Funny Awards

Funny Superlatives - Award Ideas and Certificates

2009-11-09T08:21:00.002-05:00

Funny superlatives are a great way to add laughter to any high school reunion, family reunion, or office party. They typically take the format of "most likely to...", but they can also be definitive statements such as most popular, friendliest, or best smile. So what are superlatives? By definition, a superlative simply means being the extreme degree of comparison of an adjective or adverb, as in best or brightest. In other words, something of the highest possible excellence.

A classic list of superlatives includes biggest geek (or nerd), most likely to succeed, biggest flirt, most popular, class clown, most talkative, quietest, and biggest partier.

Superlatives can work great in the office or workplace, too. But due to the sensitive nature of the U.S. workplace, you'll want to shy away from references to appearance or character traits that could potentially embarrass the recipient. Instead, create funny coworker superlatives that focus on humorous situations common to the office. Some examples include:

the employee always eating other people's food
the person most likely to lose paperwork
the worker most likely to forward annoying emails
the person most likely to put their foot in their mouth
the employee least likely to arrive on time
the staff member most likely to be surfing the Internet instead of working

The hard part in coming up with funny superlative ideas is making them funny. After all, the idea is to create a few laughs, not awkward tension. That's why we've assembled a team of top comedians and office workers to do the work for you. Download the certificates and start handing out these funny superlatives right away!

Boss's Day 2009 - Free Funny Gift Ideas

2009-10-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

When is Boss's Day? Boss's Day (also known as Bosses Day or National Boss Day)always occurs on October 16. This year, it falls on Friday, October 16, 2009.

Boss Day is a great time to show appreciation for your boss. But nobody likes a suck up. Humor is a great way to show appreciation while having fun at the expense of your boss. Just make sure they have a sense of humor first.

Below are some free printable certificates you can present to your boss. Just download the free certificate, fill in your boss's information, and print. Within seconds you'll have a gift idea that's fun, free, and easy:

Running with the Bulls Leadership Award

For the Boss who is the Biggest Risk Taker. Download this Free Printable Certificate

Raisin Pay Award

For the Boss Most Deserving of a "Raisin" Pay. Download this free Certificate of Appreciation

Loch Ness Award

For the Boss who is Least Likely to be Found. Download this free Free Printable Award

If you need serious gift ideas for Boss's Day, cards, flowers, or balloons are a good bet. Or go in with your coworkers to get a gift from the entire office. Just don't forget National Boss's Day 2009. After all, your boss is... well, your boss.

Funny Awards for Real Estate Agents

2009-09-02T09:05:00.001-04:00

I'm looking to create some funny awards for real estate agents. Let's face it - the industry could use a few good laughs this year. And with office party budgets getting cut, fun awards are a great way for realtors to cut loose and have fun without breaking the bank. I need ideas from real estate agents, apartment managers, appraisers, office staff, mortgage brokers - anyone involved in the real estate industry.

These are for awards that you might hand out to coworkers at an end-of-the-year awards ceremony. Plays on real estate terms like absentee owner, A.R.M, easement, junior lien, short sale, etc. make great award names. Examples might be:

The Short Sale Award - for the agent always coming up short on sales
The Absentee Owner Award - for the boss who is never in the office
The Sham Wow Award - for the agent always cleaning up messes

I really just need ideas and terms specific to the real estate industry. Don't worry too much about making the awards funny - I can do that. If I get a strong enough response, I'll put the collection together in a new eBook called "Funny Awards for Real Estate Agents" as a companion to my current best-seller Funny Employee Awards. And if I up use your funny award idea in the eBook, I'll make sure you get a complimentary copy when it comes out.

My preference is for you to submit your award ideas here. But you can also post in the comments section or email me directly.

Tags: real estate humor, real estate jokes, real estate awards

Funny Email Forwards - Free Email Award

2009-08-06T09:12:00.001-04:00

Do you know someone who spends far too much time forwarding emails? Do they email you the same joke repeatedly? Have they warned you multiple times that cell phone records go public today? Do they really deep down inside believe that Microsoft will pay them a nickel for every email they forward?

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your friend may have a clinical addiction to email forwarding. Show them you acknowledge their time wasting excellence with this free funny award. Download the certificate, type in their name, and post it on their office door or cubicle. Then send them an email warning that they must tell five people about the award today or else a Nigerian scammer will lose his kidney.

Download 101 Funny Employee Awards Certificates!
If you like this free funny award, be sure to pick up our 101 funny award certificates eBook. These awards are perfect for every worker at any type of business.

Low-Cost Employee Recognition Ideas

2009-07-13T08:55:00.000-04:00

The Chicago Tribune praised the benefits of employee recognition ideas like the funny awards found on this site in their article, "Improving employee morale with incentives a challenge in tough economic times".

The article explains that recognition and prizes - no matter how small - tend to pay off when they reflect a positive work environment.

"When budgets become tighter, you have to become more creative and we have creative people," said Jennifer Zuri, a marketing communications manager at Aquascape. Zuri resurrected a dormant committee in charge of boosting employee morale.

Zuri has planned no-cost employee recognition programs like a "wallyball" tournament and office Olympics. Prizes range from bobbleheads bearing the likeness of the company's founder, to certificates she printed and framed.

"It can be very shallow stuff..." said Tom McMullen, an expert in incentives at management consulting firm Hay Group. But even hanging a picture of an employee of the month can be meaningful if it contributes to a healthy workplace. "If that picture on the wall is part of a bigger thing -- a work climate -- it's very powerful," McMullen said.

As we've said on this blog before, employee recognition doesn't have to break the bank. If you have a positive work environment, even the smallest of employee recognition can pay big dividends.

Workplace Humor - Humor in the Workplace

2009-06-09T08:52:00.001-04:00

CIO magazines outlines the benefits of workplace humor in their recent article, "Making IT Fun Again". While we've long been huge advocates of the topic, this article presents a good in-depth case study of how one specific company used humor in the workplace to achieve specific morale and productivity gains.

Dave Patzwald, CIO of Schneider Electric N.A., a provider of energy management solutions, understood the benefits that workplace humor can bring: greater productivity, better camaraderie, happier workers. And now is a critical time to make humor a priority, says Stuart Robertshaw, retired psychology professor and author of DrHumor.com. "With the bad economy, people need a reason to look forward to coming to work," he says. "Happy people go the extra mile; they're more creative and ultimately produce better products."

Read the full article at CIO.com. And for further reading on the topic of humor in the workplace, check out these books:

There's No I in Office: 4293 Meaningless Phrases to Keep Your Coworkers Smiling While Avoiding Actual Conversation

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the greatest challenge in today's office environment is not how to keep from being stabbed in the back by corporate climbers; it's how to avoid burdensome friendships with well-intentioned but energy-sucking office mates.

The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance

The authors advocate creating a "carrot culture" in which successes are continually celebrated and reinforced. Dozens of recognition techniques include the obvious ("When a top performer is going on a particularly long business trip, upgrade her ticket to business class") to the offbeat ("Hire a celebrity impersonator to leave a congratulatory voice-mail message on an employee's phone").

Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace

Creativity is crucial to business success. But too often, even the most innovative organization quickly becomes a "giant hairball"--a tangled, impenetrable mass of rules, traditions, and systems, all based on what worked in the past--that exercises an inexorable pull into mediocrity. Great for any manager looking for new ways to invigorate employees, and any professional who wants to achieve his or her best, most self-expressive, most creative and fulfilling work.

101 Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony

Around every place of business, there comes a time when it’s necessary to give those who toil there a “thank you” that’s bigger than just dental coverage. And that’s where the employee recognition awards ceremony comes in. Just make sure your ceremony isn’t dry and boring by handing out creative and funny certificates. "Funny Employee Awards" includes 101 printable award certificates plus 6 blank award templates for creating your own funny awards. A staple of workplace humor!

Free Teacher of the Year Award Certificate Template

2009-05-04T08:19:00.003-04:00

In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Day May 5, we are giving away a FREE Teacher of the Year Award certificate template. You can type directly onto the certificate template before printing. Within seconds you'll have a unique award that will bring smiles to your favorite teacher! Just click the link below to download the PDF and enjoy!

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

There's even an area to write your own customized message. This could be serious or silly. Here are some ideas:

For inspiring me to achieve my greatest potential.
For your hard work, dedication, and patience.
You deserve a raise. But for now, this free award will have to do!

If you like this free Teacher of the Year Award certificate template, we only ask that you please click the "ShareThis" button below and post this page to Facebook, mention it on your blog, or email it to your friends.

Teacher Appreciation Day 2009

2009-05-01T09:00:00.002-04:00

Teacher Appreciation Day occurs on Tuesday of the first full week of May in the United States. Also known as National Teacher Day, Teacher Appreciation Day 2009 is on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. The entire week is known as Teacher Appreciation Week (May 3 - May 9, 2009). Outside the U.S., many other country celebrate Teacher Appreciation every October 5, World Teacher's Day.

According to the National Education Association (NEA) website, Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day - but for that one year only. NEA continued to unofficially celebrate the day every March, until the NEA Representative Assembly voted to change the event to Tuesday of the first full week of May beginning in 1985.

Popular Google searches for the holiday include teacher appreciation ideas, teacher appreciation gifts, teacher appreciation certificates, teacher appreciation event, teacher appreciation party, teacher appreciation banquet, and other similar searches.

Typical Teacher Appreciation Day gift ideas include gift certificates, lunch, and gift baskets. If your teaching staff has a sense of humor, you can always bring a few laughs into your recognition ceremony. These free funny teachers awards are sure to put a smile on everyone's face.

	Bermuda Triangle Award Is there a teacher at your school who just can't seem to get their stuff together? Would they lose their head if it wasn't attached? Celebrate the person who is always losing paperwork with this fun certificate. Download free Printable Certificate
	Kool and the Gang Teamwork Award When it's time to say well done to a group of teachers, single out the team that has shown excellence in Group Work. Celebrate their outstanding Teamwork with this funny gag certificate. Download Free Certificate
	Baryshnikov Award Navigating the education system takes great skill and prowess - especially in the public school sector. Celebrate a teacher's mastery of dancing around the issues with this fun award certificate. Download Free Printable Certificate
	Running with the Bulls Leadership Award Teaching kids takes courage and boldness. Within every school there is one fearless leader - a bold risk taker who isn't afraid to step out of the pack and take on new challenges. Celebrate their Fearless Leadership with this funny gag certificate. Download Free Printable Certificate
	Raisin Pay Appreciation Award Every teacher deserves a raise in pay - or maybe they just think they do. Show them you care without breaking the bank with this funny gag certificate of appreciation. Download free Certificate of Appreciation
	Download 101 Funny Awards Certificates! PDF download includes 101 Hilarious Printable Certificates + 6 Award Templates for making up your own Funny Teacher Awards! Download now and start using right away!

Remember to mark May 4, 2010 on your calendar for Teacher Appreciation Day 2010.

When is National Nurses Day 2009?

2009-04-29T08:43:00.000-04:00

Nurses Day, also known as National Nurses Day or National RN Recognition Day, always occurs on May 6 in the United States. National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, the birth date of Florence Nightingale, a pioneering nurse. For jettsetters, International Nurses Day is always on May 12.

To make matters slightly more confusing, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday during National Nurse Week. This year, National School Nurse Day does happen to be on May 6, 2009. But National School Nurse Day 2010 is on May 12, 2010. There's also a Certified Nurses Day, which was held on March 19, 2009.

Popular Google searches for the holiday include nurses day, nursing day, nurse appreciation week, nurses day gifts, and "when is nurses day". With all the variations, it's easy to understand the confusion.

Typical Nurses Day gift ideas include flowers, gift certificates, lunch or dinner, and gift baskets. If your nursing staff has a sense of humor, you can always bring a few laughs into your recognition ceremony with funny awards.

Download 101 Funny Awards Certificates!
PDF download includes 101 Hilarious Printable Certificates + 6 Award Templates for making up your own Funny Nurses Awards! Download now and start using right away!

Administrative Professionals Day Ideas for 2009

2009-04-01T08:50:00.000-04:00

The holiday formerly known as Secretary's Day, now known as Administrative Professionals Day, occurs on the Wednesday of the last full week of April. This year, Wednesday, April 22, 2009 is Secretary's Day. If one day isn't enough time for you to celebrate, the entire week is known as Administrative Professionals Week (formerly known as Secretary's Week).

According to Wikipedia, the National Secretaries Association, now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) created the unofficial holiday in 1952 to recognize the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals. You may also know them as "Executive Admins".

Despite the push for the name change, the top Google searches for this holiday are (in order) secretary day, secretary's day, administrative professionals day, secretaries day, administrative professional day, secretarys day.

Typical gifts for Secretary's Day include gift certificates, lunch, and gift baskets. Some companies cater lunch because hey, somebody has to stay in answer the phones (sad, but true). Best of all, bosses clumsily attempt to plan their own office party.

If your ExecutiveAdminProfessional-etary has a sense of humor, you can always bring a few laughs into the office with these funny awards:

Raisin Pay Appreciation Award

Given to the employee who is Most Deserving of a "Raisin" Pay. Download this free Certificate of Appreciation

Selective Hearing Impairment Award

Given to the employee who has excelled at the skill of Only Hearing What they Want to Hear. Download this free Award Certificate

Bermuda Triangle Award

Given to the employee who has excelled at the skill of Always Losing Paperwork. Download this free Printable Certificate

Need more ideas? Celebrate Secretary's Day 2009 with our eBook of 101 Funny Employee Awards. It will give all of you non-admins the tools you need to throw a fun recognition ceremony for your staff.

Employee Appreciation Day - Ideas

2009-03-02T07:50:00.004-05:00

Employee Appreciation Day occurs on the first Friday of the month of March. This year, it falls on Friday, March 6, 2009. The month of March is also Employee Spirit Month, whatever that means.

We're all about fun here, but showing appreciation to your employees is serious business - especially in this economy. Now more than ever, companies need to retain and reward their best employees.

If you need Employee Appreciation Day ideas, gift certificates are a good place to start. Most any drug store or supermarket will sell a wide range of gift certificates in any price range. Look for certificates with wide appeal. While Starbucks may not be everyone's cup of tea (or coffee), almost anyone can enjoy a popular restaurant or bookstore.

Here are some additional Employee Appreciation Day ideas:

And remember: show your employees that you care. And not just March 6, but year-round.

Employee Recognition that Doesn't Break the Bank

2009-02-10T12:15:00.000-05:00

Wells Fargo & Co. made news this week by blaming the media for having to cancel all "major employee-recognition events."

The bank that took $25 billion in federal bailout money ranfull-page ads in Sunday's New York Times and Washington Post that read "one-sided stories lead you to believe every employee recognition event is a junket, a boondoggle, a waste or that it's for highly-paid executives. Nonsense!"

The bank's sentiment is partially understandable.

One one hand, companies that receive government bailout money should both expect and receive more public scrutiny. Public outrage over exorbitant executive salaries and private Jimmy Buffett concerts are understandable.

On the other hand, Wells Fargo is correct in defending the practice of employee recognition. In fact, such recognition is vital to any company that expects to recover in this economy.

But perhaps Wells Fargo executives have lost sight of what employee recognition really means. It can be as simple as a pat on the back or a "job well done". Not only does it not have to break the bank, the best employee recognition can be low-cost or completely free.

Download 101 Funny Employee Awards Certificates!
If you're looking for low-cost employee recognition ideas, be sure to pick up our 101 funny award certificates eBook. These awards are perfect for any worker at any type of business - even Wells Fargo executives. Download now and start using right away!

On The Big Show with John Boy and Billy

2009-01-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

Back in December, I had the pleasure of appearing on the nationally-syndicated John Boy and Billy radio show to promote Funny Employee Awards. They let me plug my eBook and then kept me on for the remainder of the hour.

I grew up in the same town as John Boy (Graham, NC), and I've watched their popularity skyrocket over the past 20 years. I want to thank John Boy, Billy, Marci, Jackie, Jeff, and all of the Big Show crew for having me on the show. It was a thrill that I won't soon forget!

Free Funny Awards for Social Media Addicts

2008-12-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

Funny awards recognize the social media addicts and calls them out on their antisocial behavior. Download free MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter funny awards to give out this holiday season.

Durham, NC (PRWEB) -- Know someone who's addicted to blogging, MySpace, Twitter, or Facebook and want to rub it in a little? Give them a funny award. Corporate comedian Larry Weaver has several awards for the geeks who can't get enough online socializing. The awards are professional and can be printed out at home. They're also budget-friendly -- free.

"We all know people who are addicts - to blogging, Facebook, and other online sites. They are updating their Facebook page while you're talking to them. You have to watch what you say or they'll blog about it. My social media awards are free. Printed one off at home, frame it, and put under the tree for a good laugh this Christmas," said Weaver -- who is a blogger himself.

The funniest part of social media addicts is how seriously they can take themselves. Help them see how funny that is.

Here's a sample of the funny awards:

Compulsive Blogger - This is for the person who wants to hang out with other bloggers but can barely communicate in real life. They talk about their blog as if it was the only thing there is. Or they take pictures just for the sake up making a better post. They're likely to blog about getting this award and will take this funny award as a compliment.
MySpace Junkie - Give this award to someone who lives out their life on MySpace. They talk about whose added them as a "friends" and are constantly learning how to pimp out their profile. They have several bands as "friends" and when you go to their profile, their friend's music starts playing.
Twitter Addict - If you know someone who tweets everything they do and has ever said the word twitterverse, it's a sure sign they're addicted. This is the type of person who defines themselves by how many followers they have on Twitter. They talk about Twitter as if everyone else cares. Another sign? They attend tweetups.

The social media awards acknowledge these time wasting afflictions that a portion of the population suffers from. Make up your own version with Weaver's new eBook (the addicted to eBooks award is coming soon). There are blank awards that can be customized to give to other time wasters, avoiders, and the other characters we encounter in life.

Feel free to blog about these awards or frame them and hang them at work. Just be careful - or the next award could be given to you!

Download 101 Funny Employee Award Certificates

About Larry Weaver and 101 Funny Employee Awards
"Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony" was written by Larry Weaver. After sitting through some of the most boring pompous awards ceremonies possible, Weaver decided to help people out. The book has printable awards and tips for making awards ceremonies an entertaining and bonding experience. Weaver has been on numerous television and radio shows and books corporate comedians. He's been on stage with "Weird" Al Yankovic, and has three CDs of funny songs and commercial parodies.

BTW, keep track of all the newest funny awards news, by following Weaver on Twitter @larryweaver.

Office Party Entertainment Guidelines

2008-12-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Choosing the right office party entertainment is no easy task. Will your coworkers most enjoy a comedian, juggler, ventriloquist, or magician? To help make your job easier, here are 7 Guidelines for Choosing the Perfect Office Party Entertainment...

What type of act do you want?

Options: Stand-up comedian, magician, ventriloquist, juggler

Considerations: Most corporate entertainers incorporate liberal amounts of humor into their performance. The type of act you choose may come down to a matter of personal preference.

Do you have any production limitations?

Options: Sound, staging, lighting, ceiling height…

Considerations: There are logistical considerations to take into account when choosing the type of act you want. For example, stand-up comedians tend to require the least amount of staging and PA equipment. A microphone may be all that is required for a successful performance. A juggler, on the other hand, may require wireless microphones and even may even have considerations having to do with ceiling height. If you’re unsure about your production capabilities, be sure to ask your agent when choosing your act.

What type of humor works best for your audience?

Options: Blue-collar, white-collar, physical comedy, impressions

Considerations: Comedy is subjective, and – like nearly everything in life – it’s nearly impossible please everyone. When deciding what type of humor will work best, consider the makeup of your group: their age, educational background, race, and economic status. You wouldn’t necessarily want to have blue collar comedian Larry The Cable Guy at a stuffy financial summit up North (although the results could be hilarious – however unintentional). Conversely, a comedian who focuses on office life wouldn’t be best for a group of farmers. Describe your group to your agent and they can help you pick the best act.

What rating do you desire?

Options: G, PG, PG-13…

Considerations: When in doubt, it’s best to go with a G-rated act. You really don’t want to offend anyone in your audience. If your group really wants to “let loose” and isn’t easily offended, you can request a PG-13 rated show. Just make sure that everyone is aware of this going in. You may even want to make an announcement ahead of time to that effect. Be sure to clearly discuss with the performer any language or topics you wish to avoid. You may even want to write specifics into the contract if you are concerned about possible offensive content. Again, when in doubt go with a G-rated act!

How long do you want the show to last?

Options: Typically 30 – 60 minutes…

Considerations: You don’t need a two hour show to have a memorable evening of entertainment. A show lasting between 30 and 60 minutes is often best, as guests start to become restless after that time. Take into consideration how long your guests will have been seated before the performance begins. Will they have just endured a day of meetings, dinner, and speeches? If so, less entertainment may be more!

If you’re hosting an awards show and/or giving away door prizes, it’s typically best to do this after the comedian has performed. Often times the comedian will gladly emcee the awards portion – just ask.

Do you want the audience involved in the show?

Options: No interaction, light interaction, audience members on stage…

Considerations: Some stand-up comedians may have little or no audience interaction as part of their act. Others have more interaction where they will actively talk with members of the audience from the stage to improvise material for the show. Taking it a step further, some comedians will actually get your audience members up on the stage to be part of the show. This is especially true of magicians, ventriloquists, and jugglers – most of which will solicit audience members to be part of the act.

The level of interaction you desire depends on your group. If you have a close-knit, lively group, you may request a high level of interaction. If your audience is more reserved or has experienced a day-long meeting, they may prefer just to sit back, relax, and be entertained.

Should you feel that on-stage interaction will suit your group, it’s best to speak with the entertainer before the show to identify employees that are confident and will enjoy being on stage.

Do you want to customize the show?

Options: No customization, a little, a lot…

Considerations: Some comedians can incorporate a lot of customized material about your group or company into their show. They will usually send you a pre-show questionnaire that asks for information about your company and employees.
When gathering information, please stay clear of any sensitive material (personality traits, company policies, etc.). The goal of any customized act is to present material that everyone can enjoy.

Keep in mind that customization requires work on your part. You’ll need to complete the performer’s questionnaire in a timely manner and be available for follow-up discussions. If you’re already overworked planning the meeting or conference, this may be more than you’re willing to take on. But if you have the time, the results can be very memorable!

Visit our list of comedians approved to host The Funny Employee Awards Show.

How to Hire an Office Party Comedian

2008-12-17T07:30:00.000-05:00

If you're considering hiring an office party comedian (which may include stand-up comedians, humorous speakers, jugglers and magicians), it is important to find an act that’s both clean and experienced in front of corporate crowds. You’re paying not just for the show, but for peace of mind. After all, if the performer offends your coworkers, it makes you look bad!

Corporate comedians typically cost more than “club” performers. The reason is that clean, corporate comedy is much harder than a nightclub performance. You have to have an act with wide appeal that won’t offend anyone in the audience. There are thousands of club performers across the country, but only a handful that can do a clean, corporate show. You’re not just paying for the jokes they tell — you’re paying for the jokes they don’t tell.

General Considerations:
__Will overnight lodging and travel be required?
__If so, are these included or on top of the quoted fee?
__Can the performer provide the sound system, if needed?
__Has the act played events similar to yours?

Evaluation Checklist:
__Promotional Materials
__Testimonials/Reviews
__Professional Affiliations
__Experience
__Clean Material
__Technical Requirements

If the event is dinner and a show, then it’s just a matter of working with your entertainment advisor to choose a comedian, juggler or magician. You’ll need a stage or similar performing area and amplified sound (which the performer or venue can often provide). A show lasting between 30 and 60 minutes is often best, as guests may become restless after that time.

You often pay many times more for the meal than for the entertainer (on a per person basis), when in fact the evening’s program is probably far more important than the meal. Consider the true value-per-person-attending when deciding on your entertainment investment.

Visit our list of comedians approved to host The Funny Employee Awards Show.

8 Tips to Avoid Corporate Entertainment Headaches

2008-12-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

When you hire an entertainer for a corporate meeting or office party, be sure to touch base directly with the entertainer at least a week prior to the performance. This is called “advancing” the show. This is especially crucial if you booked through an entertainment agency, and have not yet spoken directly with the performer.

With your signed contract in hand, call (not email) the entertainer to confirm the following:

Dress
Show content and special requests
Directions, unloading, and parking details
Technical rider, staging, and sound details
Arrival time and performance time
Hotel reservations
Food/drink arrangements
Final payment

Dress

Always let the performer know whether the event is casual, semi-formal, or black-tie so they can dress appropriately. Give them plenty of notice if you absolutely need them to wear a jacket, tie, or tuxedo. And if you've hired an act like Larry the Cable Guy, be understanding if they want to dress in "character" for the event.

Show Content and Special Requests

Make sure you and the entertainer are on the same page about the kind of performance you're expecting. Be very specific if you need them to avoid certain subject matter or language. If you want unusual requests or custom material that is outside the scope of the signed contract, be understanding if they politely push back. Many acts have set material, and may not be able to accommodate your requests to customize the performance.

Directions, Unloading, and Parking

In case you don’t know it already, Google Maps isn’t always correct. Review some anecdotal landmarks with the entertainer like “turn left right past the Wal-Mart”. Also be sure that you have reserved a designated area nearby for the performer to unload their equipment and park their vehicle. Mail or fax a parking pass ahead of time if necessary.

Technical Rider, Staging, and Sound

Be sure you thoroughly read the contract and rider, and make a copy for anyone on your team who will be dealing directly with the performer. Go through technical requirements line by line, and ask the performer if there is anything they need to ensure a successful performance.

Arrival and Performance Time

Confirm the arrival time with the performer. Make sure you specify where, when, and who the performer will meet. Also, double-check the performance time in case plans have changed since the contract was issued.

Hotel Reservations

Get a hotel confirmation number for the performer, and make sure the reservation is in the performer's name, not yours.

Food and Drink Arrangements

If the artist's rider calls for a meal, confirm ahead of time when and where it will be served. Make sure you have plenty of bottled water - whether or not they asked for it.

Final Payment

If your contract calls for the performer to be paid following the performance, make sure you have the check cut and ready. If you can't have the check ready that night for any reason, let the performer know ahead of time. They will understand, and you will avoid any awkward moments.

If there are any additional or unusual provisions in the artist's contract, be sure to go over each and every one. Remember that it is your responsibility to call ahead and ensure a successful performance.

Larry Weaver is a professional comedian, entertainment booking agent, and author of "Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony."

If you have additional tips, advice, or funny stories, please post them in the comments section...

YouTube Award

2008-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know someone who spends far too much time on YouTube? Are they likely to spend countless hours watching videos of strangers dancing, monkeys falling from trees, and cats riding Roombas? Do they constantly forward videos to you, then harass you about whether or not you've watched them? Do they have YouTube hooked up to their television?

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your friend may have a clinical addiction to YouTube. Show them you recognize their video watching excellence with this free funny award. Download the certificate, type in their name, print it out, and post it on their office door or cubicle.

How to Choose Employee Award Winners

2008-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Your office party is coming up and you've settled on an Employee Awards Show theme. You've even decided to include some funny awards to make sure the presentation isn't a drag. So how do you decide who’s going to get an award?

First, put together a selection committee of 2-3 people who know most everyone in the office. The key is not to do this alone. You need a group to suss out the recipients’ vulnerabilities and personalities. Something you might consider hilarious, they might consider offensive.
When choosing your award recipients, make sure you have the biggest characters in the office covered. The awards ceremony will only be as good as the winners, and an event filled with boring acceptance speeches won’t be much fun for anyone.
Only give the funny awards to those with a sense of humor who don’t have any problem poking fun at themselves. You don’t want to turn into Michael Scott from The Office.
It works well to make of list of those you’d like to give awards to, then find one that’s suitable from the list of options.

If you’re worried at all that your award may embarrass the winner, you can always tip that person off ahead of time. It won’t ruin the presentation. Remember, the idea is to create an entertaining presentation for the entire audience – not just to surprise one person.

Telling the winner ahead of time will allow that person to voice any objections, and will give them time to prepare a funny speech if they choose to do so. Everyone else will still be surprised and entertained when the award winner is announced, and you won’t have to worry about any potential awkward moments!

When picking awards, remember that the intent here is to have fun — not to embarrass.

For more tips, download our Funny Employee Awards eBook.

Gag Gifts for Under $10

2008-12-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

A new book has fun awards to give out to the office staff and laugh at the funny things that happen around the office. Written by corporate comedian Larry Weaver, the book, "Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony", lightens up the workplace whether for a holiday party or just for fun.

Enjoy Some FREE Printable Certificates
The toughest part of giving out funny office awards is coming up with ideas. Weaver has been through it and made the planning painless. As a comedian he knows how to make a crowd laugh, he's helping out struggling office workers by giving away free printable awards. Just add an inexpensive frame (think dollar store) and it's ready to present. The free printable certificates make a great gag gift for under $10.

"Funny how humor, applied in the right way, can really help the workplace. Humor can motivate people to work harder and increase teamwork. Or, it can get people in trouble with human resources. I tell you how to avoid that," says Weaver.

Here are some examples of funny awards:

Selective Hearing Impairment Award - For Only Hearing What You Want to Hear.
Baryshnikov Award - For Most Skill in Dancing Around the Issues.
Raisin Pay Award - For Most Deserving of a "Raisin" Pay.
Kool and the Gang Award - For Excellence in Group Work.

The book has 101 professionally designed awards in PDF format that can be easily printed on the office printer. The awards poke fun, recognize accomplishments, and make reference to pop culture and cartoon characters.

About Larry Weaver:
Larry Weaver is a professional comedian and creator of the Funny Employee Awards Show - the company party where your employees are the stars. With nearly 20 years as both a corporate comedian and office worker, Larry brings a unique and refreshing perspective to workplace humor.

Download 101 Funny Employee Awards Certificates!
If you like these free funny awards, be sure to pick up our 101 funny award certificates eBook. These awards are perfect for every worker at any type of business. Download now and start using right away!

Office Party Ideas - Fun Meeting Ideas

2008-12-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

The office: it’s a place to earn an honest living, a place to use your skills and best of all, a place to spend hours surfing for useless junk on eBay™ and get paid for it.

But within every place of business, there comes a time when it becomes necessary to give those who toil there a “thank you” that’s bigger than just dental coverage.

And that’s where the office party comes in. You've tried lots of ideas for a fun office meeting. Now it's time to revisit one of the classic office party ideas: the Employee Awards Ceremony.

This ceremony is all about having a good time, and at the same time showing some gratitude for those who are down in the cubicle trenches with you every Monday through Friday.

But most of all, it’s about fun.

Sure, you could gather everyone together in some conference room and hand out plaques reading “Best Salesman” or “MVW” (Most Valuable Worker), but where’s the fun in that? Funny awards are where it’s at. They give thanks while simultaneously making sure everyone has a good time. Your employees don’t want to sit through a dry presentation any more than you want to give one. We all suffer enough at our jobs without the supposedly fun times adding to the misery.

So how, you ask, do you put on a lively presentation that will be a guaranteed good time for everyone in the office? Start by downloading this "Funny Employee Awards" eBook, and you’re halfway there.

You'll find everything you need to know about organizing a ceremony, along with plenty of helpful tips. And most important, you’ll get 101 awards certificates that will be appropriate for everyone around the office, no matter the employee or the type of business.

An this isn't just for the Christmas party, Holiday party or whatever you call the year-end party. You can give out funny awards throughout the year at staff meetings, sales meetings, all hands meetings, or partial hands meetings. It's always a good idea to add laughter in the workplace.

So put your phone straight to voicemail, grab a highlighter, hit the snack machine for a bag of Funyuns and get started.

When it's over, everyone will be praising you for the best office party idea ever.

Compulsive Blogger - Addicted to Blogging Award

2008-12-09T08:15:00.001-05:00

Do you know someone who spends far too much time Blogging? Do they only want to hang out with other bloggers? Are they prone to silent introspection in person, but then share way too much information online? Do they rate life experiences on a scale of "blog-worthiness"?

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your friend may have a clinical addiction to blogging. Show them you acknowledge their posting obsession with this free funny award. Download the certificate, type in their name, and post it on their office door or cubicle. Then rush back to your computer to see if they blog about winning this award.

MySpace Award - Are you Addicted to MySpace?

2008-12-08T06:30:00.001-05:00

Do you know someone who spends far too much time on MySpace? Are they constantly updating their status, adding new "friends", and pimping their profile? Does their layout feature more sparkles and animation than the latest Pixar movie?

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your friend may have a clinical addiction to MySpace. Show them you acknowledge their time wasting acheivement with this free funny award. Download the certificate, type in their name, and post it on their office door or cubicle.

Surviving the Office Christmas Party

2008-12-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

Office parties are just too uptight these days. Instead of having fun, everyone is terrified of screwing up. You dress nice, sit up straight, try to laugh at everyone's jokes. That isn't a party, it's a bad first date. How is it Christmas if someone isn't passed out with their head in the garbage can?

The worst part of any office party is when the owner gets up and gives a speech. This year, you really have to know how to read between the lines. When he says:

"It’s been a tough year, but there are better days ahead," that means "we're going under."
"Each and every one of you is valuable to this organization" means "get ready to double your workload because I'm firing half of you."
It's been a great year" means "I've finally embezzled enough to pay off the feds, see you in Switzerland."

A fine holiday party tradition is giving out employee awards. But they’re usually boring:

Most Seniority - that just means that person can't get hired anywhere else.
Neatest Desk - hey, it doesn't take a lot of paperwork to surf the Internet all day. If you see my desk neat, it means my stuff is packed up and ready for a quick exit.
Best Dressed - that person is probably going on interviews during lunch.

We need awards people really want to see. Like an award for the person always eating other people's food. Hey, Lean Cuisine doesn't grow on trees, all right? Or how about an award for the person always forwarding stupid emails. Microsoft isn't going to give you a nickel for each email you forward, Einstein.

These are the awards I really want to see. That's why I wrote Funny Employee Awards. Download it today and help make the office a better place.

Twitter Addict Award

2008-12-04T06:50:00.000-05:00

Do you know someone who spends far too much time on Twitter? Do they tweet to announce they're going to bed, and then again to say they're awake? Do they brag about how many tweeps they have? Do they refer to you in person as "@" yourname?

Click Here to Download Free Award (PDF)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your friend may have a clinical addiction to Twittering. Show them you acknowledge their Twittering excellence with this free funny award. Download the certificate, type in their name, and post it on their office door or cubicle. Then rush back to your computer and wait for the tweet.

Funny Awards

Funny Superlatives - Award Ideas and Certificates

Boss's Day 2009 - Free Funny Gift Ideas

Running with the Bulls Leadership Award

Raisin Pay Award

Loch Ness Award

Funny Awards for Real Estate Agents

Funny Email Forwards - Free Email Award

Low-Cost Employee Recognition Ideas

Workplace Humor - Humor in the Workplace

There's No I in Office: 4293 Meaningless Phrases to Keep Your Coworkers Smiling While Avoiding Actual Conversation

The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance

Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace

101 Funny Employee Awards: Your Complete Guide to Organizing a Humorous, Entertaining, and Rewarding Recognition Ceremony

Free Teacher of the Year Award Certificate Template

Teacher Appreciation Day 2009

Bermuda Triangle Award

Kool and the Gang Teamwork Award

Baryshnikov Award

Running with the Bulls Leadership Award

Raisin Pay Appreciation Award

When is National Nurses Day 2009?

Administrative Professionals Day Ideas for 2009

Raisin Pay Appreciation Award

Selective Hearing Impairment Award

Bermuda Triangle Award

Employee Appreciation Day - Ideas

Employee Recognition that Doesn't Break the Bank

On The Big Show with John Boy and Billy

Free Funny Awards for Social Media Addicts

Office Party Entertainment Guidelines

What type of act do you want?

Do you have any production limitations?

What type of humor works best for your audience?

What rating do you desire?

How long do you want the show to last?

Do you want the audience involved in the show?

Do you want to customize the show?

How to Hire an Office Party Comedian

8 Tips to Avoid Corporate Entertainment Headaches

Dress

Show Content and Special Requests

Directions, Unloading, and Parking

Technical Rider, Staging, and Sound

Arrival and Performance Time

Hotel Reservations

Food and Drink Arrangements

Final Payment

YouTube Award

How to Choose Employee Award Winners

Gag Gifts for Under $10

Office Party Ideas - Fun Meeting Ideas

Compulsive Blogger - Addicted to Blogging Award

MySpace Award - Are you Addicted to MySpace?

Surviving the Office Christmas Party

Twitter Addict Award