Never thought anyone was… it IS ok to agree to disagree with-out thinking any one is being attacked. We all good as far as I’m concerned.

Are You ok?

Now as to “Copperfield” compaired to “any one of us”…
NOW who is talking Apples and Oranges??? (Hehehehehe…) Don’t worry I still get the point and as best I can tell we agree that there us a decided difference in individuals in each respective market, Copperfield aside. THAT is largely experience, self esteem/belief and marketing is all that is… to over-simplify! (HA!)

Again, to the rest and the question of fee I will reiderate
=A) It’s an each case “Re-Elationship” scenario. Take CARE of you and your relationship and all will be just fine!

=B) I guess we just get to “Agree to Disagree, Agreeably” about the value we each deliver in any given situation. EmCee, Illusionist, Speaker, Banquet, Variety performer…. Etc. Pretty simple really.

NO ONE says YOU have to charge more… that is completely up to YOU. (And your buying relationships of course!) If you are not comfortable with the fees you charge and the value you deliver, then charge what works for you and your buyer... that, as I said several times now, is a very personal deal. I happy with what-ever you want to do for you and your business. Go For It!

EASY, eh’? - Whoo Hoo!

I am, as always, at your service and in HIS Service,
Deano (knows his value and worth) in Reno
<><

PS
Congratulations on your 1,000th post! - YeHaw!

Agreed!!! We disagree.

Thank you for your congratulations and all the best in your endeavours.

Great discussions and solid points.

I'm personally stuck on the impression that an emcee has a limited obligation and responsibility on stage. The emcee can make or break a show. I can't tell you how many times I've had to "stall" while backstage problems were resolved or I had to change my planned set due to an unexpected change in the line-up. The emcee is on the front line and bears the burden of creating a seamless flow throughout the show. A great emcee conceals these issues from the audience, providing a flawless, polished image that directors crave. This impromptu management is stressful and requires preparation, a quick wit, forethought and skill - all qualities that, in my opinion, justify an equal or higher fee than someone with a scripted and structured routine. If the individual booking the event disagrees, they are welcome to take their chances with a less skilled, less known and cheaper emcee.

As to the "time on stage vs fee charged" issue...I have to agree with Jim and Dean in that I'm selling blocks of time. I have an outdoor concert booked in October with my stage shows scheduled at 1:00 and 4:00 PM. Even though I'm off stage from 2:00 to 4:00, this is still time I can't sell to anyone else. I charged the event my hourly rate but I sold it as $X per show - not per hour. No argument. Event booked. Fees met. I see no reason to take a loss for the convenience of a client - regardless of how much work I may or may not have to do for a particular show.

Just my personal opinion and style of business.

Great points here, all around.

Here are some of my specifics:

Most of my clients are first-timers right now. I lost a couple of regulars to personnel changes. Therefore, until the act begins, I am treated as a commodity. My clients make it clear that after the show I am viewed very differently. Of course I jump on the follow up.

Since I started this post I found out that I am the only paid personality (if hired) that will be at the event. It is a high school event, and it turns out it is literally a pageant for the homecoming queen and court. I would be on between sections of the pageant featuring the girls compteting. The school district has hired me before, but only for elementary schools. The high school is aware of me because my wife teaches there and I have help create the sets for the dramas. A few kids have seen my act at a nearby community festival as a featured performer. It is possible I could end up performing at other events. This lady's last magician was literally "I came with the bouncy."

Also, my son has just started kindergarten, and my wife and I are getting involved in the PTO. I found out that they have enough in the bank to pay for a year of college. So I don't want to be too shy about money. I'm in the middle of positioning myself away from birthday parties, since I do well with adults, whether performing or teaching college classes.

Dean - I noticed your scale of value, at the top was the speaker/trainer listing. This is something you or someone else mentioned a couple of years ago in another thread that got me thinking, so now I'm going to post another topic I hope you'll respond to, again under Tricky Business.

Wow... Killer Thread and a VERY (VERY, VERY) important discussion. Pricing, value and all that has always been sort of a bugga-boo in our industry and the more we can discuss it the more share, insights, opinions and experience we ALL have to form more informed, sage decisions, and THAT is never a bad thing.

I think it is a GREAT thing.

And YES, it is perfectly OK to "agree to disagree"... I am perfectly agreeable to that. Besides, that’s just life. I’d be pretty boring if everyone agreed all at the time. We’d have little to talk about if we ALL agreed on everything eh’? I say fine and dandy! Whoo Hoo!

This “also” HELPS people to choose based on MORE insights instead of less and THAT is always a killer thing!

Also, to be clear… that example was in no particular order… just came of the top of my head that way, but I’m sure what ever you have a question about, there will be someone to respond to it. – Whoo Hoo!

I am, as always, at your service and in HIS Service,
Deano (plenty agreeable) in Reno

PS
Still MOST IMPORTANT POINT:
The “Re-Elationship” with the people you do business with is paramount… just do what is “RIGHT” for your mutual best interest and everyone will get taken care of properly!

Skip,

But if you're working comedy clubs, as your avatar suggests, then you know that the emcee is not paid equal and that there is a pay scale for emcee, opener, middle, feature etc... Some do make more than others, but on any given night the feature can expect to be paid most, the emcee second most and the middle the least on a three person show.

"If the individual booking the event disagrees, they are welcome to take their chances with a less skilled, less known and cheaper emcee."

To be blunt, I don't think anyone who has participated in this thread would be a draw with their name in most shows. Regardless of all the credits we might have accumulated, to the general public, we are all unknowns. If we were to go out on the street and ask 100 people if they've ever heard of any of us....well you know.

Anyway, I'm not trying to pick a fight. I also do a lot of emceeing (variety shows, comedy clubs etc...) and I think the job is a special skill. I know what the job entails.

I once had to do a 1 hour opening on a comedy club stage. It was for the largest chain of comedy clubs in Canada and the owner of the chain had phoned and said he wanted to come out and personally see the opening act and assess him. The club was told that the owner would only be a few minutes late. As the emcee that night, I was told to start the show on time, but not to come off the stge or introduce the opening act until I got the cue that the owner had arrived. Just over an hour after taking the stage, I got the cue to introduce the opener.

So, I'm not saying you or anybody else is not worth it. I'm saying that in most cases, you aren't going to get the same as everyone else on the show.

I don't believe Skip was saying he was talking about an MC at a comedy club first off. A comedy club MC is a completly different animal. They are guys starting and being paid relativly little for the privelage of being around the comedy club.

They are in no way responsible for the show and are tolerated till the main guys come up. This is not what Skip is talking about.

Oddly enough in some countries the comedy club formula is a bit different, and better structured. The headliner comes out, does a few minutes, introduces his "friend" who does a longer bit of time and then brings out the headliner. A very cool formula. (sorry a bit off topic)

On a variety show where every act is of merit, the MC is an essential part of transitions, and can help if there is trouble getting one act on and another act off. It would be dangerous to put up a comedy club MC in this spot.

I would charge what you charge for your show, eiter you get it or you don't but the bottom line is the time you have is worth a certain amount. IF they want you to do the MC spot great, if not you can book it at your regular rate. What they want to pay is often not really relevant to what you are worth.

I charge my normal show rate.

FYI
The MC at a comedy club gets gas money only for his efforts. Comedy clubs in general are very low paying jobs, and the manager expects two belly laughs per minute, conversly a comedian outside of the comedy club gets big bucks for the same belly laughs. It don't make sense, and it is probily because that comedy clubs everywhere are closing, because you can see standup comedy at home on your TV.

Danny, as usual, knows me quite well. Although I work comedy clubs, this thread is focused on show formats that rely on an emcee to stitch the collection of acts together; as in variety shows, pageants or showcases. My post addressed those specific points. Comedy clubs are a WHOLE different species.

And to be equally blunt, you really don't know how popular and familiar we are on our home turf. I have no doubt whatsoever that guys like Big Daddy Cool, Jim, Dean, Al and I could draw fair size audiences with our client networks and hometown name recognition. One does not have to be a megastar to be well known and respected.

Now, celebrity aside, any knowledgeable variety show or pageant director wants to associate his or her name to a seamless, professional show. The emcee is usually the audience's sole contact and guide through any show. The wise director should not skimp on filling this position.

I think we can agree that the emcee is much, much more than some guy who stands in front of the curtains, tells a couple of bad jokes and reads names off of a card. All I'm saying is that true emcee skills are marketable and a person with this skill set should be fully and reasonably compensated for their time and professionalism. Frankly, if the director doesn't see it my way, he's more than welcome to hire Uncle Joe and his Orben joke book. I will always have other prospects.

As with Dean, let's just agree to disagree. There's really no need to argue. We're going to continue to charge what our time and skills are worth within our markets. I have yet to see any points made here to convince me to do less. Besides, discussion on varying viewpoints is good for the professional soul. Thanks, RJ!

Fair enough.

I simply wanted to make sure everone was singing from the same page. To compare a comedy club MC to a variety show MC is apples and hand grenades.

Comedy clubs obviously operate different in the USA than in Canada. Emcees are respected and get paid in this country.

I feel sorry for you if you have to work for gas and self gratification. The only time that happens here is on amateur nights, and they don't even get gas money. (That's not a swipe at anyone, that's simply stating the facts about how things work here.)

But, it looks like there will remain a difference of opinion here and it has been an enjoyable thread to participate in.

Well in all fairness comedians themselfs get paid worse in Canada LOL, so it all works out in the end.

The MC is working for nothing because he is trying to grow into a position, sort of an "internship" if you will.

Often if none is available cheap, they are not even used. Yes the clubs are interested in one thing, but Al has it wrong. (sorry Al)

Yes the "Laughs per minute" formula is touted and is used as an excuse for many a firing, but there is ONE thing that rules the comedy club world. HOW MANY DRINKS DID I SELL DURING YOUR SHOW? That is the question on most owners minds. I happen to know of many a working headline comedian, not too funny, not too many laughs per minute, who work a LOT because of the sort of crowd they attract.

Attract a drinking crowd, and you will work forever.

Danny
The MC does about 15 minutes, the second act does about 30 minutes, the headliner does from 45 to 60 minutes, and the pay is according to their time on stage. You may be right about drinks, but I have been told by managers who never even listened to my routine that he wants more laughs, and make them belly laughs not groaners. Of course club managers are allowed to lie.

What if your jokes are so bad the crowd drinks to make you seem funnier?

Hehehehehehe! - Funny!


...oh yeah, I think I'll go get a drink now! (Ha!)

Al,
I know this well-known manager in NYC that books strictly comedy acts in clubs....

It is all about the money with them -- IE drink and food sales.... The act needs to be good, but if not they move on to the next act.... The small time comedians barely get paid and even if you are known the pay is still not all that good unless YOU hit it big....

We were in a taxi cab one time and he took a call and a pretty well known name filled in for someone for far less than a birthday party magician....
YIKES...

Curtis
New York City is famous for starving comedians, but it is the only place where the word EXPOSURE actually means something. Comedians in Gotham take cabs all over town to get in as many low paying sets as possible.