Posted on 12/21/2007 5:11:23 AM PST by RDTF
KABUL, Afghanistan — Robin Williams and Lance Armstrong took a swipe at the French, Kid Rock strummed "Sweet Home Alabama," comedian Lewis Black grumbled about the falling snow, and Miss USA told the troops to keep "kicking butt."
Some 500 American soldiers watched an all-star USO cast perform amid a steady snowstorm at a U.S. base in Kabul late Thursday. The stop was part of a six-day, 14-show tour that saw the entertainers begin their day with a performance in Iraq.
The audience of soldiers — bundled in hooded jackets and warm hats — stood in the snow before a makeshift stage waiting for Williams and company to arrive after the performers were delayed by rough weather. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was traveling with the group, took the microphone first, telling the soldiers it was a tough time to be away from home.
"We brought a few celebrities tonight to try and lift your spirits," he said before introducing Miss USA, Rachel Smith, to a burst of cheers.
Armstrong, a seven-time winner of the Tour de France, told the soldiers that the entertainers had gotten stuck in Tikrit, Iraq, because of a sandstorm and had to bunk in the same room.
Black started snoring 60 seconds after the lights were turned out, Armstrong said.
"Then Robin was above me snoring, so all night I was punching the bunk trying to get him to stop," he said.
Williams, a USO veteran making his fourth trip to Af-ghanistan, told the soldiers he woke up on Thursday in the desert sands of Iraq and closed out his day with snow in Kabul. "From sand to snow, Mother Nature is having hot flashes."
Then he took a dig at the French. "They're the only people who go into combat wearing a chef's hat. It's amazing," he said.
Rock, who performed on acoustic guitar and had soldiers sing the chorus to "Sweet Home Alabama," said he volunteers for the sake of the soldiers.
"I'm here for one reason — to entertain these guys," he said in an interview after the show. "To be a source of entertainment, give them a slice of home. How can you not come?"
"Especially at Christmas," Williams said, "to let people know they're not forgotten."
Smith, who was born on a military base in Panama and became Miss Tennessee, said she wanted to give something back because she knows what the troops are going through. She said the troops' work was invaluable.
"We wouldn't have the opportunities and freedoms that we have back at home if you guys weren't over here kicking butt," Smith said.
Good to them for entertaining the troops.
Miss USA, Rachel Smith
She wore that?!
*snicker*
she really braved the elements!
off with her head!!!!!!!!!!!!
nicer touch
Mayra Veronica was there last month.
http://www.uso.org/gallery/details.aspx?id=173
Much better eye candy -— for the troops.
The title of that makes me wanna barf — how about “Troops brave sand and snow to see a USO show.” And guess what? When the show’s over the USO Troupe goes home — the Troops stay.
And for that, alone, I give Mr. Williams' politics a pass.
Geez, Louise! What a Grinch. Take a chill pill.
Agreed. He kinda has bitchin' rights.
No apologies from me — the fact that the USO Troupe gets the billing just aggravates me — it shows a bias in the media toward hero status for our entertainment industry, rather than for the troops they are there to entertain. And my name isn’t Louise. ;-)
Are the troops happy that they are there?
Yes!
Ergo, I am happy.
Having had the experience of the USO showing up to perform while I was in active service, its a good break from the day to day routine at sea.
I dno’t agree with the politics of many who have performed, like Robin Williams, but I RESPECT the fact they are doing this.
As somebody above said, he has ‘bitchin rights’ as far as I’m concerned.
Your point is taken, and I’m glad they went. I just don’t believe that they are heroes for doing so.
If the USO tried to decide who would go base on someone’s poltical check-list, they, let me repeat T-H-E-Y - the troops - would be getting Pat Boone and Anita Bryant.
From “Good Morning Vietnam”
Lt. Steven Hauk: Furthermore, you are to stick to playing normal modes of music, not weird stuff. Those who we’d find acceptable here would include Lawrence Welk, Jim Nabors, Mantovani...
Adrian Cronauer: ...Percy Faith...
Lt. Steven Hauk: Percy Faith... good!... Andy Williams, Perry Como, and certain ballads by Mr. Frank Sinatra.
The troops love to have people come to see them, thank them in person. It means a lot to our service men and women.
I was in the service after Vietnam, so we didn’t get the ugly end of that mindset from Goodmorning Vietnam.
It was a five person rock band, not a ‘big name’ group, but the two chicks fronting it were hot!
Then again, on gonzo station, any human with female genitalia made the ‘hot list’....(chuckle)
Meanwhile, Rush is STILL waiting to get to Iraq.
It pulled up and out jumped Steve Martin and his wife. They opened a cooler full of ice cold NA beer and started handing them out. He stayed and talked to us for 10-15 minutes and then left. We were a small combined anti-armor team, only 20 Marines or so, it meant a lot.
Newspaper stories are usually written in a "pyramid" style -- that is, the most important facts are supposed to appear early in the story, with each paragraph a little less important than the previous paragraph.*snip*
Studies have shown that, in the case of the average newspaper reader and the average news story, most people read only the headline.
The headline of this story points toward the entertainers as being somehow heroic for going, and neglects to say that the Troops are.
Obviously others disagree, but that's how I see it. It's interesting to me that by my pointing it out -- thereby indicating that I believe the troops to be more important than the Hollywierd entertainers -- I have been called grouchy and The Grinch (not to mention "Louise!")
maybe cuz he’s not as cute as she is in a ‘kini. ;)
See my #11 Post
OK,
This is how I see it-—
Give me praise and treat me nice and I’ll go again.
No skin off of anyone’s nose and everyone comes out a winner-— troupes, entertainers, us.
LOL!! I was thinking the same thing! :-P
That is wonderful, thanks for sharing about your experience. And thank you for serving our country, it is because of you and other Vets and our troops today, that I am able to live in a land that is free.
I hear you Naj, but then again, that’s looking at it from the entertainers POV — “suck up to me and I’ll do something nice for you.” The troops deserve more support and uplifted morale than the Hollywood folks would ever be able to give ~ and it annoys the heck out of me that they are lining up begging to go entertain our troops. So when a few decide to do it, folks go all ape over it. *shrugs*
I think I’m the only one here who sees it this way, so I’ll just quit arguing my point. But I still don’t apologize for seeing it that way. ;^)
Now that’s cool and one on one gratitude! Thank you for sharing and your service.
and it annoys the heck out of me that they are NOT lining up begging to go entertain our troops
The world is full of people who don’t feel about things like we do, we all have our passions and soap boxes.... we just lead and teach via example.
Like you do with your service.
Tanks Naj. Just stickin’ up for my heroes. :-) *HUG*
That should be a scene in a movie!!
Not ergo, it’s USO. ;^)
cool!
The person who called the entertainers “hero” was you and then you go on about the entertainment indury not deserving hero status. Talk about creating your own story!
BTW: Thanks for the “Jounalism 101” intruction
Show me where I called them heroes? I said that I don’t believe that they ARE heroes. Whatever — you and I obviously disagree. Have a nice day and a Merry Christmas.
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