Win the lotto, get a neck ache

Starting with Rent, many Broadway shows have taken to offering discount tickets through a student rush, lottery, or will offer some standing room only option (for a full list of shows that feature these options click here).

While it's all nice and good to plan to see a Broadway show most cost upwards of $100 per ticket. Hence the real excitement for many New Yorkers is trying to win the $25 lottery seats. You show up a bit early to the show, fill out a form with your name and how many tickets you want. Then, at the end of a half hour or so, they pull out however many names they have tickets for. The anticipation to see if you win a seat is about 359485 times more exciting than anything you might see on Broadway these days.

We were the first names picked (LUCKY) for Next to Normal which receives three out of four NYiR Landmarks (new rating system). The funny thing is that after winning magical tickets we got the first and supposedly best seats left, right in the front row. The picture above was taken from these seats and I bet you crane your neck just to look at it.

I hear this is pretty typical for Student Rush and lottery. Cons: neck ache. Pros: the amount of actor spit you get to take home as a souvenir. Plus the rush that comes with wondering if something might fall off the stage and into your lap. Like an actor.

Toys 'R Us: Where a 27 year old can be a kid

I know, NYiR fans, that Statue of Liberty didn't used to have a screen behind it. But guess what? IT'S NOT REAL! IT'S MADE OF LEGOS! Yeah, isn't that a mind freak. But there you go, welcome to the Toys 'R Us in Times Square.

Ok, it's not all LEGOs, although you have to admit the Apollo theater next to the Flatiron is pretty awesome. Wander into this fabulous land and you'll realize that A) it's not just for kids and B) toys are SO much cooler than when you were a young 'in. I highly recommend the ferris wheel:Yeah, that's Superman in the background. We're like, BFFs now. I totally helped him catch that truck. It's a good thing too considering it was merely minutes later when my girlfriend was attacked by this dinosaur in the Jurassic Park area:
It came to life and roared and moved around and it was awesome. The only not awesome part of the whole thing? This douchebag who, just because he's on all the logos, thinks he owns the place:
Geez, Geoffrey the Giraffe, were you too busy to attend the personal space seminar during employee orientation? Or is it that you're too cool for skool because your face is on all the merchandise? Somebody call security, this giraffe is a creep!

The Times Square Toys 'R Us also features a Candy Land and a booth that you can take a picture and have them photoshop you into your own puzzle. All very worth the trip and the crowds, so long as you don't have to share an elevator with that giraffe. He'd probably push his own button, look straight at you without asking to push your's, then immediately get on his cell phone to Mickey Mouse about something stupid he did at a party last night. No one cares how SHWASTED you were. Dumb giraffe.

Times Square Week

Times Square: the center of the universe. This week we'll explore many facets of this remarkable area of New York City. One thing that makes it ridiculous is that no New Yorker ever wants to go there. It's a tourist mecca that has been over-run by some really amazing in-your-face folks (even more so than the YOGs and YOBs of Park Slope!). For example:

The comedy club guy
For some reason these guys are everywhere in Times Square asking you if you like to laugh, waving brochures in your face, and trying to be funny. My favorite is this one guys who just goes, "HAHAHA. HAHAHA. COMEDY CLUB." Simple, to the point, I like it. I'd see his act.

A few years ago my girlfriend was accosted by one of these people. When he asked her, "Do you like to laugh?" she tried to avoid him. He went all Michael Richards and was like, "No I don't think you DO like to laugh. You probably just like to sit at home in the dark and watch sad movies and cry." I'd see his act too.

The tour bus guy
No I don't want to see where Miranda and Carrie had drinks during the Sex and the City movie.

The demo guy
This is the one guy I usually find charming. He'll start off with a "you like hip-hop?" and when you even remotely look at him he gives you his demo for $5. Usually in that order where the demo is in your hand before you even know you're buying it. This can be annoying but some of these CDs are real gems.

When I was still a teenager I came across "Lucky" Logan P. McCoy who sold me on his CD which featured such songs as "I've got a crush!" and "I like you." Those were some hardcore jams about respecting women and handing out CDs on the streets. Thank you Lucky Logan for introducing me to hip-hop.

I was gone but now I'm back

Dear Fan (singular),

So sorry I was gone this week but I had to cover all of the ridiculous things in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada you idjit). After hours of in-depth research I found the best and most important news article this week from Halifax and have displayed it above. No joke, this gem is from the front page of the local paper. You're welcome and I promise there will be lots and lots of New York City ridiculous things posted this week.

Yours,

Lodro

Just don't call me a doodle dandy. Because I don't know what that is

Ok so we're not big sports fans here at New York is Ridiculous but it's hard to ignore the 4293457328097 people who are, or at least are when the Yankees win the World Series. Because they line the streets like whoa.

From Yahoo:
Commerce has pretty much shut down in Lower Manhattan today. Hundreds of thousands of members of the work force are showering ticker tape and toilet paper from their high-rise office windows all over the Yankees as the World Series champions and their families inch up Broadway from the U.S. Customs House on Battery Place to City Hall Park.

That's right! Let's throw toilet paper at people. But in a good way. Because we don't remember anything about all that juicing stuff that was in the news right? Honestly, some of us here at NYiR own juicers and can attest that homemade juices are delicious. I'm not sure why people are normally so down on the Yankees for that sort of thing but we're glad they're showing some love today. We love you Yanks!

For live coverage of the Yankee Parade click here.

photo courtesy of Ruby Washington for The New York Times

Who Shot Rock and Roll? Probs these kids

We must make a sudden departure from our The Met is Ridiculous series due to the really neato exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. New York is Ridiculous attended the opening primarily to hear their surprise act, BLONDIE (I know, right? Yes, yes, they still rock even though they're in their fifties). The real surprise of the night was just how good the photo exhibit was. From their website:

The exhibition is in six sections: rare and revealing images taken behind the scenes; tender snapshots of young musicians at the beginnings of their careers; exhilarating photographs of live performances that display the energy, passion, style, and sex appeal of the band on stage; powerful images of the crowds and fans that are often evocative of historic paintings; portraits revealing the soul and creativity, rather than the surface and celebrity, of the musicians; and conceptual images and album covers highlighting the collaborative efforts between the image makers and the musicians.

The magic comes from just how intimate these photographers were with their subjects. You can see Kurt Cobain in tears slumped backstage after a particularly emotional set, Jay Z and P. Diddy texting side by side, or Buddy Holly just spacing out on his bus after a show. You really ought to go see this show. The suggested contribution is $10 (take THAT Met).

NYiR recommends you go to Rock Out on November 7th. On the early side there's some indie rock groups from the 'hood, a meet and greet with the curator, a showing of Purple Rain and then after 9 pm DJ Evil Dee will spin a bunch of the artists who's photos are being shown including Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Chuck Berry, and Jay-Z.

photo by Barry Feinstein (American, born 1931). Bob Dylan with Kids, Liverpool, England, 1966 (printed 2009). Gelatin silver print. Courtesy Barry Feinstein

A special message for everyone who attended the Golden Age Halloween Party last Saturday

OMG! You remember when that girl did that thing? And her costume was all "Uh oh!" and then the DJ put on that awesome song and everyone did that dance while that guy was all like "Whoooaaa" and those two people dressed as Calvin and Hobbes were doing body shots while making out with that crew dressed as the entire cast of Cheers and they were like, "Say whaat?" and then everything collided and form an explosion of awesome? Yeah. That was cool.

Thanks for coming.

Look even my costume is disgusted with me!

Halloween in New York City is scary! Not because of the decorations or the haunted houses but because for one night only people think it's Mardi Gras. Check out the delightful costume pictured above from last year's Halloween parade.

The best part? YOU CAN BE HER THIS YEAR! That's right folks, click here to find out where you show up naked with owl boobs and jump in. This is perfect for everyone who has ever wanted to be in a parade but has done nothing with their life. Which is the entire NYiR staff. We should probably go.

J/k! We're gonna be at our awesome Halloween party. Are you gonna come? Yeah? Smart move. You should RSVP.

You like other New York fan blogs better? That's a deal breaker

Deal Breaker - watch more funny videos

First thing's first: 30 Rock is funny and based in New York City. Which means we love it.

The "deal breaker" clip featured above was a big thing last season and sparked a new fun site dealbreaker.tumblr.com which spawned this little gem about getting your penis grabbed while riding the subway. Check it.

Also, whatcha think of the new background and colors? Really brightens up your day doesn't it?

Marshmallow Civil War

It's exactly what it sounds like. This Saturday in DUMBO there will be a "reenactment...of questionable accuracy." Click here for more info.