The Liar Show

Capital Idea

2009-04-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

On April 30th, The Liar Show will be at The Improv in Washington DC. This performance is being being presented by the wonderful storytelling organization, SpeakEasy DC. It will be a great lineup at a great place, and it will be great to see you there.

Featuring stories by

OPHIRA EISENBERG
Comedy Central; “Marvelous.” The Scotsman
MARK KATZ
“The reigning king of humor speechwriters.” The New York Times
FAYE LANE
“She had them eating out of her hand.” New York Magazine
JIM O’GRADY
The New York Times; The Moth Urban Storytelling GrandSlam Champion

THURSDAY, APRIL 30 @ 8:30 PM

Presented by SPEAKEASY DC
at THE IMPROV
1140 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC
ORDER ADVANCE TICKETS ONLINE

Liar On The Upper West Side

2009-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Our first show at beautiful Triad Theater is on Tax Day, when America celebrates the flexibility of truth. Perfect! Its a great lineup at a great place and it would be great to see you there.

A cop, an actress, a comedian and a political speechwriter walk into a bar....

TOM SHILLUE “Inspired and Subversive.” - New York Times
MARK KATZ “The reigning king of humor speechwriters.” -New York Times
FAYE LANE “She had them eating out of her hand.” - New York Magazine
STEVE OSBORNE - NYPD Gang Squad Commanding Officer
and host ANDY CHRISTIE NY Times; "I Wasn't Kidding"

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 @ 8:00 PM
TRIAD THEATER
158 West 72nd Street (Bet Broadway & Columbus)
$12 admission - plus 2-drink minimum.

RESERVATIONS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
http://www.triadnyc.com/reservations.php

March 18, 2009: We're Back at Comix

2009-03-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Please come to our expanded Big Fat Liar. Click here for more info and to order discount tickets.

We've Moved

2009-01-13T08:29:00.001-08:00

Hi. For info on the show, please visit our site: www.TheLiarShow.com.
Thanks & see you there.
Andy

Jim O'Grady In Today's NY Times

2008-11-15T15:04:00.000-08:00

One of the good guys, and a frequent Liar Show performer, has written a very nice piece for the New York Times about the NYC storytelling scene. It chronicles his rise from lowly competitor to Champion at The Moth:

From the article:
Songs of Themselves
YOU know that dream where it’s February 2007 and you’re pacing outside the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, the cavelike bar with stage on the Lower East Side... read on.

Repent. I guess?

2008-10-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

Scottish advertisement from the 50s.

Be a Flim Flam Fan

2008-10-02T15:26:00.001-07:00

Visit our Fan Page on Facebook. Then tell me, what's a Fan Page?

They Liked Us. They Really Liked Us.

2008-08-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

So, we're back home after a genuinely remarkable month. Ophira, Peter and I had a blast. But we couldn't have done it without the enormous talent, humor, good will and bullshit of Martin Dockery, Steve (The Cop) Osborne and Faye Lane. I'm presently too disoriented to arrange any more thoughts in coherent order, but here are some kind words from the Edinburgh press.

4 stars from THREE WEEKS:
"Four fabulous comedians, four fantastical stories, three of which are true. What's more, the acts rotate every night, so this is also a wonderful way to see some fresh comedic talent that you might not otherwise have known about. It was an unbelievably enjoyable and engrossing hour of fun, the anecdotal tales ranging from a disastrous flight fiasco to a too-good-to-be-true camping adventure, and from a New York gun crime cop, 'The Sopranos'' style, to a lovely bloke who's recently discovered he's a brother again. All are as touching as they are personal, and as hilarious as they are incredible. Get along and test your interrogative powers; if you can spot the lie you might win a T-shirt."

4 stars from THE SCOTSMAN
"...happier times are to be had in the hands of stand-up professionals at The Liar Show, telling gripping personal stories. Three are true, one entirely fabricated. The audience is invited to grill them on the specifics and then vote. Guess correctly you win a prize! My crew consisted of adorable Carey Marx, describing an unusual date; wonderful Ophira Eisenberg confessing to sex with a mad collector; Peter Lubell's wry tale of celeb spotting; and Jason John Whitehead's rambling saga about his trip to an American theme park. Some story-tellers return, but the tales are always different, so the show's never stale and can be revisited.

The audience was a hoot, as well, ganging up on Whitehead, who had us in stitches trying to defend his stoner's inability to remember detail. Clever us, we did spot the liar, and it was satisfying hurling our abuse. In short: good premise, fun show, great execution, and a chance to sample comedic talents you might not know about, so it also functions as a highly effective sampler for future fringe picks. A winner."

BROADWAY BABY:
"Next to breathing and eating, lying is man's greatest survival tactic. I should include some percentile fact about deceit but that won't add anything to the review. Instead I shall recommend The Liar Show, a one hour detective-comedy extravaganza where you sift through the stories of individuals and spot the fibber.

Its an easy game to grasp. Four stories. Three of them are true. You listen, interrogate and then through the powers of deduction work out which is the liar. This time we had a New York cop story, a story about Madonna, a story about a thousand pieces of origami and one about cut price prawns. Of course they all were equally extravagant and fairly unbelievable and no-one quite wanted to call the big cop who ran over drug dealers a liar.

Great premise and a fun show. Unfortunately you always get one foppish annoying pubescent know-it-all in the audience trying to dominate the show – thankfully the compare dealt with him swiftly. A night of solid wholesome fun that, due to story tellers changing nightly, has a lot of re-watch value. And of course no one leaves empty handed – badges and t-shirts are handed out at the end."

Week Three: Day Six

2008-08-16T16:30:00.001-07:00

Nothing much to report. Snails and birds are under control. I'm sleeping better. I have to say, things are getting a little...oh, wait.. our Saturday show sold out. I'm no showbiz genius but I hear that's supposed to be a good sign. Also, I had some haggis pie and..what else? Oh, we were live on BBC Scotland, performing to a great crowd in the Spiegel Tent. Like I said, nothing much to report. Also like I said, our Saturday show SOLD OUT.

Week Three: Day One

2008-08-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

The seagull situation remains under control but now the snail population seems to be multiplying exponentially. Happily, unlike birds, snails are quiet creatures, except when you step on them accidentally in the dark as I did last night. When that happens they emit a sound similar to the sound a giant armor-clad water bug might make while being crushed under the heel of a beet-and-sausage-fed Slavic housekeeper in the basement laundry room.

Being so extremely quiet and so extremely slow makes the humble snail -- despite its thick protective shell -- extremely easy to kill. Sad. I imagine one slithering along, whistling to itself, secure in the knowledge that Darwin has fitted it with a movable bomb shelter, an impenetrable body-helmet that nobody, not even the most dangerous "Oooh, I'm sooo scary and predatory" hawk or eagle, or whatever, could .... and then, crunch. Just like that. Gone. Poof, mid snail-thought and while whistling Singin' In The Rain. It's all over. Pulverized under the heel of an Ugly American out for a smoke in front of the rental flat.

Perhaps we can all learn a lesson from this, while we sit, safe and warm, typing on our laptop, happy and bloated with self-confidence, after a great Liar show, say, staring at our 4 stars, sipping wine and feeling that all's well with the wor...

Week Two: So Far, So Good

2008-08-06T03:57:00.001-07:00

Two pieces of good news.
1: Look over there to the left. Need I say more?
2: The seagull situation has cleared up mysteriously.

Week One: Must Sleep

2008-08-04T00:35:00.000-07:00

Monday: Woke up early this morning, having the living piss scared out of me by one of Edinburgh’s picturesque and loud as fuck seagulls. Snapped from a dead sleep to heart-poundingly alert at 5:10 by a sound eerily like that of a shrieking baby crash-landing on my window sill, possibly a flaming baby, possibly being torn apart by demons. But no, just a bird. "Tweet tweet." Also, went leafleting on Royal Mile.

Tuesday: See “Monday”

Wednesday: See “Tuesday”
Also, had a lovely breakfast of mature cheddar and eggs with piping hot coffee. I prefer to wait until at least sunrise before having my morning meal, nevertheless it was quite nice sipping a cup by my bedroom window and staring out through the pre-dawn murk, watching the graceful swoop and soar of the gulls, listening to their musical “Caw! C-A-W!!”
Also, downloaded PDF of UK Firearms Form 107: “Application for a Visitor's Shot Gun Permit.”

Thursday: Discovered firearm possession requirements are substantially more stringent here than in the U.S., where checking the “I Promise I Am Not Angry At Anyone” box will usually suffice.

Friday: See “Monday,” “Tuesday,” “Wednesday”
Also, neighbours across the road insisted I remove the web of taught razor wire I had strung up during the night between our buildings, baited with rotting bits of fish.

Saturday: Leafleting mainly, but found time to shop for a net, plastic bags and a hammer.

Sunday: Slept soundly. Woke up refreshed. Rinsed off hammer. Took out trash. Mopped bathroom floor. Coffee and toast at noon. Also, leafleted Victoria Street. Lovely city.

You Take The High Road. We'll Fly Continental.

2008-07-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's the Scottish flag. Beautiful, isn't it? Simple & elegant. Like our show. And the reason it's here is that this Sunday, July 27, we head to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the entire month of August. Check in here to see how things are going for us across the pond. You know, no offense to anyone, but I hate that expression; nevertheless people seem to use it a lot, and now so will I. (Wait till you hear the insufferable accent I come back with.)

Update 1 (NYC, Sunday): Our 10:15 PM flight is delayed almost 3 hours, until 1:03 AM (288 minutes, stated in the airline's delay-minimization-speak.) The optimist in me can deal with that. As long as it's not delayed for an entire month (43,200 minutes) we will arrive in Edinburgh in time to do a couple of shows. Look out world, here we come. Pretty soon. Fingers crossed.

Update 2 (NYC, Sunday): Delayed till 2:10 AM. Look out world, here we come!

Comix: Eight For The Price Of Four

2008-07-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is our last show before leaving for the Edinburgh Festival. Please come see us off with a bang...and with a few extra dollars in our pockets. (Have you seen the exchange rates lately?) This is our special big fat Liar with little white lies. Eight rapid fire 3-minute stories. Six are true, two are baloney. Expose either lie to win.

Wednesday, July 23 - 8PM (doors open 7:00)

353 West 14th Street
(just east of 9th Avenue)
212-524-2500
Advance tickets: $15 Day of show: $20
Save $5 with promotional code: LIARVIP
Advance tickets highly recommended. ORDER TICKETS ONLINE

with
Jeffery Rudell (NBC's "The Apprentice")
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central; Backstage's "Ten Standout Comics")
Peter Lubell (NPR; Independent Film Channel)
Ed Gavagan (The Moth GrandSlam Champion)
Faye Lane ("Beauty Shop Stories")
Jim O'Grady (NY Times)
Juliet Wayne (The Moth Finalist)
Steve Osborne (NYPD Gang Squad Detective)

July 11 & 12: Duplex At The Triplex

2008-07-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we're back in the beautiful Berkshires with two new shows - each with entirely different stories and lies. So come to both, nail two frauds, win two T-shirts. Are you feeling smart--or at least lucky?

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JULY 11 & 12 @ 9 PM

Triplex Cinema

70 Railroad St. Great Barrington Map
413 528 8885 - $20 Admission

Advance tickets recommended. Purchase online.

July 11

Jim O'Grady, Ophira Eisenberg, Tracy Rowland, Andy Christie

July 12

Ophira Eisenberg, Darlene White, Andy Christie, , Tracy Rowland

July 2nd at Bryant Park

2008-06-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself in Midtown on Wednesday, The Liar Show will in Bryant Park as part of the park's popular "Word For Word" series. Spend your lunch hour trying to pick out the fraud in this bunch. Eat, drink & be gullible.

ALIX STRAUSS
"Have I Got a Guy for You: What Really Happens When Mom Fixes You Up"
OPHIRA EISENBERG
"I Killed: True Stories of the Road from American’s Top Comics"

JAMES BRALY

"Life in a Martial Institution"

EVE LEDERMAN

"Letters From My Sister"

Wednesday, July 2 at 12:30pm
Bryant Park Reading Room
(In the park behind the NY Public Library)
Free Admission

Rain Venue:
The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen
20 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)

June 28: We're Back At The Triplex

2008-06-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 28 @ 9:00 pm
Triplex Cinema
70 Railroad St. Great Barrington Map
413 528 8885 - $20 Admission
Purchase tickets online

Andy Christie's "I Wasn't Kidding: How To Commit Suicide So They'll Never Forget It" was published by Random House here and in the UK. Consequently, people have never heard of him on two continents. His writing has appeared in The NY Times, in literary journals and online. He is host of The Liar Show and tonight he will tell a story himself.

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central, VH-1, The E! Channel, Oxygen, and The Discovery Channel. She is a regular at stand-up clubs around New York and has performed stories on the Moth Mainstage. She is also a contributing writer to US Weekly's Fashion Police and is currently appearing in the off-Broadway show "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad." www.OphiraEisenberg.com

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for National Public Radio and Independent Film Channel. He has covered film festivals, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories on many NYC stages.

Darlene White's stories and essays have been heard on National Public Radio, WAMC Northeast Public Radio and onstage with The Moth at The Bitter End and The Roxy. She presented her own storytelling show in the Berkshires called Jupiter Supersized.

Seeing Isn't Believing

2008-06-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

From now on, please go to our new site: www.TheLiarShow.com for all your Liar needs.

Meanwhile, if you've been curious about what goes on at Liar, here's how it works.

June 7: Strings Attached

2008-05-27T16:25:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting here trying to justify that headline. I don't know why I wrote it, but now I'm stuck with it. How's this? One performer toured with De La Guarda, that show where people flew around dangling from straps, or strings, if you will. Number two in the lineup is a string bean. I'm not kidding. Wait'll you see him. The female to his right must have a string bikini lying around somewhere. And lastly, the guy in the glasses is a journalist, so he may be, or will be at some point, a stringer for some newspaper. Anyway, come to the show and guess which one of them is stringing you along. By the way, TimeOut NY made our May 24 show a "City Pick" and we had an insanely jam-packed house, so call for reservations - it could happen again.

Saturday, June 7 @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Eat, drink and be gullible.
Reservations recommended: 212-989-9319

Joanne Solomon (De La Guarda; The Moth)
Ryan Britt (Nerve.com)
Michele Carlo (Mr. Beller's Neighborhood)
Jim O'Grady (journalist; dance king)

May 24: Forgive Me For Being So Selfish

2008-05-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

Finally, summer is right around the corner. It's a time for walks in the park, biking along the river and quiet weekends in the country. Umm... You know what? Why don't you just pray for rain, stay in the city where you belong and join us at beautiful Cornelia Street Cafe? Forgive me for being so selfish! Happy Spring!

Saturday, May 24 @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Reservations recommended: 212-989-9319

Peter Aguero has appeared on MTV, TBS, Comedy Central, and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." He's a member of the Chicago City Limits National Touring Company. His storytelling CD, graphicvulgarlunacy vol. II: Jacoby Appliance Parts is available on iTunes.

Cyndi Freeman produces “Hotsy Totsy Burlesque” in and “Story Telling at Coraline Cafe.” She has performed her one-woman shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and New York International Fringe Festivals. Ms Freeman is a recipient of a grand prize play writing fellowship award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (with collaborator Ellen Groves). Other credits include HBO, Comedy Central and Showtime. www.myspace.com/cyndifreeman

Tracy Rowland is a TV editor and writer. She has appeared onstage at many New York storytelling series, including The Moth and SpeakEasy.

Terence Mickey is a writer and frequent storyteller at the Moth. He was born in New Jersey and raised by Irish-Catholic wolves. He is working on "King Garbage," a novel based on his family's carting company in the West Village. He teaches fiction in Johns Hopkins University's CTY program.

Andy Christie is creator and host of The Liar Show. His writing has appeared in The NY Times, in snooty literary journals and online. His book, "I Wasn’t Kidding" was published by Random House here and in the UK.

Cornelia St. Cafe: Make them eat their words...

2008-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

...while you devour a nice Boudin Blanc. Stop by this Saturday to guess which one of these people is feeding you a line.

Saturday, May 3 @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Reservations recommended: 212-989-9319

Ritch Duncan is a comedian, writer and broadcaster who has been living and working in New York City since 1996. He has written for Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, and was a writer and featured performer on Public Radio International's Fair Game, a comedic public affairs program syndicated on National Public Radio stations around the country. His cat is named Grapes.

Martin Dockery's one-person show "Wanderlust" is enjoying a sold out run at The Barrow Group Studio Theatre in Manhattan. He is a seven-time finalist in The Moth’s bi-annual Grandslam Storytelling Championship. His play "Oh, That Wily Snake!" is included in the McGraw-Hill anthology textbook on literature. Martin's work has been called "fantastic" (NY Times), “deliciously enjoyable,” (Backstage West) and "divinely inspired” ( L.A. Weekly)

Tara Clancy was born and raised in Queens, NY. Her solo show, Channel Rat, was developed at The Tank and presented at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival. She currently writes monologues and tends bar.

Jim O'Grady was a reporter for The City section of The New York Times and is now research director at the Center for an Urban Future, a think tank in Lower Manhattan. O'Grady, like every other drunken narcissist in New York, tells stories at The Moth.

April 26: Cornelia Street Cafe

2008-04-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

Stop by this Saturday for a drink and a bite while you figure out which of these unbelievable people you can believe:

Saturday, April 26th @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Reservations recommended: 212-989-9319

Peter Aguero has appeared on MTV, TBS, Comedy Central, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He's a member of the Chicago City Limits National Touring Company. His storytelling CD "graphicvulgarlunacy vol. II: Jacoby Appliance Parts" is available on iTunes.

Jennifer DeMeritt takes first-person navel-gazing one chakra lower with her louche and literate stories. She’s published in nerve.com, BUST Magazine and Glamour, and performed in NYC’s finest venues including KGB, Gotham Comedy Club, HERE Arts Center and, of course, the sack.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for National Public Radio and Independent Film Channel. He has covered film festivals, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories on many NYC stages.

Andy Christie's "I Wasn't Kidding: How To Commit Suicide So They'll Never Forget It" was published by Random House here and in the UK. Consequently, people have never heard of him on two continents. His writing has appeared in The NY Times, in literary journals and online. He is host of The Liar Show and tonight he will tell a story himself.

April 12: The Wrongs of Spring

2008-04-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

There is some logic behind that headline...I think. I just got up and the coffee is still dripping. But I am sure that we'll be returning to the Berkshires this Saturday with four more fast talkers looking to put one over on you. Please come expose the fraud and win a stylish T-shirt to top off your Spring wardrobe.

Saturday, April 12 @ 8:30pm
Triplex Cinema
70 Railroad St. Great Barrington Map
413 528 8885 - $20 Admission
Purchase tickets online

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central, VH-1, The E! Channel, Oxygen, and The Discovery Channel. She is a regular at stand-up clubs around New York and has performed stories on the Moth Mainstage. She is also a contributing writer to US Weekly's Fashion Police and is currently appearing in the off-Broadway show "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad." www.OphiraEisenberg.com

James Braly has performed his stories on NPR and on the Moth National Story Tour. The New York Times said of his monologue, Life in a Marital Institution "You really should report the man, except you are laughing too hard!" It just finished a sold-out run at 59 E 59 Theaters in NYC. www.JamesBraly.com

April 5: A game show host, a comedian, a producer/director and a technical illustrator specializing in scientific infographics walk into a bar...

2008-04-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Never mind. You've probably heard that one already. But while I have you, come to beautiful Cornelia Street Cafe this Saturday to figure out which one of these nice people is serving up baloney. Eat, drink and be gullible. And this time, what's-his-name will host AND tell a story. Lucky you.

Saturday, April 5th @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Reservations highly recommended: 212-989-9319

J.Keith van Straaten can be seen as the host of Yahoo! Answers On The Street, a talking head on VH1's Best Week Ever and on E! countdown shows like Celebrity Feuds and Guilty Pleasures. He hosted Comedy Central’s game show Beat The Geeks. His live game show, What's My Line? - Live On Stage is currently running at The Barrow Street Theater in New York City.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for TV and National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories on many NYC stages.

April Fools: The Aftermath.

2008-03-22T07:37:00.001-07:00

Don't ask me what that means. Anyway, believe it or not, The Liar Show is coming back to Comix with four big-time fast talkers. Eat, drink, enjoy the stories, smoke out the Liar, win a T-shirt and give me some decent headline ideas.

Wednesday, April 2 @ 8PM
(doors 7PM)
COMIX
353 West 14th Street
Advance tickets $15
($10 with discount code: "LIARVIP")
Purchase tickets online
or call the box office: 212-524-2500
Day of show: $20.
Advance tickets highly recommended.

MARK KATZ , "The reigning king of humor speechwriters” (New York Times) has careened though journalism, politics, advertising and comedy, to land in the corridors of power as a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton. He is the author of Clinton & Me (Hyperion Books) www.SoundBiteInstitute.com

OPHIRA EISENBERG has appeared on Comedy Central, VH-1 and The Discovery Channel. She is included in I Killed: True Stories of the Road from America’s Top Comics (Random House,) along with Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Joan Rivers. She is a contributing writer to US Weekly's Fashion Police and is currently appearing off-Broadway in "Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad." www.OphiraEisenberg.com

PETER LUBELL has written, produced and directed for TV and National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories on many NYC stages.

SARA BARRON was called "A tour-de-force performer." by The New Yorker's Andy Borowittz. She has made her mark on the NYC cultural scene with her writing, solo performance and comedy. She was a finalist in the Connecticut Comedy Festival. www.SaraBarron.com

ANDY CHRISTIE (host) His writing has appeared in The New York Times, in literary journals and online. His humor book, I Wasn’t Kidding, was published by Random House here and in the United Kingdom.

3/21: Brooklyn. Lies. See 'em.

2008-03-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

By which I mean Brooklyn Lyceum. I'm an idiot.

Luckily, these people are not idiots. The Liar Show is proud to make its debut at this venerable and beautiful location with four of my all-time favorites. And to make matters especially festive, the ticket price includes free beer, wine and food, so have a light lunch. Please come and figure out which one of these nice people is pulling your leg. Eat, Drink and Be Gullible.

Friday, March 21st @ 8:00 pm
(doors open 7:00 pm for drinks and appetizers)
BROOKLYN LYCEUM
227 4th Ave, Park Slope, Bklyn (at President St.) 718-857-4816

Advance tickets: $12 at www.brooklynlyceum.com
or with reservations emailed to: rsvpliarshow@gmail.com
$15 at the door

Mike Daisey has been called “the master storyteller” and “one of the finest solo performers of his generation” by the New York Times for his acclaimed monologues, “21 Dog Years,” and “The Ugly American,” among others. He’s a commentator for NPR’s Day To Day and a contributor to the New York Times Magazine, WIRED, Slate and Salon. Mike's book, "21 Dog Years" is available from Simon & Schuster. www.mikedaisey.com

James Braly has performed his stories on NPR and on the Moth National Story Tour. His monologue (and forthcoming book from Algonquin), Life in a Marital Institution, directed by Hal Brooks, was called "a masterpiece of storytelling" (The List) at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe. It is now running at 59 East 59th Street Theaters. www.JamesBraly.com

Sherry Weaver is the creator and executive producer of the live storytelling series, SpeakEasy: Stories From the Back Room. She has performed at such cool places as the Bitter End, The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, The Roxy, The Hudson River Theater and Cornelia Street Cafe. She has been likened to a den mother, ushering both well-known and up-and-coming storytellers onto the stage. Sherry is a real-life mother of four grown children, whose antics often find their way into her stories.

And special guest Michaela Murphy, all the way from the Great Northwest.

March 1st: An evening of yin. Or maybe yang...

2008-02-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

... I can never remember. Anyway, usually Liar features a boy-girl mix, but you'll notice only women up there this time. These are not just photos I've been collecting on my hard drive, they're four of NYC's smartest, funniest writers and performers. Stop by and figure out which one of them is playing you for a fool. Story of your life?

Saturday, March 1st @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Reservations highly recommended: 212-989-9319

Alix Strauss is a lifestyle trend writer for national morning shows and talk shows on ABC, CBS, CNN and VH1. Her articles appear regularly in The New York Times, The New York Post, Daily News, Time Magazine and Esquire among others. Her collection of shorts, The Joy of Funerals, was published by St. Martin's Press and is heading to the big screen with Stockard Channing directing. Currently, she is editing an anthology of blind date stories called Have I Got a Guy For You, due out in 2008. www.AlixStrauss.com

Marlene Nichols is a writer/performer and at any given time at least one of her multiple personalities is appearing around town at such venues as The Kraine Theatre, Mo Pitkins, Stage Left Studio and Cornelia St. Cafe. She has had several of her character monologues commissioned by the Winter Harbor Theatre in Maine and performed at the 2006 Culture Project's Impact Festival. She is the 2006 recipient of a Fantasy Fountain Fund Grant to write and study in Paris. Her solo show "Seeing Voices" is currently being workshopped at Stage Left Studio, New York.

Gail Thomas is a writer whose search for...something...has included doing voices on Beavis and Butthead and a bunch of other great movies and funny commercials. As a speechwriter, her words have come out of the mouths of folks like Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro, Sara Jessica Parker and Jason Alexander. www.gail-thomas.com

February 2: The Kidders Are Back In Town

2008-01-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

Michaela Murphy is in NYC to dry out. By "dry out" I mean from Seattle weather, not... you know, that's how rumors get started. She'll be joining the unusually talented suspects in our next lineup. Come and try to nail the Liar. By "nail" I mean uncover, not... oh, forget it.

Saturday, February 2 @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th and Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Reservations highly recommended: 212-989-9319

Michaela Murphy is a featured Moth Mainstage storyteller on The Trio Network. She has performed with Second Stage Theater, The Atlantic Theater (with Lewis Black), and has been heard on NPR's Studio 360 and All Things Considered, at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Michaela’s work as a playwright and actor has been featured at Manhattan Theater Club, The Ensemble Studio Theater, LaMAMA Theater, The Aspen Comedy Arts Festival and the Clinton White House.

Ed Gavagan is the current Moth GrandSlam Story Champion and has been featured on The Moth Mainstage. He is trained as an architect, a philosopher, a furniture maker and a motorcycle mechanic. He has been living in New York since Ed Koch was mayor and has probably built something in a building near you.

Sara Barron was called "A tour-de-force performer," by The New Yorker's Andy Borowitz. She made her mark on the NYC cultural scene, melding her interests of performance, comedy and writing, and venturing into the fields of stand-up comedy, solo performance and competitive story telling. Barron was a finalist in the Connecticut Comedy Festival and is a three-time Moth Slam winner. www.SaraBarron.com

J.Keith van Straaten can be seen as the host of Yahoo! Answers On The Street, a talking head on VH1™s Best Week Ever and on E! countdown shows like Celebrity Feuds and Guilty Pleasures. He hosted Comedy Central’s game show Beat The Geeks, and since 2004 has been producing and hosting What™s My Line? - Live On Stage in Los Angeles (coming to New York City in 2008).

Jan 14th: The Fib Four

2008-01-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

My excuse for that stupid headline is that I saw the Fab Faux last week. Be that as it may, please come to Ochi's Lounge on Monday and find the rotten apple in this unbelievable bunch.

Monday, January 14 @ 8PM
FREE ADMISSION (one drink minimum)

Eat, Drink and Be Gullible.
353 West 14th Street (downstairs at Comix, corner of 9th Ave)

Marlene Nichols is a writer/performer and at any given time at least one of her multiple personalities is appearing around town at such venues as The Kraine Theatre, Mo Pitkins, Stage Left Studio, and Cornelia St. Cafe. She has had several of her character monologues commissioned by the Winter Harbor Theatre in Maine and performed at the 2006 Culture Project's Impact Festival. She is the 2006 recipient of a Fantasy Fountain Fund Grant to write and study in Paris. Her solo show "Seeing Voices" is currently being workshopped at Stage Left Studio, New York.

Ryan Britt is a hails from Mesa, Arizona where he studied Education, Literature, and the art of paying rent a few days late. In New York, he has been seen on stage performing his non-fiction monologues at The Moth, and Speakeasy Stories. His writing has been featured on Mr. Beller's Neighborhood and reallysmalltalk.com Ryan's fiction has been selected as a finalist for multiple Glimmer Train Stories short story competitions. His most recent play, Encounter at Greenpoint was produced in December as part of the Longest Lunch's theatre festival in Tribeca.

Cyndi Freeman is an actress, playwright, story teller and burlesque performer. Currently she produces two shows in NYC, Hotsy Totsy Burlesque and Story Telling at Coraline Cafe (www.myspace.com/cyndifreeman.) Her one woman shows have been performed as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the New York International Fringe Festival. Ms Freeman is a recipient of a grand prize play writing fellowship award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (with collaborator Ellen Groves). Other credits include HBO, Comedy Central and Showtime.

H.R. Britton is a NYC storyteller who gravitates towards the anxiously comic. His monologue, From Madison to Madurai: 134 Days in Mother India, is wry look at his pilgrimage to India. His other original monologues and literary adaptations include Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Nikolai Gogol’s The Nose, Pieces of Calico Pie and The Kafka Thesis. Hi! Drama called Britton “a most incredible storyteller.” www.OvercoatTheater.com

January 5: Don't Kid Yourself

2007-12-17T01:40:00.000-08:00

Less than a week into 2008 and already it's clear that your New Year's resolutions were lies—again. That doesn't make you a bad person. Just a weak person. Maybe it's time to stop fooling yourself and let someone else do it for you. These four talented people are betting that you're just as gullible as you were last year.

Saturday, January 5 @ 6:00 pm

CORNELIA STREET CAFE
"Where the food goes down easy but the stories are hard to swallow."
29 Cornelia Street (between W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central, VH-1, The E! Channel, Oxygen, and The Discovery Channel. She is a regular at stand-up clubs around New York and has performed stories on the Moth Mainstage. She is also a contributing writer to US Weekly's Fashion Police and is currently appearing in the off-Broadway show Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad. www.OphiraEisenberg.com

James Braly has performed his stories on NPR and on the Moth National Story Tour. His monologue (and forthcoming book from Algonquin), Life in a Marital Institution, directed by Hal Brooks, was called "a masterpiece of storytelling" (The List) at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe. It opens February 2008 in New York City at 59 East 59th Street Theaters. www.JamesBraly.com

Jennifer DeMeritt takes first-person navel-gazing one chakra lower with her louche and literate stories. She’s published in nerve.com, BUST Magazine and Glamour, and performed in NYC’s finest venues including KGB, Gotham Comedy Club, HERE Arts Center and, of course, the sack.

Dec 1: An author, a speechwriter, a cop and an artistic director for a national non-profit storytelling organization walk into a bar...

2007-11-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

The bartender says, "What'll you have?" And the artistic director says, "Well, my friend here wan...." You know what? Forget it. I can't make up a whole joke just to justify that stupid headline. Sorry. Please come to Cornelia Street Café on Saturday and listen to four people who are a lot better with words than I am. One of them says you'll believe anything. You gonna take that?

Saturday, December 1 @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (between W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
with
Mike Albo - Author of The Underminer
Mark Katz - "The reigning king" of humor speechwriters -NY Times
Catherine Burns - Artistic Director, The Moth
Steve Osborne - NYPD Gang Squad Detective

11/29: The Truth Shall Set You Free, But A Good Lie Will Make Sure You Don't Get Caught In The First Place

2007-11-20T04:21:00.000-08:00

And you thought you had something to be thankful for last Thursday?

“One of the top six comedy clubs in the U.S.”
-Hollywood Reporter

Thursday, November 29 @ 8PM (Doors: 7PM)
COMIX
353 West 14th Street
Purchase advance tickets online
$7 (with discount code: LIAR29)
or call the box office: 212-524-2500
Day of show: $15 (2-drink minimum)
Advance tickets HIGHLY recommended. Are you made of money?

James Braly has performed his stories on NPR and on the Moth National Story Tour. His monologue (and forthcoming book from Algonquin), Life in a Marital Institution, directed by Hal Brooks, was called "a masterpiece of storytelling" (The List) at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe. It opens February 2008 in New York City at 59 East 59th Street Theaters. www.JamesBraly.com

Steve Osborne spent 20 years in the NYPD. He retired a lieutenant in the detective bureau, where he was the commanding officer of the Manhattan Gang Squad. He is a frequent Moth Mainstage storyteller.

Host Andy Christie, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn't Kidding (Ballantine Books). His writing has appeared in the NY Times and he is the current Moth Storytelling GrandSlam Champion.

Comix says: "Gone are the days of dirty, uncomfortable, cramped comedy clubs. Comix is New York’s hottest new comedy nightclub featuring the best of cutting edge variety programming. Perfectly situated in Manhattan’s booming Meatpacking District, just east of Ninth Avenue, Comix draws upon the rich experience of going to the theater uptown but brings with it a decidedly downtown attitude."

November 19: What Lies Beneath?

2007-11-15T06:05:00.000-08:00

Beneath Comix, that is. Downstairs? "Lies" beneath? Oh, whatever...

...these four talented, funny and vaguely suspicious looking people will be telling the stories this Monday at Ochi's Lounge, downstairs at Comix (see pun clarification above.) Please come and play along so you'll have something to be thankful for on Thursday.

Monday, November 19 @ 8PM - FREE ADMISSION (1 drink minimum)

353 West 14th Street (downstairs at Comix, corner of 9th Ave)

Martin Dockery is a five-time Moth GrandSlam storytelling finalist (a record, I believe.) His one man show about an office temp lost in West Africa, Wanderlust, recently made its New York City premiere at Ars Nova Theater.

Brian Longwell is a comedian, non-motivational, non-inspirational speaker and writer. His one-man shows I Didn't Vote For George W and Why Work? appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe. He was a finalist for the Andy Kaufman Award.

Tracy Rowland is a TV editor and writer. She has appeared onstage at many New York storytelling series, including The Moth and SpeakEasy.

Noah Harlan is a filmmaker and co-author of Mind Your Manners, Dick & Jane, a post-modern exploration of truth and meaning in a society without borders... no, that was a different book, this is a children's manners guide available from Penguin.

November 5: Should I Shave My Head?

2007-11-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Or is it just the new comb-over? What made me think of that? Oh, yeah. So, this Monday we have another stellar lineup at Ochi's Lounge, "The next level at Comix." Please come see who's covering up. And winners at this show will get the t-shirt PLUS free tickets to our Big November 29th Show in the main Comix showroom.

Monday, November 5 @ 8PM
FREE ADMISSION
(1-drink minimum)

353 West 14th Street (downstairs at Comix, corner of 9th Ave)

Dave Dickerson is a frequent contributor to NPR's This American Life. His humor pieces have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and Mirth of a Nation, and his writing is included in Year's Best Fantasy and Science Fiction 2005.

Elna Baker has written for ELLE Magazine, The Onion and one of her stories will be featured in comedian Jon Friedman’s book The Rejection Show (Random House/Villard 2008). This December she will be telling one of her stories on NPR's This American Life.

DJ Hazard is a founding member of the infamous Ding Ho Club whose members include Steven Wright, Bobcat Goldthwait, Paula Poundstone and Denis Leary. He is the newest cast member of American Misfits on Fuel TV!

Michele Carlo, (aka Carmen Mofongo) is a native New Yorker, a Nuyorican and a natural redhead. She performs at NYC venues too numerous and sometimes too torturous to mention. She remembers when a slice of pizza cost 50 cents.

Seek truth. Get a t-shirt.

November 3rd Dinner Special: Baloney

2007-10-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

We have an exceptional lineup at Cornelia Street Café next week, so stop by for a bite and listen to some stories that are hard to swallow. I'm excited; you should be too. Because this'll be a really good one. Not that they're not all good. I mean, all our storytellers are totally excellent--but this one is especially gre... Oh, forget it. You can't win with these artistic egos.

Winners at this show will receive a free ticket to
our big November 29th show at Comix!

Saturday, November 3th @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Watch a sample video
Expose the fraud among these big talkers:
Mike Daisey ("The master storyteller." - New York Times)
Mark Katz (Former Bill Clinton speechwriter)
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central; US Magazine's Fashion Police)
James Braly (NPR; 2007 Edinburgh Fringe)

Night Of A Thousand Einsteins

2007-10-23T03:20:00.000-07:00

Last night's Grand Opening of Ochi's Lounge, was packed with rabid truth-nuts and a real success, if you don't count the severe blow to my supply of t-shirt prizes. These geniuses were really paying attention, because nearly half of them snared the Liar. It was a slaughterhouse, like shooting fish in a barrel, easy as pie. (Sorry for the violent anti-animal-rights and high-fructose imagery; I'm just angry. Those shirts aren't cheap.) Play the video to see who was responsible. Maybe this guy, maybe not.

Please come back on Monday, November 5th for our next show at this friendly new club.

October 22: Great New Club. Same B.S.

2007-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

On Monday, October 22, Liar will be kicking off the grand opening week at Ochi's Lounge, "The next level at Comix." Admission is FREE (Oh, there's a one-item minimum. Have some fries.) And if you come to this show, you'll get an Admit Two Pass for the main Comix showroom, that will be good for the Moth Grandslam!

Who can you trust?

James "Trust Me" Braly
Martin "Trust Me" Dockery
Tara "Trust Me" Clancy
Peter "Trust Me" Lubell.

October 22 @ 8PM
FREE ADMISSION

353 West 14th Street (downstairs at Comix, corner of 9th Ave)

Here's what the Comix people have planned for the place:
"Ochi's Lounge is the next level of Comix. Say goodbye to smelly co-ed bathrooms, bad service and musty, cramped spaces that have become the standard underground comedy experience. We take what you love about independent shows produced by some of the champions of the comedy scene and put them in a comfortable lounge with a dedicated staff serving delicious food and beverages that won't break your bank account. We have a liquor license, clean spacious bathrooms and no rodents dropping by for unexpected guest spots.

"Located downstairs at Comix at 353 W. 14th Street, Ochi's Lounge opens for pre-show happy hour at 5:30 PM every Monday through Saturday. There is no cover charge and a one item minimum purchase for every performance. Join us during the grand opening week October 22nd thru 28th and receive an Admit Two pass for the main Comix showroom!"

Who Fed You A Line At The Café?

2007-10-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

The newbie nudist? The callow caller? The sapphic sapling? The poor schmuck comic who got stuck following twin transexual magicians? (You try to think up a snappy couplet for that one.) Play the video to find out:

October 6: Empty Premises

2007-10-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, Liar comes back to beautiful Cornelia Street Café. Have dinner while we try to feed you a line.

Saturday, October 6th @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Watch a sample video

Tara Clancy was born and raised in Queens, NY. Her solo show, Channel Rat, was developed at The Tank and presented at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival. She currently writes monologues and tends bar. www.taraclancy.com

Martin Dockery is a frequent storyteller at The Moth story slams and is a four-time Grandslam finalist. He has performed with Speakeasy, Talking Stick, Mouthpiece and others. He recently returned from a few months in China, Mongolia, and Canada, much to the relief of his dog.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories onstage at The Moth storytelling series and Speakeasy Stories.

Rob Gorden has performed as one half of The Rob and Mark Show at Stand Up New York, Gotham Comedy Club, The Upright’s Citizen’s Brigade Theatre, and many other New York venues. The Rob and Mark Show’s songs have been heard on WFNX in Boston, WZON and XM Satellite Radio. They are winners of the Connecticut Comedy Festival's Third Annual Laugh Off and have been participants in the Boston and DC Comedy Festivals. Rob and Mark were hosts of Geek-Ray Vision on SpikeTV.

Who Lied To You This Time?

2007-09-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

The object of a stalker's affection? The object of a gasmask's constriction? The object of a surprise evacuation. The object of a jeweler's imagination? Play the movie to find out.

September 27: Phoney Funnies

2007-09-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry. That's a particularly bad one. I'm ashamed to admit that I actually considered "Phoney Phunnies," but I mean, this one's not stupid enough? Rest assured the literary bar will be set significantly higher at TimeOut NY Lounge on Thursday. Come spot the Liar among these talented talkers. It'll be like shooting fish-stories in a barrel. (Once again, sorry.)

Thursday, September 27 @ 9:30pm
TIME OUT NY LOUNGE
340 West 50th Street (bet 8th & 9th Aves) $5

Mike Albo is the author of The Underminer ("A compressed comic classic of New York." -NY Observer) and Hornito: My Lie Life (“A scandalously savage riff on growing up suburba-gay." -Vanity Fair.) His critically acclaimed solo shows include Spray, Please Everything Burst and My Price Point. www.mikealbo.com

Tara Clancy was born and raised in Queens, NY. Her solo show, Channel Rat, was developed at The Tank and presented at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival. She currently writes monologues and tends bar. www.taraclancy.com

Rob Gorden has performed as one half of The Rob and Mark Show at Stand Up New York, Gotham Comedy Club, The Upright’s Citizen’s Brigade Theatre, and many other New York venues. The Rob and Mark Show’s songs have been heard on WFNX in Boston, WZON and XM Satellite Radio. They are winners of the Connecticut Comedy Festival's Third Annual Laugh Off and have been participants in the Boston and DC Comedy Festivals. Rob and Mark were hosts of Geek-Ray Vision on SpikeTV.

Michelle Leona is a writer, performer and artist. When she’s not telling stories at The Moth, Talkingstick, or SpeakEasy she’s making readable, tactile art, trying to meditate or punching & kicking the heavy bag.

Who Lied on Rosh Hashanah?

2007-09-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

The girl who was her own imaginary friend? The man who fell to earth, head first? The man whose threesome became a onesome. The man who loved Spain, except for all the swastikas? Play the video to find out:

September 13: Razor Wit. Forked Tongue.

2007-09-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

This Thursday we'll be lying low again, downstairs at TimeOut New York Lounge. Stop by and listen to these four great storytellers play you for a fool.

Thursday, September 13 @ 9:30pm
TIME OUT NY LOUNGE
340 West 50th Street (bet 8th & 9th Aves) $5

Greg Walloch is a writer and performing artist who has appeared in Moscow, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Australia, Ireland, Germany and across the United States. He is a featured artist in The Artists with Disabilities Oral History Project at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Greg's work is archived at the Bancroft Library, which houses the personal papers of the Beat Generation poets among a range of other well known artists. www.gregwalloch.com

Faye Lane is an alum of the Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Symposium. Her one woman show, I Wish It So, moved New York Magazine to gush, “She had them gobbling from the palm of her hand.” She is a Moth GrandSlam finalist and has been featured on their mainstage.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories onstage at The Moth storytelling series and Speakeasy Stories.

Ryan Britt lives in Queens, NY where he reads, writes, and microwaves cheese quesadillas. His work has been featured on reallysmalltalk.com. He is also a frequent participant at The Moth story slams.

Andy Christie, the creator and host of Liar, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn't Kidding (Ballantine Books). Recently, his piece on midlife mortification appeared in the New York Times. He is the current Moth GrandSlam Champion.

Who Lied Last Night?

2007-08-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

The artistic temp? The ambitious townie? The illegal alien? The Howard Stern conjoined twins wrangler? Play the video to find out.

August 23: FakeOut New York

2007-08-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, we'll be back at TimeOut New York Lounge Please come and guess which one of these quick wits is pulling a fast one. (My therapist suggests this compulsion to play lie-related word games may be a cry for help.) The Liar Show: "Seek truth. Get a t-shirt." (I should probably cool it with the tag lines, too.)

Thursday, August 23 @ 10:00pm
TIME OUT NY LOUNGE
340 West 50th Street (bet 8th & 9th Aves) $5

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy series. She appeared in her own half hour special on CTV’s Comedy Now! and is a contributing writer to US Weekly’s Fashion Police. She co-produces Sweet Paprika every Friday night at D-Lounge, beneath the Daryl Roth Theatre in NYC. www.OphiraEisenberg.com

Joanna Parson is an actor and comedian whose one-person shows regularly sell out NYC comedy and cabaret clubs. She appeared in Transport Group’s The Audience, which received three Drama Desk nominations. “Joanna Parson knocks us out.” —NYTheatre.com www.JoannaParson.com

Josh Lefkowitz's full-length solo show, HELP WANTED: A Personal Search for Meaningful Employment at the Start of the 21st Century, has been performed in Washington DC, Baltimore, Ann Arbor, Chicago, and New York. Josh has recorded his stories for NPR's All Things Considered.

Tracy Rowland: “It seemed like the monkey and I were really hitting it off, until....” And that’s how Tracy got into storytelling.

Who Was Last Night's Liar?

2007-08-17T04:01:00.000-07:00

The illiterate translator? The sociopathic care-giver? The Match.com stalker? The evangelical flirt? Play the video to find out.

Thursday 8/16: Wine Corker

2007-08-11T10:25:00.001-07:00

You know, corker, like "he told a real corker." Okay, no more explaining these puns. (But also like wine corks, get it?) This Thursday, Liar will be back at sparkly wine bar Donna da Vine with a quartet of vintage storytellers trying to slip you a mickey.

Thursday, August 16 @ 8:00pm
donna da vine
378 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn (bet Hoyt & Bond) $5

Michele Carlo, (aka Carmen Mofongo) is a native New Yorker, a Nuyorican and a natural redhead. She performs her character-based comedy at venues too numerous and sometimes too torturous to mention. She remembers when a slice of pizza cost 50 cents.

Jon Levin has been a featured performer on the Moth mainstage. When not working on obscure documentaries, he is writing a psycho-spiritual memoir set against a backdrop of politics, corporate media, pop-culture and drug abuse. Just like everyone else.

Tracy Rowland: “It seemed like the monkey and I were really hitting it off, until....” And that’s how Tracy got into storytelling.

Dave Dickerson is a contributor to NPR's This American Life. His humor pieces have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and Mirth of a Nation, and his writing is included in Year's Best Fantasy and Science Fiction 2005.

Please come seek truth and get a t-shirt.

Who Was the Lounge Lie-zard?

2007-08-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

Lie-zard? Come on, that's pretty weak. Sorry. Anyway, maybe it was this guy in the shades. Maybe not. Play the movie to find out. Our first show at Time Out New York Lounge was a blast. And I'm only out eight t-shirts. Thanks to guest host Ophira Eisenberg, the storytellers, the audience, the Lounge and, you know, whoever.

August 9: TONY Phoney

2007-08-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

There's only one word to describe this Thursday's Liar at Time Out New York Lounge: Five dollar admission. I mean three words.

Our first show at TONY Lounge will be guest hosted by the incomparable and inscrutable Ophira Eisenberg while I join three other storytellers trying to put one over on you. Please come listen, drink, seek truth and win a t-shirt.

Thursday, August 9 @ 10:00pm
TIME OUT NY LOUNGE
340 West 50th Street (bet 8th & 9th Aves) $5.

Jon Levin has been a featured performer on The Moth main stage. When not working on obscure documentaries, he is writing a psycho-spiritual memoir set against a backdrop of politics, corporate media, pop-culture and drug abuse. Just like everyone else.

Margot Leitman was a nominee for the ECNY "Best Stand-up" award in 2004 and 2005. Her one woman show, Just Here For the Day, ran for six months at the UCB Theatre and her one-act play, Slow Night (co-written with Sarah Burns) was an off-off Broadway pick by New York Magazine. She performs regularly in the NYC downtown alternative storytelling scene and is a contributing writer for, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Jokes. She's appeared on MTV, ESPN's Cheap Seats, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and has hosted AMC's Date Night. www.MargotLeitman.com

Jeffery Rudell is The Moth's 2003 GrandSLAM Champion and a featured performer on the CD, The Moth: Audience Favorites, Vol. I. He has performed at The Player's Club, The New York Public Library, and The Long Wharf Theater in New Haven. In September his definition of "reality" changed dramatically when he made his television debut on the NBC series The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.

Andy Christie, the creator of Liar, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn't Kidding, How To Commit Suicide So They'll Never Forget It (Ballantine Books). Recently, his piece on midlife mortification appeared in the New York Times. He has appeared on The Moth main stage and is the current Moth GrandSlam Champion.

Guest host Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy series. She appeared in her own half hour special on CTV’s Comedy Now! and is a contributing writer to US Weekly’s Fashion Police. She co-produces Sweet Paprika every Friday night at D-Lounge, beneath the Daryl Roth Theatre in NYC. www.OphiraEisenberg.com

Watch a trailer:

August 4th: The Moth and The Myth

2007-07-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe I'm back on track with the clever headlines. That one's not bad, right? Anyway, I'm pleased and proud to welcome The Moth's Catherine Burns to the Liar stage. Artistic egos being what they are, let me quickly add that I'm equally pleased and proud that those other three fantastic people have agreed to help put one over on you. So please come and listen, laugh, eat, drink and win an unbelievable t-shirt at the venerable Cornelia Street Cafe; where the food goes down easy, but the stories are hard to swallow.

Saturday, August 4th @ 6:00 pm
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
Watch a sample video

Catherine Burns is the Artistic Director of the urban storytelling group The Moth, and has also told stories on The Moth's stages at The Aspen Comedy Festival, Central Park SummerStage and The Players Club. She is the director and producer of the feature film, A Pound of Flesh, and the co-producer of the films All the Rage and Starving Artists. As a television director/producer, she has interviewed such diverse talent as Aerosmith, Howard Stern, Martha Stewart and Chuck D.

Ned Vizzini is the author of It's Kind of a Funny Story , Be More Chill, and Teen Angst? Naaah.... He has written for The New York Times Book Review, The New York Sun, Bookslut, Huffington Post, Dogmatika, 3:AM and Underground Voices. His work has been has been translated into six languages. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Adam Wade is a record eight-time StorySlam Champion at The Moth and the 2006 GrandSLAM Champion. He has been performing in New York City for the past eight years at renowned venues such as Caroline's on Broadway, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, and Rififi. He has also served as the warm-up comedian for Comedy Central's Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, and for CNBC's John McEnroe Show.

Michelle Leona is a writer, performer and artist. When she’s not telling stories at The Moth, Talkingstick, or SpeakEasy she’s making readable, tactile art, trying to meditate or punching & kicking the heavy bag.

Monday, 7/23: Catch Us While You Can

2007-07-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight is our last show at The PIT before taking a 2-month summer break. So stop by and try to catch us in a lie before we get away. (We'll continue at Cornelia Street Cafe, Time Out NY Lounge and Donna da Vine during August and September and will be back at the PIT in October.)

Monday, July 23 @ 8pm
THE P.I.T.
154 W 29th Street
(bet 6th and 7th Ave)
Buy tickets online.
Alert! The P.I.T now serves wine and beer.

Martin Dockery has been a featured storyteller on The Moth Mainstage and is a three-time Moth Grandslam finalist. He’s performed with Mouthpiece, SpeakEasy, Talking Stick and others. Earlier this month, his full length monologue, Wanderlust, premiered in San Francisco.

Kimmi Auerbach is a former Fox News producer who now writes and performs full time. Her comedic monologues have been performed throughout New York, including a sold out run at the 9th Annual New York International Fringe Festival, several Moth GrandSLAM Championships, The Original Improv, The Kraine Theater, and The Bitter End. Her memoir The Devil, The Lovers & Me: My Life In Tarot was just published by E. P. Dutton. For more information, please contact her at kimmi@nyc.rr.com

Cyndi Freeman won a "Best in Festival Award for Excellence" at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival. Her one-woman show, “Greetings From Hollywood,” was spotlighted on CNN, and received a “Best in Fringe” award at the NY International Fringe Festival. She has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central and Showtime. www.CyndiFreeman.net

Richard Jones hails from Kent, Ohio by way of Sarnia, Ontario, and he loves his cats. A graduate of The Second City Conservatory, Rich can next be seen in the upcoming David Wain feature "Wainy Days." His sketch group Gay Christ Figues In Cinema (as seen in The Village Voice) debut their new show at The PIT in August.

Andy Christie, the creator and host of Liar, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn't Kidding (Ballantine Books). Recently, his piece on midlife mortification appeared in the New York Times. He is the current Moth GrandSlam Champion.

Port Washington, Mon Amour

2007-07-21T14:23:00.000-07:00

I love the people of Port Washington. And not just because among the crowd at Friday's show, I was a practically a youngster for one night. The place was packed with smart, funny people who didn't take no bull. I guess when you've raised kids and grand kids, you're used to spotting lies. I mean, even the three honest storytellers came close to confessing under the brutal interrogation session.

Thanks to everyone who came and raked us over the coals.

Friday, July 20: At The Public Lie-brary

2007-07-14T07:39:00.001-07:00

Sorry for that tortured pun of a headline. Rest assured, it doesn't represent the level of wit and wisdom you'll be subjected to at Long Island's beautiful and distinguished cultural institution, The Port Washington Public Library. Come and listen, laugh, cry or cringe as seems appropriate, then figure out which one of these basically honest people thinks you'll believe anything.

Friday, July 20 @ 8pm
PORT WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
One Library Drive, Port Washington, NY
(516) 883-4400
MAP

"We love this kind of theater. While it’s entertaining us, it makes us think, which is really less dangerous than we’ve been led to believe.” - NY Record-Review, Talk of the Town

"Andy Christie has a true hit on his hands." - Chelsea Now

James Braly has told his stories on National Public Radio's Marketplace. He is a two-time winner of the Moth Storytelling GrandSLAM and is a featured performer on The Moth National Story Tour. His monologue, Life In A Marital Institution, will be featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August and will be available from Algonquin Books in 2008. www.JamesBraly.com

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy series. She appeared in her own half hour special on CTV’s Comedy Now! and is a contributing writer to US Weekly’s Fashion Police. She co-produces Sweet Paprika every Friday night at D-Lounge, beneath the Daryl Roth Theatre in NYC. www.OphiraEisenberg.com

Steve Osborne spent 20 years in the NYPD. He retired a lieutenant in the detective bureau, where he was the commanding officer of the Manhattan Gang Squad. He is a frequent Moth Mainstage storyteller.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and dire cted for many television networks, and for National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories onstage at The Moth storytelling series and Speakeasy Stories.

Andy Christie, the creator and host of Liar, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn't Kidding (Ballantine Books). Recently, his piece on midlife mortification appeared in the New York Times. He is the current Moth GrandSlam Champion. Please come join the fun. As they say: "The truth shall set you free. But a good lie will make sure you don't get caught in the first place." And while you're at the library, remember that you can't believe everything you read.

July 9th & 12th: Double Exposure

2007-07-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, eventually you run out of "clever" lie-related headlines for these things. By "Double Exposure" I mean (oh, it's so embarrassing, having to explain) there are two Liar shows this week, so there are TWO chances to expose a Liar. Okay...whatever. I hope we see you at one show or the other, or both. You could probably use the clean t-shirt.

Tonight's show features four performers with a far greater command of the English language than myself:

Thursday, July 12 @ 8:00pm
Donna da Vine Wine Bar
378 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn (bet Hoyt & Bond)
$5 at the door
"In vino non veritas."
Watch a sample video.

All Brooklyn, all the time. With:
Jon Levin (distinguished Brooklyn writer/documentarian)
Ryan Britt (distinguished Brooklyn writer/storyteller)
Marlene Nichols (distinguished Brooklyn writer/actor)
Sean Conrad (distinguished Brooklyn writer/software developer)

AND HERE'S THE ONE YOU MISSED:
Monday, July 9 @ 8:00pm
The PIT
154 West 29th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves)
$5 at the door or buy tickets online.
Alert! The PIT now serves beer and wine.

Mike Daisey - "The master storyteller." (New York Times)
Jean-Michele Gregory - Director, Great Men of Genius, 21 Dog Years
Faye Lane - Caroline's; Comix; The Moth
DJ Hazard - American Misfits, Fuel TV

July 7 at Cornelia St. Cafe: Baloney On The Menu

2007-06-25T05:04:00.000-07:00

Now Liar comes to beautiful and historic Cornelia Street Cafe on the first Saturday of every month. Please check out or next show, with James Braly (NPR, "A master storyteller." - author Jonathan Ames). Margot Leitman (ESPN, VH1), Steve Osborne (retired NYPD detective), Jennifer DeMeritt (Nerve.com, Bust Magazine) and host Andy Christie (Who?)

Saturday, July 7 @ 6:00 pm
Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.

Sucker Bunch

2007-06-04T08:22:00.001-07:00

(I'm getting pretty sick of coming up with "clever" lie-related headlines. Okay, I got that off my chest. Thanks.)

More P.I.T. Bull! (See?)
On Monday, come to the P.I.T. and listen to four storytellers sow the seeds of doubt, then pick the bad apple and win an "I Can Tell A Lie" t-shirt. By the way, the P.I.T. now serves beer and wine. And in vino veritas, right? I don't know about beero. (Beero?? What does that even mean? It's just stupid. This is exhausting.)

Monday, June 11 @ 8:00pm
The PIT, 154 West 29th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves)
$5 at the door or buy tickets online.
Watch a sample video.

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy series. She appeared in her own half hour special on CTV’s Comedy Now! and is a contributing writer to US Weekly’s Fashion Police. She co-produces Sweet Paprika every Friday night at the D-Lounge, beneath the Daryl Roth Theatre. www.ophiraeisenberg.com

Dave Dickerson is a writer and crossword editor originally from Tucson, Arizona. He has told his stories on NPR's This American Life. His humor pieces have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and Mirth of a Nation, and his fiction was selected for Year's Best Fantasy and Science Fiction 2005.

Christen Clifford is a performer and writer. Her solo show, BabyLove, had it's world premiere in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2005 and won "Best of Fringe" at the 2006 San Francisco Fringe Festival. Her work has been published in Salon.com, Nerve.com, New York Press, Blue, black and white magazine, and the anthology Everything You Know About Sex is Wrong. Her radio work includes WBAI and NPR. She is a visiting scholar at NYU. www.christenclifford.com

Elon James White has performed through out NYC and has been featured in the New York Underground Comedy Festival, DC Comedy Festival and was recently chosen for the premiere episode of the brand new stand-up comedy series "Hey Mon".

This Sentence Is Not True.

2007-05-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

Today's headline is known as The Liar Paradox. Scholars, theologians and philosophers have been trying to make sense of it since the 12th century. Idiots.

Anyway, after a sun-kissed Memorial Day visit to the great green Berkshires, Liar is back on grim grey concrete. This Saturday, please come to beautiful Cornelia Street Café and guess which one of these stellar storytellers is blowing smoke. Have a drink, have dinner, or just have a good time.

Saturday, June 2 @ 6:00 pm
Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.

PETER LUBELL has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories onstage at The Moth, It Came From New York and Speakeasy.

JOANNA PARSON is an actor and comedian whose one-person shows regularly sell out NYC comedy and cabaret clubs. She appeared in Transport Group’s The Audience, which received three Drama Desk nominations. “Joanna Parson knocks us out.” —NYTheatre.com www.JoannaParson.com

DJ HAZARD is a founding member of the infamous Ding Ho Club whose members include Steven Wright, Bobcat Goldthwait, Paula Poundstone and Denis Leary. Starting this month, he is the newest cast member of American Misfits on Fuel TV! www.DJHazard.com

JULIE BOOTH has told her stories at Moth SLAMs and in the It Came From New York series. She works in marketing and media for IFC (Independent Film Channel) and plans to shoot her first documentary this summer. She loves to shop and eat, but who doesn't?

ANDY CHRISTIE is the host and creator of Liar. His writing has appeared in The New York Times. He is the current Moth GrandSLAM Storytelling Champion and co-author of I Wasn’t Kidding: How To Commit Suicide So They’ll Never Forget It (Random House/Ballantine Books) www.AndyChristie.com

Saturday, May 26: Lichtenstein Arts Center

2007-05-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Liar is goin' up the country again with these fine, if untrustworthy people. Say hello to the next Fabulist Four. They're unbelievable.

James Braly has told his stories on Marketplace and NPR. He is a two-time winner of the Moth GrandSLAM and a featured performer on The Moth National Story Tour. His monologue, “Life In A Marital Institution,” will soon will be published by Algonquin books. www.JamesBraly.com

Greg Walloch is a writer and performing artist who has appeared in Moscow, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Australia, Ireland, Germany and across the United States. He is a featured artist in The Artists with Disabilities Oral History Project at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Greg's work is archived at the Bancroft Library, which houses the personal papers of the Beat Generation poets among a range of other well known artists. www.gregwalloch.com

Darlene White's stories and essays have been heard on NPR, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and the PA system at Karen's Tanning Salon in Melbourne, FL. She produced a storytelling show in the Berkshires called "Jupiter Supersized,. and has performed with Mouthpiece and SpeakEasy. In NYC Darlene won a Moth Slam at the Nuyorican Cafe and bombed at the Roxy.

Albert Stern developed and staged two one-person shows, "Let Me Digress..." and "Well, I Hope You're Happy" at Westbeth Theater Center. His monologues have appeared on New York public radio and his work has been cited by the NY Post, Time Out New York, and Playboy, and has appeared recently on Fresh Yarn. He is co-founder of the storytelling group Mouthiece.

Saturday, May 26 @ 8pm
LICHTENSTEIN ARTS CENTER
28 Renne Avenue
Pittsfield, MA

RE: The 9th Commandment

2007-05-10T04:39:00.000-07:00

Since you've already failed the "Are You A Good Lover?" and "Are You A Good Parent?" style-rag tests, here's one last desperate shot at redemption: "Are You A Good Person?" I took this Ten Commandments quiz and my scores indicate it's too late for me, but if you've lived a good life (and not THE good life), there may be time to save yourself.

Way of the Master is the ministry of Kirk Cameron, of TV's "Growing Pains" fame (clearly, this is not just another a batty, fear-based, apocalyptic manifesto--it's adorable.) So go take the test, then meet me in Hell. (Special thanks to Dave Dickerson for pointing me in the right direction.)

And speaking of bearing false witness, check out the next Liar Show:

Monday, May 21 @ 8:00pm
The PIT, 154 West 29th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves)
$5 at the door or buy tickets online. Watch a sample video.

Ned Vizzini is the author of It's Kind of a Funny Story ("insightful and utterly authentic" --New York Times Book Review), Be More Chill, and Teen Angst? Naaah.... His work has been honored by the American Library Association, BookSense, and the New York Public Library and has been translated into five languages (forthcoming in Chinese). He lives in Brooklyn, NY. www.nedvizzini.com

Martin Dockery is a frequent storyteller at The Moth story slams and is a four-time Grandslam finalist. He has performed with Speakeasy, Talking Stick, Mouthpiece and others. He recently returned from a few months in China, Mongolia, and Canada, much to the relief of his dog.

Jennifer Ostrega is a writer and actress. Her one-woman corporate comedy, Tower of Babble has been produced at several festivals and theaters including the NY Fringe festival, the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival (featured New Playwright), the Chicago Improv Festival, Upright Citizens Brigade and here at The P.I.T.

Dan Allen is a comedian and writer based in NYC. He has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. Currently, he is writing a biography about Kevin Bacon in the sixth person. www.taoofdan.com

Monday, May 7: Three For The Price Of Four

2007-05-04T03:39:00.000-07:00

Our next show features a radical departure from the regular Liar format. Follow closely, because this gets complicated. ONE: instead of four storytellers, there will be three. Okay, I guess that's really it. Funny, it doesn't sound as radical as I thought it would. But it will radically increase your chance of picking out the Liar--a full 33% boost. Or something. The math is pretty complex. Also, you'll notice that the show begins at 7:00, not the usual 8:00. At least I hope you'll notice. So, see you there. At 7:00 not 8:00. With 3 not 4.

Monday, May 7 @ 7:00pm
The PIT
154 West 29th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves)

Brian Longwell is a comedian, non-motivational, non-inspirational speaker, writer, and entrepreneur. He has performed his one-man political presentation I Didn't Vote For George W at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 2004, Why Work? in 2005, and was a finalist for the Andy Kaufman Award. He moved to NY from the Boston area recently and likes it here a lot. He's single.

Sara Barron has made her mark on the NYC cultural scene, melding her interests of performance, comedy and writing, and venturing into the fields of stand-up comedy, solo performance and competitive story telling. Barron was a finalist in the Connecticut Comedy Festival and has been a three-time Moth winner.

H.R. Britton's current monologue, From Madison to Madurai: 134 Days in Mother India, is a wry look at his pilgrimage to India. His other original monologues and adaptations include Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Nikolai Gogol’s The Nose, Pieces of Calico Pie and The Kafka Thesis. Hi! Drama called Britton “a most incredible storyteller.

In Vino Non Veritas

2007-04-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

I grew up in Brooklyn. Well, Queens--but a block from the Brooklyn border. So, as a born* and bred† Brooklyn boy, I'm proud to announce our first all-Brooklyn show. On May 3rd, Liar will begin it's monthly run on "The Great White Way of Boerum Hill": Atlantic Avenue. So come guess who's lying at beautiful donna da vine, where the wine goes down easy and the stories are hard to swallow.
*Scotland. †Queens.

Thursday, May 3 @ 8:00pm - $5
donna da vine
378 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn (bet Hoyt & Bond)

Lucy Baker will be serving and telling a story. How does she do it? Her writing has appeared in the Village Voice, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Monkey Bicycle, Fresh Yarn, Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, and reallysmalltalk.com, among others. She is also a frequent storyteller at the Moth.

Martin Dockery is a frequent storyteller at the Moth slams, and has competed in the Moth Grandslam three times. He’s appeared at other such venues as Speakeasy, Talking Stick, Mouthpiece, and others. He’s just returned from a few months in China, Mongolia, and Canada, much to the relief of his dog.

Bill Kennedy is an actor, writer and monologist who inhabits Prospect Heights.

Jon Levin has been a featured performer on the Moth mainstage. When not working on obscure documentaries, he is writing a psycho-spiritual memoir set against a backdrop of politics, corporate media, pop-culture and drug abuse. Just like everyone else.

The Fabulist Four

2007-04-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Meet next Monday’s line-up. Figure out which one is the fabulous fabricator and win an underhanded undershirt.

Monday, April 16 @ 8pm
The P.I.T.
154 W 29th Street (bet 6th and 7th Ave)
Buy tickets online.

Elon James White has performed through out NYC and has been featured in the New York Underground Comedy Festival, DC Comedy Festival and was recently chosen for the premiere episode of the brand new stand-up comedy series "Hey Mon".

Lucy Baker's writing has appeared in the Village Voice, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Monkey Bicycle, Fresh Yarn, Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, and reallysmalltalk.com, among others. She is also a frequent storyteller at the Moth.

Ryan Britt lives in Queens, NY where he reads, writes, and microwaves cheese quesadillas. His work has been featured on reallysmalltalk.com. He is also a frequent participant at The Moth story slams.

Knife-like Wit, Forked Tongue

2007-04-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

I like to arrange these pictures in a boy-girl-boy-girl pattern, but when there's color vs black & white to consider, I think aesthetics trumps gender sensitivity, so this time I wound up with boy-boy and girl-girl. Which actually sounds...kind of... Anyway, ponder the faces of our next four storytellers. Can they hide those lyin' eyes?

Saturday, April 7 at 6 PM (NOTE THE TIME!)
Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street (bet W 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one drink.
"The stories may be hard to swallow, but the food is great."

James Braly has told his stories on Marketplace and NPR. He is a two-time winner of the Moth GrandSLAM and a featured performer on The Moth National Story Tour. His monologue, “Life In A Marital Institution,” will soon will be published by Algonquin books. www.JamesBraly.com

Steve Osborne spent 20 years in the NYPD. He retired a lieutenant in the detective bureau, where he was the commanding officer of the Manhattan Gang Squad. He is a frequent Moth Mainstage storyteller.

Cyndi Freeman won a "Best in Festival Award for Excellence" at the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival. Her one-woman show, “Greetings From Hollywood,” was spotlighted on CNN, and received a “Best in Fringe” award at the NY International Fringe Festival. She has appeared on HBO, Comedy Central and Showtime. www.CyndiFreeman.net

Debbie Shea performs regularly at comedy clubs throughout the city. She has been a semi-finalist and first runnerup in Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots. Most recently Debbie made her TV debut on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend. www.DebbieShea.com

And I'd like to thank Lyin' Jon Levin for making history at Monday's show. Only one (1) (one!) member of the audience picked him out of the line-up. Which means I only had to give up one t-shirt. I owe you, Jon. Maybe I'll get you an "h" for your name. And thanks to Ned, Michelle and Greg for three great stories that were so unbelievably true.

Check out a video sample from past Liar shows.

More P.I.T. Bull: Monday, April 2

2007-03-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

Come meet our next four unbelievable people. And stick around after the show for our newest segment: The Beating of the Liar. (Bats and clubs will be available at the door.)

Monday, April 2 @ 8pm - $5
The P.I.T. - 154 West 29th Street
(between 6th & 7th Aves)

Ned Vizzini is the author of It's Kind of a Funny Story ("insightful and utterly authentic" --New York Times Book Review), Be More Chill, and Teen Angst? Naaah.... His work has been honored by the American Library Association, BookSense, and the New York Public Library and has been translated into five languages (forthcoming in Chinese). He lives in Brooklyn, NY. www.nedvizzini.com

Michelle Leona his a writer, performer and artist. When she’s not telling stories at The Moth, Talkingstick, or SpeakEasy she’s making readable, tactile art, trying to meditate or punching & kicking the heavy bag.

Greg Walloch is a writer and performing artist who has appeared in Moscow, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Australia, Ireland, Germany and across the United States. He is a featured artist in The Artists with Disabilities Oral History Project at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Greg's work is archived at the Bancroft Library, which houses the personal papers of the Beat Generation poets among a range of other well known artists. www.gregwalloch.com

Jon Levin has been a featured performer on the Moth mainstage. When not working on obscure documentaries, he is writing a psycho-spiritual memoir set against a backdrop of politics, corporate media, pop-culture and drug abuse. Just like everyone else.

Here's a short sample clip of previous shows.

Suburban Subterfuge

2007-03-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

In two words: we love Pleasantville. I mean three. Saturday's sold-out show was a big hit with the Westchester crowd. The traditional Jewish Community Center gathering for St. Patrick's Day (or, "Liver: Chopped Meets Cirrhosis Of The") was so much fun I think I'll move up there to stay. And the crowd was so gullible, I should be able to finance the move by selling off my bridges to the locals.

Of the 150 audience members, only 14 nailed the Liar. That's 5 percent, a record. Mike, James and Michaela told three riveting, unbelievably true stories. Peter Lubell told one riveting, apparently believable load of baloney.

Special thanks to Anna Becker and her Insights & Revelations Series for making the show happen.

Go Westchester Young Man

2007-03-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Liar heads to Pleasantville, NY for its first suburban excursion. They say lying is and art and apparently they know what they're talking about, because the show is being presented by Anna Becker's excellent Insights & Revelations Performance Series. Sounds fancy. Then again, listen to how fancy these people sound:

Mike Daisey has been called “the master storyteller” and “one of the finest solo performers of his generation” by the New York Times for his acclaimed monologues, “21 Dog Years,” and “The Ugly American,” among others. He’s a commentator for NPR’s Day To Day and a contributor to the New York Times Magazine, WIRED, Slate and Salon. His newest monologue, “Invincible Summer,” just completed a successful run at the Public Theater in NYC. www.mikedaisey.com.

James Braly has performed his autobiographical stories on NPR, at The Whitney Museum, The Long Wharf Theatre and The Players Club. He is the only two-time winner of The Moth GrandSLAM and is a featured performer on The Moth National Story Tour. His monologue, “Life in a Marital Institution,” directed by Hal Brooks (“Thom Paine: Based on Nothing"), will be released in book form from Algonquin Books early in 2008. www.JamesBraly.com.

Michaela Murphy is a featured Moth Mainstage storyteller on The Trio Network. She has performed with Second Stage Theater, The Atlantic Theater (with Lewis Black), and has been heard on NPR's Studio 360 and All Things Considered, at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Michaela’s work as a playwright and actor has been featured at Manhattan Theater Club, The Ensemble Studio Theater, LaMAMA Theater, The Aspen Comedy Arts Festival and the Clinton White House.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories onstage at The Moth and Speakeasy.

Andy Christie is the the creator and host of “Liar.” He is co-author and illustrator of "I Wasn't Kidding" (Random House/Ballantine Books) as well as a featured Moth Main Stage storyteller and four-time Moth Story Slam champion. His short stories & essays have appeared in literary journals and online. Recently, his piece on midlife mortification appeared in the NY Times. www.andychristie.com.

Please come join us. And remember: The truth shall set you free. But a good lie will make sure you don't get caught in the first place.

Saturday, March 17 @ 8pm
Rosenthal JCC Theater
600 Bear Ridge Road
Pleasantville, NY
Presented by The Deep End Productions
Tickets and info

Double Negative

2007-03-08T04:34:00.000-08:00

A lot goes into putting on a show like this. First you've got to ask the performers if they're available. Then you've got to write down their names. But even with all that elaborate preparation and planning, occasionally things will fall through the cracks. Like remembering to note who'll be telling the lie.

So, Monday's show was an Extremely Special Liar (on the heels of January's Very Special show and February's Very Very Special show), because there were two liars on the bill. Which meant that even if you weren't paying attention, even if you don't speak English, or you're deaf, or a chimp, you had a 50-50 chance of picking a winner. And you did. A lot of you.

Adam and Peter shredded the truth with stories I won't describe, in case they want to tell them again at a "true-story" show. Margot and Dave were super-honest about super-stubborn baby teeth (Margot: "I lost my virginity before I lost my first tooth.") and being hired to write sex-and-drug crossword puzzles for America's armed services (Dave.) Congratulations to all the winners, you should be very proud of your wild guesses.

Coming March 17: the Insights & Revelations Performance Series presents an Extraordinarily Special Liar in Pleasantville (I hear it's nice there.) With Mike Daisey, James Braly, Michaela Murphy and Peter Lubell. Check back for details.

False. Positive?

2007-02-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

Look, it's hard coming up with lie-related headlines week after week. Some are bound to be less elegant than others. Luckily, that's not true of these four performers; they're all artists with words. But which one's the con artist? I'm pleased to introduce Liar's next four storytellers.

Monday, March 5 @ 8pm
The P.I.T. - 154 West 29th Street. $5

Dave Dickerson is a writer and crossword editor originally from Tucson, Arizona. He moved to New York nine months ago after getting a Ph.D. in English at Florida State, and a four year stint as a greeting card writer at Hallmark. His humor pieces have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and Mirth of a Nation, and one of his stories was selected for Year's Best Fantasy and Science Fiction 2005. Listen to him on the Quiz Show edition of NPR's This American Life.

Margot Leitman was a nominee for the ECNY "Best Stand-up" award in 2004 and 2005. Her one woman show, Just Here For the Day, ran for six months at the UCB Theatre and her one-act play, Slow Night (co-written with Sarah Burns) was an off-off Broadway pick by New York Magazine. She performs regularly in the NYC downtown alternative storytelling scene and is a contributing writer for, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Jokes. She's appeared on MTV, ESPN's Cheap Seats, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and has hosted AMC's Date Night.

Peter Lubell has been speaking since his first breath. During periods of inhalation, he has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for public radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories at The Moth and Speakeasy. He asks that you please do not refrigerate or freeze your coffee.

Adam Wade has been performing stand up comedy in New York City for the past five years. His stories are genuine, unique, stupidly funny and just a tad heartfelt. He recently co-wrote a fictional story for the NY Sunday Times, and currently writes a column for Dan Kennedy's ReallySmallTalk.com He is the most recent Moth GrandSlam champion.

Come help us keep this thing honest.

Who You Lookin' At?

2007-02-14T12:55:00.000-08:00

Looks tough doesn't she? That might be why so few audience members risked calling Michele a liar. She is a liar, of course. I mean, look at her.

Ophira, Christen and Darlene all stuck to the facts with true stories about 1: Valentines Day in a porn palace. (No topping on my popcorn, thank you.) 2: Daddy in the delivery room, and 3: Learning to love Elvis. "The King is fat, long live the King." I hope we see you at out next show. You won't believe it.

Monday, March 5 @ 8pm: The P.I.T. 154 West 29th Street
Adam Wade
Margot Leitman
Peter Lubell
Dave Dickerson
This weekend, listen to Dave's puzzling story on This American Life

Who's Your Mommy?

2007-02-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

Four great women. One great liar.

Monday, February 12, 8pm
The P.I.T.
54 West 29th Street

Ophira Eisenberg is a stand-up comic, writer and actor. She has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy series. She appeared in her own half hour special on CTV’s Comedy Now! and is a contributing writer to US Weekly’s Fashion Police. She co-produces Sweet Paprika every Friday night at the D-Lounge, beneath the Daryl Roth Theatre. www.ophiraeisenberg.com

Christen Clifford is a performer and writer. Her most recent solo show, BabyLove, had it's world premiere in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2005 and won "Best of Fringe" at the 2006 San Francisco Fringe Festival. Her work has been published in Salon.com, Nerve.com, The New York Press, Blue, black and white magazine, and the anthology Everything You Know About Sex is Wrong. Her radio work includes WBAI and NPR. She is a visiting scholar at NYU. www.christenclifford.com

Michele Carlo (aka Carmen Mofongo) is a native New Yorker, a Nuyorican and a natural redhead. She performs her character-based comedy at venues too numerous and sometimes too torturous to mention. She remembers when a slice of pizza cost 50 cents.

Darlene White has been heard on NPR, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, and the PA system at Karen's Tanning Salon in Melbourne, FL. She produced a storytelling show in the Berkshires called "Jupiter Supersized." In NYC Darlene is a Moth Slam winner, has performed at the Bitter End and bombed at the Roxy.

Trust Me, I Lie

2007-01-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Well, we built it and they came. On Saturday, despite an unpropitious showtime of 6pm, Cornelia Street Café was packed with people, drinking, schmoozing and looking to nail somebody. No, not like that. I mean looking to spot the Liar.

And spot him they didn't. Only two hyper-perceptive audience members got it right, because I was lying this time and as my girlfriend says, I'm disturbingly good at it. Ophira, James and Mike all were gleefully honest about, 1: Boyfriends with Garfield The Cat obsessions. 2: Fear of flying, dogs and prison. 3: How to trick your schizophrenic roommate into pay both halves of the rent.

If you were there, thanks so much making our Cornelia premiere so much fun. No kidding. And if you enjoyed yourself as much as we did, please come see our first all-woman* Liar at The PIT.

Monday, February 12 @ 8pm
"Who's Your Mommy?"
with
Christen Clifford - "Best of Fringe" -2006 San Francisco Fringe Festival
Michele Carlo - AKA Carmen Mofungo
Ophira Eisenberg - Comedy Central's "Premium Blend"
Darlene White - NPR, The Moth

*Well, all women and me.

A "Very Special Liar" This Saturday

2007-01-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce the premiere of Liar at Cornelia Street Cafe. If we get a nice crowd this Saturday, Liar will continue running once a month at this beautiful, food & drink filled club. Be sure to catch the first one, because it could all be downhill from there. So which one of these fast-talkers will be pulling your leg?

Saturday, January 27 @ 6:00pm
Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street (bet West 4th & Bleeker)
$12 - includes one house drink

Mike Albo is a writer and performer. His latest novel, The Underminer has been optioned for film by Warner Brothers. His critically acclaimed and sold-out solo shows include Spray, Please Everything Burst and My Price Point. www.mikealbo.com

James Braly has performed his autobiographical stories on NPR, at The Whitney Museum and The Moth. His show, Life in a Marital Institution, is currently in development with Hal Brooks, director of Thom Pain (Based on Nothing), a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize. The book version will be published in 2007/8 by Algonquin Books. www.jamesbraly.com

Ophira Eisenberg has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy campaign, on Vh1’s Best Week Ever, and Discovery Channel’s Lost Treasures of the Deep. Her own half hour special appeared on Canadian Television's Comedy Now! She co-produces the comedy show, Sweet Paprika, every Friday night at D-Lounge. www.ophiraeisenberg.com

Andy Christie’s I Wasn’t Kidding (Random House), explored the funny side of suicide. Not surprisingly, it died on remainder shelves many years ago (though it is still available at Amazon.com in the original papyrus edition.) But he lives on--onstage (as a featured performer on the Moth's Mainstage), online and on the pages of snooty literary journals. Look for him soon in the Sunday New York Times where his work will grace the Modern Love column. And why not? He's modern. He loves. www.andychristie.com

Babbling Brooke

2007-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

So, who was lying? Did Greg really have to beg one of NY's Finest to free him from a locked Tompkins Square Park? Did Noah really find a stupefyingly anti-Semitic ghost under someone's bed? Did James really attend a skating party for all of Denver's institutionalized teens? Was Brooke really a "Shooters" waitress/escort code-named Dorothy? Well, I guess that picture up there is kind of a give-away. My t-shirt reserves took a big hit when about one third of last night's audience pegged her as the Liar. Nice going, geniuses. I've got to start ordering cheaper shirts.

Don't miss our "Very Special Liar" this weekend:

Saturday, January 27 @ 6pm
Cornelia Street Cafe

29 Cornelia Street (bet West 4th & Bleeker)
$6 + one drink.
Mike Albo (author of The Underminer)

James Braly ("A master storyteller." - Jonathan Ames)

Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend)

Andy Christie ("Who?" - Stephen King)

This will be the first of our monthly Liar shows at Cornelia Street. Please come help us start with a bang.

A Truly Unbelievable Show

2007-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

Once again, four of NYC's fastest talkers will do what you parents couldn't: make you shut up and listen. And unlike Mom and Dad, only one of them will be lying to you.

James Braly has performed his autobiographical stories on NPR, at The Whitney Museum and The Moth. His show, "Life in a Marital Institution," is currently in development with Hal Brooks, director of "Thom Pain (Based on Nothing)", a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize. The book version will be published in 2007/8 by Algonquin Books.

Brooke Delaney is a frequent Moth Slam champion, and has told her stories, both true and false, at the Nyuorican, KGB Bar, Teleplhone Bar, Quinnipack Club, Parkside Lounge and Junno's. Her survival schemes have included working as an assembly-line factory worker, cigarette-girl, television producer, house cleaner, instructor to univerisity students, kindergartners, & illeriate appalacian miners.

Greg Walloch is a writer and performing artist who has appeared in Moscow, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Australia, Ireland, Germany and across the United States. He is a featured artist in The Artists with Disabilities Oral History Project at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Greg's work is archived at the Bancroft Library, which houses the personal papers of the Beat Generation poets among a range of other well known artists.

Noah Harlan is a writer, storyteller, filmmaker, teacher and producer. Films he has produced have appeared in Cannes, Berlin and MoMA among other places. He is a frequent storyteller at The Moth and teaches filmmaking to kids. He is co-author of "Mind Your Manners, Dick & Jane", a post-modern exploration of truth and meaning in a society without borders... no, that was a different book, this is a children's manners guide... which came out last fall from Penguin. "He's smarter than he looks" - Princeton High School 10th grade pre-calculus teacher Marcia Djorup.

So please come to the PIT on Monday and figure out which one of these nice people is full of it. Bring sticks or clubs for the post-show "Beating of the Liar."

Renaissance Manchild

2007-01-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Today, there are seven more New Yorkers who feel like winners but are in fact just walking billboards for the Liar show. Enjoy the t-shirts, guys. Last night, Martin Dockery convinced the rest of the audience that at one time he was a renaissance fair apprentice paper maker and, consequently, a very old virgin.

Mike, Lucy and Sara all told the truth about stealing potato salad, sleeping with idols and loving yourself just a little too much—well, way too much.

Thanks you all for coming, especially the brand new faces. Come back in two weeks, January 22, to beat the truth out of James Braly, Greg Walloch, Brooke Delaney and Noah Harlan.

Four Horsemen Of The Apocryphal

2006-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

It won't be the first lie you hear in 2007 (that would be your new year's resolution), but it will be the first one you pay to hear. Come help us dig out the January snow job with these fine people. (By the way, this morning's gas attack was a flash in the panic. Chelsea is back to smelling like a petunia and the show will go on.)

Mike Daisey has been called “the master storyteller” and “one of the finest solo performers of his generation” by the NY Times for his acclaimed monologues, 21 Dog Years, and The Ugly American, among others. He’s a commentator for NPR’s Day To Day and a contributor to the NY Times Magazine, WIRED, Slate and Salon. His new monologue, Invincible Summer, will be running at the Public Theater from Jan 18 though Jan 28. mikedaisey.com

Lucy Baker has written for a lot of free newspapers and online journals. She is a columnist for reallysmalltalk.com, and was recently featured on Public Radio's Weekend America. She lives in Brooklyn, and is currently at work on procrastinating.

Sara Barron has made her mark on the NYC cultural scene, melding her interests of performance, comedy and writing, and venturing into the fields of stand-up comedy, solo performance and competitive story telling. Barron was a finalist in the Connecticut Comedy Festival and has been a three-time Moth winner. sarabarron.com

Martin Dockery is a frequent storyteller at the Moth slams, and has competed in the Moth Grandslam three times. He’s appeared at other such venues as Speakeasy, Talking Stick, Mouthpiece, and others. He’s just returned from a few months in China, Mongolia, and Canada, much to the relief of his dog.

January 8, 8pm at The P.I.T. 154 W 29th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves.) $5

I Could Have Told You That

2006-12-26T05:58:00.000-08:00

Our March line-up: Monkey, Rooster, Frog, Butterfly, Christie.

New York Times, 12/26/06:
Devious Butterflies, Full-Throated Frogs and Other Liars
By Carl Zimmer
If you happen across a pond full of croaking green frogs, listen carefully. Some of them may be lying... read article.

"I swear, honey, he was my cousin."

2006-12-05T04:21:00.000-08:00

After witnessing the ease and skill with which Ophira Eisenberg deceived the vast majority of last night's Liar audience, I have to wonder how secure her boyfriend feels. I imagine he does lots of, "Okay, now look me in the eye and tell me the truth," followed by long, skeptical, probing silences.

Funniest line: "In Canada, they're pretty lenient about smoking pot. I think the punishment for possession of a kilo is you have to share."

Meanwhile, Xeni, James and Martin were totally honest about grad school, groupies and prostitutes, in morally descending order. Nice. Check out our January 8th show with Mike Daisey, Sara Barron, Lucy Baker and Mark Katz.

Tonight at Eight

2006-12-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Come figure out which one of these nice people is full of it. If you're right, win $45,000* and a t-shirt.

Tonight
12/4/06 @ 8PM (doors 7:30) $5.00
The PIT
154 W 29th Street
Between 6th & 7th

Martin Dockery: With dramatic roles in films such as Presumed Innocent, Regarding Henry, Patriot Games, The Fugitive, Clear and Present Danger, The Devil's Own, and Air Force One (to name just a few), it's no wonder Dockery is one of the most respected actors of his time. Revered as a sex symbol by women worldwide, the person behind the most beloved heroes in film's history is regarded as an excellent role model by both sexes. Dockery is married to screenwriter Melissa Mathison and is the father of their two children (he divorced his first wife with whom he also has two children). He's also very, very good friends with Calista Flockhart.

Ophira Eisenberg is a stand-up comic, writer and actor. She has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and as part of their Fresh Faces of Comedy campaign, and also Vh1’s Best Week Ever, All Access, Oxygen Network, Discovery Channel’s Lost Treasures of the Deep and appeared in her own half hour special on CTV’s Comedy Now! (Canada). She is also a contributing writer to US Weekly’s Fashion Police. She co-produces Sweet Paprika every Friday night at the D-Lounge, beneath the Daryl Roth Theatre. www.ophiraeisenberg.com

James Braly has performed his autobiographical stories on NPR, and at The Whitney Museum, The Long Wharf Theatre and The Moth, where he is the only two-time winner of the GrandSLAM, a finalist in the national "What's Your Story?" contest sponsored by TNT, and a featured performer on The Moth National Story Tour. His monologue, “Life in a Marital Institution,” directed by Hal Brooks, played recently at Ars Nova. Please visit www.JamesBraly.com

Xeni Fragakis is a writer and past winner of the Moth GrandSLAM Championship. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, and she is a frequent guest of the Speakeasy Storytelling Series at Cornelia Street Cafe and Night and Day. She is currently slaving away at a book about living and teaching in Iowa.

Andy Christie’s I Wasn’t Kidding (Random House), explored the funny side of suicide. Not surprisingly, it died on remainder shelves many years ago (though it is still available at Amazon.com in the original papyrus edition.) But he lives on, onstage, online and on the pages of snooty literary journals. He has been a featured performer on the Moth’s Mainstage and will join them in New Haven on January 26. For the past six months he’s been working on page 123 of his book, Sicker! The Movie: A Novel.

*Subject to change.

Say Hi To Ned

2006-11-20T14:47:00.000-08:00

Friend and prolific author Ned Vizzini will be taking the stage with us sometime early next year. Meanwhile, check out his novels on Amazon and catch him in person:
Saturday, Dec. 2, 8:00 pm
Ned Vizzini reads a short sexual tale as part of
DeSiree Burch's acclaimed show "52 MAN PICK-UP"
Ars Nova Theater
511 West 54th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues)
$7 - Info/Tickets: smarttix.com

Believe Me, If Not Them

2006-11-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

We have a great lineup for our final show of 2006. Come hear them out, grill them, pick out the Liar and win a t-shirt. (Don't worry, I just ordered more "smalls." Man, you people are tiny. And don't forget to check the sample video below.

Martin Dockery (2006 Moth GrandSLAM Finalist)
Ophira Eisenberg (Comedy Central's Premium Blend)
James Braly (NPR, "A master storyteller." - author Jonathan Ames)
Xeni Fragakis (NY Times Modern Love. Moth GrandSLAM Champion)
Andy Christie ("Host." - Variety)

Monday, Dec 4, 8pm (doors 7:30)
The P.I.T.
154 W 29th Street (bet 6th and 7th Aves)
$5 at the door or buy tickets online.

In Video Veritas

2006-11-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

If you've been curious about what goes on at Liar, here's how it works.

Suckers

2006-11-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

Say hello to last night's Liar, Dave Dickerson. Once again, the diabolical wit and ingenuity of a slippery storyteller saved me from ravaging my t-shirt reserves. Those things don't grow on trees. It was a very (very) good show. If you were there, thanks so much for coming. And for being so gullible. It's kind of cute. Come back Monday, December 4th, and try again with James Braly, Martin Dockery, Ophira Eisenberg and Xeni Fragakis. For the record, I think Xeni is a made-up name.

They Have Such Honest Faces

2006-11-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe not that last guy. And I'm not sure I'd let #2 date my daughter. In fact, don't trust any of them. So who's lying this time?

Monday, Nov 13 - 8pm (doors 7:30)
The P.I.T.
154 W 29th Street (bet 6th and 7th Aves)
$5 at the door or buy tickets online.

Mike Daisey
Mike Daisey ("The master storyteller.” - NY Times) has toured the country and the world with his monologues, Great Men of Genius, Monopoly and 21 Dog Years (the story of his time spent working for the internet giant Amazon.com.) The book inspired by that monologue is available on--what else?-- Amazon.com. His newest show, about truth, lies, James Frey and J.T. LeRoy, is called TRUTH: The heart is a million little pieces above all things. www.mikedaisey.com

David Dickerson
David is a writer and crossword editor originally from Tucson, Arizona. He moved to New York nine months ago after getting a Ph.D. in English at Florida State, and a four year stint as a greeting card writer at Hallmark. His humor pieces have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and Mirth of a Nation, and one of his stories was selected for Year's Best Fantasy and Science Fiction 2005. And yes, he dresses like this all the time; it's not a costume.

Christen Clifford
Christen Clifford is a performer and writer. Her most recent solo show, BabyLove, had it's world premiere in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2005 and won "Best of Fringe" at the 2006 San Francisco Fringe Festival. Her previous solo, 17 Guys I Fucked, was seen at The Culture Project, Women Center Stage, and the Oni Gallery. Her work has been published in Salon.com, Nerve.com, The New York Press, Blue, black and white magazine, and the anthology Everything You Know About Sex is Wrong (Disinfo press). As an actor, she has worked on, off and off-off Broadway at theatres like The Town Hall, The Public Theatre, Classic Stage Company, HERE, SoHo Rep, chashama, Joe's Pub and at all those now defunct Theatre Row theatres, as well as regionally and internationally. She has had recurring roles on As The World Turns and The Guiding Light . Radio work includes WBAI and NPR. She is getting an MFA in non fiction writing from The New School, and is a visiting scholar at NYU. www.christenclifford.com

Peter Lubell
Peter has been speaking since his first breath. During periods of inhalation, he has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for public radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories at The Moth and Speakeasy. He asks that you please do not refrigerate or freeze your coffee.

Andy Christie (host)
Called "Tall, brilliant and brutally handsome" by James Frey, Andy is your basic regular guy, 4-time Moth Slam winner and co-author and illustrator of I Wasn’t Kidding (Random House), a book that explored the funny side of suicide. Not surprisingly, it died on remainder shelves. But he lives on, onstage, online and on the pages of snooty literary journals. He has been a featured Moth Main Stage storyteller and is currently working on Sicker! The Movie: A Novel.

You Can Now Believe Everything You Read

2006-10-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

There's a very nice review of Monday's Liar Show in this week's Chelsea Now. Check it out when you've got a minute. And it's got a picture of Andy; what more could you ask for? Less significantly, this print and online paper also covers other NY news, politics and entertainment.

P.I.T. Stop!

2006-10-24T05:15:00.000-07:00

Well, last night's Liar was all we hoped it would be and more. About half an hour more, actually. The J-team (Jeff, Joanna, Josh and James) told stories ranging from how to pump new life into your old teddy bears to how to pump formaldehyde into your old cadavers. Of course when you're having that kind of fun, time flies. And it flew right past 9:00 when we were supposed to finish and then past 9:30, when the next show was supposed to begin. So we moved our Q&A and voting segments out to the P.I.T.'s lobby. After a spirited elbow-to-elbow inquisition, ballots were cast and we found out exactly how gullible you people can be. Only four audience members picked out the Liar so I saved a bundle on free t-shirt prizes. Thank you Joanna, for appearing so trustworthy while being so full of it.

As for running long, in the future we will add a mechanism to help enforce the 10-minute story limit. An alarm clock perhaps--or a small explosive device. Thank you all for coming. And if you won a shirt, wear it in good health. The $5,000 check is in the mail.

See you on November 13.

Next P.I.T. Bull Session: Monday, Oct 23rd

2006-10-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

Storytellers: Lefkowitz, Parson, Braly, Rudell and host, Hemingway

On Monday, October 23, we'll be back at The P.I.T. with another great lineup. And this time we have the whole hour to ourselves. We've also added a new wrinkle: After all the stories have been heard and before the ballots are cast, audience members are given an opportunity to interrogate the storytellers. My favorite question last time came from an inquisitor who grilled James with, "In your story, how is it that you buy DuraFlame logs in the early 1970s, when they didn't even exist until the late 1970s?" You get the idea. Any lie is shredable if you're vigilant.
Buy tickets online.

Josh Lefkowitz's full-length solo show, HELP WANTED: A Personal Search for Meaningful Employment at the Start of the 21st Century, has been performed in Washington DC, Baltimore, Ann Arbor, Chicago, and New York. Josh has recorded his stories for NPR's All Things Considered.

Joanna Parson, writer, actress and comedian appears in the sitcom Temps which debuted at the New York Television Festival in September. She's included in The Complete Idiots Guide to Jokes, and she'll appear in Transport Group's fall production of All the Way Home.

James Braly's full-length monologue, Life in a Marital Institution, squeezes 20 years of monogamy into one terrifying evening. Excerpts from the show have been heard on NPR, at the Long Wharf Theater and at The Moth, where James is the only two-time winner of the GrandSLAM. Called "A master storyteller" by novelist Jonathan Ames (Wake up, Sir! and The Extra Man), James will be a featured performer on this fall's Moth National Story Tour.

Jeffery Rudell is The Moth's 2003 GrandSLAM Champion and a featured performer on the CD, The Moth: Audience Favorites, Vol. I. He has performed at The Player's Club, The New York Public Library, and The Long Wharf Theater in New Haven. In September his definition of "reality" changed dramatically when he made his television debut on the NBC series The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.

The evening's host, Andy Christie, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn’t Kidding (Random House), a book that explores the funny side of suicide. Not surprisingly, it died on remainder shelves. But he lives on, onstage, online and in snooty literary journals. He is a four-time Moth SLAM winner and has been a featured Moth Main Stage storyteller. He is currently working on Sicker! The Movie: A Novel. If he were pitching a Hollywood agent, he'd call it, "Cain & Abel meets Entourage," but he won't stoop to that.

PS: At The Moth, There Are No Losers

No, now that I think of it, there were nine losers last night. And one winner. Me. Andy. I'd like to thank the judges, the audience and the Moth staff in its entirety. I'd also like to thank Adam Wade for becoming preoccupied with some sort of potentially fatal respiratory event while telling his very funny story. It gave me the edge I needed.

Why Would I Lie?

2006-10-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Great show last night. The post-story question and answer session was fun, fascinating, animated and rutheless. But as all pointy and sharp implements were hidden away, nobody was hurt. And as it turns out, D-Lounge really IS a great place, just like we assured you it would be before we ever laid eyes on it. (Whew.) Mike, Michaela, James and the two Andys all thank you for coming. And if you weren't able to make it--like maybe you were busy atoning--there's always next time: October 23 at The P.I.T.

Monday, Oct 2: D-Lounge D-Lizards

2006-09-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Borowitz, Daisey, Murphy, Braly and host, Christie

We have a stellar lineup for Monday, October 2nd at D-Lounge. Prepare to be lied to by one member of this fast-talking quartet:

Humorist and commentator Andy Borowitz (borowitzreport.com) is a regular contributor to The New Yorker, NPR's Weekend Edition, CNN's American Morning and author of numerous humor books including The Republican Playbook, Who Moved My Soap? and The Borowitz Report Big Book of Shockers. He is the winner of the first National Press Club Award For Humor.

Mike Daisey ("The master storyteller.” - NY Times) has toured the country and the world with his monologues, Great Men of Genius, Monopoly and 21 Dog Years (the story of his time spent working for the internet giant Amazon.com.) The book inspired by that monologue is available on--what else?-- Amazon.com. His newest show, about truth, lies, James Frey and J.T. LeRoy, is called TRUTH: The heart is a million little pieces above all things, and will make its NY premiere at Ars Nova on October 5th.

Michaela Murphy has told her stories at The Moth NYC (Mainstage, Story Slams, and The Trio Network, 2006 National Tour) Hearsay, Fired!, Speakeasy Stories, Second Stage Theater(Off-Broadway Show,) The Atlantic Theater (with Lewis Black,) Studio 360w/ Kurt Anderson, NPR (All Things Considered,) The Whitney Museum, The Center for Architecture, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Michaela’s work as a playwright and actor has been featured at Manhattan Theater Club, The Ensemble Studio Theater, LaMAMA Theater, The 52nd Street project, The Aspen Comedy Arts Festival, and the Clinton White House. She just shot the TV pilot Turning Points and currently is writing the young adult series Things I Learned In Charm School and a memoir, The Green Monster. Michaela is moving to Seattle, WA this fall for love.

James Braly has told his stories on NPR, at the Whitney Museum and at The Moth, where he’s the only two-time GrandSLAM winner. Called “a master storyteller” by writer Jonathan Ames, James will be performing his full length show, Life in a Marital Institution at Dixon Place on September 20th and 21st.

The evening's host, Andy Christie, is co-author and illustrator of I Wasn’t Kidding (Random House), a book that explored the funny side of suicide. Not surprisingly, it died on remainder shelves. But he lives on, onstage, online and in snooty literary journals. He has been a featured Moth Main Stage storyteller and is currently working on Sicker! The Movie: A Novel. If he were pitching a Hollywood agent, he'd call it, "Cain & Abel meets Entourage," but he won't stoop to that.

Join the party, have a drink, spot the liar, win a prize:

Monday, Oct. 2, 8pm
D-Lounge
101 East 15th Street
Union Square
$8.00 (plus 2 drinks)
doors open 7:30

The Times it is A-Changin'

2006-09-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

The New York Times has instituted a sweeping but subtle redesign, to emphasize the difference between objective and subjective journalism....(read article)

And here's a late-breaking addition to our Liar Study Guide (see Sept. 1 post):
10 Ways To Catch A Liar: AOL Health

Study Guide

2006-09-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

Moments after Cain told mankind's first lie, "He started it," bloggers were all over him and the news spread like wildfire. (The internet was still made of wood back then.) Things are no different on our modern-day, electric web, which is where we came across the following resources. You might find them helpful if you plan to attend our next show.
Note: Please do NOT bring Biometric Eye Scanners or ERP detectors to the performance. We'll have plenty of those things to go around for everybody.

How To Spot a Google Search:

How to Spot a Liar: Chief Security Officer Magazine
How to Spot a Liar: Palm Beach Post
How to Spot a Liar: Time Magazine
How to Spot a Liar: Time Europe
How to Spot a Liar: Dr Phil
How to Spot a Liar: AskMen.com
How to Spot a Liar: BBC News
If you're in a hurry:
How to Spot a Liar--Fast!: Lifetime TV
If you like lists:
10 Ways To Spot A Liar: Sellsius Real Estate
10 Ways To Catch A Liar: AOL Health
If you like lists and you're in a hurry:
5 Ways to Spot a Liar: CareerBuilder.com

More helpful resources:
Can You Spot a Liar?: Reader's Digest Quiz
Find a Polygraph Examiner

Liar Tells the Truth

2006-08-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Liar's own Andy Christie won his third Moth Story Slam last night. It might not mean much to you but he's pretty happy about it because now he'll have the opportunity to lose his third GrandSLAM at the Players Club.

And thanks to Ned Vizzini for his shout out. Buy all his novels at Amazon.

Iraq? Lebanon? John Mark Karr? Who Cares?

2006-08-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

A piece about the NY storytelling scene appears on the cover this week's Our Town Downtown. It is lavishly illustrated with pictures from the last Liar show and features The Moth, Mike Daisey, Dave Dickerson, James Braly, Speakeasy, Mouthpiece, Andy Christie and more of the usual suspects. (text only version)

P.I.T. Bull

2006-08-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

THE P.I.T. - 8/15/06
Thanks to everyone who came to our sold-out premiere at The PIT. And congratulations to the nine geniuses who spotted Andy as the Liar and walked away with a fashionable "I'm Not Bald" hat. I just did the math and it appears that about 85% of the audience wasn't too swift. Better luck next time. If you couldn't make the show (or were one of the unlucky people sent to the wrong address by a rogue email) these are the people you missed:

Mike Daisey, called "The master storyteller" by the NY Times. He will be presenting his new monologue about truth and the likes of James Frey & JT LeRoy, "TRUTH (the heart is a million little pieces above all things)" at Ars Nova, October 5th to November 4th Thursdays and Saturdays at 7pm.

James Braly, NPR & NY Press contributor and two-time Moth Grandslam winner. His "Life in a Marital Institution" squeezes 20 years of monogamy into one terrifying evening at Dixon Place, September 20 and 21 at 8:00 pm.

Joanna Parson , writer, actress and comedian. She appears in the sitcom "Temps" debuting at the New York Television Festival, September 12 through 17th. She's included in "The Complete Idiots Guide to Jokes," out in September, and she'll appear in Transport Group's fall production of "All the Way Home."

Andy Christie (Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, Really Small Talk) was both the host and the liar of the evening. Congratulations to all you geniuses who pegged him and won a fabulous "I'm Not Bald" hat.

Check back soon for information on the next Liar.

##TITLE##

1969-12-31T16:00:00.003-08:00

##CONTENT##

##TITLE##

1969-12-31T16:00:00.002-08:00

##CONTENT##

##TITLE##

1969-12-31T16:00:00.001-08:00

##CONTENT##

##TITLE##

1969-12-31T16:00:00.000-08:00

##CONTENT##