Tingle Mines the Humor in Politics

By Ashley Welch

Though the presidential election is over a year away, one man has his eyes on the prize this summer. His name is Jimmy Tingle and he is a comedian who has taken his one-man show, Jimmy Tingle for President: The Funniest Campaign in History, to the Triad this July. Though the show was created in 2008, Tingle has updated it to reflect the current national zeitgeist. Whether describing his idea to save energy by placing a small windmill on every traffic light in America or the components of the Tingle Tax Plan, he approaches the day’s pressing issues with a sense of humor.

A comic for over 30 years, Tingle has appeared on The Tonight Show and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, been a commentator on 60 Minutes II in the Andy Rooney spot and starred in his own HBO comedy special.
Read more

Due Date

By Armond White

For many people, the term Due Date means expiration for library books. For Todd Phillips and Robert Downey, it means car crashes, scatology and homo-nuttiness. The plot, in which Downey plays tetchy California architect Peter Highman, awaiting the fulfillment of his wife’s pregnancy, barely uses the term’s adult natal significance; it’s strictly juvenile. Read more

Summer Guide 2010: Comedy

Conan O’Brien
Conan’s The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour stops in New York for two nights of music and a lot of NBC bashing. You’ll have to scalp tickets to get in, but it’ll be worth it. Plus, the special musical guests will probably be amazing.
June 1 & 2, Radio City Musical Hall, 1260 6th Ave. (at W. 50th St.), 212-247-2777, www.radiocity.com; 8, $44-84. Read more

The Club that Rodney Built

Comedian Rob Magnotti remembers performing in front of Rodney Dangerfield in 2004. Magnotti, who grew up a fan of the superstar, was slightly on edge before the show.

“They told me that night, ‘Rodney’s going to watch your set’,” Magnotti said. “That’s a lot of pressure!”

Dangerfield watched the act from the same booth he always occupied at Dangerfield’s Comedy Club, which he opened decades before on First Avenue and East 61st Street. Read more

Summer Guide 2009: Comedy

This is New York
Strapped for cash but still want to see comedy on a Saturday night? Get some nachos and a can of Tecate as Derrick Comedy Presents a free stand-up and variety show every Saturday at Long Island City’s new comedy club.
May through June, The Creek, 10-93 Jackson Ave. (at 11th St.), Queens, 718-706-8783, www.creeklic.com, 8, FREE Read more