NYC Comedy Picks for Week of March 19, 2012

NYC Comedy Picks for Monday 3/19/12

Jon Friedman hosts razor-sharp comics sharing their shattered TV dreams at The Rejection Show: Pilot Season Edition

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

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

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

7:00 pm & 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): The perfect show for short attention spans—open mic stand-up with 4 minutes per set and 25 comics crammed into 2 hours—with an early show hosted by Sean Donnelly & Blaine Perry at 7:00 pm, and an entirely different group of stand-ups hosted by Dan Cartwright & Dave Greek at 9:00 pm—at the Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for Carol Hartsell's & John Morrison's Motel Luca

[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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): NYC's writers & performers have just survived another TV Pilot season—and comics Jessi Klein, Jon Gabrus, Jordan Carlos, Noah Garfinkel, and Max Silvestri will tonight share the debris of their shattered dreams at UCB East, accompanied by songs that will probably make fun of them from Stuckey & Murray, at all Jon Friedman's wonderful The Rejection Show: Comedy Central Corporate Retreat—Pilot Season Edition

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, first up is a witty and ultimately exhilarating exploration of baring it all by fabulous long-time nudist Julia Wiedeman (who I had the great fortune of seeing about a decade ago as she walked around with zero clothing, like a glorious tigress, in broad daylight on the streets of the East Village): Naked People...

...and in the other half of this double-bill, a musical about 19th century New York in which "uptown the aristocrats and robber barons think they own the city, while downtown thieves, pimps, and she-males believe they do; but the real kings of the city, the only truly free ones, are the news boys—and for some reason, they’re all British!," with book & lyrics by Brian Glidewell, Marcy Jarreau & Kevin Carter, and direction by Christopher Gladysz & Lauren Conlin Adams: Newsadoozies: A Man-Eating Musical

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($9.47 online or $8 at the door): Understated and brilliant comic Heather Lawless, Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), Gabe Liedman (co-host of Big Terrific), and musical guest Ronald Reagan performing at Brooklyn's Littlefield (622 Degraw Street) hosted by Kurt Braunohler (Comedy Central; creator & host of IFC game show Bunk; co-creator & co-star of UK TV series Penelope: Princess of Pets; triple 2011 ECNY Award winner): Hot Tub Variety

8:00 pm ($10): Mamrie Hart (rising star; You Deserve a Drink, Celebrity Funeral, Maude Night, BoF), Becky Yamamoto, Kara Klenk, and more performing at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Glennis McCarthy: Gorgeous Women

[TOP PICK] [DISCOUNTED] 8:30 pm ($15 if you mention HyReviews.com [otherwise $20], which includes one drink; calling 212.989.9319 to reserve seats is recommended): Mark Normand (hilarious stand-up; Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central; co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here), Maureen Langan (HBO, Joy Behar Show, ABC News, FOX, MSNBC, WE, The Onion; 2009 MAC Award for Best Female Comic), Ross Bennett (Comedy Central), Angry Bob, Chris Doucette, and Jeff Kreisler performing at the Cornelia Street Cafe for John Morrison's Morrison Motel

8:30 pm ($5): At The Magnet, a mini-play from Chris Nester & Ross Taylor about aspiring Country Western musicians: The Oakwood Boys; and in the other half of this double-bill, Kevin Cobbs & Alessandro King perform sketch or improv set in old-time Hollywood: Listen, Kid!

[FREE] 8:30 pm: NYC stand-ups (for details, please click here) performing at this weekly show at Brooklyn's Matchless (557 Manhattan Avenue) hosted by Mike Denny, Michael Che, and/or Nimesh Patel: Broken Comedy

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Two UCB Chelsea house sketch troupes try out fresh material: The Prom (which is overflowing with wonderful talent, including Sasheer Zamata, Stephen Soroka, Amber Nelson, Ari Scott, and Siobhan Thompson), and Everything Rabbits (which includes the lovely & uniquely hilarious Violet Krumbein): Maude Night: The Prom & Everything Rabbits

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 9:30 pm: Improv spinning off stand-up sets, with typically stellar performers all-round, performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Micah Sherman: Fun

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): After hosting for years in a shrunken venue, Sharon Spell breaks out into the lovely UCB East theatre for her offbeat comedy variety show, with tonight's guests Amy Stiller, Birch Harms, Disalamanac, Squirm and Germ, and The Shrink Dancers: The Big Shrink

[FREE] 9:30 pm: NYC stand-ups Gabe Pacheco, Jessie Geller, Samma Jamma, Onifre Perez, Calvin Cato, and Tom Steffen performing at Brooklyn's Freddy's Backroom (627 5th Avenue) with host Pat O'Shea: Ed Sullivan on Acid

10:00 pm ($5): A new variety show in which comics perform characters, stand-up, and other bits at The Magnet hosted by Jon Bander: What's to Get?

10:00 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] 10:30 pm: Improv students are welcomed onto the stage at The PIT downstairs lounge for this weekly open access show hosted by Gary DeNoia & Keith Huang: Base Jam

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: Some of the finest comics in the world—who haven't yet been announced, but you can check for an update here—performing at UCB Chelsea and typically hosted by someone great: 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 stand-up open mic at The PIT upstairs theatre hosted by Michelle Wolf and the hilarious Erin Lennox (for a sample of Erin's dynamite Seriously Sports show, please click here): Fresh

NYC Comedy Picks for Tuesday 3/20/12

Come see me judge NYU & Columbia University stand-ups at 7:00 at the Gotham Comedy Club,
and then go catch comedy giant John Gemberling at Jackets Off or The Tony & Johnny Show...

...or opt for Sean Patton at Brooklyn's Mr. Coconuts or Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan at Brooklyn's The Moon Show

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 for comedy of all types (with sign-up starting at 6:00) at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Robert Dean: The Dean's List

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 7:00 pm (2-drink min., plus $5 cover [vs. $10] if you reserve tickets via the box office at 212.367.9000 and mention the name of a stand-up who'll be performing—such as Alex Curtis from Columbia or Andrew Tavin from NYU, who are the first two comics on the lineup): RooftopComedy.com and TBS are sponsoring a national comedy contest to find the best college student stand-up from among 32 universities around the country. This show at the Gotham Comedy Club will feature 16 stand-ups—eight from New York University and eight from Columbia University. Each school is allowed only four stand-ups to move on and represent it in the finals, so these comics will be competing against their own classmates to win one of those four spots. This will be fun because these young stand-ups are about as fresh and energetic as it gets; and they'll be judged for their comedic skills, stage presence, and originality, which means they'll be doing their best to surprise and delight you. Plus I'll be one of the judges, so you'll be hearing my laugh—or ominous lack thereof—throughout the show. Come to the prestigious Gotham Comedy Club for a mere $5 cover, buy drinks, and enjoy the New York edition of Rooftop Comedy's National College Stand-Up Competition: Columbia and NYU

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast has been clobbering some of the best improv troupes in NYC at UCBT's Cage Match. Tonight come see this troupe perform on its own for a full hour at The Magnet before it returns to crushing groups on Thursday: North Coast

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Colin Jost (Jimmy Fallon; writer for Saturday Night Live), Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central, NBC's My Name is Earl, Adult Swim, Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show; films Pluto Nash, End of Days, A Guy Thing), and more performing at Lolita Bar hosted by Liam McEneaney: Tell Your Friends

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Murderfist (NYC's fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), Nikki Glaser (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, podcast You Had to Be There), Annie Lederman (Comedy Central), and Chris Laker (co-host of podcast It Could Be Better; Sirius Radio's The Virus) performing at UCB East for a comedy variety show produced by Sara Schaefer & Scott Moran: Hot Dang

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): Razor-sharp stand-up and comic book nerd Mike Lawrence joins super-hosts Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler, and Pete LePage in a lively & hilarious discussion about four-color pop culture at The PIT downstairs lounge—sadly, for the last time at The PIT, but happily the show will be free again when it moves to Pianos next week: Comic Book Club

8:00 pm-Midnight ($5): Four full hours of improv at UCB Chelsea for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes Deckard, Creature, Still Mike, Grandma's Ashes, and Sandino—and at 11:00 pm a range of UCBT students getting on stage with improv veterans at The Lottery—all at Harold Night

8:00 pm ($5): A one-man show by Pat Bellatina "being selected as the keynote speaker at his former high school’s commencement. Will he be brave enough to admit that he knows nothing? This comedic musical memoir explores the illusion of success, the joys of lying, and growing up in the Bronx while pretending you didn't" at The PIT upstairs theatre following a sold-out run at Ars Nova: No No No Yes

[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

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5):Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (amazing human boombox; The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme, co-host of The BEATdown), Bobby Tisdale (senior staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, beloved New York downtown comedy pioneer), Michael Kupperman (SNL's TV Funhouse, author of Mark Twain's Autobiography 1910-2010), and Ted Travelstead (co-author of Sex: Our Bodies, Our Junk) performing at Brooklyn's Union Pool (484 Union Avenue) along with sketches from Moon regulars Camille Harris, Jordan Clifford, James Beard, Tim Skinner, Tim Whitney, and Kenny Pickett, and hosts Nat Towsen & Bob Walles: The Moon Show

[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($5 at the door, $7.63 in advance online): Sean Patton (red-hot rising star; killer sets on Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, VH1; co-host of Comedy as a Second Language), Patrick Borelli (staff writer for Jimmy Fallon, and previously for Conan O'Brien; Adult Swim, ESPN; author of book Holy Headshot!), Gabe Liedman (co-host of Big Terrific), and more performing for this monthly show at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by Gabe Delahaye (Senior Editor of Videogum.com): Mr. Coconuts Comedy Show

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

9:00 pm (no cover, one drink min.): RG Daniels, George Gordon, Matt Wayne, Anthony P. DeVito, and Laura Prangley performing stand-up on tonight's topic of Haunting for this weekly show at Sidewalk NYC (94 Avenue A) hosted by Erin Judge: The Afterlife

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Matt Higgins (always energetic and surprising improv/sketch comic; member of acclaimed troupe Centralia), Max Silvestri (co-host of Big Terrific), a "special guest," co-host/DJ movie stars Justin Long and Michael Godere, and more performing at Ella (9 Avenue A) hosted by Seth Herzog (Jimmy Fallon, 30 Rock, VH1): Sweet

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Comedy giant John Gemberling (genius improvisor & comedic character actor; Comedy Central, Adult Swim, Death by Roo Roo, The Tony and Johnny Show) and more performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) hosted by twins Adam & Todd Stone, who for this weekly show leave behind their trademark suits: Jackets Off

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($10): At The PIT upstairs theatre, the worlds of "magic, mind-reading, and mutilation" are explored by Matthew Holtzclaw & Prakash Puru in this all-new show: Strange Things

9:30 pm ($5): Jon Fisch (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VH1, The Apprentice), Ryan Conner, Harris Stanton, and Justin Perez performing stand-up at The PIT downstairs lounge hosted by Chris Grace: Cold Soda Comedy

[FREE] 9:30 pm: Allison Castillo (Comedy Central, VH1), Calvin Cato (Game Show Network, host of The Pregame Show), Emma Willmann, and Frank Liotti performing stand-up at this new monthly gay-themed show at Queens LIC's The Creek upstairs theatre hosted by Tom Steffen: Rapier Wit

[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($5): In an act of desperation to attract a larger audience, Tony & Johnny are devoting tonight to kindness. Says Tony, "It's so great to take the stage each week and see an entire room filled with amazing like-minded geniuses. If you're an amazing person, and you want to meet more amazing people, well, what better meeting place than the UCBeast on Tuesday nights? A crucible of kindness! You're great!" So are this duo, who are two of the most brilliant, fearless, and innovative comics in the biz: John Gemberling (Death by Roo Roo, Adult Swim, Comedy Central) and Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, 30 Rock, Conan O'Brien, The Nights of Our Lives). Tonight at UCB East they welcome guests Matt Higgins (always energetic and surprising improv/sketch comic; member of acclaimed troupe Centralia), Matt Koff (Onion News Network, WitStream, 9 Am Meeting), and Jamie Lee (Last Comic Standing, VH1). Please be kind and brilliant and join them at The Tony and Johnny Show

[TOP PICK] [$] 10:00 pm ($15 & 2-drink min.) Godfrey, Jay Oakerson, Ryan Hamilton, and more heavy-duty stand-ups performing at the Gotham Comedy Club with guest host Kyle Fincham: ComedyJuice

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

[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] 11:30 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 3/21/12

What might be the birth of a proud new tradition kicks off tonight: The First Annual NYC Improv Festival

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

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

[MEGA-TOP PICK] [FREE] 6:00 pm to midnight: The PIT is aiming to begin a proud tradition tonight with its first annual improv festival. Will it be competitive with UCB's legendary summer Del Close Marathon? Read about the new festival here, check out its entire schedule here—tonight's shows are all free—and then come out to explore The PIT's First Annual NYC Improv Festival

[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

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

7:00 pm (no cover, 1-item min.): Ophira Eisenberg (brilliant storyteller and sharp, likeable stand-up with notable bangs; VH1, Showtime, host of TV pilot of The Liar Show), Matt Ruby (co-host of Hot Soup and We're All Friends Here, blog Sandpaper Suit), Will Hines (ace improv troupe The Stepfathers, treasured UCBT comedy Jacqueline Novak, and Erika Wasser performing at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) with hosts Selena Coppock, Dan Cartwright, and Emily Epstein: Connotation

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): For this double-bill at UCB East, Nicole Byer, Sasheer Zamata, and Keisha Zollar are first up as the fiercely energetic & entertaining all-gal improv troupe Doppelganger; and then genius improvisors Gavin Speiller of Death By Roo Roo, Ben Rodgers of The Curfew, and Jonathan Gabrus of The Law Firm) perform as Outlook of the Poet

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, first up is a sketch play about the opening of a trendy restaurant that serves nothing but pig (including "bacon-infused martinis"), written with wit and bite by Leila Cohan-Miccio (Stone Cold Fox), directed with style by Caitlin Bitzegaio (MTV, PBS, ESPN), and performed superbly by comedic actress Lauren Conlin Adams (keep an eye out for her Aurora, a hot and hilariously bubble-headed waitress): Pig: A Restaurant...

...and in the second half of this double-bill, the debut of a detective mini-play with a star-studded cast—John Murray, Brandon Scott Jones, D'Arcy Carden, Cody Lindquist, Eddie Dunn, Don Fanelli, and Zachary Broussard—written and directed by Michael Trapp: Death Wears Stilettos

[$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm ($15 [vs. $25] online or at the box office using discount code BBOX): Telly Savalas returns to life to entertain you and provide life guidance in this 50-minute show that was a hit at FringeNYC 2011 and is now enjoying an open-ended Friday night run at the Soho Playhouse's downstairs Huron Club. The script is at times very smart, especially in its choices of hilarious video clips and music tracks from the real Savalas...who, in his more intense moments, apparently rivaled William Shatner at his silliest. But even when Hunter Nelson's writing isn't consistent, actor Tom DiMenna—who is a professional comic with great timing and skill at engaging an audience—will keep you entertained: Who Loves You, Baby?

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

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

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 11:00 pm: As many as a dozen guests packed into 75 minutes performing stand-up, improv, sketch, and occasionally acts that defy categorization. The level of talent can vary wildly, but for some (like me), that's part of the laid-back fun; and this is often one of the most amazing comedy shows in town. Tonight's scheduled lineup includes delightful rising star Sasheer Zamata (Doppelganger, The Prom) as host, plus such guests as fiercely talented Nicole Byer (Doppelganger, The Bachelor); for the complete list, please click here. Come support the experimentation, and periodic magical surprises, that this uniquely organic rollercoaster of a weekly show at UCB Chelsea makes possible—and don't forget to toss $1 in the bucket on your way out: School Night

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

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

NYC Comedy Picks for Thursday 3/22/12

Everyone's friend Dave revives The Dave Hill Explosion; Tracy Morgan headlines tonight and this weekend at Carolines...

...and The PIT's improv extravaganza continues through Saturday: The First Annual NYC Improv Festival

Recommendations for the best in New York City comedy tonight

(in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $12 marked with $) include:

[TOP PICK] 6:00 pm to midnight (prices vary by show; buy $45 festival pass to see everything through Saturday): The PIT is aiming to begin a proud tradition with its first annual improv festival. Will it be competitive with UCB's legendary summer Del Close Marathon? Read about the new festival here, check out its entire schedule here, and then come out to explore The PIT's First Annual NYC Improv Festival

[FREE] 6:00 pm: Ashley Ward (ace improvisor who performs with Baby Wants Candy, Diamond Lion, Big Black Car, and Taco Supreme) 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: 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

[TOP PICK] 6:30 pm ($5): Stand-up and stage magic are combined at UCB Chelsea by Harrison Greenbaum, a comic who's devoted a lot of time and passion to both fields, resulting in both laughs and tricks you won't have a clue how he pulled off: Harrison Greenbaum: What Just Happened?...

...plus in the other half of this double-bill, the audition of a show I know nothing about but has the fun title Urban Dictionary Jeopardy

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($12): Renowned comedy group The Harvard Lampoon celebrates the publication of its book parody of The Hunger Games at 92Y Tribeca (200 Hudson Street): The Harvard Lampoon: The Hunger Pains

[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] 8:00 pm ($5): The screening of "hilarious 30-60 second created-on-spec commercials from UCB and NYC's advertising community. Vote for your favorite; the winner gets a $1,000 prize" at UCB East—but what does the audience get for watching all those commercials? Hosted by Sound Lounge: The Great Sell Out

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($60 & 2-drink min.): A co-star of 30 Rock who's one of the most hilarious guys in the biz headlines at the Carolines Comedy Club tonight, Saturday, and Sunday: Tracy Morgan

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($5): At UCB Chelsea, a troupe specializing in meta-comedy—that is, comedy about the process of making comedy—performs their most meta show yet, which is billed as a "best of" show but actually is a series of internal spats that delay any of the promised sketches from being performed. It's smart and clever, and all four members of the group are highly appealing. But it's such a purely "from the head, not the heart" show that it feels increasingly repetitive and one-note as it goes on. I wish the guys had been less concerned with the purity of their one-joke idea and more with creating an emotional rollercoaster experience for the audience. (The reason their best sketch ever is a spelling bee for fart jokes is because it's a perfect blend of their conceptual approach with laugh-out-loud funny. Sadly, no such sketch is in this show...) If you like concept comedy, though, these guys are great at it; and you're likely to enjoy at least the first 10 minutes before the novelty wears off from Pangea 3000: 12 Years of Hard Work...

...and in the second half of this double-bill, a parody of The Bachelor written by UCBT faves Caitlin Bitzegaio (MTV, PBS, ESPN, writer or director of numerous UCBT sketch shows) and Leila Cohan-Miccio (Stone Cold Fox, Pig: A Restaurant), and worth catching if only to experience the delicious comedic performances of standouts Morgan Grace Jarrett (Big Fish, Love Liza, Buffy fan) and Nicole Byer (Doppelganger)—who are especially fun when they turn into an unlikely a comedy duo...: The Bachelor: Romance, Roses, and Romance

[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!

8:00 pm-MIdnight ($7 for the entire evening): The Magnet house troupes The Boss, Junior Varsity, Hello Laser, and Phooka performing improv, followed at 10:00 pm by Alan Fessenden directing The Monoscene (an improvised play that takes place entirely in one location with no edits of any kind), and then at 11:00 improv competition Inspirado (like UCBT's Cage Match, but with a game-like challenge component) with last week's winner competing against Rubin: The Magnet's Night Out

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): Todd Barry (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, FX's Louie, HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Bored to Death, Adult Swim, feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead), Jon Friedman (Jimmy Fallon, The Rejection Show), and Emily Heller (Comedy Central; staff writer for Rooftop Comedy; for ruminations on pregnancy, please click here) performing at UCB East with best bud hosts Noah Garfinkel & Joe Mande (author of Look At This F*cking Hipster): Totally J/K

[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 (no cover, 1-item min.): Nikki Glaser (Jay Leno, Last Comic Standing, co-host of podcast You Had to Be There), Pat O'Shea (host of Ed Sullivan on Acid), Jay Nog, and Adam Conover performing stand-up at Luca Lounge (222 Avenue B off 14th Street) for this weekly comedy show that tonight is guest-hosted by Emmy Blotnick and produced by Carol Hartsell: Lasers in the Jungle

[TOP PICK] 9:30 pm ($5): Jon Benjamin (star/creator of Comedy Central's Jon Benjamin Has a Van; FOX, Adult Swim, MTV's Human Giant), musical guest Suzzy Roche (of The Roches), and surprises from host Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; upcoming book Tasteful Nudes) at The Dave Hill Explosion

[TOP PICK] 11:00 pm ($5): Freestyle rapping long-form improv troupe North Coast squeaked by to victory last week against Very Good Kiss, winning 70-66. Did Kiss kill? Or is the NC juggernaut, with four victories in a row, starting to lose steam? The latter theory will be tested tonight by Airwolf as it competes for audience laughs and votes at UCB Chelsea for the raucous Cage Match

11:00 pm ($5): Sketch/parody, plus some audience interaction, at UCB East: The Hunger Games: A Bit Show

NYC Comedy Picks for Friday 3/23/12

Burlesque star Boo Boo Darlin' performs at Livia's Castle of Enchantment; TV & movie star Todd Barry 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:

6:00 pm ($5): Improv at The Magnet from house troupes Brick, Junior Varsity, and Chet Watkins

[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups start at 5:30 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Mike Recine (Comedy Central) and Annie Lederman (Comedy Central): The Shinebox

8:30 pm ($5): Improv at The Magnet revolving around "the anticipation, the fall-out, that fragile moment when love blooms or dies" in Double Date; plus improv troupe Honey

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

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($5): Sharp improvisors at UCB East making up a musical on the spot: Diamond Lion

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($18.86 online with code TODDB, plus 2-drink minimum): One of the finest stand-ups alive—with appearances on HBO, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents, The Sarah Silverman Program, Adult Swim, and feature films The Wrestler and Pete Smalls is Dead—headlining for tonight only at the Carolines Comedy Club: Todd Barry

[FREE] 8:00 pm: The third annual comedy tournament featuring 40 improv groups...only one of which will survive. Tonight four improv troupes battle for superiority, pride, and glory at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by James Ferrarella: The Arena 2012, Round Two

[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

8:30 pm ($10): Theatrical sketch comedy at The Magnet that features "three cowboys settling their score the old-fashioned way; an old Broadway star attempting her long-anticipated comeback; in a blatantly self-referential sketch, a young comedian trying to convince his friend to come see his show," and more at Citizen Models

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

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($5): A beloved show that brings dead celebrities back to life has itself been resurrected at UCB East, with magical comedic chameleon Livia Scott (Conan O'Brien, Law & Order, Dirty Movie) hosting tonight as Emily Dickinson. Joining the party will be Murderfist (NYC's fearless heavy metal version of a sketch troupe; winner of the 2010 ECNY Award), Boo Boo Darlin' (New York Burlesque Festival 2010 Winner), and Greg Johnson (Sirius Radio host): Livia's Castle of Enchantment

[$] [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): Gary Gulman (Last Comic Standing, Tourgasm, Comedy Central hour-long special), Nate Bargatze (David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central Presents), and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

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 Casual Sex Offenders at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: CSO Improv Comedy

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

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

[TOP PICK] 11:30 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, sketch/improv duo Klepper & Grey): The Friday Night Sh*w

[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 try out sketches for free and with almost zero hurdles on the prestigious UCB Chelsea stage. Hosted by Maude troupe Onassis: Liquid Courage

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 3/24/12

Genuine mock battles, live on stage, at tonight's epic UCBW WrestleSlamMania VII

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 to 1:00 am (prices vary by show; $45 festival pass lets you see everything): The PIT is aiming to begin a proud tradition with its first annual improv festival. Will it be competitive with UCB's legendary summer Del Close Marathon? Read about the new festival here, check out its entire schedule here, and then come out to enjoy this final night of The PIT's First Annual NYC Improv Festival

[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 Andrews Sisters, Orange Augustus, and LD50 at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Genius improvisors Joe Bill, Ed Herbstman, Becky Drysdale, Kay Cannon, Christina Gausas, Brandon Gardner, Jed Resnik, and/or other stellar performers from 30 Rock, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and legendary Chicago improv institutions at UCB Chelsea all joyously declaring Let's Have a Ball

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm & 12:30 am ($60 & 2-drink min.): A co-star of 30 Rock who's one of the most hilarious guys in the biz headlines at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tracy Morgan

[FREE] 8:00 pm: NYC comics performing at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City for this talk & stand-up show hosted by Sarah Tollemache: Last Night

8:30 pm ($10): Sheng Wang (Comedy Central Presents), Harrison Greenbaum (writer for Mad Magazine; head writer of Tu Nite con Lorenzo Parro on NBCU/Telemundo; winner of the 2010 Andy Kaufman Award), Greg Johnson (Sirius XM Radio), Alice Wetterlund, and Team Submarine 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): Five veteran improvisors make stuff up at The Magnet as troupe Lead McEnroe

[TOP PICK] [$] [DISCOUNTED] 10:00 pm ($15 both online and at the door using discount code SBWC, otherwise $20): This top musical improv troupe has wowed audiences around the world with its skill at making up an hour-long musical moment by moment. The plot and characters, the musical accompaniment, even the song lyrics and the "choreography" are invented on the spot, with no pre-planned structure. Come to the Soho Playhouse tonight to see why BWC won a FringeNYC Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event: Baby Wants Candy

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 10:00 pm: Sharp NYC stand-ups are invited to perform anything except stand-up—e.g., sketch, storytelling, improv, songs, dance, puppetry, and things we can't even imagine—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Kelly Fastuca, Reid Faylor, and Andrew Short: Underbelly

[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): Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, D'Arcy Carden, and/or other stellar improvisors at UCB Chelsea interview an audience member about where he or she grew up and then create an entire show based on the mini-bio: The Curfew: Not From Around Here

10:30 pm ($10): UCBT Harold Night improv troupe Airwolf makes stuff up at UCB East: Airwolf: Let's Go Back to Your Place

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

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): "For over six years, you have been able to count on the UCBW to bring you hot comedy wrestling action each and every Thursday night at Cage Match. For an unprecedented seventh year, UCBW will present its signature show—the grandpappy of 'em all—WrestleSlamMania VII! Rivalries have been brewing, and everything will come to a full boil when the full stable of UCBW MegaStars appears in the squared circle! Hilarious real wrestling matches live! Get your tickets NOW! Only 14,000 seats available!:" WrestleSlamMania VII: The Final Orbit

[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

Midnight ($5): Michelle Wolf (co-host of Fresh), Dave Rosinsky, JF Harris, Eli Sairs, and Jake Young performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Adam Conover: Fresh Out

[FREE] Midnight: NYC stand-ups (not announced) participate in the fake taping of a bad late-night TV comedy show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with host Brad Steuernagel: Comedians Off Of the Leash

NYC Comedy Picks for Sunday 3/25/12

Muppets are screened at The Muppet Vault, and puppets makes up scenes at Puppetry for Improv;
Tracy Morgan headlines one last night at Carolines...

...and wonderful comedic musicians including Ben Lerman and Pendulum Swings perform at Vintage Vantage Variety Show

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): Select best clips of Muppets from last year's feature film (coming out in DVD this month) and other treasured Muppet moments screened at Brooklyn's Union Hall, plus Muppet-themed drink specials, cool giveaways, sing-along fun, and more: The Muppet Vault: DVD Release Party

[FREE] 2:00 pm: The students of David Fino's latest improvisational puppetry graduating class show off their skills at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Puppetry for Improv

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

[FREE] 6:00 pm: "Are ready for something sweet and something spicy? Long form improv that will satisfy your hunger" hosted by sharp UCBT comic Andy Rocco at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: The Candy Taco Improv Hour

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

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

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

[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($60 & 2-drink min.): A co-star of 30 Rock who's one of the most hilarious guys in the biz headlining one last night at the Carolines Comedy Club: Tracy Morgan

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($8): Scott Rogowsky (writer for The Onion, co-host of 12 Angry Mascots) returns to The PIT upstairs theatre to host "a unique talk show experience that needs to be experienced to be experienced. There will be plenty of bits, skits, chits and chats, and maybe that pretty girl you saw on the 6 train last night will be in the audience! It's a big city, but you run into people," with tonight's wonderful guests Dave Hill (one of the most original and hilariously sharp alternative comics in the country; HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NPR, star of The King of Miami, The Dave Hill Explosion, band Diamondsnake, champion rapper; upcoming book Tasteful Nudes), Mike Lacher (author of On the Bro’d, creator of Web sites The Geocities-izer and Muppets with People Eyes), and Adam Newman (Comedy Central, College Humor): Running Late with Scott Rogowsky

[TOP PICK] 8:00 pm ($7): Typically terrific stand-ups (not yet announced, but for an update please click here) performing at Brooklyn's Union Hall hosted by comedy giant Eugene Mirman: Pretty Good Friends

[TOP PICK] [FREE] 8:00 pm: Keith Alberstadt (David Letterman), Ben Kronberg (Jimmy Kimmel), Ryan Conner (writer for Saturday Night Live), Tim Warner, and more performing at RG Daniels' free weekly show at the Three of Cups lounge (83 First Avenue at 5th Street): Sunday Night Stand-Up

8:00 pm ($5): Magnet sketch comics performing new material (for a fun sample co-starring Danielle Tolley about dating a telemarketer, please click here): Alchemy

8:00 pm ($5): Short-form improv at The PIT downstairs lounge: The Sunday ShortForm Show

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($8): A musical comedy evening with Ben Lerman (nuanced raunchy comedic singer/songwriter; Logo TV's NewNowNext, Sirius Radio's Frank DeCaro Show), Michael Haar (vintage singer, barber to the stars), wonderful band Pendulum Swings, and more performing at Under St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place, off First Avenue) hosted by Kyle Supley and guest host Greg Stone: Vintage Vantage Variety Show

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

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced this week) performing at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue), probably with a guest host: Comedy Night

[FREE] 9:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced this week) 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

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

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

[FREE] 10:00 pm: Jessimae Peluso (Last Comic Standing, TruTV, Tyra Banks), Jami Smith (comedy writer & tweeter for The Advocate), and Adam Lehman (HereTV’s Hot Gay Comics) performing at this free weekly gay-themed show at Therapy hosted by Brad Loekle: Electro Shock Therapy Comedy Hour

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

[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($5): Magnet improvisor Benjamin Jones makes up scenes on his own, and then the Magnet Touring Company (which includes improv master Ed Herbstman) performs: Just Ben and Magnet TourCo

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