Comedian Don Barnhart Launches World Tour for the Troops

Beginning late October, The Celebrity Comedy Series for the troops produced by Don Barnhart Entertainment will begin world tour with comedy legend George Wallace.

Don Barnhart will produce and perform in The Celebrity Comedy Series World Tour For The Troops starring comedy legend George Wallace.

Barnhart has been performing and producing comedy shows for the troops since 1992 and commits to taking several weeks a year out of his current tours to get entertainment to the men and women serving in the Armed Forces.

Barnhart had been producing and performing for the troops for years and was a regular performer for Comics On Duty as well as performing and recruiting and performing much of the comedy talent for The USO's successful Comedy Break Series during the 90's.

"Armed Forces Entertainment had always been the common factor for all these tours as well as producing their own show and decided it was time to step it up and get even more name acts and entertainment to the soldiers", said Barnhart.

When contacted by Armed Forces Entertainment, Barnhart created the Celebrity Comedy Series and contacted his friends in the comedy community. Brad Garrett, Louie Anderson and Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias all expressed interest in touring for the troops but due to their current schedules and other commitments were unable to go on this specific tour.

"Getting George Wallace on board was a nature progression", said Barnhart. "George was performing his show in Vegas and would already comp active military into his show so I knew he had a soft spot for the troops and when I asked him to go he didn't ask where or for how much, he said, 'When do we leave'."

George Wallace is truly a comedy legend and is considered. His new book, "Laff It Off" with a forward by good friend Jerry Seinfeld is now out and George was named "Comedian of the year" by the American Comedy Awards and if there is a comedy show or movie, Wallace has been in it. He has been seen on the Tonight Show, The Wash with Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre, The Ladykillers with Tom Hanks, Think Like A Man Too with Kevin Hart, Little Nicky with Adam Sandler and many more.

George's most recognized material is his "Yo Mama" and "I Be Thinkin" jokes, which encourage audience participation. Every show George selects a few people out of the crowd to go one on one in comical banter. George shows his gratitude to his audience by signing autographs and taking photos after every show.

Barnhart was inspired to write the film after seeing the huge increase in the number of homeless Veterans over the years. The Freeloader, a new comedy film by the award-winning comedian is the story of a returning Veteran who ends up living on the streets of Las Vegas and becomes the Robin Hood of the homeless.

"I've had great feedback on my script and several companies have offered to buy me out but this is my "Rocky", said Barnhart who is gearing up for another tour for the troops taking out comedy legend George Wallace.

Barnhart has posted a crowd funding campaign on indiegogo to help raise completion funds and produce the movie under his production company Don Barnhart Entertainment. "My goal by creating a crowd funding campaign is to keep creative control and do the film the way I feel it needs to be done. Although, The Freeloader is a comedy, it has a heart and needs to be done correctly."

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-freeloader/x/4162

Don added, "The perks we are offering range from DVDs, signed posters and scripts to small parts in the movie and even an all expense "Vegas Movie Experience" where we fly you out, put you up and give you a part in the film. Not only will this film be funny and entertaining, it will help bring light to the increasing Veteran's homeless epidemic we have in our country."

Here is a link to the pre-preview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFt7tEoeObE

Barnhart's plan is to shoot in Las Vegas in early 2015 using his contacts in the comedy community. "I hope to use as many comics and name acts in the movie as I can." Don went on to say, "I would like to include several homeless Veterans groups and help bring light to their cause by giving them cameos in the movie. One of them being, Ride of The Brotherhood, a non profit organization dedicated to providing Veterans with assistance in their time of need."

The comedian, author and filmmaker tours over 250 days a year on the road using the success of his stand up tours to fund his projects. He said, "If you're not willing to invest in yourself, why should anyone else. I don't ask people to work for free because I feel their time and talent has value."

"Ideally, I would love a budget of $250,000 to 1 million (it would cost 20 million to get Denzel), said Barnhart, "However, I can make a great film with fresh new talent who will become the next super stars of tomorrow."

It's through his unique sense of humor that Barnhart feels, "we can bring light to serious subjects. I have been able to do this in my stand up "The DeEvolution of Man" working out many of the jokes and personal material I'm bringing into The Freeloader script."

As if their commitment to making the world a better place isn't obvious, Don and his producer partner and wife, Linda Vu both volunteer for several charities and serve on the board of directors for Helping Hands Relief, a charity serving those in need in the Philippines.

As a comedian, Don Barnhart is a popular name at the top comedy clubs across America as well as on cruise ships and in the college market. Barnhart's comedy career really gained national attention in 2007 when he won the American Idol Underground's Online "Best Comedian" Award and was named their, "Artist to watch" and last year, the Las Vegas Review/Journal named his show one of their "Best Bets".

Don has been seen on MTV, Star Search, Evening At The Improv and has been featured on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Don can be heard regularly on The Bob and Tom Show and XM/Sirius Satellite Radio and is graduate of The Second City Conservatory as well as being a Certified Hypnotist. He is also the only national headline comedian that also performs a separate and equally funny comedy hypnosis show.