BOSTON - BostonChron -- Like2Laugh's 19th Annual March Comedy Madness (MCM) tipped off Saturday at the legendary Nick's Comedy Stop in Boston's Theater District raising money for the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF). Comedian Matt Jarvis advanced to the Final Four triumphing over other hilarious comedians delivering their top jokes in a bracketed tournament modeled after the NCAA event.

The show was introduced by Josh Filipowski, MCM creator and producer, who put fresh batteries in the decibel meter and enlightened the audience about their fundraising cause. Filipowski shared some of the 2024 Leading Research Achievements from BBRF grantees and their fields of research.

"We've got suicide prevention, PTSD, anxiety—shout out if it's one of yours—addiction— that's mine," Filipowski joked. "Bipolar...bipolar. Said that one twice..." He added, "That's why I'm not in this competition."

Special guest referees Peter Liu and Mitzzy Picardo warmed up the crowd before joining Stirling Smith, a veteran referee of MCM, and Filipowski at the official's table. Together, they helped make the calls, with the audience vote determined by the trusty decibel meter.

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The first quadrant of the bracket (16 of 64) took the stage, two comedians at a time, each performing two minutes head-to-head. At times, the judges and crowd agreed, and other match-ups were too close to call. In these instances, contestants faced off in a joke-off to determine who would advance in their bracket.

Richie Welch stood out for his two overtime joke-off victories, earning him a spot in the Elite 8 and a chance to advance to the Final Four and Championship at the Comedy Studio in Cambridge.

Welch quipped, "How come when John Cena wears jean shorts, people call him a champion, but when I wear jean shorts, people call me a f*cking loser!?"

Tons of hilarious jokes and performances were enjoyed by all, but unfortunately, not all comedians could advance. As entertainers earned more time on the clock, more experienced acts held strong. In the final round of the night, Matt Jarvis commanded the stage.

"Oh, I've got time left," he noted, casually diving into another killer bit. He won over the crowd, and the referees agreed, sending Jarvis to the Final Four.

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Join the fun at the next round of MCM with 16 comedians and special guest refs on Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m. at The Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. For tickets, visit Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/march-comedy-madness-to-benefit-bbrforg-somerville-theatre-bracket-tickets-1261695367809) or search "Like2Laugh" on Eventbrite to find tickets.

To find out more about The Foundation, visit BBRF.org, and please donate to support mental illness research today.

Who will be the next finalist? Catch March Comedy Madness and find out!