Adam Richmond, Los Angeles Comic Brings Spirit and Laughter to Troops

In 2014, as part of Today’s Shine a Light series, Al Roker worked to bring celebrities Jay Leno, Craig Robinson and Iliza Shlesinger together for a simple, but sometimes overlooked cause: namely, entertaining America’s military. http://www.today.com/news/al-roker-jay-leno-team-uso-comedy-tour-bring-laughs-1D80157800

Today’s Shine a Light series is an opportunity to support to a worthy cause, and Al Roker described his choice to support the military through the series by saying the following:

Freedom comes at a cost. The people who help pay that cost are the servicemen and women of our armed forces and their families. Here at home and all across the globe, they protect us. They serve us. They keep our freedom secure.

We can never repay them for what they do. However, the USO brings a little bit of home to our troops wherever they are.

There is little doubt as to the importance the military plays in protecting our freedom; there’s little doubt as well as to the kind of sacrifice they make day in and day out.  But, what oftentimes does not receive as much attention is the power of laughter and entertainment, and the kind of joy and, in many ways, healing that organizations like the United Service Organizations (USO) provides the military. https://www.uso.org/

Formed in 1941 a little before the United States’ entrance into World War II, the USO was created by Franklin D. Roosevelt for the specific purpose of raising the morale of America’s troops by bringing celebrities and comedians to service personnel stationed overseas.

For many years, the face of entertainers supporting the troops, and indeed the face of the USO, was Bob Hope.  After all, for 63 years, beginning the year he performed his first USO show in California in 1941, Bob Hope entertained millions of troops and their families. http://armylive.dodlive.mil/index.php/2014/08/bob-hope-first-and-only-honorary-veteran-of-the-armed-forces/

What’s encouraging, however, is that the rich tradition of comedians and entertainers performing for the U.S. military remains alive and strong.  Understanding the power of comedy, the late Robin Williams made a point of performing for the military overseas, completing six USO tours during his career and extending the tradition created by Hope.  What’s more, the USO continues to book a calendar of celebrity-filled entertainment for the troops every year. http://time.com/3103930/robin-williams-military-uso/

“It truly is a special thing to have this opportunity [to entertain the troops].”  

This from Los Angeles comedian Adam Richmond.  Richmond, who performs stand-up throughout the country in venues like The Comedy Store, Icehouse, and Improv Comedy Clubs, makes a point of performing comedy shows for troops every couple months, oftentimes at Camp Pendleton, south of Los Angeles.  He’s also raised money for the Military Veterans Project, done shows for the Wounded Hero Fund and produced a comedy special at Pendleton, “Comedy from the Corps”. https://about.me/adam.richmond

“Our military sacrifices an amazing amount for the freedom we enjoy, and as a performer, when I do these shows, it’s my way of giving back a little bit,” Adam Richmond explained.   “I want our military men and women to appreciate the freedom they fight for, and I’d like to think that getting them to laugh, getting them to smile, even if it’s just for a little bit, helps them do that.  Not to mention, they’re tons of fun to perform in front of.” https://twitter.com/richmondcomedy

Today, besides the USO, organizations like Laughs for the Troops (http://www.laughsforthetroops.org/), Battle Comics (http://battlecomics.org/), Armed Forces Entertainment (http://www.armedforcesentertainment.com/), and others continue to support the cause of bringing entertainment and laughter to military personnel. The United States continues to have military throughout the world, and for these troops, it’s important to remember just how far a laugh and a chance to momentarily relax can go.