Comics on Duty takes laughter to front lines

CEDAR POINT, OH, IRAQ

04.26.2005

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Army Sgt. David Foley
MNC-I PAO
April 23, 2005

CEDAR POINT II, Iraq -- As service members perform their duties in Iraq, stress and anxiety can take their toll, but one group of stand-up comedians is traveling the country so troops can forget the war for a few hours.

"The concept is about supporting Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and doing what is necessary to take them away from whatever situation they are in," said Rich Davis, executive producer of Comics on Duty.

Hundreds of troops gathered around a makeshift stage at Cedar Point II in Talil, Iraq, to watch four comedians perform April 16.

Most of the jokes and stories were based on things the comics experienced in the U.S., but they incorporated many things from the lives of deployed service members into their acts.

The jokes in the show ranged from one comedian's experience hitting a deer on the side of the road in West Virginia to another getting a mouth full of broken plastic fork tongs in the dining facility.

They even included a bit of low-brow humor about using portable toilets. While some of the jokes were more risqué, most were clean enough for soldiers to tell their families.
Davis created Comics on Duty 13 years ago because he said he wanted to support the military and thought laughter was good way to reach service members and take their minds off of whatever was bothering them for a while.

"The unique part of it for us is that every (service member) in every show has something else on his mind," Davis said. "It may be a positive thing. It may be a negative thing. It might be a family-oriented thing. They might be home sick. They may be missing their child's first step or their wife may be pregnant, or husband ill.

There are so many elements that go into the mock-up of an audience â?¦ It's a very unique show."

Because of the range of emotions in the audience, the comics have a more difficult job trying to make the service members laugh. It sometimes takes one or two performances before the crowd loosens up, but when they do, it is worth the work, Davis said.

"It's more rewarding than any possible entertainment," he said.
Since its conception, Comics on Duty has recruited hundreds of headlining comedians to travel the world entertaining troops in the U.S. and abroad.

"I have a lot of comics who were in the military. I have a lot who have family in the military, and the reason they're doing it is not for the media, and it's not for the money," Davis said. "It's because they want to come out and really make a difference."

Davis said he enjoys doing shows in front of large audiences because they reach a lot of people, but he really enjoys taking the show to troops in remote locations that don't usually get the big-name acts.

Some of the shows that Comics on Duty has put on in Iraq have been at forward operating bases, and their audiences have been comprised of 12 or less people, but Davis said the smaller shows are sometimes more rewarding than the larger ones because there is a lot more personal interaction.

"We've had so many people over the years come up and thank us for everything from giving them their first laugh in six months to the first time they forgot they were in a war zone," he said. "That's what it's about. It's about the audience."

The comedians also feel a sense of purpose when they are a part of the show.
Scott Derenger, one of the comedians on the tour, said he had many reasons for coming to Iraq.

"I've got some friends who have come over here before, and I've got family members who were in the military," he said. "The bottom line is it's the least I can do to come over here and make these guys and girls laugh."

"I'm not a political comic by any stretch, so I'm not going to talk about democrats or republicans or being pro- or anti-war," Derenger said. "I just talk about goofy things that I do, things that I've seen, things that I've said. I just try to make people laugh.

"They say laughter is the best medicine, and it helps a lot," Derenger added. "It's an honor and a privilege to be here."

One Soldier who knows the benefits of entertainment is Capt. Rodney T. Freeman, Base Camp Adder, Iraq, Morale Welfare and Recreation officer-in-charge. Freeman is responsible for coordinating all of the MWR events in Talil.

Freeman said shows like Comics on Duty are not only a good idea but a necessity for deployed Soldiers.

"You see the same guys day in and day out. You live with a guy and you're in a squad or a company with him," Freeman said. "When I was enlisted, it was the worst thing. You work with a guy all day and you get mad at him and then you have to go home and live with him at night."

These events give service members the opportunity to see some new faces, and they are able to go up and shake their hands without worrying about military bearing, Freeman said. It's just different.

Most of the people who attend the events Freeman organizes are staff sergeants or below, and he said those are precisely the ones who need it most.

"Somebody is finally doing something for them," he said. "Whether it be a comedian standing up there or a band playing music, somebody is doing something for them, and they are very appreciative of that."

Tom Foss, one of the comedians who performed at Cedar II, said being in Iraq helping soldiers is a very humbling experience and he would be here under any circumstances.

"When I was 19 years old, I didn't have the discipline to do this," Foss said with a bit of laughter. "Luckily I had the sense to know that. I thought I knew it all back then, and here I am 30 years later realizing I've still got a chance to learn."

Foss said many of his friends told him he was crazy for going to Iraq to perform, but he couldn't see how he could not make the trip.

"I couldn't understand why people didn't get involved," he said. "At least they could send a few dollars to www.anysoldier.com or something like that. After I talked to them, I realized they don't know any soldiers. They were completely unaffected.

They get their news at the gas pumps, and if the price of gas goes up they say, "Well, we must be losing." The only reason they lead that kind of life is because the Army does such a great job. They lead a sheltered life."

Comics on Duty has performed more than 1,600 shows for military audiences and is now in the middle of their eighth tour of Iraq. Davis said he constantly has comedians who want to be a part of the program and plans to continue bringing laughter to the soldiers on the front lines.

For show times or to find out more about Comics on Duty, visit their Web site at www.comicsonduty.com.

• Date Taken: 04.26.2005
• Date Posted: 04.26.2005 07:38
• Story ID: 1681
• Location: CEDAR POINT, OH, IQ