Comedy Night to Benefit 'Get Behind the Vest' Fund

On Saturday, April 11, 8 p.m., 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea and Christ the King Parish will host an evening of comedy to benefit the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Get Behind the Vest campaign that is working to provide new bulletproof vests for Chicago police officers.

“I’m proud to be a part of any effort that supports the safety and well-being police officers,” said Alderman Matt O’Shea, 19th Ward. “The Get Behind the Vest Comedy Night provides residents with an opportunity to come together for a great event and show their appreciation for the men and women of the Chicago Police Department.”

The event’s line-up includes two-time Late Show guest Pat McGann; WGN’s Pat Tomasulo, 2010 Last Comic Standing Semi Finalist Kevin Bozeman and Zanies regular Jim Flannigan. The event will be held in the Christ the King school gymnasium, 9240 S. Hoyne Avenue, Chicago, and tickets are available for $30 each or $300 for a table of 10 at www.cpdmemorial.org.

“As the danger of gunfire to officers increases, it is more important than ever that we make sure the brave men and women of the Chicago Police Department are kept as safe as possible from the devastating effects of one bullet,” said Phil Cline, Chicago Police Memorial Foundation executive director. “Alderman O’Shea and the 19th Ward community have been particularly supportive of this campaign, and we are thankful for every donation, which highlights our commitment to this cause and inspires others to also give.”

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is working to raise $4 million to replace the 8,000 outdated vests currently in use by Chicago police officers through the Get Behind the Vest initiative. The funds will cover 75 to 80 percent of the cost of new vests for officers. Chicago police officers each get a bulletproof vest upon graduation from the police academy but are responsible for the cost of replacing it as it wears. Bulletproof vest replacement is recommended every five years.

A Beverly/Morgan Park native, Pat McGann is the House Emcee at Zanies Comedy Club and two-time guest on the Late Show with David Letterman. In 2010, McGann created and hosted the Emmy nominated television show The Chicago Stand Up Project. McGann also appears regularly on Sports Talk Live (Comcast), Windy City Live (ABC), Mancow & Good Day Chicago (Fox), WGN Morning News, WGN-Radio & ESPN Radio.

Pat Tomasulo is the sports anchor for the WGN Morning News, Chicago’s dominant #1-rated AM newscast and has hosted a few national TV programs, including the ABC primetime series Shaq Vs and Live with Regis and Kelly. He is a regular at the Zanies in Chicago, and performs all over the Midwest.

Kevin Bozeman is a Zanies Comedy Club regular and national headliner. He was a semi-finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2010. He performed on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend in 2003, and finished 2nd in the Boston Comedy Competition in 2005.

Since breaking onto the scene almost 10 years ago, Jim Flannigan has spent time opening for some of the top touring acts in the country, including Brad Garrett, David Alan Grier and Rob Schneider. In 2014, Jim made his television debut on WGN.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to honoring the lives of our fallen heroes. The Foundation provides support and assistance to the families of Chicago police officers who are killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty.