'I'm not gonna forget that': The time Robin Williams' forces audience turned away from him
When the late comedian Robin Williams performed for US troops at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in 2007, he experienced something that, 30 years into his career, probably hadn't happened for a long time – his audience turned their back on him.
Mid routine about being glad he was in a room full of fake beer because he had just left rehab, Williams, who died in 2014, is visibly surprised when he hears a bugle call and then watches as his entire crowd stands up, turns around and salutes the flag.
Seconds before, the men and women before him had been full of laughter but a combination of military tradition and armed forces discipline combined to change the frivolous vibe.
The US Army Field Manual describes what happened as a military tradition that dates back to about 1835.
It says: "Retreat was sounded at sunset to notify sentries to start challenging until sunrise, and to tell the rank and file to go to their quarters.
"The ceremony remains as a tradition... as music honoring the flag as it is lowered in the evening."
Over the course of six tours with the United Service Organization (USO), America's version of BFBS Live Events, Williams performed for about 89,000 military members in 13 countries.
In a touching moment, the video shows Williams, whose comedy was often improvised, physical and self-deprecating, immediately reacting to the bugle sound by taking off his hat and respectfully crossing his hands in front of him.
At one point the much-loved comedian, who played an Armed Forces Radio Service presenter in the 1987 war comedy Good Morning, Vietnam, bows his head as if to pay further respect.
After a little more than a minute, the bugle sound ends and the crowd erupts into screams and whistles to which Williams responds: "I'm not gonna forget that.
"I've never had an entire audience just go 'forget you, you have no idea'.
"I was also wondering, what's coming from that way?
"When an entire group of military people turn that f****** way."
He then asks the audience what happened and they reassure him it was a military tradition and nothing to be worried about.
Keen to keep the comedy coming, Williams imagines what would have happened if they all had to retreat, shouting: "Pack up this ****, we've all gotta go."
While visiting Camp Virginia the next day, Williams shared what was going through his mind, saying: "All of a sudden, the entire audience [turned around] and scared the **** out of me.
"I was like, what do you know that I don't know?
"I felt like the one human left in a town where everybody else has been possessed."
While on another USO Holiday Tour at Bagram Air Base three years later in December 2010, Williams was asked why he is so keen to entertain serving personnel.
He said: "Because I get so much more out of it than people think than the energy coming here.
"It's not that hard for me to get here.
"People say it's a long way. Not really, I flew to Australia, it's about the same distance.
"I meet amazing people, I get great energy back and I think it's just saying, 'hey, people care, we're here for you, you're here all year round.
"We come at Christmas just to say we're sending you love from home."
After Williams' death was announced in August 2014, then-President Barack Obama released a statement that touched for a brief moment on the comedian's generosity of spirit when it came to performing for the troops.
He said: "He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets."
Cover image: Robin Williams entertains troops at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, during a USO visit in December 2007 (Picture: Department of Defense).
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