This blog is one in a series aimed to help you book a comedian for your bar, restaurant, corporate event, or bris.
Your ducks are in a row: leadership is on board, the employees are into it, and you know when the comedy show should happen in your event schedule.
So how do you find the actual comedian?
As in most cases these days, we’re starting with Google.
Start by Googling “Stand-up comedian in…” and fill in your state at the end.
Stand-up comedian in Iowa, for example.
It’s almost that easy, but there’s a slight hiccup.
When you Google “Stand-up comedian in [your state],” you’ll find websites that act as clearinghouses for entertainers, sorted by location.
Want to skip all the reading? Go visit my corporate page.
Take note of the top few links you find. Do they say, “Sponsored?” Because if so, you might be in trouble. It’s best to take those with a grain of salt.
The joy of the world wide web is that booking agencies from anywhere and everywhere can advertise to you, and pretend they’re local.
If you live in Wisconsin, the “local” agency you click on might try and offer you a comedian from New York. I don’t need to tell you: flying someone across the country, paying for hotel and food and all that jazz, adds up fast, and I know y’all are careful about your event budgets.
You might see “Voted Best Comic” or similar up in those “paid search ads,” but it’s just that: AN ADVERTISEMENT. Using a headline the comedian or some savvy marketer wrote themselves. Maybe, or maybe not, based in truth.
If you wander into a clearinghouse site, they charge comedians to be at the top of search results in the same way Google sells ads to be at the top of theirs.
A comedian buying advertisement isn’t a bad thing by any means, but remember that being at the top of search results does not equate to “funniest” or “best.” It just means “deepest pockets,” and guess what? They’re going to pass their expenses off to you.
More overhead = higher cost, but not necessarily higher value.
But, all that said, many of these sites do offer local comedians. If you click around for even a few seconds, you should be able to find more than a few that are close at hand.
Once you do, it’s time to dig into a few of them, and see what they’re about.
Pick a few of the comedians that have a decent description, maybe a few reviews, and visit their websites.
What to look for.
a professional website, that’s organized and easy to find what you need.
This is a nod to professionalism, and you need to hire a professional for your event. Corporate events aren’t open mic nights at the local watering hole. Your comedian needs to be reliable, a clear communicator. Someone who takes this job seriously.
A comedian’s website is the front porch of their comedy business. If the front porch is in disarray, everything inside is, too.
Next, look for a section on the comedian’s website that reads “Corporate Events,” or “Private Parties.”
If they don’t have a section like that, it’s a red flag.
You need a comedian with skills and the résumé to go with it.
If they aren’t billing themselves as a corporate or private comedian, they likely don’t have corporate event experience, That’s like hiring the rando dude from Tradehome Shoes to operate on your broken ankle.
Close, but not quite.
An experienced corporate comedian will be professional on stage, in front of your audience. So look for that experience.
Next, check out the testimonials and reviews on their site.
They don’t have any?
That’s another red flag.
A professional comedian will have a list of corporate clients who have said nice things about them. They know you’re going to do your research, and want everything front and center.
Things should be somewhat “Goldilocks” in this section; not too many, not too few, “just right.”
If a comedian has a blurb or two, it may be a sign they don’t have a lot of corporate experience.
If they have a hundred quotes, while that is very impressive, it’s also sort of sloppy. Why didn’t they pair things down to the best of the best? It shows a bit of disorganization.
Your next step: Watch video of a corporate comedy set.
Every comedian has a great two-minute set.
That doesn’t guarantee they’re right for you, so don’t choose a comedian based on a short YouTube clip of one good joke. Anybody can write and perform one good joke. Hell, my uncle Rex is funny for about seven minutes before he runs out of things to say.
Many clubs have been burned by the “great short set,” because it usually comes with the quote, “As seen on…”
When you’re performing on a late night talk show, you’re doing a couple minutes, so it’s going to be the best of your best.
Generally, comedians kill on late night shows.
But can they stand on stage for 30 minutes or longer and keep an audience entertained? Does their funny fall off a cliff after those five minutes?
You need video proof your comedian knows what they’re doing.
An experienced corporate comedian will have a video that shows exactly what you’ll get.
Watch that video, start to finish.
Want to see my video? It’s right here.
Is the audience laughing? Is the content rated appropriately for what you want?
(You’d be surprised how often comedians post videos filled with silent audiences.)
Can’t find a video? Or maybe you’ve contacted them to ask, but they can’t provide one?
That’s yet another red flag.
Next: Reach out to the performer and start a conversation.
There should be a contact form or phone/email on their website.
Provide him or her with:
- Date and time of your event.
- Location.
- The length of show you want.
Ask the comedian:
- Where they’re located. Remember, just because you searched for “local comedian” doesn’t mean Google gave you someone nearby. Comedians can pay to show up in search results thousands of miles from home.
- If they require lodging (if yes, ask them to incorporate lodging into their quote so you’re not also a travel agent)
- Their quoted cost to perform at your event.
Protect your organization.
If you come to an agreement, a professional will have a contract for you to sign, to protect you both. Review it in its entirety before hiring them.
The contract should address:
- Cancellation (What happens if the comedian is sick? Will they provide an alternate? Will you be refunded?)
- The equipment you each agreed to provide, if any
- The retainer you’re responsible for to block that date on their calendar. (This is common. Saying yes to your event means saying no to other offers, so the retainer is usually non-refundable and compensates the performer for turning down those jobs.)
But wait! How about a little insurance?
Nobody likes a “gotcha” moment. Check out these final tips for a great corporate comedy show.
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…
I’ve performed for more corporate events than you can shake a stick at, and for high school after proms.
I’ve released eight albums, one of which made it into the iTunes top 20 on their comedy chart, gained over 280,000 followers across social media, over 100,000,000 views on YouTube, and have written four books.
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.
What do I pitch to most corporate clients?
The 30-minute 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.
The algorithm would like me to break this paragraph up with a heading, so I’m writing book a comedian here. You’re welcome.
Because algorithms like 2,200-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 open up your email and type in comedian.nathan.timmel (at symbol) gmail.com, and fire off your inquiry.
(Sorry, I can’t make it an active email/link, because those ever-present bots get to spamming, and no one likes an inbox filled with junk.)
Anyway, thanks for making it this far!
(Quick side note: want to skip all the words and cut to the chase?
Jump over to my corporate page and take a look. The information there is much easier to digest than this word salad in front of you.
Sure, this blog contains some great information, but it’s also designed for Google to use in scraping algorithms. That means it’s wordy. By all means, read on…
But I won’t be offended if you bow out here.)
OK…
Back to the blog at hand.
Some tips to have your show run smoothly.
Here’s an important thing to keep in mind: you’re the client here, which means you’re the boss.
A good comedian will understand that, and work with you to create the show you want.
Comedy is an art form, yes.
It’s about self-expression.
That said, self-expression can also be bound by rules.
You don’t want four letter words at your event? A good comedian will be able to match your needs without any hemming or hawing.
No politics? A bad comedian will push back with, “But I have a great 10 minutes on the president!”
Look at it this way:
For his third album, titled “Peter Gabriel,” but known to fans as “Melt,” due to the cover art, Peter decided to remove all the cymbals from the drum kit.
Think about that.
No hi-hat, no ride, no crashes, no splash…
His drummers—former Genesis bandmate Phil Collins, and Jerry Marotta—had to completely re-think the way they played. Where they would normally accent a fill with a cymbal crash, they had to wrap their minds around another way of completing the pattern.
As Peter himself put it: “Artists given complete freedom die a horrible death.”
He compared it to being right-handed, and learning have to write with your left.
Compare that to comedy.
A comedian who insists he has to use four-letter words is bound a little too tightly to those words.
A comedian who cannot drop politics from his set holds too few subjects in his set.
Both have limited themselves by how they define themselves.
Art, when placed into the world of commerce, is a give and a take; an ebb and flow.
You each have wants, needs, and desires.
The comedian wants a paycheck, and the laughter of the audience.
You want a happy bunch of employees.
If you have a good comedian on the line, you’ll be able to work things out.
If you meet resistance to your requests, you know what that means…
Red. Flag.
In sum, remember:
- Search for a local comedian.
- Possibly skip over the “sponsored results.”
- If you do go into sponsored results, visit the comedian’s website.
- Look for testimonials.
- Look for video.
- Start a conversation.
- Remember, you’re the boss!
Now, as stated this blog is pretty much for Google.
I don’t expect you to still be reading, but if you are? I’m currently at 2,034 words, and Google wants me to hit 2,200 of these buggers.
Yeah, it’s an eight-page book.
So, here’s a little nothing about the Titmouse, written by ChatGPT.
The titmouse, a small and lively songbird found across North America, Europe, and Asia, belongs to the family Paridae. Known for its energetic behavior and distinctive vocalizations, the titmouse is a popular sight in woodlands, parks, and suburban areas.
These birds are typically compact with a round body, short wings, and a relatively long tail. Their plumage often features a mix of grays, whites, and subdued colors, making them subtly beautiful.
Titmice are known for their varied diet, which includes seeds, nuts, insects, and berries. They are agile foragers, often seen hopping among branches or hanging upside down to reach food.
In addition to their feeding habits, titmice are admired for their clear, melodious songs and calls. Their vocalizations range from sweet whistles to bold, repetitive phrases, which contribute to the lively soundscape of their habitats.
Overall, titmice are charming and adaptable birds that enrich their surroundings with their active presence and delightful songs.
Image by Björn Engelke from Pixabay
Go check out my YouTube Channel.
Now, because my SEO is yelling at me, I will write book a comedian a couple times, just to make it happy.
Yes, the blog is over, but I apparently have to point out that the words contained within will help you.
Specifically, they will help you