder aspects of the human condition: Lonely People

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: At this free New York Comic Con pre-show, stand-up from Victor Varnado, Team Submarine, and Tim Skinner, music from the lovely Camille Harris, comics readings from Michael Kupperman, Bob Walles, and Jon Rosado, comic book giveaways, and more at Scallywag's (508 9th Avenue) hosted by Justin Tyler, Nat Towsen, and Bob Walles: Comic Book Club & The Moon Present the Official Comic Con Kick-Off Party

8:00 pm ($8): A double-bill of sketch troupes performing at The PIT upstairs theatre: Templeton Philharmonic and Two Fun Men

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Junior Varsity, Dr. Champagne, and Hello Laser performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by The Monoscene (long-form improv as one continuous scene), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) featuring Eaglefox vs. Legend: 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 ($20 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central, MTV, Oxygen, and more headlining tonight through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Tony Rock

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Tonight's second Presidential debate—hopefully better than the first, disastrous, one—will be screened and mocked by John Viener, Nick Turner, and "special guests" at Brooklyn's Trix (145 Bedford Avenue) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet: Presidential Debate Mocking

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 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 Janeane Garofalo and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:00 pm ($5): Louis Katz (Jimmy Fallon, HBO, Comedy Central Presents), Sammy Obeid, Nate Fernald, and Sandy Danto performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover: Fresh Out

[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 and comedy genius Sean Patton: Comedy as a Second Language

9:00 pm ($5): Sketch comedy from New York University students performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Hammerkatz NYU

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Kicking off this double-bill at UCB Chelsea is "a two-person sketch comedy show that will transport you to India in the early 1900s to witness the true story of a tigress that killed 436 people before being gunned down by a legendary hunter of man-eating beasts. Through song, dance, and stage magic, Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp will show you that no one is safe from the tiger's claws. The events in this show are 100% true, even the insane ones:" Maneater: The True Story of the Champawat Tigress...

...and if that wasn't enough (and it oughta be), you also get something about which I know nothing, but I'll be seeing it along with Maneater tonight so please stay tuned: The State vs. Josh: The Trial of the Millennials

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($8): Storytelling from Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!), stand-up from Jamie Lee (Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, MTV's Ridiculousness, VH1), and sketch comedy from Clayton Early & Sara Taylor (Harvard Sailing Team) and Geoff Haggerty & Jeff Solomon (Elephant Larry) at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Scott Rogowsky (The Onion): Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($20 & 2-drink min.) A veteran stand-up and new correspondent for The Daily Show headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Al Madrigal

[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

10:30 pm ($8): Two sketch troupes performing in a double-bill at The PIT downstairs lounge: Battle Meat and The Nerdologues

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Magnet improv troupe Upstate staged an upset last week, beating UCBT weekend group What I Did for Love 69-67. Before its champion's crown can even get warm, though, Upstate faces a titan tonight, the semi-legendary Rogue Elephant. Come experience real estate vs. pachyderm competing for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Amber Nelson (fearless, innovative rising star; sketch troupe Thunder Gulch, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party), Bridgid Ryan (host of Don't You Find Us Charming?, improv troupe Chester), Veronica Osorio (sketch troupe ), and more at a variety & talk show focused on music at UCB East hosted by Kevin DeBacker & Abra Tabak: Late Night Rockin'

11:00 pm ($8): A young all-guy comedy troupe at The PIT upstairs theatre: Gentlemen Party

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 9/13/12

A full weekend of sketch shows that can be had for $8 each or $45 for as much as you can see at The PIT

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 downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage

[FREE] 6:00 pm: 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 downstairs lounge, followed by feedback on your bit from PIT "sketch-perts:" Pen & Pencils

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($7): Ace Magnet improvisors who are married with kids—and who sometimes include improv genius Ed Herbstman, plus Melanie Hoopes, Matt Evans, Christine Walters, Maggie Kemper, Robert Cuthill, Ari Voukydis, Ryan Rodgers, Michele Laikowski, and/or Kelly Moylan: The Mamas and the Papas

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: A TV & Broadway stand-up star hones material at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre—for free!: Colin Quinn Tries Stuff Out

7:00 pm ($5): Improv at The Magnet 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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): Sketch duo Chris & Paul (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) perform at The PIT upstairs lounge: The Chris & Paul Show

[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 Nate Dern and Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Mic

[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. As for its writers, they sizzle when at their best; but when I saw this new show a few months ago, it was a work in progress. Regardless of the current state of the script, you're virtually guaranteed a good time from the all-star cast—Fran Gillespie, John Murray, Brandon Scott Jones, Molly Lloyd, D'Arcy Carden, and Johnathan Fernandez. (The scary faces Molly Lloyd makes are worth the trip all by themselves...) Directed by ace improvisor Ryan Karels: Stone Cold Fox: You Probably Think This Show Is About You

[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), 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

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A star correspondent for The Daily Show headlining tonight and Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Wyatt Cenac

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Comedy duo Leah Rudick & Katie Hartman (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, FringeNYC) performing sketch comedy, and Mike Cullen & Hal Baum doing the same, at The PIT downstairs lounge: Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting and Dog Funeral

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Stand-up, sketch, videos, and more at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre with Jeffrey Joseph and hosts Ron Krasnow & Joel Walkowski: The Short Bus

[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 in Queens' Long Island City downstairs lounge: Mic and Cheese

[$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central, MTV, Oxygen, and more headlining tonight through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Tony Rock

8:30 pm ($8): Amos Vernon, Mike Lane, and Nunzio Randazzo perform sketch troupe at The PIT upstairs lounge as Boat

8:30 pm ($7): Five veteran improvisors make stuff up at The Magnet as troupe Lead McEnroe

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Sharp improvisors at UCB East—Michael Kayne, Amber Petty, Ashley Ward, Morgan Phillips, and Winston Noel—making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[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): Killer great lineup of TV & movie stars Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central; opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Tony Woods (HBO Half Hour, Comedy Central Presents), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Formerly titled Now That’s What I Call Musical Comedy—until a "cease and desist" order arrived from the attorneys at EMI Music—this show marches on with terrific comedic musical performers at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ben Lerman and Tim Dimond: Radio Shack: A Comedy Musical Showcase

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($8): 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

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

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

11:00 pm ($8): A sketch double-bill at The PIT upstairs lounge: Dave & Ethan and Upset Triangle

[TOP PICK] 11:30 ($8): NYC's heavy metal version of a sketch troupe, which doesn't always ht the mark but provides odd, unsettling, and fearless dark comedy—and won last year's ECNY Award for Best Sketch Group—performing at The PIT downstairs lounge: Murderfist: Late and Dirty

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): This Magnet improv show makes clever use of the Web: "Give us a topic, a name, a question on any subject and the cast—including ace improvisors Alex Marino and Jesse Falcon—will answer it using the full power of the Internet and the combined mental acumen of five intellectual juggernauts. Also, maybe some improv. What you will learn cannot be unlearned! What do you want to know?": Search Engine

[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): Jermaine Fowler (FOX’s new In Living Color, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show), Emmy Blotnick (staff blogger for Jimmy Fallon), and Nick Turner (Jimmy Fallon, VH1) debating various topics, mixed with sketch and who knows what else, at UCB East hosted by Michael Shawki , Jeff Wesselschimdt, and Dan Licata: The Great Debate

Midnight ($8): "A sociopolitical sketch show from outsourced ninjas" at The PIT upstairs lounge: Happy Sunshine Kung Fu Flower

[FREE] Midnight: "Every September, writers from across the globe gather online and pledge to write 30 sketches in 30 days. This show featuring some of the best sketches from this year at UCB Chelsea, hosted by Andy Beckerman and Mark Bisi: Best of National Sketch Writing Month

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 9/5/12

Wyatt Cenac headlines one last night at Carolines, and Janeane Garofalo performs at Eastville

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] 1:30 pm-1:00 am ($45 for an all-you-can-see festival pass, or pay-per-show): The next-to-last day of a sketch comedy extravaganza at The PIT theatres: The New York City Sketch Festival

[TOP PICK] [$] 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

[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

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Michael Loves Greg, The Bartender, and Pumpkin at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: A TV & Broadway stand-up star hones material at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre—for free!: Colin Quinn Tries Stuff Out

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

7:30 pm ($10): Talented 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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($7): "Organic freeform improvisation in two mind-blowing parts; the only rule is that there are no rules" at The Magnet theatre: The Weave

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($27.25 & 2-drink min.) A star correspondent for The Daily Show headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Wyatt Cenac

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 at the door or $7.63 online): Arden Myrin (Conan O'Brien, Mad TV, numerous other TV shows & films; for Mad TV samples, please click here and here and here) and Lisa deLarios (Comedy Central) host this delightful monthly mix of stand-up and sketch, with tonight's guests Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller), Brooke Van Poppelen (writer for MTV's Epic Fall; trutV, TLC, co-host of Dive Comedy; for stand-up videos about overindulging at 30 and impersonating Morrisey, please click here and here), Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Dave Siegal, Casey Jost, and Jay Miller performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall on this month's special movie theme: The Party Machine: John Hughes Party

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Three stand-ups (not announced) performing sets and then being interviewed about their personal lives at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Matt Ruby & Mark Normand (who says "all these guys were hand-picked because they're funny and have some serious problems; when you read this lineup you're gonna be like 'oh yeah, that guy is a mess'"): We're All Friends Here

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central, MTV, Oxygen, and more headlining tonight through Sunday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Tony Rock

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Star storyteller Tom Shillue (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents, 2011 ECNY Award for Best Storyteller), Jared Logan (rising star; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, host of ComedyJuice), Amber Nelson (fearless, innovative rising star; sketch troupe The Prom, co-host of Late Night Stand and Mustache Party), Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here), Jason Saenz, and Doug Smith performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk: If You Build It

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

9:00 pm ($7): Magnet improvisors team up with poets at Kiss*Punch*Poem

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): The return of one of the funniest comedies—and finest comedic ensembles—to grace New York, and what ended up as the very best show of this year's FringeNYC Festival, playing at the Soho Playhouse's upstairs theatre. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this opportunity to see the Chicago-based 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

[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

[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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): UCBT improv troupe Airwolf—which includes such talents as John Frusciante, Molly Lloyd, Tim Martin, and Emily Axford, and this year crushed 12 improv groups in a row at Cage Match, entirely owns the UCB East stage tonight at Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

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

Midnight ($5): A special New York Comic Con edition of this nerdy show, with tonight's guests Dave Johnson (cover artist for Deadpool, 100 Bullets, Superman: Red Son), David Murray (seibei.com), Jesse Falcon (Marvel, Disney, Children's Hospital), and Mike Drucker (freelance writer for SNL, The Onion, McSweeney's) performing at UCB Chelsea hosted by Pat Baer: 404ing It: Breaking (Down) the Internet

[FREE] Midnight: Mike Dobbins is a unique stream of consciousness comic (for an interpretive dance of his breakup, please click here). Tonight he shares his special perspective on life at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Mike Dobbins Blows Your Little Mind

[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 19/16/12

After 8 years, Brad Loekle concludes the longest-running NYC comedy show in a gay bar: Electro Shock Therapy

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-Midnight ($45 for an all-you-can-see festival pass, or pay-per-show): The final day of a sketch comedy extravaganza at The PIT theatres: The New York City Sketch Festival

[TOP PICK] [$] 3:00 pm ($65): This isn't pure comedy, but an enchanting hodgepodge of original tall tales fueled by laughs. The 2-hour play from the wonderful guys of PigPen blends shadow puppetry, songs, inventive staging, and more to create living dreams. For my review of PigPen's two previous shows at FringeNYC, please click here and here. This newest work is their most ambitious, and that sometimes results in the story feeling too slow or padded; but it also yields a deeper emotional payoff. And even though not all the bits hit the mark, so many of them do that you're likely to feel satisfied—and missing PigPen's world after the show is over. The production is at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street) through November 26th: The Old Man and the Moon

[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

[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

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

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): Ace improvisors Christina Gausas & Megan Gray make up scenes for 25 minutes, and then Matt B. Weir and Matt J. Weir perform sketch for 25 minutes, at this Magnet double-bill: Gausas & Gray and We're Matt Weir

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 7:30 pm ($20): The return of one of the funniest comedies—and finest comedic ensembles—to grace New York, and what ended up as the very best show of this year's FringeNYC Festival, playing at the Soho Playhouse's upstairs theatre. Please read my review by clicking here, and then take advantage of this opportunity to see the Chicago-based 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche

[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 & Ryan Karels (Krompf): Indie Cage Match

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

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Kate Berlant (MTV, CNN, host of Crime & Punishment, notable hair), Roger Hailes (Chappelle's Show, VH1, MTV; writer for FUSE's A Different Spin with Mark Hoppus), Kevin Barnett (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor), Amanda Baramki, and Mike Brown performing at RG's free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

[$] 8:00 pm ($20 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central, MTV, Oxygen, and more concluding his headlining run at the Gotham Comedy Club: Tony Rock

8:00 pm ($5): A new weekly show at The Magnet featuring sketches, jokes, interviews, and more focused on the upcoming Presidential election: The Great American Sketch Show

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: Mike Lawrence (nerd persona but razor-sharp mind has made this stand-up a rapidly rising star; Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central's John Oliver's NY Stand-Up), Phil Hanley (Jay Leno), Jeff Dye, Nimesh Patel, and more performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by the wonderful Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show; one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace): Comedy Night

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: Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, FOX's In Living Color, Comedy Central), Andy Sanford, Dave Stone, Rojo Perez, and Evan Davis 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 sketch comedy teams try out new material at this weekly show. Tonight it's a double-bill: Dispacho and Breakfast for Dinner

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: After over eight years, the longest-running NYC comedy show in a gay bar will lower the curtain for the final time (but only because it's moving to a different night, along with a different name: Testosterone on Thursdays at 11:00...). Helping bid a fond farewell with host Brad Loekle will be "some of my favorite headliners from the past eight years, special music comedy guests, and a few more surprises" at Therapy: 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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