Comic Relief USA was a non-profit charity organization whose mission is to raise funds to help those in need….particularly America’s homeless. It has raised and distributed nearly a$50 million (USD) toward providing assistance….including health care services to homeless people throughout the United States. Although Comic Relief’s charity work is continuous, its fundraising events were held and televised at irregular intervals….and primarily by Home Box Office (HBO)….with comedians Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg as the hosts each time….when they along with many other comedians, celebrities and occasional politicians would perform various segments….both with general purpose and specific to homelessness….of standup comedy, sketch comedy, speeches, live music and impressions of persons and characters….all in order to entertain and enlighten. There were also documentary segments dealing with real-life problems of homeless people….as a way to raise awareness of not only the grim realities….but also how many hard-working “ordinary” people can wind up or grow up homeless.
In this clip from the 1986 Comic Relief….the viewer gets a glimpse of a very young stand-up comedian, Dennis Miller…..a wonderful routine from a zany electrified Sam Kinisman…..an outing with late night host David Letterman…..a funny song sang by the staff of phone collectors of donations, as conducted by the one and only Gilda Radner…..and a final piece with the entire Comic Relief crew…..who sing a song with many “one liner jokes” generously spread over the final segment…..which amounts to one wonderful piece featuring incredible comedic talent solely for the purpose of helping those who are not so fortunate in the USA.
