Local Comedian Ray Harrington Appears on ‘Conan’

Ray Harrington is a local comedian here on the SouthCoast. He's from Maine, but moved to Providence years ago. He had a pretty big day yesterday. He got a chance to appear on a national stage.

Conan O'Brien has been one of late-night television's biggest names for the past 25 years. Conan is a Boston guy, which probably didn't hurt Ray from getting a second look since Boston folks tend to stick together and look out for one another.

Ray took full advantage of the opportunity that was given to him (no, the opportunity he earned) last night. It's hard to watch his performance and wonder how he is so steady and calm knowing that the five minutes that are unfolding could literally make or break his career. An appearance on a show like Conan's can elevate your brand overnight.

When you appear on a late-night show like Conan, you are allotted a short period of time for your performance. Ray was able to drop a local reference into his act. He used a little of his time telling a story about his wife (who is from the area) and her references to Purgatory Chasm (which is located in Sutton, Massachusetts, just south of Worcester). It led to a whole bit about how it bothers him when people mispronounce things or places. I won't give away too much of his material because it will be a much less funny read than a view, so watch his full performance in the video above.

It's great to see a local guy get a big break. This national stage on Conan's show was a big break for Ray Harrington. We're happy for him.

He'll be performing at the Comedy Connection in Providence tomorrow night.