Carole Montgomery, comedian and producer of the New York City Underground Comedy Festival
Back in the late 70s and early 80s, the emcee was “the job” to have at a comedy club. They were the ones who made the decisions of who was going on and when, they kept the show going, and they were funny in very short amounts of time.
Slowly as corporate America realized there was money to be made in this comedy business, the emcee’s job was greatly diminished. Now club owners usually put the weakest act on first and pay them shit. Their reasoning, “They have to pay so much for the headliner.” So audience members go in to a comedy club and know that the first act will suck, the feature will be ok and maybe the headliner will live up to his or her promo.
Being a good emcee means you are there to make the entire show look good. Not as a promo to sell your merchandise. And seriously….merchandise from the emcee? When you are doing a road gig, the people are there to see the headliner, so selling merchandise when you are the emcee is kinda like a slap in the face to the headliner, especially if they aren’t selling.
In the showcase clubs, the emcees job is to get the audience in the mood for a great night of comedy. They should go out there and warm them up. That is the job of the emcee. Of course the audience is going to be tight, they just got there and haven’t started drinking yet. By the third or fourth comic (or the sweet spot), they are really getting into the show. That is not the time for the emcee to decide to try out new stuff or do more than a joke or two. Good emcees keep the show moving at a nice pace. There will be times when you need to stretch since a comic is running late but for the most part, it is keeping the show running smooth.
When I was working in Vegas in the production shows, I knew the audience was not there to see me, but the topless dancers that surrounded me. I was fine with that; I got a good paycheck. I was there to let the dancers take a break. It was always about the good of the show and really, that is what makes a good emcee — to not make the show about them, but everyone else on the bill.
Burt Smooth, New York City’s top urban comedy promoter and producer of the New York City Underground Comedy Festival
To me, my ideal emcee is like a point guard for a basketball team. He is an extension of the coach. He or she has to understand the flow and tune into the energy in the room. He or she must pick the room up when a comic is off that night. The emcee should also realize that the show is not about them and understand time management. I have been very fortunate to have worked with some of the best in NYC such as Rob Stapleton, Mike Yard, Talent, Capone, Drew Fraser, Sinck, and Wil Sylince. They all display the same qualities of a great host. They all demand respect. They all are extremely funny. And, finally they all truly love their craft.
Bobo Lamb, comedian and winner of National Bacardi Lights Comedy Contest who has appeared on HBO’s Bad Boys of Comedy and BET’s Comic View
Being polished is what makes a great emcee, which means constantly grabbing the microphone and putting yourself in situations where it takes professionalism to control the crowd. You have to be able to establish a connection with the audience to get them ready for who you are bringing up next. I’m an emcee who believes it all starts with writing your own original material and building enough where you can overcome any obstacles that you might face.
For example, I opened for the O’Jays at the Opera House Theater and they were running late. The producer asked me to keep going and luckily for me, I write all the time and had two hours of material. It was a matter of improvising. It comes down to believing in yourself to the point where you have confidence in your ability. It doesn’t always work at first; sometimes, along your journey you run into promoters who don’t have the slightest idea what it means to put on a professional show, but you have to get your money and do your show regardless. But here you are onstage, somehow making it work — that makes a good emcee.
Gina Brillon, comedian and actress who has appeared on Comedy Central’s Fresh Faces of Comedy and SiTV’s Funny is Funny
The best emcees are the ones who realize the show is not about them. That’s not to say that being an emcee is unimportant; the emcee carries the show. He or she is the person the audience sees the most and, therefore has to find a connection with the audience and bring them into the show. You must learn to merge your written material with improvisation and be ready to go into any topic at any point; you never know what will happen and you always want to keep the audience engaged. The best thing for me about being an emcee is getting to enjoy the show myself. If I know the comics on the show, then I usually know their closer and can work my material in when I bring up the next performer.
Sassi Keegan, comedian, producer and host of the comedy shows Stand Up To Spoken Word and The Uptown Arts Stroll
Emceeing is underrated. A lot of people can’t wait to graduate from it to feature and headline. A high-energy, funny, focused emcee will make a show great. It’s a wonderful opportunity to hone crucial skills like being present, reading a room, and developing brilliant one liners that work in any situation. Sure some clubs overbook and you have to be a traffic cop, but even developing the sense of timing it takes to run a show is good for your act.
Often when I’ve emceed, I’ve also been in charge of lighting the comedians and running the whole show. Even memorizing everyone’s intro is a great way to practice line learning as an actor. As a comedian and raging extrovert, I love it. It’s a wonderful way to network too, because I always take a business card from every comedian I introduce. As a talent coordinator for special events, I appreciate comedians having a good attitude about taking an emcee job. You would be surprised at some of the bigger names who still do it for the exposure and stage time if the event is prestigious enough. I do my best to pay the emcee well, because I think it is the most important job in the show.