How do I book Chuck for
my event?You can:
Chuck Cason c/o
The Improv Comedy Club & Restaurant
4980 Beltline Rd. Suite 250
Dallas, Texas 75248
Where is Chuck
performing?Chuck travels from coast to coast. For listings of when Chuck might be performing in your area send email to mailinglist@chuckcason.com
Does Chuck sell tapes?Yes! Currently available are Chicago VI and the sound track to "Carwash" on 8-track. Make him an offer.
You wouldn't expect to go into Blockbuster Music and have the kid behind the counter do thirty minutes of standup, now would you? Although Chuck dresses like a night manager at Blockbuster, he doesn't sell tapes. But if you want a sample of one of his performances at the Addison Improv, click here.
Does Chuck perform "Blue"
humor?In most cases "Blue" humor ,which is common at comedy clubs and colleges (Chuck loves the kids), is not appropriate at a corporate event. This being the case, Chuck tailors his material to the event. There's no need for worry about "inappropriate" material. Unless you ask for it... then watch those darns and hecks come flying out!
What is "Blue"
humor?There are several stories on the roots of the term "Blue" humor to describe vulgar or off-color humor. One source comes from the term "Blue Movies" which were adult movies in the early 1950's, produced in black and white on low quality film, hence the blue appearance. Another source is from the 1950's television censors who would review all scripts for content and mark through censored lines with blue pens. Another reference was to the movie "Blue Moon" that was very risqué for the time and spawned the motion picture rating system (G, PG, R, and the ever popular X) we have today.
Today the term Blue is used by comics to refer to vulgar or politically-incorrect jokes or bits. There are varying levels of Blue, depending on how something is talked about. Examples of comics who use Blue humor are: Def Comedy Jam, Sam Kenison, Andrew Dice Clay, Richard Pryor, Beavis and Butthead, and Howard Stern.
Examples of comics that work "clean" or non-Blue are: Jerry Sienfeld, Jonathan Winters, Louie Anderson, Tim Allen, and Bill Cosby.
Of course the REAL reason they call it blue is because that is what you are after you hire a comedian that makes you look bad by using profanity or inappropriate language and references.
Who is Chuck Cason?From the very beginning, Chuck Cason was making people laugh. Then he learned how to speak English, but that’s a different story. The twisted turns of living life led him to the comedy stage. Beginning stand-up at the tender age of 37 Cason quickly made a name for himself. Now 45, Chuck brings to the stage an insightful and hysterical show that can only come from never being married. It probably helps that, although he is 45, he has the un-developed brain of an 8 year old. Fortunately in comedy, that’s a good thing.
From broadcast executive to the comedy stage is a long road, but now Chuck Cason is showing up all over the country. He is a regular at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas and has been seen in dozens of television commercials including The Mirage in Las Vegas, Home Depot, Ben Hogan Golf Clubs, Lowe's, Chuck E Cheese Restaurants and many others. His acting career got a boost from the Arron Spelling show "Heaven Help Us" (syndication) and the NBC mini-series "To Serve and Protect" starring Craig T. Nelson and Richard Crenna.
A growing comedy and acting career makes Chuck Cason one of the busiest comedians working today. The Dallas Morning News calls Chuck: "…the crowd favorite." And he backs that title up night after night in both comedy clubs and corporate engagements all around the country.
When can I book Chuck for
my event?Generally 6-8 weeks notice is needed and Chuck can book up to 12 months in advance. Give him a call though, he might be sitting around watching infomercials. For more details see: How do I book Chuck for my event?
What else can Chuck
provide for my event?Each event is different and requires different skills to make it a success. If you don't need just a stand-up show, Chuck can also serve as Host/Emcee for awards dinners and presentation meetings. Having Chuck be the emcee instead of an employee or officer will insure a fun evening. One of Chuck's strongest assets is his ability to think quickly with ad-libs and improvisation. He can turn an ordinary event into a hilarious event! (see references) Chuck can also write and perform sketches or characters. He has played talk-show host, lampooned management, lampooned sales, he has even been Santa! Flexibility to your needs is a must.
What are the basic
guidelines to follow for a "Great Program" at my event?
Chuck's Tips for a Great Program
After dozens and dozens of corporate comedy engagements, I have compiled the following list of helpful hints to insure a great time is had by all that are attending your function. It's a scary time for anyone booking a comedian. If the comedian bombs, no one looks at the comedian… they look at the person who booked the comedian. That's you! Here are some MUSTS to insure that no one comes up to you after your event and asks "Where did you find THAT guy?".
If the comedian does well, get ready for some big pats on the back. Here's how.
FIRST,
REMEMBER THAT I HAVE AN ACT. IT'S FUNNY.
Months and months of writing and rewriting go into each joke. The first time a joke is tried, it may fail. With work and rewriting and re-trying a joke, it begins to get funnier. That is why trying brand new material based on someone I don't know in the audience is very risky. It has been my experience that when a client insists on making the comedian "make fun" of someone in the company, the general feeling from the audience is not what you would expect. Remember, I don't know anyone in the organization and no one knows me. So when I have material based on "inside" information, there is often a curious feeling of "Hey, who told him that?". The answer, of course is: You did! The person being singled out may very well have "a great sense of humor" around the office, but may react very differently in front of everyone. However, front row people are dangerously close...
Another tactic that sounds like a good idea but is doomed for disaster is having the comedian be an "impostor". Pretending to be a "Regional Sales Manager from Seattle" or similar position and then suddenly breaking into a comedy act can back-fire into a very uncomfortable situation. Tricking your audience can make them mad… and mad people tend not to laugh… at anything!
Think about the setting of a comedy show on television: everyone knows it's a comedy show, and everyone is ready to laugh!
They'll love the show as it is, but if you would like some jokes directed at your field, or business that's great. Please give me plenty of advance notice to write.
TELL EVERYONE A COMEDIAN IS GOING TO BE AT THE
EVENT!
People love to laugh. Why not give them something to look forward to? A comedian makes a fun event more enjoyable and gives a business event a great break. If you buy a ticket to Shakespeare's play "Othello" and arrive at the theater to a production of Vaudeville, you might not get all of the enjoyment out of the evening, even though the Vaudeville act is funny… it's just not what you expected. So let your audience expect to have a few laughs!
I can provide you with a press kit complete with pictures, bio and performance credits for announcements, newsletters, etc.
BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER IS OVER BEFORE
THE COMEDIAN BEGINS!!!
Try this: Put a big spoonful of the soup de jour in your mouth and try to laugh. Not a pretty sight! It won't work with salad, steak, mashed potatoes, or those hard rolls either! It is even risky with drinks! It is obviously hard to laugh while eating. It is also hard to enjoy a performance eating at a table with your back to the stage, asking for the butter, and trying to ignore the wait staff dropping plates. It still amazes me how many people want me to perform while the audience is eating. If you want to waste your money, I'll do it. After all, I do know the Heimlich Maneuver. But if you want a good show, let's wait until the meal is finished and the tables are cleared.
BEGIN SOME PART OF YOUR PROGRAM BEFORE THE COMEDIAN
The deceiving part of comedy is how easy it looks when it's done well (…we all know what it looks like when it is not!). Part of making it look easy is preparation. The audience needs to know that a program of some sort is beginning. Time to finish their conversations, adjust their chairs, and focus their attention towards the staging area. This could be as little a few minutes, but longer than just an introduction. In a comedy club show, the opener has this task. It helps!
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION… HEY, WHAT ABOUT SOUND?
I wake up at night in a cold sweat sometimes from a recurring nightmare:
I arrive at the event ready to perform. The room is full and everyone is eagerly awaiting. The person in charge greets me and tells me that they are excited and can't wait to see my performance. I ask "Where's the microphone?" "Microphone?", he asks… "…you need a microphone?"
After years of performing in comedy nightclubs, I am accustomed to great sound. But in the corporate world, it sometimes doesn't make it on the check list. If the venue doesn't have a sound system, or you do not have access to one, tell me. I'll bring one. If you can arrange it with an a/v department, a hand-held microphone would be great!
I was hired once to perform outdoors, in the middle of the summer (105 degrees), and just 2 miles from a major international airport. Since the venue was an outdoor pavilion, there were wasps buzzing around and every 90 seconds a jumbo jet was taking off right over our heads. Every 90 seconds I had to stop and wait for the noise to subside, only to have another 747 right behind it. The only thing that would have made it worse would have been a sniper with a high powered rifle taking pot shots at the audience. No one ever thought about the sound. This is actually a true story! They just thought: "Well, he's a professional comedian… he can make us laugh anyway". Although some think I am funny looking… I really am funnier when you can hear me!
Lights aren't as important, but they do help. If the room can be darkened and the stage area can be lit, that is the best situation. And speaking of stage area… A humorist will love a podium, but a comedian will want to move around. If at all possible, a separate staging area would be the best situation.
OK EVERYONE, WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND THEN IT'S COMEDY
TIME…
Another bad dream? Yep.
Try and make the comedy performance part of your program. An announcement during the meal or ten minutes before beginning the program gives people plenty of notice for restroom and smoke breaks if they need them. Some organizations want the comedy performance at the end of the program, but my experience has shown me that opening your program with a comedian makes the rest of the event a lot more fun.
ENJOY THE SHOW!
You are going to get what you asked for: a great show! Comedy is a lot like music. Some people like country, some like classical. It's hard pleasing everyone, but I'll come close. Reading an audience is just as important as telling jokes. This is what I do for a living, and it's just as important to me to entertain the audience as it is to make you look good. Follow these simple guidelines and then I will look forward to putting your name and company on my reference list!