Thank you!

About The Benefit

The Comed-o-Therapy Benefit For The Jimmy Fund, Honoring Jeanne Shippey is a night of comedy inspired by a relative of a Boston-born comedian. Six great, hilarious, highly-regarded comics will come together, and perform on one of the country's best known stages, for a night of laughs like no other! Ticket sales directly assist The Jimmy Fund, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, providing funding to research that will help conquer cancer, and cancer related disease, and to programs designed to alleviate the fears raised by this disease.

How Did The Benefit Get Its Start?

Cathe B. Jones, familiar to many for her work in Second City and on the stand-up stage, started her career in Boston in 1979, as an intern for the Charles Playhouse. It was there that the Comedy Connection began in the 1970's. That club helped launch the careers of dozens of Boston area comedians, including Denis Leary, Paula Poundstone, and Lenny Clarke. When Cathe first took the stage there, it was on a bet from Denis Leary, when she was barely 17 years old. She spent much of her childhood spending weekends visiting her Aunt Jeannie, who grew up helping to raise Cathe's father. Cathe's Dad and Aunt Jeannie are very close and age, and are much like brother and sister to this day. Cathe, and her sister Colette, spent much of their childhood playing with Jeannie's kids, who were close to the same age. This is the family she has known.

In July 2007, Cathe received word that her aunt, Jeanne Shippey was diagnosed with stage four cancer in her lungs and lymph nodes. What could a stand-up comedian, and writer do? She could find out about starting a benefit, and getting help to her aunt in the best way she knew how! So, she began looking up comedians from the clubs back in Boston, who played during the days when she first started out. Then, she looked up others who had gained a following in the area in recent years. Where could such a benefit be held? Why not look back again and contact that Comedy Connection?

But there's a lot of work to put together a benefit, and Cathe's just one person. She'd need help from people who knew about cancer, and knew about putting together events that succeeded. When Jeanne Shippey discovered her disease, her first instinct was to contact the Dana-Farber institute for treatments. When Cathe Jones discovered that this was her aunt's course of action, she contacted The Jimmy Fund to find out about making that benefit a success. The Jimmy Fund is working with Cathe Jones in getting the event together. The ticket sales for the night will serve The Jimmy Fund by aiding programs to fight cancer--ultimately assisting Jeanne,and people like her. The great people there, especially Caitlin Fay, and Sarah Neukom who have also have helped by providing marketing ideas and promotion plans for additional revenue which will go DIRECTLY to the care of Jeanne Shippey.

The Comedians are ready, and the location is set, thanks to Frank Ahearn, the sales manager at The Comedy Connection. The good folks at The Jimmy Fund are lending their support, and we're working with them to help them with their efforts. The call was put out for volunteers, and a surprising thing happened- Scotty from Acme Books offered printing services. Jon Lincoln, a friend of comedian Courtney Cronin, offered insight and advice, then offered to help out in keepng things together. Brian and Courtney from the Kvetch forum volunteered! Rick Jenkins and Jim Lauletta came up with ideas! Everywhere we turned, people were offering tips, advice, and a hand! Cathe's sister Colette agreed to man the Boston office, while Jeanne's daughter Jeanine dealt with some medical issues of her own.

Then came the support of iJoke.tv! You may not know if it NOW, but you will by the end of this paragraph! Budd Friedman's friends put together a board where comedy fans and comedians could meet and talk about the business and joy of comedy. There's no cover charge! The first day Cathe signed aboard, people were offering to lend a hand, and even helped name the event. Nationally recognized comics, club owners, and friends, as well as comedy fans and just good people wanted to support Jeanne and The Jimmy Fund. And, they're doing their best to out-do MySpace.

MySpace became a Media sponsor! They've given the benefit a rotating spot on the Comedy Spotlight section of their internationally recogized community. For two to three weeks, this very benefit will have a front page presence seen by millions of people.

Then came our first major corporate sponsor in Audio-One! People use their services for very high end audio and visual equipment- and clients include the Osbournes, Aerosmith and many major recording studios through out the United States. Every day, we're finding more people who are eager to help out Aunt Jeannie, and the great cause of The Jimmy Fund. And every day, we're working harder to ensure that this event will be one of the best that's even happened for both!

"All we need is YOU! Come to the benefi!! Support the events, before, during or afterwards! Help us fight cancer, and help Jeannie get through this, just like we are! Every day, people like you are helping The Dana Farber Institute get one step closer to stopping this disease, and saving lives through The Jimmy Fund. Thanks for that, and thanks for helping my Aunt Jeannie! Maybe we'll be helping your Aunt Jeannie, too!"

--Cathe B, and the entire crew of the Comed-O-Therapy Benefit For The Jimmy Fund Honoring Jeanne Shippey

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