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From Comedy Clubs to Corporate Meetings, Comedians are Key for Entertainment
Lots of today's well-known comedians are accepting corporate speaking engagements. Compared to other forms of entertainment, comedian speakers often provide a cost-effective alternative to more traditional corporate inspirational speakers. For example, while most musicians travel with a small army and bring production costs that can dwarf the band's performance fee, most comedians travel with one or two other people and require very little in the way of production fees.
But, as always, there are a few guidelines when it comes to booking comedians for your corporate event or party. Keep them in mind and make sure that the joke is on the stage, not on you:
Select the right venue for your entertainment. Clanging plates, loud conversations and uneven lighting are just a few things that can wreck a comedian's act. Selecting the right venue prevents distractions, such as if your audience is unable to hear, see or pay attention to your entertainment speakers, their act is bound to fail.
Go easy on the drinks before the comedian begins. If there's one complaint we hear more frequently than any other from comedians, it's that event planners and organizers put them in front of audiences that are intoxicated. While it might seem that everything is funnier after a couple of drinks, that atmosphere can create more problems-heckling, loud conversations, etc.-than it will solve.
Have realistic time constraints for your entertainment. When working out a schedule for an entertainment speaker to perform, thirty or forty minutes don't seem like a lot of time. But for a comedian, that can be a very long set. Most comedians are accustomed to performing for twenty five to forty minutes, averaging about four jokes a minute, after which they'll have to dig deeper than their 'A' material. By going with longer sets, you also run the risk that the audience will begin to lose focus.
Make a good match between your speaker and your audience. Will your audience be the right age group for your comedy speakers? Will they 'get' the humor? Many planners book an entertainer or comedian they saw that was very funny for one group, however their own audience is different in terms of demographics and attitudes. For example, young planners will occasionally think to put an edgy comic in front of a group of older, more conservative executives. What's funny to one person isn't always entertaining to another. Keep this in mind and you will avoid situations that are embarrassing for you, your audience, and your comedian.
Keep the entertainment clean. Be very specific about whether or not your comedian can perform blue humor, and what the limits are. Meeting planners and entertainers can have very different ideas about which jokes and topics are racy, and it's much better to be upfront about your entertainment needs.
Ask if the comedian does corporate work frequently. While nearly every big name comedian has been asked to do a corporate performance at one time or another, some or more comfortable in that setting than others. Be sure to find out if your chosen entertainer does corporate work regularly, or if he or she has a separate business presentation.
Motivational, Inspirational or Pure Entertainment? While a few comedians will address business topics, many have corporate presentations that are simply cleaner versions of their club acts. While they may be very funny, most aren't going to be motivational speakers or address business strategies. Unless you know specifically that you're getting a business ethics speaker or business-oriented keynote, expect entertainment.
Comedians are a great way to save money on top-shelf entertainment, lighten your attendees' moods, and keep an event rolling. The next time you're looking for a way to spice up your meeting, order some laughs!
Author Info:
Matthew Sherwood is an Account Executive with Brooks International Speakers Bureau. You can reach him at 303-825-8700, or at matt@brooksinternational.com.
