Article – Comedy Event in Seattle PI

Apr 17, 2008

Seattleite Deborah Semer believes laughter is the best medicine for wounded war veterans.

Semer, whose husband is an Army nurse at the amputee/orthopedics ward at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., has organized her first “Laughter Is the Best Medicine” comedy benefit shows Saturday night, April 19, at 8 and 10:30 at the Mainstage Comedy and Music Club. Performers include comedians Tony Daniel, Joe Vespaziani and Dean Oleson. The 8 p.m. show will be broadcast on Synclive.com.

Host is humorist and social and political activist Steve Novick, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Oregon (he has the support of a number of rock celebrities, among them Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Krist Novoselic of Nirvana and Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie).

Tickets are $20 at Ticketmaster, by calling 206-217-3700 or going to Mainstagecomedy.com.

Twenty percent of the proceeds benefit Operation Ward 57, which supports the ward at Walter Reed. The grass-roots program operates through pro-football player Kerry Carter’s Think Big Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through Semer’s company, Atmosphere Artist Management.

“Losing a limb or two is no laughing matter, of course,” Semer says. “The pain these young soldiers will endure for the rest of their lives is heartbreaking. Laughter helps us all get through another day.”

The Mainstage is also looking for active-duty or retired military standup comedians to perform at future shows. The next will be in August. Information: 206-550-2112. To make a donation to Operation Ward 57 or to purchase a T-shirt, go to Operationward57.org.

Categories

Archives