Law & Order Actor to Hit the Stage at Governor’s

It’s not very often that big names make an appearance in the Levittown area - except at Governor’s Comedy Club.

Richard Belzer, who plays Detective John Munch on the hit television show Law & Order: SVU, and Joe Delia, a renowned songwriter, musician and producer, will be teaming up to bring the “Special Victims Tour” to Governor’s on Friday night. The show infuses some blues inspired rock and roll music with standup comedy – a feature as unique as the two friends and performers.

“It was just an idea,” said Belzer of the beginnings of the “Special Victims Tour.” "A lot of people know me as Detective Munch. Then a lot know the live performing. I thought throwing in the name of the show would get a lot of the TV fans down.”

Beginning his professional comedic career in the early 70s, Belzer continued his passion for comedy and acting - eventually landing a spot on Saturday Night Live. He got his big break with Homicide and Law & Order and has now been playing a cop for the past 18 years, he explained.

Delia realized his talent in music at an early age, starting to play in bands with his brothers at the age of 13. He has graced the stage with other big names in the music industry and is the musical director, arranger and pianist for the famous party song “Hot, Hot, Hot.”

The duo met in the 70s when Belzer was doing stand up comedy at a club known as “Catch a Rising Star” and Delia was working with Pat Benetar. They have continued to collaborate on and off for decades.

“He loved music and had some music in his act in the way of parodies,” Delia said. “We kind of hit it off from the beginning. That was years ago and we have pretty much been best friends since the late 70s.”

Belzer said that he enjoys working with Delia because they have “similar musical taste and how to present our act.” He also explained that they don’t argue and are on the same page, which makes it easy to work with one another. Their rock and role parody comedy and blues ties together music and comedy, Belzer said.

“He is a really good arranger and composer so he makes up for my lack of musical talent,” he said. “I respect what he does and he respects what I do. It has been kind of a dream relationship.”

The “Special Victims Tour” show consist of a set of Belzer’s standup material in addition to Delia and his band “Thieves.” Comedian Gary Shapiro will be serving as MC for the evening in this review, combining both worlds of comedy and music, according to Delia. He added that he really likes all aspects of the “Special Victims Your” show because it is “such a new thing.”

“Everything - just the idea being in front of the live audience, doing music I like getting laughs and making people forget their troubles,” Belzer added in reference to his favorite part about doing this specific show. “That is my job.”

The “Special Victims Tour” will be at Governor’s Comedy Club in Levittown on Friday, July 1 at 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 plus a two beverage minimum per person. Please call Governor’s at (516) 731-3358 for additional information.