3rd annual Comedy Jam will benefit Mario Lemieux Foundation

This Saturday, comedian and former Pittsburgher Steve Byrne will produce his third annual Comedy Jam to benefit the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

The show, which boasts an impressive all-star lineup of national acts and Pittsburgh favorites, will be held at Rivers Casino Event Center.

“I’d done stand up with Bill Burr for the Lemieux Foundation a few years ago during their Lemieux Fantasy Camp. I grew up in the area and played at Hampton. I just had a great time. Obviously, Lemieux is my childhood — and still my adult — hero, he’s my Superman. Getting that experience was an amazing opportunity,” Byrne said of the Comedy Jam’s inception.

After that, he wanted to get more directly involved.

“Instead of being somebody who just comes and does stand up to support it, why don’t I use my resources and bring comics back to Pittsburgh? We can raise some money for the Foundation. I think they’ve been such an incredible part of the community in terms of raising awareness and giving support to people who are affected with cancer, and also research. It was a cause I wanted to get behind,” he said.

The foundation was created in 1993 by Pittsburgh Penguins legend Lemieux, who is a cancer survivor himself. The foundation raises awareness, funds research and supports patients and their families during their own battles.

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Byrne thought that such an occasion deserved a special show. “The first year, I thought, well, we could just do a traditional stand-up show or we could do something a little more fun,” he said.

He decided to produce a “comedy jam.”

“Comedians come out and do 10 minutes of material, and then they sing a song with a live band,” he explained. The show will be hosted by Josh Adam Meyers.

“It’s a comedy concert and it becomes this fun experience … When these guys come out, everybody’s gonna get on their feet and we’re going to party,” he added.

The lineup for this year’s show includes “Saturday Night Live” star Colin Jost, Joe Gatto from “Impractical Jokers,” “The Daily Show” alum Roy Wood Jr., Pittsburgher and star of the sitcom “Mike and Molly,” Billy Gardell, WDVE Morning Show’s Bill Crawford and more.

It will also include the star of “A Christmas Story,” Peter Billingsley.

“Peter Billingsley was one of the first guys I met in Los Angeles. I didn’t even know he was Ralphie in ‘A Christmas Story’ until like six months later,” he laughed. “Everybody on the show is someone special to me from over the years.”

In past years, Byrne said they have raised between $15,000 and $50,000 for the foundation with Comedy Jam. “This year, we raised ticket prices a little bit … I think this year will be our biggest year in terms of cutting a check to the charity. We have a goal that we set in mind and I think we’re going to exceed that goal,” he said.

He credits WDVE and Rivers Casino for a large part of the success of the event.

Byrne grew up in Pittsburgh, moving here during his middle school years. “A lot of my core memories are based in Pittsburgh. A lot of failure with girls, a lot of failure in hockey and a lot of failure in comedy.”

He moved to New York City and started doing stand-up in 1997. He created and starred in a TBS sitcom — “Sullivan & Son” — that took place in Pittsburgh.

“It has been very fruitful … To be able to support that foundation in any form or fashion, just as a kid that grew up playing hockey in Pittsburgh, that still plays, that is a die-hard Penguins fan — to be affiliated in any form or fashion where I can do anything I can to support it, it’s very flattering that they would trust me to do this. It’s an honor I don’t take lightly,” he said.

“We are grateful for Steve’s generosity, and we are very excited about the show! Proceeds from Saturday’s event will benefit the Lemieux Foundation’s projects in cancer research, patient care and Austin’s Playrooms,” said Nancy Angus, president of the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

“I want to put on the best show possible because it’s not under the banner of my name … it’s under the banner of Mario Lemieux’s name so I want it to be as first class as he is,” Byrne said.

Learn more about the event and find tickets here.