Sag Harbor – On Saturday, October 10 comedian, writer and actress Joy Behar will join artistic forces with Alan Alda on the stage of Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor to benefit this seminal East End performing arts venue. Hamptons.com caught up with Behar to talk about "The View," her career, her new show and the upcoming event at Bay Street.

Like all the arts, the Bay Street Theatre is struggling with funding cuts, both private and public, in the difficult economy and they put out a call to the community for help. Alda and Behar are both Hamptonites so they answered with their star power. Behar, a resident of Sagaponack, explained, "I like Bay Street and I like Sag Harbor a lot – a lot! I want it to survive in exactly the same condition it is in now."

Regarding the funding crisis Behar said, "The economy, having crashed the way it did, makes people hold on to their money. If they are going to give to something they are going to give to cancer research over the arts and that is what the problem is. It is something I can help with, my actual showing up helps. It is not just cash, it is showing up. That I can do and Alan Alda is doing it with me, he has been a long-time supporter of the Bay Street Theatre also."

Illuminating the evening's event Behar explained, "They way Alan and I discussed it, each of us will go up individually and do some time. Some autobiographical stuff, I can't speak for exactly what he is going to do. Then I will go up and speak for awhile and then the two of us will interview each other and then probably take questions from the audience if they would like that. It will be interactive as well as, hopefully, entertaining and informative."

Alda Alda will also appear with Behar in support of the local theatre.Photos courtesy of Bay Street Threatre

A Brooklyn born New Yorker and a very smart woman, Behar holds a B.A. from Queens College in Sociology and a Masters Degree from Stony Brook University in English. Considering her educational background, I asked her how she ended up doing stand-up comedy, "Basically, when you are a funny person that makes people laugh at parties and other places you have this fantasy that you'll be able to do it professionally one day. But you have other things on your agenda like raising a child and making a living, so you put it off. Then the day comes when you really just need to go for it, because things are not going for you the way you thought they would and you just have to throw your hat into the ring. You put one foot in front of the other and you just keep moving."

At the time Behar embarked on her stand-up career she had recently become divorced and was raising a child as a single mother and was fired from her job at "Good Morning America" where she was working in ad sales. Behar explained, "I decided to give it a shot because I had nothing to lose anymore. I thought I'd give it a year and I was pretty much successful from the beginning, if you want to call it success at that time." Success at that time included a popular stand-up comedy act, a New York "Charlie Award" and a stint with Lorne Michaels' "The New Show."

I asked Behar how it came about that she was selected as one of the hosts of the enormously popular "The View" talk show, "A lot of people in New York knew me from my stand-up act and from my radio show on WABC in the early 1990s. I wasn't a household name, but people knew me, Regis Philbin knew me, like that. Anyway I went to do a benefit at the Waldorf Astoria for Milton Berle's 89th birthday party. I don't remember who the money was going to, but it was a benefit. I got up on stage and did some time and when I got off Steve Janowitz, my spousal equivalent, told me everyone was laughing but Barbara Walters, who happened to be in the audience. I said to him, 'Well, I guess I am never going to work for Barbara Walters.' In the beginning, when you start out, every benefit you do is like an audition. I found out later from Regis that she said to him, 'Who is that woman?' He said, 'Don't you know her, that's Joy Behar, she is very funny.' To my surprise a few months later I got a call from the people at ABC who wanted to see me for the show and that's how I got the job."

Lewis Black will lend his support as well.

While continuing her duties at "The View" Behar will be premiering her new show on the CNN sister network HLN, "The Joy Behar Show." "It is a talk show, we'll have panel discussions, celebrities, newsmakers, and on my first show I'll be having Bette Midler. She is not a newsmaker, but she is a great person and interesting to talk to. It is a potpourri of different things, but the organizing principle is moi!" She continued, "I'll be doing rants everyday, the 'Joy Moment' they are calling it. I have done one on Elton John and one on spanking, I'm against it. I did one the other day on Charles Manson and why he isn't dead yet. Stuff like that, a semi-serious comedic rant." The outspoken liberal Behar will follow the very conservative Nancy Grace in the 9 p.m. weekday time slot.

Getting back to funding for the arts, I asked Behar why she thought it is such a battle in the U.S. for support, "It is not a country built on the arts like Europe, who had DaVinci and Beethoven and the Renaissance, we were a country built on grit and making money. So I think it is always an uphill battle. You have to convince people over and over again about how important the arts are, how important it is to teach the arts in school. The creative outlet for everybody is absolutely essential for good mental health and enjoying your life. It is not just about work, work and work at the time. It is a difficult thing, the NEA always has trouble getting funding. I happen to think it should always be supported."

Reiterating her support for Bay Street Theatre, Behar concluded, "I have performed there a few times. I like that space, comedians like that space and we like the audience. The audience is smart and informed; they want to have a good time. It is great for comedy and the plays are terrific. I like Sybil Christopher and I like Murphy Davis, I like them both. It is a wonderful thing to have in the middle of Sag Harbor, not many towns have venues like Bay Street. It is an incredible space and it has to be preserved."

Preserved it should indeed be and we can all help by packing the house to see two consummate entertainers on stage in the persons of Behar and Alda. Comedian Lewis Black will also be giving a benefit performance in support of Bay Street Theatre on October 14 with his "Black is Back" show.

For tickets call the box office at 631-725-9500 or go online at www.baystreet.org.