How to Hire a Christian or Clean Comedian

DETERMINE THE EVENT
Whether you are a church, community group, coporation, camp, retreat, etc. you need to decide what type of event you are going to host at your venue. Some ideas include:
> A fun evening for your group (church banquet, community outreach, etc)
> Fundraiser (church building campaign, new facility upgrades, etc)
> Benefit (for a local cause, for a specific individual, etc)
> An outreach event (typically a church will invite neighbors, etc)

Of course, the day and time and other details of the event need to be determined well in advance - at least 3 - 5 months if possible.

DETERMINE FEES, COSTS, ETC.
The best type of event is one where everyone benefits. This can be achieved in the following way:
> Contact the comic (see next step) and determine the fee
> Charge admission to cover the fee plus all other related costs (janitor, food, tech, etc.)
> If needed and/or possible, take up an offering during the evening. This works particularly well if there is a specific cause you are highlighting - ie: a disease, or a building project, etc.
> Another often overlooked expense is any TRAVEL EXPENSES involved in bring the right comic to your event. Again, the more advance time you give your entertainer, the better prices you'll have on airfare, etc. Don't wait until the last minute.

FIND THE COMIC
Clean comics are not difficult to find - they are just not as easy to find as more edgy comics. I suggest the following possibilities:
> Christian Comedy Association (www.christiancomedyassociation.com) They feature many Christian comics by region with contact info, etc. These comics are 100% Christian.
> Smile High Comedy (www.smilehighcomedy.com) These comics are primarily geared to folks up and down the front range of the rockies but will travel where needed to make people laugh! These comics are not all Christian - but they are all willing and able to present G-rated and PG-rated shows - perfect for churches, corporate events and more.
> Clean Comedian (www.cleancomedians.com) These guys have been around a long time and have a great slate of comics and performers to select from. Check them out!
> SEARCH google for "clean comics" or "christian comics" and you'll find a few more.

The bottom line is you want the RIGHT comic for your particular event. As a clean comic who performs everywhere from churches to top-notch comedy clubs, television and more, I have experienced first hand just how important it is for the event planner to know WHAT THEY WANT ahead of time. It just takes a few minutes to decide - ask yourself a few questions:
1) Do we want a purely Christian comic?
2) Do we want a G-rated comic?
3) Would a PG comic work for us?
4) Do we want someone who can also do parody songs, or comedy for kids?
5) Do we want someone who is political and edgy - but still clean?
Once you determine WHAT you are looking for, it will make hiring the comic for your event much easier.

MARKETING AND ADVERTISING
Find the right person to handle this for you. Do not just assume the event will bring in a lot of people - it takes work to get your audience to your event. Things to consider when marketing:
> local newspapers
> local cable access TV stations
> posters and flyers in local businesses
> email blasts - these CAN work, just be cautious!
> radio psa spots and community event calendars
> website banners ads and announcements
> live announcements (during meetings ie: church, business meeting, etc)
> advertising in newsletters, bulletins, etc

THE EVENT ITSELF
Make sure you have done all your prep work - stage, seating, lighting, sound, any special needs the comic may have (musical instrument needs, working with a CD background track, etc.)

Meet your comic EARLY - at least one hour before showtime - sooner if the comic desires. Most comics need time to get to know the room and then rest before performing.

Enjoy the night! The whole idea of this event is to entertain your group with clean, professional comics!