NYC Comedy Picks for Week of October 22, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 10/22/12

Sandra Bernhard, W. Kamau Bell, and other sharp comics gather at Gotham to mock the final Presidential debate

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

6:00 pm ($1): 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: 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): At this Magnet double-bill, first all-gal sketch troupe Black Magic Lab (Anne Victoria Clark, Meggie Spellman, and Krista Jensen) promise "If you like neighborhood serial killers and sexy lady ninjas, you will very much enjoy this show" which is directed by the razor-sharp Julie Klausner; and then another all-gal sketch troupe takes the stage, straight from the seven seas: Black Magic Lab: Jar of Bees and Pirate Sugar

7:00 pm ($5): Brandon Gulya works out the kinks of a new one-man sketch show he's developing at UCB Chelsea; come help him figure it out with your laughs and silences: Tom Cruise World and Other Novels

[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 cowriter-director-producer-costar 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 ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Rob Cantrell, Tony Camin, and Bruce Cherry perform their acclaimed off-Broadway show about pot (written by Doug Benson, Arj Barker and Tony Camin) for one night only at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street): The Marijuana-Logues

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller and sharp stand-up with notable bangs; Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime, host of NPR's trivia/puzzle show Ask Me Another), Coker and Stratton (30 Rock, Comedy Central), Austin Rodrigues (Comedy Central), Brian Longwell (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Andy Kaufman Award finalist), and Jenn Dodd (sketch comic) performing at UCB East hosted by Sharon Spell: The Big Shrink

8:00 pm ($8): The debut of this sketch troupe at The PIT upstairs theatre performing a show titled I Love Your Work: Musical Appreciation Society

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm ($20 & 2-drink min.): Sandra Bernhard, W. Kamau Bell, Hari Kondabolu, Sam Seder, and Frank Coniff riff on the final Presidential debate, supplemented by online commentary from their fellow comics on WitStream, at the Gotham Comedy Club: Presidential Debate Mocking with Sandra Bernhard and More

[FREE] 8:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Hadiyah Robinson, Tom McCaffrey, Josh Gondelman, and Telly Robinson performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Bar Matchless back room (557 Manhattan Avenue, near the G subway's Nassau Avenue stop) hosted by Nimesh Patel, Mike Denny, and/or Michael Che: Broken Comedy

[FREE] 9:00 pm: Camille Harris ((irresistible rising star singer/sketch comic/cutie; featured player on The Moon Show, co-host of My High School Boyfriend Was Gay), Jeffrey Joseph (Jay Leno, HBO, FOX's In Living Color, Comedy Central), Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; host of numerous shows), Lisa Kleinman, and Aparna Nancherla performing stand-up 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 Dive comedy and Stripped Stories): Dive Comedy

9:00 pm ($8): "Becky Flaum thinks she’s Julia Roberts. And Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan, Drew Barrymore, even Katherine Heigel. But her high cinematic hopes for her love life get in the way of reality on her quest to find the perfect co-star." This one-woman show is at The PIT upstairs theatre: Hopeless Romantic Comedy

9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: HUNK (which includes such stellar talents as Leslie Meisel, Aaron Jackson, and Zhubin Parang), and Bellevue (which I haven't seen yet): Maude Night: HUNK & Bellevue

9:30 pm ($5): The debut of the only open-stage show for entire groups of improvisors and sketch comics, running weekly at UCB East hosted by Austin Rodrigues: Bring Your Own Team: Improv/Sketch Team Jam

[FREE] 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

10:00 pm ($8): Stand-up,. sketch comics, and improv groups mix up their regular routines; plus host Kissing Disease performs an improvised monoscene based on an audience member's suggested obstacle at The PIT upstairs theatre: Kissing Disease Tries Something

10:00 pm ($5): Comics of a variety of races, views, and shoes perform a variety of comedy bits at The Magnet hosted by Chano Garcia: Stir the Pot

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

[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

[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 guest-hosted by someone wonderful (while Leo Allen is in LA): 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 10/23/12

Charming singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame celebrate the release of their first CD
at The Bowery Electric: The Reformed Whores: Ladies Don't Spit

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, four of The Magnet's singing improv troupes make up a musical on the spot based on an audience suggestion: Legend and The Montels (at 7:00) and BEEES! and Atticus (at 8:30); followed at 10:15 by a free show that lets audience members join in with musical improv troupe Atticus to make up stories in song: Musical Magnet Mixer

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Comic book creators Zane Grant (Let’s Play God) and Shawn Wickens (The Bad Theater Festival) 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

7:00 pm ($5): "Comics get into the Halloween spirit by performing some of their favorite musical numbers...that they have no chance of ever being cast in, due to gender or race. This is no parody show—we'll be earnestly singing our favorite If Only songs in full costume. You will probably see a female Jean Valjean, a male Grizabella, and many more" at The PIT upstairs theatre: Broadway Costume Bash

7:00 pm ($5): Two-person improv scenes from Donna Lobello & Gary DeNoia, Sasha Capelli & Chris ONeil, and Lorie Steele & Kevin Gottlieb at The PIT downstairs lounge: I Trust (Two-Prov)

7:30 pm-9:00 pm ($5): Long form improv known as The Harold from UCB Chelsea house troupes City Mouse, Huxtable, and GoodGirl at this first half of Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm doors, 8:00 pm show ($5): The Reformed Whores—raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame—have just released their first album, Ladies Don't Spit. Come celebrate with them at The Bowery Electric (327 Bowery) and guests Adam Newman and Glennis McCarthy: The Reformed Whores Album Release Party

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): The lovely and talented gals (and more) of HelloGiggles.com share personal tales at UCB East, with storytellers including Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; former staff writer for David Letterman, host of Entertaining the Bartender) and Julia Wiedeman (one-woman show Naked People): HelloGiggles: Anything Goes

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10 at the door, $12.75 in advance online): Doctors, biologists, and comics—tonight including stellar storytellers Adam Wade and Robin Gelfenbein—tell funny tales at this science-centric monthly show that tonight focuses on Chemistry at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Ben Lillie & Erin Barker: The Story Collider

[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 drink min.): Jon Rineman (Jimmy Fallon), Sandy Danto (NationalLampoon.com), Amaya Perea (Funny Or Die), Taylor Ketchum, Josh Gondelman, and Zoe Combs Marrand performing on this week's topic Crossing Over at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) produced by Chenoa Estrada, Emily Heller, and George Gordon and hosted tonight by Erin Judge (Comedy Central; comedy album So Many Choices; for hilarious short bit on men vs. women, please click here): The Afterlife: Crossing Over

8:00 pm ($8): A dozen sharp talents deliver brand new sketch comedy at The PIT upstairs theatre: Big Business

[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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): The return of a comedy institution to its original home, with Eddie Pepitone, Nick Stevens, Victor Varnado, and "a special guest" performing stand-up at The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1): Sweet

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's The Alligator Lounge (600 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Sean Donnelly, Robert Dean, Steve O'Brien, 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 Johnny Romance, A Sparrow, and Bucky—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

9:30 pm ($8): An all-gal lineup of YouTube stars, including Emotistyle’s Molly Austin & Shamikah Martinez, DailyGrace’s Grace Helbig, Chescaleigh’s Franchesca Ramsey, and MyHarto’s Hannah Hart performing live on stage at The PIT upstairs theatre: Face Time: YouTube Ladies Live

9:30 pm ($5): NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing at The PIT downstairs lounge with host 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

[$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.): Chris D'Elia (Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents, cast member of NBC's Whitney, Workaholics, TBS’ Glory Daze, Showtime’s Live Nude Comedy—to view his set, please click here), Eliot Chang (Comedy Central Half Hour, Chelsea Lately, AMC), Tom Clark (Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing), and more performing stand-up at the Gotham Comedy Club: 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 10/24/12

Leslie Goshko celebrates Halloween in her own special way at her wonderful storytelling show Sideshow Goshko...

...and dancing orphans, a cannibalistic sex cult, and more appear in the 30-minute dark musical romp Newsadoozies

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: Open-mic stand-up hosted by Cody Hess at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre: Listen! The Open Mic

6:30 pm ($5): Two TV pilots—written respectively by Brian Glidewell (co-author of the superb Newsadoozies mini-musical—see 8:00 pm listings) and Steve Theiss (finalist for the 2010 Disney ABC TV Writing Program)—are performed by sharp UCBT comics as staged readings at UCB Chelsea. Honestly, the loglines aren't that compelling; but if you're interested in writing for TV and/or doing your own staged readings, you may find this educational: Staged TV Pilot Readings

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: Leslie Goshko (delightful storyteller/stand-up; WNYC, Manhattan Monologue champion, Dirty Minds) hosts this monthly storytelling show at the KGB Bar (85 East 4th Street, off Second Avenue), with tonight's guests Ben Lillie (co-host of The Story Collider), Kerri Doherty (Adult Swim, host of Geeking Out), and Jiji Lee (The Moth), plus accordion playing by Dr. Michelle-Leona Godin: Sideshow Goshko

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

[FREE] 7:00 pm to midnight: Five free hours of improvisation at The PIT upstairs theatre: Super Free Wednesday

7:00 pm ($5): Sketch comedy from Joe List (Comedy Central), Micah Sherman (Second City, The Scene), Dan Hirshon (Huffington Post), Ben Kissel, and many more performing at The PIT downstairs lounge, produced by Micah Sherman: Old School Sketch Comedy Show

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): A delightful dark musical about the rich consuming the poor—literally. Witty songs from Brian Glidewell, Marcy Jarreau, and Kevin Carter, a uniformly strong cast (Megan Maes, Aaron Jackson, Michael Martin, Katie Schorr, Dan Hodapp, Brian Glidewell, and Stephanie Streisand), and sharp direction from Christopher Gladysz and Lauren Conlin Adams make this 30-minute surreal parody of Newsies a winner as a UCBT comedy, and recommended. That said, right now the story is paper-thin and the characters cardboard. While the latter is turned into an asset (e.g., a leg-injured character is hilariously named "Cripply"), I'm hoping the creators consider making all the elements deeper and more nuanced, and expanding the production to a 90-minute legit theatre length. Meanwhile, enjoy this remarkably compact version that delivers a quick, sharp punch to the gut you're likely to remember: Newsadoozies: A Man-Eating Musical...

...plus in the other half of this double-bill, a (mostly) one-man show by George Kareman titled Incredibly Extreme and Extremely Incredible

8:00 pm ($5): Eddie Brill (former long-time booker for David Letterman), Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), and Jamie LeeLo (for stand-up reel, please click here) performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge, produced by Micah Sherman: Brian and Joe's Power Hour

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm:Mike Dobbins (unique stream-of-consciousness stand-up), Kara Klenk (host of If You Build It), Liz Miele (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central), Ryan Conner (writer for SNL’s Weekend Update), Amanda Baramki, Joe Harrington, and Brian Jian performing stand-up 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?

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A writer/performer for Saturday Night Live (for a sample, please click here) who's also one of the very finest stand-ups in the country—with appearances on Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents, VH1's Best Week Ever, etc.—performing a deliciously long set that's likely to leave you breathless with laughter and chuckling weeks later: John Mulaney: For the Hour

9:30 pm ($5): Dracula sings, dances, and tells jokes for this pre-Halloween show at The PIT downstairs lounge: Dracool: Live in Concert

[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 guest host is Boris Khaykin; for the lineup, please click here.) Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

11:00 pm ($5): Hip hop musical improv at The PIT downstairs lounge from Nick Brown, Don Romaniello, and Michael Short pretending to be NYC police officers: Rap Crimes Division

[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 10/25/12

At UCB Chelsea, award-winning political satirist Andy Borowitz, bestselling humorist P. J. O'Rourke, and
sharp stand-ups Jena Friedman, Eugene Mirman, and Dean Obeidallah are panelists at News Quiz USA...

...and then David Wain and Paul Dinello describe what it's like to have satisfying creative lives at Employee of the Month

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: The wonderful Todd Bieber (Commercial Interruption, host of Animated Stories [please see 7:30 pm listing], Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com) 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 receiving two minutes—and if that goes well, maybe a hug (but not actual puppies)—at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Ross Parsons & Trey Galyon: Free Puppies

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): P.J. O'Rourke (bestselling author of over a dozen humor books, including Don't Vote!—It Just Encourages the Bastards), Andy Borowitz (The Borowitz Report), Eugene Mirman (Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, HBO's Flight of the Conchords, FOX's Bob's Burgers, Adult Swim's Delocated, VH1; pioneer of NYC downtown comedy), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up and rising star; producer for The Daily Show, former staff writer for David Letterman, host of Entertaining the Bartender), and Dean Obeidallah (CNN, Comedy Central's Axis of Evil, one-man show I Come in Peace) are challenged to dissect the week's news for a live taping at UCB Chelsea of a BBC Radio 4 show (please note Tig Notaro, who was scheduled, had to cancel at the last minute; Jena's taking her place): News Quiz USA

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($8): A critically acclaimed show described as "Two Men. One Chain. Fully Improvised," with Dion Flynn (Jimmy Fallon, Matador) & Nate Starkey (Big Black Car, Starkey & Grace) performing at The PIT upstairs theatre: Shackled

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): Dan Klein (The Onion, sketch troupe Pangea 3000, improv troupe The Law Firm) and Josh Ruben ((College Humor) are tonight's guests at this monthly open-mic storytelling show at UCB East hosted by the wonderful Todd Bieber (Commercial Interruption, Director of Content & Production for UCBComedy.com) 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): Animated Stories

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): A former roommate & drinking buddy of such comedy giants as David Cross and Marc Maron performs a one-man show that was such a hit at August's FringeNYC it's been extended indefinitely. Please read my review by clicking here, and Jason Zinoman's New York Times review by clicking here; and then come share an intimate hour with Matt Graham at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club so he can explain life and meaning and why This Too Shall Suck

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 ($35 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Junior Varsity, Bloomer, and Hello Laser performing improv for two hours, followed at 10:00 pm by Evente (long-form improv directed by Armando Diaz), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) featuring Nintendo vs. Horses: 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!

[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, Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

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

9:00 pm ($5): NYC stands-ups Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno, Comedy Central, MTV's Punk'd, IFC's Do Whatever), Aaron Glaser, Aparna Nancherla, Will Hines, Tom Clark, Taylor Williamson, and Morgan Evans performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover: Fresh Out

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): David Wain (member of seminal MTV sketch show The State and comedy group Stella; writer/director whose work includes Children's Hospital and feature films Wanderlust, Role Models, Little Big Men, The Ten, Wet Hot American Summer), Paul Dinello (The Colbert Report, Strangers with Candy), and AJ Jacobs (Esquire, The Year of Living Biblically, Drop Dead Healthy) describing what it's like to have a dreamy job at UCB Chelsea to host Catie Lazarus, with musical accompaniment by Chris Sullivan (a.k.a., Shockwave; amazing human boombox; The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, co-host of The BEATdown) & Arthur Lewis: Employee of the Month

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): Joe Matarese (Fixing Joe, Chelsea Lately, Letterman), Kelly MacFarland (The View, The Biggest Loser, Today Show), David Crabb (Bad Kid, Ask Me Storytelling, The Moth) Juliet Hope Wayne (The Moth, Ask Me Storytelling), and Ken Reid (Shirt Tales) performing at The PIT upstairs theatre to share tales on tonight's theme Eek! at one of the finest storytelling shows in the country: Risk!

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

[$] 10:00 pm (call 212.757.4100 for price; cover and 2 drink min.): A stand-up who's performed on Comedy Central and Last Comic Standing headlining for one night only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Joe List

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Politically incorrect stand-ups compete in this unique show for which each comic performs a set and then has to provide biting commentary on a popular online video. The audience then votes on who was the most savagely funny and has won the right to return the following month. It all happens at The Creek's upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Mike Feeney: On the Offensive

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): A show that's been providing thrilling surprises this year delivered another last week, when semi-legendary improv troupe Rogue Elephant was defeated by upstart Improv Nerds via a decisive vote of 98-65. Tonight the Nerds face the perfect opponent for them, team Gadget, competing for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

11:00 pm ($5): A UCB East improv team perfectly named for Halloween performs: Spooky Ghost

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 10/26/12

Janeane Garofalo performs at the Eastville Comedy Club; Paul Mecurio headlines at the Gotham Comedy Club

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

7:00 pm ($5): Improv that flows from moment to moment, with no sweeps or tag outs—"each exit starts a new scene, while performers use devices ranging from monologues to in-scene questions to break into characters and relationships quicker and deeper" at The PIT downstairs lounge from Evan Barden, Tony da Costa, Jenny Dunne, Brian Lisi, and Dan Scivoletti: Scoresby

[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): 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

7:30 pm ($10): UCB Chelsea Maude team Onassis performs some of its best bits—and features "a super special guest:" Onassis for the Hour

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Matt McCarthy (HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Bored to Death, host of AMC's Action Pack, Comedy Central, hilarious shorts with Pete Holmes for Front Page Films, national TV ads as Verizon FIOS guy, feature film The Other Guys, host of Marking Out), Dante Nero, Warren Holstein, and John F. O'Donnell performing in the East Village's Beauty Bar for this free weekly show hosted by Josh Carter, Josh Homer, and/or Adam Mamawala: Zebra Cake

8:00 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast clobbered some of the best improv groups in NYC this year at UCBT's Cage Match. Tonight come see it perform without the pressure of competition at The PIT downstairs lounge, and also catch an improv group that includes Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger): North Coast and Nobody's Token

[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

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:30 pm & 10:30 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A former writer and current warm-up act for The Daily Show—who's also performed on Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, CNN, and MSNBC—headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Paul Mecurio

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5): Before this Magnet show, audience members may anonymously submit written confessions, secrets, rants, advice and opinions which will be used onstage by the improvisors—who include such talents as Laura Grey (stellar old-time radio style theatrical podcast Horrorgasm, top Maude sketch troupe Gramp's, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[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—Amber Petty, Ashley Ward, Morgan Phillips, Michael Kayne, 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): TV & movie star Janeane Garofalo (9:00 pm only), Christian Finnegan (Conan O'Brien, co-star of TBS' Are We There Yet?; three Comedy Central specials; MSNBC, VH1's Best Week Ever, Chappelle's Show, The Today Show), DC Benny (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

9:00 pm ($5): Sketch troupe SidViscous performs a brand new and scary show for Halloween at The PIT downstairs lounge: SV Halloween Spooktacular

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: Long-form improv from troupe CSO at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Casual Sex Offenders

[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

[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($5): Most of the improv you'll see in NYC is longform. Tonight at The Magnet the original and still-vibrant short form version will be performed via a variety of quick games played by quick-witted talents: Late Night Party Prov

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Chris Gethard (brilliant improvisor and comedic storyteller; star of Comedy Central sitcom Big Lake and Manhattan Cable Access' The Chris Gethard Show; The Stepfathers, The Nights of Our Lives, author of new bestseller A Bad Idea I'm About to Do and Weird New York), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Brandon Scott Jones & D'arcy Carden (Stone Cold Fox, Death Wears Stilettos: A Noir Comedy), Murray Hill, JD Ama to, Joey Price, and more performing a variety of comedy acts at UCB East hosted by sketch duo Matt Dennie & Josh Sharp: Cool Shit / Weird Shit

[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

[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. Plus it's hosted by members of Maude troupe Fambly, typically including such wonderful talents as Nicole Byer and Veronica Osorio: Liquid Courage

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 10/27/12

Terrifyingly bad Halloween film Hocus Pocus at Midnight at Montoya's; Tom Green headlines 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] [$] 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] 2:00 pm: Students of David Fino's Puppetry for Improvisors class demonstrate what they've learned at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Puppetry Improv: The Graduation

[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 The Afterparty, Durian at the Movies, and Human Pyramid at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Stand-up Justin Williams (host of Death Comedy Jam) performs along with sketch comics, plus screens his just-released DVD, at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Justin Williams: Black and Comfortably Middle Class

[FREE] 6:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Tyler Fischer (host of Fresh Fisch), Alison Leiby, Casey Salengo, Teresa DeGaetano, and Tim Dillon performing in Halloween costumes—which the audience is encouraged to dress up in as well—at the Parkside Lounge (317 East Houston, between Avenues B and C) along with hosts Missy Baker and Liz Days: Comedy Party Spooktacular

7:00 ($5): Brent Sullivan (Comedy Central; for video about crying while reading The Giving Tree, please click here) and Sean Donnelly (XM Radio; host of countess shows) performing comedy club-length sets at UCB East hosted by Adam Newman (Comedy Central, College Humor): Big Long Sets

7:00 pm ($8): At this PIT downstairs lounge double-bill, Dan Hodapp & Natasha Rothwell "bring more than five years of improv collaboration to stage for an evening of bold, committed characters and probably a fart joke for good measure" as Hodapp & Rothwell, and then all-gal improvisors Alexis Saarela, Brigid Boyle, Elizabeth Findlay, and Ashley Ward perform as troupe Taco Supreme

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

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] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.) A former writer and current warm-up act for The Daily Show—who's also performed on Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central, CNN, and MSNBC—headlining one last night at the Gotham Comedy Club: Paul Mecurio

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "Each month the Buttski & Glasscock Talent Agency brings you the best of the worst this small town has to offer. As only two career-savvy former showgirls can, they comb through Craigslist ad after Craigslist ad; but you will determine which act gets a one-year contract." Tonight's lucky hopefuls are Becky Yamamoto, Kat Burdick, Tim Girrbach, Kevin Bayes, and Kevin Laferriere, all performing comedic characters at The PIT downstairs lounge with host Jenn Dodd: Buttski & Glasscock's New Talent Blowout

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining through Sunday at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill at the upstairs theatre: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC stand-ups performing in front of folks they really want to impress (because paying gigs might result) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Industry Showcase

8:30 pm ($10): The Lucas Brothers (Jimmy Fallon), Aparna Nanchera, Josh Gondelman, Amaya Perea, Adam Burke, and Miles K performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Kara Klenk & Nick Turner: If You Build It

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups tell jokes and perform comedy as original characters at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens' Long Island City hosted by Shakir Standley: Out of Character

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

9:00 pm ($5): "Ashley Rebecca King and Gregory von Portz present a post-dinner poolside party for their hippest and most sophisticated friends. Menthol-cool musical stylings and intellectual discourse abound as you are treated to a floor show with a carefully chosen set list, curated by the world’s foremost cover-band artists, that changes monthly. Dip in; it's never the same dive twice. For tonight's entertainment: Clueless—an interpretation of the entire Clueless soundtrack" at The PIT downstairs lounge: Moon Pools

9:30 pm ($10): "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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 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

10:00 pm ($5): Improvisors make up a Quentin Tarantino movie at The PIT downstairs lounge—"If you like Grindhouse, Kung Fu, Spaghetti Western, Noir, and the entire 1970s, you'll want to check out:" The Tarantino

[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 has so far crushed 10 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

11:00 pm ($5): A sketch/variety show at The PIT upstairs theatre operating from a fun dark premise: "When Vincent Welles died and went to Hell, he soon found out his punishment was to host a variety talk show for all eternity in the fiery underworld. Join Vincent as he, along with his demonic producers and werewolf sidekick Warren Talbot, host special guests and surprises:" Welcome to Hell with Vincent Welles

[TOP PICK] [FREE] Midnight: This free show at The PIT upstairs theatre does a great job of describing itself: "Bad movies. We can’t stop watching them. Is it because the plot is so enjoyably paper-thin? Or maybe the acting is so deliciously cheesy? Whatever the reason may be, Oscar Montoya (Local 154, Aquarius) is inviting you to his house to watch all of his favorite so-bad-they’re-awesome movies." Joining him are Greg Portz, Andy Costello, Amanda Peck, and J Hobart B dissecting tonight's dreadful 1993 Halloween film starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as witches out to steal children's souls: Midnight Movie at Montoya’s Presents: Hocus Pocus

Midnight ($5): Keisha Zollar (Doppelganger) & Anna Suzuki host a variety show at UCB East that's a mix of forms, with tonight's performers Chris Lamberth (stand-up), Jenice Mathias (sketch), Paperclip Rockets (improv), and Jeffrey Paul Bobrick (music): The Soul Glo Project

[FREE] Midnight: Stand-up and sketch (performers not announced) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Kingmaker Sketch

Midnight ($5): Sketch troupes Coker & Stratton and Inside Joke Films compete for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea hosted by sketch troupe Sidecar: Backyard Brawl

[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 10/28/12

Mike Lawrence performs razor-sharp nerd stand-up at Pretty Good Friends and Comedy at the Beauty Bar;
Peanuts goes radioactive in the mini-play A Charlie Brown Apocalypse

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 ($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

[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

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): 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), Myq & Micah (comedic singing duo Myq Kaplan & Micah Sherman; for a song about distribution of natural resources, please click here), Barry Rothbart (Jay Leno, Comedy Central, MTV's Punk'd, IFC's Do Whatever), and Zoe Coombs Marr (visiting from Australia; for a love letter to a dinosaur, please click here) performing stand-up at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): "It’s Judgment Day, and Chuck Black can’t wait to meet Jesus! But things seem to go terribly awry when he has a crisis of faith. Who can blame him? All his pals seem a bit more interested in getting presents from ChristCo than trying to save their souls. And don’t even get Chuck started on Mocha Mint Mel, the know-it-all atheist with two moms." This mini-play by Matt Fried is at The PIT downstairs lounge: A Charlie Brown Apocalypse

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($10): John Flynn (superb storyteller/actor/host; The Nights of Our Lives, host of storytelling show Oh, Hey Guys!), The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; new album Ladies Don't Spit), Dan St. Germain (quick-witted & enormously likeable rising star; Jimmy Fallon, The Electric Company, MTV, VH1), Amy Sohn, Mo Beasley, Glennis McCarthy, and musical group Kill The Band (Mock Bottom) performing at Brooklyn's The Bell House (149 7th Street, between Second and Third Avenues) with host Jefferson: Bare: True Stories of Sex, Desire, and Romance

[$] 8:00 pm ($35 & 2-drink min.) A comedy star you either love or actively avoid headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tom Green

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

8:00 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors Nate Starkey & Chris Grace makes stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre as Starkey & Grace

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00 pm: John Roy (Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, Comedy Central), Adam Cayton-Holland (co-host of Grawlix), Monroe Martin, Megan Gailey, Stroy Moyd, and Adam Burke 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

[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), Tim Warner, Oni Perez, and Sandy Danto performing 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

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

9:30 pm ($5): Magnet sketch comedy teams Breakfast for Dinner and Dispacho try out new material at this show with the on-the-nose title Magnet Sketch Teams

9:30 pm ($8): Sharp improvisors Nate Starkey and Chris Grace make stuff up at The PIT upstairs theatre as duo Starkey & Grace

[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: "Prince Paul is a musical legend. If you like De La Soul, you'll love Prince Paul because he was the dude behind the legendary sound in the beginning. Anyway, Paul is a Grammy winner (Chris Rock); and his son P. Forreal raps. The father-and-son duo recorded a concept album that's bananas. Come take a bite!" at UCB East for one night only: Prince Paul & P. Forreal: Negroes On Ice

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