New Comedy Show Fights Bias With Humor, Dialogue In East Setauket

EAST SETAUKET, NY — In a world rife with bias and hate crimes, the only way to bridge the gap is by bringing people together through humor and meaningful conversation about what can be done to find answers — together.

Those words define the premise of a new comedy show, "United We Laugh," that's been touring the East End in recent months — and that's now headed west for a show Tuesday night presented by Soul Joel Productions, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook and Multicultural Solidarity.

The event takes place Tuesday at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook, located at 380 Nicolls Road in East Setauket; doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at the door or by clicking here or calling 908-414-7097.

Along with creator/host Richie Byrne and moderator James "Dr. Love" Banks, the show features hilarious A-list comics including DC Benny, Sara Contreras, and Wali Collins.

Conceived by Byrne, a comedian who wows with his warm-up on "The Dr. Oz Show", performances nationwide, and TV and film appearances, the show focuses on giving audiences the chance to share their unique perspectives — to listen and discuss explosive issues in a safe, non-confrontational space, where laughter has eased tensions.

"A major part of this dilemma is our inability to see the alternate perspective. We need to hear another's point of view in a way that's more relatable and less volatile," Byrne said. "The only way to accomplish this, one that's been overlooked, is through humor. Off-the-cuff honesty in humor has been compromised by a spike in sensitivity on all sides — by the fear of offending."

"United We Laugh" is a planned multi-entertainment, multi-cultural tour, podcast, Facebook Live program and television show designed to heal through hope and lead through laughter.

The diverse mix of well-known comedians represents all sides of the heated debate on discrimination. During the first act, the comedians perform, infusing the evening with hilarity and intelligence. What's found in the end, Byrne said, is that in the end, people are more alike than different.

After a 15-minute intermission, Act II unfolds with all four comics onstage discussing discrimination in America.

Audience members are encouraged, but not expected, to ask questions and give their opinions; in a groundbreaking new format, the audience will become a critical component in the show's diverse canvas.

"America has become too rigid, too serious," Byrne said. "This attitude has made our country dangerous. We need to open up and explore our feelings. Comedy is a unique way to do this. 'United We Laugh' seeks to offer understanding and insight into another person's point of view. By shifting the focus toward 'funny' these issues may not seem as dangerously divisive."

The kick-off "United We Laugh" show, held at the Hellenic Snack Bar & Restaurant in East Marion, was followed by events at the Hampton Bays Senior Center, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork in Bridgehampton, the Southampton Cultural Center and the Riverhead Senior Center. All were marked by an engaged crowd that spoke on their own, often painful, experiences with bias..

"This is tremendous," said Lucius Banks, of the Long Island Chapter of the NAACP, after the Hampton Bays show.

"It's so needed," said another woman. During the show, not only the comedians and moderator Banks but also the audience opened up about how their lives had been touched and in some cases, deeply torn, by the racial divide, by the "N-word," by implicit bias that colors every aspect of their lives, even in doing something as simple as walking into a store.

Institutionalized racism, said comedian Contreras, affects all, and filters into every aspect of the society. Some people feel they don't have to talk about race, saying, "It's not my problem," she said. "But everyone is affected by racism."

One audience member has said: "If you examine what's within, you might not really like what you see there."

Another woman said it's critical to realize that festering racism exists everywhere, even in the Hamptons, where the KKK have distributed flyers.

Banks spoke about reparations. "People think that means we have to give them some money. Maybe when we talk about reparations, we need to think about it from the perspective about what things that were taken away — opportunities for housing, being stopped economically — rather than by what we want to give."

But the first step, Banks said, comes when a community joins together in a room to face the issues together with honesty. "We need to do what's happening here tonight," Banks said. "Let's get down to business."

He asked the audience, "How many people here have had people who are different in your home, for dinner? " But when many raised their hands, Banks said one challenge is that often at events organized to tackle racism, he sees a like-minded crowd who share the same beliefs. All too frequently, he said, "The people who need to be here are not here," he said.

"That's what I'm trying to change," Byrne said, adding that every voice needs to be heard if any concrete change is going to be realized.

Byrne said he was happy first audiences have opened up so freely..

"At some points it even get heated but to watch people come together and try to make a difference is really amazing," he said. Byrne said he was also happy with the wide range of topics and the hunger for discussion that's been brought by the audience.

"It's pretty obvious that people want to talk about this, want to open up," Byrne said. "And, there was a level of civility that was important and needed as we move forward."

The comics and audience shared their stories equally, something that Byrne was impressed by."We have an engaged public eager to join the discourse," he said. "There's so much happening in the world today. We need to have a safe place to discuss the issues."

The comedy was critical, Byrne added. "It made people a little more comfortable. During the audience participation portion, it wasn't as volatile as it could have been because the consensus was, 'Let's get going and fight back against bias.' There was an element of community when the comedians were all performing."

Byrne's premise has long been that in an atmosphere of friendship, it's always easier to discuss issues including racism without rancor, due to a level of trust and respect. That environment is one he hopes to foster in the "United We Laugh" shows, where the mood is reminiscent of a group of friends sharing conversation over dinner. "When you go to a party, you sit, you laugh, and you debate — and that's what happens," Byrne said.

The show, he added, is important now more than ever. "Comedy can help defuse the anger and leave it at the door — making the show a safe place to discuss the issues."