This video covers the sticky topic of what to do when your humor fails.

Interested in learning how to use humor in your presentation? Check out Brad’s Got Mirth: Milking Your Presentation for all the Humor It’s Worth.

Learn more about how to be a motivational speaker with my how-to audio here.

Related:
Blog Posts:
How to Be a Motivational Speaker (Part 1) | Get a Mentor
How To Be A Motivational Speaker (2) Choose the Right Topic
How To Be Speaker (3) Format of a Keynote. A Template!
Adding Humor (1) The Act Out
Adding Humor (2): Give the Audience a Voice
Adding Humor (3) What to Do When Your Humor Bombs

For those of you who prefer to read (as opposed to see the tips on the video,) here ya go:

What To Do When Your Humor Bombs

All right.  I want you to watch these series of jokes that bombed for me at the Mayo Clinic.  But then watch what I do about it.  So, check it out.

It’s just cool to be at the world-famous Mayo Clinic and its sister organization, the Mustard Infirmary.  I’m staying at the Relish Inn.  So, I have a condiment theme here in Rochester.  I bank at the First Bank of Ketchup.  Okay, condiment humor, not big in Rochester.  We can see that.  Did you see what the building next door, right next to the main Mayo building, the little deli?  They’re going to call it Mayo on the Side.  Free condiment jokes.  Yeah!  I mean, how cool is it you guys work for the Mayo Clinic?  It was so much fun for me when, you know, where you going this time, Brad?  I’m going to the Mayo Clinic.  Oh, I’m sorry.  No, I’m healthy!  I’m healthy!  We’re going to laugh.  A little mayo on the side.  Four condiment jokes.

I didn’t totally bomb those jokes, but clearly they didn’t go as well as I had hoped and I used a couple of techniques that you can use as well.  First, whether you’re telling stories or relating an anecdote or telling jokes, when things aren’t going as well as you hoped or horrible, let the audience know that you’ve noticed.  Acknowledge it.  There’s nothing weirder than watching a speaker that acts like everything’s going great when it’s clear to the audience that things aren’t going great.  So, don’t do that.  It’s too weird.  But the second part is equally important which is that it’s your responsibility to take care of the audience.  It’s your responsibility to let them know that you’re fine.  So, when things don’t go well, they start to worry about us and they start to fret for us and get stressed and you got to let them know that you’re fine.  So, you notice, I did just that.  First, I acknowledged the condiment jokes failed, or at least weren’t doing that great.  I even started counting the goofy, failed condiment jokes.  But, more important than that, with my body language and with my words, I let them know, hey, don’t worry about me, I’m having a good time still.  You’re going to have a good time still.  We’ve got lots of program left and things are great.  So, the audience will admire you and love you for trying humor, even if it doesn’t go as well as you had hoped.

Just remember the two rules.  One, acknowledge it, let them know.  And second, take responsibility to bring them with you and let them know that you’re totally fine.

On YouTube
Part 1. Find a Speaker Mentor
Part 2. Choose a Correct Motivational Topic (on YouTube)
How to be a Motivational Speaker (3) on YouTube
Adding Humor (1) The Act Out (On YouTube)
Adding Humor (2): Give the Audience a Voice (on YouTube)
Adding Humor (3) What to Do When Your Humor Bombs (YouTube)

Besides, would you rather have someone with more hair? After all, hair is so overrated!

Game shows are a terrific way to reach corporate and business audiences. Got some info you just GOTTA get across? Need to remind your team of the basics but know if you “lecture” them you’ll lose them faster than you can say, “This meeting sucks!” Then ask us about creating a game show just for you.

We’ll customize a program that is interactive, very funny, and tailored to you, your information and your organization. They’ll love it… which helps with retention.

My suggestion is for your next corporate event, to select someone (like me— okay, so I’m biased. If that upsets you get your own blog!) who has lots and lots of experience, proven principles and applications, no hair (again, that would be me) and has the ability to leave your organization with can-do changes. Sound good? Good.

What game shows would you say fit your workgroup? We’ve worked spoofs (that’s a wonderful word my lawyer taught me) of popular games shows from Let’s Make a Deal to Who Want’s to Be a Millionaire to Family Feud. Your organization. Your info. Your success.

Leave your comments, names withheld, of those game shows that you think fit your work group.

Ready to create some lasting change and think a game show is your ticket? Go to the contact page now.

Brad Montgomery

Corporate Game Show Host, Comedian, Serious About Having Fun At Work

Technorati Tags: Game show, game shows, corporate, funny Del.icio.us Tags: Game show, game shows, corporate, funny

I just posted a great story by guest author &  comedian Ron Tite about his worst gig ever. The pain of the situation just cracked me up, and made me want to give the guy a hug. I’ve been there. Comedians suffer like … well, if you’ve never been in front of 400 people who hate you, you just won’t understand.

Ron also makes a good point that, like music, there are many different types of comedy.

Even if a stand-up is the right choice, there are countless kinds of stand-ups just like there are countless styles of music. Choosing the wrong type of stand up is like selecting a Marilyn Manson tune for a wedding procession (although I’m sure there are Goth brides out there who would like nothing more than to walk down the aisle to “This is the Sh*t”).

I haven’t met Ron in person, and I’ve never seen his stand up comedy. But I can tell you that, after reading this article, I felt like we were brothers.

What do you think? What is your worst gig ever? Comment baby!

(Need a comedian for your event? Go to the contact page and let’s talk!)

Cheers,

Brad Montgomery
Comedian, Fan of Ron Tite, Lover of Good Comedian Stories

The only thing weird to me was that 95% of my clients ask me to be a funny motivational speaker.  IBM asked me — for this meeting anyway — to hold off on much of my “message” and just make them laugh.  Of course, the client is always right, so I was happy to oblige.

But if I were making the investment, I would have followed my advice and asked me to make them laugh AND tie it in to a meaningful business message.  Yup, in this case I did a little of that.  But it seems to me they would have had a much greater bang-for-the-buck if they would have allowed me to follow my instincts and tie the laughter into their management goals.

Still, the client was happy, so I guess I am too.  (Still, it seems that, even with these nice comments from the evaluations, we left sooooo much on the table.  I’d love to have the same group for a 1/2 day and REALLY help them incorporate levity and humor into their management skills. 

Here are the comments, right off the evaluations:  

¨     Good meeting. Better than I expected. Comedian was great and had a very timely message.

¨     The comedian was fantastic.

¨     Good comedian. Thanks. Need more gifts to give away though.

¨     The comedian/magician was good, but I think we have more fundamental problems and just looking at our work/life balance problems from a different perspective is not the answer,

¨     All the information was very stimulating and applicable — even the comedian. Best afternoon so far in 2005.

¨     GREAT meeting and extremely good corporate comedian.

¨     the corporate comedian was funny

¨     The corporate comedian should be shared with employees as well as area meetings because those folks could definitely use a laugh as well and try to put some balance back in their daily lives.

¨     While the comedian was funny, I certainly hope that you don’t think simply saying “I feel great!” is going to provide a meaningful change in the corporate climate. I believe that the issues we face with our climate run much deeper than that. I understand that Heather brought up other points as well, but ask any of the managers that attended the key points from the discussion on climate, and I would be willing to wager that the replies would be related to the comedian. The items that Heather mentioned to do are good for improving our climate; however, they do nothing to solve the problem of working people too much (too many hours, for too long). Until that issue can be solved, along with solving the issue of having managers put more focus on helping develop and focus on their teams, I contend that the climate will continue suboptimal.

[Note from Brad:   Think this person has some morale issues?

¨     The HR team and managers did a great job organizing the content, flow and agenda. This was especially true with respect to the comedian/magician. His presentation really highlighted several key messages in an understandable manner.

¨     Kudos!!! The meeting was great and I LOVED the comedian!!

¨     The major benefit was the back to basics of management, supported by the message from the corporate comedian. It will be important to continue to push for strong management actions, and to properly evaluate the management (all levels) for how well we perform in this regard.

¨     I think the meeting was a bit long and dragged on too long. I think the comedian was great!

¨     I especially appreciated the message from the corporate comedian. I’m still looking for things in my day (and usually finding them) that fit the “HOW COOL IS THAT?!!!” criteria. It was a good reminder to keep things in perspective.

Thanks IBM. I was thrilled to be part of it.

Are YOU looking for a comedian speaker? Whether you want to use me like IBM (and mostly make ‘em laugh) or if you want me to tie it into business as I normally do, I’d love to be your guy! Contact me here.

Brad Montgomery
Comedian Speaker (and so much more!), Texas Speaker, Fan of IBM

Technorati Tags: comedians, comedian, comedian speaker, texas speaker, motivational speaker, IBM Del.icio.us Tags: comedians, comedian, comedian speaker, texas speaker, motivational speaker, IBM

Sure, to be a great comedian or comedian speaker you have to have:

• Great Material
• Great Timing
• Appropriate Topis for Any Given Audience.

But most of all, you have to have confidence.  Audiences know right away when we are psyched-out and insecure.   It makes them feel uncomfortable, and really brings down our performance and ratings.

The hard part is that this confidence is nearly impossible to teach.  In my opinion, it just comes after years of experience and thousands — yes, thousands — of performances.

New to comedy? Just keep it up!   

Looking for a comedian speaker for your meeting or convention?  Consider me.*

Brad Montgomery
Comedian, Business Speaker, and Hyena-fobe  (“Hey mom, I made up a word again!”) 

* Unless your audience is comprised of hyenas.  In which case I’ll pass.

One thing is for certain:  she is funnier and easier to tease than Senator Biden.  As a humoristspeaker and comedian, the most fun would  be had with Obama and Palin winning office together.  Too bad they can’t be on the same ticket—  we comedians would go nuts with joy.   (McCain and Biden are just…. well… boring.  They might be awesome at their jobs, but they just ain’t funny.)  Check out this link to a funny site:

http://www.palinaspresident.us/   Who has time to make this stuff?

Note:  Just keep clicking!  Click on the door over and over and over again.  Made me laugh out loud.  (Ok, so I’m a 14 year old boy on the inside.  It’s still flippin’ funny!)

What impresses me about this clip is that it holds up. It is still funny today. (And how many shows from the 70s can we say that about? Happy Days? No way, Fonzy!

As a professional speaker and comedian, I love watching how he cracks the other actors up, and how their laughter makes the sketch even funnier.  He’s funny on his own, but with the his team members busting up he is hilarious.  The other folks laughter turns the sketch from good to great.

This fact is relevant to us in our search for a fun business culture.  Laughter begets laughter. 

 If you want to ramp up the fun in your office and the humor in your workplace, you can start by laughing more yourself.  And if you are a leader or manager, make sure that you make certain others feel safe laughing around you.  Employees are often nervous about letting loose in front of their boss:  don’t let your people fall into this trap around you.  If you are laughing the hardest, your employees will follow.  Trust me on this.

Back to Conway:   The fact that Conway was so “in the moment” and authentic makes me think he’d be a

 killer professional speaker.  Can you imagine having him as your motivational keynote speaker?  Heck yeah!  Imagine him (and his team of comedians) do one of these killer sketches and then connect the learning points to corporate America.  I know he would have the convention or meeting on the edge of their seats because he is so funny.  But I bet when he connects his communication skills, timing, teamwork and ability to deal with constant change to the business and corporate culture, he’d hit it out of the park.   I know I would pay to see it. 

The bad news is that Conway isn’t a pro speaker.  The good news is that I know a motivational speaker that would love to fill in for him. : )  (“Hey mom!  Pick me!”)

Technorati Tags: Comedians, Motivational speakers, humorists, Tim Conway, Funny, Sketch Del.icio.us Tags: Comedians, Motivational speakers, humorists, Tim Conway, Funny, Sketch

Johnny Carson was the king of savers. I just found this video….check out the master.

If you are a comedian or speaker and are looking for presentation and humor tips, this is a guy to learn from. Looking for more tips? Try BradMart.

—

How Do You Become a Comedian? In this podcast we join corporate comedian David Glickman as he tells us about his first paid job as a comedian. Believe it or not, he got this job in the newspaper Help Wanted pages: “Wanted: Comedian.” Can you believe it?

What follows is a crazy and true story about the first of David’s 2000+ experiences as a comedian. The short story is that he was the “voice” behind a remote-controlled robot that visited high-end parties in Southern Florida in the 1970s. With a microphone and a headset, he could hear what people would say to this robot, and then with his microphone he could “answer” back. Wanna find out what happens when this budding comedian meats the ultra hot (at the time anyway) rock star, Meatloaf? I won’t give the story away, but suffice it to say that it was funny, and that it earned the comedian a raise.

Listen to the entire podcast. (Scroll down!) Thanks David!

Brad Montgomery
Corporate Comedian, Public Speaker, Fan of David Glickman

Technorati Tags: Comedians, Motivational Speakers, Humor, Comics.

I grew up loving the Carole Burnett Show.  I loved him and Tim Conway.  I loved everything about him.

I often talk of him when I’m teaching comedy and presenting to other speakers.  I talk about how much fun we had as an audience when they cracked each other up.  I’m convinced there are MILLIONS of lessons in the way they handled that humor.

Check out this cool link about from Entertainment Weekly.

One of my favorite clips which shows them cracking each other up:

This other one also shows his comedic range:

Speakers and comedians alike owe a bunch to this comedian. I’ll miss ya Harvey!

I’ve known Mark for years since we did a showcase together. He’s always been totally funny, he works totally clean, and best of all, he’s a good guy.

I met up with Mark at the convention for the National Speakers Association recently in San Diego, California. I love NSA conventions for a gazillion reasons…. but meeting up with friends is the best.

Mark and I talked at length about work-life balance as it relates to speakers. We talked about how, as speakers, we have a many choices about how hard to push our speaking business.

The beautiful problem we face as entrepreneurs is that we have so many choices about where to take our business. Make new products? Develop more programs? Find and explore new niches? Experiment with branding?

Personally, I struggle with this all the time. I have the ability and the passion to work harder, achieve more, blah blah blah. But at the same time I have three kids, an awesome wife, and a bunch of hobbies I barely have time to touch. (Ah, to just sit and draw!)

Mark chose long ago to be a great clean, corporate comedian, do work hard and to save money. And when faced with the choice to do something new, something more, something “to get to the next level” he chooses to pass. He is choosing life style over whatever is on that “next level.”

Cool. Sounds good to me. Sure, I have a few projects in the works, but having friend and mentor tell me that doing less is often the best choice really felt good.

You’re to life balance, Mark!

But in the meantime, I’ve got some bills to pay. So please check out my work as a clean, corporate comedian here: http://www.bradmontgomery.com

Cheers.

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Keynote Speaker, Corporate Comedian, Fan of Mark Mayfield

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In my seminars and keynotes, I frequently have audiences who miss the crucial difference between the need to be funny (which I’m convinced is … for most of us… not important) and the need to have a sense of humor and be able to laugh at life. I don’t teach how to be funny; I teach how to enjoy the funny and how to take ourselves less seriously.

Ok, so the point is that there is a crucial difference between the two. Need proof? Check out this story on Jeni. I don’t know him, and I have no idea what sort of pains he was dealing with. But I do know that he was (apparently) unable to take his troubles and lightly enough to see a healthy way out of his troubles.

I’m so sad…. Do yourself a favor and go find something about which to laugh.

Here’s a photo of Jeni with his friend Chris Rock.

Comedian dead in apparent suicide – CNN.com
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Richard Jeni, a standup comedian who played to sold-out crowds, was a regular on the “Tonight Show” and appeared in movies, died of a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide, police said Sunday.

Jeni died at a nearby hospital.

Jeni regularly toured the country with a standup act and had starred in several HBO comedy specials, most recently “A Big Steaming Pile of Me” during the 2005-06 season.

What a sad and total waste.

Learn about my funny motivational keynotes here.

Brad Montgomery
Comedian, Speaker on our Sense of Humor, Fan of Richard Jeni

Steve has been a friend for a long time, when we met in Kansas City at a speakers bureau showcase, and I’ve always thought he was funny.
But in this conversation, you’ll hear the serious part of Steve. I always think that it is fascinating to hear people who are professionally funny step OUT of their humorist shoes and talk about the impact of humor and laughter.

Steve Rizzo talks about enjoying the process of living, and enabling ourselves to have and better use our senses of humor.

One of the many points he makes is that although most successful corporate employees will have definable goals and to do lists, very few of them include “enjoying ourselves along the way” on their lists of goals. And that if we want to learn from them, we need to systematically choose to use humor in our lives, and to enjoy ourselves, our families and our jobs.

Steve believes that the ability to use our senses of humor is available to all of us; to everybody on the planet. And that although we might not be always able to teach all people how to be funny, we can teach everybody how to laugh at funny things.

We need to know that there is a difference between laughing at something that is very serious and laughing at the fear that the serious situation creates. For example, Steve reminds us that the successful TV comedy M*A*S*H* used a ton of black humor. And that Hawkeye was one of the most successful doctors not only due to his skills in the operating room, but also because he was most able to keep his life (and sanity) in the balance through his use of humor.

Want to hear a comedian talk in a serious way about humor? Then this episode is for you.

Want to learn about my work as a motivational comedian speaker? Click here.

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Keynote Speaker, Comedian, Humorist, Fan of Steve Rizzo

Technorati Tags: how to become a comedian, comedians, steve rizzo, sense of humor, humor, podcasts, motivational speakers. humorists Del.icio.us Tags: how to become a comedian, comedians, steve rizzo, sense of humor, humor, podcasts, motivational speakers. humorists

Here is a comedian who had all of the fame he needed (and more.) And with one bad trip to the comedy club ruined his career. (I wouldn’t hire him again; would you?)

What’s the message from this? What’s the point? I have a couple of thoughts. First, this episode proves why corporate and business meeting planners need to look for corporate comedians, not just comedians. Richards used THE single most insulting words over and over again. And this is plenty to end the comedian’s career. But if you look at the video, even the words that people are NOT writing about are bad enough to ruin any single business convention.

Why should you book clean corporate comedians for your next event? Among other reasons, you can be assured that you won’t have any cell-phone-video circulating around the world with YOUR logo in the back. (Can you imagine if the logo was IBM or Samsung? Oye!)

My second point is that I worry for immediate future of clean corporate comedians. (Even me.) Richards might make meeting planners worry about even the most experienced and credentialed clean corporate comedian, and that’s a shame. Business audiences today need a laugh more then ever; but Michael Richards might make the buyers too nervous to pll the trigger.
Sorry Michael, but you blew it. The good news is that your rant pointed the spotlight on the need for buyers to know who they are booking.

Learn about my work as a clean corporate comedian here. (I promise I won’t call anybody names…guaranteed.)

Brad Montgomery
Clean Comedian, Corporate Comedian, Baffled at Michael Richards

Technorati Tags: clean comedians, corporate comedians, micahael richards Del.icio.us Tags: clean comedians, corporate comedians, michael richards

He talks a bit about how we can see the world through the lens of a comedian. If we can see the world with a sense of humor it helps us keep some of the more difficult times at bay, and helps us to approach our lives with a better sense of perspective and lightness.

How can we improve our sense of humor? Specific ideas or techniques? Mark gave us some:

• Be a kid and play. (Halloween is an excellent opportunity for even serious adults to play! It is the ONE time of year we can — and should — dress up, play, be goofy, and work on our sense of humor. It’s an opportunity to be — and act like— a kid.)
• Hand out with upbeat people. (You’ll find yourself at your funniest when you’re with funny people.)
• Start your day in a good way; start your day with a laugh. (Play with your pet, read the comics, play with your kids… whatever! But start you day with a laugh.)
• Make humor a habit. Do it daily and it becomes more natural and easier with time.

Marks goal, each and every day, is to make his wife laugh. She can tell when he is beat down and tired, and is still always able to make him laugh. And so he works hard to return the favor.

Thanks Mark.

Need a corporate comedian or motivational humorist speaker for your keynote or seminar?

Brad Montgomery
Motivational Keynote Speaker, Corporate Comedian, Fan of Mark Mayfield

Technorati Tags: Corporate Comedian, Humorist, Sense of Humor, Podcast, Mark Mayfield, Missouri Technorati Tags: Corporate Comedian, Humorist, Sense of Humor, Podcast, Mark Mayfield, Missouri

Want to learn how to be a comedian? This site is for you! Or want to learn how to be motivational speaker? You’re in the right place!

If you are like me and love hearing crazy fiasco and disaster stories from folks about their jobs; or if you you think it might be fun to her what comedians talk about when the show is over; or if you think it might be fun to learn all of the crazy things that happen to comedians on the way up their career ladder… then lucky you, I have something I think you’ll love.

Florida Corporate Comedian David Glickman and I recorded a once-in-a-lifetime program when we were working together in California, and we were lucky to get it on tape.

We just got it edited and formated and ready for sale in the store. This audio is available as a MP3 download (which means instant gratification, and no shipping!)

I’m really proud of it, and if you click here you’ll be able to hear a free sample ( of a crazy story about me and my first job working at a renaissance festival in Colorado and all of the million things that went wrong).

This program was a hoot;  the energy is great, David and I tease each other a bunch in a funny way, and the stories (all of which are true) kept the audience on the edges of their seats.
Looking for something funny and positive to listen to on the way to work? How about a look behind the curtain of some entertainers? Are you interested in learning what it takes to become a comedian yourself?

Click here for the details on how to buy this funny conversation between two working professional comedians.

Brad Montgomery
Corporate Comedian, Teller of Funny Comedian Stories

Technorati Tags: comedians, audio, mp3, corporate comedians, CD Del.icio.us Tags: comedians, audio, mp3, corporate comedians, CD

How to be a stand up comedian or comic

(My interest in weird comedian stories comes from the recent release of Comedy War Stories.)

From: 8 Questions with a comedian: Johnny Millwater

Here’s an excerpt:

8 Questions With Johnny Millwater

3. Weirdest Moment in Comedy?

All my moments in comedy are pretty weird.

In the pursuit of comedic greatness I have been de-trousered, robbed, beaten, burned (often), and molested by drunk men and women varying in age from 18 to 92.

I’ve been hit by a semi truck, I’ve survived a plane crash, I’ve burned stages, I shattered the neon sign at the legendary Charlie Goodnight’s with my body and I watched an 85 year old woman literally die laughing in front of me during a show in front of 1500 people.

I’ve performed great shows feverish, bleeding, suicidal, nauseous and nude.

My weirdest moment in comedy would be if a show went the way I expected it to.

I’d say he has that about right. I’ve never had anybody die in my audiences, but when I worked for cruise ships I had a few senior citizens sleep in the front row. (Yeah, the FRONT row.) It would have been worse, (they could have been snoring, which they weren’t.) The only good news is that they were asleep before my show started. Which kept me just insecure, and not suicidal.
Weird comedy shows? Bring them on!

What to HEAR some other crazy stories from comedians? Check out this new audio recording for sale in the store.

Want to learn more about my corporate comedian work? Need a cean comedian speaker for your event? Click here.

Brad Montgomery
Corporate Comedian, Clean Comedian, Collector of Many Goofy Road Stories
Technorati Tags: comedians, clean comedians, comedian speakers Del.icio.us Tags: comedians, clean comedians, comedian speakers

For this episode, we interview corporate comedian and humorist Mark Mayfield, from Kansas City, Missouri. Mark defines humor as “surprise that evokes good feeling.” What it isn’t, according to Mark, is your ability to tell a joke, be the life of the party, or generally be funny. Having a sense of humor is NOT just what we can do on stage, it’s having a healthy sense of perspective.

The second part, “Evokes good feeing” is important. Surprise is not enough… it has to be good surprise with a nice result. (Brad’s note: this component it why so many practical jokes in the workplace go wrong.)
And having a great set of comedy skills does not mean you have a sense of humor.  “I know a lot of comics who are great on stage and are manic depressive off stage. They have no sense of humor, even though they are very funny in front of an audience.”

So what’s the point? The point is that if you want to increase and improve your sense of humor (and you should,) then the good news is that you don’t have to even consider making yourself funny. You can leave the clown noses, the loud neckties, and the goofy mustache and glasses at home if you want. Put the whoopee cushion away (ok, leave that one out…. what can I say? I’m still a 14 year old boy on the inside) and concentrate on having a better sense of perspective.

People will love us (and do business with us) if we have a sense of humor, whether or not we make them laugh
Thanks Mark.

Learn more about how I teach audiences to improve their sense of humor and to create humor in their workplace here. (Keynotes, Seminars and Consulting.)

Brad Montgomery
Comedian Speaker and Motivational Humorist, Workplace Consultant, Student of Humor, Fan of Mark Mayfield

Technorati Tags: comedians, corporate comedians, sense of humor, Mark Mayfield Del.icio.us Tags: comedians, corporate comedians, sense of humor, Mark Mayfield

Yes he was funny.  Yes he was talented.  Yes his jokes were good.  But the main reason why he beat the others is because he is likable.

All of the comics were funny.  (Ok, some more than others.)  But what Josh has is charm and a huge amount of charisma.  We laughed with him sure;  but we just really liked him and wanted him to win.  And that is his best (of many) assets.

That and the fact that his is knock down funny.:)
I saw him in a Colorado Comedy Club just a few months ago and loved him. It was great to see this guy, who obviously is dripping with charm and talent, pull out the top slot. And it was cool that the winner works totally clean.

Check out this excerpt from Colorado’s newspaper, the Denver Post:

Josh Blue is a different sort of comic-way different At first, you don’t know whether to laugh with him or at him. It’s OK to do both. Josh Blue doesn’t care. Either way is fine with him, as long as you laugh.

Blue is a 27-year-old Denver comic who has cerebral palsy. Or, as he jokes on his website, he’s “the comedian that puts the cerebral in cerebral palsy.”

He tells audiences at the beginning of his act, “I was hoping you’d laugh good and hard tonight. This is my Make a Wish.” Pause as the crowd erupts in laughter. He picks it right up. “If I had another Make a Wish, I would do things a little differently.” Another pause, then he says to an attractive woman in the front row, “It would be you, ma’am.”

Way to Go Josh.

Learn about my work as a corporate comedian here.

Brad Montgomery
Clean Corporate Comedian, Comedian Speaker and Humorist, Fan of Josh Blue

Technorati Tags: stand up comedians, clean comedians, humorists, Colorado, Josh Blue Del.icio.us Tags: stand up comedians, clean comedians, humorists, Colorado, Josh Blue Furl Tags: stand up comedians, clean comedians, humorists, Colorado, Josh Blue

(Note to folks who want to know how to become a comedian: clean humor is just as hard as blue humor, but it opens a zillion more doors. As long as you’re investing in the time to learn comedy, you might as well learn comedy that you can use anywhere.)

Writing jokes is hard. Honing a quality comedy set is even harder. Why would new comedians waste time on all of those jokes and premises that prevent them from ever stepping into the corporate comedian or network-TV world? It just baffles me.

Need a clean corporate comedian or comedian speaker to visit your company or association? Visit my Official Website here.

Brad Montgomery
Clean Corporate Comedian, Humor Expert, Pro at Safe Humor

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We were saved when comedian #4 arrived. The headliner. (I admit, I didn’t know him.) I swear, my wife and pals and I sighed happily when after only 25 seconds of this guy, we realized we were with a total pro. (We were relieved that this trip to the comedy club wasn’t a total bust.)
For the first third or even half of his show, he worked pretty clean. He is black, and got a ton of milage about jokes about him hanging out with his white friends. He did a great imitation of white, suburban, country club white people. And the contrast between that voice and his normal speaking voice was really funny.

Then he started to work more blue. And he eventually got really blue. But this time we laughed. With this comic, we were willing to crack up. Why?

Because we liked him. The first three comics came out filthy, and it just didn’t work because we didn’t know them or like them. (My wife will never like they guy with a family AND a prostitute… but you get my point.) This last comic earned our trust and admiration, and only after he earned us did he take us on to the bluer topics.

He was a total pro. A funny comedian. Not an especially clean comedian, but a total pro.

When we left he comedy club the line for the second show was all the way around the block. It was only then that we realized we had seen somebody famous. (Are we the only people in Colorado who haven’t heard of this guy?)

Aries Spears is his name. He was on Mad TV and some other stuff, and was practicing for (what I think) is a Showtime Comedy Special.

Well… it was news to me. But I wasn’t surprised… he was great. (Note to the Coomedy Works: He deserved some way better opening comics. Those openers hurt more than they helped.)

One one final note to any of my corporate comedian clients: Aries was WAY more blue than I’ll Ever work. In the corporate world, I work clean… crystal clean. I’m not saying that dirty or blule humor is or is not my bag… I’m just saying that Aries was a pro at knowing when and how to use it. He was funny.

Thanks Aries…. you rocked.

Need a clean corporate comedian or comedian speaker to visit your company or association? Visit my Official Website here.

Brad Montgomery
Clean Corporate Comedian, Humor Expert, Pro at Safe Humor

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Comedian Red Buttons Dies in L.A. at 87
Thursday July 13

Red Buttons, the carrot-topped burlesque comedian who became a top star in early television and then in a dramatic role won the 1957 Oscar as supporting actor in “Sayonara,” died Thursday. He was 87.

Buttons died of vascular disease at his home in the Century City area of Los Angeles, publicist Warren Cowan said. He had been ill for some time, and was with family members when he died, Cowan said.

With his eager manner and rapid-fire wit, Buttons excelled in every phase of show business, from the Borscht Belt of the 1930s to celebrity roasts in the 1990s.

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His greatest achievement came with his "Sayonara" role as Sgt. Joe Kelly, the soldier in the post-World War II occupation forces in Japan whose romance with a Japanese woman (Myoshi Umeki, who also won an Academy Award) ends in tragedy.

Josh Logan, who directed the James Michener story that starred Marlon Brando, was at first hesitant to cast a well-known comedian in such a somber role.

"The tests were so extensive that they could just put scenery around them and release the footage as a feature film," Buttons remarked.

Buttons' Academy Award led to other films, both dramas and comedies. They included "Imitation General," "The Big Circus," "Hatari!" "The Longest Day," "Up From the Beach," "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" "The Poseidon Adventure," "Gable and Lombard" and "Pete's Dragon."

A performer since his teens, Buttons was noticed by burlesque theater owners and he became the youngest comic on the circuit. He had graduated to small roles on Broadway before being drafted in 1943.

Along with dozens of other future stars, including Mario Lanza, John Forsythe, Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb, Buttons was enlisted for "Winged Victory," the play that famed director-playwright Moss Hart created for the Air Force. Buttons also appeared in the 1944 film version, directed by George Cukor.

Discharged in 1946, Buttons returned to nightclub and theater work. In 1952, CBS signed him for a weekly show as the network's answer to NBC's Milton Berle.

"The Red Buttons Show" was first broadcast on CBS Oct. 14, 1952, without a sponsor since the star was virtually unknown. Within a month, the show became a solid hit and advertisers were clamoring.

Buttons drew on all his past experience for monologues, songs, dances and sketches featuring such characters as a punch-drunk fighter, a scrappy street kid, a Sad Sack GI and a blundering German. The hit of the show was a silly song in which he pranced about the stage singing, "Ho! Ho!... He! He!... Ha! Ha!... Strange things are happening!" It became a national craze.

After a sensational first season, "The Red Buttons Show" began to slide. Reports circulated that the star had fits of temper and frequently fired writers, and the show ended after three seasons.

"Certainly I made mistakes, and mistakes were made for me," he said in 1960. "When you go into TV cold, as I did, it's murder."

While the failure was a severe blow to the normally optimistic comedian, he soon recovered and resumed his career as a guest star on TV shows. A straight role on "Suspense" brought him to the attention of Logan, who cast him for the career-making "Sayonara."

In 1966, Buttons starred in another series, "The Double Life of Henry Phyfe," as a humble accountant enlisted as a government spy. The show lasted only six months.

Over the years Buttons remained a steady performer on television, appearing on such series as "Knots Landing," "Roseanne" and "ER." He also took his act on the road, appearing at Las Vegas, Atlantic City, conventions, and returning to his beginnings in the Catskills.

Still in good health at 76 ("They call me the only Yiddish leprechaun"), he appeared in New York in 1995 with an autobiographical one-man show, "Buttons on Broadway."

It was his first Broadway show since 1948, when he appeared in a play with the unfortunate title of "Hold It." One critic, Buttons recalled, began his review: "`Hold It?' Fold it."

Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on Feb. 15, 1919, son of an immigrant milliner, in a tough Manhattan neighborhood where, he once said, "you either grew up to be a judge or you went to the electric chair."

He struggled through schools in Manhattan and the Bronx "Mom and Pop went to school as often as I did; they should have graduated with me." He started performing at the age of 12, winning an amateur contest singing "Sweet Jenny Brown" in a sailor's suit.

At 16 he was working as a singer and bellhop in a gin mill on New York's City Island. Since all bellhops were called Buttons and Chwatt had red hair, he got his new name.

During his summer vacation, he worked as a singer on the Borscht Circuit the string of Catskills resorts catering to a largely Jewish clientele where Danny Kaye, Sid Caesar, Mel Brooks, Hart and others trained for stardom.

In later years, Buttons became a favorite at testimonial/roast dinners with his roaringly funny "Never had a dinner" routine. He cited famous figures who had never been so honored. Examples: "Abe Lincoln, who said `A house divided is a condominium,' never had a dinner"; "(Perennial presidential candidate) Jerry Brown, whose theme song is `California, Here I Go,' never had a dinner." (When he did "Buttons on Broadway," he altered the routine and named people who never did one-man shows.)
AP Photo

In 1982, Red Buttons finally had a dinner. The Friars Club honored him with a star-filled roast and a life-achievement award.

"When I was a kid in the Bronx and watching and dreaming from the second balcony," the guest of honor said, "in my wildest imagination I couldn't have written this scenario tonight."

Buttons was married and divorced twice in his early career. He is survived by his third wife, Alicia, their children, Amy and Adam, and a sister.

We'll Miss You, Red

Brad Montgomery, Clean Corporate Comedian, Fan of Red Buttons