Big Laughs at Meehan's Comedy Showcase

As part of Long Island Comedy's Comedy Showcase,  local  residents got to see four high-profile comedians work their material in the Oak Room at Meehan's Saturday.

The brainchild behind the Long Island Comedy Festival –  an island-wide tour of comedy events – is Paul Anthony. "This is what I do. This is what I love."

Anthony began to notice earlier this decade that the winds of comedy were changing on Long Island.  Where once there were at least ten decent venues for good comedy,  he recounts now currently only three such destinations: Governor's of Levittown, McGuire's in Bohemia, and the Brokerage in Bellmore. The Long Island Comedy Festival was Anthony's answer to the shrinking comedy environment.

A comedian in his own right, he likes to think of himself now as "a comedian first, an executive producer second."

In addition to handling much of the festival's administration, Anthony also works as host to these shows and is gratified by the crowd's response.

"The reaction has been terrific. Tonight's show [in Huntington] is sold out," he said.

Indeed, the Oak Room was packed with close to 200 fans of laughter.

"We had tried scoping out other venues in Huntington. In the end we liked what [Meehan brothers] Michael and Patrick showed us," said Jeanne Murphy, who's been in charge of marketing the festival. "It's a perfect venue for comedy. It's a great location, right in the middle of Huntington, and once the show in April sold out, we knew we had the right place."

Anthony works with over 100 comics, and chooses from different  talent for each show. Every 90-minute show has four to six comedians.

"People come back, because every show is different," Anthony said.

This night's line-up included four comics. The first act was Holbrook resident Stevie GB,  billed as the "world's funniest accountant."

GB was followed by retired FDNY firefighter John Laroccia, who, according to Anthony, was voted the funniest New York City firefighter on the ABC daily television program, The View.  

Ronkonkoma's Chris Roach took to the stage for part three, and the evening of laughs was capped comedienne Maureen Langan, who's been seen working as the opening act on CNN's The Joy Behar Show.