JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — New York state is getting into the comedy business.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo (KWOH’-moh) visited the future home of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown to announce the state will pump $500,000 into efforts to promote it.

Cuomo’s appearance came Thursday during the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown, birthplace of the late television and film actress.

The announcement comes two days after one of Cuomo’s own jokes went awry. On Tuesday Cuomo told a crowd the state would award millions of dollars in downtown redevelopment funding to cities and towns. He then added an obvious quip about some winners receiving steak knives.

But Cuomo’s promise of extra funding sounded serious and was later reported as fact, forcing his office to say the funding amounts were just part of the joke.