• Bringing this up WAY late but I finally had a meal at The Stand almost two weeks ago. After visiting the first time, I knew I wanted to take my family there for dinner when they visited (it’s exactly the upscale vibe my parents are into) and the place did not disappoint. I love that there are so many great comedy venues in the five boroughs that double as top-notch restaurants. The food itself is surprising, not in that it’s tasty (which it is) but in that the flavors are original. The biggest stand out for me was the waffle fries with the banana-flavored ketchup. I didn’t know that’s what I was into but I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Also, it was very cool that the night my family went was the night Dice was performing. The place was straight jumpin’ with dudes in fedoras (assuming that’s Dice’s fanbase). Also, want to give props to Joe Harary working that night and making the place run so smoothly. Definitely going back for another meal; gotta try the burger next.
• This was a truly excellent week for new comedy releases. The highlight for me was easily Gary Gulman’s new hour on HBO “The Great Depresh.” Not only is it an amazing examination of depression, but it’s also full of compassion, vulnerability and great jokes about why basketball is the best sport if you’re depressed. It’s an amazing companion piece to Chris Gethard’s HBO special “Career Suicide.” Check it out; I’m sure it will be atop all of the year end lists. Also, released this week was Nikki Glaser’s “Bangin.’” This is a bit more traditional a special but just as good. Chock full of sex jokes with hard punchlines, this is more of your traditional club set. It’s a different flavor but full of laughs too. Was very cool to see Andrew Collin and Ahri Findling show up in the “Special Thanks” at the end as well. Very happy for the dudes. Other new comedy releases to keep up with are the new NBC show “Sunnyside” (currently only two episodes deep) about a disgraced city councilman who helps immigrants gain citizenship and features NY comic Joel Kim Booster in a great role as a super wealthy non-citizen who pays his way through everything. As always, very cool to see a peer shoot through the stratosphere to the mainstream. You know you’ve made it when my Dad’s DVR’d you. Finally, check out “Bless The Harts” on Fox. It’s a great, little animated show and a nice, female companion piece to “King of the Hill.” You’ll be happy you checked it out.
• Did two shows this past week that were both great times. The first was last Wednesday’s Trivia Show at the Creek co-hosted by Kattoo King and Nate Borgman. It’s a very crowd participation-heavy show and the audience comprised of Anna E. Paone, Amalia Schiff and Pratap Chumble did not disappoint helping keep the show chug along at a steady clip. We answered comedic trivia from Devin Harris, Joe Gorman and myself (mine was about the history of the Creek) and at the end, Nate bought everyone drinks and gave out money gifts. Go to this show. You’ll probably make money (it is laminated). Also, did a packed hostel show this last Sunday uptown with master showman Randy Epley. The turnout was comprised of audience members who lived in Colombia, China, the Ivory Coast, Belgium, etc. It’s one of those things where you just have to somehow figure out how to make your jokes relatable. Ya know, I did all marriage material. It went OK. I’m definitely easing into being that guy who only does jokes about proposals and weddings and I gotta say, I’m happy to stay in this lane until the well of jokes on the subject has run dry for me.
• Finally, I wanted to point out that I did something that wasn’t exactly comedy this week but felt a lot like a weird, little brother to it. On Monday night, I played Dungeons and Dragons for the first time with friend and Dungeon Master Nate Abdo at the head. Other players included Anna, Clayton Russell Porter and Jesse Swatling-Holcomb. I wasn’t expecting everyone to do funny voices and the game to be so improv-heavy (it’s all improv) but it’s way more fun than you might expect. If you’ve never played, try it. Expand your mind, bro.
• No comedy stuff planned for me this week. That’s OK. I still need to see “Joker.”
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