In honor of the people who have served our country, it was time to give back but in the funniest way possible
On Wednesday November 5, 2014, The New York Comedy Festival and the Bob Woodruff Foundation presented the 8th annual Stand Up For Heroes Event where many well-known performers such as Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan, John Oliver, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Brian Williams, and more took the stage to help raise money for the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
The Bob Woodruff Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that injured service members and their families are well taken care of and are able to live a comfortable life. This event hosted by The New York Comedy Festival, which is produced by Caroline’s On Broadway, is a way to raise money so that this amazing foundation can continue to help these injured service members continue after they return from war. “Stand Up For Heroes” has hosted some of the biggest and most well-known comedians such as Bill Cosby, Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, and many more. One performer who has a personal connection to what this foundation does is comedian John Oliver. When asked about his thoughts on the event event, this is what he had to say:
Q: What does being here at “Stand Up For Heroes” mean to you?
A: It means a lot. My wife is a combat veteran so this has kind of a personal connection to me, so it is an honor to be here.
Q: Do you think comedy is important in regards to this foundation?
A: In regards to this foundation, it helps raise money.
Q: Talk about how comedy has influenced your life.
A: It is the thing I loved the most when I was growing up. I was obsessed with comedy. I used to listen to comedy albums to go to sleep as a little kid. I basically went to sleep with the sounds of Richard Pryor.
Q: Who was your favorite comedian growing up?
A: Richard Pryor. Even a young, 11 year old, white British boy, Richard Pryor. It was like he was talking about my life.
Q: What are you most excited for about this event?
A: Just meeting the veterans to be honest, that’s the most exciting thing.
Q: What performance are you most looking forward to tonight?
A: It would be nice to see Jon again and hearing Bruce sing is like eating an entire apple pie.
-Vinesh Vora
