DON’T MISS!: NYUK CITY
Fifty comedians walk into a bar . . . No, this isn’t the start to a joke, but rather 50 jokes — part of the seventh annual 50 First Jokes comedy showcase.
The evening of laughs, tonight at the Bell House, gathers 50 comedians onstage to start the year fresh by telling the first new joke they’ve written for 2013. Performers include up-and-comers alongside established local comedians such as Jon Friedman, a former blogger for “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” stand-up comic and Onion writer Dan St. Germain, and Nikki Glaser and Sara Schaefer, co-hosts of an upcoming MTV talk show.
“A lot of people work so hard, because they know it’s going to be a big show,” founder John F. O’Donnell says. “Oftentimes it will be a piece of ‘A’ material that will end up in their set.” $10; 8 p.m. at 149 Seventh St.,
Gowanus; 718-643-6510, thebellhouseny.com.
— Tim Donnelly
Getty Images/Vetta
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WATCH IT!: DURNING POINT
Beloved character actor Charles Durning, who died Christmas Eve, received the first of two Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations for his delightful song-and-dance tour de force as the shifty governor in Colin Higgins’ “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982). An underrated adaptation of a popular Broadway show, Hollywood’s most popular musical of the decade stars Dolly Parton as the establishment’s proprietress and Burt Reynolds as the sheriff, her best customer. Brunch screenings of a 35mm print tomorrow and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at the Nitehawk Cinema will be preceded by live performances by Doll Parts, a local Dolly Parton tribute band. 136 Metropolitan Ave., between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue,
Williamsburg; 718-384-3980, nitehawkcinema.com.
— Lou Lumenick
Universal/courtesy Everett
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LAST CHANCE!: A REAL LOU-LOU
Among its other assets, Craig Wright’s play “Grace” — closing Sunday — marked Ed Asner’s return to Broadway after 23 years. But the one-time Lou Grant claims his co-stars, Paul Rudd, Michael Shannon and Kate Arrington, have been getting all the attention.
“It’s wonderful to see people cast worshipful glances at my three compadres,” Asner says, adding with a grumble, “I always get hurt because they’re never looking at me.”
Audiences will definitely stare at Asner when he returns to touring his one-man show, “FDR,” but he admits he’ll miss his “Grace”-mates. “They’re a lot of help in picking up any of my fumbles — Paul, in particular, is a good ballplayer. They don’t blanch, they don’t stutter, they go right along, feeling Crazy Eddie will come back, eventually.” At the Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St.; 212-239-6200.
— Elisabeth Vincentelli
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DIVE IN!: WATER WORLD
For New Yorkers who think they spend too much time underground on the subway, here’s a chance to change things up. You can sample life underwater at the annual New York Boat Show, through Sunday at the Javits Center.
In addition to boats on display, there are free scuba-diving lessons thanks to the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA). A 4-foot-deep indoor pool, filled with 15,000 gallons of water heated to a blissfully balmy temperature, will instantly transport you to the Caribbean — albeit without the colorful coral and fish.
“All the equipment will be provided by local certified diving instructors,” says DEMA’s Stephanie Worth. (They’ll supply towels, but bring a swimsuit.)
Other highlights include a boating simulator that’ll keep you dry and Q&A sessions with the stars of MTV’s “WakeBrothers,” Phil and Bob Soven.
$15, free for kids 15 and under. 34th Street and the West Side Highway; nyboatshow.com.
— Jane Ridley
Alamy
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LISTEN UP!: UKE GOTTA BELIEVE
If your knowledge of the ukulele stops at Tiny Tim and tiptoeing through the tulips, then the Ukuladies have a new twist for you. The four-woman family act from Winnipeg (twins, an aunt and a cousin) delivers a bawdy brew of vaudeville, swing-era girl groups, tap-dancing and parlor tricks — and audience participation is firmly encouraged. “We even love to be heckled,” jokes singer and tenor uke player Katie Down. “That’s just part of the world of the ukulele. It’s a little rough around the edges, so we have a lot of fun with it.” Known to hand out everything from cookies during the song “Cookie Jar” to champagne for “Tiny Bubbles,” the ladies — three of whom are classically trained musicians — also mix it up on toy piano, glockenspiel and fiddle. “Our three-part harmonies are actually kind of tricky too,” says Down, “but the main thing is we just have a great time together.” Free, Sunday night at 9 at Rodeo Bar, 375 3rd Ave.; 212-683-6500, rodeobar.com.
— Bill Murphy
