Laughter is The Best Medicine: Comedy Night at McInnis House

The first-ever McInnis House comedy night began with talk of pigeons. “I got a strange amount of confidence for a guy who looks like this,” began comedian Dana Jay Bein, who doubled as the emcee — and a perfectly fine-looking one — for the evening. “I have that indoor pigeon kind of confidence. You know, those pigeons that hang out in North Station, pigeons that walk up to you like they want to fight. You know how confident you have to be to choose to walk when you know how to fly?”

Therapy dogs move over: comedy night has arrived at McInnis House. (Visits from adorable pooches are one of the most popular activities at McInnis, BHCHP’s medical respite facility.) On an evening in November, a corner of the Atrium was transformed into a comedy club as four standup comics entertained a small, but rapt, audience of patients.

Patient Faisal Mohamed, who could be heard laughing uproariously throughout the four sets, said the humor was like comic salve for his medical issues. “I loved the comedy tonight. It made my night,” he said.

Manager of service programs Dan Maloney hoped the comedy night would serve as respite from the patients’ day-to-day challenges. “Anything that helps relieve stress and forget your circumstances is a good thing,” said Dan. “It helps you recharge your batteries so you are more capable of dealing with challenges. Patients have a desire for these activities that let you go somewhere else and forget where you are.” Other McInnis House activities, in addition to therapy dogs, include a writing group, bingo, board games, a DJ who spins tunes, alpaca visits, performances by an acapella group, hand massages, and more.

So how did the comedy might come to fruition? BHCHP staff, led by Americorps member Olivia Combs, queried McInnis House patients about the types of activities they’d enjoy. When a patient suggested a comedy night, the staff jumped on the idea. BHCHP nurse Misch Whitaker, an accomplished improv performer and director with loads of contacts in Boston’s comedy world, connected BHCHP with Bein. He recruited the other comics.

Maloney and Combs hope to host another comedy night in April.