7th Annual ECNY Awards Winners Announced

The ECNY Awards, New York's original comedy awards celebrated the absolute best in New York comedy tonight during a standing room only reception at The 92Y Tribeca in New York City. Through rapturous applause and laughter, eighteen awards were presented to the most hilarious and hard-working comedians in New York City today. Afterwards, people had drinks, and then they went home and went to sleep. The next morning, most of them woke up.

"We couldn't be more proud of the winners," said ECNY producer Carol Hartsell. "With a record number of people voting online, coupled with our industry committee votes, we made sure that the absolute best comedians working in New York were honored tonight with an award shaped like a laughing donkey. You know, real classy like."

The winners are:

Best Variety Show
Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen

Best Improv Group
Death By Roo Roo

Best Website
thecomicscomic.com

Best Host
Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal

Best Flyer of Postcard Design
The Paul Downs Syndrome - Rylan Morrison

Best Sketch Comedy Group
Serious Lunch

Best Technician
Beowulf Jones

Best Comedy Podcast
Risk! True Tales, Boldly Told

Best Book
The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex - Kristen Schaal and Rich Blomquist

Best Comedic Video (Short or Series)
"Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" - Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp

Best Comedy Event
The 12th Annual Del Close Marathon

Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Tweeting
@chrisgethard

Best One Person Show
"Prison Freaks" - Shannon O'Neill

The Emerging Comic Award
Paul W. Downs

Best Storyteller
Tom Shillue

Best Musical Comedy Act (Group or Solo)
Adira Amram

Best Male Stand-Up Comedian
Kurt Braunohler

Best Female Stand-Up Comedian
Andrea Rosen

The awards were hosted by Jon Friedman (The Rejection Show), with awards presented by past winners Eddie Brill (Lifetime Achievement), Glennis McMurray (Best Musical, Best Improv), Gabe Liedman and Max Silvestri (Best Host), Paul Briganti & Jared Nuemark of Landline.TV (Best Short Comedic Film), Carol Hartsell (Best Technician), Sara Benincasa (Best Short Comedic Video), Myq Kaplan (Emerging Comic Award), Snakes (Best Comedic Musical Act), Morgan Murphy (Best Female Stand-Up Comedian), and Hannibal Buress (Best Male Stand-Up Comedian).

They were joined by Andrew WK, Eliot Glazer, Livia Scott, Chelsea White, The Moon, Mark Normand, David Cope, and Bobby Tisdale.

There were performances throughout the night by the musical nominees: Grease 3: Threase, Stuckey & Murray, Ben Lerman, and Adira Amram & The Experience.

Videos were created for the show by The Moon Show. Winners were escorted on and off stage by ECNY Girl Katherine Bryant Flaherty. And there was a lot of tweeting and stuff.

Winners were selected by combining a public voting process, and voting by a committee composed of industry professionals.

The Awards, a mainstay of the New York comedy scene, returned in 2007 with a completely revamped production team, after an almost two year hiatus. After sold out ceremonies the last two years, The ECNYs continue to celebrate the comedic performing arts in New York City by honoring the best, funniest, and most creative performers, shows, and producers working in the field.

Some previous recipients of an ECNY Award include:

- Hannibal Buress (Best Male Stand-Up Comedian; "Saturday Night Live," "30 Rock")
- Derrick (Best Sketch Comedy Group, 2008; "Mystery Team")
- Kumail Nanjiani (Best Male Stand-Up Comedian, Best One Person Show, 2008; Comedy Central's "Michael & Michael Have Issues")
- Lennon Parham (The Emerging Comic Award, 2008; ABC's "Accidentally on Purpose")
- Nick Kroll (Best One Person Show, 2007; FOX's "Sit Down Shut Up")
- The Onion News Network (Best Web Site, 2007)
- John Mulaney (Best Male Stand-Up Comedian, 2007; "Saturday Night Live")
- Kristen Schaal (Best Female Stand-Up Comedian, 2007; "Flight of the Conchords")
- Eugene Mirman & Michael Showalter (Best Host, 2007; "Stella")
- Aziz Ansari (Best Male Stand-up, 2005; NBC's "Parks and Recreation")
- Jessi Klein (Best Female Stand-Up, 2003; Best Host, 2005; Comedy Central's "Michael and Michael Have Issues")
- Sara Schaefer (Best Host, 2004; NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon")
- Mike Birbiglia (Best Male Stand-up, 2003; Broadway's "Sleepwalk With Me")
- John Gemberling & Curtis Gwinn (Best Duo, 2003; Adult Swim's "Fat Guy Stuck in Internet")

The ECNY Awards are produced by Kambri Crews (Balyhoo Productions), Jon Friedman (The Rejection Show), Carol Hartsell (Drink at Work), Nate Sloan (The Apiary), and Alex Zalben (SketchFest NYC).

This year's Awards are sponsored by 92Y Tribeca, Lagunitas Brewing, Kikkerland, Harvey Altman & Co., Gotham Comedy Club, The Laugh Button, The Moon, DeBortoli Wines, and Supermango Media. For more information, or if you would like to sponsor this year's Awards, please visit the website at ECNYAwards.com.

For more information, please visit the awards website at ECNYAwards.com. A full wrap-up, including video excerpts and photos, will be available in the next few weeks. The ECNY Awards will return for their seventh year in March of 2012.