thedrifter
11-09-07, 07:33 AM
Bruce Springsteen, comedians raise money for injured vets
Friday, November 9th 2007, 4:00 AM
Disabled veterans, soldiers from Iraq, and Bob Woodruff's brain injury - now THAT'S a recipe for comedy," Conan O'Brien told a mix of U.S. Marines in full dress and New York swells at Town Hall Wednesday night, where Bruce Springsteen, Robin Williams and Stephen Colbert helped raise $2.5 million for the Bob Woodruff Family Fund. "To top it off, my writers are on strike ... so if anyone has a joke, I'm paying cash."
Woodruff and wife Lee started the foundation for brain-wounded vets after the ABC newsman suffered traumatic brain injury from a roadside bomb while covering the Iraq War last year. Caroline Hirsch and Andrew Fox, two of the great New Yorkers, organized it as part of this week's New York Comedy Festival - so Springsteen said he felt he should put out some punch lines.
"Knock knock," said the Boss, and the adoring audience called out, "Who's there?!" Springsteen replied, "The Interrupting Cow!" and before they could finish "The Interr..." he yelled, "Moo!" After Springsteen performed an exquisite reinvention of "Thunder Road" and putting his all into songs from his new album, "Magic," fans agreed he should leave comedy to the pros.
Like Lewis Black, who harangued about how stores start putting Christmas decorations up in September. "Let's face it," Black railed, "Thanksgiving has become 'Christmas halftime.'"
And even as Colbert ended his White House bid after he was blocked from the ballot in his native South Carolina, Black suggested a new candidate for President: Santa Claus.
"Show the terrorists you're more nuts than they could ever be. Elect Santa," he yelled. "Or at least make the winner wear the red suit."
An out-of-towner, Brian Regan, was a scream as he described New Yorkers. "When people in the rest of the country get on an elevator, they just press the button for the floor. New Yorkers do that, but then they press 'Door Close, Door Close, Door Close,' yelling, 'Come on!'" he said aptly.
Writers or no writers, Conan had abs burning as he showed "separated at birth" pix of the candidates. Hillary Clinton does look like "Chucky" at the right angle.
And Robin Williams, after imitating Dock Ellis' 1970 no-hitter on LSD - from Ellis to the catcher to the ball itself - said it for everybody when he said the Iraq War, "will be a long road. But I want everyone to come home."
And as Sotheby's, auctioneer Hugh Hildesley said Springsteen had donated his incredible 1991 white Harley-Davidson but they could absolutely not run the motor, Springsteen roared out onto the stage on the "Fat Boy." Chris Cuomo snagged it for $85,000 - and you can bid on other items for this great cause at charityfolks.com/woodruff.
Ellie
Friday, November 9th 2007, 4:00 AM
Disabled veterans, soldiers from Iraq, and Bob Woodruff's brain injury - now THAT'S a recipe for comedy," Conan O'Brien told a mix of U.S. Marines in full dress and New York swells at Town Hall Wednesday night, where Bruce Springsteen, Robin Williams and Stephen Colbert helped raise $2.5 million for the Bob Woodruff Family Fund. "To top it off, my writers are on strike ... so if anyone has a joke, I'm paying cash."
Woodruff and wife Lee started the foundation for brain-wounded vets after the ABC newsman suffered traumatic brain injury from a roadside bomb while covering the Iraq War last year. Caroline Hirsch and Andrew Fox, two of the great New Yorkers, organized it as part of this week's New York Comedy Festival - so Springsteen said he felt he should put out some punch lines.
"Knock knock," said the Boss, and the adoring audience called out, "Who's there?!" Springsteen replied, "The Interrupting Cow!" and before they could finish "The Interr..." he yelled, "Moo!" After Springsteen performed an exquisite reinvention of "Thunder Road" and putting his all into songs from his new album, "Magic," fans agreed he should leave comedy to the pros.
Like Lewis Black, who harangued about how stores start putting Christmas decorations up in September. "Let's face it," Black railed, "Thanksgiving has become 'Christmas halftime.'"
And even as Colbert ended his White House bid after he was blocked from the ballot in his native South Carolina, Black suggested a new candidate for President: Santa Claus.
"Show the terrorists you're more nuts than they could ever be. Elect Santa," he yelled. "Or at least make the winner wear the red suit."
An out-of-towner, Brian Regan, was a scream as he described New Yorkers. "When people in the rest of the country get on an elevator, they just press the button for the floor. New Yorkers do that, but then they press 'Door Close, Door Close, Door Close,' yelling, 'Come on!'" he said aptly.
Writers or no writers, Conan had abs burning as he showed "separated at birth" pix of the candidates. Hillary Clinton does look like "Chucky" at the right angle.
And Robin Williams, after imitating Dock Ellis' 1970 no-hitter on LSD - from Ellis to the catcher to the ball itself - said it for everybody when he said the Iraq War, "will be a long road. But I want everyone to come home."
And as Sotheby's, auctioneer Hugh Hildesley said Springsteen had donated his incredible 1991 white Harley-Davidson but they could absolutely not run the motor, Springsteen roared out onto the stage on the "Fat Boy." Chris Cuomo snagged it for $85,000 - and you can bid on other items for this great cause at charityfolks.com/woodruff.
Ellie