Long Island comic Sean Brown to appear on PBS' 'Stories from the Stage'

Long Island has been a breeding ground for many successful stand-up comedians, including Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, Rosie O’Donnell, Amy Schumer and Kevin James. Sean Brown, of Amityville, hopes to be the next one.

The 34-year-old comic, a regular at Governor’s Comedy Club in Levittown and The Brokerage in Bellmore, is getting his shot on the PBS series, "Stories from the Stage," which airs Monday at 9:30 p.m. on WLIW World (Optimum Ch. 132).

"I love to make people laugh," said Brown, who grew up in Uniondale. "I was always the funny guy on the basketball team, the funny guy in class and the funny guy in the family."

Brown got his start at an open mic night at The Brokerage in October 2017.

"That moment changed my life forever," said Brown. "On stage, you get filled with emotion and joy. I was instantly addicted."

Last year Brown came across a post on a Facebook group called Storytelling NYC seeking people who want to tell a comedic story to possibly be aired on TV.

"I thought the opportunity sounded exciting and I like to challenge myself by taking risks," he said. "Once I submitted my story, the show’s producers got back to me right away."

His story focuses on a self-deprecating moment when his high school basketball coach brought him off the bench and into a playoff game for the Uniondale Knights in front of a sold-out crowd at SUNY Old Westbury.

"For my first possession, I stole the ball and headed down the court for a fast-paced layup. As I was about to score my first basket, the ball hit the tip of my shoe went out of bounds," Brown recalled. "The reason that happened was because one of the players in the game forgot their basketball shoes at home and the coach made me give my shoes to him because I wasn’t in the game and he gave me his, which was a size bigger. Unfortunately, I ended up in the game with these big shoes, which caused the incident. I figured I might not be going to the NBA, but I made the whole crowd laugh."

Brown filmed his 8-minute segment in October at GBH Fraser Performance Studio in Boston. At first, he struggled.

"I got through the first two lines then blanked out. I started to panic and almost left. But my girlfriend convinced me that I was there for a reason and to lock in," he said. "My family and friends are excited to watch the show, but I’m nervous about it. It’s my first time on TV."

These days Brown hosts the open mic night at The Brokerage where he made his comedy debut and produces his own comedy shows called Mad Funny Comedy in Governor’s Giggle Room.

"I’m following the Kevin Hart blueprint," said Brown, who also has a 9-to-5 job as a corporate trainer for a financial technology company. "I want to tour the country and put on shows with my comedy production company. I’d like to get into acting, too."

Brown will put on his next Mad Funny Comedy show at Governor’s Giggle Room on March 29 followed by hosting Open Mic Night at The Brokerage on April 18. For tickets or more information, visit: govs.com.

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.