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Last updated Tuesday, January 6th 2009

 

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Tonight's Hot NYC Comedy Picks

NYC Comedy Club Discounts

(Comix, Eastville Comedy, Broadway Comedy)

Videos of the Month: Anthony Jeselnik

Comedy Interview of the Month: Carolyn Castiglia

Upcoming & Ongoing Special Comedy Events

(Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk With Me)

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

 

    

Breathtakingly brilliant comics Livia Scott, Janeane Garofalo, and Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas (Sweet)

Tonight's recommendations for the best in New York City comedy

(in chronological order, with top picks marked by colored brackets) include:

the perfect show for short attention spans—open-mic stand-up with 4½ minutes per set

and 25 comics crammed into 2½ hours, who tonight include Meg Cupernall, Vicky Kuperman,

Lisa Kaplan, Cory Jarvis, Doug Adler, and John Morrison—at John Morrison's Broadway Motel (6:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] star comic book writer, comics columnist, and New York Times bestselling Star Trek novelist

Peter David joining in on a lively & hilarious discussion about comic books at Comic Book Club (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] witty writers offering delightfully smart observations about where we've been and where we're going

on topics ranging from pizza to vampires in the free Brooklyn show Adult Education (8:00 pm),

three full hours of improv for only five bucks—tonight featuring UCBT house troupes

Bangs, Whorenado, The Law Firm, Bastian, and The F*cking Kennedys—at Harold Night (8:00 pm),

[TOP PICK] and superstar & comedy genius Janeane Garofalo (HBO, FOX, movie star), magical

comedic chameleon Livia Scott (Conan O'Brien, Goodnight OJ), brilliant musical improv duo

Eliza Skinner & Glennis McMurray (I Eat Pandas), Michelle Collins (VH1, FOX), Ben Schwartz (SNL,

David Letterman, Robot Chicken, Hot Sauce), and more at the wonderful Seth Herzog's Sweet (9:00 pm).

For details, please click here.

 

HyReviews.com's Videos of the Month:

Anthony Jeselnik

    

Anthony on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live

Anthony on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Anthony on Comedy Central's Premium Blend

Anthony on HBO's Down and Dirty with Jim Norton

Anthony Performs a Joke as Dane Cook

Anthony Explains Why His Body is a Temple

Anthony Explains Why a Comedian is Like a Tank

Anthony Jeselnik (being lauded above by Robin Williams) is just starting to became famous, but I believe he'll prove to be one of the sharpest & funniest stand-ups, writers, and overall performers in comedy history. There's nothing better than seeing Anthony live on stage, but in the meantime please enjoy these videos; look for his work as staff writer on NBC's upcoming NYC replacement for Conan O'Brien's show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon; and please keep an eye out for Anthony's half-hour special debuting January 16th at 10:00 pm on Comedy Central Presents.

 

HyReviews.com's Comedy Interview of the Month:

Carolyn Castiglia

  

Extended into January; to read the complete interview, please click here.

 

For videos about Sarah Palin—and especially her comedy gold Thanksgiving interview—please click here and here.

 

To explore other NYC theatre and comedy sections of HyReviews.com, please click here

(or use the search box and/or site index below).

 

 

Hot NYC Comedy Picks

 Comedy Picks for Tomorrow Night

Previous Comedy Picks

NYC Comedy Club Discounts

Comedy Interview of the Month: Carolyn Castiglia

Videos of the Month: Anthony Jeselnik

Comedy Album of the Month

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

Comedy in the Moment: 2007 Del Close Improv Marathon

Comedy Scene by Scene: SketchFest NYC 07

Exceptional Comics

The 2008 ECNY Awards

Other Notable Comedy Sites

Get Expert Help in Creating a Winning

Book Proposal or Feature Screenplay:

Hy's Book Proposal/Ghostwriting Service

Hy's Screenplay Analysis/Doctoring Service

FringeNYC 2008 Coverage

FringeNYC 2007 Coverage

FringeNYC 2007 Performers Gallery

FringeNYC 2006 Coverage

FringeNYC 2005 Coverage

Hy On Theatre

Hy on Theatre Discounts: See Great Shows for as Little as $3.50

Actors of the Month

Hy on Human Giant

Hy on TV

Previous Videos of the Month

A New Force for Comedy: "UCB's Third Stage"

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Tonight's Hot Comedy Picks: Tuesday, January 6th

 

Broadway Motel

Lottery-style open mic for stand-up comics trying out material,

with 4½ minutes per performer...in return for a $5 contribution to the weekly prize kitty.

(In addition, Broadway's one-item food or drink minimum applies to everyone.)

A breathtaking 25 comics perform in this 2½ hour show; producer

John Morrison (above) has described it as "comedy on crack."

If you're seeking consistent laughs, this might not be the best way to spend

your evening. But if you're patient and adventurous, it's a potentially wild ride.

And if you're a performer looking for some stage time, it's a nice opportunity.

Plus if you stick around till the show's end to support your fellow comics,

 you have a chance at winning the cash from the kitty, along with smaller prizes.

Tonight's lineup includes talents Meg Cupernall, Vicky Kuperman, Lisa Kaplan, Laura Spaeth, Phoebe Robinson, John Clark, Tim Ryan, Cory Jarvis, Doug Adler, and John Morrison.

Broadway Motel is hosted by Cory Jarvis and Doug Adler.

 

To be entered into the weekly random drawing for performers,

please send email to motelme@gmail.com.

6:00 pm at Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues);

$5 cover plus one-item food or drink minimum

 

 

Comic Book Club

Hosted by Alex Zalben, Justin Tyler and Pete LePage,

who enjoy discussing comic books while getting laughs.

Tonight's very special guest is beloved comic book writer, novelist, and columnist Peter David.

David's written for numerous comics series, including The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, She-Hulk, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, and Dark Tower. He's also written dozens of books, including many New York Times bestselling Star Trek novels and comics-related novels.

And for the past 15 years, David has been writing a highly popular column for the

Comics Buyers Guide titled But I Digress.

David is a very witty, talented, and prolific writer with a highly impressive body of work.

If you're at all interested in comics, Star Trek, or writing in general, this is

a terrific night to visit the always-fun CBC.

To get a feel for the smart, playful vibe of Comic Book Club, please check out its podcasts—

that is, audio recordings of previous shows in their entirety—by clicking here.

(And for my two current faves, a delightful visit from Kevin "Batman" Conroy and a hilarious evening with Daily Show writer Eliot Kalan, please click here and here.)

Also be sure to watch a Penguin vs. Batman debate that uncannily predicted John McCain's campaign strategy by clicking here.

8:00 pm at The Peoples Improv Theater, 154 West 29th Street (off 7th Avenue); tickets are $5

 

 

Adult Education: The Year in Review

This free monthly comedy show hosted by Charles Star tackles a subject with humorous "lectures." Tonight's topic is The Year in Review.

The official description:

"From Astroland to Yankee Stadium, Patrick Di Justo (author of forthcoming book The Science of Battlestar Galactica; contributing editor at Wired Magazine) takes us on a tour of the people and things that collapsed, died, or evolved away in 2008.

"Crusty, daucy, cheesy pizza expert Adam Kuban (founder and editor of Weblog Slice) reviews the year in pizza, during which the humble pie made technological advances yet remained true to its roots.

"Joe Garden (Features Editor for The Onion, and co-author of upcoming The New Vampire's Handbook) considers the year in vampires.

"Trendspotter Marian Salzman (author of 15 books) explains why the buzzword for 2009 will be reboot."

This promises to be smart, witty, and lots of fun.

Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 pm at Union Hall, 702 Union Street at 5th Avenue

in Park Slope, Brooklyn; free

Take the R train to Union Street and walk 1 block east; or take

the F train to 4th Avenue, walk north on 4th Avenue and turn right on Union Street, and go 1 block up;

or take the  2/3/4/5/Q train to Atlantic Avenue, walk south on 5th Avenue, and make a left on Union Street.

 

 

Harold Night

The Harold is longform improv, pioneered by Del Close.

Tonight, five improv troupes—

Bangs, Whorenado, The Law Firm, Bastian, and The F*cking Kennedys—

each give it a go for 30 minutes, with

short breaks in between, for a total of 3 hours.

Some of the groups are great; some are less so. And this show

is designed more for students of improv than the general public.

But if you're interested, and patient, a mere $5 will buy you

a full evening's education...and periodic solid laughs.

8:00-11:00 pm at UCBT, 307 West 26th Street (off 8th Avenue); tickets are $5

 

 

  

Glennis McMurray & Eliza Skinner of I Eat Pandas, and Janeane Garofalo...

    

...and Seth Herzog, Michelle Collins, and Livia Scott

Sweet

Hosted by the razor-sharp, dynamic, and hilarious Seth Herzog (VH1's Best Week Ever).

Seth is one of the finest hosts around—and this is one of the best comedy shows in NYC.

Tonight's thoroughly wonderful guests include

Janeane Garofalo (quite simply, one of the most influential, and hilarious, comics

of our time; most recently co-host of The Majority Report on Air America Radio and co-star of the upcoming season of FOX's hit series 24; sample quote: "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth."; for two decades of impressive credits, please click here),

Livia Scott (brilliant comedic chameleon who's a stellar stand-up and sketch comic, and also an extraordinary actress; Late Night with Conan O'Brien, world-class sketch groups Meat and Dirty Jeans & Thunderchief, host of NYC comedy show Livia's Castle of Enchantment, 2008 ECNY Award-nominated one-woman show Goodnight, O.J.),

Eliza Skinner (half of genius award-winning improv musical groups I Eat Pandas, and also member of Baby Wants Candy; MTV's Damage Control); drummer and singer in comedic alt band Stickerbook; co-starred in the 2008 FringeNYC award-winning hit musical Gem!: A Truly Outrageous Parody; co-host of UCBT monthly comedic freestyle rap competition The BEATdown),

Glennis McMurray (other half of genius award-winning musical improv group I Eat Pandas; performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien; co-starred in the 2008 FringeNYC award-winning hit musical Gem!: A Truly Outrageous Parody; writes a popular blog; for samples of Glennis' sketch comedy, please click here and here),

Michelle Collins (VH1's Best Week Ever and All Access, MTV U, The Al Franken Show, FOX News' Red Eye, YouCantMakeItUp.org; for a memorable chat about the power of penises over vaginas, please click here), and

Ben Schwartz (member of star improv/sketch troupe Hot Sauce; freelance writer for SNL's Weekend Update and Late Show's David Letterman monologues; staff writer for Adult Swim's wonderful Robot Chicken; short filmmaker for SuperDeluxe.com; actor in upcoming feature films Everybody's Fine (opposite Robert DeNiro), Frank Whaley's New York City Serenade, and Mystery Team (premiering at Sundance); co-author of upcoming humor postcard book Grandma's Dead: Breaking Bad News with Baby Animals).

9:00 pm at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street  (corner of Stanton Street); tickets are $5

 

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

 

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Great Inexpensive Live Comedy

For other terrific low-cost NYC comedy, please visit the Web sites of

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

The Peoples Improv Theater

Ochi's Lounge at Comix

The Magnet

The Creek and the Cave (Queens LIC)

Union Hall (Brooklyn)

 

 

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.

Currently available are discounts for select shows at the Comix Comedy Club;

$5 off all shows at the Eastville Comedy Club;

and a 50% discount on all tickets for the Broadway Comedy Club.

Upcoming Hot Club Show: Aziz Ansari Headlining at Comix January 9 & 10

   

 

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Upcoming & Ongoing Special Comedy Events

 

Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk with Me

Mike Birbiglia is flat-out one of the funniest stand-up comedians in the country.

He's not loud or rude—just smart, relaxed, honest, and hilarious. (Sample line:

"If the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup, I'm not sure I want to wake up.")

This razor-sharp comic recently performed an hour-long Comedy Central special

titled What I Should Have Said is Nothing. Mike's also performed two

Comedy Central Presents half-hour specials; appeared multiple times on

Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien;

and has released the comedy CDs Two Drink Mike and My Secret Public Journal—Live.

The latter was chosen by Time Out New York as the Comedy Album of the Year.

Mike is now mixing his stand-up and storytelling skills to craft a tour de force performance resulting in one of the finest shows you'll ever see.

The production is playing off-Broadway at 45 Bleecker Street, but it's Broadway caliber—and one of the best shows in New York.

Tickets are officially $49.50. However, you can catch this brilliant fusion of stand-up and theatre for $29.50 by clicking here; or visiting BroadwayOffers.com and entering code SWBBOX2; or better yet, entirely avoiding the online service charges by printing out this page and bringing it with you to the Bleecker Street Theatre box office at 45 Bleecker Street (east of Lafayette, right next to the #6 subway's Bleecker Street stop).

For sample stand-up videos, please click here and here;

and then come let Mike make you both laugh helplessly and feel deeply

in this extraordinary solo show about sleepwalking, bears, and life choices.

October 17th-on at The Bleecker Street Theatre, 45 Bleecker Street (off Lafayette);

Wednesday-Friday at 8:00 pm, Saturday at 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm, Sunday at 4:00 pm & 7:00 pm;

tickets are $29.50 with discount code SWBBOX2;

buy online or bring a printout of this discount offer to the box office

Nearest subway stop is Bleecker Street on the #6 (which brings you virtually to the door of the theatre)

 

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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

 

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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HyReviews.com Highlights

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

FringeNYC 2008 Coverage

FringeNYC 2007 Coverage

FringeNYC 2007 Performer's Gallery

FringeNYC 2006 Coverage

FringeNYC 2005 Coverage

FringeNYC 2004 Coverage

Hy On Theatre

Hy on Theatre Discounts: See Great Shows for as Little as $3.50

Actors of the Month

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

Comedy Club Discounts

Comedy Interview of the Month: Carolyn Castiglia

Previous Video Clips of the Month

Great Inexpensive Live Comedy

Previous Nightly NYC Live Comedy PIcks

UCBComedy.com: A New Force for Comedy on the Web

Hy on Human Giant

Comedy in the Moment: The Annual Del Close Improv Marathon

Comedy Scene by Scene: SketchFest NYC 07

Shockingly Delightful: Offensive Fest 2007

Show Reports: Kristen Schaal  Dave Hill  Andy Blitz

Show Reports: Kumail Nanjiani  Invite Them Up

Exceptional Comics

The 2008 ECNY Awards

Other Notable Comedy Sites

And if you need any help with a book or a screenplay, please visit Hy's writer sites:

HyOnYourBook.com

HyOnYourScript.com

 

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Previous Videos of the Month

Prop 8: The Musical

 

Sarah Palin

SNL's Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton

The Actual, Disastrous Katie Couric Interview

Analysis of the Katie Couric Interview, Part 1

Analysis of the Katie Couric Interview, Part 2

SNL's Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Reenacting the Katie Couric Interview

SNL's Tina Fey and Jason Sudeikis Reenacting the VP Debate

SNL's Tina Fey and Sarah Palin Quickly Walking Past Each Other

SNL's Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Darrell Hammond as George W. Endorsing Palin & McCain

The New Yorker on Sarah Palin's Proximity to Russia

Gina Gershon as Sarah Palin

Comedic Actress Sara Benincasa as Sarah Palin

More Sara Benincasa

CNN on Sarah Palin Impersonators

Jon Stewart on Sarah Palin

Matt Damon on Sarah Palin

 

Sarah Palin Celebrates Thanksgiving

 

On November 20th, following the traditional cute pardoning of a single turkey, Sarah Palin decided to conduct an interview while the other non-pardoned turkeys are being slaughtered directly behind her. The resulting disconnect between her words (about her "values and convictions," the political process being "brutal," etc.) and what's happening mere feet away—not to mention the interviewer asking a question about state programs "being on the chopping block"—is one of the the most surreal and hilarious political interviews, ever.

(Note: After this blew up into a national story, Governor Palin said she didn't know what was going on in the background. Observers find this tough to swallow. My own perspective is that it's hard to say which is funnier: her being oblivious, or being utterly insensitive, to the carnage. Please judge for yourself; and either way, enjoy.)

For a slightly sanitized version, please click here.

For the complete gruesome version, please click here.

For a Twilight Zone version that speculates on what else Governor Palin might miss while conducting an interview (from Slate.com), please click here.

 

Dave Hill

Select Dental

Little Michael Jackson and Me 1: "All Washed Up"

Little Michael Jackson and Me 2: "Game! Set! Match!"

Little Michael Jackson and Me 3: "We Can Work It Out"

Seasonal Employment

The Birthday Party

Dog Psychic

How to Hide Drugs

The Dave Hill Show

The King of Miami

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

 

Best FringeNYC 2008 Show Promos

Usher: "Twelve Hours"

Carl and Shelly, Best Friends Forever

Nightlife Jesus

Kansas City or Along the Way: "Lullaby" (audio only)

The Complete Performer

Becoming Britney

The Sound of One Hanna Clapping: "Ode to Britney" (audio only)

The Refugee Girls Revue

The Home for Wayward Girls and Fallen Women

Shots: A Love Story

Kansas City or Along the Way: "Hammer" (audio only)

Zombie

Operation Adelmo

Oatmeal and a Cigarette

The Dershowitz Protocol

III

Kansas City or Along the Way: "Adelaide Hall" (audio only)

Dreadful Penny's Exquisite Horrors

Usher: "I Might Have Taken You Dancing"

 

Zach Galifianakis

Characters

Visit to Jimmy Kimmel

Getting Canceled...and Starting Over

More Stand-Up from Fat Jesus

On Physical Comedy

Ad for Absolut Vodka

Another Ad for Absolut Vodka

 

The Unsettling Artistry of Comedy Troupe Quiet Library

 

Violet Krumbein and Greg Tuculescu

Quiet Library: Chris Cooper, David Hale, Dave Cederquist, & Greg Tuculescu

The Secret Strikes Back

Blind Date

Porn Writer's Meeting

Parents of Miss Teen South Carolina

Miss Teen South Carolina vs. Bush

Brown Noser

Der Tourist (The Tourist)

 

Rob Paravonian

Pachelbel Rant

Life as a Comic: Nooners

Life as a Comic: College Conventions

Life as a Comic: Downtown Comedy

Life as a Comic: Reels