Stand-Up Comics Have Crowd Roaring For Good Cause: Photos

PECONIC, NY — A lineup of hilarious comics had the crowd roaring with laughter Friday night as the North Fork Chamber of Commerce presented its 10th annual Comedy Night at the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. in Peconic.

Included on the roster of comedians delighting the crowd were Dr. Harry Freedman, a stand-up comic with more than three decades of experience who has performed as an opening act for Ray Romano and on TV shows including "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Men of a Certain Age."

Comic Les Bayer was crowned champion of an over-50 comedy competition sponsored, in part, by the AARP. He has appeared at Governors Comedy Clubs, the Long Island Laugh Festival and some of New York City's top clubs.

Frank Vignola has appeared on "Comedy Central" and at Montreal's "Just for Laughs" Comedy Festival with Bill Maher and a tour of mid-east U.S. military installations with the USO.

Headliner Richie Byrne, the warm-up comic for "The Dr. Oz Show”, has also warmed up "The Late Show With David Letterman",“The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, and “Rachael Ray.”

Byrne, whose talents in the comedy arena have sent him skyrocketing front and center on stages worldwide, also believes in giving back: He's involved with Comedy Cures, a non-profit organization created by Saranne Rothberg that utilizes comedy as a therapeutic tool for terminally ill patients and their care-givers.

Byrne has taken the stage at a glittering array of New York's most notable comedy venues, including Dangerfield's, Carolines on Broadway and the Gotham Comedy Club. He has also headlined many clubs around the country including Hilarities in Cleveland, The Ice House in Pasadena, The Borgata in Atlantic City as well as the Tropicana in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

His comedy television credits include Comedy Central, VH1, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show", "Good Day New York" and "Gotham Live" on AXS-TV. Other daytime warm-up credits include "The Rachael Ray Show", "The Chew", "The Jane Pauley Show" and the sitcom "Murphy Brown".

Byrne has also spent time pursuing his first passion, acting, both on the stage and screen, with high-profile credits including "Sex and the City," "The Sopranos," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and "Conviction," as well as the feature film "Good-bye Baby". His variety show, "The Richie Byrne Show," is a spot-on meld of theater, Broadway, comedy sketches and big band grandeur.

Each of the comics brought their own hilarious brand of humor to the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. Friday night; the event drew a packed house and all for a good cause – funds raised will be used to present deserving North Fork students with scholarships in 2019.