Mic Drop

Set The Tone (ft. Scott Bloom)

Episode Summary

Scott Bloom has been bringing humor to keynote and event stages for two decades. What he’s learned along the way is that the power of laughter goes far beyond just loosening up a crowd. On this week’s Mic Drop, you’ll laugh and learn in equal measure.

Episode Notes

Set The Tone (ft. Scott Bloom)

A comic-turned-keynote speaker on turning laughs into impact

OPENING QUOTE:

“So obviously, you know, a little bit of a parody there making fun of our psychic friends. And what's great about that piece is it's interactive, it gets connected with the audience, and it's just a way to sort of show that you can make fun of, you know, of anything and it's something they can, you know, definitely relate to.”

-Scott Bloom

GUEST BIO:

As a stand-up comedian turned MC and keynote speaker, Scott Bloom has brought comedy to corporate events for the last 20 years. He’s now one of the most sought-after hosts and MCs in the business, capable of warming up even the grumpiest audience to transform boredom into laughter, and laughter into dollars and impact.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[11:06] - The Role of Humor in Speaking

More than entertainment

Humor doesn’t just make people laugh. It opens them up, gets them engaged. It brings the energy of the room to a positive place and creates resonance between the speaker and the audience. Laughter is a manifestation of emotion, and relationships are built on emotional connection.

[17:35] - Speakers & Hosts

What they can learn from each other

Speakers can learn from hosts that you should always be in the moment, dealing with changes as they come. You have to present but also entertain. Hosts can learn from speakers that you should always have a clear focus, vision, and message that you want to talk about— even if you’re open to shifting from that initial game plan.

[22:50] - The Best & The Rest

What sets apart great presenters

The best presenters, speakers, and hosts are able to shift the tone of a room by their presence and message alone. When an audience feels they’ve seen it all before, a great speaker can shock energy into the entire room and get people listening, learning, and laughing. In Scott’s words, the best are capable of doing what’s necessary to “bring them where you want to be.”

[28:11] - Make Keynotes Funny Again

Comedy tips for speakers from a true pro

For anyone looking to deliver keynotes that are engaging, effective, and funny, Scott’s advice is to know your audience and recognize that what works in the club won’t work in a corporate environment (the reverse is also true). He also embraces the role of repetition— the antidote to nerves and anxiety is preparation, knowing your material backwards and forwards. Ironically, it’s this knowledge of your game plan that lets you comfortably veer away from that game plan when the situation allows.

RESOURCES:

[16:13] Conan O’Brien’s Podcast
[32:10] Scott Bloom on Acronyms

Follow Scott Bloom:

Follow Josh Linkner:

ABOUT MIC DROP:

Brought to you by eSpeakers, hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is produced and presented by eSpeakers; sponsored by ImpactEleven.

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Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.

Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.

Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.

Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.

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Episode Transcription

Scott Bloom:

So obviously, you know, a little bit of a parody there making fun of our psychic friends. And what's great about that piece is it's interactive, it gets connected with the audience, and it's just a way to sort of show that you can make fun of, you know, of anything and it's something they can, you know, definitely relate to.

Josh Linkner:

Welcome to Mic Drop, the podcast for professional speakers. We cover the ins and outs of the business. Helping you deliver more impact on bigger stages at higher fees. You'll gain an inside edge through intimate conversations with the world's most successful keynote speakers. Mic Drop is brought to you by E Speakers. I'm your host, Josh Linkner. Get ready for some inspiring mic drop moments together.

Josh Linkner:

Today's show is sponsored by Impact Eleven, formerly known as Three Ring Circus, the best and most diverse and inclusive community built for training and developing professional speakers. They're not just elevating an industry we know and love. They work with hundreds of speakers to launch and scale their speaking businesses, earning tens of millions in speaking fees, landing bureau representation, securing book deals, and rising to the top of the field.

Josh Linkner:

To learn more and schedule a free intro call visit Impacteleven.com. That's impact E-L-E-V-E-N dot com. Mic Drop is produced and presented by E Speakers. If you want more audiences and organizations to be moved and changed by your message, you owe it to yourself to find out why thousands of top experts use E Speakers to manage and grow their business. When you use E Speakers, you'll feel confident about your business, package yourself up for success and be able to focus on what matters most to you and your business. For more information and a free 30 day trial, visit Espeakers.com/micdrop. That's Espeakers.com/micdrop.

Josh Linkner:

As a professional speaker, we know that humor is a powerful way to connect with and move an audience. On this episode of Mic Drop, I sit down with standup comedian turned MC and keynote speaker Scott Bloom to explore how laughs can convert into dollars and impact in the speaking business. For the last 20 years, Scott has brought comedy to corporate events and has become one of the most sought after hosts and MCs. He's the guy that can warm up even the grumpiest of audiences, transforming boredom into raucous laughter.

Josh Linkner:

In my conversation with Scott, we discuss the importance of humor in a good keynote, what keynote speakers can learn from hosts and what hosts can learn from keynote speakers, how to build emotional connection with audiences through humor, and how the best presenters set the tone, elevating the energy of any room. He even shares some tips on how we keynote speakers can build our comedic skills and become more funny. And as a special bonus at the end of this episode, Scott performs an interactive comedy bit with me that you won't want to miss. Comedian, MC, host, keynote speaker. Scott Bloom, welcome to Mic Drop.

Scott Bloom:

Oh, it is so good to be here. Good to see you, Josh.

Josh Linkner:

So I've been really looking forward to our conversation. You're one of the people that I just admire so much in our industry. And one of the things I love about you is how funny you are. Obviously you started in comedy. Can you just take us back a little bit about the earlier parts of your career, what you were up to, and then how that transitioned into performing in the corporate setting?

Scott Bloom:

Yeah, sure. You know, I started out as a standup comic. You know, I started in the club scenes in the late eighties. Comedy was booming. It was really easy to get on stage back then. So I got a lot of stage time. Within a couple of years, I was making a living as a standup. It was a perfect time to do comedy. I always loved comedy. I grew up, you know, being funny or feeling funny. And then, you know, through the years, people ...

Scott Bloom:

You start to build up your career as a standup. You move from a opening act to a feature act. Then you start to headline. And I got into the corporate space because someone was looking for someone who was fast on their feet, someone who can interact with the audience. They were putting together a game show. They thought, oh, get a comedian in. That would be a great way to do that.

Scott Bloom:

I started doing, you know, a lot of game show hosting in the beginning. I actually developed a company where we created game shows as a way to reinforce information, reinforce knowledge of the meeting. It was allowing me to be funny, you know, in the moment and ad libbing. And then from that, I started to get a reputation as someone who would be a good host, someone who could, you know, transition the different segments easily, engage the audience, get them warmed up, get them ready and receptive for messaging.

Scott Bloom:

And that became, you know, between the standup and the corporate, that became my gig. And then I started doing more and more corporate and stuff like that. And I stopped doing the standup probably back in 2000. And now I just do, you know, the MC work and keynotes.

Josh Linkner:

So for the last 20 years you've been making people smile and laugh in the corporate setting. But also I think you're helping to create an impact. That's the interesting thing. Unlike only doing standup, which is awesome, by the way, no criticism there, you're helping people advance their business objectives, connect as a team. It's a little bit of a different thing. What would you say are some of the core differences that you experienced between doing traditional standup work and being in the sort of keynote corporate world that you and I live in today?

Scott Bloom:

Yeah. I mean, I think that's a great question. People ask me, you know, is it hard to do comedy at a ... You know, I used to do it at 8:00 PM at night. Now I'm doing it at 8:00 in the morning. What I love about the corporate environment is you've got smart people there. You don't have to play to the lowest common denominator. And people aren't expecting a standup show. They're not expecting comedy. So they're a lot more ...

Scott Bloom:

When you hit them with something funny, it's a more genuine reaction. There's none of that hey, you know, prove yourself to me. Even if they know I'm going to be funny. And I just love working with those audiences. And because there's a connection between the audience and the audience members, I can find material that's specific to them.

Scott Bloom:

So I try to customize, you know, my material to them about their business, you know, using their language, getting information from their leadership team. So to make it really personal so they feel like, oh, I've put some effort into learning about them. And so there's ... It's interesting.

Scott Bloom:

Comedy is done on a real unconscious level, you know. As a comedian in the very beginning, it's all about you. It's all about me. You know, I'm trying to do well. I'm really affected by how the audience is going to respond. But as you grow as a comedian, you start to realize, oh, I've got this. I'm funny. I know how to do this. And the audience can kind of pick up on that when they don't feel that they have to support you. They're doing it naturally. There's an organic process going on.

Scott Bloom:

So you lighten up, they lighten up and there's a little bit more of a give and take and we're all in it together. I like, you know ... The biggest difference between doing what I do now and what I was doing in stand up is, you know, as I said, you don't have to play to the lowest common denominator. You've got smart people, and therefore the humor can be more, you know, more intelligent.

Josh Linkner:

Well, the other thing too is of course comedy is ultimately about life. And when you're in a standup club, you're talking about people's, generally their personal lives mostly. And now you get this whole other possibilities with people's business lives and the relationships between bosses and team members and winning the Jones account and all the things that occur in the business setting. Do you find that to be an inspiring playground for you as a comedian? Or does that start to feel a bit restrictive over the years?

Scott Bloom:

I don't find it restrictive because I've always ... First of all, just the fact that I came out of the standup world with clean comedy and, you know, appropriate comedy. And that's something we can talk about now too, how comedy has changed in the corporate setting. But I like to be able to, you know, create material based around them. So it's less about me and more about them.

Scott Bloom:

So I don't feel, you know, restricted. Because yes, in a standup world, you're going to need a little bit more confessional, a little bit more personal. And in the corporate world, it's really about them, about their business. It's making the experience about them so that they can relate to something. And it's a fun challenge to find different creative comedy pieces that are either business oriented or built around them.

Scott Bloom:

You know, I did an event last week where I created a bit for the, you know, the very first time. And it's kind of interesting because with standup, you get to work in clubs and showcase it. When you're in the corporate world, you don't have that luxury of being able to practice it. And over the years, you start to realize what is funny. You kind of intuitively know, oh, this is going to work.

Scott Bloom:

And you can fine tune it, but you can go into an audience and pretty much be assured that this is probably going to work. It's going to work a lot better, you know, a year down the road. But it's a fun experience to try to create new things and having the benefit about being about them. That gives you a little bit more of a cushion because you know they're going to be able to relate to it and it becomes a little bit more personal. And that's what's cool about comedy in the corporate world is that you can make it more personal, more about them.

Josh Linkner:

Well, it's a great transition in our conversation to keynoting because of course keynoting is the same thing, making it about them, serving their needs, making it personal and customized for them. And of course you do both. You both keynote and are an MC and a host. I've often felt that comedy, that humor, is an important part of a good keynote.

Josh Linkner:

Not all, I'm sure there's exceptions to the rules, but generally speaking, if people are laughing, they're learning. And you want people to have a good time at a corporate event. They're going to pay attention. They're going to lean in. Even if you have substantive content to share. What are your thoughts on the importance of humor in a good keynote?

Scott Bloom:

Well, humor is so important. And it really, as you said, it depends on the type of keynote. But humor opens people up. Humor gets people en engaged. They feel good. You know what I, you know a lot of times I'm being brought in to close out an event because they want something big. They want to go out on a big note and have something that sort of resonates, make them feel happy, make them feel good. And that's what, you know, humor does. That's what laughter does.

Scott Bloom:

I think even if ... You know, my keynote, there's a lot of comedy in it. And I use comedy as a demonstration of how when you make it personal, when you make an effort to make someone feel special, that they have an immediate connection. And, you know, let's not forget, laughter is another form of emotion. And to build relationships, you need to connect on an emotional level.

Scott Bloom:

So if you can do it with humor, it's not just them smiling and being happy. And obviously being happy is going to make them more open, more receptive. But it's also, you know, building that relationship. And if they laugh, they're going to feel something. You want to find a way to get your audience to feel something. If it's very pedantic and you're just giving facts and not being able to connect on an emotional level, you're sort of missing the mark.

Scott Bloom:

So humor's just another tool a keynote can do. It's my main tool, you know, because that's how I connect with the audience. I use humor to connect. I also, as I said, use it to demonstrate to them, hey, look, you're feeling something, we're building a relationship here, and I've actually put some effort into making it a, you know, about you. So I think humor is, you know, definitely important.

Scott Bloom:

And I think I get a lot of keynotes who come up to me, "Hey, can you help me be a little more funny or find ways?" And I think the more they get more comfortable with the material, get more comfortable with themselves, they'll be more comfortable to adding a little bit of humor into their keynote.

Josh Linkner:

Well, it's funny, that's exactly where I wanted to go next. We talked about the importance of humor and the real ability as artists, you know, because we as a keynote speaker, we're artists. That's another set of paints that we can use in creating art. What are some tips for those that are, you know, maybe not inherently as funny naturally, or they want to boost their humor factor in a keynote? Do you have any sort of, at least introductory tips of how we keynote folk can become more funny?

Scott Bloom:

That's funny in itself. I mean, look, you know, if you're a keynote speaker, you're at some level charismatic, at some level you're a speaker. So you should be able to handle a little bit of humor. I think it's not taking it too seriously. I mean, it's about being light and you know, that's what humor does. It also, you know, allows the audience to feel light.

Scott Bloom:

And when you're presenting something or presenting comedy, you really, and I tell this to speakers, you know, more like executives, you have to get the attention off yourself. It has to be about putting more of the attention on them. And so that you become less self-conscious, you can be more in the moment. And my comedy or at least the impact I've had on my audience has definitely changed over the years. Because as I said, I've gotten less self-conscious, less in my head. When you get out of your head, that's a great way to be more connected to the audience when you want to use comedy is to stop thinking so much about the moment. If you're going to present comedy.

Scott Bloom:

Get out of your head, be more present, be more with the audience and just have a little bit more fun with it. I think when people start, "Oh, there's a joke coming up. I don't know if they're going to laugh or not." You just want to just be able to put it out there. And also listening to comedy, starting to find a rhythm. And I think all speakers find that rhythm.

Scott Bloom:

I mean, Josh, I mean, I know you don't present comedy, but you're funny. You know what's funny. And it's sort of also trusting, hey, I have a good sense of humor. I know that this is funny, and I'm going to make the assumption, make the leap, have that faith that they're going to find it's funny too.

Josh Linkner:

So as a keynote speaker and really a student of the craft, I watch a lot of tape, just the way athletes watch tape. I watch tape of other great keynote speakers all the time. I watch tape of ... or tours of other ... Martin Luther King and JFK and great politicians throughout the years. And so I'm trying to always learn and hone my craft. I watch tapes of Baptist preachers to learn about rhythm and repetition and changes in volume and cadence.

Josh Linkner:

What type of influences do you think we could watch or to learn from some of the masters? Like, do you have any particular comedians that you recommend? For keynote speakers like us, if we want to boost our comedy skills, go on YouTube, who should we watch?

Scott Bloom:

That's a good question. I mean, I was a big fan of Steve Martin, Albert Brooks. That sort of informed my style of comedy. There's a lot of parody. There's a lot of playing things straight, even though, you know, we know it's silly. There some great comedy. I mean, Billy Crystal was always a great influence, you know, because he was in that sort of host mode.

Scott Bloom:

There were a lot of great comedians that, you know, that I like now that, you know ... I think it's a personal choice. I think it's tough to narrow down just one comedian. There's Dennis Miller I was always a fan of. You know, people ... I think you need to find a comedian that's sort of in your sort of zone.

Scott Bloom:

You know, if you're more of a wordsmith you're going to want to listen to a couple of comedians that are really more about, you know, the words. I mean, Conan O'Brien is a great person to listen. I listen to podcasts a lot. And, you know, to find some of these people on these podcasts that, you know ... What I loved about Conan O'Brien moving from TV to the podcast was that he became a little bit more about him and he trusts, you know ... He's always been funny, but he trusts who he is. I think it's finding that comedian that you feel like you can relate to and then zero in on that person.

Josh Linkner:

So good. And, you know, the good thing when you're learning any craft, whether it's learning to play tennis or play guitar, or like you first emulate and then you develop your own voice. So I watched late night comedians all the time. My favorite is Stephen Colbert, but I love Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel and others. And again, just watching what they do, how they reveal a joke, their timing, their pacing, what do they do with gestures?

Josh Linkner:

So I just think that the good news for all of us is that just in the same way being a good speaker is a learned skill. Being good at comedy is a learned skill. Doesn't mean we're all going to become the next, you know, most famous comedian in the world, but it is a skill that we can develop and cultivate and improve. So speaking of developing and improving our skills, you have straddled the fact that you can do both hosting and keynoting. Because you've had experience in both sides of that coin, what can keynote speakers learn from hosts and what can hosts learn from keynote speakers?

Scott Bloom:

Well, I think keynotes, what they can learn from hosts is that they're constantly in the moment and, you know, dealing with things as they come. I mean, we prepare things that we're going to do, but there's a little bit more entertainment aspect, you know, about it. So that sort of muscle to be able not just to present but also to entertain. I think keynote MCs or hosts can learn from keynotes is about having a message and having a clear focus and a vision about what you want to talk about.

Scott Bloom:

With me going back and forth from those two realms is when I keynote, I'm really referring to a lot of my experience as a comedian, as a host. And I talk about how over the years I learned what worked was when I put some time and effort into what it is that I'm doing.

Scott Bloom:

So I think, you know, a lot of the MCs can look at, you know, these keynotes have spent years honing their craft. A lot of times, you know, MCs might go, "Hey, I'm only on for five minutes," or, "I'm only on for seven minutes. I don't have to really craft too much, or I don't have to prepare too much." I think the preparation is a good thing to learn as a keynote. And I think, you know, for an MC to learn from a keynote. And I think from a keynote's perspective to learn from the MC is that spontaneity, you know, to really be in a moment.

Scott Bloom:

You have your set sort of speech, but things are going to come up. And that's one of the things that, you know, why they hire an MC that can ad lib, can be in the moment, can, you know ... Something might be a last minute change. And to not be so glued to the script, to the presentation, you know, you want to be able to have it. But be able to move around within it.

Scott Bloom:

And I think that's a great lesson for, you know, some keynotes to learn is to be a little bit more spontaneous so that they ... And audiences really sort of respect that. You know, as a comedian, whether I was in the clubs or I was hosting, I think what audiences really relate to is, "Hey, that was clearly not planned. And they handled it, you know, so well.

Scott Bloom:

I know you have, as a keynote, we have our sort of set routines. In my keynote, I have a lot of room to ad lib, a lot of room to really be in the moment. But spontaneity is so important because that gives that live energy and gets that real strong connection with the audience.

Josh Linkner:

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Josh Linkner:

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Josh Linkner:

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Josh Linkner:

Excellent advice. What I would add that I've learned as a keynote speaker from hosts is that, you know, if you're a host, you know that part of your job is to bring people's energy up and to be entertaining and get them ready to roll. You know, like that's part of the gig. I think sometimes keynote speakers, we become so caught up in our own body of work and our own, you know, perspective that we're thinking we're just there to espouse wisdom and people should be lucky to hear every word that we have.

Josh Linkner:

And boy is that a miss. Where I think that a core part of a keynote's responsibility, just like a host, is to shift the energy in the room, to get people enthusiastic. It's not just motivation in like a cheesy plaid jacket, cliche kind of way, but really to help bring people's energy to a different spot.

Josh Linkner:

I've heard keynote speaker friends say to me things like, "Oh man, that audience was so flat this morning. I gave a keynote. It was the opening keynote. They were out late at the bar last night. And man, it really brought my energy down." And again, I would say with respect, but like our job as the keynote speaker is to anchor where the energy is and bring the audience up to us, not allow ourselves to devolve down to them. And I think hosts are great at that. And that's one thing I've learned from you as one of my favorite hosts of all. Do you have a comment on that?

Scott Bloom:

Yeah, no. I think that's an excellent point. I mean, we're there, and that was one of the big shifts when I came into the corporate space, we're there to shift the tone. You know, they're going to a business meeting. They're going to a conference. They've seen it all before. Sometimes I'm coming in as an MC and they've never had a professional MC. They've always had, you know, the VP of sales.

Scott Bloom:

And so to right from the beginning to shift that tone, to shift that energy of the audience, is very powerful. It sets the tone for the entire meeting. And you need to do that as a keynote too is, you know, a lot of times a lot of us are coming in at the end of a conference. Yeah. It's not the most ideal place. So you have to really be able to take that audience and take them with you and really pick up that energy and shift that tone to bring them to where you want to be.

Josh Linkner:

So good. So good. Shift the tone. I'm going to remember that one. That's spot on. So I had a question for you. Back when you started in comedy and certainly when you were getting into hosting and MC work, politics was fair game. There were people who had opinions, there was different sides of the aisle, but we could poke fun at each other. It wasn't as sort of toxic and divisive as it has become today. How have you navigated that? And also, are there any other sensitive topics that you have to approach differently than perhaps you did 20 years ago?

Scott Bloom:

Yeah. I mean, things have changed. And as I said, I've been lucky because I always know where the line is. The line is constantly moving these days, but I always knew that my material needed to be clean. I needed to be non-political. I knew that. And I was in that safe space when it was about them, about their business. But even these days, certain things have changed.

Scott Bloom:

There's a couple of things, just some wording, that, you know, three years ago, no one would think about. And it's real simple. So let me see if this will give you an example. So I do a psychic parody where I pretend to have all these psychic abilities, and one of the things that I say, so I'm making fun of those late night psychics. You know, I might say something to someone. You know, what I'm getting at is you didn't know your great great grandfather, did you?

Scott Bloom:

And you know, "No." And then I'll have this little moment with them. And I get real emotional. "You're the spitting image of your great great grandfather. I wish I had a picture right now. You have his eyes, sweetie." And it's that sort of patronizing kind of thing. Even the word sweetie now. Even though it's a parody, I feel like, oh, that might, you know ... I'm making fun of that sort of insincere kind of thing. But I decided, oh that might be ...

Scott Bloom:

You know, I'm going to use their first name now because it's not a ... It's not so much that we're getting uncomfortable with the language. We're getting uncomfortable because we think other people might get comfortable or we're told to be uncomfortable. There's a lot of language, you know. And I can understand that, you know, from that perspective. But I'm making little shifts, you know, that way.

Scott Bloom:

But as far as, you know, political stuff, it was never good to go that way. I mean, I did have a bit years and years ago, my standup about gun control and how, you know, the constitution was written 200 years ago. Back then, you know, they had muskets. They didn't have to worry about someone robbing a store with a musket. You know, it's hard to carry. It's huge. And then it takes an hour and a half to reload.

Scott Bloom:

So that was the point that, you know, these days, you know, we're not running around with muskets. I wouldn't even touch something like that. And that was in the club days. I wouldn't ever bring anything like that into corporate. So you start to know where it is. The biggest difference is maybe in the past, I would've stepped on the line but not go over it. Now I step in front of the line. I won't even step on the line because I think it's too sensitive.

Scott Bloom:

And one of the things I'm proud of, you know, I've been doing this 20 plus years now. I mean, I've been doing comedy for over 30, but you know, in the corporate world, 20, 25 years now. And not once has anyone said, "Hey, you can't say that," or, "We had a problem with what you said." Because you just sort of, especially when you're doing comedy ...

Scott Bloom:

And I think it's so great that these clients have faith, because comedy is, you know ... People could feel, "Well, what if he says the wrong thing? And what if he mentions a certain topic?" And I've just known where that line is and never walked over it. And I'm kind of proud of that, that I've always had clients and audiences that have been happy and I haven't offended anyone.

Josh Linkner:

Well, it's so good. I mean, first of all, to me, when you gravitate, especially toward more sort of vulgar humor, I feel it's kind of lazy. I think it's hard to do ... Jerry Seinfeld doesn't ever say a swear word and he's brilliantly funny. That takes more work. So I admire the fact that you think the same. And I also admire the fact that you continue to reinvent. You know, it's not like you're just telling the same bit from years ago. You're always coming up with new material and you're doing it contextually.

Josh Linkner:

So it's appropriate and still funny, and it's relevant. But also you're really thoughtful of where that line is because you're right. You know, if you have 99% great performance but you say one horrible thing, that's what you'll be remembered for. And it's admirable for your extensive career that you've been able to avoid that trap. That's really cool.

Josh Linkner:

So now that you are a journeyman in our field, you've had a lot of experience, what advice would you give to somebody who's new in this? Somebody who's just starting out. Maybe they're shifting into the corporate world, either as a host or a keynote speaker. What are some tips of wisdom that you might want to share?

Scott Bloom:

Well, I mean, I think if it's a comedian, a lot of comedians want to do corporate work. The money's better. The opportunities are more interesting. You know, for that person who wants to start hosting is that there's a lot of stuff that you'd be doing in the clubs that are just not going to work. That you have to, you know, really kind of know your audiences.

Scott Bloom:

I think also, and I know Josh, you talk about this, it's just repetition. It's just getting an opportunity to be on stage as often as you can. Because in the beginning, there's a lot of fear. There's a lot of anxiety, you know. Are they going to like me? I mean, these days, if I get nervous, it might be a little bit more about, oh, I might try something, you know, new, and I might not sure how that goes.

Scott Bloom:

You know, sometimes it's just where you are. But I don't ever think about the fact will they laugh or not? That's almost sort of a given. It's not being arrogant. It's just that I've done it enough times that I know this stuff works and might work at a five as opposed to an eight level or, you know, it might not get as much laugh. So it's being able to get over those fears and anxieties. And the only way you can do that is by doing it over and over again.

Scott Bloom:

Practice, you know, on your own but also try to get in front of audiences. You know, I know you talk at your speaker bootcamp about, you know, find anywhere you can to get on stage because that'll get you more comfortable, get you out of your head, get that anxiety and fear level down. And, you know, just like with standup comedy, an audience can tell when someone needs it really bad or when they're fearful. And you got to get over that hump.

Scott Bloom:

It's a little easier when you're just presenting and you don't need that audience reaction. But you know, if you're good enough at what you do, you don't have to rely as much, especially as a comedian, on the audience. There's a weird thing that sometimes happens is you might feel like, hey, I didn't really crush it this day, this performance or this presentation. I wasn't getting the response. And then you get these responses back from the audience, "Oh, we loved," and stuff.

Scott Bloom:

Audiences are going to respond different ways. You know, they can have a great time. You know, you definitely want them to physically make a noise and laugh. But sometimes they're just smiling. They're appreciating you. So you have to build yourself up the place where you trust yourself, you're going to do a great job. The audience has free will. They can respond to any way you want. That's not a determination of whether you're doing a good job. So I think just get out there and really believe in what you're presenting.

Josh Linkner:

Excellent insights from one of our industry's best and funniest, the one and only Scott Bloom. Thank you for joining me.

Scott Bloom:

Thank you, Josh.

Josh Linkner:

Man, was that funny. Some key takeaways from today's episode. Number one, by lightening up, getting out of our own heads, and being fully present, we can connect more deeply with our audiences. Instead of just reciting our lines, leave room for some improv, which will elevate you from a typical talking head to a standout in the moment and spontaneous performer.

Josh Linkner:

Number two, setting the tone is a core responsibility. As a professional speaker, we need to bring the energy up and show them, not just tell them, how to feel. Simply put, it's our job to set the tone. And number three, as performing artists, humor can play an important role in our overall delivery. Let's not forget that when people are laughing, they're learning. A dash of humor can elevate your keynote impact and of course your speaking business.

Josh Linkner:

As a bonus, check out Scott Bloom doing a parody of a keynote speaker using the word "leadership" as a cheesy acronym. Reminds us to laugh a little at ourselves and not take everything so darn seriously. You can easily find this on YouTube, and we'll also include a link in the show notes. On that note, wishing you continued success and a laugh or two out there on that platform.

Josh Linkner:

Now we really get to have some fun as a bonus. I ask Scott to perform a comedy bit with me. This one is a parody of those late night psychics and how they fumble around pretending that they all have supernatural powers.

Scott Bloom:

So, Josh, I don't know if you know this, but I do have some psychic abilities. I've been a psychic coach for high level executives, but I also work for a lot of Hollywood celebrities. I'd love to do a quick reading of you, if you'd be open to that.

Josh Linkner:

That would be amazing. I had no idea.

Scott Bloom:

Oh yeah, no, no. I was Dionne Warwick's personal psychic back in the nineties. I don't know if that gives me some credibility here. But out loud, I know we know each other, I don't know a lot about you, but just give me your first name three times and I'll give you a personal, intuitive, psychic reading. Your first name three times.

Josh Linkner:

Okay. My first name. Yep. Josh, Josh. Josh.

Scott Bloom:

Joshua. Is it Joshua?

Josh Linkner:

Yes, it is. In fact.

Scott Bloom:

No. Is it? Is it Joshua or is it Josh?

Josh Linkner:

Well, no, my full name is Joshua.

Scott Bloom:

Okay. Okay. So we're off to a good start. I'm going to call you Joshua. I know you're referred to as Josh a lot, but I want to get you out of your element. Now, first thing I'm getting from you, Joshua, is you are single. Are you not?

Josh Linkner:

No.

Scott Bloom:

Hmm. Okay. When I say single, you are an individual.

Josh Linkner:

Yes.

Scott Bloom:

You're someone with a very strong sense of self. I see a lot of confidence coming from you, Josh. People look up to you. Now this is interesting. I'm starting to see a wife. Is there a wife in picture?

Josh Linkner:

There is.

Scott Bloom:

Yes. I was a little thrown off by Josh. He's got, I don't know if you've met Josh, he's got a little bit of an intimidating air. I have a little of that, too. And I wouldn't be surprised if we weren't born under the same birth sign. What month were you born?

Josh Linkner:

July.

Scott Bloom:

July? Me too.

Josh Linkner:

Yes.

Scott Bloom:

July 15th.

Josh Linkner:

No.

Scott Bloom:

Is my birthday. Let's see how close it is to Joshua's birthday. Josh, when when's your birthday?

Josh Linkner:

July 28th.

Scott Bloom:

Wow. Out of 365 days, I missed it by only 13. I'm getting right now you have children. Do you not?

Josh Linkner:

I do.

Scott Bloom:

More than one child?

Josh Linkner:

Yes. More than one child.

Scott Bloom:

The younger one is not as old as the oldest one.

Josh Linkner:

That is true.

Scott Bloom:

The younger one is a boy.

Josh Linkner:

No.

Scott Bloom:

Or a girl. I'm going to go with girl. It is a girl.

Josh Linkner:

It's a good guess. Yes.

Scott Bloom:

And I'm getting a name right now. I'm getting a name. The name of your significant other, we've never met. Well, we have met obviously, but I don't know your wife's name. Just give me the first five letters of your wife's name.

Josh Linkner:

It's T-I-A.

Scott Bloom:

Space space, I guess. Okay. I'm getting very, I'm getting this on a gut level, like Tua, Tia. Tia. Is it Tia? Is it Tia?

Josh Linkner:

It is, it is. Yes.

Scott Bloom:

It is Tia. I always go with your gut. This is the first thing that I got right now. And this is the important thing, I think the reason we're talking right now. How's your brother doing?

Josh Linkner:

My brother's doing well.

Scott Bloom:

Right? How's your sister doing?

Josh Linkner:

Sister's doing well also.

Scott Bloom:

Your sister is younger?

Josh Linkner:

Than me, yes.

Scott Bloom:

Yes. Than you. Yes. You and your younger sister were very close growing up. And I want to see if we can get you guys back together. You haven't spoken to your younger sister in a while have you? When's the last time you spoke to her?

Josh Linkner:

A month ago.

Scott Bloom:

Mm. And your brother, when's the last time you spoke to him?

Josh Linkner:

Yesterday.

Scott Bloom:

Yeah. See that's that's way too long. I think I need to get you a little bit more connected with your siblings right now. I hope this sort of helped. There's a big decision coming up, Josh, and I don't want to reveal too much right now. But what I'm getting is do it. Okay? Just do it. Or don't do it. Okay? It's really up to you. I don't want to take your power away. I hope that helped.

Josh Linkner:

Yes. Very, very helpful. Now I have clear direction to proceed.

Scott Bloom:

Oh, good. Good, good. So obviously, you know, a little bit of a parody there making fun of our psychic friends. And what's great about that piece is it's interactive. It gets connected with the audience, and it's just a way to sort of show that you can make fun of anything and it's something they can, you know, definitely relate to.

Josh Linkner:

Well, thank you. Now I have a whole renewed sense of confidence to make life the best I possibly can. As you said to go for it. Scott Bloom, thank you again.

Scott Bloom:

Thanks.

Josh Linkner:

Thanks for joining me on another episode of Mic Drop. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. If you love the show, please share with your friends. And don't forget to give us a five star review. For show transcripts and show notes, visit Micdroppodcast.com. Mic Drop is produced and presented by E Speakers. And a big thanks to our sponsor, Impact Eleven. I'm your host, Josh Linkner. Thanks for listening. And here's to your mic drop moment.