| Talented comedians Jody Fuller and Matt Baetz have joined forces as "The Military Man and the Mama's Boy" to deliver non-stop laughs to the troops stationed in Southwest Asia February 9-March 4. Jody Fuller, also known as The Stuttering Comic, has gained an avid following among many in the military because of his ability to incorporate his personal experience as both an enlisted man and an officer in the U.S. Army and the National Guard into his stand-up routine.
Growing up in Opelika, Alabama, Fuller faced two major challenges in his life: poverty and stuttering. He was able to overcome the poverty by joining the Army, but he still faced the challenges of his speech impediment. After eight years of active duty, Fuller decided to join the National Guard and pursue his dream of being a professional stand-up comedian. He has performed for the troops in the United States as well as Iraq and performed at the 2007 Washington, D.C. Comedy Fest. Fuller also was selected as one of five finalists in the 2005 Wendy's Stand Up for Good Taste Comedy Challenge at The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas.
"We are really excited about going over to perform for our troops and to let them know that the support for them at home is stronger than ever," said Fuller. "I always appreciate the opportunity to connect with our military, because I can relate to what they are experiencing as they serve our country. Using humor, I can share my experiences of dealing with challenges, ranging from my stuttering, growing up poor, working in a grocery store and serving in the Army."
After a career in broadcast journalism in which he worked for NBC, ABC, ESPN and The Golf Channel, Matt Baetz decided to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. In the four years since moving to Los Angeles, Baetz has appeared twice on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as a stand-up comedian and over 50 times as a featured performer on the show in various comedy sketches. He also works as the Comic Booker for The Late Late Show, working with and developing new talent.
"Jody and Matt put on a comic performance that will lift up our troops' spirits and have them roaring for more," said Army Captain Erik Ogilvie, Armed Forces Entertainment circuit manager for Southwest Asia. "Our servicemen and women will especially appreciate Jody's comic sketches where he draws from his personal experiences of serving in the Army and deploying twice to Iraq."
To learn more about Jody Fuller, visit www.jodyfuller.com
To learn more about Matt Baetz, visit www.mattbaetz.com
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Armed Forces Entertainment is the lead Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to U.S. military personnel serving overseas, with priority given to those in contingency operations and at remote and isolated locations. The Department of the Air Force is the executive agent of Armed Forces Entertainment.
Founded in 1951, Armed Forces Entertainment brings a touch of home to more than 500,000 troops annually, embracing the best of Americana that stretches across all genres of entertainment. Visit www.armedforcesentertainment.com for more information.
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