This article appears as part of Brokelyn’s “Year in Review” series, which will continue throughout the week.
2016! What a year we’ve been handed,
The year that the space prince of comedy landed.
In some ways, it was a year we’d rather have none of
Despite all the shit woke queens got to make fun of
It hasn’t been great, but at least humor is climbing,
So we’re looking back on a year in comedy (while rhyming):
Reductress wrote a book and threw shade at St. Patty,
While Broad City saw Tony Danza play daddy.
Naomi Ekperigin went from that show to her CC half-hour,
And Pat Brown made a sex tape that hoped to empower.
Dave Hill had some odd jobs pre- his podcast success,
While Ufomadu told jokes in a suit, tie and vest.
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“Getting a Mindy” was an “it” thing to do,
And Brooklyn got its very own Nathan for You,
Classic songs and comedy made quite the pair,
And we talked to the founder of “having sex with thin air.”
Brooklyn got sent up in cute cartoon jibes,
While Louis CK took on hipsters v. dives.
Of course, it wasn’t all whimsy on this year’s comic journey
After all, New York comedians voted for Bernie,
We found social justice comedy with Buzz Off Lucille,
And a pro-Hillary video got super real.
While 200 lady comics took a group picture,
A venue closed suddenly after alt-right stricture.
We hung on to the escapism of alternative humor
(Even as Trump became more than a rumor):
Kevin Allison’s hustle was hilariously random,
And a comedy duo made absurd things in tandem,
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“Bananas of New York” was very a-peeling
And Joe Pera gave us that warm fuzzy feeling.
Some guy trolled commuters with dirty books (pretty funny)
Then tried to sell his college diploma for money.
Puns became a viable political weapon,
One guy even wrote about punners who get to steppin.’
Some parody music videos mocked the millennial,
While others went straight for the Whitney Biennial.
The New Yorker failed when it tried Brooklyn-mocking,
We preferred the fake Pog store, that got us all talking.
It wasn’t all news, though — we helped you a bit, too
Like telling you how to get comedy in situ.
Surviving your hecklers deserved its own guide,
And we rounded up shows that offered free beer inside,
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The Cinder Block Festival blazed new frontiers,
But comedians still told us their backup careers,
And web series — oh, the web series! — too many to name:
“The Hustle” pitched NYC as a video game.
Another made people build IKEA stuff while high,
And one made “Ghostedbusters,” about being ghosted by guys.
Not one but two series mocked the city’s expense,
But just one poked at the absurdity of brand influence.
So while we’re glad 2016’s nearly over,
The comedy has made it less of a total flyover
We all found some laughs, and some moments of joy
That’s something not even Donald Trump can destroy.
And if you enjoyed this without getting bitter
Consider following the person who wrote it on Twitter: @ahoysamantha