Tonight The Leadbelly, on the Lower East Side, kicks off a new weekly comedy show hosted by Bushwick-based comic Taylor Clark.
Clark also hosts Big Ups at Little Skips on Thursdays in Bushwick. While he’s hesitant to classify himself as a “Bushwick comedian,” he’s eager to introduce the neighborhood’s alternative comedy scene to downtowners who might be expecting something more traditional. “When we bring those Bushwick comics people are surprised to see something fresh and original,” he says.
This week’s lineup will include an eclectic mix of up-and-coming comics, including Aparna Nancherla, of the much-buzzed FX show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, and John F. O Donnell, who Clark describes as “a recovering bipolar comic with really interesting observations about life,” and who self-describes as a “psychological warrior” (we’re intrigued).
The lineup will change each week, but Clark assures us that big name drop-ins are likely down the road. “I have some connections with some much much bigger names and once we’ve had a few shows I’m sure I can reach out and they’ll be happy to stop by,” he says. “In Bushwick, Judah Friedlander came all the way out to do my show before.”
Bushwick-style comedy combined with the high-end sea snacks and easy F train access of the LES — what’s not to love?
