Reality Checked

Gunning down LI’s rep: (from l) Adam Benini, Robert Riedel and Justin Constantini on The Daily Show.

It’s much funnier when the laughs come at someone else’s expense, but when a recent episode of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart made a national laughingstock of Long Island’s proposal to secede from New York State, it showed that many on the Island can laugh at themselves—despite how stupid the local citizenry was made out to be.

In the first half of the bit, “reported” by correspondent Samantha Bee, it almost appeared that the region would escape unscathed when she didn’t go in for the kill with her signature political-career-ending interview style. Legis. Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and New York State Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset), each representing opposite sides of the debate to make LI the 51st state, were not caught on tape saying anything unintelligent and took Bee’s innuendoes and ribbing in stride. After all, they knew that this was going to be on Comedy Central. But then, the segment turned to the locals.

For those who missed it, the mock interview with three “intelligent and inventive” Long Islanders at Napper Tandy’s in Miller Place included homophobic comments, a push-up contest, abundant use of the word “awesome” and confusion over the difference between what constitutes a borough, state, country and continent—all followed by shots of Jägermeister. But for those who were concerned that there may be locals who in fact fit such stereotypes, fear not: The trio was in on the gag.

“It was all pretty much a setup,” says Adam Benini, who did most of the talking during the interview and may be best remembered for giving Bee “the gun show,” complete with pistol tattoos on each of his biceps. The 27-year-old graphic designer from Wading River who owns a sign company and www.flipcups.com, a T-shirt and drinking paraphernalia website, is also an aspiring actor. His compatriots were found at a neighboring gym, he says.

“Yea, we made Long Island look pretty bad, but a dream of mine has always been to be an actor, so I had to do it,” says Benini, who has a few acting credits under his belt and reports getting a few more offers since the skit aired. He admits that he had mixed feelings about “throwing Long Island under the bus” for his own gain and has received an angry reaction around town after the show aired on June 15.

“I feel like I played the part a little too well,” he adds apologetically. Nonetheless, he plans to develop webisodes on YouTube based on the character.

On a recent visit to the bar where the scene was shot, employees have since made doing Jägerbombs—Jägermeister shots chugged with Red Bull, same as Benini and company did on camera—an ironic running joke. Throwing one back has become a satire on being satirized.

“I think it was a little embellished,” said Mike Krohn, a bartender who was pouring drinks the day The Daily Show crew came down (the shot Bee did was soda, he added). He didn’t see the episode, but said he knew it wasn’t going to be good when the topic strayed so far from politics. And after four hours of the TV crew forbidding music or background noise, the regulars may have given Bee added reason to perpetuate the stereotype when f-bombs were repeatedly hurled at Bee and the crew.

“I felt like it was such a kick in the face,” said a bouncer who would only give his name as Wink but described himself as a Daily Show fan. “The only thing that saves it is to know that they were acting,” he said, relieved, adding that he was unaware when he saw the episode that it was shot in his bar and assumed the stereotypical trio were from Levittown or Garden City.

A Comedy Central spokeswoman did not respond to a request for an interview with Bee.

Marcellino said he had fun doing the show and wasn’t offended. Romaine was at a loss as to why she interviewed him, but he also saw the opportunity.

“I was able to get my little message out” about how LI sends more than $3 billion more in taxes to Albany than it receives in state aid, Romaine said. “Sometimes it’s better to do it with humor rather than anger,” he added, noting that there was a “nip and tuck” on the footage used of his reactions.

“It’s pretty much like they wanted you to say something stupid,” says Benini. Fortunately for The Daily Show, Long Island delivered.