For more, please visit HyReviews.com.
Amy Schumer’s just-released DVD Mostly Sex Stuff is great. Buy it here.
TV & movie star T.J. Miller gets his juices going at Brooklyn’s The Big Gulp and then headlines at the Gotham Comedy Club…
…Tony Award winner Cady Huffman joins singing & dancing improvisors at The Made-Up Musical…
…David Alan Grier headlines tonight and Saturday at Carolines…
…and Camille Harris sings at UCB East’s Earworm
Tonight’s recommendations for the best in New York City comedy (in chronological order, with top picks noted and shows over $10 marked with $) include:
[FREE] 6:00 pm: An open-mic show on a lottery system (sign-ups happen at 5:45-6:00 pm) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City with hosts Erin Lennox and Eli Sairs: The Orphanage
[TOP PICK] [FREE] 7:00 pm: T.J. Miller (David Letterman, Opie & Anthony; co-star of ABC sitcom Carpoolers; co-star of numerous movies including Cloverfield and Get Him to the Greek; for video samples, please click here), Nick Vatterott (Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central’s The Half Hour, MTV, Second City, 2012 Andy Kaufman Award), Joe List (HBO, Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central), Adam Newman (Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, comedy CD Not for Horses), and Anthony DeVito performing at Brooklyn’s Legion Bar (790 Metropolitan Avenue) hosted by Jack Wilkinson & Morgan Mille: The Big Gulp
[$] 7:00 pm ($20 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tom Papa (host of Jerry Seinfeld-produced NBC comedy The Marriage Ref; numerous appearances on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno; three Comedy Central specials), Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle Show, For the Love of the Game), Lenny Marcus (David Letterman, MTV), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show): Tom Papa, Hannibal Buress, and More
7:00 pm ($7): Scoresby performs 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 Magnet theatre, plus a second improv troupe: Scoresby plus Doctor Balloon
7:00 pm ($8): A one-man show from Zach Zimmerman (iO, Annoyance Theatre, Baby Wants Candy) that asks “What is gay? What is funny? What is gay and also funny?” at The PIT upstairs theatre: Straight Man
7:00 pm ($8): “Lana and Lena L’Amour are two broads who know their way around the ins and outs of love—especially the ins and outs! Together they’ll whip up songs right off the tops of their perfectly quaffed noggins about L’Amour, L’Sex and maybe even you and your L’lover. Accompanied by their ex-husband, incomparable piano player Frank Spitznagel” at The PIT downstairs lounge: Valentine’s Day at Lounge L’Amour
[FREE] 7:00 pm: Open-mic stand-up, with 3 minutes per comic (unless not many folks show up, in which case there’ll be more time), with names drawn out of a bucket at UCB East in the bar area (“Hot Chicks Room”) hosted by Nate Dern and Paul Oddo: The Friday Night Hot Chicks Mic
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Stone Cold Fox is the only sketch troupe (vs. improv troupe) to ever be honored with an ongoing spot on the prestigious UCB Chelsea weekend schedule. It’s earned this slot because its cast is one of the finest in comedy, with each performer strong enough for potential stardom. I haven’t yet seen this run of the show, but have heard good things about the material co-written & directed by superb comic scripter Michael Trapp: Stone Cold Fox: All Keyed Up
[TOP PICK] 7:30 pm ($10): Amber Nelson (fearless, innovative rising star; sketch troupe The Prom, co-host of The Dream Show and Mustache Party), Ashley Brooke Roberts (co-host of The Dream Show), Rob Stern, and Naomi Ekperigin performing stand-up at UCB East hosted by Halle Kiefer & Dan Chamberlain: Splitsider and Tumblr’s Dog and Pony Show
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): One of the most hilarious and red-hot sketch comedy & comedic actors in the biz, TV & film star T.J. Miller (David Letterman, Opie & Anthony; co-star of ABC sitcom Carpoolers; co-star of numerous movies including Cloverfield and Get Him to the Greek; for video samples, please click here), headlines tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: T.J. Miller
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm ($42 & 2-drink min.) A star from In Living Color who Comedy Central has named one of the 100 greatest stand-ups headlining tonight and Saturday at the Carolines Comedy Club: David Alan Grier
[TOP PICK] [$] 8:00 pm ($20): Marina Franklin (developing into one of the finest stand-ups in the country, with an uncommonly gentle, graceful style that’s pure joy; Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, Craig Ferguson, VH1, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend), Rich Vos (stand-up star on two seasons of Last Comic Standing and on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn; Comedy Central Presents; Opie & Anthony radio show), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern), and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Marina Franklin, Rich Vos, Big Jay Oakerson, and More
8:00 pm ($10): A dozen writers & performers perform brand new sketch comedy at The PIT upstairs theatre: Big Business
[FREE] 8:00 pm: Stand-up, sketch, videos, and more at Queens LIC’s The Creek upstairs theatre with Jeffrey Joseph and hosts Ron Krasnow & Joel Walkowski: The Short Bus
[FREE] 8:00 pm: An open-mic show that’s first come, first serve (sign-ups start at 7:30 pm), with each comic getting five minutes on stage at The Creek downstairs lounge in Queens’ Long Island City: Mic and Cheese
[TOP PICK] 8:30 pm ($10): Magnet improvisors play a fun game in which they all stay on stage at all times, and alternate between speaking roles and playing inanimate objects: Medusa
[$] 8:45 pm ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Tom Papa (host of Jerry Seinfeld-produced NBC comedy The Marriage Ref; numerous appearances on David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno; three Comedy Central specials), Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace), Gregg Rogell (Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Louie, Comedy Central), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle Show, For the Love of the Game), and Jeff Lamp (Jay Leno) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by Keith Robinson (HBO, Comedy Central, Wanda Sykes Show): Tom Papa, Hannibal Buress, and More
[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 ($10): A gathering of comedic musicians, who tonight include Camille Harris ((irresistible rising star singer/sketch comic/cutie; featured player on The Moon Show, co-host of My High School Boyfriend Was Gay) The Reformed Whores (raunchy comedic singing duo Marie Cecile Anderson & Katy Frame; new album Ladies Don’t Spit), and Marc Engberg performing at UCB East hosted by superb musical group Summer & Eve (for samples, please click here): Earworm Funny Music Party Show
[TOP PICK] [$] [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): Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Carmen Lynch (David Letterman, Last Comic Standing finalist, Comedy Central), Wil Sylvince (Comedy Central, BET’s Comic View), and more performing at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club
9:30 pm ($10): A PIT improv troupe making up a musical on the spot after a friendly greeting: Hello
9:30 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:” at The PIT downstairs lounge: Buttski & Glasscock’s New Talent Blowout
[TOP PICK] 10:00 pm ($10): Singing improvisors at The Magnet—plus tonight’s special guest Cady Huffman (movie & TV star, and Tony Award winner for playing sex-bomb Ulla in Broadway’s The Producers) using an interview with an audience member to craft The Made-Up Musical
[$] 10:00 pm ($20): Rachel Feinstein (finalist on Last Comic Standing; Comedy Central, HBO, The Apprentice, opens for Sarah Silverman on tour), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Pat Dixon (Comedy Central Presents, FOX, VH1, E!, host of Nearly Naked Lady Comedy Hour), Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern), and more performing stand-up at The Stand Comedy Club (239 Third Avenue & 20th Street): Rachel Feinstein, Big Jay Oakerson, and More
[FREE] 10:00 pm: NYC stand-ups (not announced) performing sets to be used as audition tapes—so they’ll be trying extra hard to make you laugh—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens’ Long Island City: Caught on Tape
[$] 10:30 pm ($24 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Marina Franklin (developing into one of the finest stand-ups in the country, with an uncommonly gentle, graceful style that’s pure joy; Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, Craig Ferguson, VH1, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend), Hannibal Buress (former staff writer for 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live; David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Louie, The Eric Andre Show, host of Comedy Night, one-hour Comedy Central special Animal Furnace), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle Show, For the Love of the Game), Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern), and Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno) performing at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson: Marina Franklin, Hannibal Buress, and More
[TOP PICK] 10:30 pm ($10): Fran Gillespie, Jon Gabrus, Sue Galloway, Matt Fisher, Craig Rowin, Nate Lang, and/or 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): Jim Tews (HBO), Mike Cannon (MTV), and Julia Wiedeman (Naked People) performing at UCB East hosted by Brandon Scott Jones, D’Arcy Carden, Justin Tyler, Emily Axford, and/or Alden Ford: Gentrify
11:00 pm ($5): “A scandalous night of down-right-sexy improv” that begins with “a blank, white, virgin, and untouched canvas; Mr. O and Ms. X will color you, go outside the lines, and make sure you leave with no skin left uncovered. The stage will be the frame and everyone’s the painting” at The PIT downstairs lounge: Yes, Yes, Yes…And
[TOP PICK] 11:30 pm ($10): 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, improv troupe Salmon Diane, 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
Midnight ($5): Gary Vider (hilarious writer & deadpan stand-up; for sample jokes, please click here), John Moses, Yamaneika Saunders, and more performing at a showcase of NYC stand-ups not yet represented by a manager or agent at UCB East hosted by Luke Thayer & JL Cauvin: Unmanageable Stand-Ups
[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
Midnight ($5): Members of UCBT house improv troupes get scrambled together into new one-night-only teams at UCB East (performers not announced): The Blender
[TOP PICK] [$] 12:15 am ($20 plus 2-item food/drink min.): Dave Attell (one of the most respected stand-ups in the biz; star of Showtime’s Dave’s Old Porn and Comedy Central’s Insomniac; HBO, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, The Daily Show, Comedy Central Presents), Big Jay Oakerson (Comedy Central Presents, HBO, Showtime, MTV), Greer Barnes (David Letterman, Chappelle Show, For the Love of the Game), Mike Vecchione (Last Comic Standing, Howard Stern), and Dan Naturman (David Letterman, Jay Leno) performing stand-up at Comedy Cellar (117 MacDougal Street, between 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) hosted by William Stephenson: Dave Attell, Big Jay Oakerson, and More
From legendary NYC comedy site Brooklyn Vegan: If you want to know what is happening in NYC comedy on a particular day, you gotta get hip to this dude Hy Bender and his site Best New York Comedy. The site is updated daily and features a super exhaustive look at what is happening in the NYC comedy world that particular day. The site is updated religiously…It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is.
