If there are three things Owen Benjamin knows, it's puppies, Leonardo diCaprio and comedians. He has combined all of these things into the perfect metaphor for the Comics to Watch showcase as part of the New York Comedy Festival. This show features ten up-and-coming stand-ups hand-selected by Comedy Central.

Watch the full length digital premiere TODAY at 4pm ET/1pm PT on cc.com/comicstowatch and live tweet with @OwenBenjamin and all the #ComicsToWatch comedians. The full special will be available to watch until Thursday, November 15. Enjoyment guaranteed.

Move over moving pictures, all the kids are into the podcasts these days. Last night at the Gramercy Theater two podcasts: You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes and The Meltdown with Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani recorded live with a variety of stand-up guests (Kurt Metzger, Hari Kondabolu, Gabe Liedman, Chelsea Peretti, Eugene Mirman, Jared Logan).

In the photo above (from You Made It Weird), Chelsea Peretti can be seen on a couch where she remained for most of the night "spooning herself." Pete Holmes recalled meeting his wife as Salem Witch Trial reenactors and cited Marc Maron's WTF podcast as an influence on his podcast. Then there was The Meltdown, which was named the number-one comedy show in Los Angeles, and featured surprise guests  Jim Gaffigan and Hannibal Buress.

Comedy podcasts have exploded over the past few years and they're a lot like Pokemon, you got to catch them all. That was another reference for the kids.

More New York Comedy Festival coverage is on the way. Watch the entire Comics to Watch showcase this Monday, November 12 at 4pm ET/1pm PT on cc.com/comicstowatch, and live-tweet with Owen Benjamin and all the comedians. Happy Birthday!

When Artie Lange gets honest, he gets REALLY honest. Last night at Town Hall, Lange opened up about his time in rehab, playing Scrabble in psych wards and getting offers to write tweets for Kim Kardashian. He explained why those under 25 are part of the gayest generation and went on a tirade when an audience member yelled out A-Rod's name. Even Artie admitted that "some of these aren't jokes, they're just pure anger."

Despite his troubles over the past two years, Artie still aims to provide guidance and wisdom. He left the audience with this advice for 12-year-olds: "If you give a hooker money to go get cocaine, she will never come back."

Artie opened and closed with standing ovations as he exclaimed, "I'm back, motherf**kers." Currently you can see him on the Nick and Artie Show on DirectTV with Nick DiPaolo, and Artie hinted that a Hurricane Sandy benefit show is in the works featuring him, Nick and Dave Attell.

Stay tuned for more coverage from the New York Comedy Festival.

I don't throw the term "hero" around often, but that's exactly what Owen Benjamin is. When Comics to Watch host Pete Holmes' flight was canceled, Owen braved the snowstorm and said, "I'll host this." And that's how last night's Comics to Watch at Carolines on Broadway, as part of the New York Comedy Festival was saved.

The ten stand-ups hand-selected by Comedy Central – Andrew Santino, Asif Ali, Brooks Wheelan, Chris Distefano, David Agyekum, Hampton Yount, Kate Berlant, Liza Treyger, Matt D and Phil Hanley — delved into topics of linear time, Eskimos on acid, trail mix and anti-marijuana ads. A bra was thrown on the stage and Owen Benjamin did car bombs with members of the audience. It was a great night for comedy and the world.

If you missed this show, you can watch the full length digital premiere on Monday, November 12 at 4pm ET/1pm PT on cc.com/comicstowatch and live tweet with Owen and all the comedians. Take a nap now, get your rest — this is going to be good.

If you ever wondered what an M.C. Escher digital album would sound like, it would probably sound like T.J. Miller's Mash Up Audiofile, dropping Tuesday, November 13. The album is a companion piece to Mash Up and contains stand-up plus music/comedy mashups. Bonus tracks feature hip hop luminary Steinski, as well as Second City's Jesse Case, who did all the music for Miller’s debut comedy music album, The Extended Play EP. This is a mash up of Mash Up which is already a mash up — you get it.

Watch a highlight from Mash Up and tune in to new episodes, Tuesdays at 12:30am/11:30c.

The best way to really appreciate a comic is to watch closely, listen quietly, observe fully and inhale deeply. You can do all of those things at this year's Comics to Watch tomorrow night  at 7pm at Carolines on Broadway with host Pete Holmes and ten up-and-coming comedians (hand selected by Comedy Central).

Click here to buy your tickets with discount code CTW and it'll cost you just $5. Even babies can afford that.

Here's the lineup:

Andrew Santino

Asif Ali

Brooks Wheelan

Chris Distefano

David Agyekum

Hampton Yount

Kate Berlant

Liza Treyger

Matt D

Phil Hanley

If you can't make the live show, watch the full length digital premiere on Monday, November 12 at 4pm/3c on cc.com/comicstowatch and stay tuned for more coverage from the New York Comedy Festival.

The New York Comedy Festival (for comedy fans) combines the excitement of Christmas morning with the longevity of Hanukkah. From Wednesday, November 11 through Sunday, November 17, you can see big comedy shows (like Aziz Ansari at Carnegie Hall or Jim Gaffigan at the Apollo Theater or Kevin Hart at Madison Square Garden) or more intimate comedy shows (like Kyle Kinane at UCBeast or Hannibal Buress at Santos Party House). I could list more, but then the Internet would explode.

Go to the website, peruse the schedule, buy tickets HERE. Do it NOW.

Where were we before status updates, retweeting and pintresting? Cave-dwelling and oral history-making, if I recall. Social networking has changed everything and Chris Hardwick (with 1.7 million Twitter followers) enjoys it — except for MySpace and Facebook. Sorry Tom Anderson and Mark Zuckerberg.

Watch a preview from Chris's one-hour stand-up special "Mandroid," premiering Saturday, November 10 at 11/10c.

As election day fast approaches, our nation is as greatly divided as ever. But there remains one issue upon which all Americans can rally behind: free comedy. And there's a whole month of exactly that kicking off tonight at The Hudson in Hollywood.

All shows start at 8pm with limited seating. Call (323) 960-5519 for reservations.

1 Thursday
ALL IN
Brian Finkelstein and friends
Brian Finkelstein (Ellen DeGeneres show, the Moth) gathers some of L.A.’s best comedians for a night of poker and sick F**king stories. We apologize in advance for what will be said in this show. With Michael Bunin (My Boys), Jackie Clarke (Happy Endings), Curtis Gwinn (Animal Practice), Laura Krafft (The Colbert Report), Charlie Sanders (Key & Peele)…plus special guests!

5 Monday
CELEBRITY
Created by Brian Gattas
With the help of a special celebrity guest, John Roberts (Bob’s Burgers), performers Bob Dassie, Jeff Drake, Brian Gattas, Laura Krafft, Wendy Molyneux, Dana Powell, Adrian Wenner and Ethan Sandler embark on a long-form improvisation where there real life celebrity is pressed into service as a faux celeb’s personal assistant. Voted “Best Improv Show” ~ LA Weekly.

8 Thursday
FROM A TO B
Written and Performed by Allison Bosma
A one-woman sketch show follows Hoight, as he tries to get to a party to find his crush. We see the eight unique characters he encounters as he makes his way on what seems like an impossible journey to meet his dream girl.

12 Monday
CATE AND NEAL’S BIG THING
Cate Freedman and Neal Dandade
Cate and Neal are taking a break from the Second City National Touring Company to host a thing. A big thing. A thing with scenes, monologues, and songs about characters going through big things. Real big things. Like breakups, college, and being drunk on career day. Human things. It’s going to be a big thing. Directed and music by Scott Goldstein.

19 Monday
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Written and Performed by Monster Party
Monster Party, a Los Angeles based sketch group that loves to party, MONSTER style, is back with a brand new sketch show that’s sure to delight and offend. All work created by Michael Dias, Sarah French, Candice Goodman, Joshua Hoover, Corey Krueger, Ruffy Landayan, Carlos Orlando, Allison Ramirez, Candida Rodriguez and Justin Young. https://www.facebook.com/MPComedy

27 Tuesday
BIG BOSS COMEDY
Sketch Comedy
Sketch comedy performed by a group of best friends who may also be lovers. Will Ross and Rachel ever end up together? Written and performed by Michael Aspinwall, Doug Bass, Matt Cook, Katierose Donohue, Tom Fonss, Kate Frisbee, Courtney Pauroso and Corey Podell. Directed by Mikey Day.

28 Wednesday
THE iNTECOLLECTUALS
Follow Your Own Weird
An original sketch comedy group sprouting out of the cracks of the infamous Venice Beach. The iNT creates a fast paced flipbook of comedic genius inspired by their community, culture and personal baggage. With Betsy Currie, Mike Geary, Elliott Pelle and Stephanie Hodgdon. www.theintecollectuals.com Created and Directed by Jeff Leaf.

29 Thursday
SIT N' SPIN
Writers' Reading Series
People telling tales on themselves. With Monica Piper, Taylor Negron, John Levenstein, Cathy Ladman and Timothy Jenkins, plus a special musical guest. Presented by Jill Soloway, Maggie Rowe & Andersen Gabrych.

Kyle Kinane turns up the heat on the sh*t talk in this episode of 30 Seconds Over Washington.