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David Cross, Nick Kroll, Rhys Darby, Chris Gethard, Jonah & Kumail, 'Colbert Report' and more added to NY Comedy Fest

Chris Gethard hosting RBSS show at Knit in May (more by Amanda Hatfield)

When I first mentioned the 2013 New York Comedy Festival back in August, I wasn’t able to hide my blasé feelings about the initial line-up. If you recall, I described the initial line-up as being “bogged down with conservative, mainstream talent.” Towards the end of the post, however, I tried to end on a more optimistic note by stating that in festivals past they were sure to include more indie-centric fare and that there was no reason to think the 2013 installment of the fest would be any different. Sure enough, the fest has announced some shows that are definitely more up my/our alley. Highlights for me (click on the show title for tickets) include:

Matt Braunger at the UCB Theater Chelsea on Wednesday November 6 at 9:30 PM (tickets): Simply put, Matt Braunger is absolutely fucking hilarious and his special Shovel Fighter is one of the great comedy experiences of all time. He is easily one of the most underrated comedians out there and this show is sure to be a treat.

Julian McCullough at the UCB Theater Chelsea on Thursday November 7 at 9:30 PM (tickets: Julian McCullough is an absolute powerhouse of hilarity who I’ve seen about 100 times and who is one of the most solid and consistently funny comedians in the biz. Julian has performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, NPR’s This American Life, and starred in his own half hour special on Comedy Central. You can also catch him every Saturday as host of TBS’ Very Funny News and on MTV2’s hit series Guy Code. He gigs around town a lot and any opportunity to see him is a must.

Chris Gethard and Friends at The Creek and the Cave on Thursday November 7 at 8:00 PM  (tickets): Klaus favorite and friend of BV (and host of last night’s Red Bull Sound Select show at MHOW), Chris Gethard is one of the funniest and most capable storytellers in the history of mankind and I am convinced he is incapable of failure as a performer. Head out to Queens for this show in a nice room with nice people and great beers.

Behind the Scenes at The Colbert Report at Town Hall on Thursday November 7 at 8:00 PM (tickets): Yes, I know, Colbert is far from indie. But he’s really just a talking head propped up by an extremely talented pool of writers. For the most part, these writers are a major part of the indie NYC comedy scene in one way or another. This will be a great opportunity to bring these behind-the-scenes people into the spotlight alongside His Highness Mr. Colbert. Because, without them, Colbert is nothing more than that guy who was hilarious in Strangers With Candy.

Nikki & Sara & Friends at The Gramercy Theater on Friday November 8 at 8:00 PM (tickets): You might know Nikki Glaser and Sara Schaefer from their MTV show Nikki and Sara LIVE. I know Nikki and Sara from years of seeing them live all over NYC for the past several years. Individually or as a team, they rule. I cannot recommend this show enough. Plus, Gramercy sells those massive cans of Budweiser.

An Evening with David Cross at The Paley Center on Friday November 8 at 6:30 PM (tickets): New York City Resident David Cross recently wrapped up a small tour with Mr. Show Alumni Bob Odenkirk and Brian Posehn which landed at Town Hall for two shows on September 12. This time around, he’s flyin’ solo for what the Paley Center describes as “The Paley Center and the New York Comedy Festival welcome Cross to discuss his career, his creative process and thoughts on comedy, and life as a never-nude.” Though billed as “An Evening With David Cross” that description makes it sound like a moderated interview. Who knows. It’s worth checking out regardless.

Rhys Darby
Rhys Darby

Rhys Darby at The Gotham Comedy Club on Friday November 8 at 8:00 PM/ 10:30 PM and Saturday November 9 at 8:00 PM/10:00 PM/11:45 PM (tickets): You might know Rhys as the lovable manager Murray Hewitt on HBO’s Flight of the Conchords. But Rhys is also an hilarious comedian with a penchant for sound effects. He rarely blesses our shores with a performance, so I urge to you try and catch one of his five performances at the Gotham Comedy Club.

Oh, Hello : The Kroll Show at The Paley Center on Saturday November 9 at 4:00 PM (tickets): I’ve been an avid fan of Nick Kroll for many many years. His repertoire of characters is astounding and usually a spot-on lampooning of some of the most insufferable sects of popular culture. The Paley Center event will include “executive producers and writers Kroll, John Levenstein, and Jonathan Krisel (who also directs the episodes) to discuss the production of the technically dazzling parodies, the process of breathing life into such tragic souls as Ref Jeff, and the perils of ice dating.” Attendees will also see two episodes from Season 2 of the Kroll Show. Nick is a great dude and a super-talent and his success is much deserved and makes your man Klaus happy.

The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail at The Bell House on Saturday November 9 at 7:00 PM (tickets): Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani are two of my favorite people on earth. Kumail even did one of our Rock n ROFL shows back in the day. It broke my little black heart when Kumail moved to Los Angeles, but I can’t say that I blame him as his career has thrived since the relocation. The Meltdown is a recurring comedy showcase out in Los Angeles that brings in some of the biggest names in comedy. It’s so great, in fact, that it was picked up by Comedy Central and will soon be a TV show executive produced by some dude named Ben Stiller or something. It is a blessing from the Gods of Comedy that they will bring their show to NYC for one night only. Even though the line-up has not been announced, I urge one and all to get tickets now before it’s too late and you get a one way ticket to Regretsville USA.