Comedians Performing Saturday To Raise $ To Keep OCFOpen

While Governor David A. Paterson's proposal to close to the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility (OCF) isn't a laughing matter, no one has ever said that one can't have some fun while supporting the fight to keep one of the city's largest employers open.

On Saturday, the Ogdensburg Elks Lodge will be hosting nationally renowned comedians Keith Alberstadt and Joe Larson for an evening of comedy to benefit the Save OCF Task Force.

For each ticket sold, the lodge will donate $5 to the Save Ogdensburg Correctional Facility Account at Community Bank.

The night of laughter is scheduled to get started with a dinner of either prime rib or chicken cordon bleu. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with the show to follow at 8 p.m.

Tickets for dinner and the show are available for $30, while tickets for just the show are $15.

According to Elks Club Member Tim Richards, the lodge has set of goal of raising $500 at the event and with 50 tickets already sold, the club is well on its way to surpassing that.

Tickets may be purchased at the lodge, The Place or Kimro's Medicine Place.

Mr. Alberstadt will be coming to Ogdensburg fresh off a recent appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. While Mr. Larson is a regular on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Here's a sampling of what to expect on Saturday:

Mr. Alberstadt on Sarah Palin's decision last year to resign as governor of Alaska, "Many of Palin's supporters were shocked at her sudden, abrupt decision. But let's face it... She named her kids "Bristol" and "Willow," so it's not like she's got a knack for thinking things through.

As for Mr. Larson he says on his MySpace page that he got started in comedy after realizing "his dream of becoming the first person other than Oprah to appear on the cover of "O" magazine wasn't going to happen."