Big Laughs Bring Everyone Closer
I was recently at a private party. Like, a really really nice private party. Now that COVID is on the decline and things are starting to open back up, events are starting to take place again. And for my best friend and production company owner Nick Phillips of Nick Phillips Productions, it’s welcome news. Anyhow, with things getting busier, he had two events booked back-to-back over the weekend and one of them, a college graduation party for a very wealthy family, needed a bartender. He thought of me and since I’m always down for a party, I decided to take the gig just for the hell of it. Hey, it sounded like a blast so I took the pay cut and said “fuck it!”
This was a very casual but well-planned and elaborately catered event. And surprisingly, as soon as I arrived, I found that I knew the personal chef they had hired to cater the event — Gustavo, owner of Gusto Catering who I had met while getting my groove on at Ecstatic Dance Reno years before. Damn, Reno is a small town.
Along with being privately catered (and bartender by yours truly), the event organizers had booked a private comedian to perform for the guests. Now, this is something I can totally get down with. There’s an old saying — “laughter is the best medicine”, and in reality, it goes far beyond that. Laughter binds us. It’s a tool that, when wielded properly helps make light of bad situations and deliver poignant observation in a way that, oftentimes, allows us to learn a thing or two, think differently, and process tough or negative topics in a more thoughtful and rational way.
With that said, it goes without saying that booking a private comedian to perform at your event is a great way to build community and really break the ice. Now I have to say that the crowd at this event already knew each other quite well, so icebreakers weren’t really an issue.
However, at other events where everyone may not know each other as well, anxiety may run rampant. Private comedians are a great way to burst those territorial bubbles and get people closer. After all, the connection of laughter builds strong ties. The comedy show was a blast and really cemented the belief in my head that comedy can be a valuable asset to any private party or special event.
How Do You Find the Right Comedian?
That got me thinking. How does the average person find a comedian to perform at their private event. If you’re looking to book a seasoned comedian in the Reno area who can entertain your guests, who is the best choice? How do you make the proper selection? It all comes down to what you’re looking for. Do you need a clean comedian or are you cool with swearing. I hope you’re cool with it because I’ve got a pretty foul mouth and very little filter. However, some people have a more conservative audience and need a comedian who can swing both ways.
On the other hand, maybe you’re more interested in content or life experiences. Or a particular style of comedy. Are you looking for more a George Carlin type or Jeff Foxworth? Those are big differences. Is your audience interested in classic cars or are they financial planners? Again, two very different audiences.
After carefully considering the choices in Reno and going over specials and material, when it comes down to the most solid choice in the Reno area, I’d personally select Marc Yaffee. Why? There are a number of reasons.
The Marc of Quality
Marc is a seasoned comedian with 20+ years of experience, if I remember correctly, and he’s traveled all over the world in that time. Not only does Marc have the worldly experience that broadens his comedic horizons, but as a Native American comedian, he has a unique take on topics that may be a bit taboo for other comedians to take on. After all, for some reason, people tend to stomach certain material better when a person of a certain ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation rips on themselves and their culture.
As a person of Jewish heritage, I know this all too well. It’s easy for me to rip on Jews, but some might find it offensive if I were to drop a “Trail of Tears” joke. People may find it disturbing to make fun of a person suffering from Tourettes Syndrome, but a comedian with Tourettes can rip on himself all day as he randomly shouts obscenities and uncontrollably snaps his fingers. Gay guy says “fag” and it’s no big deal. A black comedian can say THE WORD WHICH SHALL NOT BE NAMED (dare I type it… dare I?). You get the picture.
This, among other things, is what gives Marc Yaffee the ability to make crowds of any type or size roar with laughter. There aren’t many Native American comedians in the business. This really gives Marc an edge. But he truly is great at both clean and adult comedy. I’ve watched his various specials (and his appearance on DryBar Comedy at least 3 times). His material was clean as a whistle. However, when I saw Marc live for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to hear he was able to perform for a more adult audience. Additionally, he was witty, fast on his feet, and great at interacting directly with the audience. Those are tough skills to have. And he’s the whole package.
And despite the fact that the pandemic absolutely ravaged the comedy industry for nearly 18 months, Marc stayed busy turning his attention to attracting a worldwide online audience. Over the last year, Marc blew up his TikTok, to a point which quite honestly shocked me. He gathered nearly 80,000 followers and his posts have garnered over 1,000,000 Likes! That’s freaking crazy! And it says something powerful too.
But really, let’s be honest for a moment. Another great thing about Marc Yaffee is that he is a local comedian. And whether we’re talking local comedians, local DJs, or local bands, it’s hard to find that diamond in the rough. Think about that. It’s rare to have access to international talent who happens to live in town.
A Diamond in the Rough
Marc actually lives in Sparks, NV, and not too far from me. So close in fact that sometimes, in the pouring rain, I dress in a trenchcoat and dark sunglasses and stand outside his house just staring in the window for hours. I’ve got a serious problem. But seriously, it’s super cool to have comedic talent like that at arm’s length.
So with those things in mind, and a whole lot more, should you be in need of a talented comedian for your next private party, corporate gathering, or special event, I deem Marc Yaffee my first choice for Reno/Sparks comedian. He’s the full package and a real gem in the Reno comedy scene. Plus he loves performing for the locals, as many great artists do. You can tell he has a lot of fun here.
I’ve included his info below should you feel you and your friends, family, or colleagues are in need of a good laugh or two. If you haven’t seen him perform, there are plenty of links to his specials on his site so you can get a taste of his comedic stylings. If you want to book Marc, visit his official booking website. So what are you waiting for? Get to laughing and see how great it can be to bring comedy to your next event. You won't regret it, I promise.
