When we last left HBO’s “True Blood,” the war between the humans and the vampires had just reached a boiling point and the air was thick with the threat of impending violence. Well, more violence. A lot of blood is spilled in this show, but there’s a lot of humor as well. More than most shows of its ilk (despite, perhaps Showtime’s “Dexter”) “True Blood” has managed to strike a fine balance between darkness and light. Pam — the bisexual, acid-tongued, bar-owning vampire, who stomps all over human and vamp underlings alike in spike-heeled boots — exacts violence and comedy in equally skilled measure. We checked in with Kristin Bauer Straten, who plays Pam, before Season 6 premieres on June 16.

What can you tell me about what’s going on with Pam this season, without revealing any spoilers?

That’s always the challenge, isn’t it? We’ve been shooting such long hours all week that I’ve got to get caught up on the trailers so I know what they reveal. I think it’s safe to say there is a human-vampire conflict that’s escalated from what the Authority did last year. And that, of course, causes problems for Pam. So she’s trying to figure out her relationship with her new baby/lover, you know, Rutina (Wesley, who plays Tara). And she’s just reunited with her Maker; she wasn’t sure if he was alive. And then, on top of it, the humans are fighting back.

So it’s safe to say that things are pretty complicated?

Things are a little intense.

When the show first started, did you know that Pam was going to become such a big part of the show?

I definitely did not. Yeah, that was a really lovely surprise because, when I auditioned, they said that it was a guest starring role, possibly recurring. And first season, once Alex (Skarsgård) and I started they kept calling us back. But Season 2, there wasn’t as much Pam. So all of a sudden when Season 3 came around and they started adding quite a bit more Pam, that was a lovely surprise because I love the role and I also love the people I’m working with. We have so much fun. They’re very, very fun people. The hours are long so it makes a huge difference.

Pam is actually one of my favorite characters on the show, and she has really evolved: straight-up evil in the beginning, but now they’re revealing a lot more layers. Do you think she’s more good than bad?

I don’t know if it is a bad sign, or if I’m becoming sort of delusional, but I don’t know if she’s good or evil — but she’s definitely… correct. I feel like what she says, we’re all thinking. You know, she only kills bad people. I feel like she’s a little bit of the person we all wish we could be, but we wouldn’t be able to maintain jobs and friends. (laughs). And Pam is lucky enough to have stepped out of, on purpose, all of those concerns. And, you know, to be top of the food chain, she doesn’t have to worry about liking anybody or vice-versa, people liking her especially. I just think it’s really refreshing.

Speaking to that, I feel that there are more powerful female characters in the show than weak ones. In fact, maybe more powerful female characters than powerful male characters. Do you think that’s true?

Yup, I agree with you. These writers, I think are very sensitive to writing strong female characters. And in my career, that’s just been rare. I haven’t personally gotten to play terribly strong characters before this. I really enjoyed the characters I played, but they were vulnerable, possibly not too bright. You know, using sexuality to try and get by. I think it’s a combination of HBO, and Alan Ball, and our other producers that are sensitive to this. I mean, this week we have a woman DP, which is unusual; we have a lot of women directors. We were sitting around Video Village this week and someone was reading an article about the astoundingly small percentage of females in top positions in Hollywood, and we looked up and realized that there were seven women and only on guy — the director this week, Romeo — in that area. We had a woman producer, a woman DP, a woman script supervisor, me, and then just one guy. And I thought ‘Wow, what a lovely world for a woman to be in.’ It’s so unusual.

On that note, I think Pam and other female characters do use their sexuality as a tool, but it’s in an empowered way, not in a weak way.

Yeah, that’s Pam. I think everyone in “True Blood” is very sexual but definitely from the vampire perspective, they’re always in charge. They’re in the leadership role in all of their relationships. It’s probably another reason why we as a culture love to watch vampires. You know, we get to escape our regular roles and our regular lives.

Yeah. I was actually going to ask if you felt that the influx of vampire shows, and movies and books, and just sort of the obsession with vampires of late has made people lose interest? Do you think it’s on the wane?

I don’t know. I’m so surprised by it. I am a little out of touch with all of the different TV shows and movies, but just this week, I saw that there was another one coming out, or just came, out with vampire teens, and I thought ‘Wow, it’s apparently not waning.’ I find that so interesting. And we’ve all analyzed it, all of us on the show, to try to make some sense of it, but all I can do is sort of make up a theory. I’m not exactly sure if it’s true, but it may be a symptom of our time, of wanting to escape and, for me as an actress, it’s an incredible place to escape to — a character that has no fear of dying, of poverty, of illness, of aging. You know, those are all of the things that we, as humans, spend a lot of time thinking about.

Absolutely. I think that’s a pretty good theory. So, with that, how many more seasons have you guys been approved for?

They pick us up as we go along. They usually air the season and decide, so we’re all on the set coming to the end of shooting Season 6 and really hoping that we get to stay together and keep having so much fun.

Where do you see yourself going next, once it’s run its course?

A couple of things would be fun for me. One is to go back to comedy, which is where I started. I did a lot of sitcoms. Super fun. I would love to go back to that world, possibly with a live audience. And then, I have a secret hope that I can stay in the world of cable television, HBO. It’s just nice to be in a world without advertising. And I know that, the other networks — kids today don’t know that the networks are free. You can get a coat hanger and you can watch ABC and CBS and NBC. So, I understand they have to be paid for, but it is a different feel working for HBO, where the creative content doesn’t have that control and so, clearly, we get to do things that you cant do when, you know, little kids might be watching and people might be trying to sell soap.

I want to ask you a few random, fun questions. To start, if you could be a werewolf or a vampire in real life, which would you choose? And you can’t be human.

I’d usually pick a vampire. Yeah. I mean, I have gotten very comfortable in falling in love with the vampire world, but I’m a huge dog lover and I think it would be kind of incredible to get to live in a pack. So it’s only by a hair that I’d say I would like to stay a vampire.

No pun intended.
(laughs) Yes!

If we were to hear on the news that one of the mythical creatures from the show, and there are so many, turned out to actually exist in real life, what do you think would most likely be a real creature?

Um, let’s see. Well, I’d like to say a shapeshifter.

How come?

I feel like in my life I’ve been called a shapeshifter because I’ve played so many different roles. And for some reason, if I dye my hair brown, I’m unrecognizable, even to the people I’ve dated. A friend of mine who’s a photographer has taken a lot of pictures of me will say, ‘You know, you shapeshift. Even within the same roll of film, you look different.’ And I’ve certainly dated people that I thought were one person and turned out to be another. So I think we’re just one chromosome away from making that actually happen one of these days. I think that’s the most likely.

If you were a vampire in real life, do you think that you would be satisfied drinking True Blood? Or would you just go the human blood route?

I’d prefer to stay away from modern — what would you call them — chemically altered beverages. (laughs) You know, I don’t drink soda, I stick with green tea, I try to eat organic, and I try to eat free range. So I would definitely go the old school route and find willing donors… most of the time.

To steal a ‘Twilight’ thing, are you Team Bill or Team Eric?

There’s just no way for me to separate myself completely from the character; I just have to be Team Eric.

I’m Team Eric too, but maybe I just think he’s cuter. But I do like Bill.

I like Bill too, and I certainly like how Pam makes fun of Bill.

Which character do you most personally relate to?

Again, I spent so many years running next to Alex, and having my feelings and Pam’s feelings cross over at times, that I’d relate the most to Eric. I’ve worked really hard to perfect that, and for that to be my job. But when I watch the show, I tend to really love the way that Ryan [Kwanten] plays Jason Stackhouse. I think he’s just a comic genius. He’s so different from his character that I find it fascinating to watch such an eloquent, sweet, lovely, evolved Australian play Jason. It’s quite miraculous.

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‘The Kings of Summer’
Director: Jordon Vogt-Roberts
Stars: Nick Robinson, Nick Offerman
Rating: R
3 (out of 5) Globes

Like many of today’s comedies, “The Kings of Summer” features scores of free-associational ad-libbing, often by staffers on NBC’s Thursday night lineup. But give it credit: It at least has a genuinely silly plot, not something you can just shoot on the fly. Sick of the tyrannical parenting of his gruff, widowed dad (Nick Offerman, because who else?), Ohio high schooler Joe (Nick Robinson) convinces longtime bestie Patrick (Gabriel Basso) to run away into the woods. Nestled in the ramshackle confines of a house they will semi-competently build themselves, they plan to spend the summer like Thoreau, which is to say free of parental overlords. Wielding axes and even a sword, they will become men — or at least grow Williamsburg-worthy mustaches.

Of course, it still has plenty of improvising, otherwise it wouldn’t be a modern comedy. At least half of the film is dedicated to the likes of Offerman, Alison Brie (as his daughter — in reality she’s only 12 years his junior) and Megan Mullally, as an obliviously upbeat suburban mom, standing or sitting in rooms, spouting non sequiturs. Offerman gets the meatiest, or at least trickiest role. Saddled with very real grief, afraid of being abandoned by everyone, he has to dive into melancholy without bringing the film down with him.

He does it effortlessly, because he’s Ron Swanson. The A plot is a different story; as with anything about high schoolers, things are bound to become a bit emo. Sure enough this bro wonderland — which also includes a third wheel wild card in Biaggo (Moises Arias), a creepy-eyed, toadish freak who spouts insanities like “I met a dog the other day who taught me how to die” — is soon invaded by girls. Joe likes this one girl (Erin Moriarty), but said girl winds up being into Patrick instead. Adolescent urges take over, and our bros learn that eventually in life it’s difficult to put bros before hos.

The film’s inevitable casual sexism is almost handled well, with Moriarty at least getting a few humanizing scenes. Most of what makes “The Kings of Summer” questionably tolerable, though, is that it’s still frequently inspired. Clearly improvised scenes yield gnomic utterances (“Sarcasm: the poor man’s wit,” avers a Chinese food delivery man seen once,) while Arias heroically avoids becoming stale by finding ever weirder places to take his character. If it weren’t a modern comedy, it might be less likable.

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Chances are if you’ve heard the name Ben Wheatley, it’s because he last directed “Kill List,” an indescribable mash-up of horror, crime and kitchen sink English drama, with an unmistakably macabre sense of humor — even when one already battered character’s head is repeatedly pounded with a hammer. His latest, “Sightseers,” is a bit nicer, in that it’s an English camping comedy about a couple (Alice Lowe and Steve Oram) who occasionally murder strangers for no reason.

“I think they were worried I was going to make ‘Kill List 2,’” Wheatley recalls, of a project which existed before he came aboard. He points out he has a history in comedy, on television and in viral videos. “I know how to structure a gag. Comedy’s like a flame that you have to feed with fuel. If it dies it’s very hard to get back. After the hammer scene in ‘Kill List,’ I thought no one would ever laugh again.”

Doing a film with comparatively minor head trauma — although there is some — was a relief after making what he describes as “a really horrible horror film,” at least in the sense of its increasing bleakness, and his having to talk about it at length while promoting it. “I made that film and it made people really unhappy.

“I thought it would be nice if they came out having a laugh and were cheered by something I made,” he says. “It’s not the happiest comedy, ‘Sightseers,’ but it’s a step in the right direction.”

“Sightseers” swings back and forth between comedy — both Lowe and Oram, who wrote the script together, have a deep history in British comedy — and horrible gore, as when one pesky rambler’s face is smashed in. “It’s got a lot in common with [Paul] Verhoeven and ‘[Monty] Python’ stuff,” according to him. “[Terry] Gilliam does that often, going from stuff that’s really horrible to stuff that’s funny and satirical, then back to horror. You feel like you’re being pulled and pushed around. I like that feeling.”

Although he offers that the comedy and horror can become one. In “Sightseers,” the victims are often thoroughly nice. He says, “The more innocent the victim, the funnier it is.”

Wheatley also offers up a theory that comics can, sometimes at least, make better dramatic actors than serious thespians. “The difference between a comedian and an actor is a comedian has the life experience of stand-up comedy. They’ve died in front of audiences a lot. They know what sadness is — for f—ing real. And it’s their own material they’ve died with. That is more personal than being in a play that’s s—.”

It ties into his view on humanity. “I think people are funny, generally,” he states. “Everyone has a sense of humor. They certainly have a sense of humor when things are going wrong. When you make films that are very po-faced, where no one has a laugh, they don’t seem real. People aren’t like that. People aren’t stern and miserablist all the time.”

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After Demetri Martin left New York for California a few years ago, he realized the reason he does the thoughtfully silly type of comedy he does.

“I would go for these long beach walks, and bring my notebook, daydreaming and writing,” he says. “I do like going for walks and kind of escaping, which is probably why I don’t do a lot of topical material, if any: I just don’t feel as inspired by any of that. But it was this beautiful day and I was walking home and it was like the end of the day and it was sunset and there was hardly anybody on the beach. The ocean was on my left, I had flip-flops in my backpack and the water was hitting my feet and I remember thinking, ‘I’m gonna freaking die!’ I got all the distractions away, all the New York stuff that keeps me from worrying about really big stuff, so I had to escape into some stupid line drawings or jokes or whatever, because it’s just kind of too much.”

The tools he uses to hold his existential crisis at bay enables his audience to also stop thinking about their own mortality. His brand new book, “Point Your Face at This” is a compilation of these self-described “stupid line drawings” that mine a similar life-affirming absurdity as the “The Far Side.”

“I do remember, as a kid, Gary Larson being one of my first favorite things that I found funny,” says Martin. “I used to just pop into the bookstore and not have any money to buy books or anything, but I would just flip through a ‘Far Side,’ probably like a lot of kids, and just think how funny they were. And it was an interesting experience, looking at something on a page — often something without words — and find it funny. There was something so powerful about that for me.”

Martin is humble about his skill as an artist, however, saying he doesn’t think his drawing is on par with that of Larson.

“A lot of my stuff, I think there’s a simplicity to it, whether it’s by design or just the best that I can do,” he says. “It’s funny how your style often is really just the upper limits of your own effort. I know people who are kind of virtuosos and style for them is a different thing: It’s a conscious choice. But for me it’s like, ‘Here’s the best I can do with where I’m at right now.’”

Though “Point Your Face at This” features the sort of drawings that Martin has been injecting into his standup for years, his current show does not feature extra emphasis on drawing. He says although he likes to dabble in drawing, music and longer-form writing , standup is still his first love.

“Standup is so fun because you get immediate feedback,” he says. “You can think of stuff and improvise it right there onstage, or think of it earlier in the day and then you get to say it and see what the audience thinks.”

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Erin Lennox performs at DTF.
Credit: Mindy Tucker

Between cover charges and two item minimums, an evening at a traditional comedy club can be a financial blow. Luckily, New Yorkers have access to the best free comedy in the country every night of the week. Independently produced comedy showcases guarantee laughs without the formality of costlier venues. These top-notch free shows are some of New York’s best-kept secrets.

Class War
Second & fourth Thursdays of every month, 8 p.m.
Three of Cups Lounge, 83 First Ave., 212-388-0059
Hosts Evan Davis and Cheryl Wolf have a knack for booking well-established, brainy comics with plenty of clout. Couches and coffee tables lend the venue a laid-back, posh vibe, giving the show an intimate feel like a night with your funny, smart friends.

DTF
First and third Mondays of every month, 8 p.m.
Grand Victory Bar, 245 Grand Ave., Brooklyn, 347-529-6610
Featuring a DJ spinning ’90s hip-hop and a giant flag backdrop in a skinny Williamsburg bar, DTF is the perfect tongue-in-cheek Monday night party. Hosted by Erin Lennox and Nick Maritato, the show features a strong blend of the city’s strongest emerging stand-ups. Lennox’s razor-sharp jokes are as dark as the bar.

Slack Butthole
Every Wednesday, 7 p.m.
The Charleston, 174 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, 718-599-9599
This unpretentious beer joint hands out free pizza with each drink. This fun, casual show matches the venue’s tone – host Eli Yudin is a one-liner wizard, and serves up a friendly vibe that is low-brow in the best possible way.

Underbelly
First Saturday of every month, 10 p.m.
The Creek and the Cave, 10-93 Jackson Ave., Queens, 718-706-8783
It’s tough to pick just one show put on at The Creek and the Cave, New York’s best spot for free, experimental comedy. Underbelly, a show featuring stand-ups not doing stand-up, is delightfully weird and engaging. The show has featured everything from sketch to improvised poetry to satirical power points. Hosts and best friends Andrew Short and Reid Faylor put on a warm, goofy show.

The Dream Show
Second and fourth Saturdays of every month, 8 p.m.
The Comedy Bar, 124 W. 29th St., 212-714-2222
This shiny new venue is a massive performance space that still manages to come off as an unassuming people-pleaser. Stellar character performers Ashley Brooke Roberts and Amber Nelson host this variety show featuring stand-up, storytelling, sketch and music.

Comedy at Beauty Bar
Every Sunday, 9 p.m.
Beauty Bar, 231 E. 14th St., 212-539-1389
This funky salon-bar hybrid is the coolest spot in the Union Square area. Michigan natives Brad Austin, Nate Fridson and Adam Sokol win over audiences with an inviting sense of humor that makes you want to be friends with them.

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“I don’t think anyone should take this to heart,” says co-editor Mike Sacks drolly. “It is all meant as a gag; most of the advice is not particularly good. But it’s very funny.”

And it should be. From a crotchety Louis C.K. offering guidance on whether or not to grow a mustache to Nick Hornby sharing his best song to make love to, “Care to Make Love in That Gross Little Space Between Cars?” is a compendium of the best and brightest of the comedy and writing worlds.

But Sacks says that just because someone with a famous name was asked to contribute to the collection, it doesn’t mean their submission is actually in the book. “We cut some pretty famous writers and performers,” claims Sacks, who declined to name names. “I was surprised. Many writers are great at what they do, but they can’t do this form of humor.”

One who could? Author and essayist George Saunders. “His mind is so amazing,” praises Sacks. “Just by answering a few questions, you can see why he’s so good,”?he continues. “He’s the one who came up with the title, ‘Care to Make Love in That Gross Little Space Between Cars?’ It was in one of his answers and we just used it for the title because it was so perfect.”

No cancer jokes, please

Editors Mike Sacks and Eric Spitznagel were in charge of gathering the book’s advice-seeking questions. It wasn’t easy. “It has to be a certain type of ques­tion,” claims Sacks. “It can’t be, ‘My mom just died of cancer — can you help me?’ We needed questions that weren’t too personal.” Luckily, they received plenty of contributions. “A lot of people want Zach Galifianakis or Dave Eggers to answer their ques­tions. It’s fun for them, too.”

Follow Dorothy Robinson on Twitter @DorothyatMetro

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“It was a fluke, honestly,” says the actor on landing his role as Will Ferrell’s conceited biological brother in the 2008 comedy. “It was so fun and exciting; no day was ever the same,” he remembers.
“That and [Starz comedy series] ‘Party Down’ took me in a new direction. I never looked back.”

Discovering his comedic acting chops was a happy accident for Scott, because once he discovered he could do comedy — and do it quite well — the chummy, creative L.A. comedy scene invited him into their fold.
“Before, I was chasing some brass ring that never really existed and trying to get guest spots and dramatic roles. It wasn’t until I found the comedy scene that I started creating my own destiny,” he says. (Scott currently stars in NBC’s hit comedy “Parks and Recreation”). “We take things from the ground up, and everyone is very inspired by each other. We like to help each other out with projects. It’s a nice way to work.”

A nice way — and also a fruitful one, as it was his friends who helped him land his first big starring film role in the new indie dramedy “Friends with Kids.”

“Jen and Jon have been friends of mine for a long time, and they asked me to do it,” says Scott (that would be the film’s writer, director and lead actress, Jennifer Westfeldt and her boyfriend,  Jon Hamm, who acts in the film as well as serves as an executive producer). “I don’t know why [they asked me,] because they could have easily found  someone far more famous to make the movie. But I was happy they did — it was a great part.”

In the film, Scott stars as Jason, who, along with his best friend Julie (Westfeldt), sees how children wreck their friends’ romantic relationships. They decide to have a child together while keeping their relationship platonic.

Scott is proud of his performance, which is yet another perk of making a movie with a friend who calls the shots.

“I wasn’t sure [of my performance] because we made it so quickly — it was a 25-day shoot,” he remembers. “It was all kind of a blur, so I think Jen did a great job cutting it together. There’s another version [made by] cutting the movie together with bad takes of mine, in which I’m really terrible.”

Kids of his own

For Scott, who is also a father to two young children, “Friends with Kids,” really rings true.
   
“The film astutely observes things about the way you feel when you have a kid that I’d never seen in a movie before. I couldn’t believe that she was able to harness [those feelings,] not having kids of her own,” he says of Westfeldt.

Follow Dorothy Robinson on Twitter @DorothyatMetro

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“It was a fluke, honestly,” says the actor on landing his role as Will Ferrell’s conceited biological brother in the 2008 comedy. “It was so fun and exciting; no day was ever the same,” he remembers.
“That and [Starz comedy series] ‘Party Down’ took me in a new direction. I never looked back.”

Discovering his comedic acting chops was a happy accident for Scott, because once he discovered he could do comedy — and do it quite well — the chummy, creative L.A. comedy scene invited him into their fold.

“Before, I was chasing some brass ring that never really existed and trying to get guest spots and dramatic roles. It wasn’t until I found the comedy scene that I started creating my own destiny,” he says. (Scott currently stars in NBC’s hit comedy “Parks and Recreation”). “We take things from the ground up, and everyone is very inspired by each other. We like to help each other out with projects. It’s a nice way to work.”

A nice way — and also a fruitful one, as it was his friends who helped him land his first big starring film role in the new indie dramedy “Friends with Kids.”

“Jen and Jon have been friends of mine for a long time, and they asked me to do it,” says Scott (that would be the film’s writer, director and lead actress, Jennifer Westfeldt and her boyfriend,  Jon Hamm, who acts in the film as well as serves as an executive producer). “I don’t know why [they asked me,] because they could have easily found  someone far more famous to make the movie. But I was happy they did — it was a great part.”

In the film, Scott stars as Jason, who, along with his best friend Julie (Westfeldt), sees how children wreck their friends’ romantic relationships. They decide to have a child together while keeping their relationship platonic.

Scott is proud of his performance, which is yet another perk of making a movie with a friend who calls the shots.

“I wasn’t sure [of my performance] because we made it so quickly — it was a 25-day shoot,” he remembers. “It was all kind of a blur, so I think Jen did a great job cutting it together. There’s another version [made by] cutting the movie together with bad takes of mine, in which I’m really terrible.”

Follow Dorothy Robinson on Twitter @DorothyatMetro

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When the question “A blow to the back of the neck is the punch named for this animal,” Mike promptly buzzed in and answered with “What is a donkey.” Oh, Mike. You and your dirty mind just made our Monday night a little funnier. While his risque response technically was not wrong, it wasn’t the answer the folks at Jeopardy were looking for. Still don’t get it? Well, then, just click here.

For those keeping tabs at home, the correct answer was rabbit punch.

While a contained chuckle can be heard from Alex Trebek, it amazes us he didn’t laugh harder.

Watch the video below:

And since we assume you’re a sucker for nationally televised sexual jokes, just like we are, here’s a clip from an old Jeopardy episode where someone answered, “What is a threesome.” (That was also the wrong answer).

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Today’s gem comes to us via Yelp. Yes, Yelp. Someone out there in the World Wide Web is posting reviews of New York bars as Stefon K., Saturday Night Live’s know-it-all party animal.

Stefon is always in the know about New York’s newest and hottest bars and clubs, and now we can also be a little more hip in the Big Apple.

One of our favorites is his review is of the East Village bar ‘Angels and Kings,’ which, coincidentally, is a place we sometimes frequent.

From his review:

NEW YORK’S HOTTEST BAR IS ANGELS & KINGS!??

Although it should be called Angels & Queens! Scandalous!! (Pete Wentz is a giving loverrrrr).??Located in the middle of the fountain in Washington Square Park, this pan-sexual portauthoriparty is the creation of Italian club owner Tranny Hall. ??

And this place has everything: ??Mr. Miagi impersonators, skinny cholos, a jacuzzi of expired milk, a Polynesian nanny who looks like Smokey Robinson…??…and look who just walked in!??

Is it Natalie Portman? No! It’s an old Irish Black man we all call “Murphy Brown”!

Plus, if you come on Sundays, you can meet the two year-old Ultimate Fighting champion Drooly Lips Jackson – he’s got fists like little empanadas!??…And he’s my best friend. ??

All this and a serious chumbucket circle jerk with Fallout Boy’s own Pete Wentz, who likes to hang out in the back room and take photos of his own penis with his cell phone in a mirror while wearing women’s makeup and crying.

Everybody vogue!

Ok, genius, who are you? Who is hiding behind Stefon, the Yelp Reviewer? We want to meet you.

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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Today, we received multiple emails, Facebook wall posts and tweets regarding the latest installment: “Sh*t Nobody says,” an ironic twist spoofing things no one ever says. Yes, there were parts of the video that made us chuckle, mainly the phrase “could you please keep smacking your gum?” (ed. note: The parade of messages I received was due to the fact that anyone who’s ever met me knows my biggest pet peeve in life is the sound of someone chewing).

This got us thinking, though, and we’re putting a request out to the universe: Enough! Make it stop! They videos had their moment in the sun, but now they’re not funny anymore.

It was one month ago exactly that “Sh*t Girls Say” hit YouTube. The video went viral, we all laughed, and, long live social media, shared it with friends. Then the second episode hit and we laughed just as hard, if not harder.

You see, what made the first and second episodes of the original videos funny was that girls, perhaps without realizing it, actually say that stuff. Show us one girl who hasn’t stopped in the middle of the road to ask herself “did I lock the door?” or asked a friend to split a cookie and we’ll show you a liar. That’s exactly why it’s funny. The video called out us girls on all the ridiculous things we often say.

But why couldn’t it stop there? Instead, more and more videos followed with crap every stereotype says. Hipsters, gay men, black people, gay men and their cats (we’re not kidding), yogis, fat people … and the list goes on.

No hipster asks if Brooklyn is the new Manhattan, and yogi’s don’t ask each other to take wheat grass shots after class.  Again, we’re returning to the idea that it’s not funny because it’s not real.  

Why do we live in a culture where we try so hard to desperately cling on to anything successful and funny and drag it on until it completely kills the joke?
 
So, if you think you have an awesome “Sh*t someone says” idea and want to make a video, please, just don’t. We promise you, it’s not as funny as you think it is.

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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O’Neal was just 41 years old. He was born in Boston, but his efforts to break into comedy took him to Los Angeles, the United Kingdom and New York City.

He was well-known for his successful career in stand-up comedy and appearances on Comedy Central and the radio program Opie and Anthony. Social networking sites are abuzz as both fans and celebrities pay their respects to one of comedy’s biggest names today.

On Patrice O’Neal’s official Facebook page, one fan wrote, “RIP Patrice. You gave me the gift of laughter. Your legacy will live on.”

Another wrote, “You spoke the truth about relationships and other relevant topics and made them funny. Enjoyed you in life, see you on the other side.”

Those who worked with O’Neal are also mourning his loss today.

“I started my career w/ Patrice O’Neal. He was 1 of the best ever. Fond memories of road gigs, late night eats & laughs,” tweeted Dane Cook, who also posted a photo of himself with O’Neal.

Charlie Sheen, who was the butt of many of O’Neal’s jokes during his Comedy Central roast, posted a tribute on his WhoSay page: “Patrice had that rare ‘light’ around him and inside of him. I only knew him for the few days leading up to the Roast. Yet I will forever be inspired by his nobility, his grace and his epic talent. My tears today are for the tremendous loss to his true friends and loving family.”

Here are five of our favorite moments from Patrice O’Neal’s too-short career. What are yours?

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Amuse Bouche: NY Clown Theatre Festival
Now through Sunday,
The Brick Theater,
575 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, $15
As fodder between last year’s Clown Theatre Festival and the one planned for 2012, the Brick offers an amuse bouche of clowning artistry. New clowning includes a lovestruck professor on a quest for his beloved’s “Bezinkule,” two bird frenemies who “Flocked” to the U.S./Mexico border and “Morro and Jasp Go Wild” on spring break.

‘Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey’
Sunday, 4:30 p.m.,
Museum of the Moving Image, $20
Everyone knows (and sometimes tickles) Elmo. But have you ever heard the backstory of the puppet’s creator? This documentary follows Kevin Clash from young creative who dreams of working with idol Jim Henson to the acclaimed performer he is today. Clash makes a special appearance after the screening.
 
Shirts & Destroy presents ‘The Exquisite Corpse’
Now through Oct. 9, Weds. through Sat.,
8 p.m., Kraine Theater,
85 E. Fourth St., $18
Featuring original artworks alongside a selection of wares, “The Exquisite Corpse” spotlights art inspired by tattoos and doom metal — themes that drive art and design collective S&D. Working with such bands as Cave In, SunnO))) and Isis, the artists are clearly focused on wearing what they love on their sleeves — whether shirts or skins.
 
‘Medea’
Friday and?Saturday,
7:30 p.m., Sunday 5 p.m., Japan Society,
333 E. 47th St., $32
Director Satoshi Miyagi’s use of bunkaru (replacing traditional puppet-plus-operator with two actresses interpreting a character’s voice and movement), and the all-male customers playing the Chorus, allow for a more balanced view of Medea’s motivation for committing murder and infanticide. You’ve never seen Euripedes like this.
 
Music

Fleet Foxes with The Walkmen
Saturday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Williamsburg Waterfront, N. Eighth St. & Kent Ave., Williamsburg, $40
Fleet Foxes blend the jangly folk-rock sound of the Zombies, the Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel. There are also more contemporary effects, like that of Rogue Wave and the Shins. Yet they carve out a sound that’s all their own, crafting ethereal vocal harmonies over banjos, mandolins and tambourines.

‘Mogwai’
Monday and Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.,
Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St., $33
Scottish rockers Mogwai’s latest, “Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will,” continues this fine tradition (sample song title: “How to Be a Werewolf”) as well as their knack for soaring feats of largely instrumental rock.

Food

Le Grand Fooding’s Exquisite Corpse
Friday through Sunday, Honey Space,
148 11th Ave., $100
Using the “exquisite corpse” premise of French surrealism, each chef uses something from his predecessor’s meal to create his own. Each dinner lasts four hours, the event continuing nonstop for three days.

For more events visit Flavorpill.com

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‘The Complete and Condensed Stage
Directions of Eugene O’Neill’
Through Oct. 1, Wednesday to Saturday, 8 p.m., Kraine Theater,
85 E. Fourth St., $18
Using Eugene O’Neill’s exacting stage direction instead of dialogue, the Neo-Futurists give a very cheeky idea of six early O’Neill plays. Audience members both familiar with O’Neill and new to his epic theatre will appreciate their non-pretentious approach.

Culture

2011 Next Wave Art
Through Dec. 18, BAM, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, free
Celebrate 10 years of the Next Wave Art fest by ushering in a new group of groundbreaking Brooklyn artists. Curated by Dan Cameron, the show mixes media and message, but one thing remains constant: The borough repped is always Brooklyn.

Not My Day Job: Celebrate the Talent You Tip
Sunday, 1-6 p.m., The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park S., $60-$80
 Because your Fatty ‘Cue waiter is actually a talented painter and your friendly PDT bartender is in a killer band, this showcase features the visual artwork and performances of multitalented restaurant professionals. Enjoy food, drink and talent from the aforementioned spots, plus dell’anima, Kuma Inn, Brooklyn Brewery, Shake Shack, Eataly and more.

Books

Lapham’s Quarterly Fall 2011 Launch: The Future
Saturday, 7 p.m.,
powerHouse Arena, 37 Main St., Brooklyn, free
The issue, which includes essays by Mark Twain and George Orwell, covers prophecies, oracles, utopias and dystopias spanning “more centuries than ever before,” beginning with the Book of Genesis and reaching into the year 800,000 as only Lapham’s can do.

Outside

Le Grand Fooding’s Campfire Session
Saturday, 6-10 p.m.,
Elizabeth Street Garden, 209 Elizabeth St., $50
Le Grand Fooding is pairing musicians with chefs. James Murphy joins Inaki Aizpitarte (of Le Chateaubriand), and Dante Gonzales (of Dante Fried Chicken) teams up with Muhsinah. Other notable contributors include Sasha Petraske (of Milk & Honey), Sondre Leche and Nancy Whang.

Music
 
The Raincoats
Friday, 8:30 p.m., Knitting Factory Brooklyn, 261 Driggs Ave., Williamsburg, $22
The Raincoats’ all-female lineup made them one of the most revolutionary groups in the early days of punk. Contemporaries of the Slits and Delta 5, the group was no doubt an influence on Kathleen Hanna and her early-’90s colleagues — as well as a favorite of Kurt Cobain’s.

Multiverse Playground Part III
Saturday, 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m., 104 Emerson Place, Clinton Hill, $8
Our friends at Paper Garden Records have booked an incredible lineup of bands (including awesome girl rockers Eula and Flavorpill alum Arms), comedy and DJs, all of which you can enjoy while sipping free PBR and Vitamin Water and eating gratis hot dogs.

Ghostland Observatory
Saturday, 8 p.m.,
Terminal 5, 610 W. 56th St., $30
Austin duo Ghostland Observatory fuse sprawling, futuristic electro with Rapture-style spastic rock, describing their sound as “a robot making love to a tree.” Their live shows are where the real magic happens: smoke machines, lasers and disco balls, oh my!

New York Philharmonic presents Christopher Plummer and ‘Henry V’
Saturday, 8 p.m., Avery Fisher Hall, 65th Street and Columbus Avenue, $35-$145
Rousing, romantic and patriotic, the soundtrack of Laurence Olivier’s 1944 film version of “Henry V” transcends its World War II origins. Of course, music for Shakes­peare sounds better with Shake­speare. Joining the NYP to speak those lines is Christopher Plummer, who first gained attention when he played Henry in 1956.

Fitness

Global Mala Yoga for Peace
Sunday, noon-3 p.m., Battery Park, 20 State St., $20-$25
Yoga and meditation don’t just bring the practitioner peace, and the Global Mala Yoga for Peace event seeks to prove it. People all over the world are coming together to do 108 Sun Salutations simultaneously, followed by a joint Kirtan.

For more event listings check out Flavorpill.

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“Eightythree Down”
Through Sept. 17, Under St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place, $18
On New Year’s Eve 1983, quiet homebody Martin gets a surprising and riotous visit from his eccentric friend Dina — with a maniacal boyfriend, a gay British punk rocker, and a gun in tow. The four-person cast of “Eightythree Down” strikes the right balance between volatile hysteria and emotional realism.

Food

Wine Tasting: Italy 101
Friday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Brooklyn Kitchen, 100 Frost St., $65
Never freeze up before a wine list again. Learn the varietals from each of Italy’s six wine regions. Leading you is oenophile and viticultural pro Amelia DeMarco; helping you keep your palate fresh is an array of delicious charcuterie and cheese. 

Culture

Evan Gruzis: “Exotic Beta” and “Shadow Work”
Saturday through Oct. 22, The Hole and Nicole Klagsburn Project, free
Evan Gruzis has two solo shows running simultaneously and in collaboration. The hypercolor Miami flourishes and that distinctly sinister, Brett Easton Ellis ’80s-feel that drew so much critical attention to his earlier work still figure prominently here. Renowned architect Rafael De Cardenas (OHWOW, NIKE Stadium) collaborates with Gruzis for a sculptural installation at the “Exotic Beta” show.

MoMA PS 1 presents “September 11”

Sunday through Jan. 9, MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., $10
This group show commemorates 9/11 with works exploring the events’ far-reaching consequences while eschewing images of the event itself, as well as artwork made directly in response. The show includes 70 works by 41 artists including William Eggleston, Alex Katz, Christo, Diane Arbus, John Chamberlain and Yoko Ono and John Lennon.

Outside

Wind Elegy: Remembrance for the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
Sunday, noon-4 p.m., Wave Hill, West 249th Street at Bingham Road, Bronx, free
A contemplative and organic elegy for 9/11: Patrons write their memories, reflections, or prayers regarding this 10th anniversary on natural-fiber paper and tie them to Wave Hill’s pergola. After a week of fluttering in the breeze, the papers get composted. Dust to dust. LT

Music

Warm Up Closer featuring Tanlines
Saturday, 2-9 p.m., MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, $15
While Hurricane Irene rained on the Warm Up parade, forcing the summer series to cancel one event, MoMA PS1 vows not to disappoint, adding another great event with a lineup that’s made for outdoor partying. Tanlines and Teengirl Fantasy are joined by Physical Therapy for an afternoon that will have you wishing farewell to summer in style.

Film

Fashion in Film
Friday to Sunday, Museum of Arts and
Design, 2 Columbus Circle, $10
Fashion in Film highlights momentous fashion-forward movie moments as well as explores the business of things chic. In addition to screening classics like “Qui Etes-Vou, Polly Maggoo?,” “X, Y and Zee,” “Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!,” the program also includes recent docu­mentaries; “Hearts and Crafts” is about the Hermes fashion house.

“Where Soldiers Come From”
Friday through Sept. 25, Village East Cinema, 181 Second Ave., $13
This is a moving story of a group of small-town friends who enlist in the National Guard and find themselves fighting in Afghanistan. The film follows the soldiers as they prepare, serve and return, but the thought-provoking doc is less about combat and more about the transformation that occurs when you take citizen soldiers and send them off to war.

Talk

Granta presents Islamophobia, the Media, and Echoes
Friday, 7 p.m., BookCourt, 163 Court St., Brooklyn, free
Part of Granta Magazine’s four-night series of readings and discussions that explore the stories of 9/11, this event focuses on Islamophobia, media rhetoric, and how we remember 9/11. Sociologist Todd Gitlin joins law professor Lawrence Joseph and author Alia Malek in a talk with Granta magazine editor John Freeman.

Sports

Gotham Girls Roller Derby: Brooklyn vs. Queens
Saturday, 8:30 p.m., Hunter College, B3 Gym, Lexington Avenue and East 68th Street, $19.99-$35
We all argue about which borough is better, but tonight the Brooklyn Bombshells and Queens of Pain battle it out on the rink.

Nightlife

Props with Rich Medina and Akalepse  
Wednesday, 10 p.m., Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St., $5
Decades before house music got Westerners all wiry on the dance floor, Nigeria’s polyrhythmic Afrobeat sound was doing the same thing. In addition to being a master jock in the worlds of both hip-hop and house, DJ, producer and poet Rich Medina is an expert on the stuff.

For more events go to Flavorpill.com

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Night Life: The Art Show
Friday and Saturday
The Keeley Gallery,
352 Bowery, free
We’ve teamed up with curators Derrick B. Harden and Laura O’Reilly and local nightlife icon Roxy Cottontail to present this unique exhibition, which looks at NYC nightlife through the lenses of three different artists: Stephanie Podasca, gallerist Ryan Keeley and Kaitlyn Stubbs.

Books

“The Art of Fielding”
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
BookCourt, 163 Court St.
Brooklyn, free
Jonathan Franzen said this of Chad Harbach’s debut novel “The Art of Fielding,” “First novels this complete and consuming come along very, very seldom.” This statement confirms that Harbach, the “unemployed Harvard man,” has positively met at least some of the expectations inspired by the large sum paid for his novel in March.
 
Outside

Reflecting the Stars
Now through Oct. 25 Hudson River Park
Pier 49, West 11th Avenue and Bank Street, free
The Windmill Factory brings light pollution issues to … light, during Climate Week NYC. They’ve installed solar-powered LED lights on the decaying posts of Pier 49 to recreate the constellations of our night sky. Now you don’t have to leave the city to do a little bit of stargazing.

Electric Zoo 2011
Friday to Sunday, 11 a.m.- 11 p.m., Randall’s Island Park, 1 Randall’s Island Road, $129-$294
It’s the usual suspects this year for headliners — Tiesto, David Guetta, Armin van Buuren — with legit electronic acts supporting. SBTRKT and Nicholas Jaar are the up-and-comers to check out, while Infected Mushroom is the “old yet distinguished” act no one should miss; Beardyman is the best bet if you’re looking to be superimpressed.

Films

“The Art of FLIGHT” World Premiere
Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, $20
“Sick” is probably the best word to describe this epic snowboarding documentary. Produced by Red Bull Media House, it follows Travis Rice, the legendary professional snowboarder often referred to as the Paul Revere of the big mountain freestyle movement, on a two-year, powder-filled, boundary-leaping expedition.
 
New York Hell’s Kitchen Film Festival
Through Sept. 11
The Producers’ Club
Theaters, 358 W. 44th St.
$12-$20
Hell’s Kitchen Film Fest is an ambitious 10-day cine-tastic celebration featuring an international array of over 140 features and shorts. NYHKFF opens with the New York premiere of “Puffy Chair” filmmaker Jay Duplass’ documentary debut, “Kevin,” and closes with the world premiere of Craig Viverios’ “Lost in Italy.”

Crispin Glover presents “What Is It?”            
Saturday, 8 p.m.
Nitehawk Cinema
136 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, $20
Crispin Glover brings his films and ‘Big Slideshow’ back to New York. The first film of his trilogy is a provocative pastiche of surreal, campy, and often touching scenes. Along with the screening, take in a live presentation by Glover himself.

Talks

Granta presents Islamophobia, the Media, and Echoes
Wednesday, 5 p.m.
Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, free
Part of Granta Magazine’s four-night series of readings and discussions that explore the stories of 9/11, this event focuses on Islamophobia, media rhetoric, and how we remember 9/11. Sociologist Todd Gitlin joins law professor Lawrence Joseph and author Alia Malek in a talk with Granta magazine editor John Freeman.

Nightlife

The Palms
Saturday and Sunday
12 p.m.-4 a.m. The Palms, 25-25 44th Dr., Long Island City, $10-$20
Close your eyes and try to imagine Boca Raton with a gritty, urban twist. Because that’s what you can expect at the Palms, a 20,000-square-foot pop-up party space in LIC with amenities like pristine dumpster pools, a dance floor, rotating food trucks, and a bar serving up coconut cocktails.

For more event listings go to Flavorpill.

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Culture

Ryan Trecartin: ‘Any Ever’
Through Sept. 3,
MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., $10
Trecartin, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, is known for his campy, nonlinear videos peopled with an assortment of manic outcasts — John Waters meets after-school specials for the Internet age — acting out banal and nonsensical pseudo dramas.

‘Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities’
Through Sept. 18,
Museum of Arts and
Design, 2 Columbus
Circle, $12-$15
The enchanting small-scale, hand-built depictions of alternate realities or environments are housed in snow globes, dioramas, site-specific installments, photographs and videos. These 37 artists from all over the world were handpicked through an Internet search by MAD’s chief curator, David McFadden.

Music

Spencer’s Gift feat. SALEM
Friday, 11 p.m., Santos, 86 Lafayette St., $14
Arguably the inventors of witch house, SALEM exist currently in a storm of controversy, a lot of it existing around their live show. On this night, the official New Museum “Get Weird” after-party, they’re letting the music speak for itself while DJing (not performing) their tunes past, present and future.

Warm Up feat. Tanlines and Nguzunguzu
Saturday, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., LIC, $15
We’re head over heels for Brooklyn duo Tanlines. Their keyboard/synth and guitar combo churns out awesome and eclectic dance music — which shouldn’t be too surprising, since drum machiner/synther Jesse Cohen used to be in fellow Flavorpill faves Professor Murder.

K. Flay
Sunday, 8:30 p.m.,
Glasslands Gallery, 289 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, $10
K. Flay is absolutely unstoppable: She’s a producer, rapper and a fireball in a live setting. She’s released a string of mixtapes over the past two years that have seen her go from stringing together rhymes of love, loss and heartbreak over Grizzly Bear samples, to creating original beats.

Films
Ten Years of Magnolia Pictures
Through Wednesday, BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, $12
The 13-film series includes screenings of Jacques Audiard’s “Read My Lips” (2001), Tomas Alfredson’s Swedish vampire film “Let the Right One In” (2008) and Korean monster movie “The Host” (2008), as well as Alex Gibney’s docu­mentary “Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer” (2010) and Nicolas Winding Refn’s horror-dramedy “Bronson” (2008). Filmmaker Q&As follow select screenings. Mindy Bond

EPIX Movie Free-For-All: ‘How She Move’
Monday, W. 10th St. & Surf Ave., Coney Island, Free
The rare teen dance movie that’s more gritty than glossy, “How She Move” features some of the most thrillingly photographed and choreographed dance sequences to enliven the silver screen in the last decad. Performances and plot twists transcend its well-trod formula. Lisa Rosman

Comedy

‘Laughing Liberally: This Ain’t No Tea Party’
Through Sept. 2, Midtown Theater,
163 W. 46th St., $20-$40
“Laughing Liberally” may be preaching to the choir, but it can’t be accused of false advertising. Performed by a rotating cast of comedians, “Laughing Liberally” skewers irresistible targets like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, and doesn’t shy away from hot-button issues.

Workshop

Create Your Own Custom Stationery
Tuesday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Gowanus Print Lab, 54 Second Ave., Brooklyn, $80
Have card concepts worthy of Someecards.com? Make your original puns and artwork a reality at this DIY stationery class. Come away with your own note cards and postcards, and never rely on Hallmark again..

Party

Flavorpill presents the PostSecret App Launch
Monday,
7 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
The Bell House,
149 Seventh St., Brooklyn, free with RSVP
PostSecret is the massive online community built on shared confessions. PS is getting ready to launch a mobile app, upping the engagement for those who like to share. Flavorpill hosts a launch party with PostSecret founder Frank Warren.

For more events visit Flavorpill.
 

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Epic Win Burlesque presents The Star Debate: ‘Trek’ vs. ‘Wars’
Through Aug. 27,
Ellen Stewart Theatre,
66 E. Fourth St.,
$18 or $15 in  advance
It’s probably the most important argument of our time: What’s better, “Star Trek” or “Star Wars”? The lovely ladies of Epic Win Burlesque bring the fight to FringeNYC with “The Star Debate,” a sexy burlesque show-off where the audience decides which geeky property takes the crown each night.

‘HotelMotel’
Through Aug. 29,
Gershwin Hotel,
7 E. 27th St., $60
Presented in a hotel room at the Gershwin Hotel, the audience of 20 sits around a bed about three feet away from the actors. The result is a thrilling site-specific immersion and an intimacy that matches the piece’s themes and settings. Adam Rapp and the Amoralists score another win. 

‘The Pillow Book’
Through Aug. 20,
59E59 Theaters,
59 E 59th St., $18
What happens to a happy couple who feel extremely differently about having children? In her labyrinthine new play, Anna Moench explores the many possible outcomes by slicing various narratives into short vignettes performed out of chronological order. The result is a piece that gradually reveals its connections and depth while being funny, surprising and insightful.

Culture

Cory Arcangel: ‘Pro Tools’
Through Sept. 11,
Whitney Museum of American Art,
945 Madison Ave., $18
While hacks and re-appropriations of old computer systems like Nintendo are Arcangel’s preferred method, his new exhibition draws from a variety of media, including video games, kinetic sculpture and pen-plotter drawings using tools that incorporate professional technology with a taste for old-school video aesthetics.

Pop-Up Museum of Queer History
Through Aug. 25,
The Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation,
26 Wooster St., free
The exhibit spans 1,200 years of queer history, interpreted by dozens of artists and historians; topics include the famed Mattachine Society, the White Night Riots and musician Billy Strayhorn. Check the calendar for a complete list of events — parties, lectures and workshops are all scheduled.

PARKED! Food Truck Festival
Saturday,
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.,
South Street Seaport, free
On the savory side, your options include Red Hook Lobster Pound, Taim Falafel, Go Burger and La Cense Burger. And representing for the sweet team are Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, the Treat Truck and Kelvin Natural Slush (one of our personal faves). A beer garden and DJs are also on tap. MB

Music

RA X
Saturday,
8 p.m. to 11 p.m.,
Le Poisson Rouge,
158 Bleecker St., $20
Resident Advisor celebrates the big 1-0 in a grand fashion, putting up killer shows in 10 cities around the world. For the U.S. edition, acid jazz heads King Sunshine team up with Mala (half of dubstep duo Digital Mystikz) and DJ Masashi Nakazawa. Headlining is a top-secret — aka super impressive — act, whose identity is revealed only as he/she takes the stage.

Comedy

Tig Notaro
Saturday, 8 p.m.,
Knitting Factory Brooklyn,
361 Metropolitan Ave., $14 or $12 in advance
A fresh but key figure in national standup circles, Tig Notaro is a master of droll, understated charm. Whether doling out two-line models of economy or holding court with a 14-minute bit about getting dissed by ’80s pop footnote Taylor Dayne, Notaro’s voice is always funny, fully formed and genuine.

For more events listings visit Flavorpill.

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It’s no secret that men tend to dominate the comedy world, despite the presence of multitalented juggernauts like Tina Fey on the rise. One TV producer theorizes that mass audiences don’t like seeing women do risque humor.

“Men and women aren’t as comfortable watching women joke about bodily functions, masturbating, sex,” says comedian and television producer Marianne Schaberg. “It ‘creeps’ them out.”

While that may be true, many funny ladies don’t feel as if they’re judged to be less hilarious than their male counterparts within the comedy community.

“[The problem] is something that women face in a lot of occupations, which is that people don’t assume a woman to be the natural leader of a group,” says Caitlin Tegart, comedy writer and sketch teacher at New York’s Upright Citizen’s Brigade. “Maybe they’re not chosen as head writer or director as quickly.”

Boston-based improv comedian Marty Johnson adds that female comedy writers are the key to seeing more female-driven comedies.

“Eventually it won’t be weird to see a film like ‘Bridesmaids’ in theaters; they will just be comedies with people in them, whether or not they have boobs,” she says. “It comes down to the number of scripts that are being written by female comedy writers who have access to industry players. Women are going to write hilarious parts for other women, because that’s just the reality of their worlds.”

But there are rays of hope in television, says New York-based comedian Shannon O’Neill.

“On Thursday nights you have two female-led sitcoms — “30 Rock” and “Parks and Recreation” — so already there, we’re at the 50/50 point,” she says. “It might seem unusual to people now, but ‘Bridesmaids’ is just the starting point of absolutely more to come.”

Box office dollars

Some professional funny ladies feel that the lack of a female presence in big-budget comedies comes down to money, plain and simple. Glennis McMurray is the founder of theGLOC.net — that’s Gorgeous Ladies of Comedy — which serves as a forum for female comedians. She’s gathering as many women as she can to go see “Bridesmaids” this weekend, in the hopes of boosting the film’s box office numbers.

“It’s likely that movies are a risky business and [producers] need a surefire formula or franchise before they hit the green-light button,” she says.

“That’s why a huge opening weekend for ‘Bridesmaids’ is so important!”

For more movie news, follow Heidi Patalano on Twitter @HeidiatMetro.

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“As long as they exist, there will be something to say,” says Andy Samberg. “They’re constantly evolving and taking on new meaning in society.”

“People are discovering new ones all the time,” adds Akiva Schaffer.

“And they need to be talked about by us,” Jorma Taccone chips in.

It’s as if these three lifelong friends from Berkeley, California are three arms of one being, completing each other’s sentences and rapid-fire riffing on each other’s jokes.

They’re promoting the follow up to their 2009 debut album, “Incredibad,” with the ever more chic “Turtleneck & Chain” — which is also a style of dress they hope to popularize.

The new album features the group’s recent collaborations with the likes Nicki Minaj, Akon and Beck.

Though the group keeps a schedule that is too demanding for touring — both Taccone and Schaffer are writers on SNL where Samberg is a cast member, and they only get three months off a year — they do want bring something meaningful to their fans.

“We just want people to laugh,” Samberg says. “And to appreciate the people that they love and to communicate that to those people.”

“And to pay it forward,” Schaffer adds.

“That doesn’t mean forward people the album, though,” Taccone quickly chimes in. “Just forward them links for where to buy the album.”

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But as the modern entertainment industry evolved, the public gradually became less accepting of stars who established themselves in one medium, then tried to succeed in another — especially when these stars established themselves as comedians before trying to cross over as serious musicians (see more on Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler, below).

But now that reality television is the norm, and participants from those shows seem to be allowed to drift over to any discipline they please (ahem, Heidi Montag), the world might be more accepting of a comic actor who turns to music like Donald Glover. As Troy, the naive and excitable former jock on NBC’s “Community,” he is hilarious, and as a rapper leading Childish Gambino, Glover is more than proficient, rocking a shockingly different persona than viewers may have thought they knew.

» Steve Martin
Martin always put goofy songs on his comedy al-bums and showed early in his career that he was a talented banjo player — though many could have missed this because they were laughing at the arrow through his head. But his 2009 album, “The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo,” proved he could gracefully transition into a medium that requires players to be well-versed in its tradition. It also helps when Earl Scruggs guests!

» Eddie Murphy
After tucking funny songs between comedy tracks on his albums, Murphy decided to take music seriously. His Rick James-produced anthem, “Party All the Time” went to No. 2 on the charts in 1985. Most of his follow-up singing work was met with less enthusiasm. “Whatzupwitu,” a 1993 duet with Michael Jackson, made listeners wonder the same about Murphy.

» Adam Sandler
Sandler mastered the funny-guy-with-the-guitar thing on “Saturday Night Live,” and some of the songs on his first two comedy albums were absurd enough to make your stomach hurt. But 1997’s “What’s Your Name?” is all songs, and though the musicianship is impressive, the lyrics fly somewhere between funny and sincere and it falls flat.

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There are three major comedy clubs: the Brokerage, Governor’s and McGuires — all of which have fallen under the same management, led by retired comic Marc Lund, over the last four years. Comics agree Lund created a better environment for comedy, but many performers set up their own shows as an alternative to the major clubs as a way to  network, hone their own craft and offer a hand up to fledgling comedians.

Veteran Long Island funnyman Alan Streisfeld, who has been running an open mic at Fins Pub every Monday in Oakdale for the last three years, videotapes the shows and gives DVDs to comics for free.

“I don’t get paid,” says Streisfeld, “I just do it for the satisfaction of helping up-and-coming comics.”  

These DIY open mics let performers practice their material without having to recruit friends and family to come to the show or meet a drink minimum.

On the other hand, the open mics at the major clubs also tend to be better because of the guaranteed crowd, according to rising comic Jessica Collazo, who puts on her own loosely booked show at Katie Mc’s in Huntington.

“With my open mic, you never really know if there’s going to be a crowd or not,” says Collazo.

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Comedian Mark Malkoff had the same idea, and was determined to test the theory. Could even a child’s big wheel toy be faster than an MTA bus? To see, he raced the M42 crosstown bus from 10th to Madison, a distance of exactly a mile. Who won? Check out the video below:

Next he should try a walker!

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