The Mets' ownership situation has certainly gotten some laughs recently, but this is no joke: comedian Bill Maher has purchased an ownership stake in the organization.

Both Maher and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon confirmed the news before the Mets took on the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night.

"I think it's a great investment," he added. "I think it's a great team that I've been rooting for since they came into existence, which was soon after I came into existence."

While the exact percentage of ownership Maher now has is not known, the Mets previously announced that they would sell 12 minority stakes of the team, each worth four percent. Those shares each cost $20 million.

The need to find minority owners comes after the team's financial difficulties following the fallout from the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme situation. The team invested millions with Madoff, and though they were one of the few investors not to lose money, a lawsuit by the trustee seeking to recover money for victims has the team seeking to raise money.

The Mets had a deal to sell a minority stake of the team to hedge fund manager David Einhorn for $200 million in May of last year, but the agreement fell through.

Maher, who hosts HBO's "Real Time" and is a New Jersey native, is one of several new owners of the team. The others though, remain anonymous, except for the four blocks of shares purchased by cable companies who share ownership of SportsNet New York with the Mets ownership family.