The James R. Halsey Foundation’s inaugural Red Carpet Night was launched on March 9 and the event in support of the organization that works with the youth of Central New Jersey featured both awards to the worthy, and fine entertainment. The featured performer was the Greek-American comedienne Ellen Karis.

According to the Trenton Daily, “The James R. Halsey Foundation of the Arts, in partnership with the community, enriches the quality of life for youth (ages 14 to 18) by providing a safe and educational environment where participants are inspired and encouraged toward a better future. This initiative is accomplished by fostering an interest in the creative process – while guiding participants/students through that process as it relates to the art of filmmaking, and by providing life-skills training that promotes success in business and the arts.”

According to the Daily, “supporters from across the community gathered to celebrate at the Foundation’s inaugural Red Carpet Night” – inspired by the then-upcoming Oscars show.

“Guests came dressed to the nines for an evening of film and fun. With dinner, drinks, and a whole lot of laughs, this one-of-a-kind event was officially underway. Guests were welcomed with a soundtrack of feel-good tunes courtesy of the talented DJ Jimmy G. the Trenton Daily reported.”

“The entertainment portion of the evening concluded with a host of hilarity courtesy of the ‘Greek Goddess of Comedy, Ellen Karis,” the article noted.

Karis is “has performed stand-up comedy all over North America alongside such notables comedians as Drew Carey, Jimmy JJ Walker and Sebastian Maniscalco. The entertainment industry has hailed her as the ‘little dynamo’ given her petite stature, strong improv skills and ability to build a quick rapport with any audience. Born and raised in NYC in a traditional strict Greek home,” says her web site about the roots of her brand of sarcastic, observational humor, adding that, “her jokes about her marriage and family, trying to make it in show business against all odds, addiction to sweets and the absurdities of the ever changing pop culture, youth obsessed world we live in, are relatable to any crowd type.”

Her hour-long comedy special ‘By the Way, I’m Ellen Karis’ “has received rave reviews. She has built up a long resume of Corporate and Private Events due to her ability to be clean, not offensive, office appropriate and still hilariously funny… Ellen is incredibly popular in the Greek-American community being one of the few Greek female stand-up comedians performing today. She has traveled all over the US and Canada with her Greek themed stand-up show performing for Hellenic Organizations and Churches. She nails the nuances of life as a Greek-American right on the head and in a way that is relatable to all ethnicities,” the website adds.

“Starting her career as a CPA with an MBA in Finance,” website notes, she parlayed her quick wit and job experience on Wall Street to become a humorist on many of the cable news shows, as well as a frequent guest on talk radio and Sirius XM.”

Karis has worked in TV, Film and Theatre. She has been featured a waitress in ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and has appeared in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’, Marvel Comics Netflix Show ‘The Punisher’, Showtime’s ‘Billions’, NBC’s ‘Blacklist’, HBO’s ‘Sopranos’ and the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler feature film ‘Sisters’.

“Starting her career as a CPA with an MBA in Finance,” the website informs, “she parlayed her quick wit and job experience on Wall Street to become a humorist on many of the cable news shows, as well as a frequent guest on talk radio and Sirius XM.”

(Material from the Trenton Daily was used in this article)