(Flyer via Dan + Joe + Charles Show)
TUESDAY
The Dan + Joe + Charles Show
Tuesday August 19, 8 pm at the New York Distilling Company: FREE
Here’s a little history lesson: Dan (Licata) + Joe (Pera) + Charles (Gould) used to host this stand up showcase on a monthly basis at UCB East, but, apparently, that wasn’t enough for the people. They demanded more and more shows—one young man even self-immolated outside of the Two Boots next to UCB crying “I just want this show to be weekly!” before expiring in a flash of flames.
The hosts finally obliged, so now you can catch them (mostly) weekly at the New York Distilling Company. This week, the hosts are joined by Sasheer Zamata (of Saturday Night Live), also Cole Escola (Difficult People), and more. Now that they’ve settled this one– please, don’t light yourself on fire.
(Flyer via Panic Attack)
FRIDAY
Panic Attack
Friday August 19, 8 pm at Exile Above 2A: FREE
Hosted by stand ups Joon Chung and Chris Donahue, this monthly showcase in Alphabet City has assembled a killer line up this time around. The bill for this free show includes Aparna Nancherla (Late Night) and Jo Firestone (um, of every good show in the city and the excellent web series “Womanhood”), as well as Daily Show producer Jena Friedman, local weirdo Nick Naney and more.
(Flyer via Annoyance)
Legends of the Hidden Tampon
Friday August 19, 9:30 pm at Annoyance Theater: $10
This show is bound to be good for no other reason than the fact that it’s drawing on the two most powerful forces in comedy today: making fun of nostalgia culture and aggressive, unapologetically detailed jokes about feminine hygiene.
Host Deanna Arthur and sidekick Shannon Kintner will subject teams consisting of other comedians to physical and mental challenges. The winning team will be one step closer to discovering the show’s hidden artifact: “the female orgasm.” Other prizes include “a Nestle Quick gift pack, the privilege to feel safe walking alone at night or BK Ratch Tech sneakers.”
(Flyer via Shea Stadium)
SUNDAY
The Macaulay Culkin Show: Third Annual Summer Comedy Festival
Sunday August 21, 8 pm at Shea Stadium: $5.
The annual “festival” version of this show, on monthly rotation and hosted by Brett Davis and Sally Burtnick, is huge. The bill includes 22 acts from some of New York’s best alt comedians, all of whom get five minutes to do whatever they want. I’m not great at math, but I think that works out to roughly 43 hours worth of comedy, all for just $5. What a deal!
The lineup includes the Annoyance Theater’s flagship show, Holy Fuck, Space Prince Julio Torres, excellent comedy duo Good Cop Great Cop, and honestly too many other people to list. Not included on the bill is child actor/poster child for why fame ruins children Macaulay Culkin, who, for some reason, has yet to deliver a cease and desist to this show, despite three summer festivals that have gone off without a hitch in his name.