I've never worked in an office, I've never worked for a corporation, I've actually never had a job besides show business since college, I'm only 28, so I know very little about the corporate market but I think that's where its at. So, what do corporate audiences find funny?

Edd

They're just people.
They find humorous stuff funny.

I've done a lot of corporate shows and from these experiences I found that they enjoy especially humorous stuff, especially funny.

And comedy. They find comedy material funny.

We can agree they are tougher, though?

M:C

No, we can't.

People are people.

I find corporate audiences to be the easiest to work, but I have done a lot of them over many years. Despite what some people say, they like audience participation and some good natured poking fun.

Gil Scott

I think Corporate clients can be harder because they have high, professional expecations and usually pay accordingly compared to the private parties I've done. Yes, people are people, but corporate work is not for the beginner.

The only thing that is for the beginner are things like cub scout meetings, nursing homes, birthday parties for friends, and things like that where you have real people and you can get some gigs under your belt.

I think it's already a given that a corporate event is not for a beginner.

Whats better (safer or not, just better): Totally clean or a little edgy?
(This is a personal question, I haven't worked for corporations yet)

Just ask the orginizer who hired you for the event to tell you how she would like to rate the show: G, PG, PG13, R. It will give you a good idea about the type of matearial they want to see - kid show to comedy club material.

Mike Meyers said in his interview on Inside the Actors Studio on A&E that "funny is simply funny". It's true. Corp. audiences find the same things to be funny as anyone else. If anything, they are starved for entertainment due to the nature of their businesses. I've found them to be easier to entertain than most other groups.

Tony Brent
Outta Control Magic Show
Orlando

True, but the setting of your performance does make a difference. I perform for people at weddings when they've had a few to drink, and in the party spirit, and they're fun people to be with. Then the same people book you for their product launch, and now they've got to behave because they're in front of their boss and CEO.

Think about what setting you're in, and there will be different boundaries. Will it be at a trade show, where you may use comedy to your advantage to stop the crowds? Or at an awards ceremony where everyone is on their best behavior? Or in a boardroom where people are still at work?

On the flip side of it, some people look at it in the way that the 'corporate' audience is at work a lot. So the chance to witness magic/comedy/whatever is a get away from the day-to-day routine.

I worked one Christmas party this year where the President got up after dinner to talk for "a few minutes." After 45 minutes of droning on about the financial state of the the company -- complete with PowerPoint slides, everyone had been sitting for more than an hour and a half. Then I was introduced. Wow, these folks needed to have some fun. The whole party atmosphere had turned into a business meeting.

That was a tough crowd.

I guess what I'm looking for our comedy strategies to use to springboard my work. Things such as re-incorporation/recall, unexpected events, comedy in threes, etc. Do you know what I mean? Are there some dos and don'ts of corporate comedy?

Edd

Edd:

Pretty much all I do is adult corporate shows and what seems to work very well for me, among other things, is the "magician in trouble" routines. They seem to find it very entertaining when I "lead them down the garden path and turn the hose on them" so to speak. A lot of people comment favorably about this after my shows.

Doug

I still say people are people.

Why is that tough? What makes people laugh makes them laugh. People by their very nature by and large want to have fun.

If your not getting laughs from a given audience, it is not the audiences fault.

I've never blamed my audience. I'm not working in this market much yet. I'm working on material. So, maybe I should just ask, what do people (above the age of 18) find funny?

Edd

Just don't take yourself too seriously. Have fun with the group. I agree with previous posters - funny is funny, whether they be execs or chicken-pluckers. People are people. If you're just getting started in this market, I would sell your act as squeaky-clean, then it wouldn't be too far of a jump from what it sounds like you're doing now. Then you can get a few corporates under your belt, get a feel for the venues, audiences, and pacing of the events, without the added stress of trying out an hour's worth of brand-new material. Good luck!

Corporation work can be divided into several type of events.
Some are sales meetings, some for the entire staff, some for staff and families.

Depending on their needs I adapt the type of effects. The comedy is usually based on my "everyman persona" and foibles of every day life. The sales meetings are more about product introduction, motivation or reinforcement for work well done.

These days I work fairly clean...though my straitjacket routine sometimes brings out double entendres from the volunteer helpers.

Finding the right volunteers is very important in these and other type venues.

Re: Cub Scouts...Blue and Gold’s can sometimes not be a good starting ground.

Saturday Night we had about 300 of them and their wonderful families.

On my reading table this week. “The Actors Way”, by Robert Benedetti.

Harris

The best suggestion I can give you is to do your homework. Find out all about the occasion or reason for the gathering, the people, their age, their gender, and essentally the demographics of the group. You want to know if you are performing before, during or after dinner and if there are any other acts on besides you.

An great tool I use to do is to ask the person who hires you: "Tell me what you envision me doing in my presentation." Their reply will also help you sell them the actual show they want. They generally will not discuss an elaborate show if they are not willing to pay for an elaborate show. Before I used this technique, I inadvertantly sold smaller shows on occasion, when the clients would have gone for a more expensive show. You live and learn.

As for my own presentation, I would rather err on the "classy" side than to be a bit "too casual" in my presentation for the corporate arena.