THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF OUR ASSOCIATE AND FRIEND, CHARMAGNE LOVELESS (2/9/1952- 2/10/2011)
hot comedy picks for next season
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Sometimes programming comedy can be a little tricky. We’ve selected a dozen artists that we think can play for any audience...even yours. You’ll find direct contact information to help you decide exactly what might be right for your stage or event.
PERFORMING ARTS... HERE AND NOW
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An exclusive interview with one of Performing Arts’ veteran producers. We take a look at the arts from the Golden Age of Broadway to where we are now with the emphasis on how theaters can better program to get butts back into seats.
AEP SELECTS GREEN VALLEY FOR SEPT 19-21, 2011 24 THE BAND PERRY: OUR FEATURE STORY
Green Valley is an eloquent property and well fitted for an entertainment conference. AEP has decided to take advantage of the Ovation stage there for showcasing talent for its Signature Event. You’ll find a complete list of benefits to help you improve your buying process.
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If ever there was a band on the way to the top, most artists, agents and buyers would admit, this is it. In this exclusive interview with all three of the members of “Perry,” you will get an upfront and personal look at why the cards are stacked in their favor and it is a whole lot more than luck. You will visit with three of the hardest working, most personable artists in the business.
DEPARTMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER TECHNICALLY FUNNY/ GREG SCHWEM REMEMBERING CHARMAGNE HOT COMEDY 2011/12
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THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS AEP: BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER THE AMAZING DANA CARVEY BUYING COMEDY WITH APA’S JACKIE KNOBBE
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“The Times, They Are A Changin’” Bob Dylan
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irst, it is important that I thank all of you who have sent me such kind comments on the reconstruction of American Entertainment Magazine. The finished product has been the result of input from readers from all segments of the entertainment industry. We got the largest feedback from the stories on The Band Perry and The Evolution of Country Music. I am glad it served as an eye-opening experience to those of you who haven’t really looked at emerging country as viable options for your programming. This is a hot segment and we received some great information from our contributors. This issue deals with two different segments of the market: Comedy and Performing Arts.
Comedy in the campus market has never been that big of a deal. They program it all of the time and they have so many opportunities to see it live through showcases, they can get a pretty good feel for what will work and what will not. Having come from that market originally, I can tell you back in the day, I have seen comics showcasing some pretty disgusting material. But as times have gotten tougher economically, much of the material I saw back 25 years ago would not fly today. Obviously, it doesn’t have to be as squeaky clean as what we might expect to see for general audiences (and by general audiences I mean corporate shows and family venues) but directors on college campuses still have to report to the administration.
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With that said, there are a lot of “G” and “PG” artists out there who are still extremely funny without using lewd and offensive language. Almost every agency specializing in comedy can provide you with safe, sensible choices. Don’t think that the days of Carol Burnett and Andy Griffith are gone forever, because they are not. On a more serious note, we have an excellent interview with Paul Bartz of Windwood Theatricals dealing with his take on the history and the future of the performing arts. I have known Paul many, many years and during that time he has been completely immersed in a segment of this industry that he truly loves.
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What has happened to the arts is both tragic and indefensible. It is an important part of our history as well as our future. In this story you will savor the glory days and find some hope for tomorrow. Audiences are changing and theaters and those who buy for them must change to in order to remain viable. The arts must not only deliver what is expected but some of what isn’t. My advice for any young artist who is trying to break into any market is NEVER deliver a show of all original material. Audiences have ears tuned for the familiar and that is what they expect. No matter how good your catalog of original music is, it is likely to become a snore fest for the audience if that is all you give them. I think that is a lesson learned in programming for venues too. One of the things you will learn from this interview with Paul is that in order to be successful you have to deliver branded acts. Branded doesn’t mean they have to be at the top of the Billboard or iTunes charts; but it does mean they have to be familiar. The term ”familiar” varies from location to location. In smaller cities, it can be an act with a local or
regional following as well as national exposure. In larger cities, it may mean they need to have a following in your part of the country to nationally. In some cases, it may mean simply they are performing material familiar to your demographic (60s or 70s music, swing or big band, tribute acts, etc. based on you local population). We learned last issue that more modern country music crosses over many age and social barriers and is a good fit in most areas of the country. Read this story on the arts carefully; it is full of facts, beliefs, insight and experience. It will give you something to think about. Finally, I can’t let you go without putting in my pitch for AEP Worldwide. This magazine is not only a supporter put a developer of the Association of Entertainment Professionals. We think it is time that buyers and sellers from all facets of the entertainment industry come together to share our knowledge and experiences and learn about acts we have never been exposed to before. As budgets get tighter, we honestly feel this community will make a difference in the success of our businesses and venues and the development of new and inspiring talent.
BRING A PRESIDENT TO YOUR NEXT EVENT! Steve Bridges Became A National Sensation On “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” As He Charmed America’s Audiences With His Hilarious Impersonations of President George W. Bush. Now He Can Bring Life To Your Stage As Presidents Bill Clinton And Barack O’Bama Too!
AEP Worldwide W.C. Kirby, Jr., Partner Leona K. Plaugh, Partner Ian Kirby, Dir. of Associate Development Chandler Cook, Graphic & Video Services John Thorne, Website Developer
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Volume 10, #56 March/April 2011
A CAMEO PUBLISHING GROUP COMPANY IN ASSOCIATION WITH PUBLISHING PARTNERS American Entertainment Magazine Is The Official Publication of The Association of Entertainment Professionals Worldwide (AEP)
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@#*^0-=!*% iPad!
Remember the good old days of meetings when an offstage "Voice of God" politely asked attendees to turn off their cell phones...and everybody complied?
ing meeting attendees to bring their entire offices into the ballrooms and commence working wirelessly, thanks to the device's 10-hour battery life.
Apple's iPad 2 was just released and that roar you hear is people around the world cheering the fact that finally, after a WHOLE YEAR, Apple got around to improving something.
Those announcements have all but disappeared as technology evolves and more and more types of gadgets are being hauled into ballrooms by audience members who seem to want to do anything other than watch and listen to whatever is taking place on stage. Isn't the action on stage the reason they are at the meeting in the first place?
Unfortunately I know that iPads aren't going away because, let's face it, they are very cool. Furthermore, they have quickly become a corporate employee's electronic briefcase; everything you will ever need neatly folded into a 9.7 inch screen (another figure from the website).
Yes, the iPad 1, or simply the iPad, was launched on April 3, 2010. By the end of the year, Apple had sold nearly 15 million worldwide. Suddenly every-
body had yet another way to read books, watch movies, send email and play games that involved bouncing multi-colored balls from one side of the screen to the other. The iPad also proved to be the quintessential meeting distraction. How can something so irresistible be so infuriating at the same time? I've met hundreds of meeting planners and they are among the hardest working people I know, spending countless hours to make sure the stage is correctly proportioned, the lighting hits the podium just so and the IMAG screens can be seen equally by everybody in the room. Of course all of this work is for naught if nobody in the audience ever looks up from their iPads.
So instead of cursing its existence, maybe it's time that speakers and meeting planners put their heads together and figure out how to make the iPad our friend. Maybe there's a cool app we can develop that would entice iPad users to pay attention to the action at hand. How about this? Use your iPad 2 and its multiple cameras to take pictures of the live action. Continue snapping through the entire meeting. When it's all over, use the app to upload them to a special site.
I am a professional speaker—a comedian specifically—so the iPad is a thorn in my side. Before its launch, I basically just had to deal with people sneaking a peak at their phones from time to time, in case that ALL IMPORTANT email popped up during my presentation. I could deal with that. As long as they remembered to silence their Two and a Half Men theme song ringtone, I could do my show knowing that I had their attention and their focus. Then along came the iPad, with its three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, digital compass and ambient light sensor. (Note: I have no idea what any of that means; I just copied and pasted it from the Apple website) It didn't have a camera but fear not! The iPad 2 has not one but TWO cameras! Plus it still retains all the original features, allow-
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Whoever took the best photos wins an iPad 3! Coming soon!!
Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian, speaker and author of “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad.” www.comedywithabyte.com
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Bio and Photo provided by John Thorne
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There aren’t many of us who haven’t known Charmagne and her contributions to clients in the corporate and special events market. I was honored when she accepted our offer to come aboard as our marketing liaison and Director of Artist and Agency Relations back in August of this year. Her reputation for inspiration and creativity in meeting the needs of clients had long preceeded her as a sales rep for T. Skorman Productions and Key Artist Group. She was instrumental in bringing in the most new members at IACEP. Over the fall of 2010, Charmagne was extremely active in helping re-develop the look and the image of American Entertainment Magazine as the publication began to encompass a more diverse audience. Many of the stories you have seen over the last two issues have been developed from her inspiration. She also became an advisor to the staff as we began to birth the Association of Entertainment Professionals (AEP Wordwide), giving that organization the benefit of her experience in both the entertainment and hospitality fields. For me personally, Charmagne was a friend and a colleague. When we discovered a newly born kitten that had been deserted by its mother, she guided me on how to care for the baby. As soon as it was a few weeks old, Charmagne had already contacted several “no-kill” shelters who in turned reach out to me to find “Elvis” a home. Without her I would not have had a clue how to manage the situation and this poor cat would have had to defend itself among my six dogs. Even when I knew she was not feeling well over the last few weeks of her life, I had to insist that she take a break and go see a doctor. Her answer was “there was always so much to do and she didn’t want
to let me down.” I finally had to threaten to call emergency vehicles to her house before she finally relented. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY Charmagne Loveless was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Feb. 9, 1952 as Charmagne Ann Talsky. On February 10, 2011 she “fell asleep in death” at the age of 59 after a battle with cancer. Her husband Bob Loveless, of eight years, was tirelessly by her side till the end. Charmagne is survived by her parents, Connie and Phil Fillman, Jim & Sue Talsky, and her grandmother, Ann Zimny, her sisters and brother in-laws, Colleen & Homer Blake and Tami & Bobby Morales, her step-brother and sisters, Randy, Donna & Cathy Fillman, her inlaws, Jim & Joy Loveless and La Vonne Gorski, her step-daughters, Jodel Wogou & Jennifer Martinez. Many nieces and nephews and of course her beloved cats Shadoe & Roscoe. Charmagne and her family moved to Florida when she was five years old. As a young girl she loved to write lively poems and stories about simple things in her life such as washing dishes, and the dynamics of being in a blended family with six kids all under the age of 14. She learned sewing from her grandmother and made many of her beautiful outfits through the years. You would never guess by looking at these fine garments that they were handmade. In the 46 years she lived in Florida she had a variety of employment opportunities, first related to the furniture business, beginning her career at her father, Jim Talsky’s furniture store, “The House of Bargains” in Ocala. She then embarked on a new career in the hospitality industry by working at a major hotel in central
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Florida as a salesperson, and finally merged into the corporate entertainment industry. If a company needed a good band or “little green men” for a function she could make it happen! She had the opportunity to meet many celebrities and was able to enjoy traveling to many exciting destinations. Charmagne was outgoing and a people-person, always prepared to meet and talk to new people. Learning new things always excited her. She was known as an expert shopper, which she enjoyed doing with her friends, and of course everything she bought was “on sale!” In 2002 she married Bob Loveless and braving the cold, moved back to Wisconsin. She continued working in the field of entertainment and last fall was hired as director of Artist and Agency Relations for American Entertainment Magazine. All who knew Charmagne were aware of her love of critters, especially cats, which makes sense seeing that when she was born her initials were C.A.T! Cats just seemed to gravitate toward her, as if she were one of them. She took in many strays over the years, caring for them and finding them good homes. Her daily morning routine included going out to feed the birds, ducks, cats and whatever else was out there. Any animal within a 20 mile radius of her home was not going to starve! Most importantly in Charmagne loved life, was energetic yet at the same time kind, loving and compassionate. We will dearly miss her warm nature and enthusiasm for life. W.C. Kirby, Jr. Publisher American Entertainment Magazine
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JOHN HEFFRON: Having won the second season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Heffron’s popularity has grown tremendously. John’s amusing and extensive material has earned him three specials on the hit stand up show Comedy Central Presents. He has become a regular on numerous VH1 and featured on Thom Filicia’s “Dress My Nest”. He has performed on CMT’s “Coming to the Stage”, NBC’s “Late Friday”, and Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend”. He has made numerous appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, and E’s! “Chelsea Lately”. John has taken the stage at several prestigious comedy festivals including the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, the Just for Laughs Festival and the HBO Comedy Festival.
HEATHER McDONALD: Besides performing stand up comedy, Heather McDonald is a full-time writer and story producer on the E! Channel’s top rated show - “Chelsea Lately”. Heather can be seen weekly on “Chelsea Lately” either on the roundtable or performing in the comedy sketches where she is known for her impersonating such celebrities as Drew Barrymore, Kim Cattrall, Lauren Conrad, Amy Winehouse, Celine Dion, Cher, The Kardashians, The Octomom, Sarah Palin, Miley Cyrus, Jen Aniston, Renée Zellweger, and various Real Housewives. Heather has appeared on the hit television shows “Frasier”, “Malcolm in the Middle”, “Reno 911”, “Drake and Josh”, MTV’s “Lyricist Lounge”, and “Watching Ellie”.
DOUg EDLEY • THE gERSH AgENCY (310) 205-5885 • DEdley@gershla.com
gINA KIRKLAND • KP COMEDY • (866) 769-9037 gina@kirklandproductions.com
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JIMMY PARDO: Jimmy Pardo is the host of the award-winning podcast “Never Not Funny” and the official opening act for Conan O’Brien at Conan tapings. He is the star of his own half-hour Comedy Central Presents special and has performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”. Jimmy hosted GSN’s “National Lampoon's Funny Money” and co-hosted four seasons of AMC's “Movies at Our House”. He also hosted episodes of VH1's “The Surreal Life”, “Love Lounge” and NBC's “Late Friday”. He has appeared on “Monk”, “That '70s Show” and Comedy Central’s “Root of All Evil”.
LOUIE ANDERSON: Two-time Emmy award winner Louie Anderson is one of the country’s most recognized and adored comics and was named by Comedy Central as “One of 100 Greatest StandUp Comedians of All Time.” Currently he is headlining in his own show, “Louie-Larger Than Life” at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino on the famed Las Vegas Strip. Anderson’s stand-up comedy career has skyrocketed. Known as a “clean” comedian, his stories about growing up in the Midwest, being one of 11 children and dealing with an alcoholic father provide endless material for the comic with audiences of all types relating to his everyday life experiences.
BRUCE SMITH • OMNIPOP TALENT gROUP • (818) 980-9267 bruce@omnipop.com
JACKIE KNOBBE • AgENCY FOR THE PERFORMINg ARTS (APA) (310) 888-4291 • jknobbe@apa-agency.com
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DAVID GLICKMAN: The more specific the humor, the DON FRIESEN: Don Friesen is a high energy clean stand-
HENRY CHO: “I’m an Asian with a Southern accent,” re-
more terrific the humor! David Glickman presents Custom Corporate Comedy—a combination of humor & music that’s focused exclusively on the client’s company and industry. David’s been a professional speaker & entertainer since 1985 and has presented over 2000 programs. He’s worked with everyone from The Beach Boys to Steve Martin and has made several national television appearances. Custom Corporate Comedy is not so much a ‘stand-up comedy routine’ as it is a full-blown high-energy one-man show. It’s got observational humor, funny visuals & props, hilarious song parodies, and a big ‘rock and roll’ finish. Custom Corporate Comedy • (813) 920-8283 David@Davidglickman.com
marks Henry. “To a lot of people, that right there is funny.” Always making the most of who is, Henry recently inked a deal with CBS and Paramount Studios to co-create and star in his own sitcom based on his life as a Korean-American born and raised in Tennessee. In 2006, Henry had his own one hour comedy special entitled: “What’s That Clickin’ Noise?” on Comedy Central. You can catch Henry on the big screen as well, starring opposite Hilary Duff and Angelica Houston in Material Girls. Henry’s other film credits include FOX’s TV movie, Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation, Universal’s McHale’s Navy and the Farrelly brothers’ movie Say It Isn’t So. The gersh Agency • (310) 205-5885 DEdley@gershla.com
up comedian who uses self-deprecating humor to lampoon his life as a suburban husband and father just trying to get through the day with a little money in the bank and a bit of dignity intact. Don has appeared on Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham," “Comics Unleashed”, the “Martin Short Show”, and is the only two-time winner in the 35-year history of the San Francisco International Comedy Competition. He can be heard regularly in Los Angeles on the 95.5 KLOS “Five O-Clock Funnies”, and nationally on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio. Encore Entertainment • (702) 463-8004 encore.johnraymond@gmail.com
MARIA BRAMFORD: Maria Bamford is the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials. She starred in the film and Comedy Central series, “The Comedians of Comedy” and contributes comedic voiceovers for several animations including Comedy Central’s “Ugly Americans” and PBS’s Emmy-winning series “Word Girl”. Maria has made multiple late-night appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and not-so-late appearances on “Premium Blend”, “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn” and The World Comedy Tour: Melbourne 2003. Omnipop Talent group • Bruce Smith • 818-980-9267 bruce@omnipop.com
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DEAN EDWARDS: Actor/Comedian Dean Edwards has been making his mark in comedy following two successful seasons as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” Dean has been featured on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “Last Call with Carson Daly,” Showtime’s “Comics Without Borders” and helped create the character of Donkey for SHREK THE MUSICAL on Broadway. He is a frequent guest on “Comic Unleashed,” and regularly provides comedic commentary on various VH1 highlight shows. His dynamic stage presence and his ability to seamlessly flow from one dead-on impression to another, makes Dean Edwards a perfect fit for your next event. KP Comedy • gina Kirkland • (866) 769-9037 gina@kirklandproductions.com
NANCY LOMBARDO: “Nancy has performed her unique comedy from coast to coast. She was a leading member of the award winning comedy troupe, The First Amendment, performing with the likes of Robin Williams and Bruce Willis. Nancy was a comedy consultant to John Leguizamo's OffBroadway hit Mambo Mouth and wrote additional comedy material for his HBO Special, “The Talent Pool”,as well as a staff writer/performer for Leguizamo’s H.I.P- FOX show, “House of Buggin." TV credits include “The Colin Quinn Show” NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”, “All my Children”, the PBS, network and Comedy Tonight, Nickelodeon and the Comedy Channel. She has written for Penthouse and Cracked magazines and created a comic strip for Lady's Circle Magazine. Nancy Lombardo fun1@gtz.com
ANDY KINDLER: Andy Kindler was a series judge on the seventh season of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”. He is the star of two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and is a frequent guest and correspondent on “The Late Show with David Letterman”. Andy recurred on “Everybody Loves Raymond”, Comedy Central’s “The Root of All Evil” and Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers”, and he has appeared on the HBO Young Comedians Special, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, “The Daily Show”, “Dr. Katz Professional Therapist”, “Home Movies” and “The Larry Sanders Show”. Andy delivers the State of the Industry Address each year at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. Omnipop Talent group • Bruce Smith • (818) 980-9267 bruce@omnipop.com
UMBILICAL BROTHERS: The Umbilical Brothers perform a variety of fast-paced comedic routines featuring mime, physical movement and sound effects skills. Their routines include everything from classic mime with a twist, to physical satire of tap dance to impossible contortionist illusions. The Umbilical Brothers Off-Broadway show, Thwak, won a Drama Desk Award nomination for the "Most Unique Theatrical Experience." Featuring two bizarre Australian performance artists, The New York Times called their show, "Wildly creative and wildly funny." Furthermore, Time Out described the show as "Twisted, marvelously peculiar and absolutely hilarious!" Emily Fox • Concept Artists (212) 343-0956
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MIKE BIRBIGLIA: Mike Birbiglia’s name has become synonymous with smart comedic storytelling. Birbiglia is best known for his hit show Sleepwalk With Me, called "simply perfect" by the New York Times and named "Comedy of the Year" by Time Out New York. In addition to being nominated for numerous awards (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Circle Critics). He is working on Sleepwalk with Me, the film, which he will write and star in. Birbiglia closed out a 35 city Comedy Central Live tour called, “Mike Birbiglia: I’m In The Future Also” selling out concert halls nationwide. Birbiglia’s longstanding relationship with Comedy Central includes three of his own standup specials, including his critically acclaimed one-hour special, “What I Should Have Said Was Nothing.” Jackie Knobbe • Agency For The Performing Arts (APA) (310) -888-4291 • jknobbe@apa-agency.com
JESSIE CAMPBELL: Jessi Campbell is an energetic and clean comedian who travels the country performing her unique blend of high-energy story telling and dead-pan sarcasm. She was a stand out in the 2008 Boston Comedy Festival and is a contributing writer for “Life and Style” Magazine. Jessi was also voted the People’s Choice winner for the 2009 Aspen RooftopComedy Festival, and performed at the 2009 Great American Comedy Festival. In 2010 Jessi released her first comedy CD entitled “Winner Winner” to stellar reviews. She continues to build a strong fan base of people of all ages in every city she goes to. Recent credits include NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” and is a regular on the syndicated radio show Bob & Tom as well as XM & Sirius satellite radio. Chuck Johnson • Summit Comedy • (704) 947-3057 summitcomedy@aol.com
STAN PEARSON: Ron is a comedian, actor and world record holding juggler that the Hollywood Reporter called “… a comic ball of fire”. The L.A. Times wrote, “laughed so hard my jaws ached”. Ron has taken multitasking to a whole new level, from starring on the sitcom “Malcolm and Eddie,” to guest starring on shows like “The Drew Carey Show,” “Two Guys and a Girl,” “That 70’s Show” and “The George Lopez Show.” He has made late night appearances from “The Late Late Show” to “The Dennis Miller Show” and Comedy Central. He has hosted game shows and reality television on the Family Channel and The Discovery Channel. Starting his career as a child street performer, Ron has now developed his own brand of humor to captivate the top of the Fortune 500 Companies. Jackie Knobbe • Agency For The Performing Arts (APA) (310) -888-4291 • jknobbe@apa-agency.com THE PASSING ZONE: “"Comedy fans have struck gold here!" That's what the Los Angeles Times says about these guys, and it's true! Wait, juggling? Funny? The Passing Zone defies all expectations, and delivers one of the funniest experiences on stage today. Whether they're performing at The White House, on television, or as a killer keynote that'll knock it out of the park every time, they simply amaze audiences everywhere. And not just with their wild stunts like the Chainsaw Ballet, juggling rat traps, or flying audience members around the stage. Jon Wee and Owen Morse are genuinely clever, hilarious, and they somehow manage to be edgy, while keeping it clean. A rare feat, indeed! American Entertainment Magazine raves “These guys know how to deliver a show. They deliver spot-on, hilarious comedy while intriguing you with their professional juggling expertise. The best thing of all is they know how to work an audience. Standing ‘O’s’ all the way around. You won’t be disappointed!” Karen Harris • CMI Speakers • (877) 307-7403 karen@cmispeakers.com
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JON REEP: Comedian, Actor, & Metro Jethro - Jon Reep played ‘Raymus’ from the movie Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and the dim witted cop ‘Gerald Bob’ from the ABC sitcom “Rodney.” He was Dodge's ‘Hemi Guy’ where he uttered the now famous line, "That thing gotta Hemi?” Reep was the winner of Season 5 of "Last Comic Standing" on NBC and has been seen on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend, " "Comedy Central Presents: Jon Reep,” TBS's "Pit Stop Comedy," NBC's "Late Friday," CMT's "Comedy Club," & "Comedy Stage." His show is supersonic energy filled with non-stop characters and super clever writing.
ADAM FERRARA: Entertainment Weekly dubbed him “Hilarious” and he has been praised for his acting chops and impeccable comedic timing. Adam is a regular on the FX Cable show “Rescue Me.” He co-starred in the film, Mall Cop with Kevin James. He is praised by his co-star opn “Rescue Me,” Denis Leary as “a great comedian...and a great dramatic actor.” Ferrara will resume his role as Chief Nelson as the series begins its sixth season. Adam is a regular on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “The Late Show with David Letterman and “The View.” He began his comedy career on NBC’s “Caroline In The City,” and has since appeared on ABC’s “Ugly Betty” and NBC’s “Law & Order.”
ERIC O’SHEA: With Over 4 MILLION Hits on YouTube, ap-
The gersh Agency • (310) 205-5885 DEdley@gershla.com
Chuck Johnson • Summit Comedy • (704) 947-3057 summitcomedy@aol.com
KP Comedy • gina Kirkland • (866) 769-9037 gina@kirklandproductions.com
pearances on NBC, VH-1, and the Creative Arts Emmys, Eric O'Shea wants you to sit back, relax, and let his CLEAN wit and priceless observations take you on the ride of your life! From embarrassing childhood moments to today's frustrating mishaps, Eric's high energy show will give you the peace of mind that you're not alone. From original stories to celebrity impressions -- including the cast of Seinfeld in kindergarten, Family Guy and ELMO -- Eric's high-energy humor and subtle expressions are unlike anything you've ever heard...Including his world-famous "Commercial Songs for Products" that caught the eye of and got rave reviews from Steven Spielberg.
ALONZO BODDEN: Even before appearing on LAST COMIC STANDING, Alonzo Bodden knew there was absolutely nothing that would ever make him give up comedy. “That’s the drug”, he says “when they laugh, it’s like I’m a jazz musician and they hear it, and they get it. It’s power to take the crowd wherever I want them to go. I love it when they laugh, especially when they relate through laughter. It’s a beautiful thing. It also means I’m going to get paid, which is nice.” A graduate of Aviation High School, for nine years he earned a paycheck as a jet mechanic for Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas. While comics around the country were making audiences laugh at airline jokes, he was working on the top secret Stealth Bomber. After placing as runner-up on Season 2 of Last Comic, he came back strong to win Season 3. He went on to become a series judge on Season 5. His film credits include Scary Movie 4, Bringing Down The House and The Girl Next Door. He is a regular on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno”. Jackie Knobbe • Agency For The Performing Arts (APA) (310) -888-4291 • jknobbe@apa-agency.com
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When it comes to the arts, I often think of Paul Bartz of Windwood Theatricals. Paul is not only a veteran in the performing arts market, But he knows the industry inside and out. First starting off with Bill Fegan Attractions and then becoming a prominent figure as one of the owners of Mainstage Management and finally his own company, Windwood Theatricals. Paul and I first became acquainted when Mainstage Management was still pretty much in its infancy and I was developing a graphics division for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) back in the 80s. I had developed a division that provided graphic design and print services for the organization specifically devoted to developing companies and artists and Mainstage started using our services. Paul and his partners Terry Kippenberger (Mainstage Central) and Ingrid Kidd (Mainstage West) became my conduit to the arts. I learned not only about artists and agencies serving the needs of the arts, but about the venues they served. I developed an inventory and warehouse plan, first to specifically serve the needs of Mainstage and as I learned more about the arts, we ended up serving key agencies and producers across the country. We would design, print and then inventory the goods. As the shows began to tour, we would ship flyers and posters out to venues all across North America well before the arrival of the show to promote the date and help fill seats for the performance(s). In 1991, when I left NACA to start my own business, Cameo Publishing Group, Mainstage Management became one of my largest followers. When Paul Bartz started his own company with Windwood Theatricals, we earned that business too. It was through Paul at the APAP show in New York that I met dozens of future clients and learned about the many perspectives, perks and issues that have surrounded the arts. I almost hate to admit that my first experience with Paul and the arts was more than 25 years ago now. But I felt that no one was better to bring you the story of his journey through the arts and his perspective of Broadway because he has been successfully and consistently involved in bringing Broadway shows to the outer reaches of America.
are down by about 20% which can constrict the buying of programs, the level of staff support for shows and the number of entertainment choices they can offer their audiences. In today’s world there is so much competition for our time. The internet, email and social media consume our daily activities. This wasn’t so true five or ten years ago. We have to make time to relax, go to a movie or go to a performance. The economic strain has complicated our lives even worse. The industry has changed too...it has gone through a series of trends.
these acts are more affordable. Audience members can sing along with familiar lyrics and some of these acts are very good. Theaters are not spending the big bucks they once did without assurance they are going to fill the seats. We used to bring in big international acts like The Peking Opera which was $40,000. Theaters are not spending $40,000 anymore.” Changing of The guard The audiences for traditional performing arts theaters are changing significantly in order to expand ticket sales to a wider demographic.
What’s On Stage? TWENTY years ago, when I was running Mainstage Management, we were the first to bring in Chinese acrobats. They were an instant success and soon everyone climbed on the band wagon. Suddenly there were five or six acrobat groups. Next, we discovered Russian acts as relationships thawed with the Soviet Union. Then TEN years ago, we began successfully touring The Three Irish Tenors. Now there are probably a dozen or more Irish tenor acts available from a variety of suppliers. FIVE years or so ago, Cirque acts became all the rage and theaters with facilities to house them were anxious to provide this amazing genre to their audiences. But as soon as the recession hit the United States, cirque acts became far less in demand simply because they were relatively expensive and complicated to produce. NOW it seems the rage is tribute bands. I think it is a reaction to the economy. Most theaters can not afford the real thing (if the real thing still exists) and
The current trend is to bring in more inexpensive artists, more contemporary artists and more mainstream artists. The NEA came out with a study which indicated there was a significant decline in attendance to traditional performing arts events : classical music, opera, and symphonies. And now we are seeing a decline in jazz and classical ballet. People are just being given too many options and the internet is responsible for that. On the flip side, the internet has been a boon to our business because people can have access on YouTube to thousands upon thousands of artists. We are able to expose our artists to theaters across the country much faster. We can use email to reach potential buyers. We sent out 1,600 emails last week and within 24 hours 250 of those recipients had opened those emails. While we still use snail mail, I go back to when that was our only option and you wouldn’t see anywhere near that kind of results in a week.” But there are pluses and minuses with email. If one agency is sending out mass emails, so are all of their competitors and many of these messages simply end up in the trash unread.
So sit back and relax. Take in the information he is sharing with you here. As publisher of this magazine, I welcome your perspectives and comments too. You can contact me at kirby@cameopublishing.com. Now here’s Paul. Welcome to 2011 For the last five years, we have been going through the great recession and while this effects everyone, the arts have been the first to get cut. It really hasn’t mattered whether it was federal funding, state funding or local funding. We have seen cuts for the NEA, states have cut funding for colleges and performing arts centers and many local governments can’t begin to take up the slack. Because many of our theaters rely on public funding through donations, they are struggling to provide quality programming at reasonable costs. Across the board, donations
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THE UNEXPECTED BOYS AN AWARD-WINNING TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS
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There is Nothing Better Than Personal Contact.
Broadway vs. Your Town USA
I will admit, there is nothing like one-on-one contact. That makes the relationship personal. And we would prefer to reach clients that way if they will take our calls. Quite honestly all the exhibit booths at the conferences are sold out and there are more agencies and artists attacking this market than ever before. Some of the younger agents and artists are so aggressive that it turns many buyers off. In fact, at some conferences we have adapted an ‘open house’ segment during an exhibit hall time where the agents are not in their booths and the buyers can stroll through the exhibit hall and not be accosted. This is a radical departure over just the last two years in the way business used to be conducted.”
But Broadway tends to be a lot different than what we can expect at venues across the country. “The demographic is upper middle-class to lower upperclass. The average ticket holder makes $100,000 with an average household income of $200,000.
Business is more competitive when it comes to the arts because you have more agents and more artists in a market that is shrinking. There is this feeling that you have to go to conferences, whether you do business or not to steady the clients you already have and hope you get more. If you don’t, your competitors will certainly be there. We should be doing that anyway because face-to-face can close a deal you would never get otherwise. This is a business of relationships. For many agencies it is the fear of loss.
Here’s the deal. If you are a winner on Broadway, your show is a winner on the road. Wicked has three touring troupes as does Jersey Boys. But if you are not a block-buster Broadway show, you are having trouble on the road. There was a musical in New York, Nine to Five that lost money in New York and is now struggling on the road. What has happened is that many of the touring Broadway shows, whether they are a one-nighter in Oshkosh or a week-long bill in Chicago have been previously bought on subscription series. Most theaters have a Broadway package that includes all the shows for that season. With the availability of the internet, those series are down in favor of watching schedules online and making single purchases based on last minute decisions. Without the success that Broadway delivers, many pieces of the subscription series will not be picked up by individual ticket sales.
It’s Not Just Us
How Does Windwood Decide Which Shows It Puts On The Road?
But the arts is not the only entertainment entity suffering during this down economy. “I have heard that sporting events as well as national tours of celebrity artists were off substantially. Live Nation, the country’s largest promoter, suffered a huge loss this past year because people were simply not going to concerts. I think one of the reasons was that ticket prices were too high and buyers simply decided the costs were unreasonable. Add to that the ticket price the cost of parking and concessions and these shows were well outside the budgets of many middle-class Americans.
We try to have as many connections in New York as possible and if I am lucky I will get a show that has been recently produced there. But, most Broadway producers have their own apparatus where they bring a show to New York, produce it there and then for the first national road show the major companies take the show into the major cities (about 150 of them) for one, two or three weeks.
Now you have agencies from all parts of the world coming to the United States taking booths at conferences and selling tours to performing arts venues. Other countries around the world support the arts much better than our government does. What happens then is money that once supported American entertainment businesses and artists is leaving this country and going over seas.
From there my specialty is developing a show that goes into secondary markets for one or two nights. But right now, many of the Broadway producers have de-
WINDWOOD’S BYE, BYE, BIRDIE!
The New golden Age of Broadway If anything can be a success story in today’s economy, it is Broadway. Broadway is experiencing a major revival that can only be compared with the 40’s and 50’s. Every Broadway theater is filled. There are a lot of shows waiting to come in. Attendance is down slightly as compared to several years ago, but box-office revenue records are being broken. Where you used to have a clique of New York producers who controlled the product, now you have a wide array of money coming into the theaters including many major motion picture studios. While it has had its problems, the most expensive show ever to hit Broadway is Spiderman and it is all the buzz. They have invested $65 million (and counting) in the production. Previous to that, the most expensive venture was The Lion King at about $25 million.” Spiderman is playing in the largest theater in New York, but it will take a long run to turn a profit. Obviously money could be made by spinning off a number of road tours of the project, but there are 27 arial moments in the show which could end up being problematic on road tours, especially since they have proven extremely difficult in New York. You would have the cost of transporting elaborate sets built for the road, selecting cast members who could be trained and then all the rigging. They may look at Spiderman being a destination act that would not tour but set up in various locations across the country much like a show you would see in Las Vegas. On the negative side the show as been fraught with accidents. Just several days ago the under study for Spiderman fell into the orchestra pit when his teather rope broke. The state authorities have come in because of safety regulations. But they couldn’t buy this publicity if they wanted to. Now people want to see the show to see what is going to happen next.
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cided to control everything including producing all tours plus handling it with in-house booking agencies. It is for that reason it is a struggle for me to get new product. It has been my goal to produce a show in New York and control everything that happens thereafter.
tract, when there is a road tour, the people who make up the components of the show are generally given right of first refusal, which means that the tour is an equity tour. For that reason most of the shows that appear in New York will first go on the road as a union property.
There is a movement afoot to bid and buy shows and I actually wanted to tour Spam-a-lot. There was a competition to get the rights to tour the show non-equity which started at $500,000 up front and that is when I said good-bye. Because I did the numbers it simply did not compute. There is only so much you can get for a show and when you calculate all the expenses, it would put it out of reach for most theaters in this market. We are getting the same fees now that we got 10-15 years ago and the reason is there is so much competition.
Now because beyond the major cities, singles and doubles have to go out at lower prices, a producer simply can not pay the numbers required to tour the show as equity in those markets and survive. So what has happened is there are a number of companies like ours who have developed tours that can and will serve the one and two-nighter markets. These tours can not be equity tours because they simply will not work financially.
Equity versus Non-Equity: There are union and non-union tours that are available to theaters. There is a union for every creative aspect of the entertainment business, whether you are an actor, director, choreographer, scene designer, costume designer, etc. They ban together and with that force to reckon with, any show produced in New York has to be comprised of people who are in the union. When you reach the point of joining a union, it is generally a bevel of accomplishment and stature in your field, so it is believed that you are part of the cream of the crop. Their salaries, fees and benefits are higher so if you are in this industry, you are attracted to join the union because you will make more money. This means that as a matter of con-
Given my druthers, would I prefer to work with union actors and designers? The answer is ‘yes!’ They are creative geniuses. But I can’t because of the financial implications. My challenge is to find those aspiring actors and designers, choreographers and directors who are not yet union but are well on their way. We are a stepping stone for many of these talents to bigger and better things. There are some equity tours that will play onenighters but it is out of necessity because of split weeks on a tour. They would rather be playing somewhere than sitting in a hotel room. So they will cherry-pick a location. Unfortunately that hurts me because they are competition. But as times have gotten tough, there are middle-of-the-road equity shows that haven’t gotten the routing or the dates they anticipated and all of a sudden they will offer a one-nighter along their route at a reduced price.
Here’s the rub. Most equity shows are four to five truck shows and you can’t get all of that in most onenighter theaters, so they have to drastically scale down the performance. All of a sudden you get complaints from those presenters that half the show is still in the truck. If you don’t design your show for those smaller theaters, it can get a little squirrelly. When we plan a show for that market we have FOUR different plans based on the capacity and the stage of the theatre. We can take the whole set or we can adapt to plan A, B or C. Even if we have to scale it down to Plan C, it still looks like a set. The tours with the 5-truck loads are not adaptable like that and sometimes the stage can look naked. I have not personally produced an equity show in the last five years. I have had two occasions where Actors Equity approached me. At the point of agreement, I asked for some waivers because they have strict travel agreements where they can only be in the bus for so many hours, they have to be off the road so many hours, rehearsal can only be so many hours, etc. But the nature of the one-nighter business is that you are not playing the top major cities and you don’t have a few days off where you can take your time and relax. We are on the go all of the time. The company’s co-counsel told me I would get waivers, but two weeks before we were to go on the road, I was in formed that we would not indeed be granted the waivers. Because, we had to get from point A to point B to point C which was in violation of their rule book, I got fined. After $30,000 in fines, I had had enough. This is why I have shied away from equity tours in the secondary market. Product That Works Virtually Anywhere To be licensed to tour the show, you have to grant the owners of the show 10% of the gross from the tour. I can’t play major markets and I have to provide them with the playdates. But there are only about 200 cities considered “major markets” where I can’t play. The major markets are a list of first tier cities that are generally considered as the first national tour. I can not play theaters within those cities without expressed permission. But I can be five minutes outside of Boston in Waltham and it will be fine. Most of the shows I am touring are the big Tony Award winners for best musical in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. I have The Music Man going into rehearsals this week. It won five Tony Awards including Best Musical. I had Cabaret last season, which again, was a blockbuster on Broadway. That show won Best Musical not only for the original performance but the revival ten years ago. I did Bye, Bye Birdie the season before that and again it was a Tony Award winner for Best Musical. The last show I did which was a recent Broadway show was Little Women. We did that four years ago and it is a wonderful piece. It did a year on Broadway and we picked it up because it has been a favorite story of girls growing up. This brings up another issue. A show has to be branded to be a success. Anything we sell in this market, whether it be a musical act, a single performer or
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a Broadway show must be relatable to the audience to sell seats. There are 28 Broadway theaters that will open some 40 shows each year, but there are only a handful of them that will make money.For every success there are probably 6-7 shows that will flop. And to take shows to markets around the country, they must have name recognition.
jewels were identified to put money into with the hope that it would spur downtown economic revival. A lot of money came from patrons of the arts and some of these facilities when completed were named after them. But the facilities were also targeted with local, state and federal funds to become a focal point of the revitalization process.
For me, Broadway offers something that most Americans, regardless of age, can relate to. But I have learned that I have to offer diversified choices. While our primary markets are performing arts theaters, colleges and universities and historic theaters, we offer a wide array of talents that can easily fit into the demographics and budgets of most venues. When we are talking to buyers, it only makes sense to be able to offer them ideas in different disciplines. Ten years ago the range for our clients was $1015,000. Now, most of them want shows from $7,500 to $10,000. They have to be able to offer more product to sell more seats. We have to be able to sell more product because our expenses have not decreased but increased substantially. With The Music Man on the road, I am looking at fuel costs at up to $300 a day.
We have seen a lot of economies grow as the result fo these theaters and artists find these to be glorious places to perform.
Nobody Wants To Pay Retail! Windwood has rack rates on their shows but everyone wants to barter. We determine a reasonable rate for our shows. Most theaters want us to give them a flat, in-the-door price. If it ends up that we have to barter on the price, we will ask the theater if there are any ancillary services they can provide to help us get the price where they want it. For instance, many theatres have deal with hotels where by listing these properties on their website or in their brochure, they will get so many rooms per season. A lot of times we will barter from $15,000 to maybe $12,000 and rooms, obviously depending on the location. Now the technical people have requirements beyond the extent of the fee. With The Music Man, we need 24 staffers to load-in and out. We don’t carry lights, so the facility would have to provide those. We do carry our own sound system. So there are some backline expenses for the facility.” While most facilities do have staff people to assist with the load-in procedure, many rely on volunteers to save costs.
Five Years From Now The competition is going to continue for disposable dollars and times. We have gone from single household breadwinners to both parents having to work. I think you will see some growth from baby boomers. Broadway will continue to grow. Many people will realize the value of time with the family especially in ages before 40. Theaters will do more family oriented programming that can reach a very broad demographic. Many venues will do children’s tickets for half price to fill a void in the community for exposing the younger generation to the arts. Theaters will be looking for their featured audiences. Yes, the baby boomers are a viable audience now but they are not going to be here forever. In order for presenters to reach audiences of 20-30 yearolds, theaters are going to have to offer programming that will appeal to these buyers. Then there is the Community Concert Organization which is one of the last vestiges for emerging artists.
This group was started 70-80 years ago by Columbia Artists Theatricals and at that time there were several thousand of them. I think they have whittled down to about a thousand and they are comprised mostly of volunteers. Columbia Artists basically started the touring industry. They came up with an idea to send representatives out to theaters all around the country with the belief they could assist the locals in bringing in the arts to their community. You have to remember this was before television and before anyone was touring. They would give the theater a list of twenty or thirty artists from which they could choose. They would show the theater to put together a season, how to promote the season, how to provide the support to present the show in that theater. In return, the theater books the show from their roster. They created this network all across the country whereby primarily musical artists would get dates. After all these years, that network is dwindling simply because the people involved are getting older. Originally their goal was to provide five or six concerts throughout the year for $50-$60. I think now the rate is $1500-1600 and pretty much all a venue can buy in that range are emerging artists. The Future Now. Now, almost all of the theaters we are working with are only looking for artists that are branded. That is somewhat of a departure from historical data. Most theaters had subscriptions for different kinds of acts that included five or six shows. Among those were both branded names and emerging artists. The way for talent to get name recognition was to be a hit with those subscribers. Until recently, going to the theater was a social event as much as it was about
The only problem with volunteers is they are not usually experienced. The set designs and pieces are expensive and if damaged can not be easily replaced. I had a well-meaning student damage a $10,000 piece of sound equipment because he did not anticipate the weight. We’ve also had 70+ aged guys turn up to move set pieces and they did the best they could before they were about to keel over. League of Historic American Theaters Historic theaters came in vogue about twenty years ago. The league is a group of owners of the lovely old historic opera houses and theaters that were rediscovered. They had become dormant when movie houses opened and moved to the suburbs. They were closed and remained closed. When cities decided to do downtown revitalization, these
PAUL BARTZ’S STORY ON THE ARTS CONTINUES ON 35
Today, every buyer is looking for more bang for the buck. But there are pitfalls in buying cheap. It is our job to help you find the best options for your investment. Through a network of professionals throughout the industry, you will find the best deals on emerging and major talent. American Entertainment Magazine invites you to join the world’s first association dedicated to entertainment from all sectors of the entertainment industry. Rub elbows with artists, agencies and other buyers from all facets of the industry. Educate yourself on legal issues, legislation and tax issues. Find amazing new artists and shows outside your realm. Discover new interns and possible employees with entertainment experience from College and University members. Your membership includes a fully functioning website with a searchable database of members including artists by category, genre and agency with bios, photos and videos. There are blog capabilities to connect with others who have had the act your are currently considering. Get member discounts on delegate fees to AEP’s Signature Event September 19-21. Get $100 Off your membership to Celebrity Access. Get a free subscription to both Campus Activities Magazine® and American Entertainment Magazine. And that’s just for starters.
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Plus additional members from the same company location are only $50. and that guarantees your renewal for 2012 at the same rate. all memberships are for 365 days from the acceptance date of the primary member NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVES FROM YOUR SEGMENT: CORPORATE & ASSOCIATION BUYERS: JUDY THEE, THE FREEMAN COMPANY SPECIAL EVENTS: ANDREA MICHAELS, EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS * $100 OFF THE REGULAR PRIMARY BUYER RATE OF $299 WHEN YOU JOIN BY JUNE 30, 2011
FOR MORE INFO OR TO REQUEST A MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION OR CONFERENCE REGISTRATION: LEONA PLAUGH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (803) 782-1947 • IAN KIRBY, ASSOC. DEV. COORDINATOR (803) 712-1429 AEPWORLDWIDE.ORG
In today’s world, you have had to join so many organizations and go to so many conferences to make sure your talent is exposed to the right buyers. AEP is changing all that. Now there is one organization that brings together buyers from all segments of the entertainment industry where they can meet and socialize with agency representatives, see showcases and find artists outside their own niche. Previously there has been a wealth of talent which has been confined to one or two segments of the industry, undiscovered by other facets. Here is your chance to easily present your talent to the entire marketplace. Your membership includes participation in a fully functioning website with a searchable database of your artists by category, genre and agency with bios, photos and videos. Get member discounts on delegate fees, showcase and exhibit fees to AEP’s Signature Event September 19-21. Get $100 Off your membership to Celebrity Access and a free subscription to both Campus Activities Magazine® and American Entertainment Magazine. And that’s just for starters. The NUMBER ONE benefit buyers have told us they want from AEP is direct access to agents. Here is your chance to get connected.
SUPPLIERS PAY ONLY $399/YEAR
Plus additional members from the same company location are only $50. and that guarantees your renewal for 2012 at the same rate. all memberships are for 365 days from the acceptance date of the primary member NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD REPRESENTATIVES FROM YOUR SEGMENT: CORPORATIONS & THEATERS: JACKIE KNOBBE, SENIOR VP OF COMEDY, APA LITERARY AGENCY PERFORMING ARTS: DEBORAH SMITH, HISTORIC NEWBERRY OPERA HOUSE, SC
FOR MORE INFO ON MEMBERSHIP, CONFERENCE REGISTRATION, SHOWCASING OR EXHIBITING: LEONA PLAUGH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (803) 782-1947 • IAN KIRBY, AEM COORDINATOR (803) 712-1429 AEPWORLDWIDE.ORG
2011 Conference Registration Form To Register: Complete this form and fax to (803) 787-8073. You can also register online at aepworldwide.org. A Preliminary Conference Agenda, along with Showcase and Exhibit Applications can also be found at aepworldwide.org. If you have questions, contact Leona Plaugh at leona@aepworldwide.org or call (803) 782-1947. Hotel Reservations at Green Valley Resort and Spa can be made by calling (866) 782-9487 and asking for the Association of Entertainment Professionals (AEP Worldwide) Discount Rate of $115 per night for single or double occupancy plus taxes. Please note that there are a limited number of rooms available at this rate. The hotel has also extended this rate to 3 days before and 3 days after the Conference, again based on availability. MAKE YOUR HOTEL RESERVATION EARLY to get this rate. Complimentary shuttle service will be provided based on a schedule to and from the McCarran International Airport.
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FAX TO : (803) 787-8073 or EMAIL TO: leona@aepworldwide.org If you are a supplier and would like to receive a Showcase Application And/Or An Exhibit Application, visit aepworldwide.org or contact Leona Plaugh at (803) 782-1947.
The Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa offers an exceptional resort experience at an amazing rate for AEP Delegates and Guests. The $115 (plus tax) AEP Guest Rate INCLUDES their regular $24.95 Resort Fee. Unlike many other associations, AEP has not marked up this special rate but offers it to our delegates at exactly our negotiated rate with the property. Included are rooms equipped with high-speed internet access, unlimited local and toll-free calls, turn-down service on request, free admission to the exercise facility, daily newspaper in your room, free coffee in your room and in the lobby and free shuttle to and from McCarren Airport based on a set schedule. While the conference schedule runs September 19-21, attendees are encouraged to come in Sunday, September 18 for a social gathering for buyers, agents and artists as well as complimentary tickets to shows in the area that evening. You may lock in your special hotel rate for up to three days prior and three days after the conference based on availability, but the rooms must be reserved at the time you make your AEP Reservation. TOLL FREE RESERVATIONS: (866) 782-9487. Ask for the AEP Worldwide Conference Rate.
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND STORY BY IAN KIRBY
W
e’re in the process of making a paradigm shift here at American Entertainment Magazine. The publication launched in 2001 as American Corporate Entertainment, but adjusted to its current title in 2004 to reflect more buying segments outside of the corporate market. This direction was weighleighed somewhat with the inception of the International Association Of Corporate Entertainment Producers, an association this publication became the official voice for, commanding our attention toward the corporate marketplace. With the inception of the Association of Entertainment Professionals Worldwide, we have redoubled our efforts to have a balanced flow of
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choices viable for all of our readers in various markets including corporate & special events, performing arts, casino, fairs, festivals, parks, military and campus dates. With that maxim in mind and considering his recent efforts to re-introduce himself to all markets, we thought Dana Carvey was a perfect fit for this month’s cover. Dana is a guy that can truly work anywhere, having the credentials to sell out theaters and the talent to work clean and capture any audience. A star of “Saturday Night Live” from 1986 through 1993, Dana has been the face of some of the show’s most legendary characters including "Wayne’s World’s" Garth Algar, The Church Lady, Hans of
over the place. I made a choice especially in the last 12 years to focus on my family. I still did about 40 dates a year. I guess other guys do like 300, but they must have very patient families (laughs).” While a number like that may not be uncommon for the working comic still trying to claw their way up, by the time one makes it to Dana’s stature, the schedule tends to let up a bit. “I think Jay Leno averages maybe 160 with his ‘Tonight Show’ work. He loves to work and I do to, so I did my best to balance it with my family. I still did talk shows, Vegas and corporate dates and was able to make a good living for my family. We always took Christmas vacations and I almost never worked during summer. We made
Dana Carvey was slated to take over the 12:30am time-slot on NBC in 1993 when David Letterman left the show. When Carvey rejected the offer, the spot eventually went to Conan O’Brien. Hans & Franz and many more as well as spot-on impressions of George H.W. Bush & Jr., Tom Brokaw, Ross Perot, Johnny Carson, Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton and more.
that choice and made the best of the time we had with our kids while they were young. Now I am coming out the other side with much more time to work and I’m really excited.”
With his triumphant return to host “Saturday Night Live” this past February, Dana breaks his hiatus of almost a dozen years’ time taken out to perform the most important of life’s tasks: duty to family. “Basically the thing that has changed is my kids are older. I have one in college in southern California so I am down here now often and my other boy will be a senior soon. Parenting has evolved into something different, not nearly as much driving them to school,” he laughs. “I have driven my kids to school I reckon about 1700 times, not that I was counting,” he jokes. “Since my youngest will be 18 in August, I feel like that first stanza of parenting is complete and that frees me up to work more,”...Something Dana loves to do.
If the true Hollywood dream is not just making it, but maintaining one’s position in the public eye, one’s worst nightmare is to again fade into oblivion and perhaps the most Herculean task is to rise again phoenix-like from those ashes of obscurity. The thought never even crossed his mind. “I know that profile and image are important in show business, but it never really occurred to me. I was a bit naive about it. I am not naturally comfortable on a red carpet or at a photo shoot, so I didn’t miss anything with the simmering down of fame, it was actually nice.”
It’s not exactly as if he were retired, as he still performed regularly. “I love doing Stand-up and traveling all
As far as maintaining his profile goes, Dana explains while he may have left “SNL” and the public eye, he never really left from career home base. “I think at the end of the day, if you are going to do this type of career for many decades you just have to roll with it. I think stand-ups have a unique thing going for them and Seinfeld, Leno and Robin Williams (who
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I am good friends with) would agree. Stand-up is its own microcosm of show business. It’s like being a specialized carpenter who can fit a particular need with your trade. It is a unique entity from other show business. There are people who are not household names who draw very well, like Brian Regan. I am very blessed to have this Stand-up thing from the very beginning.” As cliche as it may sound, we are again faced with the landscape of a performance medium immensely shifted and scattered by the information superhighway. “The continuing fragmentation of media is a truth for everyone. If you can have a niche and draw in certain cities, you can sell out 3,000 seat theaters or big clubs for a week and have most of the general population still have no idea who you are,” he laughs almost giddily. “The opportunities for more quality comics to be successful even without widespread recognition are more abundant and so the art evolves.” This isn’t necessarily the box Dana himself is confined to, as one of the most familiar comics of his generation. “When I came through SNL from ‘86 –’93 there was no Internet and cable was just starting and all the shows had much larger viewerships.” Dana’s profile has allowed him to sell well in just about any market all the way up through today, possibly aided by the Internet and viral clips of his old sketches, interestingly enough. Millions of people saw Dana on TV, but nowadays someone can be a “star” and still somehow lurk in relative obscurity. “I have a friend, Mark Pitta who opens for me in Vegas and as a joke I’ll always introduce him off stage as if he is the star of a sitcom. He’s not, but the audience buys it every time and every night I make up a new name like “here he is just celebrating his ninth season on TV Land’s 'I’ve Had Enough With You.’ Who can keep track? You can walk around telling people ‘Hey I am on a series, I have been for ten years on DirecTV Channel 101, I’m a TV star, next story…” While Dana really is a TV star, his true love is performing live, and though he
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has done some film and voice over work as a character actor, he hasn’t tapped into it as much as he could, in some cases to his chagrin. “(Laughs) I have famously turned down a lot of offers, I have turned down some stuff both from DreamWorks and Pixar only because of the time commitments, which I obviously do kind of regret. That was a long story. If you said to me now that I could only do animated voice overs and features I’d say ‘Sure, that would be great.’ (laughs). I am a little scattered, because there is no aspect of show business that doesn’t interest me. “My most valuable commodity has been time. The question has been where can I go, have fun, make some money and get back home in a reasonable amount of time and usually it has been Stand-up. That has been my focus. As time goes on who knows, and my son is in film school so I would like to do something with him at some point as well (laughs).” On to the meat of the subject, Dana’s comedy is something special. Named number 90 of Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time, this feat is compounded by the fact that the guy can work clean and work anywhere. Combine this with his household name recognition and you have an act bookable for performing arts theaters, casinos, corporations and certainly military dates. Folks shouldn’t expect The Church Lady or Hans or Bush, they should expect Dana. While elements of a little bit of all these characters do make it into his show, commentary and personal thoughts from the man himself are much more prevalent than just the antics which made him a star. “Over the years I have never really gone full bore with an impersonation show, traveling with costumes and working changes throughout the show. I think Martin Short does that some (and I do like doing those characters) but in the old days and when I did Stand-up before SNL I never did that. It was more free form and a lot of improvisational stuff. When you don’t have make up you can go from Church Lady to Barack Obama and back in a flash. Heck, they can even have a conversawww.americanentertainmentmagazine.com
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tion. So, I feel a lot freer and more dynamic when I am just me on stage able to shift throughout the gamut of characters in a blink and also be myself some of the time as well.” Dana’s material is all over the place and can be tailored for the particular audience he is performing for. “I have political humor, both social and geopolitical stuff, all in a silly way. An example is Al Gore trying to get the Chinese to lower their carbon emissions like, (in a perfect Al Gore voice) ‘Yes, excuse me China, would you consider bringing your CO2 levels pack to 1790 ppm?’ and the Chinese government goes (of course with the accent) “Aw yeah, we ahh so all oba dat shit, oh man we gonna take ‘em way down.’ (Laughing) I have my own way of saying things but I try to keep them as relevant as possible. I am amazed by the world and on the web I have learned more and read more since 2004 than in the previous 40 years before that.” While Dana’s show is adaptable and acceptable to a wide demographic, a certain amount of his material is a product of his generation. “The basic tenets of the baby boomer or the so-called ‘Oprah’ generation are existential questions and spirituality. We are the first generation to widely have the wealth and time to ask these questions and are surrounded by all of this media that allows us ask these questions about psychology, raise social and cultural issues and health obviously is a big thing in my age group. Parenting is a big area as well. These all make a fairly good base of the topics I am interested in.” As a self-described “radical moderate” right in the middle of the field, Dana has a pretty pure view of politics in the country in general and is able to comment from both perspectives. “As someone right in the middle, I see that the left thinks the right is greedy, selfish and bigoted while the right thinks the left are a bunch of utopian nut balls and emotional thinkers. Those sorts of perceptions really fascinate me and I think those discussions have gotten more intense since Obama’s election. Folks are curious about it as a topic and it doesn’t have to be offensive. Sure, I have good comedian friends of mine like Bill Maher and Dennis Miller who stomp through 30, AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT MAgAzINE, March/April 2011
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more overt turf with these topics in terms of their points of view. I am very interested in how two very smart people can arrive at two very different conclusions on the same topic. It is fascinating and I like to talk about it in my show and I think I do it without drawing bias to one side or the other.” Mostly Dana’s show is a free-for-all (his words). “I do touch on all my characters and what I like about live stand-up is this idea that it is the complete opposite of having any sort of metaphorical straight jacket on when I perform. If they really like my Arnold Schwarzenegger impression; I might go on for 12 minutes that night. I give the audience what they want and they definitely dictate the performance. I do most of the Presidents, my SNL characters, and most of the other favorites.”
You just find an area in the ether in the moment and ride it. That is how I like to work corporate. Some guys come in with a completely brilliant act rehearsed and kill, but that’s not the way I work. Every show is a one-of-a-kind and so far I have gotten great response.” Dana has as detailed responses on just why he likes to perform for all of our various buying segments. In brief, performing arts theaters (his ticket buying fans), casinos (beautiful resorts & varied audiences with artistic freedom to boot) and campus (young and energetic) shows all float his boat.
This is one of the nicest, most genuine and down-to-earth comics you’ll ever meet, especially at this level. Dana has the notoriety and ability to be just another prima donna, but bring him to your event and you’ll find this comic chameleon from Missoula, Montana is someone you look forward to working with again. BOOK IT! For more information on bringing Dana Carvey to your next event contact Robert Norman at Creative Artists Agency at (424) 288-2000 or at RNormanAsst@caa.com
Dana does know the markets he plays and understands that no two are the same. “Corporate for example is its own kettle of fish. When it comes to political humor, I can still do it because like I said, I am radically in the center. I will find audiences who are a little center left or right, but I don’t think the way I do it is heavy-handed. When I do a corporate date, my first questions are ‘What is the environment and what is the vibe?’ They are hiring me and I see corporate work as another of its own little sub microcosms within the business. It isn’t like playing a theater to my fans; this is their party or event so I seek to accommodate them, at least within the realm of the way I perform stand-up.” Custom work seems to be the favorite carrot to dangle for corporate event planners and it just so happens to be the same carrot Dana’s enjoys as well. “I get a kick out of integrating the company into the act and I love improvising. My best corporate shows have been where I can get a few bullet points about the company and then just riff. Once in a while you will stumble upon some situation or dynamic that just drives them crazy. For example, when Morgan Stanley bought a lesser bank, I made fun of the elitism of Morgan Stanley and sort of portrayed the smaller bank they bought as the meat & potatoes guys. www.americanentertainmentmagazine.com
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BO BURNHAM
BILL BURR
AzIz ANSARI
DANIEL TOSH
Exploring further our highlight this month on comedy that crosses all borders, we decided to bring in an expert, Jackie Knobbe, Senior VP for Comedy from APA Talent & Literary Agency. Stay tuned to future issues for perspectives from agents at CAA and The Gersh Agency. Jackie has been in the business since she was a student on her campus activities board and has been specializing in comedy most of her career. Now a VP specializing in comedy at APA, she works with some of the best names in the business. JEFF DUNHAM
She sits down with us to discuss the industry in general, who’s hot and some ideas to think of for buyers across multiple market segments. As we all know, some comics will work for corporate, casino or performing arts but many don’t do all three. Throw in campus, military and other special events dates and it can be even harder to find comics to hop across all the fences. They are out there. The face of the business of booking comedy has shifted dramatically. “The biggest
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change in the last ten years or so is that there are not as many acts playing comedy clubs,” Jackie says. “They are still there, but look how many people are playing theaters now. I think at one of the Pollstar conventions recently someone counted and there were about 40 acts currently touring theaters headlining. It has never been like that before. It is the performing arts world that has changed for comedy mostly. Casinos still book the big names, but they have never been in the business of building rising comedians. Comedy clubs build people but now performing arts centers are starting to take people with just a little bit of heat and make them popular among their subscription bases. The entire market has changed and this has changed how we all do business.” The recent resurgence of comedy in the mainstream with “Last Comic Standing” and its various knockoffs and the rising popularity of Comedy Central (especially among a younger audience) coupled with the viral nature of comedy on the Internet and YouTube has brought the art form back to
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KATHLEEN MADIGAN DANE COOK
GREG GIRALDO
the forefront. “One of those old sayings is that in times of depression, entertainment never waivers or even becomes stronger. Thatn seems like it holds true now. Comedy seemed to really get hot once the country got into the current recession. It was never not hot, but it has been huge recently. Before Larry The Cable Guy, Dane Cook and Jeff Dunham played arenas, it had been years since any comic had played an arena tour. It is interesting all of that came together when it did and now the theaters are so predominant. It seems a bit older and more mature crowds are making their way out to see comedy and they are willing to pay theater ticket prices to see comics with some credits to avoid the clubs.” YouTube and building an online presence is certainly a factor in this business and could be just the place to find the next big headliner. “Dane Cook is a perfect example, he wasn’t even widely known until he made his MySpace empire and became a big hit. Bo Burnham did videos for YouTube in his bedroom and got picked up and started selling tickets touring after a few million hits. It remains to be seen if these types of people
can sustain it, but they are currently hot .” One need look no further than Jackie’s own roster to site an example of a comic that has been able to sustain a prolonged reputation. “A perfect example on our roster is Kathleen Madigan, who has been around forever chugging it out, working clubs her whole life, now happily working the theaters selling out 1200 seaters. That is maintaining an audience and she has that appeal. There are just so many different ways to make it now.” Not everyone is an overnight success, Kathleen has worked for years making her name. One of the hottest names going around right now is Brian Regan, a guy who has been working for years and has been mentioned to me personally at least a half dozen times in the last few months (including by Dana Carvey in our interview).
LEWIS BLACK
RON WHITE
“Look at Brian Regan, who isn't one of my clients (laughs), but he has been around a million years and he sells tickets now just because it finally all came together for him. I think that some of that is probably because many of those people who are willing to go
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see him just don’t want to attend comedy clubs anymore where things are a bit more rowdy and food and drinks are involved.” By no means is it either Jackie’s nor the magazine’s intention to knock the clubs, obviously they have their place in developing talent and pushing cutting edge of comedy. “They are still there,” Jackie says affectionately. “We still need them and can’t be without them but they haven’t really figured their place out yet. They still have faithful audiences, they just need to expand and keep comics in there longer. Some agents are guilty of taking comics out of the clubs and putting them into theaters the minute they start to sell tickets. That works for some co-
agent, that was different. People wanted to conquer that market to move on to the next thing or simply be big in that market because that was who they knew their audience was. Nowadays it almost seems like an afterthought for many comics. They say ‘Oh, that’s great, if we can throw a couple colleges in here and there, we can keep it fresh.’” So, what’s the difference between a club comic and one that can perform in front of the wide variety of audiences representing the readership of American Entertainment Magazine? Is the sole distinction someone who can work clean? “No...I don’t know that I am smart enough to even answer that question (laughs) because I will be the first person to tell you that I have passed unwit-
BRIAN REAGAN
folks who do it. The cleaner you are, in my mind as a booking agent, the better off you are in the sense we can book you anywhere. If you are not clean, there will be no corporates and it might mean mostly no colleges as well. The bigger the name you are the more you can get away with though.” Comics who are diverse are important to buyers because during the course of working for multiple audiences in multiple markets, they are much more likely to learn to cater their shows each time they go out. This always makes for a more positive entertainment experience for the ones that really matter – the ticket buyers or attendees. “Comedian are not just comedians any more. They are authors, writers, they develop shows, they act in TV, movies, plays...they can do almost anything. We call them multi-hyphenates because we want them to do everything. Being clean just adds to that, but it doesn’t mean you won’t be successful if not.” This is where Jackie’s most important job comes in – placing the right buyer with the right act. If all these events work on a sliding scale of tolerance for edgy material being directly proportionate to fame, just how does she explain to an artist that they aren’t hot enough to say this or that to a particular audience?
medians but others it doesn’t. It is very difficult for an artist to be in a club doing six shows in a weekend trying to make it. While some legendary club comedians are okay with this, others are reaching for the next step up the food chain.” Comedy clubs are viewed as a proving ground at this point, much the same way the smaller campuses lacking big major events budgets are viewed in the college market. “Colleges are secondary for most of these acts these days. When I was a student buyer and when I first began as a college middle
tingly on many people that have gone on to become hot,” she says playfully chagrined. “You just can’t discount anyone; it is all about that individual, what their drive is, what they want to do with themselves and how they build up their audience. Some people are smarter at it than others. That is really it.” While perhaps working clean isn’t the sole prerequisite for working across market lines, Bill Cosby’s old adage of “If you can work clean, you can work anywhere” still holds. “Working blue just narrows the field for the
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“You don’t,” she says laughing. “That is why it is so important for an agent to do their job well. You don’t change their act. They are who they are. If someone is dirty and they want to do corporates, I am going to have to tell them they are probably not going get many or any. If a buyer wants a certain very hot comic that is not clean, I have to be very, very clear about the material they are likely to come in with. It is a constant balancing act, part knowing the market and part knowing the talent, but we pride ourselves on making those matches just right.” For questions about crossing market lines in the comedy industry in general, info@americanentertainmentmagazine.com For guidance, advice and recommendations on some of APA’s great acts including favorites like Sinbad, Aziz Ansari, Bill Burr, Caroline Rhea, Louis Anderson, Dan Levy, Kathleen Madigan and many more, call Jackie Knobbe at (310) 888-4291 or jknobbe@apa-agency.com.
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PAUL BARTZ’S STORY ON THE ARTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 the entertainment. It was a chance to dress up and get out of the house and socialize with friends. It was during these events that new artists caught the eye of subscribers and developed a following so they eventually became branded. The internet is killing the socialization of the country. It is keeping us indoors more. Throughout history we have been social animals and we need that in our lives. There is nothing that is a substitute for live performance. You can’t get the electricity in the air from YouTube, television or even the movies. You can only get it at a live performance. Too many times young people think of Broadway shows as boring, dull, completely not cool. But if you can get them to go once, in most cases they are hooked for life. Broadway understands its responsibility to family values in the theater. Disney has been at the forefront of that movement. You have The Lion King, then Beauty and the Beast, followed by The Little Mermaid, Tarzan and Mary Poppins. These are shows the kids can relate to because they have seen the movies. Performing Artist presenters have come to the realization that their position, if so desired, of becoming elitist is over. If you want people to come to the theater they have to feel comfortable. You have seen a dramatic change in dress codes. There are more people going to Broadway shows in jeans. There is a comfort level that needs to be there for people to feel welcomed. There is a concern for ample parking and now at some Broadway theaters, the concessions are open so that you can bring drinks into the theater. That was unheard of five years ago. Off-Broadway Off Broadway is the poor step-child to Broadway. It is having a difficult time. Probably as difficult as it has ever had because of the economics. Advertising is the same rate no matter what and if you are dealing with the unions, that cost is also the same. One of the problems is the seating capacity. You can’t generate the income to pay the bills. Very few producers will look at Off-Broadway because the model doesn’t work financially. Those that come to New York and produce OffBroadway tend to be those who just don’t know any better yet or aren’t worried about making money. Certainly their are philanthropists who just want to see their show in New York and don’t mind losing money. There are producers that may have a good product and will do a limited run Off-Broadway because a theater is not available yet and they want people to see it and talk about it with the hopes they will generate additional investors. There were several Off-Broadway theaters that were built lately with the hope that there would be product for them only to find out this was not the case.
and two-nighters. Plus generally I don’t have to deal with equity arrangements that would kill the show on the road. I had great success with Altar Boyz which was a show I got from Off-Broadway. That was a successful tour for us that ran for about a year and a half. Taking It On The Road The shows that Windwood produces usually play in theaters that are in the 1000 to 1500 seat range. Most of those facilities can spend between $1217,000 for the production. Once we get those theaters confirmed as anchor dates, we are always looking for filler. When we are on the road, there are probably a dozen others looking for the same venues so we can’t afford not to try to fill in those empty dates. Many of those theaters are appreciative they are getting a discount and for us it works too because they will take a Monday or Tuesday night. In a perfect world everyone wants Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Plus many times those smaller venues are the difference between being in the red and being in the black for that week. Add to that, smaller audiences are often more receptive because we are one of the bigger shows to come to town.
less. Programming has become a luxury for them because they have to worry about operations and fund raising, marketing, raising the number of volunteers and local politics. One big plus is that in some areas we are seeing the formation of grass roots arts organizations. Because arts education is not being offered in secondary education in most states now, parents are taking the initiative to see that the arts continue to live in their communities. The NEA in Peril There has been a rallying of leaders in the arts community to stress to various communities across the country that there is a financial benefit to presenting arts. Local communities started doing studies to find out what kind of impact the arts had on their populations. Now these studies are being presented to legislators to prove the existence of the arts is necessary in the development of youth and growing community values. We create jobs. We bring tourists into the area. 2008/2009 Broadway’s Economic Contribution to NYC
Current Trends As the economy continues more uncertain, it is more difficult to get commitments from venues. Generally after the fall conferences we are active in trying to close dates for the next year. But now, presenters don’t want to talk to us until after the first of the year. The reason is they are more concerned right now about filling seats for next week. Ticket sales for next week can pay the bills. So clients are buying later and later. We can have a show ready to go on the road and be weeks and sometimes months off on confirming dates now. I have never seen the stress level of our clients higher. They are having to do much more with
I tend to keep my eyes and ears open for OffBroadway shows that I feel will be successes on the road. The reason for this is they are generally smaller shows and they adapt very well to one
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THE THREE IRISH TENORS
• Broadway’s total impact on the NYC economy: $9.8 Billion • Spent to mount and run shows: $942 Million • Spent on computers: $34.6 Million • NYC tourists who considered Broadway an important reason to visit spent $5.2 Billion on ancillary activities • When this money changed hands, it created another $3.6 Billion for a total of $9.8 Billion.
That is indicative of what is happening around the country. Audience for Touring Broadway 2007/2008 • 15.3 million tickets were sold to Broadway series through out North America • 70% of those tickets were purchased by women. • The average age of ticket buyers were between 50-65 years of age and caucasian. Average age of the theater goer was 50 • 73% of the audiences had a college degree and 32% held a graduate degree. • 43% reported a household income of over $100,000 compared to only 22% of Americans overall. • 44% were subscribers to a Broadway series at their local venue. • Average touring Broadway attendees saw six shows. • The internet has surpassed phone sales as the most popular way to purchase tickets. • Local newspapers were still the choice for theater information. • Children who actively are involved in the arts whether acting on stage or playing a musical instrument perform better on aptitude tests. It’s all about teaching kids to reason.
BOOK IT: My sincere thanks to Paul Bartz for taking an incredible amount of time to contribute to this story. To speak with Paul, you can contact him at Windwood Theatricals at (540) 592-9573 or paul@windwoodtheatricals.com
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• Louis C.K. • Blake Clark • Deon Cole • Sarah Colonna • Joe DeRosa • Felipe Esparza • Craig Ferguson • Billy Gardell • Jeff Garlin • Joberg and Gurner • Tiffany Haddish • Arsenio Hall • Kevin Hart • Corey Holcomb • K-von • Anthony Jeselnik • Maz Jobrani • Cledus T. Judd
BRANDED COMEDY TOURS: • Cinematic Titanic • Comedy Central on Campus • College Humor Live
• Taran Killam • Nick Kroll • Dan Levy • Adam Lowitt • Stephen Lynch • Na’im Lynn • Kathleen Madigan • Jay Malone • Tim Meadows • TJ Miller • John Mulaney • Charlie Murphy • Kumail Nanjiani • Ron Pearson • Melissa Peterman • Caroline Rhea • Craig Robinson • Johnny Sanchez
• FX’s The League – The Official Tour • Goosebumps Live • MTV’s Disaster Date Tour • NBC’s Last Comic Standing Live
• Adam Sandler • Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel • Steve Lemme & Kevin Heffernan from Broken Lizard
• Streeter Seidell • Sinbad • Tyler Spindel • Nick Swardson • Nick Thune • Robert Townsend • Ron White • Whitest Kids U’ Know • Larry Wilmore
• NBC’s Minute to Win It Live • Shaq's All Star Comedy Jam • The Improv Comedy Tour
TALENT AND LITERARY AGENCY Jackie Knobbe | Senior VP | Head of Comedy Touring | 310.888.4291 | jknobbe@apa-agency.com