JOURNAL INQUIRER, October 3, 2007
Pediatrician revives standup act
By: Matthew Engelhardt , Journal Inquirer
Dr. Jay Sutay needs no needle to leave his patients in stitches.
For the past 15 years, the "world's only standup pediatrician," as he calls himself, has combined his unique sense of humor with a successful medical career. His demeanor has helped the most finicky of kids to breeze through booster shots and all manners of exams.
"They all seem to get my sense of humor, and I think that just sets the kids at ease when they come in here," said Sutay, whose practice, Sutay and Stewart Pediatrics, is in South Windsor.
Now the doctor is set to battle cystic fibrosis in his own way as the headliner for "Stand Up to CF," a benefit that will take place Friday at the Marco Polo Banquet Facility in East Hartford. The event begins at 7 p.m. and includes comedy, magic, karaoke, and dancing, along with a buffet dinner.
Tickets are $30 with proceeds benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event evolved from "Singing for a Cure," which since 2001 has raised more than $25,000 to combat the chronic disease.
The event was inspired by two of Sutay's patients, sisters Madison and Amanda Moran of Tolland. The girls were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when they were very young, leading their parents to start the annual fundraiser.
This year, Jennifer Moran, the girls' mother, hopes to raise $10,000 for the foundation. The disease has no known cure, but research has helped improve treatment and extend the life expectancy of those affected to 37 years.
Moran asked Sutay to perform at the event, which should provide the doctor with his largest audience since he resurrected his standup career.
Sutay used to perform at open mic nights at the Treehouse Comedy Club in Westport when he was a student at Fairfield University from 1981-85. He said he formed a good relationship with the management of the fledgling club because his performances always drew decent crowds.
Eventually, Sutay was faced with deciding between a career in medicine and life as a standup comic. He said he had a chance to join a comedy troupe on a cruise ship, but after his mother was diagnosed with colon cancer, he made his decision.
Sutay also received some professional advice before choosing his path. After a set in 1983, the future doctor struck up a conversation with Jay Leno, now the host of NBC's Tonight Show, who had watched Sutay's performance from the front row.
"His advice was if you go into medicine, at least in nine years you know you'll have a job and your parents will be proud of you," Sutay said.
He opted for medical school, eventually becoming a pediatrician and family man. His humor has helped him flourish and develop strong relationships with his patients, frequently joking with them about everything from their health to baseball.
"They tell you (in standup) to picture the crowd in their underwear," Sutay said. "My crowd in here is always in their underwear."
This year, Sutay decided it was time for a hobby. His daughters had become teenagers, and he found he needed a break from dealing with HMOs. A friend challenged him to retake the stage, and in December Sutay performed at Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club in Hartford.
It had been 20 years since his last performance, but Sutay found he still had the timing and talent. His act was a success, and since that night he has performed nearly 40 times at venues throughout the state and has bookings all over the Northeast.
"It's a nice diversion that's completely different from being here worrying about kids," Sutay said. "I'm able to just turn off my brain for 10 or 15 minutes and only worry about making people laugh."
Just as his humor helped him as a doctor, Sutay's experiences with his patients inspire his standup. He said he tends to rant while on stage, bemoaning some of the more unusual conversations he has with parents.
"Everything has got to be based on some truth," he said. "The names have been changed to protect the innocent."
His recent performance stops include the Hartford Funny Bone at the Buckland Hills mall in Manchester and open mic nights at Club 645 in South Windsor.
"I have a day job that pays the bills ... let me tell you, when I'm out with all the other young comedians, I seem to be the only one who has money in my pocket to buy beer," Sutay said.
Sutay encourages all comedy fans to get out to local shows, where guests can see upcoming comics who haven't been overexposed by television.
Stand Up to CF is Sutay's second fundraiser. This year, he performed at the "Golf Fore the Kids" golf tournament for childhood cancer research, an event inspired by a late patient of the pediatrician.
For tickets to Stand Up to CF, visit the event Web site at
www.standuptocf.com
