Comedians Jim Gaffigan (MSB ’88), Mike Birbiglia (COL ’00) and John Mulaney (COL ’04) raised $1 million at a New York City comedy fundraiser for the Georgetown Scholars Program to benefit low-income and first-generation students at Georgetown.

Gaffigan, Birbiglia and Mulaney performed for the audience at the sold-out event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Jan. 14. The three prominent stand-up comedians have all received critical acclaim for many of their projects, including Mulaney’s Netflix show “Big Mouth,” Birbiglia’s film “Sleepwalk With Me” and Gaffigan’s comedy album “Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe.”

Gaffigan wanted to organize an event that was memorable and enjoyable for the audience while at the same time raising funds for a good cause, according to Emily Chen Carrera (MSB ’88), a longtime friend of Gaffigan’s who helped organize the event. Gaffigan’s wife and fellow comedian Jeannie Gaffigan, Chair of the GSP advisory board Michelle Mauboussin (MSB ’86) and fellow planning committee members helped Chen Carrera organize the event.

To make the event more meaningful and significant, Gaffigan reached out to fellow alumni Mulaney and Birbiglia, Chen Carrera said in an interview with The Hoya.

“We were able to combine backgrounds in finance, fundraising and event planning, and Jim’s expertise in putting on an amazing show and to orchestrate something as special as we had last Monday night,” Chen Carrera said.

The money raised went to GSP, which provides support for college students from low-income socio-economic backgrounds. GSP provides students a support system designed to ease their transitions to elite universities, through its mentorship, career advising and community building programs.

The event not only raised money for GSP, but also raised the program’s profile, Mauboussin said in an interview with The Hoya.

“It was a very uplifting event, and it really brought this program for first-generation students to a more national level, mainly because the comedians have such a wide network of followers,” Mauboussin said.

Some of the money raised will go toward funding microgrants that students in the program can apply for. These small grants can be used to cover any unexpected or emergency expenses that students might accrue, Mauboussin said.

This was not Gaffigan’s first time raising money for GSP. Last September, he performed at a sold-out show in Chicago to raise money for the program. Over 300 Georgetown alumni and friends attended that performance, helping raise almost $25,000.

While at Georgetown, Mulaney and Birbiglia both pursued comedy through the Georgetown Improv Association. Birbiglia won the “Funniest Person on Campus” competition his sophomore year, the first time he had been on stage performing comedy. Gaffigan, on the other hand, played varsity football during his time on at Georgetown, moving to New York City after graduating to pursue a career of comedy.

In addition to fundraising for GSP, the event also brought together members of the Georgetown community and GSP alumni who do not always have the chances to reunite in such organized settings, Maubossin said.

“It was such a community-building event,” Mauboussin said. “There was a lot of positive energy in the room, and it made everyone feel great and excited about being a Hoya.”