Patriotism is shown in all sorts of ways. Flying the flag, donating your time to a charity, or in Woody Harrelson’s case, shaving his head, with the help of Stephen Colbert. Watching this clip was the highlight of my month so far. Not that my month has been pathetic (okay it has, but irrelevant), but that this was so hysterically funny I actually thought I was going to choke.
It’s not funny simply because Stephen is shaving Woody’s head – though that’s still amusing. It’s because while Stephen’s shaving Woody’s head, they’re both singing the “Star Spangled Banner” – excellently. Harmony and melody done perfectly. I could only hear one minor imperfection at the very end. It was shocking. And all the while, Stephen is shaving Woody’s head, and doesn’t miss a beat or a hair.
Woody Harrelson appeared on the “Colbert Report” last night to promote his upcoming film “The Messenger.” The movie centers around an army officer tasked with delivering death notices to soldiers’ next of kin, and explores the psychological and physical toll of war. Harrelson, a pacifist, made clear that while he doesn’t support the war he wholeheartedly supports the troops. Colbert, who shaved his head while performing for the troops in Iraq, asked Harrelson if he too would go bald to show his support for our fighting men and women. “I wish there was more support to show,” Harrelson quipped as Colbert clipped.
[From the Huffington Post]
From what I gather, Woody isn’t visiting the troops. Colbert shaved his head when he went over to Iraq. Woody let Stephen shave his head just as a show of support – and let’s face it, some good TV. Frankly, if I only had as much hair as Woody does (did), I wouldn’t let anyone touch it unless I were actually planning to feel the desert heat. So big points for that. And who would have guessed both Stephen Colbert and Woody Harrelson have such lovely singing voices?
Here’s the clip, which is only viewable in the US.
I love Stephen Colbert! His show is my late night addiction.
He and Woody actually sounded really good together.
Jaybird, I was laughing hysterically too. The harmonizing was killing me…
I know! I cannot multi-task for the life of me. I can literally mess up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if someone so much as says hi to me while I’m putting it together. And here these guys are, sounding shockingly good and harmonizing and everything, WHILE Stephen is shaving Woody’s head.
I give props.
I’m not sure how shaving your head is supporting the troops…? My husband is currently in Iraq I don’t think he would feel very supported that an actor shaved his head on a TV show that he won’t ever be able to watch. Funny TV yes, Supporting the troops no.
Aras, Stephen Colbert spent a week in Iraq earlier this year, entertaining the troops and doing his show from there. Part of his act was pretending to be a new soldier. At the end of the first show, one of the top generals came out and shaved his head. The soldiers in the audience loved it. Colbert was reprising that incident when he asked Woody to shave his head in support of the troops. If any of the troops are able to watch the show online (even archived), they likely will understand the reference and maybe find humor in it.
lol… i love woody harrelson! he’s so funny… if you’ve ever seen anger management you know what i’m talking about 🙂
I am the wife of a deployed soldier too. Godspeed to your husband:)
I kind of equate it to people who shave their head in solidarity with a friend who is undergoing chemo. Now for a guy, maybe not a huge deal. Woody’s hair wasn’t all that long to begin with. And for a military guy, it is even less of a big deal because if you have been to Basic, your head has been shaved to the skull (males only). (And when women do it for their friends, well, they are pretty awesome).
I think it was kind of a cool thing to do. I don’t know if WH cares much about his appearance but his appearance is a large part of his livelihood. Granted, maybe he is at a point in his career where it doesn’t matter anymore or he isn’t filming anything anytime soon, I don’t know.
I think it was kind of a cool thing to do.
And for folks who aren’t going to do USO tours downrange (war zones), maybe they should consider USO tours of military installations stateside where many families of the deployed are located.
Just a thought:)
@Raven. I loved his ACU suit. Loved it.
Love both SC and WH! Also Stephen is doing Woody a favor, Woody rocks a cue ball like nobodies business.
Woody Harrelson is the perfect talk show guest. He was on Letterman the night AFTER the scandal broke (with appropriate mugging from Woody who has done it ALL). As for Harrelson and Colbert’s singing prowess, Imdb.com says Woody “moonlights as the lead singer in the band Manly Moondog and the Three Kool Hats,” and sang on a Hootie & the Blowfish CD. He also “…attended Hanover College in Indiana, majoring in theater arts and English. Colbert, according to Imdb, “…studied acting at Northwestern and performed with the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago,” where of course, you learn EVERYTHING!
BTW, I sing, too.
Ummm Raven I was refering to Woody not Stephen so re-read it with a reference to Woody. Someone who actually interacts with the troops is someone who I would generally say is doing something in support of them, but simply going on a TV show and saying this is supporting the troops…no. And back to what I was saying about not being able to watch TV shows. My husband pays $100 dollars a month to a company for access to the internet in Iraq that is ridiculously slow and often goes out, but it is the only way we can talk. So I guess maybe when his year long deployment is over he can come home and look online for a TV show about someone shaving their head in his support…
@ Girl Thank you for your support and best wishes and love for your husband as well.
@Aras. The internet connection thing is the same for us (Afghanistan). It is terrible. Also, no access to a phone. It has been a while since I have actually heard his voice.
Also at some major posts out there, they are taking away their MWR (recreational) facilities. It sounds silly but that is a horrible, horrible idea.
@ Girl I know! My husband said they were doing it as a cost cutting measure. They have so little down time and they are taking away MWR facilities. Sorry to hear your husband is in Afghanistan, that is so much worse than Iraq, my heart goes out to you.
People think with internet and phones you get to talk to your loved ones all of the time, but it is a real rarity. I freak out if I don’t have my phone with me at all times because that might be the moment when he has a chance to call me. Things are so much rougher in Afghanistan that unfortunatly for you it probably will take awhile for him to be able to have good access to contact you.
ZOMBIELAND Forever.
@Aras actually, Woody was on SC’s show and said so himself that he was moved by the troops and what was the reason why he made he movie was he was promoting. And SC told him, not in these exact words, that in order to truly support the troops, he’d have to shave his head as he did when SC went to Iraq. The act itself references SC’s act of his idea of supporting he troops. I think Raven explained it quite well and I don’t think you got it.
Hey dee when you or your husband goes to war then you’ll get it. Until then shut it about what you obviously don’t understand.
I wouldn’t go around saying I’m moved by breat cancer surviors so now I’m going to braid my hair on TV because someone else did it. This is supporting breast cancer surviors. I would probably do something to support them say give my time or money to the cause.
I think Woody doing this brings the situation to light so the troops are in our minds more, and it was viewed by many. It’s a good gesture coming from a good place.
That was very sweet. But it’s not like he had much hair to begin with.