Page 12 - The Military Reunion Network Sept Oct 2017 Issue
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Military Reunion Network | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | #militaryreunionsmatter
Do you remember your first job as am among veterans because they have a familiarity
a Bob Hope Impersonator? to Bob Hope already.
I was living in Las Vegas; and answered an open call People in the entertainment have
for celebrity impersonators at the Riviera Hotel and a reputation for it “being about the
Casino. We were stuck in a corner between Moon money”. You seem to have higher
Doggies Snack Bar, and Penny Town, which was the priorities.
penny slots area of the casino. Not the best spot for
stand up! The stage was a tiny 2X3 space. You and The joke I make is I will do the shows for free. but
your sound guy were expected to “do a 10-minute I must pay my wife the ransom to get out of the
show” every hour. It gave me a chance to work on house. I would say I am “negotiable” because I
my material in a show setting without being in a realize the importance of giving back to our veteran
show setting. I worked there once a week in the community. They have done quite a bit for our
afternoon for about three months before the Riviera country. The least I can do is appreciate different
closed the show. It gave me experience. situations, and be flexible when I can.
You do an amazing job at sharing You are keeping Bob Hope alive;
not only Bob Hope’s show history and honoring his memory, while
but our war history as well. Was at the same time supporting the
your show always that way? veterans of today. Where would
you like to see it go? How would
You know, in the beginning, I told jokes. I repeated you like it to evolve?
his jokes. As they say in show business I felt like I
was “dying out there”. There had to be a method It has been very rewarding in and of itself. I would
to this madness. I started researching how he got just like to work more consistently. I am by nature
started; and realized I should tell the history of his a perfectionist and will keep working on it too. I
service to the troops with his jokes. There are some don’t ever want it to be a stale act. I try to adapt
interesting questions to answer. How did the USO my shows to the audience. If it is a navy group, I do
start? How did Bob Hope start? It allowed what I some research on where they were stationed; or I
was doing to have more substance. It became my may find a patch to put on my vest. I try to make a
mission. reference to their service. At the end of the day, it is
their show.
Through your shows, you are
talking to veterans all the time. What would you like reunion
How has that impacted you planners to know about booking
personally? you for their reunion?
For one thing, my Dad served in WWII but would I put on my website “I will help them do their own
rarely talk about it. Through my research, I have USO show”. I don’t want them to be put off by that.
learned things that my Dad would reference that It is pretty easy to do. The most difficult part is
now make sense. My dad hated the cold. I know he the travel. There is no way around needing to get
was stationed in Belgium. I don’t know if he was at there. I don’t have a hard quote when working with
the Battle of the Bulge, but being in Belgium it could people. Honestly, they are surprised when we start
explain why he hated the cold so much. talking about how reasonable it is.
The Vietnam Veterans I have met for the most part For more information, visit militaryreunionnetwork.com
were not treated fairly when they got back home. It Select Speakers/Color Guard/Entertainment from the
is very cathartic for them to talk about their time in menu in the upper right.
the military. To listen to these guys tell their stories,
it not only helps me, but helps them as well. I find
there is a great connection to the audience when I
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