I've been going to a LOT of comedy shows lately. I'm kind of lazy and find it hard to talk about each one individually. Also, I haven't properly explained how much of a comedy fanatic I am. So take this list I compiled of all the shows I've been to over 30 days starting on January 30th as a short trip into my comedy obsessed world. Keep in mind the list has everything outside of work that I've done for the month, so there are movies and one or two other things as well.
Great show, then if that was not enough I went to the Comedy Cellar, but beforehand I got a year’s membership to the IFC center. Impulsive buy, but definitely worth it.
Monday, January 30th:
Comedy Cellar. Located in the middle of Greenwich Village, its one of my favorite venues and I regularly go to shows there. You may recognize it from the show Louis. The intro was filmed there and most of the stand up in the show was filmed there as well. Actually if you walk there from the West 4th Street stop on the BDFM or ACE you can follow the path Louie takes exactly, even eat pizza at the same restaurant!
Unfortunately, I don't remember the show itself that well, but I did meet Mona, a girl from San Fran. She wasn't a comedian but was a fanatic like me and told me to check out Punchline or Cobbs’ out in her city.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the show itself that well, but I did meet Mona, a girl from San Fran. She wasn't a comedian but was a fanatic like me and told me to check out Punchline or Cobbs’ out in her city.
Later I went The PIT(The People's Improv Theater) for FRESH a free open mic. This open mic is a little insane, because there are over 40 participants, so the place is full, and you only get two minutes. The best one there was an old lady I met beforehand, she had a "I don't give a shit" attitude and had everyone genuinely laughing. The rest, as with most open mics, were either decent or outrageously bad.
Tuesday: yep, Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 1st:
Audience member for a filmed untitled Amy Shumer show at the
Bowery Poetry Club. Kurt Metzger was warm up comedian. I will not be doing this kind of thing any time soon, unless I'm getting paid. Waited for two hours and lost a day of work for roughly 12 minutes of stand up by Amy Shumer. To my credit, I thought it was a stand up special, but I guess we will have a Amy Shumer show on Comedy Central coming up in the next few months.
Thursday, February 2nd:
Montreal Comedy Festival (Just For Laughs) showcase at
Gotham Comedy Club. Hosted by Joe Cerosa. The Just For Laughs festival is one of the most prestigious comedy festivals. It is internationally acclaimed and a lot of comedian's careers took off from there. Its a lot of pressure and hard to get into. The comedians who I saw were already going (thats why it was a "Showcase"): Corey Rodriguez, Ryan Conner, Chris
Distefano, Dave Wait, Jenna Kim Jones, Lorrie Davis, Ben Kessel, Nick Thomas,
and Pete Lee. Eric Liden ended the show. They all gave their five to eight minute performance; their shtick for the festival. This was a lot of fun. I wish I could be in Montreal for the real thing.
Friday: Mental preparation for the showcade.
Saturday, Feb 4th:
The Showcade! At the Creek and Cave. I witnessed nearly 6
hours of amazing comedy straight…I needed to take a few days off. Nearly every show that the Creek and Cave hosts was present. They were raising money to make a better stage, but the show didn't cost anything; none of their shows cost anything. I love the Creek and Cave. Open Mics every day of the week, nearly every show is free, its a relaxed place where you can walk in any time and talk with the comedians, and its down the block from my apartment.
Sunday and Monday: My days off.
Tuesday Feb 7th:
'Gates of Heaven' at the Lincoln Center. Discussion with director Errol
Morris after.
'Gates of Heaven' has to be the first ironic documentary ever. Without a word from the director, the people themselves make you laugh because they are so ridiculous. Morris just points the camera at the subject and they voice their opinions. It was brilliant. Strange, but brilliant.
I love seeing movies at the Lincoln Center. They are cheaper then regular movie theaters ($10), they have great movie rooms, and they show great and unusual movies all the time. They host the New York Film Festival every year and this past year I got to see Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Oliver Stone, Kevin Smith and Jon Lithgow. I also got to see Martin Scorsese in person to watch and discuss Mean Streets! But that wasn't part of the NYFF. They have things like that all the time and they are never expensive and always fun.
'Gates of Heaven' has to be the first ironic documentary ever. Without a word from the director, the people themselves make you laugh because they are so ridiculous. Morris just points the camera at the subject and they voice their opinions. It was brilliant. Strange, but brilliant.
I love seeing movies at the Lincoln Center. They are cheaper then regular movie theaters ($10), they have great movie rooms, and they show great and unusual movies all the time. They host the New York Film Festival every year and this past year I got to see Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Oliver Stone, Kevin Smith and Jon Lithgow. I also got to see Martin Scorsese in person to watch and discuss Mean Streets! But that wasn't part of the NYFF. They have things like that all the time and they are never expensive and always fun.
Wednesday: A day that was.
Thursday, Feb 9th:
UCB (Upright Citizen's Brigade) East:
Oh Hey Guys hosted by John Flynn. This is a free story telling show. Where you get eight minutes to tell any story you want. Its a fun show.
Oh Hey Guys hosted by John Flynn. This is a free story telling show. Where you get eight minutes to tell any story you want. Its a fun show.
Key Party (sketch)/Soundtrack
NYC (improv) -both are incredible. Its nice to round out stand up with some great sketch and improv comedy once in a while.
Totally J/K: hosted by Joe Mande. This show filled up the theater; Performaces by Dave Hill,
Kurt Braunohler, Roger Hails and Neal Brennan. All amazing comedians. First time I ever saw Dave Hill perform, the man is a genius!
Afterwards, walking back home, I stopped into the Creek and Cave for Death Comedy Jam. Amy Robinson, Jeffrey
Joseph, Doc Livinson, Ledin Smith. Amy Robinson and Jeffrey Joseph were great. I don't remember Doc and Ledin's sets much. Jeffrey you can see around the city all the time, he's a NYC regular.
Friday to Sunday: A total blur!
Monday:
Whiplash at UCB Chelsea:
This is Leo Allen's weekly show. $5. Always good.
This week had a formidable lineup. So I had to go.
Sean Patton, Sean Donally, Jessi Klein, Demetri Martin, Neal Brennan, Kumail Nanjiani.
If you don't recognize these names, especially the last four, you need to get on youtube right now! Also, as a sidenote, Neal Brennan is starting to annoy me. I think I've seen his stand up one too many times.
This is Leo Allen's weekly show. $5. Always good.
This week had a formidable lineup. So I had to go.
Sean Patton, Sean Donally, Jessi Klein, Demetri Martin, Neal Brennan, Kumail Nanjiani.
If you don't recognize these names, especially the last four, you need to get on youtube right now! Also, as a sidenote, Neal Brennan is starting to annoy me. I think I've seen his stand up one too many times.
Tuesday, February 14th:
Live taping of the
Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Though the best part was the interaction between my Grandma and Paul Mecurio, who was the warm up comedian. She slapped his ass, told everyone she was going to disown my father, and when Paul handed her the mic she sang a Yiddish song. The woman has guts!
Chest Hair and then Savage Animal at the Creek and Cave: Greg
Stone makes me a major part of his show when I tell him I went to a few open
mics after he encouraged me, then every single comic after him follows suit and incorporates me into their sets. I owe Greg for this one.
Wednesday and thurday: Who remembers?
Friday, Feb 17th:
New York Knicks vs. New Orleans Hornets at MSG with the family. The Knicks first loss after the discovery of Jeremy Lin. Fun game, and I was lucky, considering I bought tickets months ago. There was such a clamor for Knicks tickets that I probably could have sold these for three times what I bought them for.
Saturday, Feb 18th:
Astoria multiplex to see Safe House with Denzel Washington. Decent but forgettable movie (as in I already forgot what the movie was about)
Dangerfield’s: Ray Allen Mcs. Ryan Reese, Patty rossburough,
Mike Britt, JJ Ramirez. Fuck Dangerfield's (read my post; "Dangerfield's: Don't Go!) but the comics were seriously good. Patty Rosburough and JJ Ramirez are pros.
Sunday:
Documentary The Extraordinary Voyage about the restoration
of Georges Melies’ A Trip to the Moon at Lincoln Center. Amazing documentary, but you already know that (post titled: "A Trip to the Moon")
Free show at the Knitting Factory. The Knitting Factory is a music venue that hosts a free comedy show every Sunday night, hosted by Hannibal Buress. However, Hannibal wasn't there this night so Cynthia Robertson guest
hosted, and kicked ass at it. Jacqueline Novak, Joe Mande, John Moses, Danny Kallas, Damien Lemon,
Joey Gay.
Monday, Feb 20th:
Oscar nominated live action shorts at the IFC Center.
Hot Tub at Littlefield. A weekly comedy show, usually hosted by the formidable pair; Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal, but they heard I was coming and fled the state. Jared Logan had the ball to do the job and took the challenge. The comedians included Wyatt Cynac
(better than ever), Jackie kashian, and Seth Herzog.
Wyatt Cynac has become a great stand up in the past few years. I used to see him at Seth Herzog's show Sweet when it was at the Slipper Room on Orchard Street. Sweet is still around, except now it's in the basement of Ella in the East Village. That was four years ago and Wyatt sucked then, seriously. He may have been on the Daily Show, but he was not a good stand up. Since then he has improved to the point that I'd say he has the potential to be one of the best in the city.
Wyatt Cynac has become a great stand up in the past few years. I used to see him at Seth Herzog's show Sweet when it was at the Slipper Room on Orchard Street. Sweet is still around, except now it's in the basement of Ella in the East Village. That was four years ago and Wyatt sucked then, seriously. He may have been on the Daily Show, but he was not a good stand up. Since then he has improved to the point that I'd say he has the potential to be one of the best in the city.
Tuesday: Do you know what rock's taste like? Then why do you have that distinct taste in your mouth after reading the last sentence?
Wednesday, Feb 22nd:
Free weekly comedy show at Le Poisson Rouge (another awesome music venue).This was recent enough that I can actually remember some of the jokes told during the show. It was also an epic lineup: Hari Kondabolu; seeing Weezer at 26 and being “the old guy”.
Dave Hill, “no matter what I say or do, I cant keep my hand off me. What about no don’t I understand?”
Michael Che “the bi-got curious”
Candye (author): smuggling gum to her deaf dad in a Texas prison
Dave Hill, “no matter what I say or do, I cant keep my hand off me. What about no don’t I understand?”
Michael Che “the bi-got curious”
Candye (author): smuggling gum to her deaf dad in a Texas prison
Great show, then if that was not enough I went to the Comedy Cellar, but beforehand I got a year’s membership to the IFC center. Impulsive buy, but definitely worth it.
The last show at the Comedy Cellar on Wednesday's are always insane:
Artie Fuqua MCs (the best MC in NYC), Jessica Kirsen was fucking amazing, then Chris Rock comes out! Does his Oscar jokes, talks about lin-sanity, and obamas bday party. Then Judah Friedlander “to cougher (in audience): we all breathed perfectly at that moment except you.” Sherrod Small “outsource? Is that a gay hiphop magazine?” “you cant be racist in new york, you’d be exhausted by the end of the day.” Nick Griffin “Nick’s in love? Weird. I just saw him yesterday.” Ben Baily from Cash Cab. And even still more…Mike Vecchio, Greer Barnes and Jay Oakerson.
A ridiculously long night of comedy. I was exhausted. It actually started to hurt to laugh, my mouth was spasming from smiling too much!
Artie Fuqua MCs (the best MC in NYC), Jessica Kirsen was fucking amazing, then Chris Rock comes out! Does his Oscar jokes, talks about lin-sanity, and obamas bday party. Then Judah Friedlander “to cougher (in audience): we all breathed perfectly at that moment except you.” Sherrod Small “outsource? Is that a gay hiphop magazine?” “you cant be racist in new york, you’d be exhausted by the end of the day.” Nick Griffin “Nick’s in love? Weird. I just saw him yesterday.” Ben Baily from Cash Cab. And even still more…Mike Vecchio, Greer Barnes and Jay Oakerson.
A ridiculously long night of comedy. I was exhausted. It actually started to hurt to laugh, my mouth was spasming from smiling too much!
Thursday: Day of much needed rest.
Friday, Feb 24th:
Governor’s of Levittown. Paul Mecurio. Very sharp, great at
working the crowd. The complete reverse for 99% of comedians. He put me on
stage! So I told a joke....in front of 250 people. I said "give it up for paul mecurio, he's been up here for 20 minutes, and hasn't said a joke yet."I told another joke, but it was kind of shit, so I wont repeat it.
Mark Riccadonna opened for him. “my son banged your honor
student’s math teacher.”
Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to thank Paul after the show. I wanted to talk with him. However, I did get to talk with Mark, who was very helpful. He told me about comedy classes at Governor's and at the Laughing Devil (comedy venue three blocks from me) and who to talk to.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to thank Paul after the show. I wanted to talk with him. However, I did get to talk with Mark, who was very helpful. He told me about comedy classes at Governor's and at the Laughing Devil (comedy venue three blocks from me) and who to talk to.
Saturday, Feb 25th:
Oscar nominated animated shorts at the IFC center.
Eastville Comedy Club, a dinky new club in the East Village:
Oni Perez, Dan Soder, DC Benney, Mike Yard, Sergio Jacone.
It's okay....very average. There are better comedy clubs in manhattan.
Oni Perez, Dan Soder, DC Benney, Mike Yard, Sergio Jacone.
It's okay....very average. There are better comedy clubs in manhattan.
Sunday, Feb 26th:
Open Mic at the Creek and Cave.
The Laughing Devil: Met Steve Noftstetter (the owner/amazing stand up comedian) and a couple of other comedians. Will probably take classes there, Noftstetter says hes pretty hands on.
Oscar night.
Monday: Home. My parents want to know where the hell I've been for the past three weeks.
Tuesday:
Comedy Cellar for taping of Robert Kelly stand up. I wont be in on TV, it was a taping to show to producers and executives so Robert Kelly can say "hey, look what I can do! Please give me money and cameras so I can make a stand up special." Apparently, thats how these things go.
Wednesday, Feb 29th:
Littlefield for Leap Year show. Our Mormon host and her
story about trying to tell her Mormon parents that she’s had non-marital sex. Very strange story, but then again Mormons are very strange people. Jewish woman sword swallower/staple receptacle. Neon Joe aka Jon Glaser.
Perfect Storm, a techno group by Jon Benjamin. “Powerpoint Roulette” with
Eugene Mirman, Jon Glaser, and Jon Benjamin.
A crazy, eclectic show. I don't know how else to put it. It was so bizarre and all over the place, I have a hard time deciding if I like it or not.
23 comedy events at 14 different venues in 30 days! L'Chaim!
