Journalists, Generals, Politicians & Comedians Come Together To Support Woodruff Fund

By Chris Ariens 

Bob and Lee Woodruff know how to draw a crowd.

The boldface names will be out in full force Nov. 7 in New York City for the “Stand up for Heroes” gala. The event is a partnership between the New York Comedy Festival and the Bob Woodruff Family Fund.

Conan O’Brien hosts the event which is being chaired by Peter and Megan Chernin (News Corp.), Bob Iger and Willow Bay (Disney), Les Moonves and Julie Chen (CBS), Dick and Laura Parsons (Time Warner) and Jeff and Caryn Zucker (NBCU).

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This event is billed as “an evening of laughter, tributes and gratitude dedicated to our nation’s injured service members.”

More boldfacers make up the honorary committee: Generals Barry McCaffrey and John Abizaid; Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver; Senators Bob Dole, Elizabeth Dole, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Tim Johnson, John McCain, John Warner and Jim Webb; and presidential candidates John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth and Mitt Romney.

And that’s not all: The benefit committee includes journalists Christiane Amanpour, Wolf Blitzer, Tom Brokaw, Steve Capus, Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Kimberly Dozier, Charlie Gibson, Kayce Jennings, Jon Klein, Sean McManus, Martha Raddatz, Tim Russert, Diane Sawyer, Lynn Sherr, Claire Shipman, Greta Van Susteren, Barbara Walters, Jim Walton, David Westin, and Brian & Jane Williams.

“We are a very lucky family with Bob’s recovery and we are well aware that not every family has the outcome we have had,” said Bob and Lee Woodruff. “We were determined to use our journey to draw attention to the number of traumatic brain injuries from this war and to ensure that all service members returning from the war continue to receive the best care and attention in rehab and beyond.”


STAND UP FOR HEROES: A BENEFIT FOR THE BOB WOODRUFF FAMILY FUND

Conan O’Brien Set To Host the Star-Studded New York Comedy Festival Benefit With Lewis Black, Bruce Springsteen, Robin Williams and Other Special Guests Performing

November 7, 2007 At New York City’s Town Hall

New York, NY (September 20, 2007) — The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) is proud to announce a partnership with the Bob Woodruff Family Fund (BWFF) in presenting Stand Up for Heroes: A Benefit for the Bob Woodruff Family Fund. This unique occasion is an evening of laughter, tributes and gratitude dedicated to our nation’s injured service members, with proceeds from the evening going to the BWFF.

NBC’s Conan O’Brien will host the benefit at Town Hall at 8:00 pm on Wednesday, November 7 and the evening will feature intimate performances by Lewis Black, Bruce Springsteen and Robin Williams.

The media and entertainment industry is coming together in full force to help this important cause. The chairs for the evening are Peter and Megan Chernin, Bob Iger and Willow Bay, Les Moonves and Julie Chen, Richard D. and Laura Parsons, Jeff and Caryn Zucker.

The Honorary Committee for this unprecedented event to support our injured service members is led by President and Mrs. George W. Bush, President George H.W. Bush and President William J. Clinton.

Also joining the Honorary Committee are Senator Bob Dole, Senator Elizabeth Dole, General John Abizaid, Senator Joseph Biden, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Congressman Bill and Beverly Young, Senator Tim Johnson, General Barry McCaffrey, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Senator Carl Levin, Vice Admiral Donald Arthur, Senator John Warner, Senator John and Elizabeth Edwards, Admiral Edmund Giambastiani, Senator Chuck Hagel, Senator Jim Webb, Senator John McCain, Congressman Steve Buyer, General Michael Hagee, Governor Mitt Romney, Judge William Sessions, Congressman Robert Filner, Congressman Duncan Hunter, Senator Robert Byrd, Congressman Walter Jones, Congressman Jerry Lewis, Senator Pat Roberts, Lieutenant General Gregory Newbold, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Congressman Ike Skelton and others.

The growing Benefit Committee list includes Christiane Amanpour, Jeff Bewkes, Wolf Blitzer, Tom Brokaw, Tina Brown, Steve Capus, Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Kimberly Dozier, James Gandolfini, Charlie Gibson, Kayce Jennings, Jon Klein, Cindi Leive, Sean McManus, Janice Min, Robbie Myers, Martha Nelson, Mike Nichols, Dan Peres, Martha Raddatz, Kelly Ripa, Tim Russert, Diane Sawyer, Lynn Sherr, Claire Shipman, Leonard and Allison Stern, Greta Van Susteren, Barbara Walters, Jim Walton, Harvey Weinstein, David Westin, Brian and Jane Williams and Fareed Zakaria to name a few. In addition, GFI Group Inc. is a prime sponsor of the event.

“We are a very lucky family with Bob’s recovery and we are well aware that not every family has the outcome we have had,” said Bob and Lee Woodruff. “We were determined to use our journey to draw attention to the number of traumatic brain injuries from this war and to ensure that all service members returning from the war continue to receive the best care and attention in rehab and beyond.”

In January 2006, while reporting for ABC News, Bob Woodruff was severely injured in Iraq when his convoy was hit by a roadside bomb. Both Woodruff and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, sustained multiple life-threatening wounds. Bob spent five weeks in a medically-induced coma before going on to do months of in and out patient rehabilitation. The Woodruff family established the Fund in February 2007 to raise awareness and money to assist members of the military injured while serving our country.

The Bob Woodruff Family Fund assists service members injured while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Special emphasis is placed on the “hidden signature injuries” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – traumatic brain injury (TBI) and combat stress injuries including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Fund works with private industry and government to develop public awareness and excellence in research, education, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support and resources for the injured and their families as they reintegrate to duty or civilian life. For more information, please visit www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org.

“Bob and Lee Woodruff are exceptional people doing exceptional work for those in dire need,” says Caroline Hirsch, a founding partner of the festival. “We are thrilled that the NYCF is part of this extraordinary event and hope that the evening can help draw necessary awareness and funding so those injured in the war receive the medical attention they deserve.”

For ticket information on the “Stand Up for Heroes: A Benefit for the Bob Woodruff Family Fund” event, please email benefit@freud.com.

This event is produced by Caroline Hirsch, Lee Woodruff, Jeff Ross, Andrew Fox and Louis Faranda.

The Fourth Annual NYCF’s roster also includes celebrated comics Rosie O’Donnell performing at Avery Fisher Hall on November 6; Sarah Silverman at Carnegie Hall on November 7; “Comedy Cares for the Homeless” with Joy Behar and Kathleen Madigan at Carolines on Broadway on November 7; Andy Borowitz “Countdown to ’08” with Mo Rocca and Arianna Huffington at the 92nd Street Y on November 7; Denis Leary at the Beacon Theatre on November 8; Louis CK at Town Hall on November 8; The writers of the Late Show with David Letterman at the Paley Center for Media on November 9; Artie Lange at Town Hall on November 9; Damon Wayans at the Beacon Theatre on November 9; “Scrubs: The Farewell Tour” at the Paley Center for Media on November 10; Bill Maher at the Beacon Theatre on November 10; DL Hughley at Town Hall on November 10; ASSSSCAT with Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh at Irving Plaza at 9 pm; and “Family Guy’s” Seth MacFarlane at Avery Fisher Hall on November 11.

The NYCF sponsors include Jeep, American Express, exclusive broadcast partners WNYW/Fox 5 and WWOR/My9 New York, internet media sponsor MySpace.com, The New York Post and Time Out New York. The 2007 NYCF is produced by Carolines on Broadway and The Alliance Agency.

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