Caroline's on Broadway: New Talent Night 11.10.08

Monday nights at the infamous Caroline’s on Broadway are reserved for new talent! It’s pretty exciting because some of the best comedians that have ever lived go their start at Caroline’s, so you never know if the people you’ll see will end up becoming legendary themselves. I have been to Caroline’s several times before, but it was always to see a headliner. This was a totally different experience, but definitely still worthwhile and enjoyable.

There were TONS of comedians that performed. I wish there was a list of their names somewhere that I could access, but unfortunately there were way too many to remember. This doesn’t mean, however, that their acts were forgettable. I was so impressed by so many of the performers. One of my favorites was the only female performer of the night, who made jokes about her roommates criticizing her for smoking weed, which were super relatable and fantastic. Another real stand out was this uber-gay, little (and by that I mean short), blonde boy with a face like Clay Aiken. He, mostly, referenced pop culture and his sexuality, and really got the crowd going. The third person that really stood out to me was an Indian guy who, throughout his act, used many different accents to discuss various racial issues.

The real reason I went to this show, beside my obsession and love of stand-up, was to support one of my friends who performed stand up for his second time at Caroline’s. That, in itself, is remarkably impressive. My friend, Josh Senior, and I worked together this past summer on some videos for his website, JoshCollege. On his site, he plays an advice-giving, know-it-all college student, who is actually a little confused. The videos are great and you should definitely check them out. However, I don’t think that the Josh College character really transfers over to the stand-up stage. Had he hit the stage as Josh Senior (versus Josh College), even if he said mostly the same jokes, he would have had the crowd in the palm of his hand. His jokes are witty, and very smart, but it was just hard to follow when he spoke using the character’s trademark voice. I’m looking forward to his next performance as Josh Senior because I know it will be fantastic!

Overall, I had a great time at the show! While this is certainly one of the less expensive options available in NYC when it comes to stand-up comedy, it still was a moderately expensive night. The tickets were only $10 ($5, if you say you're going to support one specific person), but there is a 2 drink minimum (their drinks are more on the expensive side) and their is also a 15% service fee included. So, I would definitely recommend checking out New Talent night at Caroline's on Broadway for anyone interested in what's new/up-in-comming in the comedy world! Also if anyone knows the names of anyone who performed this night please let me know!