New Jersey Lawmaker Takes His Stand-Up Routine To Ohio During GOP Convention

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Republican National Convention is offering the top Republican in New Jersey's General Assembly the chance to hone his stand-up comedy routine.

Jon Bramnick will be at the convention in Cleveland next week as both a politician and a comedian, MyCentralJersey.com reported. He's scheduled to perform a routine at a steakhouse in Beachwood, Ohio on July 19.

The event at Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse costs $50 per person, with proceeds benefiting a legislative leadership committee.

Bramnick said there's too much hatred in politics and doing comedy allows him to relieve stress.

"We've reached a level in society where there's a lack of civility, there's little humor, everything is very tense in politics," he told WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron. "So I think this is good medicine."

He uses material from everyday life in his performances, including road signs from around the state and stories about his son.

Bramnick said he's not new to comedy.

"I'm like the Muhammad Ali of funny lawyers and no one's been able to challenge me over the last 20 years," he said. "Not that the competition is that heavy, but I'll take the title."

The performance is expected to run about 45 minutes long, although Bramnick said preparing for the routine takes much more time.

"It takes about two hours to come up with a good two minutes,'' Bramnick said. He describes his style as "observational comedy.''

Bramnick has served as New Jersey's Assembly Minority Leader since 2012, but he has no concrete plans for his political future following the convention.

The self-acknowledged moderate Republican jokingly said he's looking most forward to spending time with the "bar, swimming pool and Republicans -- in that order'' while in Cleveland.

The GOP convention begins in Cleveland on July 18.

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