As part of the Joining Forces initiative, late-night TV star Conan O’Brien surprised troops stationed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with a live comedic performance. O’Brien was joined on stage by First Lady Michelle Obama who introduced him to the crowd.
The entire show took place in 2016 and was uploaded to the Team Coco YouTube channel for viewers around the world to enjoy. Check it out below:
The enthusiastic crowd of hundreds of military men and women showed their excitement upon seeing O’Brien. He began his show by explaining that he had in fact been living at their military base for the last 24 hours and described his experience.
“This morning I walked out of my barracks and I got completely lost,” he explains. “I asked someone, I’m trying to find the place where you go and get food. They explained that it was the beige building surrounded by gravel, you can’t miss it,” he jokes. The airbase itself, located in the dry deserts of Qatar, houses dozens of similarly constructed military structures.
Conan O’Brien entertains the troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as part of the Joining Forces initiative with First Lady Michelle Obama. (Team Coco/YouTube)
The plaza where his performance took place, nicknamed The Bra for its two large circular tents, was also the butt-end of some of Conan’s jokes.
“What a mature name you came up with! I’m standing under the southwest nipple right now!” he exclaims.
“You know why they call it The Bra? Because it took me 45 minutes of fumbling to get inside,” O’Brien jokes.
Conan O’Brien entertains the troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as part of the Joining Forces initiative with First Lady Michelle Obama. (Team Coco/YouTube)
The Joining Forces initiative was launched in 2011 by Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. The nationwide program calls all Americans to rally around service members, veterans, and their families and support them through wellness, education, and employment opportunities
Conan O’Brien entertains the troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as part of the Joining Forces initiative with First Lady Michelle Obama. (Team Coco/YouTube)
Joining Forces works hand in hand with the public and private sector to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives.
According to the White House website, “Joining Forces is committed to raising awareness about the service, sacrifice, and needs of military families. In particular, with the input of military families, Joining Forces identified three priority areas for national initiatives: employment, education, and wellness.”
