Artie Lange, Jimmy Graham, Steve Trevelise and Tim Grill ‘stand up’ to addiction

Jimmy Graham is a very funny comedian whose two sons are dealing with heroin addiction. Jimmy has taken matters into his own hands with a well known crusade against drug dealers by forming “Stand Up To Addiction” which raises money for the families of those dealing with addiction in New Jersey.

Last Friday night at The Broadway Theater in Pittman, NJ, Jimmy called on his friends Artie Lange, Tim Grill and myself to help fill the theater with laughter to raise money for families of those that have loved ones dealing with addiction. Here’s Jimmy’s account of a great night.…

Steve Trevelise started the evening off, setting the bar high for the rest of the quartet. Tim Grill followed with an equally hilarious set that led in to Jimmy Graham's, the founder of Stand Up To Addiction, performance. With almost 900 audience members, Artie Lange took the stage for over an hour of non-stop laughs.

"We don't have a final tally on the net until later in the week, but our goal was $400, which we more than doubled!. It was a great showing and a real laugh in the face of addiction!" said Graham of the first of his many shows to support recovery and the family unit of those struggling.

"This was a great cause and a great crowd," stated Artie Lange as he wheeled out the backstage door on his way to his mother's to watch his Montreal "Just for Laughs" special on Showtime. "I will do as many as we need to kick this thing's ass!"

The support of the comics and the fans was overwhelming and the money raised will be put to good use assisting families with food, clothing, utility payments, car repairs, etc.

"I hope to have many more of these to build a fund that will really help people survive this epidemic, our goal is to eventually have enough in the fund to sponsor those that succeed in recovery with community college and trade school scholarships," said Graham.

A website is in the works and all applications can be forwarded via e-mail standup2addiction@gmail.com or visiting www.facebook.com/standup2addiction