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Saturday March 7th, 2009 - Brookfield, IL

Tough choice today. My friend Eddie Horn asked if I’d participate in a benefit show for soldiers and veterans at a V.F.W. post in Brookfield, IL. I was off tonight and I always try to help people when I can and especially anyone in the Armed Forces so I had to say yes.

One thing I never joke about is my respect for those who have and do protect my rights as an American and my gratitude for the freedoms I enjoy. I may not always agree with all the reasons we’re at war but I never lose track of the fact the soldiers are risking their all.

Eddie asked if I knew any other comics who might want to participate and I asked Tony Talley because his son is a Marine and Russ Martin from Milwaukee who I think has two sons who served as well. They’re both great guys and I know they need some stage time.

What I didn’t know is that Eddie has an improv troupe called ‘The Happy Clams’ with several members in it and they were on the show as well. They did a lot of very funny bits of all kinds from improv games to sketches to even puppets. The audience loved all of it.

Unfortunately the crowd was loud and rowdy and were drinking and it was very hard to get them to listen after a while. Most of them were vets and a lot were bikers and most of them were just there to support the cause and hadn’t really seen a lot of comedy shows.

I had really hoped to be able to try out my TV set at least once more but tonight was not the night to do it. These people were drunk and tired and by the time I got up it was about two hours into the show so I just did a few brisk minutes and got them going and then cut it short and said good night. Everyone wanted to leave and it just wasn’t the night for me.

Eddie and his troupe could have and should have done the whole show. They were on a roll and the crowd loved it and it wouldn’t have hurt them to be the whole show. I’m very flattered that Eddie thought of me and I never want to disrespect a vet but comedy wise it was a waste of my night when I really needed a night to practice a bit more. Too late now.

What can I say? Eddie has a huge heart and he did this for the right reasons so how can I say no? I just can’t. This will be a problem if I ever do get famous because I really do try to help causes when I can and the more known I get the more people that will probably be asking me to do things like this. I’ll have to be very careful who I say yes to in the future.

Those guys didn’t really need me tonight and in the end I lose out because I could have squeezed in at least one and probably two guest spots to run through my set again. Out in L.A. nobody is going to care that I donated my time for a good cause. They want JOKES.

On the good side Russ Martin and Tony Talley both did very well. They’re both former students of mine and I couldn’t be prouder of each of them. They’re coming along nicely and I see growth and progress and both of them love comedy very much. Hanging with all good people has to count for something, doesn’t it? I hope so. That’s what I did tonight.