So, the confusing and overwhelming task of picking
the entertainment has fallen to you. You're surfing the Web and wading
through a plethora of entertainers. Your eyes are starting to blur, all
the entertainers are looking the same, and you're more confused than ever.
Don't worry! By just heeding a simple rules, you too can master the
daunting task of entertainment selection!
So how can you tell if a comedian is any good?
1] Watch his
video clips. Every professional
entertainer ought to have professionally produced video clips available on his
Web site. Why video instead of just audio? Because much of comedy is
visual, so it's important to see how the comedian presents himself and relates
to his audience. What? The performer doesn't have any video clips?
In that case you have to ask yourself why. Unfortunately, the answer is
usually one or both of the following reasons: Either he's not as good as
he claims and would rather you not see him perform, or he's never had a video
made. Either of these reasons doesn't help you, the entertainment shopper,
so buyer beware!
2] If he has to put a funny hat on to be
funny, he's probably not very funny. Let's face it, there are
kazillions of people who have donned bubba teeth, goofy glasses, and a wig and
then said "Look, I'm a comedian!" But when you're spending money for a
professional event, you just ought to get something, well, better. Think
about comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Chris Rock,
or Bill Cosby. Kind of hard imagining them having to rely on goofy hats to
get a laugh, isn't it? Sure, they're not above hamming it up for a skit on
television, but rest assured, when you see them doing their act live, they are
doing stand-up comedy. If you are targeting a grown-up audience, try to stay
away from costumes, prop comedy, mimes, juggling, and song parodies.
3]
Is the comedian full time or part time? How important is your event to
you? When you need surgery, do you want a full-time surgeon or one that
just does it on the side? When it needs to be good, avoid the
embarrassment of hiring a part-time comedian. Although the professional comedian
makes it look easy, comedy is a highly specialized occupation that only a very
few can do successfully. Don't hire someone who hopes that by practicing
on your group, he may someday be able to quit his other job.
4] Is the comedian clean? When scheduling
entertainment for your event, it's important that the person is funny without
using offensive words or imagery. Find out what type
of event the comedian primarily does? If he mainly works in clubs, then his
definition of clean is probably very different than yours. Be sure that the
comedian your hire has a proven track record working in environments such as corporations,
civic and church events.
5] Feel free to request to speak to the
comedian. By speaking with the comedian, you can get to know him a bit
and determine whether you're a match.
Good hunting!
