This blog is part one in a series aimed to help you book a comedian for your bar, restaurant, corporate event, or bris.
You’re an event planner.
You’ve got a corporate function coming up. You’ve lined up the venue and the catering, but one big challenge remains: the entertainment.
Do you go with a band?
Everyone loves music, but a full band could be so loud they overpower any attempt at conversation.
What about a string quartet, or some other version of background music?
Not a bad idea, but if you’re going for background music, you could save a couple thousand dollars by looking up a classical playlist on Spotify, and firing that up.
If you’re looking for something to cap the night off—a final event to put a cherry on the sundae that is your corporate event, there’s nothing better than live entertainment. Something to focus the audience.
How about booking a comedian?
Let me make the not-so-obvious case for comedy
The ultimate goal for any event is happy guests, right?
You want to give them a nice cocktail hour, where they can mill about and socialize. Maybe throw a few appetizers into their belly.
Next up: the main course, specifically a meal.
You have to feed your guests, because one likes standing about with a grumbly tummy.
Plus, after standing around for a while, being able to pull up a chair and resting your tootsies (and tuckus) is always appreciated. Having a warm meal placed in front of you makes everything in life a thousand times better.
The conversation continues to flow; drinks are had, and everyone is in a good mood.
So what’s next?
How about stand-up comedy?
Want to cut to the chase? Check out my Corporate Page.
There’s no better way to make a room full of people happy than by making them laugh.
Whether they’re clients, prospective customers, or employees, laughter means smiles on faces and people feeling good about the experience they just had.
Well-documented research shows that a good belly laugh brings incredible health benefits to people.
Laughter, in no short order, has been known to promote:
- Stress Reduction: Laughter triggers endorphin release, those all-natural feel-good chemicals. When you’re full of endorphins, stress levels decrease, and tension melts away.
- A Stronger Immune System: Laughter increases the production of antibodies, which helps strengthen the immune system. A stronger immune system leads to better resistance against infection, and disease.
- Improved Cardiovascular Health: Laughter improves blood flow, which increases vascular function, which (in turn) leads to better cardiovascular health. Better cardiovascular health, in turn, can lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Muscle Relaxation: When you laugh, your muscles turn to mush. Of course, that’s not exactly a scientific term, but it’s true; when you relax, tension fades from your muscles. This helps reduce physical tension, and promotes full-body relaxation.
- Pain Relief: Remember those endorphins from earlier? Well, they are natural painkillers. This means laughing reduces feelings of pain and discomfort, providing temporary relief from physical aches.
- Boosts Mood: Laughter has a powerful effect on mood, helping to lift spirits. It can provide a sense of joy and happiness, even in difficult situations. Want to hear a personal experience about this phenomena? Click here for a story about a comedy show I performed for soldiers stationed in Afghanistan.
- Enhances Social Bonding: Laughing with others strengthens social bonds and fosters a sense of connection and camaraderie. It can improve communication, build trust, and deepen relationships.
- Improves Cognitive Function: Laughter stimulates the brain, which can improve cognitive function. This includes memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills. It can also increase mental clarity and focus.
There’s no two ways around it: laughter is good for you.
Not convinced yet?
Well, there’s also research showing why laughter will make your organization work better.
Here’s why laughter = better organizations.
When you laugh with someone, you feel closer to them. You feel more bonded, you trust each other more.
Laughter…
- Fosters Teamwork: A group of people laughing together creates a sense of camaraderie, which therefore strengthens bonds among coworkers. It fosters a supportive and cohesive team dynamic, encouraging collaboration and cooperation in the workplace.
- Enhances Communication: Laughter breaks down barriers and facilitates open communication among employees. It encourages dialogue, creativity, and the sharing of ideas, leading to better problem-solving and innovation.
- Increases Engagement: Laughter engages employees and makes work more enjoyable. It creates a sense of fun and excitement, increasing employee satisfaction and reducing turnover rates.
- Improves Health and Wellness: Laughter has numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system, improving cardiovascular health, and reducing pain and inflammation. A healthier workforce leads to fewer sick days and higher productivity levels.
- Enhances Company Culture: Incorporating laughter into the workplace helps to create a positive company culture. It fosters a sense of belonging and camaraderie, making employees feel valued and appreciated.
- Attracts and Retains Talent: A workplace that encourages laughter and fun is more attractive to prospective employees. It signals a positive and supportive work environment, helping to attract and retain top talent.
Got a question? Shoot me an email.
ARE YOU STILL READING? WELL, I’VE GOT A SECRET FOR YOU…
I’ve been doing some research, and apparently if you drop a ton of blogs at the same time, about the same topic, it’s gonna boost your webpage.
So that’s what I’m doing here.
I’m churning out a massive word salad in the hopes of gaining a few Google hits.
But, here’s the thing: I’ve been a comedian for quite a while now.
I’ve performed at A-list comedy clubs, dingy one-night bars, for American troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan…
(Forgive me, but the next line is simply to make the SEO Gods happy. The “about me” continues in a moment. Promise.)
Here’s how you book a comedian.
I’ve performed at A-list comedy clubs, dingy one-night bars, for American troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan…
For more corporate events than you can shake a stick at, and for high school after proms.
I have released eight albums, one of which made it into the iTunes top 20 on their comedy chart, gained over 300,000 followers across social media, over 100,000,000 views on YouTube, and have written four books.
On top of all that, I’ve got a Disney Clean act (about 20 minutes), a PG act (45 minutes to an hour), PG-13, (hour and 15 minutes) and then a no-holds barred act that can go for two hours.
How long should a corporate comedy show be?
Well, as you’re the client, that’s for you to determine, but I always pitch the 30-minute, PG/PG-13 act.
And guess what?
I take less money for that one.
Yup, you read that right: I push my least expensive package.
Why?
Because corporate events are about socialization.
You have dinner, a few drinks, maybe a giveaway or awards presentation, and then comedy becomes a nice cherry atop the sundae that is your event.
I’ve no problem performing for an hour, but I’ve found that 30-minutes is fairly Goldilocks: not too long, not too short, just right.
Yes, I’m shooting myself in the foot financially by offering less time for less money, but making you the happiest client you can be is my main goal.
I also pitch PG/PG-13 because it’s adult in all the right places, without being over-the-top.
The G-rated Disney show… That’s for an all-ages event. Something where both grandma and an eight-year-old will be in attendance.
Everything is safe to a fault, and, though you’ll smile a lot, you might miss out on the big belly laughs being slightly edgier offers.
Now, because SEO-driven algorithms like long, 3,000-word essays (blogs), I’m gonna keep writing, but from here on out there’s a lot (and I mean a lot) of redundancy.
If you’d like to pull the trigger and book me, or shoot me a message and ask a few questions, just click on over to my contact me page.
You let me know what you’re looking for; I’ll let you know what I can do for you.
(Not for nothing, remember when the slogan for UPS was, “What can brown do for you?” Who thought that was a good idea?)
Anyway, thanks for making it this far!
How about some more laughter facts?
Sure!
Laughter sparks the release of oxytocin into your system. You’ve probably heard of oxytocin: it’s the hormone that promotes social bonding, increases trust, and speeds up self-disclosure.
Laughing is a fantastic way to get an oxytocin rush with coworkers. The typical methods of boosting oxytocin—giving hugs, saying ‘I love you,’ petting a dog—aren’t ideal at the workplace. Just ask HR.
But laughter is still legal.
And that’s where comedy comes in.
But first you have to ask one question…
Is comedy right for my group or audience?
News flash: comedy isn’t right for every corporate event.
There are a two more questions you can ask to easily answer that first pesky question question: “Is this a good idea?”
#1: Is senior leadership supportive?
If the bosses aren’t on board with the idea of comedy, your show will fall flat on its face.
In a corporate event, most people look to management to see how to react during the show. I’m serious—this is a thing.
The leaders set the tone, and if they’re not enjoying themselves, others will hold back, too. That will be the difference between roaring laughter and dead silence, and it’ll make or break your event.
You want the bosses laughing, because that allows the workers to laugh.
If your CEO is a stick in the mud (or has a stick somewhere else), no one else will feel comfortable in the room.
Pro tip: Leaders at your organization must be into it, or it’s a no-go.
#2: Is it what the audience wants?
Let me tell you about the two worst events I’ve ever performed at.
The first was your typical blue-collar factory, with a number of white-collar office employees mixed in.
When I took to the stage, the audience was stone-faced and angry. I didn’t get much laughter that night.
After the show, the coordinator explained that before I arrived, the employees were informed that instead of giving out bonuses to everyone, the company bought three flat screen televisions.
They were going to hold a drawing and give them to three “lucky winners.”
So instead of everyone getting a couple extra bucks at the holiday time, three employees would get a TV, and everyone else got to stare at me.
(Quite a consolation prize.)
As I performed, the entire audience was thinking: “That’s my bonus money standing up there.”
No one was in the mood to laugh. They were resentful, and the show was a bomb.
In short: comedy wasn’t right for that event.
Thankfully, not because of anything I did. I hate thinking I’ve done a bad job, but if everything is out of my control? Welp, then ya gotta keep slinging the jokes, and smiling the whole time.
The second nightmare event came about because the event committee ignored the will of the employees.
The committee asked the employees what they wanted for entertainment. Some said magician, others said a band, and a third batch voted for a comedian.
Instead of calling for an overall popular vote, the committee decided comedian on their own. This, naturally, left many employees feeling as if they had been slighted.
(And, to be honest, they had. No two ways about it.)
Even before I took the stage, two-thirds of the audience was already pissed off that I was even there.
While I was able to win parts of the crowd over throughout my show, some just weren’t willing to give up their laughter for the show they didn’t want in the first place.
They sat, arms crossed, taking their resentment toward the committee out on me.
Like with the previous show, there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
Pro tip: Be sure the audience actually wants to see comedy.
Thankfully, those shows are very few and far between.
More often than not, the company has done their research, and the group knows what’s in store for the evening.
OK, you’ve gotten the right answers to these questions, and you’re ready for what’s next!
So… what is next?
Time to plan your event.
You’ve got to pick a comedian, make sure you have a PA system, a place for them to perform, an event schedule so you know when he’s going on…
It’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish, so to speak.
But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered there, as well.
In the next post in this series, I’ll talk about what you can do during planning that will make your comedy show an even bigger success.
Will it be as long-winded as this post?
Oh, absolutely.
Will it outright use chunks of this post?
You know it.
As stated earlier, Google has become very particular when it comes to blog length. They know what they want, and you have to give it to them on their terms. And since Google is our new lord and master of the online search world at the moment—and probably for many moments (years) to come (I don’t see Bing offering up a serious challenge anytime soon)—they must be catered to.
Even if it means writing paragraphs that are basically long, run-on sentences.
But, have no fear, by the end of everything, you’ll be ready to book a comedian.
Because that’s why you’re here, right? You’re looking into hiring a funny-fella, a joke-slinger, for your event.
Someone to add a smile to weary faces, to cap the evening off with a fond farewell.
A cherry atop the corporate event sundae; a bow on the present you’ve just experienced.
Man, getting to 2,200 words is kinda rough, isn’t it?
Tell you what: if you’ve actually read this far, put “Snuffleupagus” in the subject of your email, and I’ll give you a 10% discount off your booking.
After I increase the price by 10%, of course, so I can still afford rent.
OK, I’ve hit my limit.
But, apparently I didn’t type book a comedian enough to make the SEO happy.
I bet if I made it a header, the algorithm would be happy.
Let’s try that, shall we?
So, you want to book a comedian.
Onward!
(One more thing: SEO likes it when you use external links. So, for no reason other than that, the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, in Ann Arbor, Michigan (as opposed to Ann Arbor, New Mexico), is one of my favorite comedy clubs of all time.)
Also, this blog is too short, so the next six hundred words are courtesy of artificial intelligence, our soon to be overlords.
Why Hiring a Comedian for Your Corporate Party Is a Brilliant Idea
Let’s be honest—most corporate parties are about as exciting as a quarterly earnings call. You’ve got the awkward small talk, the lukewarm buffet, maybe a DJ playing ‘80s hits no one asked for. But what if you could flip the script entirely and make your next corporate event the one people actually look forward to? That’s where hiring a comedian comes in—and no, not your coworker who thinks his dad jokes qualify as stand-up.
A professional comedian can take your event from “meh” to memorable. Here’s why bringing in someone who tells jokes for a living might just be the best business decision you make all year.
1. Comedy Builds Connection
Laughter is a social glue. In a corporate setting, where departments often operate in silos and people barely know each other beyond email signatures, shared laughter is one of the fastest ways to build camaraderie. A skilled comedian can help employees connect in a way that PowerPoint presentations and trust falls never could.
A corporate comedian knows how to read the room, make observational jokes about office culture, and riff off universal experiences—without making anyone the butt of the joke. That creates a fun, low-pressure environment where people drop their guards and just enjoy being around each other.
2. It’s a Stress Reliever
Let’s not kid ourselves—work can be stressful. Deadlines, metrics, meetings about meetings… it all piles up. A corporate party should be a break from all that. And nothing hits the reset button quite like laughter.
Hiring a comedian brings some much-needed levity to the workplace. Employees leave the event feeling lighter, less stressed, and more energized. It’s like a deep-tissue massage for the brain—except cheaper, and no one has to take their shirt off.
3. Customized Entertainment
Corporate comedians are pros. They don’t just show up with a random set—they tailor their material to your company, your industry, and your audience. They might poke fun at common workplace scenarios, crack a few (appropriate!) jokes about the boss, and sprinkle in references that make your team feel seen.
That personalized approach turns a generic party into a company-specific comedy experience. It shows your team that this isn’t some off-the-shelf entertainment package. You’ve invested in making them laugh, not just anyone.
4. A Break from the Norm
How many parties have you been to with a band, a DJ, or karaoke? Now, how many have you been to with a live comedian? Probably a lot fewer. Comedy brings something different to the table. It surprises people—in a good way.
Adding a comedian to the mix signals that your company is creative, engaging, and willing to think outside the punch bowl. That helps with internal morale and external branding. People talk about unique experiences, and laughter tends to travel faster than elevator music.
5. It’s Cost-Effective Fun
Compared to some entertainment options, hiring a comedian is surprisingly affordable. You don’t need a massive stage, a light show, or an entourage. Just a mic, a stool, and someone funny with a sharp take on work life.
And let’s face it—if a single 30-minute set can boost morale, reduce stress, and leave people raving about the party for weeks, that’s a pretty solid return on investment.
Final Thoughts
If your goal is to throw an event that’s more than just a calendar filler—if you actually want people laughing, talking, and bonding long after the dessert trays are cleared—then hiring a comedian is a no-brainer. Laughter really is good business.
Ready to trade yawns for laughs? Your team will thank you.