Comedy Central

The great thing about NYC is that it's always been a magnet for creativity. People aspiring to careers in the arts have always come here to starve in service of developing their talents. Until they became enclaves for the super-wealthy, the East Village and Soho were where painters and artists lived and worked. Nowadays they mostly live in Williamsburg and less expensive parts of Brooklyn. Actors and those interested in theater have, unsurprisingly, gathered to live in Hell's Kitchen, and in and around the theater district.

But a new artistic "ecosystem" is developing in New York, one for comedians. And it's happening where you might not expect it: Astoria, Queens. Comedians are flocking there in their dozens and developing a community and support groups and a whole comedy world there. Astoria is now the city's funniest neighborhood, our own comedy central.

Astoria is not known for its great comedy clubs or really for anything that would make it a great comedy haven. Also, as this article points out, there's nothing particularly funny or "wacky" about Astoria -- it's a real working class, square 'hood. But then again, this makes it all the more ironic -- and isn't irony what comedy is all about?