New York Comedy Festival

by Vanita Salisbury, Nov. 3, 2009

Stand Up for Heroes

Town Hall ; 11/4 at 8 p.m.; 123 W. 43rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-840-2824

It's funny for a good cause when an all-star lineup including Stephen Colbert, Lisa Lampanelli, Louis C.K., and host Brian Williams take the stage of Town Hall, with proceeds to benefit the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

Mike Birbiglia

Town Hall; 11/5 at 8 p.m.; 123 W. 43rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-840-2824

With contributions to This American Life and the critically acclaimed one-man show Sleepwalk With Me under his belt, Mike Birbiglia is no stranger to storytelling. He'll regale us this week at Town Hall, which is also part of his current I'm in the Future Also tour. Bonus: He's keeping it hush-hush, but his website promises a super-awesome band as the opener.

For those not willing to drop dough on tickets, MySpace Comedy is hosting two “secret shows” for free. Catch Tom Green in his stand-up debut on 11/4 and Rob Schneider taking the stage for the first time in nineteen years on 11/5. Also, hope you weren't planning on getting much sleep, because the shows are at midnight. (You wanted a deal, right?)

Ricky Gervais

Carnegie Hall; 11/5 at 8 p.m.; 154 W. 57th St., at Seventh Ave.; 212-247-7800

Following last year's U.S. tour, Out of England (filmed for an HBO comedy special), the multi-talented Brit will play for one night only, with opener (and hometown hero) Todd Barry.

Tracy Morgan

Carnegie Hall; 11/6 at 8 p.m.; 154 W. 57th St., at Seventh Ave.; 212-247-7800

Tracy Morgan's not really known for his restraint, so it's worth checking out this show just to see what will come out of the unpredictable mouth of the 30 Rock star and author of the new memoir I Am the New Black.

Patton Oswalt

Town Hall; 11/7 at 8 p.m.; 123 W. 43rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-840-2824

Before he hit it big as a lovable animated rat in Ratatouille, he was the lovable alternative comic who founded the well-received Comedians of Comedy tour. This year, he's added movie star (Big Fan) and father to his résumé, but takes time off from daddy duty to tell jokes about geekdom and the KFC Famous Bowl.

Andy Samberg and Friends

Town Hall ; 11/8 at 8 p.m.; 123 W. 43rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-840-2824

We're not sure what “friends” are going to join the SNL star on his stage show, but if they're the kind that helped him produce songs like “Dick in a Box” and “Lazy Sunday,” we're onboard.

Louis C.K.

Carolines on Broadway; 11/8 at 10 p.m.; 1626 Broadway, at 49th St.; 212-757-4100

The Emmy award-winning comedian (and writer and director of the movie Pootie Tang) is one of the most honest and hilarious stand-ups working today. This one-off show is sure to sell out, so we recommend getting tickets, like, yesterday.

Read more: New York Magazine—Picks From the New York Comedy Festvial, Nov. 4-8 http://nymag.com/nightlife/barbuzz/61825/#ixzz0wfyrxppi

By Jacob E. Osterhout

Thursday, August 13th 2009, 11:33 AM

Andy Samberg at the 135th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Louisville. The 'Saturday Night Live' comedian is appearing at the New York comedy festival.

Go ahead, laugh it up.

On Wednesday, the New York Comedy Festival announced the addition of “Saturday Night Live” comedian Adam Samberg, actor/comedian Dane Cook, and “Howard Stern Show” regular and public nuisance Artie Lange to their already formidable lineup.

These big-name comedians join over 150 other performers including “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan, British “Office” star Ricky Gervais, talk show host Bill Maher, and comedians Mike Epps, Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt, and Mike Birbiglia.

For those who missed last year's festival because of the pre-election jitters, this year's laugh fest, which runs from November 4th to the 8th at ten venues throughout New York City, should maintain a subtler political bent.

As well as the stand-up comedy shows, the festival will also feature panel discussions at the Paley Center for Media with lineups yet to be announced.

In its sixth year, the New York Comedy Festival, presented in association with Comedy Central, has become one the premiere American comedy events of the year.

Tickets go on sale August 17th (nycomedyfestival.com).

The New York Times; Arts Beat; Culture News and Views

August 12, 2009

By Dave Itzkoff

If a certain presidential election distracted you last November from the New York Comedy Festival, you have no excuse for missing out this year, especially now that all the nation’s political disputes have been completely resolved. On Wednesday, the festival’s organizers announced the lineup for this year’s festival, which will run from Nov. 4 through 8, and it’s a formidable crop: Andy Samberg, the “Saturday Night Live” star; the sometime film actor Dane Cook; the “Howard Stern Show” regular (and “Joe Buck Live” hijacker) Artie Lange; as well as Patton Oswalt, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Burr and Mike Epps have been added to the bill. They join the previously announced headliners Ricky Gervais (who performs on Nov. 5 at Carnegie Hall), Tracy Morgan (Nov. 6 at Carnegie Hall) and Bill Maher (Nov. 8 at Avery Fisher Hall). More than 150 comedians are expected to perform over the course of the festival; panel discussions at the Paley Center for Media are also planned, with those lineups still to be announced.