New York comedy 2012: Comedy clubs, Key & Peele and more

NYC’s full of wise guys and funny gals—especially during the New York Comedy Festival. Check out new comedy clubs and the top shows to see.

By Time Out editors Tue Oct 23 2012

Key and Peele, photographed in Central Park, posing as President Obama and Luther, Obama's "Anger Translator". Photograph: Dale May

New York comedy is enjoying a moment. New comedy clubs are opening, theaters are thriving, locals are cranking out great Web series and tons of tweets, and the whole world agrees on the greatness of the city’s favorite son, Louis C.K. Last fall, Mayor Bloomberg declared the first-ever Comedy Week to coincide with the New York Comedy Festival; this year, Comedy Week (Nov 5–11) returns as the NYCF (Nov 7–11) grows larger still, swelling to include stand-up performances, podcast tapings, benefits, reunions, variety shows and conversations with big names at venues ranging from the Apollo uptown to MoMA PS1 in Long Island City. Read on, as TONY toasts laughter in (and at the expense of) the five boroughs. Plus, find out where you can get your yucks this fall and beyond.—Edited by Matthew Love