Arlington, Mass. -
John Belushi may be best, most warmly remembered for his antics in “Animal House,” “The Blues Brothers” and on “Saturday Night Live.”
And on Saturday, Nov. 1, comedians and musicians will celebrate the funny man’s life in a fundraiser for Right Turn.
Though, Belushi’s widow does not want the circumstances of her husband’s death to cloud the event, she said it can serve as a cautionary tale.
In 1982, at the age of 33, Belushi overdosed on a combination of cocaine and heroin in a West Hollywood hotel room, according to an archived article in Time Magazine.
The comedian, whose rise to stardom began at Second City in Chicago, was buried in Martha’s Vineyard, where his widow, Judy Belushi-Pisano, lives now.
The two married on New Years Eve, 1976, in Aspen, Colo., said Belushi-Pisano.
The benefit at The Regent Theatre will raise money for Right Turn, an Arlington-based organization that provides counseling and intervention for substance abusers, particularly those involved in a creative field.
“I think they’re a terrific organization,” Belushi-Pisano said.
Belushi-Pisano met Right Turn’s founder and CEO, Woody Giessmann, when Giessmann had her on his radio show to talk about her book, “Belushi,” which came out in 2005.
Right Turn uses the world of arts to help recovering addicts, hosting regular, sober, musical events as well as providing one-on-one counseling.
“It’s a creative approach,” said Belushi-Pisano. “Nobody knows how you straighten someone out… there’s no pill, no instruction booklet.”
Comedian Tony V. will headline the show, which will be hosted by Arlington-born comedian Jack Lynch.
Belushi-Pisano has worked as a producer with National Lampoon and is currently working on a television show based on “The Blues Brothers.”
Currently, the show’s creators are still putting together the script and have not begun casting yet, Belushi-Pisano said.
Tickets for the third-annual “Celebrating John Belushi” fundraiser are $25 and available at the Regent Theatre box office or online at www.regenttheatre.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the Nov. 1 show starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information call 781-646-4849.
Staff Writer Andy Metzger can be reached at ametzger@cnc.com.
