Avoiding Tragedy with Comedy

A little laughter can be a great way to make your next meeting or event memorable. “Laughter is a great stress reliever and memory maker,” says Caprice Caster, a certified meeting professional, of Automotive Parts Associates. “We’ve seen individuals who have been in heavy meetings or on the show floor all day just really let go and have a good time by laughing for a while. And when they left our meetings, they remembered the fun, not necessarily how hard the work was.”

Sounds great — but can you justify the expense? And what about the risk of offending?

Rick Kauffman, director of sales and marketing at Gray Consulting International Meetings & Incentives, says many of his clients are wary of comedy.

“We do a lot of pharmaceutical meetings and that industry can be under tight scrutiny about how they spend their money and their time,” he says. “The mentality is that these meetings are about learning, and our clients would argue that comedy just doesn’t fit in with that.”

However, many say we need a shift toward more comedic entertainment — after all, a laugh and some light-hearted fun might be just what your meeting needs.

When in Doubt, Grill

If you’ve decided you want to add a comedy routine to your event, be prepared to do some research — in person.

“You need to know the entertainment you’re looking at,” says Paul Creighton, a certified special events professional and executive vice president of T. Skorman Productions Inc. “I don’t recommend comedy to my clients unless I have personally seen their act.”

“Grill them,” adds Andrea Michaels, president of Extraordinary Events. “Ask the references questions like, Did you hear a four-letter word? Were there racial jokes? Feminist jokes? Gay jokes? If the answer is yes, stay far away.”

Eliminate acts from your list that have a standard routine you find inappropriate. Chances are they won’t change their entire act based on your wishes — especially if it’s what they specialize in. “It is usually best to refrain from using comedians whose entire material is based on politics, religion or other controversial subjects,” says Anthony Bollotta, president of Bollotta Entertainment.

“Never try to change a comedian into what you want,” adds Creighton. “If you need a cleaner act, book a cleaner act.”

As you research potential acts, be sure to keep in mind that comfort levels and opinions can vary widely, so what you think is clean might be pushing your client’s limit. Watch the material from different viewpoints, suggests J.B. Miller, co-founder and co-president of Empire Entertainment. “Have people that match the demographics of your audience review the tapes of an act you are considering,” he says. “Just because a young, urban CEO thinks that a comedian is hilarious does not mean that an audience of 40- and 50-year-old customers from the American heartland will share that opinion.”

Beyond Standup

Finding the right person also means knowing where to look. Entertainment agencies that truly understand the corporate culture can be a great place to turn. According to Steph DeWaegeneer, director of creative sales for ComedySportz, a supplier of comedic entertainment, these agencies should work closely with planners to meet all of their needs.

“Successful entertainment suppliers are getting even savvier and realizing that clients and planners are nervous about booking comedy for their events,” she says. “They understand that a lot more people will hear about a horrible or offensive comedian than a really good act.”

DeWaegeneer recommends developing a relationship with an entertainment supplier you trust so you can use them again and again for your entertainment needs. Make sure they are aware of any specifics.

“If, as a planner, you had a poor experience or were unsatisfied with any entertainment acts of the past, let this new comedian or your supplier know about it. Also let them know what past acts were a success,” she says.

You may also want to consider acts that fall outside of the traditional standup comedian role. “Comedy is not just attainable by booking a comedian,” explains Bollotta. “There are numerous entertainment entities in today’s marketplace that employ humor through other forms of skill.”

Keeping it Clean

If appropriateness is your biggest concern, be as specific as possible with your planned act. Russell Roy, “The Un-Motivational Speaker,” is a professional comedian who performs at corporate events as a “speaker,” but delivers a comedic message quite different from your typical keynote. Wondering if it’s real or fake is part of the fun. Roy always allows the planner to review his material beforehand, he says.

According to Miller, once your act is in place, you can help it succeed by avoiding the following:

• Putting the comedian on in an environment where the attendees will not be focused (e.g., they are at a standing reception).

• Making comedians, who feed off the audience, have to work across a large gulf between the stage and the audience.

• Having the comedian perform longer than the audience has patience for. Most good comedians can deliver a strong set in 20 to 45 minutes. Any longer can be a struggle to hold the audience’s attention and could cause the comedian to turn to outrageous material to keep them laughing.

Knowing the circumstances when comedy is not the appropriate form of entertainment is equally important. “Comedy can be difficult if the company just went through downsizing, such as firing key execs,” notes Roy. “If the mood of the company is horrible, the best comics in the world will not be able to make them laugh. Timing is also crucial. Nine a.m. is a tough time to make people laugh. After dinner and a cocktail is the best time for comedy.”

Bottom line? With the right planning, comedy can work for your event. It may take a little extra work on the front end, but it can pay off in the long run with happy attendees, a memorable event and lots of chuckles.