Most comedy clubs in New York are showcases, offering an array of comedians--usually pretty good to excellent--doing sets that last ten to 20 minutes. Caroline's is more like the clubs around the country, and it generally offers the opener/MC who does 15-20 minutes, the middle act who does 25-30 minutes, and the headline, who does 45-60 minutes. In other words, Caroline's draws for the specific act, not for the commodity of 'comedy.' So this is where you see people like Paul Mooney or Richard Belzer or any number of national headliners. The place is well run and the seating cozy but not claustrophobic. It's not cheap, but it can be, with the right act, a good night out. Keep in mind that the Monday New Talent show is just that: new talent, which means the audience is mostly their friends/relatives. The new talent is often reasonably good, but obviously not weekend level.
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