Posts Tagged ‘live’

Chapter Four: Comedic & Cultural Entertainment in NYC

Friday, September 3rd, 2021

My mental health preservation efforts do not stop with good food and exercise, but emphatically extend to comedy. An overarching theme of what I write about regards being intentional with your “self,” your time, and what you enjoy. I love going to comedy clubs, watching late night shows (from home or in-person through the iota lottery system), seeing movies (which are cheaper earlier in the day/as matinees), and going to museums.

Having gone to college, I know that the experience can be very overwhelming, especially if you are in a new (and big) city. I wanted to attend NYU because I dreamed of working in political satire, which remains true. I knew New York City was where political satire thrived, and that’s where I wanted to be. Still, although it was my choice to ultimately move away from home, I had no idea where to begin when it came to actually exploring the city. 

So, I started with late night, since that’s where I enjoy my favorite political comedians including Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver (who is not technically “late night”), and Seth Meyers. If you simply Google the name of any of these people/shows along with “tickets,” you will find the link to sign up for the lottery to see them live. Through this free lottery system I have been able to see Sam Bee once, and Colbert twice. These were incredibly emotional and fun experiences for me, not only because comedy has been my passion since childhood, but also because the reason I chose to study Media was so that I could work in comedy entertainment. Because of Jon Stewart’s influence as a political satirist, I even worked in proper politics for a few years after 2016. 


A picture from when a friend and I had the opportunity to see Colbert live.

Aside from going to free late night shows, I love going to comedy shows. One of the best times in my life was when I had the opportunity to intern at Gotham Comedy Club, which auspiciously entailed me getting to watch two to four hours of stand-up for free every week while helping post promotions to social media. Being mindful of some age restrictions, there is usually a minimum cover fee at comedy clubs, so your evening can get pricey, but it is absolutely worth going to at least one to experience the NYC stand-up comedy scene. 

My best friend and I felt that we didn’t always make the most of our time in undergrad, so we made a point to go to as many shows and events as we could in senior year. We saw one of our favorite stand-ups (Nate Bargatze) perform an hour-long special live, and we went to Broadway shows as well. There are often some form of student discounts available for Broadway, or even films, and colleges often send emails about such opportunities– so keep a lookout. 

Whatever your passions are outside of school, be intentional with making time for yourself. I had fun in school and enjoyed my classes, but a break can offer rejuvenation. When I felt inspired and/or didn’t have the time or resources to go see something, I took it upon myself to write my own comedy for fun– I have not yet gathered the courage to do an open mic myself, but my goal is to try soon. To mentally prepare, I just remind myself: it’s a right of passage for every comedian to bomb… right?!

For more “serious” cultural moments in NYC, I love visiting the Hayden Planetarium’s Space Theater at the American Museum of Natural History and watching their immersive mini-documentaries on Space projected onto a spherical dome above the audience. Museums in New York are plentiful, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), the Guggenheim, and my personal favorite: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). The MET has so many sections that I still haven’t seen. They also have seasonal or temporary exhibits, which are very novel. I visited just last week and they had a Dutch exhibit up, displaying multiple Rembrandts (which are very cool and sad).  


Marble statue of Orpheus visible from the back on “the Patio from the Castle of Vélez Blanco, 1506–15”

Whether you love comedy or not, there are  plenty of forms of entertainment in New York City, or surely wherever you are going to school. Colleges do a fantastic job of promoting discounted events, so keep an eye out in your emails and school bulletins for any opportunities. 

Ultimately, my advice is that you be intentional with your “self,” what you enjoy, and the time (off) that you have. 

For those seeking entertainment while in college:

  • Be intentional with your off-time; resting/relaxing can be achieved in other ways than just sitting at home
  • Colleges do a fantastic job of promoting discounted events, so check your emails and school bulletins for any opportunities/ find Campus Clipper on social media for coupons! 
  • Museums are always worth visiting; students usually receive significant discounts if not the “pay what you can” option (which can just be nothing)
  • NYC offers a lot of free entertainment, whether it means seeing a daytime talk show live,  SNL, or late night


By: Anna Matefy

Anna Matefy recently graduated from NYU with a Bachelor’s in Media, Culture, and Communication. She has been working in politics for the past few years, and wants to transition into a career in media entertainment/comedy. She will be attending NYU as a graduate student in Media beginning in 2021.


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Free Weekend (Week of 9/10/12)

Tuesday, September 11th, 2012

Fall is officially here! With the arrival of the season, outdoor entertainment tends to get scarce. Luckily, there are still some amazing events going on around the city, including a full weekend of festivities at Irving Plaza that will help bring in autumn just as it did summer: with tons of great parties and concerts.

 

Green Day at Irving Plaza

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Punk rock legends Green Day will be performing a free show at Irving Plaza on Saturday the 15th. Given the popularity of the band and its status as punk rock royalty, I would’ve never dreamed of even hearing about a free Green Day show. The band is also rumored to be playing the Dookie album in its entirety.

Although the show is free, it doesn’t come without a price. Green Day are looking for their “number one fans” to come to show. In order to be eligible for tickets, one must not only “like” the Green Day Facebook page, but should also tweet with hashtags to show love for the band. Be sure to head over to the Green Day’s Facebook and Twitter pages while tickets are still available.

 

 

Heineken Red Star Access

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heineken’s Red Star Access is a five-city tour showcasing some of hip hop’s most popular talents. Saturday, September 15th will mark the day the Red Access tour makes its stop in New York City.

The star-studded lineup includes DJ Clark Kent, French Montana, and hip hop heavyweight Wiz Khalifa. Not only will this be a night full of great music, but also Heineken will be supplying free brews all night, making this show more than worthwhile. More information is available here; but get on it fast because the event is on Saturday!


All Star Weekend and Gym Class Heroes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cap the weekend off at Irving Plaza (September 16th) with a performance by pop rock band All Star Weekend and the rap rock soundings of Gym Class Heroes.  Kellogg’s Pop Tarts (yea, they’re getting involved in the free concert business) is sponsoring the event.

Like the Facebook page and be sure to stay tuned on how you can get tickets to the show…if they are still available!

That’s all for this week guys! Stay tuned to The Campus Clipper for more awesome free events next week, as well as coupons and deals on things you love.

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Carlos L., Monroe College. Read my blog!!  Follow me on Twitterand Facebook :)

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