You know what’s awesome? Comedy.

You know what’s not so awesome? Not a lot of people are well-versed in the scene, thus missing out on a wealth of entertainment in their own backyards.

Enter me.

My name is Matt Little. I am a comedian, actor, and writer. I perform comedy all over town and write for TV, but this column isn’t about me. This column is about YOU, and your lust for comedic entertainment. It’s also about comedy, but that doesn’t sound as sexy in the copy.

I will be your guide to seeing great shows around town that don’t involve the words “drink minimum,” “bringer,” or “Times Square.” I’ll also be featuring vids from NYC-based comedians, interviews, and other whimsical flights of fancy. Consider this my soapbox for why New York is the best city for comedy in the Milky Way or Andromeda galaxies (sorry, Xlrt’son Deebot on Planetoid Xteen, but you know it’s true).

If you want to sound more savvy than the people in your office that get excited about the new season of Mind of Mencia, follow me.

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What are you doing looking for movie suggestions, when it’s so beautiful outside! It’s now officially summer, according to the scientists and everything, so the last thing you should be doing this weekend is hanging out in dark, artificial climate for two hours at a time. Plus, grilled hot dogs make way better snacks than stale popcorn and Milk Duds.

But, you may be saying to yourself, “I have to watch movies all the time and how can I see them when I’m outside?” Well, you’re in luck because few cities give you more and better options for watching films al fresco than New York. How jam packed is The Big Apple’s outdoor movie scene? It’s so big, you actually have to go to New Jersey to see some of them. Imagine that! Get the low down on the city’s best summer screenings below.

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Instead, journey up—or down depending on where you’re coming from—to the New York Botanical Garden or the Bronx Zoo. Both are havens for curious tweens, bored teens, and busy parents. Bonus: It will be less than 90 degrees this weekend.

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Well, kids, tonight is looking like an exceptionally stellar Friday night for comedy, so rather than just spotlighting one performer this week, we’re gonna give you a list of shows to have on your radar. Don’t have plans yet for tonight? We’re about to solve your problem…

1. B.J. Novak You know him as Ryan, the temp turned corporate overlord on The Office . But did you also know he also did standup? You can catch him making the Ha-Ha, tonight though Sunday at Caroline’s on Broadway. Shows at 8 and 10:30. Tickets a steep $27-$31. But come on, the guy’s on national television.

2. Kurt and Kristen in Double Down Hearts The Kristen in “Kurt and Kristen” is Kristen Schaal, best known to fans of Flight of the Conchords as the group’s biggest/only groupie, Mel. tonight she and her partner in comedy, Kurt Braunohler, preview the show they’ll be taking across the pond to the famed Edinburgh Fringe Festival. See it at the PIT tonight at 11 for only $8, which is seriously cheaper than buying a plane ticket to Scotland and seeing it there.

3. Mike Birbiglia: 60 Minutes of New Comedy Mike is one of the best standups working today, and he’s currently putting together a new act. Come watch the creative process–and help it along by laughing when the urge hits–at the UCB tonight at 8 pm. It costs $8 to get in the door. After that, the laughter is free.

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Whew! Let’s take a breather, huh? The first few weeks of the summer season have been a whirlwind, but this week we finally get to slow down a bit and gather ourselves before the next wave of blockbusters washes up on shore. The only major studio release I see on tap for this week is the one where Adam Sandler and Jack Black play a team of undercover zookeepers who specialize in giving haircuts to panda bears. It sure sounds wacky, but I think I’ll pass. Besides Billy Madison is probably on TBS at some point this weekend, so you can just watch that one more time instead.

Or why not use the weekend to catch up on anything you may have missed from the big May releases. (Translation: Go see Iron Man again.) Or if you’re stuck in New York this muggy summer weekend, take the opportunity to visit one of our small indie theaters–Mongol, a Genghis Khan biopic that looks interesting–or take our number one recommendation, a midnight showing of Zardoz at IFC Center. What is Zardoz, you ask? And why should you see it? Well, if you Google Image Search “Sean Connery Zardoz” this is the first result …

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Gallery Insider is back! Having been on vacation for the past few weeks, she’s full of advice for gallery hoppers– although not for this week. This week’s a slow week in gallery land, so the openings are set for next Saturday, 6/14.

For the very ambitious, there are two different directions—Chelsea and the Lower East Side—to head in for making the rounds of the evening’s openings. For the more conservative, choosing one should keep your hands full while putting you in the vicinity of plenty of good bars and restaurants to hit up as you continue your evening.

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Dear Hans,

My girlfriend makes more money than I do, but I end up paying for everything. I’m at a point where I can’t even go out with my guy friends because I have no money left over from my relationship. How do I tell her I can’t afford our lifestyle?

News flash, New York City daters: the City is expensive and as such, chivalry is dead. The evolution of civilized society beyond medieval times is well documented and welcome. A centuries-old knightly code of conduct should have no bearing on the treacherous landscape of modern dating. You wouldn’t enter into modern warfare with only a crossbow, why would you build a moat around your financial and emotional freedom with obsolete dating mores?

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You may have noticed that the blog was down for most of the weekend and this morning. That was because (and I am totally serious) our servers caught on fire yesterday.

However, we are now back up and lookin’ good, so thanks for your patience!

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360 7th Ave (btw 10th St & 11th St), Brooklyn, 718-369-4086

With a name like 4 Play BK, you’d expect this trendy women’s shop should be sandwiched between a Contempo Casual and 5-7-9 in a suburban mall from yesteryear, not parked on the Slope’s main mommy drag. But to be deterred by the late 80s’ retro name is to miss out on neo-retro designs, a tremendous selection of designer denim, fun brands, and current kicks like Seychelles, Nicole, and Havaianas in every color of the rainbow.

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If you are reading this post, you have probably heard of The Internet. Good for you! To learn even more about it, watch the video above. It contains loads of very informative information about all those Interweb terms that have long confounded both you and your grandma. Afterwards, you’ll probably want to learn more about Max Silvestri, i.e. the guy in the tan suit and no shoes. Start by clicking here.

Then, to see Max live, drop by his new weekly show Big Terrific (which he’s doing with Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate! Remember them? ). Big Terrific takes places every Thursday at 8 p.m. at Sound Fix in Williamsburg. What exactly will you see there? “I think what people can expect from Big Terrific is talented and famous guests alongside Gabe, Jenny, and I trying to constantly make one another other laugh in a very silly and charming way,” Max explains. “Everything else will be UNEXPECTED. Sometimes there will be bands, sometimes there will be videos and occasionally there might be animals.”

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