 When it comes to bringing the Gift of Laughter to our Wounded Warrior heroes, the funny Friars will storm any beach – from the shores of Tripoli, to the Jersey shore!
In March, Friar Pat Greenwald sent her comedy troops into action, deploying funny Friars Dave Konig, Jeff Pirrami, and Joey Callahan “down the shore” to bring some laughs to dozens of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans at a big beach party in Seaside Heights, New Jersey – home to sand, sea, and Snooki. The Wounded Warriors Program brought the vets and their families up from Walter Reed Hospital for a spectacular weekend of rest and recreation. The troops were the guests of honor at the town’s big St. Patrick’s Day Parade, then it was back to the hotel for a knockout party – complete with a Friars comedy show.
Friar Konig cracked up the troops, bragging about his latest TV deal, “Great to be here at the beach. This summer you can see me on Survivor: East Hampton – six Jews on the beach, no sunblock!”
Thanks Dave! Laughing is one of my favorite pastimes, but you guys had me bent over holding my stomach laughing!
Pamela I Smejkal, SSG Retired
Our heroes then got some (ahem) BIG laughs from Friar Pirrami: “When I got here I heard some little kid say, ‘Mommy, look at how fat that guy is!’ His mother said, ‘Now son, be nice, maybe it runs in his family.’ The kid said, ‘Trust me mom, nobody runs in his family!’”
Friar Callahan gave a comedy nod to the Teamsters who helped put the event together for our troops: “My dad was a Teamster, he was very handy guy around the house. Me – I can’t fix anything. I should host a show called, ‘This Old House Is Broken and I Don’t Give a Crap!”
After the show, the Friars got the best reviews a performer can get – the gratitude of our great veterans. Tony Ntellas, the Field Service Coordinator for the Wounded Warriors program, gave the show a rave, “You guys were amazing, the Wounded Warriors had a blast – you made a huge impact! Goes to show you what laughter can do.”
“Thanks for supporting the WWP and putting some much needed smiles on all
our faces!” said New Jersey National Guard Staff Sergeant Pam Smejkal. “THANK YOU so much for making the trip to the Jersey Shore and entertaining -- you sure know how to throw a party!”
US Army Staff Sergeant Heriberto Vidro agreed, “The Friars Club comedians made it a weekend to remember!”
As much as our troops enjoyed the show – it was a mutual love affair. Friar Konig summed it all up at the end of the show, “A Jewish comic, an Italian comic, and an Irish comic walked into a Wounded Warriors party – and you guys made US feel like a million bucks!” - From Friars Hit The Beach for Wounded Warriors by Friar Dave Konig, in the Friar's Epistle  |
