Published:

12/22/2010 12:55pm

International Performing Artists Association Announce Don Barnhart 2010 Bob Hope Award Winnner

The IPAA announce Don Barnhart recipient of "The Bob Hope" Humanitarian Award in the 2010 Performing Arts Achievement Awards.

The International Performing Artists Association has announced Don Barnhart winner of the 2010 International Performing Artists "Bob Hope" Humanitarian Award. These are the first annual achievement awards presented by the IPAA.

The International Performing Artists Association is a consortium of professional entertainers recognized as luminaries in their field. Their mission is to honor outstanding achievement in the genre of performing arts and further the careers of exceptional artists.

"There are numerous award shows that honor movies, music and theatre, but none acknowledge the true live performer whose dedication to their craft far exceeds the recognition they deserve", says one of the IPAA board members.

The IPA Awards are given out annually and categories are open to all professional entertainers worldwide. Entertainment fields include but are not limited to: Comedians, Comedy Teams, Jugglers, Impressionists, Ventriloquist and other Variety Artists, Improv Groups, Performance Artists, Musicians, Musical Acts, DJ's, Singers, Videographers and more.

This years recipients were selected from a vast body of eligible talent to be the most deserving of recognition in their field. "These artists are the working class of entertainers. They may not be household names but deliver solid audience pleasing performances on a regular basis. With the right promotion, they could be superstars", adds another founder of the IPAA. "Our goal is to increase awareness of these extraordinary talents to help further advance their career".

The first annual awards were given out in a small private ceremony in Las Vegas, NV. Candidates for next year's awards are already being considered and will be announced March 2011. Submissions for the 2011 IPAA awards are already under way and will be considered up until 11:59PM on 12/31/2010.

Plans for a televised award ceremony from Las Vegas with live performances of the winners are currently under way. This year's awards are as follows:

The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award: Humanitarian arts award recognizing tireless dedication to making the world a better place through performing arts. 2010 Winner - Don Barnhart.

Don Barnhart is fast becoming one of the top comedians working today. He is an accomplished actor, certified hypnotist, published author and filmmaker with numerous television and film credits and is a favorite headliner at the top comedy clubs across the country.

Barnhart received the Bob Hope Award for his tireless dedication to providing comedy shows for the military. He is a veteran performer for The USO and Comics On Duty and has been producing and performing comedy shows for the troops around the world for the last seventeen years. Barnhart has consulted and performed for the USO Comedy Break Tours, being labeled The A Team by the USO Celebrity Entertainment Division. He group was one of the first comedy tours to get into Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

Barnhart and his wife, fitness model and actress Linda Vu have taken it upon themselves to produce their own comedy tours for the troops and continue to produce shows and perform for the military several times a year.

Don combines well written, topical material and delivers it with a fast paced, high energy and animated improvisational flair that keeps audiences of all ages howling with laughter and coming back for more. Audiences say that Barnhart reminds them of a young George Carlin with the energy and characters of Robin Williams making Don funny on so many different levels...

Barnhart is one of the only headlining comedians who perform a comedy hypnosis show. Starting in June, Don will have his own nightly headline show in Las Vegas, NV.

Don recently wrote, directed and starred in the indie thriller, "China Dolls" and can be heard regularly on The Bob and Tom Show and XM/Sirius Satellite Radio.

Barnhart is also the writer, director and star of the upcoming comedy