Mike Mercury

Let me break it down for you:

I’ll show up about 20-30 minutes before I’m scheduled to start. We’ll chat briefly. I may ask for a bottle of water.

Then I’ll go sit quietly and calmly in an out-of-the-way spot until it’s time for me to start. Don’t mistake this for arrogance, disinterest or stand-offishness. That’s just how I prepare for each show.

Someone from your group will introduce me. I’ll take the stage, the laughs will commence.

My typical set runs about 45-60 minutes long (can adjust per your needs). I do a mix of observational and autobiographical material, largely on topics that most people can relate to. I'm a great fit for most any after-dinner event with employees/members/customers and their guests in attendance.

I love to interact with 2 or 3 people during my act. You can tell me who to include if you wish, but it’s not necessary. People who like to participate in the show almost always identify themselves within mere moments. I am grateful for this. And you will be, too.

However, I’m not an insult comic. There won’t be any gratuitous slams or unnecessarily mean jokes or personal attacks at the expense of an innocent bystander. I will incorporate them in a way that is fun for all. The mayor of a mid-size city for whom I once performed appropriately described these interactions as “gentle digs.”

It is not my goal to hurt feelings or offend. It is my job to make your group laugh. Out loud, hard and often. Without guilt, embarrassment or trauma. And that’s what I’ll do for you because I’ve done it more than 3500 times.

Comedian Mike Mercury has performed thousands of shows for groups just like yours – everything from annual awards banquets for small-town fire departments to fancy Fortune 500 galas.

A Wisconsin native, Mike started his comedy career at the world-renowned Comedy Store in Los Angeles with an improv group called High Adventure.

Mike's broad appeal has led to appearances with a diverse array of artists including Bob Saget, Tom Arnold, Bill Maher, Leon Redbone, David Lee Roth, Robert Klein, Chris Farley and Pat Paulsen.

He's appeared on TV as the co-host of Hot Tonight and been heard nationally on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion on public radio.

Mike's combination of smart observational humor, audience interaction and lightening-quick wit is a sure-fire hit with most any audience.

Your group or your venue will need to provide a quality sound system and hand-held microphone (not a lavalier or clip-on mic). I prefer a hand-held mic with 20-30 feet of cord but a wireless microphone with extra batteries or a back-up microphone is acceptable. Two pole-mounted speakers at the front of the space work best and are preferable to speakers built into the ceiling.

When setting up your room, it is important that I'm situated within 3-6 feet from the first row of tables if at all possible. Please don't ask me to perform from a stage with a 40-foot wide, empty dance floor between me and the audience. That's roughly akin to performing at the Grand Canyon with me on the South Rim and 200 blurry specks on the North Rim.

It is critically important that whoever will introduce me or any other comedian politely remind your guests to put away their phones and that no recording is allowed. Do NOT say "the comedian wants you to put away your phone" cuz that's the same as saying "that's what they want but I don't give a crap what you do."

If you will be giving awards, gifts or prizes, do it AFTER the comedian performs. If you do it before hand, invariably some people will leave when the comedian starts, which can be disastrous. People walking out right as your performer starts is not only distracting but it can also leave large gaps in the room, making it more difficult to connect with those that remain. It can also give the appearance that the guests leaving are doing so because they think the performer isn't good, which can have the effect of making others question the performers' abilities.