Laughter on the lines

In real life it is tough to be funny during a comedy act with explosions and sirens going off in the background.
And even tougher when the logistics of entertainment demand a flak jacket and helmet, but provide little or no stage equipment.

Comedians who visit war zones to entertain troops adjust their routines to perform in places like hangars, flight decks, flat beds, landmine fields, mess tents, even in sickly mud and rain.

The experience is often unsettling in the presence of danger and in an environment ravaged by war. Still, many comedians choose such tours. They live in the same dangerous conditions and brace the same security threats.

"We eat the same food and use the same amenities. If there is no hot water, there is no hot water for anybody. Sometimes I perform in a tent for six guys who look like they haven't seen a shower or razor in months," says Don Barnhart, award-winning comedian who tours for US-based Comics On Duty and USO (United Service Organisations).

The comedians are treated as part of the troops. "If they [the troops] play a game of volleyball, we're out sweating with them or if it's movie night we're hanging out together," says Barnhart, who has performed in military bases in Afghanistan, Egypt, Europe, Japan, Iceland, Greenland and Korea.

While he has witnessed incidents he isn't authorised to talk about, he says, the troops are inured to far more. "It is an honour to entertain them. If I knew how to bake cookies, I would, but I'm much better at telling jokes. The pride is intense even though I feel like the water boy on a Super Bowl team."

The backdrop of stationed troops is always the same: men and women away from family and friends, negotiating unsafe reality and living with uncertainty every day. Clearly this venue isn't for the faint-hearted. Once a comedian crosses the Rubicon so to speak, he needs doughty will and strength.

"It takes a strong person to be both soldier and comedian," says Barnhart, talking about his first sign-up.
It was in 1992 during a tour in Sweden that he saw a USO sign and enquired if they were interested in a comedy show. He then sent them his demo tape.

"Before I realised it, I was on a plane to Bosnia with an alternative rock band and 49ers cheerleaders. We were on alert from snipers 24/7. It showed me the good and bad side, and confirmed the importance of these shows to those serving," he says.

He jokes about how his experiences have made auditioning for big agents much easier. (Barnhart has been on every major comedy show from NBC to Comedy Central and MTV.)

"During the last audition they said I was so relaxed, unlike the other actors. I told them I just got back from Afghanistan where there was a mortar and missile attack during my show. And that they weren't shooting at my act."

Inherent issues

The venue determines the security measures and logistics.
"A few months lead time is the best," says Barnhart, explaining logistical and security details. "These tours can be really gruelling. We might travel 24 hours and do a show right away."

The main leg of the journey is completed on a commercial jet and then they are asked to "soldier up". This means they have to travel with a flotilla of troops. "We get security briefs that translate into much more than a handshake and bottle of water. They want us to be as prepared as they are," he says.

Each tour is different. If it is a large base, comedians may start from there and perform satellite shows at smaller bases. Or they may hop from one location to the next. If there's a security threat they travel to a different base before returning.

On one of his tours, the place was under lockdown. "As a result I had to tell jokes in the dark," says Barnhart.
After completing several military tours, he created a TV show called The Freedom of Speech Comedy Series featuring all the great comics who have done military shows. (He is
also the founder of Don Barnhart Entertainment that specialises in independent TV/film productions
and is one of the premier booking agencies for comedy shows.)

As such he understands the demands and limitations of entertaining troops. "I am prepared for any event. I remind myself that we get to go home in a week or two, regardless of how difficult it gets. The troops don't have this choice," says Barnhart, whose father was in the reserves and brother and brother-in-law served.

Troops make for a very different audience When comedians perform for a regular audience they can joke about almost any subject. Troops on the other hand represent homogeneity in terms of collective fears, apprehensions and hardship; they face war, destruction, horrific human and climatic conditions, and rarely put up with mediocrity.
Thus comedy routines have to be tailored carefully and insensitive matter has to be expurgated. This can be a challenge to the most seasoned comedian.

Barnhart has watched the most risible acts lose a crowd because the content wasn't put together carefully enough or "the prima donna entertainers ran around complaining because they didn't or couldn't get their regular latte".
He says, "You have to read the crowd based on age, rank and cultural differences. I'm constantly editing in my head. If the joke works, I'll push further; if it doesn't, I'll switch. The material also has to be sensitive to the personal conflicts in a soldier's life."

Most of Barnhart's anecdotal content is based on personal experiences. Tales from everyday life find expression on his military tours and vice versa. When talking to the troops he tries to find out what is on their mind. "Every once in a while, I meet someone who really needs a friend.

At times they need to talk and others they want to be entertained or reminded of home." In comparison, audiences in the US want details behind the news and learn about idiosyncrasies associated with the field. "I am asked about what it's like. They are concerned and interested to know how our soldiers are doing.

I am like the middleman exchanging pleasantries." There is much that sets a regular audience apart from the troops. Take the immediacy of response for instance. "They risk their lives and are honest in what they like or don't. It makes me a sharper comic. At a regular show, you can leave and choose another activity. At a military base, the show may be the only activity they get for months so you have to give them quality."

A pressure relief valve for soldiers

Laughter has a direct positive impact on a soldier's morale and comedy is a pressure relief valve. "It lets the tension out before you snap," says Barnhart. "I have seen the toughest looking soldier laugh so hard he had tears rolling down his cheeks. After the show, he gave me a hug that almost broke my ribcage. And I was told he doesn't even smile."

The feedback is always great, he says. There is bonhomie after a show with back slaps, handshakes and photographs. He says, "Many of these soldiers are away from their families for the first time and are either headed to or are in a combat zone. It can be unbearable. It's not like going away to college with frat parties. These people are at war and it's really hard on them."

The greatest feeling is when soldiers thank him. "Some of them haven't been home in a long time and we're often the closest connection to home."

Over the years, he has made great friends with the soldiers. When he is back in the US, he says, "It's cool when they come up to me and say, ‘I've seen your act overseas.' It makes me happy because it means they have made it safely back home."

If American troops are stationed somewhere, Barnhart has been there. His wife Linda Vu isn't always thrilled about him heading out to war zones to tell jokes, "but she understands and supports me", he says.

– Carolina D'Souza is Lifestyle Features Coordinator, Friday