Comedian Bill Maher Makes Good on His Promise to Give All of His Money for New Dallas Show to Local Charities

On the night of Jan. 22, more than 3,400 people crowded into Fair Park Music Hall, awaiting the arrival of celebrated comedian Bill Maher. But Maher failed to show, citing mechanical difficulties with the plane he had booked to fly to Dallas.So, the sold-out crowd, many of whom had driven many miles to get there, went home disappointed. Maher vowed to make it up to them, and now, he has.He will return to Fair Park Music Hall to do his stand-up routine at 7:30 Sunday night, and as promised, proceeds from the show will go to four local charities. In addition, Maher offered to feed a Texas barbecue dinner to patrons who had hoped to see him but had to leave.Danny Eaton, the chief operating officer of the Dallas office of Live Nation, the promoter for Maher's show, said about 1,000 people returned RSVPs for the barbecue dinner and will dine on free Texas barbecue, provided by Hard Eight BBQ in a tent outside the Music Hall on Sunday night."I've just been flabbergasted by this," Eaton said of Maher. "I've dealt with so many cancellations. Most people don't even care how the fans are affected, but he has gone over the top on this deal."Live Nation announced that the following local charities will be the recipients of "Bill's earning for the event." They are:Duck Team 6, which the Live Nation release says is "working to combat Dallas' huge stray-dog epidemic. It is an all-volunteer group that humanely captures stray dogs and provides them with vet care, vaccinations, etc. They then work with rescue organizations to find foster homes and permanent homes for the dogs they capture."Dallas Pets Alive! The release describes this group as "rescuing animals from being euthanized in high-kill shelters and helps to get them fostered and adopted."R.I.S.E. This charity, the release says, "is constructing a smart home for a double-amputee veteran in the Dallas area named Jake Murphy." R.I.S.E. operates under the Gary Sinise Foundation and benefits soldiers who have sustained "physically disabling injuries by providing them with specially adapted new construction homes."CitySquare, which the release says "fights the causes and effects of poverty in Dallas through service and advocacy. They work with the local community and develop sustainable partnerships in order to feed, provide health services and housing for the homeless."  Continue reading...