NYC Comedy Picks for Week of November 22, 2010

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 11/22/10

Jason Mantzoukas & Ed Herbstman perform breathtaking duo improv tonight in a rare appearance as The Mantzoukas Brothers...

...and Molly Knefel, Katharine Heller, and Brenna Palughi girl talk about sex at the wonderful theatrical improv show Naked in a Fishbowl

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: Kevin Allison (legendary MTV sketch series The State, HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, host of award-winning storytelling show Risk!) hosts this free open mic show for storytellers, in which you can put your name in a hat for the chance to tell a five-minute true story...and if it's a good one, possibly be included in Kevin's popular podcasts on the Web: Risk! Storyslam

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm ($15 at the door on $18.50 online with discount code FISHFAN): My #1 pick for the 2007 FringeNYC Festival, this wonderful group of actresses/improvisors portray characters as if they were in a play, but improvise everything they say and do. The luminous performers include Katharine Heller, Brenna Palughi, Lynne Rosenberg, Lauren Seikaly, and Molly Knefel, each of whom is immensely appealing and quick-witted. Further, they have an intimate, lovely chemistry with each other; and they've all committed to baring their personal lives, thinly disguised via their characters (hence the title's Naked). As a result, this is one of the most honest & nuanced improvised shows you'll ever see.

In last week's episode, the gals told bar stories that included a midget punching Katharine Heller's vagina, and sex etiquette.

Although every episode is a wonderful theatrical event, readers of this site no longer have to pay theatrical prices; you can see this show for a mere $15 by mentioning code FISHFAN at the door. Check out some videos of previous episodes here; and then get in the habit of attending the Soho Playhouse to experience the always fresh and surprising Naked in a Fishbowl

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Katie Hartman, who's half of hilarious sketch comedy duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, going solo tonight with "a menagerie of bizarre and bewildering characters in the shittiest parade you've ever seen. But not a literal parade. Please don't expect a parade:" Unhuggable

[FREE] 7:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Ray DeVito (co-host of Sacapuntas), Justin Murray, Esther Pardo, and Crystian Ramirez performing at a free weekly show in the Manchester Pub hosted by Phoebe Robinson: Case of the Mondays Comedy

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5 online or $8 at the door): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent for The Daily Show), Jon Friedman (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, host of The Rejection Show), Laura Krafft (former writer for The Colbert Report), and musical guest Dan Friel (member of band Parts & Labor) performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) with sketches and more from NYC comedy royalty Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler: Hot Tub Variety

8:00 pm ($5): Leah Bonnema (We TV, XM Sirius Radio) performs a one-woman show about "her mom, a coma, and the spirit of a boxer from Philly who has the eye of the tiger," with an opener from sketch duo Skinny Bitch Jesus Meeting, in Wake Up and Yell At Me

8:00 pm ($5): Two of UCBT's fine house sketch comedy troupes, Slow Burn and High Treason, trying out new bits at Maude Night

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 9:00 pm ($15 online or at the box office using discount code TJDNOV): Chicago-based TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi are a widely acclaimed improv duo. Just by feeling their way through moment by moment, they create one-hour tales that most authors couldn't match with months of labored writing. Tonight is the conclusion of their four-evening run at The Barrow Street Theatre: TJ & Dave

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Mike Birbiglia (flat-out one of the finest stand-up comedians in the country; hour-long Comedy Central special What I Should Have Said is Nothing; two Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; multiple appearances on Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien; comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live; off-Broadway show Sleepwalk with Me) is honing his newest material—which means you can see a performance worth at least $40 for $5. Seats are sold out; but if you don't mind standing, come and enjoy Mike Birbiglia: An Evening of New Stories

9:30 pm ($5): Sketch comedy duo Julia Morales and Oscar Montoya explore the quest for love in Date Me to Hell

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($7): Genius improvisors Jason Mantzoukas (We Used to Go Out, Mother, Baby Mama) and Ed Herbstman (co-founder of the Magnet Theater) show off how breathtakingly quick-witted and skillful they are at creating scenes from air. Time Out New York named these guys Best Improv Duo of 2006. Jason is briefly back in NYC from his work in film in LA; take advantage of this rare opportunity to see these improvisation comedy stars shine in an intimate setting as The Mantzoukas Brothers

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who tonight include John Mulaney (writer/performer for Saturday Night Live; Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, VH1's Best Week Ever; for John's great bit on Weekend Update, please click here), James Adomian (finalist of this summer's Last Comic Standing), and award-winning dark comedy sketch troupe Murderfist—guest-hosted by comedy genius Sean Patton (Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1) at 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 Leo's show, though, you can opt to instead practice your skills on this new stand-up open mic hosted by Michelle Wolf and Erin Lennox: Fresh

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 11/23/10

TV & movie stars Justin Long and Wyatt Cenac perform tonight at the "potato' edition of Seth Herzog's Sweet

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

7:00 pm ($5): A one-man show from Julie Ann Dulude about being raised by strict Catholic parents: Bless This Mess

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Myq Kaplan (finalist on this summer's Last Comic Standing; Jay Leno, Comedy Central Presents half-hour special) and staff writer/editors of The Onion—Joe Garden (Features Editor), Todd Hansen (Story Editor), and Baratunde Thurston (Web Editor)—plus musical guests Eden & John's East River String Band, all performing in the Lolita Bar at Liam McEneaney's Tell Your Friends

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Diane O'Debra, Joe Dixon, Mike Feeney, and Sue Funke performing at Cellar 58 (58 Second Avenue) alongside delightful host Abbi Crutchfield and comedic rapster Andrew Singer: Positively Awesome

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Comics industry pros join super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at Comic Book Club

8:00 pm to Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Bastian, Sandino, Badman, Ragnaröck, and Monstro, followed by small groups of UCBT students each performing long scenes that seem to have nothing in common with each other but magically converge at the end, all at Harold Night

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Wyatt Cenac (star correspondent of The Daily Show), Justin Long (NBC's Ed, Galaxy Quest, Going the Distance, Live Free or Die Hard, the Mac in Apple Computer commercials), and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by the wonderful Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, VH1; new feature Web Site of the Week): Sweet

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Wednesday 11/24/10

Unique and beloved comedic actress Pamela Murphy performs a one-woman show tonight about disease and triumph in The C Word

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 in The PIT's Super Free Wednesday

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm ($24.50 & 2-drink min.) A one-of-a-kind comedy star headlining tonight and Thursday at Carolines: Gilbert Gottfried

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Real-life siblings Will Hines (The Stepfathers) and Kevin Hines (Reuben Williams) perform stellar improv as The Brothers Hines; and in the other half of this double-bill, Nicole Shabtai performs a one-woman show about "illustrious a 13-year-old socialite and notorious Upper East Side private schooler we all love to hate" as Citizen Rothstein

[FREE] 8:30 pm: Patrick Borelli (Jimmy Fallon), Sara Benincasa (Comedy Central, YouTube star), Joe DeLuca (Comedy Central), Lance Weiss, and Cindy Cornelson performing at the East Village's Angels and Kings with guest host Alexis Guerreros: Entertaining the Bartender

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): A one-woman show from the hilarious Pam Murphy about breast cancer (which I'll be eagerly attending tonight); and Geoff Garlock and Emily Strachan are friends bonded by their love of Randy Quaid who attend an epic Quaid-con, in the double-bill Pam Murphy: The C Word and Gettin' Quaid

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 11/25/10

Tonight's recommendations for the best in NYC live comedy are sparse,

as most of the usual suspects are dark for Thanksgiving.

If you aren't at home with loved ones, though, here are a few shows to consider:

[$] 7:30 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) Stephen Glover of Jackass headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club: Steve-O

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:00ish pm: NYC stand-ups James Adomian (finalist on this summer's Last Comic Standing) , Travis Irvine (Jay Leno), Sean Donnelly (XM Radio, host of Lil’ Seany Boy), and more performing for this weekly show at the Kabin Bar and Lounge hosted by Chesley Calloway and comedy genius Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1): Comedy as a Second Language

[$] 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney

For this site's typically more extensive listings, please tune in here again on Friday.

Meanwhile...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 11/26/10

The invaluable Pat Baer hosts the quarter-finals of tonight's dynamic 3-on-3 Improv Tournament

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($10): Round 3 of a beloved annual November tradition—Pat Baer's 3-on-3 Improv Tournament

7:00 pm ($8): "Where there is a stage and a piano, she will be there. Where there are strangers with embarrassing stories, she will be there. Where there is a group of people willing to sit and watch someone make up songs, she will be there. A one-woman musical improv journey through the lives of the audience. You tell the story, Rebecca Vigil sings the soundtrack:" The Vigilante

[$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) Stephen Glover of Jackass headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club: Steve-O

8:00 pm ($10): All-gal NYU comedy group Katie Helde, Rachel Wenitsky, Anni Weisband, and Heather performing sketch comedy as Lady People

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($10): Some of the finest improv in NYC from the comedy genius members of The Stepfathers

9:30 pm ($8): Improvised scenes based on the "Missed Connections" section of Craigslist at Missed Connections Two-Prov

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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Round 4 of a beloved annual November tradition—Pat Baer's 3-on-3 Improv Tournament

[$] 12:30 am ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) A provocative comedy star who's written for Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, and Saturday Night Live, and performed on Chappelle's Show and David Letterman, headlining through Sunday at Carolines: Paul Mooney

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 11/27/10

Pat Baer hosts the semi-finals and finals of tonight's exciting & hilarious 3-on-3 Improv Tournament

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 7:00 pm & 11:00 pm ($25): Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim bring their surreal cult hit Adult Swim sketch comedy show to the stage tonight at the Best Buy Theater (1515 Broadway at 44th Street): Tim & Eric's Awesome Show

[$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($31.25 & 2-drink min.) Stephen Glover of Jackass headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club: Steve-O

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm, 9:30 pm, and 11:00 pm ($10): The semi-finals and finals of a beloved annual November tradition—Pat Baer's 3-on-3 Improv Tournament

9:00 pm ($7): Organic & energetic improv by the four guys of 4 Track!

[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

10:30 pm ($5): Vibrant improv from Nick Kanellis & Peter McNerney (Statues of Liberty) and Leslie Korein as comedy trio Trike

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 11/28/10

Top stand-ups Sean Patton, Ali Wong, Hannibal Buress, and more perform tonight at Brooklyn's free Bar 4 Comedy

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

7:00 pm ($5): Rachel Cole and Nisse Greenberg perform sketch comedy as duo Rachel and the Elf

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10) and 9:30 pm [FREE]: UCBT'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

[FREE] 8:00 pm: Keith Alberstadt (David Letterman), David Waite (Comedy Central), Damien Lemon, Alex Grubard, and Jay Welch performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups East Village lounge: Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): Young comics perform sketch comedy in Dept. of Etc.

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:30 pm: A blowout lineup of top stand-ups, including Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer set on Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central, VH1), Hannibal Buress (staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; Comedy Central, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson), Ali Wong (fearless, razor-sharp, hilarious comedy dynamo; MTV, Comedy Central), Ophira Eisenberg (sharp stand-up and brilliant storyteller; Comedy Central, VH1, Showtime), Joe DeRosa (HBO’s Down and Dirty, Comedy Central Presents, co-host of Righteous Kill, comedy CD The Depression Auction), and Julian McCullough (Comedy Central Presents) performing at Brooklyn's Bar 4 with host Yannis Pappas: Bar 4 Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Kevin Mullaney interviews improvisors about the exercises and techniques they use is classes and rehearsals, with tonight's guests include world-class improvisor & instructor Ed Herbstman (The Mantzoukas Brothers): IRC Podcast

[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups Adam Sank (Last Comic Standing, and this show's original host), Chris Doucette (Hot Gay Comics), and Yamaneika (BET) performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

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