Native New Yorker Jerry Seinfeld announced Tuesday he's teaming up with fellow funnymen Bill Cosby, Colin Quinn, Will Ferrell and George Wallace for a one-night stand at Carnegie Hall October 8 to aid victims of the World Trade Center disaster.
The Stand Up for New York benefit, which won't be broadcast on television, seeks to aid the families of those uniformed men and women killed in the terror attacks on the Twin Towers.
"We were all shaken up, but...you want to fight back, repair the damage and keep going," Seinfeld told reporters Tuesday at a press conference announcing the event. "There's something about New York that's built to deal. We're not a candy-ass town."
Tickets for the event will range from $100 for nosebleeds to $2,500 for front-row seats, with all proceeds going to the Twin Towers Fund and the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund. Tickets for Seinfeld and friends go on sale Thursday at the Carnegie Hall box office or can be charged by phone at 212-247-7800.
Seinfeld, who has kept a fairly low profile over the past year and a half, says he'll debut new material he has developed during his hiatus, including bits about married life and fatherhood.
Jerry has also enlisted the aid of another ex-sitcom star who knows a little something about fatherhood, the Cos.
"I actually bumped into Bill Cosby at an airport and told him about [the benefit] and he said 'I'm there,' " said Seinfeld. "I don't think any of us have shared the stage before with Mr. Cosby. He's a real comic legend."
For his part, Saturday Night Live vet Ferrell says he didn't know anyone personally killed in the disaster, but he calls the benefit show "an opportunity to help and pitch in our way."
Ferrell also addressed the difficulty in playing President Bush as he gears up for the season premiere of Saturday Night Live this weekend. He says he and SNL's writers are sensitive to overstepping comedic bounds and doing routines that may be hurtful and divisive.
"For a show like SNL, it's a little bit like a double-edged sword," said Ferrell, noting that comedian Bill Maher caused a flap with sponsors after making some politically incorrect comments on Politically Incorrect. "You should still be able to do the comedy you want to do, but I think there will be a new level of sensitivity."
When asked if his fans are ready yet for stand-up comedy, Seinfeld said, "Of the couple of places I've been, I've found some people enjoying the momentary break. We're not laughing at what happened. We're just laughing, which is how people survive."