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HyReviews.com

The Most Complete & Accurate Info on NYC's Best Live Comedy Shows
Stand-Up, Improv, Sketch, Storytelling, Variety, and More, Fully Updated Daily—
Plus Comedy Discounts, Theatre Discounts, Top Jokes, Top Videos, and More

 

Hy Bender

 

Last updated Saturday February 4th 2012

 

Please click to go directly to:

Best NYC Live Comedy Tonight (updated daily)

Chris Gethard has a new book. It's great, and you should buy it here

HyReviews.com Joke of the Week: Gary Vider

HyReviews.com's Comedy Videos of the Month: John Mulaney: New in Town

HyReviews.com's Bonus Comedy Videos of the Month: In the Bedroom

Red-Hot Shows Likely to Sell Out: (new shows to be posted soon...)

Previous HyReviews.com Jokes of the Week

Previous HyReviews.com Comedy Videos of the Month

NYC Comedy Club Discounts—NO COVER on all Eastville & select Broadway & Dangerfield's shows!

(Eastville Comedy, Broadway Comedy, Dangerfield's)

Hy's Latest (15th) Book: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Thyroid Disease

Hy's Book Proposal, Screenplay Doctoring, and Ghostwriting Services

 

NYC Comedy Picks for Saturday 2/4/12

Erin & Her Cello  Baron Vaughn

The delightful Erin and Her Cello performs at Tales of the Cosmos;
Baron Vaughn headlines (after an opener by Phoebe Robinson) at Black to the Future

 

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] 4:00 pm: An unusually early weekly open-mic stand-up show at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City hosted by RG Daniels & Jared Fried: It Starts at 4

6:00 pm ($5): Improv troupes Espiritu de '76, The Storks, and Double Date at The Magnet kicking off your Saturday evening: The Rundown

[TOP PICK] 7:00 pm ($5): "Stories of all sizes that define our place in the universe," hosted at UCB East by Adam Wade (two-time Moth GrandSlam Storytelling Champion (2006 & 2009) and record-breaking 17-time StorySlam Champion; The New York Times Magazine; host of hilarious monthly storytelling extravaganzas Real Tales of College and The Adam Wade show; for Adam's award-winning tale of being an NBC page on Conan O'Brien, please click here), and featuring Erin and her Cello (wonderfully witty comedic musician), storyteller Giulia Rozzi (Jimmy Kimmel, MTV, VH1, Playgirl Magazine, co-host of Dive comedy and Stripped Stories), and storyteller Andy Ross: Tales of the Cosmos

[TOP PICK] [FREE...plus FREE DINNER!] 7:00 pm: James Adomian (hilarious, super-charged character comic/impressionist; finalist on most recent Last Comic Standing; Harold and Kumar 2), Jena Friedman (wry dark comedy stand-up; staff writer for David Letterman), Rob Lathan (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, ABC, Stinson's Awesome Movie Night), Noah Garfinkel (host of Totally J/K), Kate Berlant (host of Crime & Punishment), and Frank Hejl performing stand-up at CultureFix (9 Clinton Street; take F subway to Delancey or J/M/Z to Essex) hosted by Aaron Glaser & Danny Jolles...plus "come early and get some free dinner! CultureFix opens its one pot staff dinner to the public, but you gotta get there early cause it goes fast. Last time it was chicken cutlet; CultureFix does not fuck around:" Comedy Night at CultureFix

7:00 pm ($7): Sketches, improv scenes, and videos from a small army of female comics at The PIT upstairs theatre that answer such questions as "Why can't you touch a black girl's hair? Why do some of us burn our cheating man's clothes in his car and can't wait to exhale? How did Foxy Brown know how to get down? Why can two play that game? Why do mad black women write so many diaries?" and more: Mrs Jones

[FREE] 7:00 pm: Comedic solo performances—storytelling, sketch, and whatever else isn't stand-up or improv—at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City with hosts Bill Stiteler & Adam Schwartz: Wank

[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] [$] 7:30 pm & 10:00 pm ($38.25 & 2-drink min.) A Curb Your Enthusiasm star and superb stand-up headlining at the Carolines Comedy Club: Susie Essman

7:30 pm ($7): Improv veterans Mark Grenier, Louis Kornfeld, and Charlie Whitcroft at The Magnet making up a play on the spot: Theory of Everything

8:00 pm ($10): Two of the most respected PIT improv troupes performing on this weekly double-bill—and occasionally with comedy giants Kristen Schaal and/or Kurt Braunohler participating: Big Black Car and The Baldwins

[$] 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm & 11:45 pm ($25 & 2-drink min.): A stand-up who starred in his own Comedy Central Presents 1/2-hour special, and performed on David Letterman, Last Comic Standing, and The Howard Stern Show (for Letterman stand-up video, please click here), headlining tonight and Saturday at the Gotham Comedy Club: Joe Matarese

[FREE] 8:00 pm-midnight: Four hours of stand-up (guests not announced) at The Creek upstairs theatre in Queens' Long Island City: Stand-Up Comedy Showcase

8:30 pm ($10): Baron Vaughn (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon; co-star of USA's Fairly Legal and Comedy Central's The Awkward Comedy Show, MTV, VH1) headlines at an hour-long stand-up show at UCB East, with an opener by Phoebe Robinson (for a recent Conan set by Baron, please click here): Baron Vaughn: Black to the Future

[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] 9:00 pm ($7): A sharp Magnet musical improv troupe makes up stories with song and dance based on an audience suggestion: Choral Rage

[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): Judy Gold, Big Jay Oakerson, Mike Britt, and more performing stand-up at the only comedy club in the East Village: Eastville Comedy Club

[TOP PICK] 9:00 pm ($7): Musical improv from one of The Magnet's best troupes: Choral Rage

9:30 pm ($15): "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

[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] [$] 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): Ben Rodgers, Charlie Todd, Jim Santangeli, 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): A freestyle rap contest at UCB East that includes superb NYC comics—unfortunately, not yet announced this time, but previous winners have included Dave Hill, Myq Kaplan, and Becky Drysdale—plus a volunteer from the audience!, hosted by genius human beatbox Chris "Shockwave" Sullivan (The Daily Show, The Electric Company, Freestyle Love Supreme) and Victor Varnado (Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Comedy Central) at one of my favorite monthly shows: The BEATdown

[TOP PICK] Midnight ($5): Revenge of the Rewrite in 3-D with John Gemberling (genius improvisor & comedic character actor; Comedy Central, Adult Swim, Death by Roo Roo, The Tony and Johnny Show), Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, VHI, documentary Metaphysical Graffiti, High Times), Seaton Smith (Opie and Anthony Virus Tour), and musical guest Niall Connolly performing at UCB Chelsea with host Andy Rocco at Underground Americana

Midnight ($10): Typically disturbing and semi-obscene sketches at The PIT downstairs lounge from troupe FUCT

 

To view HyReviews.com NYC Comedy Picks from previous weeks, please click here.

HyReviews.com's Joke of the Week

Gary Vider

I went on a job interview.
The lady asked me if I'd pass a drug test.
I said, "Yeah, if it's written."

Then she was like, "You're going to need to pee in a cup."
I said, "I'm going to need a month to study for it."

I also joined a gym recently.
The guy who showed me around was so excited it was open 24 hours.
He was like, "You can work out at 3:00 in the morning!"
I told him, "Dude, if you see me in here at 3:00 am, call an ambulance,

because I've been trapped under a piece of equipment for several hours."

 

—Gary Vider

To read HyReviews.com's Favorite Jokes from previous weeks, please click here.

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HyReviews.com's Comedy Videos of the Month:

John Mulaney

John Mulaney John Mulaney John Mulaney

Cartoon Version of a Rich Man

Best Meal Ever

Drag Queens

Accepting Adulthood on a Subway Platform

Beware the Mean Insights of 13-Year-Olds

It's Hard to Really Get Lost in New York

That Tall Child Looks Terrible

Law & Order

Interview #1

Interview #2

Interview #3

John Mulaney is one of finest stand-ups in the country, offering hilarious on-target observations crafted with the artistry of a poet and the playfulness of a young brat. John's also one of the most beloved guys in comedy, thanks to his remaining steadfastly down-to-earth throughout his increasing success as a staff writer for Comedy Central and Saturday Night Live, and his new Comedy Central hour-long special. The latter is coming at the end of January in CD and DVD versions under the title New in Town, which you can—and should—buy by clicking here and/or here.

Previous HyReviews.com Comedy Videos of the Month

 

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HyReviews.com's Bonus Comedy Videos of the Month:

In the Bedroom

Bridgid Ryan Ask Milly

Flight of the Conchords Patrice O'Neal

Ask Milly (From Her Bedroom)

Can't Sleep (written/directed/starring Bridgid Ryan)

Business Time (sung by Flight of the Conchords)

Bedroom Moves (written/starring Patrice O'Neal)

Previous HyReviews.com Comedy Videos of the Month

 

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Red-Hot Upcoming Comedy Events

Please stay tuned...

 

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Special Freebies & Discounts for HyReviews.com Insiders

Almost all the recommendations and discounts HyReviews.com provides appear directly
on this site. However, occasionally I may feel an offer is so special that it merits extra attention.
Also, sometimes comedy clubs, theatres, and others contact me with offers that they
don't want on a searchable Web page but that they're happy to provide to my readers.

If you'd like to take advantage of such opportunities, please provide your name and email address, and once in a while you'll receive a notice directly from me about cool deals.

(Your email address will never be sold, rented, or given away to anyone else.)

Please use the subscribe box below to become a comedy/theatre Insider.

 

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Special thanks to comedy photographer supreme Anya Garrett for creating so many of the stellar photos that grace this site...and the sites of hundreds of NYC comics.

 

 

HyReviews.com Highlights

Please check out these New York City theatre sections of HyReviews.com:

Hy On Theatre

Hy on Theatre Discounts: See Great Shows for as Little as $4

FringeNYC 2011 Coverage

FringeNYC 2010 Coverage

Notable NYC Actors

Please also check out these New York City comedy sections of HyReviews.com:

Comedy Club Discounts

Previous HyReviews.com Videos of the Month

Previous Daily Comedy Picks

Top NYC Comedy Venues

Other Notable Comedy Sites

For a comprehensive list of links to all the sections
on this site, please see the Site Index below (or click here).

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HyReviews.com Site Index

Best NYC Comedy Tonight

Previous Daily Comedy Picks

Comedy Videos of the Month: John Mulaney

Previous Comedy Videos of the Month

HyReviews.com Joke of the Week

NYC Comedy Club Discounts

Become a Comedy/Theatre Discount Insider

Top NYC Comedy Venues

Other Notable Comedy Sites

Comedy in the Moment: Del Close Improv Marathon

Comedy Scene by Scene: SketchFest NYC 07

Exceptional Comics

Interview with Carolyn Castiglia

Show Report 3/28/08: Kumail Nanjiani's Unpronounceable

Show Report 2/28/08: Invite Them Up Ends Glorious Six-Year Run

Show Report 2/10/08: Alternative, Alshmernative—Kristen Schaal

Show Report 11/12/07: Andy Blitz Sees the Future

Show Report 9/24/07: Dave Hill Turns Things Around

Shockingly Delightful: Offensive Fest 2007

Hy On Theatre

Hy on Theatre Discounts: See Great Shows for as Little as $4

FringeNYC 2011 Coverage

FringeNYC 2010 Coverage

FringeNYC 2009 Coverage

FringeNYC 2008 Coverage

FringeNYC 2007 Coverage

FringeNYC 2007 Performers Gallery

FringeNYC 2006 Coverage

FringeNYC 2005 Coverage

Notable NYC Actors

Hy on TV

Hy on Human Giant

Favorite Craigslist Ads

Search This Site

Get Expert Help in Creating a Winning

Book Proposal or Feature Screenplay:

Hy's Book Proposal/Ghostwriting Service

Hy's Screenplay Analysis/Doctoring Service

 

 

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Comedy Club Discounts

If you'd enjoy an elegant evening at an NYC comedy club

but also want to save some money, please click here.

You can get free tickets for all shows at the Eastville Comedy Club,

free tickets to most shows at the Broadway Comedy Club, and

free & 50% discount ticket offers for Dangerfield's Comedy Club.

 

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Top NYC Comedy Venues

The following are the primary theatres hosting notable NYC comedy shows:

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre West (UCB West)

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre East (UCB East or UCBeast)

The Peoples Improv Theater

The Magnet

The Creek and the Cave (Queens LIC)

Littlefield (Brooklyn)

Union Hall (Brooklyn)

 

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Other Notable Comedy Sites

I'm trying to keep this section super-concise,

but If a top site isn't listed that you think oughta be,

please drop me a note and I'll take a close look.

 

Comedy Coverage

(in alphabetical order):

The Apiary

Comedy Central Insider

The Comic's Comic

Dead Frog

HyReviews.com

Jester

 

Comedy Providers

(in alphabetical order):

Atom.com

Comedy Central Video Clips

Funny or Die

Jokes.com

The Onion

Super Deluxe

23/6

UCB Comedy

YouTube Comedy Videos

 

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Hy's Current Favorite Craigslist Ads

 

Please note: Note a word has been changed in the ads below. My comments are in boldface.

 

Poet/Artist/God's Wife Looking for a Literary Agent or Publisher

Date: 2010-02-04, 10:19 am EST

Reply to: kristiedono@yahoo.com

 

I have a wonderful poetry book, creative, wild images and a really good magical story to tell.

 

[You have a poetry book—um, with images and a story?]

 

I am looking to sell my poetry book with images and then my story to someone.

 

[So you have a poetry book with images...and you also have a story in an undefined form. And for some reason you need to sell the poetry before you sell the story...to "someone." That's a bit confusing, but whatever; it's not like you're claiming to be a wordsmith...]

 

I am God's wife, and the story is about our life together.

 

[Ah.]

 

It's got spirituality, love, tragedy, adventure, crime, violence, music, sex, a little bit of everything.

 

[Actually, you left out drugs.
But that's okay; at this point, drugs are heavily implied...]

 

I have a diary of our letters to each other, and the poems are like letters I wrote to God in a creative way.

 

[As opposed to the non-creative steamy porn that you actually wrote to your stud boyfriend God.]

 

This will be a big hit, it is a beautiful story, you won't be disappointed.

 

[The odds are good. God's last book was a huge bestseller.]

 

God is a black man on Earth and a musician. I have proof.

 

[It's a hip-hopera DVD titled Trapped in the Closet.
Thing is, God turned insane in 2000. (Which explains a lot...)]

 

This is a great story. I am also a great writer and poet and artist.

 

[And 100% real. You can check out Kristie's Web site at http://www.harttherapy.blogspot.com.]

 

 

Need Urban Ghost Writers (Metro Atlanta)

Date: 2009-11-13, 6:33PM EST

Reply to: writelikeyoufeel@yahoo.com

 

Looking for creative ghost writers with excellent grammar skills and ideas.

 

[Because that's what makes a writer great: killer grammar, and concepts.]

 

Male and females are encouraged to apply.

 

[Translation: Sorry, I don't work with hermaphrodites.]

 

Serious inquiries only...Please do not respond if you are not serious!

 

[Translation: I'm sooo tired of people making fun of me...]

 

 

Writer Wanted for Book to be Published (Hartland, WI)

Date: 2009-09-29, 1:52AM CDT

Reply to: job-tvm4r-1397614923@craigslist.org

 

I am writing a book and need someone who can

help me with writing my story.

 

I am seeking someone who is spiritual in nature

and believes that by reading this

you are the person designed to write it.

 

Give me a call at 262-xxx-xxxx and introduce yourself.

 

[Hello. I have been designed to write your book.

Thank you for fulfilling my destiny.

The days, months, and years of constantly reading

Craigslist ads in search of purpose have finally

been rewarded. I am eager to start work on

our spiritual instant classic I Was Born

to Ghostwrite Someone Else's Book.]

 

 

Writers for Wheelchair Book (San Diego—Mission Valley)

Date: 2009-09-28, 10:41AM PDT

Reply to: bouncesdtalent@gmail.com

 

Easy Life Inc. is looking to write a book about purchasing a new wheelchair.

We are looking for 2-3 writers to provide 200 pages of content each.

 

[In other words, we want a 600-page book...about buying a wheelchair.]

 

We want fresh ideas that relate to buying a wheelchair.

 

[Idea #42: Raise cash as drug mule.
Cops will never suspect crippled old coot like you.]

 

Please send a sample or two of your writings, your rates,

and 2-3 BRIEF topics that you would contribute to this book.

 

Writings will be submitted weekly for originality

and to assure you are going in the right direction.

 

[If you're going in the wrong direction, we'll grab

hold of your wheelchair and point you the right way.]

 

We want you to exhaust any and all ideas

that go into purchasing a motorized wheelchair.

 

[At which point the Seventh Seal will be broken,

commencing the Apocalypse.]

 

Once you have exhausted that

go into manual wheelchairs,

then walkers, crutches, etc.

 

[And after you've exhausted all hope of support,

we want to you to crawl on your belly before us.

Crawl like the worm you are.]

 

Previous SEO experience a plus. Local to San Diego preferred.

 

In the subject line: WHEELCHAIR

 

[Or just: END OF THE WORLD.

Either way.]

 

Take a look at our Web site at http://www.powerchairatnocost.com.

 

Compensation: $750 to $1,500 DOE

 

[Again, this ad is 100% real. If you have

fresh ideas about buying a wheelchair...]

 

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Hy's Book and Screenplay Services

In addition to this Web site, I run two commercial editorial services:

 

 

If you have any other type of writing or editing need, I can probably tackle it as well. To get in touch, please email me at hy@hyreviews.com.

 

Google
 

 

Hy's Other Web Sites:

HyOnYourBook.com

HyOnYourScript.com

 

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Copyright © 2012 Hy Bender

Email: hy@hyreviews.com