Comedian Denis Leary showed thousands of people a picture of Britney Spears’s crotch on two wide-screen televisions and sang “The Rehab Song,” dedicated to the drug-induced behaviors of Hollywood celebrities, Saturday night at Agganis Arena Boston University.
“Happy Halloween, folks,” he said during his opening act when the picture appeared on screen. “Now you feel bad for K-Fed.”
Now in its 13th year, Comics Come Home, the longest running comedy benefit in the country, raised money for the Cam Neely Foundation, a charity started by former Boston Bruins player Cam Neely and his brother in 1995 after their parents died of cancer. The foundation is support-driven and helps cancer patients during treatment by providing a place for patients and their families.
“A little over 13 years ago Denis Leary and I discussed setting up a comedy show to get money for the foundation,” Neely told The Daily Free Press before the show. “I just envisioned him going up for an hour, but he got other comedians and set everything up, and 13 years later he’s still doing it.”
Comedian Mike Birbiglia told jokes about his experiences as a child in Catholic school.
“I was an altar boy, and the answer is no,” Birbiglia said. “I think they knew I was a talker.”
Birbiglia’s act was followed by comedian Jim Norton, who claimed he does not trust any of the presidential candidates.
“When Hillary Clinton smiles, she looks like an alien doing an imitation of a woman experiencing joy,” Norton said.
Leary later returned to the stage and ended the show singing a vulgar song, but almost completely lost his voice by the end amid enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
“I just love their humor, and you get a little flavor of Boston and their accents,” Neely said.
Comedians said although the show was funny they were happy to do the act for a better cause.
“When I started along this business 30 years ago, I did it for the sex,” comedian Lenny Clarke told the Free Press before the show. “Then they started paying us, and I said, ‘Wow, the sex is even better.’ Now that we’re able to give the money back, it’s wonderful.”