Joel Murray tees up to benefit first responders

Actor and comedian Joel Murray — he of the well-known family of entertainers, including brothers Bill and David Doyle Murray — will be back in the area this weekend. Joel Murray is the driving force behind the “Tour of Duty Celebrity Golf Classic” — a benefit for first responders in various police and fire departments, including those from Newtown, Conn. and the 9/11 responders in New York.

“We are giving some guys a much-needed holiday. We are bringing them to Chicago, get them liquored-up, give them a lot of good beef and ribs and just given them a good time.”

JetBlue is flying the East Coast officers to Chicago for free and on the agenda — along with the golf tournament Monday at the Evanston/Wilmette Community Golf Course — is a concert on Sunday night at Joe’s Bar on Weed Street in the city.

The first responders will also get to rub shoulders with a bunch of celebs on Monday, including George Wendt, Pat Finn, Mike Starr, Neil Flynn, D.B. Sweeney, Jeff Dye, Jane Pauley and — possibly — Bill Murray himself.

Brother Joel joked about his older sibling and the veteran TV broadcaster. “Jane is, you know, an icon. She’s low-key, but the next thing you know it’s two in the morning and she’s still there partying. She’s no lightweight and she’s a lot of fun. … and for some reason Billy [Murray] can’t resist picking her up and carrying her around! He likes to do that. I believe that’s the reason she’s stopped wearing skirts.”