Clean Comedian & Funny Keynote Speaker for Corporate and Charity Events in & Around Baltimore
Also great for temples, churches and synagogues, awards dinners, government and military groups, alumni associations, country clubs, fund-raising events, law firm client events and even private parties.
About Me
I’ve been a professional stand-up comedian for more than eighteen years and a lot of what I do is clean, corporate stand-up comedy. Before that I was a banker but please don’t hate me for it. I was one of the good ones, and no, that thing in 2008 wasn’t my fault. I attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where I majored in marketing and economics. Before that I was a high school kid with glasses. One job I had was working at Baskin-Robbins and that was a great job. Some people think that if you work with ice cream long enough you lost a taste for it, but no. Still love it. I also worked as a lifeguard and that
I’ve been profiled in The New York Times and my group The Ivy League of Comedy was profiled in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Yes, that was a long time ago. I’ve been a comedian for almost two decades. Lots of other press about me on my Press Page. Nothing in Baltimore Magazine yet, or in the Baltimore Sun. I hope soon. I work hard at marketing so if your event is public and you want more attendees I will work with you to get some press. Reporters like stories about stand-up comedians- we’re fun to cover, nice to talk to, and the stories are positive.
I love seafood and I know Morse Code (the world’s first telegraph line was from Baltimore to Washington, DC).
We had a family reunion in Baltimore. Actually not a REunion as it was the first time most of us had met. Up to fourth or fifth cousins that my mother and distant cousin found when they independently started researching genealogy. It was interesting hearing family stories about the small town our ancestors (and my mother) came from. And even distant cousins seemed to have the same sense of humor, which was the most interesting thing to me about the whole thing. And that was before I became a stand-up comedian.
About my shows
I get paid to make jokes about my former employer, about job interviews, and anything else that’s happened to me that I can make funny.
Like a whole lot of comedians I’m Jewish, and I frequently perform for Jewish organizations like Jewish Community Centers, temples and synagogues. I sometimes have a few Jewish references when I’m doing shows for secular groups, but it’s not a lot and you absolutely will understand all the jokes- it’s not like you have to be Jewish to get them.
If you want to see what I’m like on stage watch my stand-up comedy videos. Like I said at the top of the page my shows are also great for houses of worship, awards dinners, government and military groups, alumni associations, country clubs, fund-raising events, law firm client events and even private parties. Clean stand-up comedy is great for all sorts of groups and events. I guess that’s why you’re here. Thank you for coming.
Funny Keynote Speaker
I can be either a live funny keynote speaker or a funny virtual keynote speaker. Yes, I’m hilariously funny. Way funnier than your average humorous keynote speaker. Of course I am- I’m a pro stand-up comedian. I’m funny on stage, I’m often funny off-stage, or in the drug store. For some reason especially funny in stores. Also on the phone and often in my sleep. I sometimes wake up and there’s a whole comedy bit appearing in my brain. If I’m not too tired at 4 AM I get out of bed and type it all out.
I’m not a motivational speaker. I won’t get people riled up but I will get them laughing for my entire time on stage. If you’re looking for a funny keynote speaker I’m your guy. So if you want to call me a corporate keynote speaker that’s fine with me. As long as I get paid to make people laugh I’m happy. And you will be too.
Your audience will arrive full of enthusiasm for my keynote speech because I can provide you with video of me on stage that you can share with them in advance. They will depart happy and grateful and will be talking about the event for days if not weeks. I often do a post-show Q&A with audiences and they really like getting to ask me questions. It’s like a backstage pass to a comedy show. Sometimes my answers are funny and I hope they’re always at least interesting.
What do I talk about?
I have hours of material so I should be able to link my keynote address to the theme of your event, company or industry. With a business background I may understand your industry quite well, especially if it’s banking or finance (I was a banker for 20 years before becoming a full-time stand-up comic), accounting (my father was an accountant and I have accounting jokes and stories), advertising or marketing (I majored in marketing at Wharton), insurance (I was an actuarial assistant for a couple of years), aviation (I’m a licensed, instrument-rated pilot) or boating (former rower and dragon-boat racer and I have a rather useless New York State boating license).
Also law. Though I’m not an attorney lots of people seem to think I’m one. I served for 17 months on a federal grand jury, I have at least one pro-lawyer joke and I am 1-0 representing myself in New York State Supreme Court. I sued a home improvement contractor and beat the heck out of a trial attorney using the two most powerful weapons in my arsenal: humor and sarcasm. I also wrote an article for the New Jersey Law Journal on attorneys who became comedians. And in addition to not being an attorney I’m also not from New Jersey.
One thing to note: I speak. I may pace a bit. I tell jokes and very funny stories. I don’t use Powerpoint. I don’t need slides. Just a good sound system with a hand-held microphone (not a mic stuck to a lectern). Proper lighting also helps.
Back before I was a comedian I was a banker and was chosen to be the keynote (closing) speaker at an international conference on risk management. The speakers before me were from more prestigious companies. They had a lot of data to present and used a lot of slides. This was a bit anxiety-inducing until I realized that their extensive, detailed data and slides were a drawback. It was too much detail and was both rote and confusing. I was the opposite- I presented a case that was both interesting and easy to understand. Nobody was distracted or confused during my talk. I was the one who drew the most questions because I held their interest. And yes, they invited me back to be the keynote speaker again the next year.
How to hire me
Happy to answer any questions. It’s one way I can learn more about what people are looking for and what their concerns are. I’m inexpensive because I’m not greedy. I like to perform. Email Shaun (at) Brain Champagne dot com, or call or text me at (914) it’s-funny (914) 487-3866.