Funny Summer
GROWING UP IN the Adirondacks, summer always meant working long hours, scraping together change to afford things like concert tickets and guitar gear and dreading Labor Day, when those annoying back-to-school ads returned. Surrounded by nothing but mountains and dirt, I was always more of a winter kind of guy.
To get through the hot months and keep my spirits up, I relied on a cocktail of sitcoms, late-night talk shows and stand-up comedy specials. With the exception of a Don Rickles show in Latham, I'd never seen anyone live onstage hold a mic and tell jokes. Thankfully, New York City is not some two-bar town in the middle of the sticks and has no shortage of comedy goings on. Below are some of my summer picks:
Off the top of Our Heads Like Whose Line is it Anyway? only not painfully boring. A quick-witted cast creates audience-inspired scenes. Fri. & Sat. throughout summer.
Mike Birbiglia Pokes fun at his whiteness and weight and has a strange fascination with pizza and pandas. Next to Demitri Martin, maybe the best up-and-coming comic out there. May 26, 27 & 30 at Caroline's.
Teen Movie High No matter how formulaic and dippy, few can forget their favorite teen movies. A PIT cast reenacts a made-up teen movie based on an audience member's high-school years. June 4, 11, 18, 25 at the Peoples Improv Theater.
Chick Flicks More movie-based comedy: This time, a quartet of comedians does its best Mystery Science Theater voiceovers watching cheesy chick flicks from the 80s. June 4 at the Tank.
Neutrino No one does multimedia comedy better than this eight-person group that, equipped with just three cameras, peruses the streets for characters and plots and cobbles together a movie in the same span of time it takes to watch. June 5, 12, 19 at the Peoples Improv Theater.
The Bass Red Triangle Comedy Tour Like comedy? Like Bass Ale? Mix the two and voila! This six-city fest features lots of sketch comedy and cash prizes. June 8 at Chicago City Limits Theater.
Thrifty Tourist Night If you're reading this, you're probably not a tourist. But chances are good you're a cheap bastard. Head over to the Comedy Company for a night of inexpensive stand-up comedy. Mention New York Press and get half-off admission. June 9 at Comedy Company.
Keanu Reeves Saves the Universe Half Matrix, half Marx brothers, this sketch show is an irreverent parody of the best and worst of sci-fi movies, books and tv. Hopefully the actors get in their best rendition of Keanu Reeves' favorite line: "Whoa." June 19 at the Peoples Improv Theater.
Battle of the Funny Bands Come vote for the funniest group in musical comedy. Ten bands and soloists battle it out for first place. From the Shark Show folks. July 10, 24, 31 at Parkside Lounge.
Del Close Marathon Bring toiletries and an ass-pad: It's over 60 hours of continuous comedy by the best people in the improv business. July 29 through Aug. 1 at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.
Caroline's, 1626 B'way (betw. 51st & 52nd Sts.), 212-956-0101; Chicago City Limits Theater, 1105 1st Ave. (61st St.), 212-888-5233; Comedy Company, 761 7th Ave. (betw. 50th & 51st Sts.), 212-592-0341; Gotham City Improv, 158 W. 23rd St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 917-558-3549; Parkside Lounge, 317 E. Houston St. (Attorney St.), 212-673-6270; Peoples Improv Theater, 154 W. 29th St. (betw. 6th & 7th Aves.), 212-563-7488; The Tank, 432 W. 42nd St. (betw. 9th & 10th Aves.), 212-868-4444; Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, 307 W. 26th (betw. 8th & 9th Aves.), 212-366-9176;