From Laugher to Disaster - My Gigs as a Paid Imposter
I’ve been asked to be an imposter, and I’ve done it; with good and bad results. In the comedy world, an imposter is someone who pretends to be someone else – like an employee or the boss from corporate. They show up to the event, start in on their dry, boring speech and then get funnier (or more insulting) and funnier until people FINALLY realize they are not really who they say they are. I’ve never really wanted to be an imposter because I want people to have a license to laugh, so I want them to know I’m a comedian, but the few times I’ve done it have not always been disasters. The times it worked well were a blast. Let’s start with a couple of those.??
Three times I’ve done this imposter thing in front of sales groups, and they were
great. Maybe it’s something about sales people, because they’re usually good laughers anyway and they get jokes quickly. One time I was introduced as a new person from “corporate” to talk about the teambuilding venture that they had been rolling out over the past two years. Everyone in the company was sick of this teambuilding theme, and so when I was introduced, the groans were real and loud. Luckily this theme lent itself to some humor and I was able to start off right away making fun of the theme. Plus, for once, I think alcohol was a little booster in my favor. I kicked off with, “You know, when things are going well with a company, that’s the time to mess it up with a new teambuilding venture.” And then I went from there. About 10 minutes in, everyone was snickering and figuring out that I was a comedian, and the place finally went nuts. Later in the elevator, two attendees told me that they had a fight between them because one of them thought I was for real and the other knew I just couldn’t be. I felt great.?
I also did the imposter thing twice at another sales conference and it
rocked. On the first day, I did it just for the staff of the organization. I was introduced as the sales manager from the hotel, and I was giving their staff a big “welcome to the property” speech. Luckily the company CEO, who was not in on the joke, had a funny last name and a sense of humor. I started thanking him and then commenting on his name, and then commenting on his name again and again, and I went from there. The place was cracking up, though I finally had to fess up that I’m really not from the hotel. The next day, I did the same thing, but for the bigger conference, in which I joked about their conference, and it hit great again.??
So three successful imposter events and, even though I was nervous and unsure of them, they turned out beautifully. But you know that saying that “it works until it doesn’t”? Well, I hit the time where it doesn’t, and it wasn’t pretty. Picture a thousand people at a major company. The event planner started our preconference planning call with the dreaded, “We’ve got an idea.” They wanted to introduce me as a new employee, and then I would start making fun of the company while gradually going into my act.?
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I still was shaky about being an imposter, but I told them that if
they wanted me to, then I’d try it. Bad idea! The purpose of this conference was to pump the employees up. And nothing pumps people up more than having an imposter comedian come out and make fun of the company—not! They were proud of their company and their accomplishments, and what was this jackass new employee trying to do by coming out and making fun of it? I bombed big and abandoned my persona about five minutes into the act. But alas, it was too late, the damage was done. The audience was torn between being confused and insulted. It was not pretty. I made the mistake of thinking I could joke around about the company. I’d done that before and it worked. What was happing with this gig???
I wrapped up early, to the relief of everyone, and headed out. Have you ever tried to slip out of a convention in which everyone saw you and pretty much didn’t like you? I’ve had to do that walk of shame across the bar gig floor, but this was an entire convention center. I went to my room and held myself hostage in it until I got the sweet relief of my flight out the next day. Now when I hear “I’ve got an idea,” I sometimes think, ”Let’s stifle your idea and just let me do my act.”?
The big takeaway? Don’t ever just TRY something if you aren’t fully committed and really want to do it.??
?Jan McInnis is a Keynote Speaker, Comedian, Comedy Writer, and Master of Ceremonies. She has written for Jay Leno’s Tonight Show monologue as well as many other people, places, and groups – radio, TV, syndicated cartoon strips, and even guests on the Jerry Springer show (her parents are proud). For 20+ years she’s traveled country as a keynote speaker and comedian sharing her unique and practical tips on what business leaders can learn from comedians (no, it’s not all about telling jokes). She can be reached at www.TheWorkLady.com, or [email protected]? She’s also a GREAT Master of Ceremonies. Click here for her emcee site?
Some of the stories in this newsletter are taken from Jan’s popular book:?