Best comedy events in NYC: Critics’ picks

Claustrophobes, beware: It gets crowded down here, especially on weekends, thanks to the immense popularity of this Village standby. Big names from Amy Schumer to Aziz Ansari will drop by for a set and on any given night, you can expect to see other local greats whose acts are more X-rated than at other clubs (and who will distract you from your bachelorette-partying neighbors).

This free weekly getdown from Carolyn Busa, Julia Shiplett, Ben Wasserman and Emily Winter is a reliable night for solid laughs and surprise stars in Crown Heights. August 20's edition is a banger, with Ziwe, Moon Choe, Lucas Connolly, Perri Gross and Claire Parker hitting the stage. 

NYC's unbeatable comedy bastion moved its Chelsea HQ to Hell's Kitchen in late 2017. Expect the same steady lineup of bonkers improv, sketch and solo shows every night from young and veteran performers. 

Best buddies Yotam Tubul and Lisa Franklin take the reins at Le Poisson Rouge every month for this delightful stand-up show, which gives seasoned pros and new acts equal time to shine. 

Serious libations and serious laughs collide at this comedy club–restaurant hybrid in Gramercy. Sons of Essex’s Seth Levine turns out comfort-food spins—like cheeseburger pot stickers and duck-topped pizzas—in the upstairs dining room. After dinner, head downstairs to the club, where you can sip cocktails designed by Minetta Tavern vets, while catching regular acts like Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan and Tracy Morgan. Test your stand-up knowledge and try to name all the comedians on the wallpaper in the bathrooms. 

Emmy-winning former Late Show writer Ted Greenberg performs an hour of boisterous interactive stand-up that ends with one audience member being whisked home in a taxi by Greenberg, who is a licensed NYC cabdriver.

You may know David Carl from his portrayal of Gary Busey in his standout one-man comedy show, David Carl’s Celebrity One-Man Hamlet. Now Carl plays an actor named Carl David (try to keep up), who evokes the wrath of Donald Trump by portraying the President in a solo version of King Lear, Shakespeare's portrait of a senescent ruler whose vanity tears his country apart. He's taken the show on a world tour and brought it back to NYC, all while the president continues to feed him material. Count on new levels of thrilling madness from this virtuoso.

Jo Firestone and her Rodney Dangerfield impersonator father, Fred, host this beloved competition, in which the first 18 individuals or duos to sign up at the door attempt to pun-up each other’s spontaneously-produced wordplay. Winners are determined by the Human Clap-O-Meter and go home with a Mystery Box prize. Get ready to laugh—and groan. 

How apt for Ben Wasserman and Brantley Brice's sweet new stand-up show to go down at Friends & Lovers, as their room will most certainly be packed with their best buddies. Join the two adorable whackjobs as they welcome funny friends Carmen Lagala, Jes Tom, Eudora Peterson, Adam Wade, Sam Taggart and Maria Wojciechowski to chill on stage.

For a night of killer laughs from a great variety of acts, look no further than this weekly getdown at VSPOT, hosted by Gianmarco Soresi and Jay Schmidt. Past guests have included Aparna Nancherla, Christian Finnegan, Jena Friedman, Mark Normand and more. 

At this over-the-top night of laughs, Kelsey Caine and Carmen Lagala ditch stagnant, self-indulgent stand-up for a dose of life-affirming puppetry. Joining the two goofballs for deliriously fun felt antics are stand-up pros Liza Treyger, Steven Castillo, Martin Urbano and Sam Evans.

Unleash your rage at the great cultural offenses of our time at this cathartic comedy show. A whopping 50 performers are each given one minute to take on a pressing topic, like Grimes and Elon Musk or Johnny Depp in those Harry Potter spin-offs. Hosts Bowen Yang  and Matt Rogers curate the operatic bitchiness, based on the beloved segment from their podcast.

If you can’t hate yourself, how in the hell are you going to hate somebody else? Comedians exorcise their shame over their teen years through scorching receipts of the hair, music and bad kissing that once defined them. Alise Morales—NYC’s loveliest roastmaster—welcomes Jesse Roth, Dave Mizzoni, Jes Tom, Michael Kayne and Larry Owens to take deep, dark looks into their high school diaries.

If you're like us and can't stop crushing for comics Chelsea Davison and Asher Perlman, hit up their delightful free showcase at Pacific Standard, which features upbeat banter and plenty of excellent guests on the lineup. For the September edition, they welcome Sean Donnelly, Katie Hannigan, Lorelei Ramirez, Friends Who Folk, Joon Chung and Steve Waltien to the stage.   

The city's best comics bring their stand-up, sketches, improv and more to Kings County during this week-long annual fest. This year's fest includes Las Culturistas: "I Don't Think So Honey" Live at Brooklyn Bazaar; Backfat Variety at Union Hall; and shows from HBO, Kevin McDonald, Joe Pera and many others. With a lineup this stacked, the only downside is not being able to catch everything. Head to bkcomedyfestival.com and let the agonizing begin.

The lovely duo of Chrissie Mayr and Oscar Aydin host this long-running showcase of dope queer and queer-appealing comics at the historic Stonewall. This month the show presents its third annual tribute to ladies who love ladies. On the lineup: Tina Barro, Whitney Chanel Clark, Claudia Cogan, Veronica Garza and Paris Sashay.

Improv master Philip Markle invites you to indulge in blissful inanity at this loony variety hour, featuring strange tales, visceral humor and plenty of dance breaks. This time, he's joined by Meg Reilly, Sophie Zucker, Jo Firestone and Brian Rady. 

If you're willing to exchange five bucks for a great time, check out this monthly gig from Gideon Hambright and Patrick Hastie. The August edition boasts sets from Ginny Hogan, Auggie Lutz, Rachel Fogletto, Blake Hammond, Katlin McFee, Raghav Mehta, Samantha Ruddy and Martin Urbano.  

Stand up and musical dynamo Ikechukwu Ufomadu takes over Joe's Pub for a night of dry and witty sets, charming songs and special guests. After crushing it at UCB, Ars Nova and Under the Radar Fest, Ike is on a roll, and you don't want to miss him before he becomes a household name. His droll, murmuring delivery—delivered with a confidence as big as all outdoors—leaves audiences in a haze of laughter. 

Heather Harrison delivers in Williamsburg at this throwdown, which brings established comics out to play with open-mic newbies. Harrison starts her Brooklyn takeover with Dara Katz, Pat Dooley, Maya Sharma, Ian Lockwood and Riley Taggart.