Changing lives with laughter

Tim Forsberg
Posted 12/23/14

Some say that laughter is the best medicine.

Thanks to a generous community, the Johnston comedian affectionately known as “The Deaf Comic” will clearly hear the laughter of those he aims to …

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Changing lives with laughter

Posted

Some say that laughter is the best medicine.

Thanks to a generous community, the Johnston comedian affectionately known as “The Deaf Comic” will clearly hear the laughter of those he aims to help.

Mike Murray grew up hearing impaired in the Olneyville and Silver Lake sections of Providence before moving to Johnston 20 years ago. He lived with his affliction for decades before his life was changed forever.

“I could hear things when younger, but it was like living in China. I could hear people talking but couldn’t understand what they were saying,” he said. “I had 100-percent loss of high-frequency sound, which means I couldn’t hear door bells, cop cars or Fran Drescher. By the time I was 40, I had lost all hearing, and it had come to the point where people had to write things down for me.”

A little over 10 years ago, a medical device called a cochlear implant opened the world of sound to Murray for the first time.  The implant is a complex electronic device consisting of a microphone, transmitters, speech processors and electrodes that collect sound impulses and send them to the auditory nerve in the ear. The implant does not restore hearing, but gives a useful representation of sounds in the environment and helps with speech comprehension.

“I dealt with the adversity and just kept moving,” Murray said of his impairment. “Then I got cochlear implants in both of my ears, and now I can hear. When I got my hearing, I felt like I was Superman and nothing could stop me.”

Feeling that the sky was the limit, Murray finally followed his standup comedy dream after being enrolled in a course.

“Someone signed me up for a comedy class at the age of 45, which is ancient for starting in comedy,” said Murray, who is now 51. “I’ve done over 500 shows since then all along the East Coast. I was headlining shows after just one year.”

Murray also used his talents and to help people and organizations financially by hosting fundraising events featuring his standup routine. About three months ago, he partnered with Warwick comedian and longtime friend Bill Simas to launch Funny 4 Funds, a comedy company that helps schools, non-profits, and other organizations host fundraising comedy events.

“We put together fundraisers for groups in which we will do everything except fill the room and obtain raffle items,” Simas said. “We take care of everything from graphic designs for posters, tickets, flyers, to setting up lights, stage, sound systems, wireless microphones, top comedians and ancillary items that can bog down fundraisers.”

Their brand of comedy fundraisers features a 90-minute, age-appropriate show with two comedians from their troupe and a host. They also offer suggested accommodations in Warwick and West Warwick, but their shows can accommodate virtually any large venue. The duo is willing to travel throughout New England and New York.

Costs for their service are negotiated with the hosting organization based on the location of the event and are clearly defined before booking. Prior to teaming up, the two comedians had hosted a combined 400 fundraisers.

“No group has made less than $3,000, and the average is $5,000 raised after expenses,” Murray said of the venture. “It’s taken off like crazy. We need another show setup now, as we never know where the next show will take us or if we’ll have two shows in one night.”

The company held an official launch party at the West Warwick Elks Lodge on Dec. 12. Mike and Bill wanted to showcase what their company does by hosting a fundraiser for themselves as an example of how successful their venture could be and to upgrade their stage equipment. While touted as a fundraiser for Funny 4 Hire, the party of nearly 300 guests was there for a secret purpose especially for Murray.

“Mike’s an amazing comic who does so much for so many people, and it’s my goal to help him,” Simas said prior to the event. “The implants that he has now are old, a little bit bulky behind the ear. He has to change batteries up to six times a day depending on what he is doing. The new models are smaller, sleeker, better, with less battery changes, which mean hundreds of dollars in savings. It would be a life-changer for him again. We want to raise the money to get them for him, but we want it to be a total surprise.”

Without Murray’s knowledge, Simas, along with Murray’s family and friends, set out to raise the $18,500 necessary to buy the latest model cochlear implant for him. Weeks prior to the event, they created secret videos, emails and fundraising websites to get the word out while selling tickets to the event to help meet the goal, all in secret. Murray remained completely unaware when the show began.

“Through the miracle of modern technology, Mike gained the ability to hear about a decade ago,” said Cat Country 98.1 radio personality Brian Mulhurn, who served as the event’s emcee.

“Can you imagine being deaf and married, getting presented with the opportunity to hear, and actually taking it? I’m giving him a hard time, but he’s really a great guy and he’s got a big heart.”

The launch featured both Murray and Simas’ full standup routines. Murray often uses a unique, self-depreciating performance that draws on his experiences with hearing.

“I got my hearing at about the same time that people start losing theirs. They opened my head up, put some electrodes in there, some magnets, some metal, and I’m Roboman,” he joked. “But I can hear, and that’s great. The first thing I learned, the very first thing, was farts make noise.”

Murray also drew much of his material from his relationship with his wife, Cathy.

“I’ve been married for 23 years, but was deaf for most of it. At 40 years old I gained what all husbands already had, selective hearing. I call it dead batteries,” he said during his routine. “I was so romantic, I once serenaded her outside her window. I sang the only song I knew most of the words to – YMCA.”

However, when the show finished, his wife had the last laugh and revealed the true intent of the night’s event when she joined a surprised Murray onstage to reveal the joke everyone was in on.

“Tonight’s fundraiser was originally geared towards the launch of Funny 4 Funds, and it is,” she said. “But a few weeks ago we got a letter from the insurance company that I didn’t tell you about. They approved an upgrade and are going to cover a portion of the cost. Because each and every one here bought tickets, or donated to this special event knowing it was secretly for Mike, Funny 4 Funds is not only able to cover the remaining balance of your cochlear upgrades, they’re also able to raise enough money to buy the additional equipment you need.”

Murray thanked the crowd for contributing to their organization’s mission and helping him personally.

“I’m totally, totally surprised. I usually figure everything out. I’m speechless. I’ve been talking about these implants for the past year and a half, I call them the Lexus of implants,” he said. “This event will allow us to help so many more people.”

For more information on Funny 4 Funds, visit www.funny4funds.com.

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