New York Clean Corporate Stand-up Comedian & Funny Keynote Speaker
Hiring clean stand-up comedian Shaun Eli for your corporate or charity comedy event in New York, or just about anywhere else. He performs worldwide.
About me
Hello New York! I grew up in and around New York City and I went to college at Penn. I studied marketing and economics and worked in banking for close to two decades. I didn’t want to, but this is a company town. I’ve lived in two of the five boroughs (Queens and The Bronx) but mainly grew up in Scarsdale (Westchester County, just north of NYC). I’ve done zillions of shows in Manhattan, of course, and a few on Staten Island. On my way to my first show on Staten Island someone crashed into me on the BQE. It was a church bus and the driver didn’t speak English. So he put his son on speakerphone. His son didn’t speak English either. It gave me something to rant about when I got on stage and while I usually don’t do that, it was really funny, and it’s now about a five minute story in my act. The lesson? Don’t crash into comedians. I suggest that you also try not to crash into cops.
My parents are from Brooklyn, but not cool 21st century Brooklyn. A hundred years ago Brooklyn when most of it was poor but according to my mother there was still farmland there. They didn’t have farms. They barely had food.
When I told my parents I wanted to be a stand-up comedian my father said “Why can’t you just be a funny banker?” I said I’m already a funny banker and it isn’t what I want for my life. I would’ve said “I’m already a funny banker and it sucks” but to my mother the word “sucks” is a dirty word. Her list of dirty words is pretty long. That’s not at all why I’m a clean comic but it might be why I don’t find scatological humor particularly funny.
My parents’ generation cared about not starving. I have a college degree and didn’t live through the Depression or World War II so I kind of take not starving for granted. My generation gives more attention to happiness. And now I’m pretty much in the happiness business, so that’s a pretty nice life, travelling around the world making people laugh.
Am I the funniest comedian in NY? You’ve got to be kidding. I could name fifty comics who are way funnier than I am, most of whom you probably haven’t heard of. My list would probably also leave off people who are famous but whose comedy isn’t particularly clever. So why should you book me? Well, you can’t afford Seinfeld or Gaffigan or Gulman, or even just about anybody else on my list. I am way more affordable than just about any other corporate comedian around. Why? Lack of greed, for one thing. As I say below, I’m the rare person who is satisfied with what he has. I have enough. My girlfriend says I have three of everything, but really, three chef’s knives and three toasters is not a big deal, especially when most of it’s inherited. I don’t have three girlfriends. Were I to suggest that, I’d probably go from one to zero. I also have only one house and one car. I would like a big house and several cars. Not Jay Leno house and cars, but more than what I have.
I said I’d like to have that, but I don’t dwell on it. I’m very happy with my current house and car.
You can read what some people have said about my shows.
Here’s a short video from a show in Michigan. Apparently they have delis there too, and there’s one that they are particularly proud of.
Read a transcript of this video
Read a transcript of the video
This is my first time in Ann Arbor and I love Ann Arbor. It's a college town. A lot of... How many people go to University of Michigan?
(audience member: Woo)
Woo is not a number.
(audience member: Just me)
Just you? No. How many? Like what's like 40,000 or something? It's
(laughter)
What? It's a huge university, right? You have one student for every pothole in Ann Arbor.
(laughter)
I went to Zingerman's Deli.
(audience member: Woo!)
Been there? Okay. First time... You place the order. You pick up the order. You bring the order to your table. Then you, when you finish eating, you buss your own table. And the machine has the nerve to suggest a 22% tip.
(sustained laughter)
I tipped 40%.
(laughter)
And then when I finished eating, I went to the manager. I said, "I'm done with my shift. Cash out my tips."
(sustained laughter)
So, I'm feeling rich.
(laughter)
My stand-up comedy
My comedy is clean and pretty friendly and a little sarcastic. I don’t mean to be, but I’m a New Yorker and some of that attitude slips through. Even though I’m a pretty happy person, with a master’s degree in applied positive psychology. I’m the rare person you might meet who has enough. I’m happy with what I have. Would I love beach houses in The Hamptons and Malibu? Of course. But it’s not my life’s goal and I’m not crying about lacking them. I have more than enough to meet my needs.
I’m fortunate to be able to travel and perform all over the world. I’ve headlined shows on six continents. I’d love to make it seven, I even tried to get booked in Antarctica but was unsuccessful. The scientists there do have a visiting artists program, but it’s more like for photographers and painters, people who can make use of being there for more than a couple of days. Space on flights there is a very limited resource and apparently they won’t spend it on flying a guy in for just a show or two.
When I’m not pining over doing shows in Antarctica I also emcee/host corporate and charity events, give funny keynote speeches for corporate and industry events, perform at theatres & performing arts centers, do shows for temples, synagogues, churches and other religious and charitable organizations, and for yacht, golf and country clubs. Anywhere people need to laugh, which is pretty much everywhere.
If you want to see what I’m like on stage watch my stand-up comedy videos.
New York Stand-up Comedy FAQs
Is Shaun Eli a local New York comedian?
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Shaun Eli is local to New York since he’s lived in Westchester, Queens and the Bronx, but he travels all over the world to perform.
Which parts of the New York area does Shaun Eli cover?
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Shaun Eli performs stand-up comedy all over the world, and while he loves to travel he’s also especially happy to do gigs he can drive to and be home the same night. So shows in NYC, on Long Island, in Westchester and Fairfield Counties and in North Jersey make him happy.
Is Shaun Eli a good fit for a Wall Street or financial firm event in New York?
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Shaun Eli, a Wharton-educated former banker, is a great fit for performing stand-up comedy for financial companies in New York and elsewhere.
Why is Shaun Eli more affordable than other New York corporate comedians?
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Shaun Eli is exceptionally affordable for corporate and charity events compared to his peers because he wants to perform, and he prefers to be out making people laugh rather than staying home. Also, frankly, stand-up comedy is a pretty ageist business, and since he started at age forty the opportunities to perform on late-night TV didn’t exist (which means that a lot of comedians of his skill level have more to brag about, so they’re more expensive). He understands that this may sound like sour grapes but he wants to make it clear that he’s not complaining- he’s thrilled that he gets paid to make people laugh and he’s happy to have gotten the opportunity to showcase his work on Amazon and Netflix, among other places (and obviously he’s the one writing this).
Where in New York has Shaun Eli performed?
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Shaun Eli has performed at most of the comedy clubs in NYC, plus small to medium-sized theatres (100-1500 seats) in the New York area, including BergenPAC, the Madison Theatre, the Emelin Theatre, Stamford Center for the Arts, Guild Hall, plus at dozens of houses of worship, and at corporate and charity events.
More FAQs about hiring a comedian
Mistakes event planners make when hiring a comedian
Highlights
- Profiled in The New York Times
- Wrote jokes for opening monologues of three late-night talk show hosts for almost 20 years
- Jay Leno cited one of Shaun’s jokes as the type of smart comedy he liked to include in his opening monologue (Fortune magazine interview)
- Performed on Netflix and Amazon
- Wharton-educated, with a master’s degree in positive psychology
- Tours with Armed Forces Entertainment
- Headlined shows on six continents (so far- if you can book me for Antarctica, please do!)
- Writes jokes and consults on humor for corporations and other entities
Booking me for shows in or near NYC, or anywhere else in the state, country or world
Email Shaun (at) Brain Champagne dot com, or call or text me at (914) it’s-funny (914) 487-3866. You can even mail a letter but that’s way slower, especially because I don’t check my post office box every day. But if you really prefer to communicate on paper I can accommodate that. I believe in being customer-focused.
I’m sure you’ll have questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. I’ll have questions for you too.
So get in touch and let’s have some fun!