There were so many stars in the opening night audience last night for Jeff Ross’s Broadway debut that it was dizzying.

Ross, famous for being a “roast master,” pulled off a coup with his one man “Take the Banana with You.” He surprised everyone with a hilarious, sometimes raunchy but incredibly touching evening. It’s always nice when theater pulls a fast one on you.

Ross could easily now be compared to Billy Crystal and even Mel Brooks with his delivery, comic timing, his mixture of pathos with humor. We needed a big laugh and we got it, even with some tears.

But what a crowd! I sat next to Susie Essman, who told me she’s definitely joining Larry David in his new 6 episode HBO sketch series. “I’m playing a definite character,” she revealed, “Larry doesn’t want it to be like Saturday Night Live.”

In front of us, on the aisle, Billy Crudup (with long hair) sat next to Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, Molly. John Stamos was a few rows behind us. B.J. Novak was in between. Scattered through the house were Ice T., comic actor Craig Robinson, Sarah Silverman, David Schwimmer, John Mayer, Carson Daly, Dana Delany, rapper Flava Flav, and even Steve Buscemi.

Buscemi told me he didn’t even know Jeff that well, but was invited because they’d been in a project together for two minutes. Ross nevertheless gave him a shout out as he walked through the audience, along with Stamos and Flava Flav.

A big part of the show, maybe the centerpiece, is when Ross — wearing his banana yellow suit — strolls through the audience, microphone in hand, asking people to stand up if they have a personal story of survival. Then, like a genial Don Rickles, he “roasts” them with warm zingers. What does he do when there are no celebs in the audience? He told me at the after party, “You can’t believe how many people want to get up and share.”

I’m not surprised considering what Ross tells us about his kind of Oliver Twist life in the preceding hour. At 59, he has just survived colon cancer — this year — which was so mean feat. He grew up poor in New Jersey as Jeff Ross Lifschultz, where his family ran a catering hall. His mother died very young, and his father did, too, after a brief reverie as a single man. Ross was raised by his grandfather, who he lived with well into his 20s while he was trying to make it as a comic. It was the grandfather who used to say, “Take the banana with you,” when giving him some food for the road.

All of these people are featured in personal photos projected onto the backdrop behind Ross, including friends and relatives who stood behind him when the chips were down. He’s dated a lot, never married, and his closest companions are two German shepherds with their own stories. (One of then is in the show.) He does beautiful memorials for three famous friends who did recently around the same time, much too young: Bob Saget, Gilbert Gottfried, and Norm McDonald.

Ross is so quick on his feet and facile with language that he can tailor the improvisational part of it with ease. Of course, Ross — despite the sadness he endured and leavened with hilarity — still has some Catskills shtick in him (even though he’s two generations removed). Most New Yorkers will appreciate a section called “Don’t Mess with the Jews,” which Jackie Mason and Alan King are applauding in heaven.

Don’t miss this show. Ross is booked at the smallish Nederlander Theater for just six weeks, although I’m sure he could be persuaded to stick around.

PS Kudos to Stephen Kessler, the director who makes his own Broadway debut with aplomb.