Getting Your Laugh On: 3 Hilarious NYC Comedy Shows

I love good comedy, and in NYC, we’re lucky to have quite the slew of venues and shows to choose from if we want to get our laugh on. Since the city is home to so many talented up-and-coming and well-known comedians, comedy in NYC can be quite competitive and most clubs feature impressive line-ups of acts no matter which night you go.

Two of my very favorite comedy clubs are  Caroline’s on Broadway (conveniently situated in Times Square, if you’re visiting that area) and Comedy Cellar (in the über-hip Greenwich Village) which have been around forever and never fail to put together great shows and plenty of laughs. Many celebrities stop by these venues between movies, tv shows and whatever other big deal gigs they have lined up. The clubs are where many of them got their start and honed their crafts before their careers took off, so they are often happy to come back and make appearances whenever possible.

After touring (as an audience member!) most of the comedy clubs in the city several times over, I’ve started branching out to other comedy shows that make more, er.. creative use of comedic talents. Here are three that delivered:

Losing contestants at BATSU who were penalized by having to eat sushi off of a less-than-studly model

BATSU!: Completely silly but somehow brilliant, this show- performed in the basement of the Je’Bon Sushi restaurant in the East Village- is inspired by the ridiculous Japanese game and variety shows that have been making their way to American television over the past few years.  The comedy troupe, Face Off, performs a series of improv exercises and stunts, incorporating audience ideas and on-stage participation (voluntary- whew!). Whoever messes up a task or loses a challenge is penalized in any number of strange ways. When I attended, losing audience members (like J!) were made to eat sushi off of a “model’s” body while failed performers were shot with paintballs or made to tussle with a frisky “wrestler.” This isn’t the place for highbrow humor, but the performers were incredibly talented and there were plenty of laughs.

The Liar Show: Four comedians tell personal stories- some are so hilarious you’ll laugh your way to better abs while others will tug at your heartstrings. Either way, you’ll probably be blinking back tears. The performers are always master storytellers who know how to weave a tale. BUT only three of the stories are true; you have to decide which one is a complete lie.

After all four stories have been shared, the audience has the opportunity to interrogate the comedians, asking for clarifying facts and trying to find holes in their stories. Toward the end of the evening, you have to decide which of the four people were lying. Everyone that’s correct will be awarded a t-shirt. Regardless, the stories will blow your mind- I’ve always left wondering how the true stories could possibly be true,  and how the made-up story could have been so well-executed.

ASSSSCAT 3000: The Upright Citizens Brigadeis a nationally-acclaimed improv and sketch comedy troupe that counts as part of their alumni comedic geniuses such as- ahem!- Amy Poehler. Over the years, the troupe has been so well-received that they had a show on Comedy Central for a few years and now have several teams in three theatres in Los Angeles and NYC.

ASSSSCAT 3000 is their signature and longest-running improv show. It’s an evening of long-form improvisation and it’s not uncommon to arrive and discover that big name actors have stopped by to take part in that evening’s show.

If you’re in NYC, be sure to stop by one of the more “traditional” stand-up clubs or one of these kookier shows for a night of laughs. Just keep in mind that show tickets can run anywhere from free (usually on a weeknight) to $30, but some do require a two-drink minimum so make sure to check in advance if you’re on a budget.