Actor Steve Schirripa returns to support Madison Square Garden’s biannual “Garden of Laughs” comedy show in a role arguably more important than “headlining act.”
“My job is like the job of a bran muffin,” says “The Sopranos” star, 61. “I keep things moving.”
The Bensonhurst native is set to host the open-to-the-public charity event for the third time when it comes to The Hulu Theater at MSG Tuesday night. Notable comedians — including Iliza Shlesinger, Jon Stewart, Michael Che and Jerry Seinfeld — are slated to perform in an effort to raise funds for the Garden of Dreams Foundation.
“Ehh, I got a few things on my chest that I wanna get off, so I’ll say a few things, but … you don’t need me, you have seven of the best comics in the country,” Schirripa says. “And nobody makes a dime. Everyone’s doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.”
The nonprofit organization, which hosts more than 500 annual events for struggling families across the tristate area, is close to Schirripa’s own heart, too.
The actor, who currently stars in “Blue Bloods,” grew up in Brooklyn as an “underprivileged kid.” His family was on welfare and received aid in the ’60s and ’70s from a benefit group known as the Italian Board of Guardians (IBG).
“When I was a kid, I remember them giving us 10 or 15 dollars to shop at Macy’s near Christmas, which at the time was a lot of money. I never forgot that to this day,” he recalls. “That’s over 50 years ago.”
He also attended an upstate New York summer camp funded by the IBG from ages 8-10. “My family couldn’t afford any of that,” he says, “but I never forgot that, never forgot it.”
Schirripa joined Garden of Dreams as a member of its advisory board several years ago to give back to the city that helped raise him. He’s seen the program give free courtside Knicks tickets to struggling children, provide scholarship support, and more.
“These kids, this is going to stay with them the rest of their lives, and then they’ll go help other kids, too,” he says.
Since 2013, sold-out “Garden of Laughs” events have helped raise nearly $5 million for children in the city who are homeless, battling terminal illnesses, living in poverty or in foster care. On Tuesday, Schirripa hopes the event will raise another $2 million.
“A lot of money for one night, but this is the place to be!” Schirripa adds. “You actually see what it does because the money stays right here for kids that are just having a tough life and maybe we make it just a bit easier for them.”
The "Garden of Laughs" comedy benefit comes to The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, April 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $70 to $395. Visit gardenoflaughs.com to choose your seats.
From mobster to investigator
Eight years after retiring his role of mobster Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri in "The Sopranos" (2000-2007), Schirripa stepped into the role of TV regular in CBS’ "Blue Bloods."
Spending almost four seasons on the other side of the law as Detective Anthony Abetemarco, he says he’s "very much enjoying this character" at this point in his career.
“This character Anthony, he’s a good guy and very passionate about his job. Sometimes gets him in a little hot water, so I like that. There’s a lot of facets to him, he’s not just a cop," he says. "That’s what I like about ‘Blue Bloods’ … there’s more to it than just saying ‘you’re under arrest’ and it was like that with ‘Sopranos,’ too. You saw these mobsters at home with their kids. and it wasn’t all about that."
