Does Fayetteville have America's funniest veteran or military spouse?
Military spouses and veterans will take to the Cape Fear Regional Theatre stage this weekend to compete and determine who’s the funniest.
The comedy show will be from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, 1209 Hay St. in Fayetteville.
Show producer Robin “Phoenix” Johnson, who is an Army veteran, said as of Tuesday, nearly all the tickets to the evening show were sold out, which is why there will also be a 4 p.m. show Saturday.
"When we pitched this, we wanted to have it near downtown Fayetteville so everyone could have access, and not just those on the installation," Johnson said. "We're excited to come. We almost went to Jacksonville and had one more city to stop in, and I have a sweet spot for the 82nd (Airborne Division at Fort Liberty.)"
Hosted by the Best Medicine Brigade as a tour stop for Operation HEAL*ARIOUS, the show to find America's funniest veterans and military spouses is headlined by Ashley Gutermuth, according to the organization’s website.
A portion of ticket sales will be donated to HEAL*ARIOUS, a nonprofit organization that provides free therapeutic humor programs to improve psychological performance and mental health.
Gutermuth is the Armed Forces Insurance’s 2023 Air Force Spouse of the Year and is a comedian who’s appeared on “The Tonight Show” and was selected by comedian Jerry Seinfeld to win the “Seinfeld Challenge” in 2021, her biography states.
Videos she’s posted to social media about her life as a military spouse have gained more than 300 million views.
Gutermuth will be joined by special guests Army veteran Austin Von Letkemann, who is known as MandatoryFunDay, and NASCAR driver and founder of the 11/11 Veteran Project Colin Garrett.
Local contestants who will be featured include Army veterans Chris Petty of Fayetteville and Jelvon Young of Spring Lake.
Other competitors will include Marine Corps veteran Robert Taylor of Lexington, South Carolina; Army veteran Hulin Sanders III of Greensboro; and Army veteran Monica Daly of Vienna, Virginia.
Also featured will be host Navy veteran Stan Shelby, DJ Dank Williams, show producer Army veteran Robin “Phoenix” Johnson and judges: Army veteran Dewayne White, Army spouse and Marine mom “Red Squirrel” and Air Force veteran PT Bratton.
Johnson said the winner of the Fayetteville show will be one of nine semi-finalists who will advance to compete in a Nov. 9 finale in Las Vegas.
Tickets for Saturday night’s shows can be purchased online at ovationtix.com.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Comedy show in Fayetteville seeking funniest veterans, military spouses
