Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Hasan Minhaj, More Sign On for Stand Up for Heroes Benefit

Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Amber Iman, the Lumineers, Hasan Minhaj, Jeff Ross, Iliza Shlesinger and more are set to perform at the annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit event, which supports the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s efforts to help wounded service members, veterans and their families. Presented in partnership with the New York Comedy Festival, the 16th annual celebration will take place on Nov. 7 at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. Tickets go on sale today (Sept. 7). 

The event, which always features Springsteen performing select songs and dispensing jokes, will also highlight inspiring moments, memorable surprises, and stories of resilience while recognizing the men and women who have served in our nation’s military. The Bob Woodruff Foundation’s mission is to “find, fund, shape and accelerate equitable solutions that help the veteran and military community thrive,” according to a release.

Springsteen has appeared at 14 Stand Up for Heroes events, only missing one in 2017 due to his busy “Springsteen on Broadway” schedule. At a previous show, Springsteen auctioned off a motorcycle and dinner featuring his “mom’s lasagna.”

“We’ve been thrilled to continue our partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to present Stand Up for Heroes as a very special night during the New York Comedy Festival,” said Caroline Hirsch, founder of the New York Comedy Festival and Carolines on Broadway, and Board Member of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “We are humbled by the resilience, dedication and sacrifice that these extraordinary veterans have shown in their service to our country.  We are here to support our veterans and their families – and no better way to come together and experience the best in standup comedy and the healing power of laughter.”

Stand Up for Heroes was started by ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff in 2006 following his own experience suffered severe head injuries from an explosion while he was covering the war in Iraq. After launching at New York’s intimate Town Hall, it moved to the larger Beacon Theater and later to the 5,600-seat Theater at Madison Square Garden. The event was virtual in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After an incredible in-person return last year, we are thrilled to welcome everyone back for another night of laughter, healing, and appreciation of our nation’s heroic veterans, featuring some of the funniest comics and most talented musicians on the planet,” added Woodruff. 

Over the past 16 years, comedians and performers including Stephen Colbert, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Jim Gaffigan, Whoopi Goldberg, John Mayer, Seth Meyers, Hasan Minhaj, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Jerry Seinfeld,  Nikki Glaser, Ronnie Chieng, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ray Romano, and Robin Williams have taken the stage to advocate and honor military veterans.

To date, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has invested more than $85 million to” find, fund and shape the most innovative programs supporting our heroes, reaching more than 11 million veterans and their families across the country,” according to a release.

“On top of being a hilarious night of jokes and an inspirational night of healing, last year’s return to an in person Stand Up for Heroes was an incredible reminder of the power of communities coming together to rally around a common cause,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “With so many of the challenges veterans face being exacerbated by the pandemic, it is essential that we all come together again to not only celebrate them and their sacrifices, but also to remind the veteran community that there are people and organizations who truly care and won’t stop fighting on their behalf.”

Tickets for Stand Up for Heroes go on sale today (Sept. 7) through bobwoodrufffoundation.org, nycomedyfestival.com and the Lincoln Center box office.

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