Humorist Speakers

Kathy Najimy

Rarely do we encounter an actress with such a remarkable range of talents and scope of emotion than that of Najimy. Seen in over 20 films such as Sister Act and The Wedding Planner, she is an AIDS activist and enthusiastic supporter of women and animal rights, and choice.

John McPherson

John McPherson is the cartoonist and writer behind the renowned comic panel Close to Home. McPherson has published more than 20 book collections of his work, yearly block calendars, and an award-winning line of greeting cards. He also created his own line of clothing and various other licensed products.

A.J. Jacobs

Renowned as “the human guinea pig,” A.J. Jacobs has outsourced his life to India, read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in a quest to become the smartest person in the world, and lived modern life as the ultimate biblical man. Throwing himself into bizarre situations all in the name of a little curiosity and a ...

Aaron McGruder

Creator of "The Boondocks" comic strip and animated series, McGruder is a young, fresh, and outspoken political satirist who dispenses social commentary with subversive humor. In his insightful presentation, "Negrology, the State of Black America," he demystifies all aspects of the truth about where African Americans are ...

Dave Barry

Dave Barry is a humor columnist. For 25 years he was a syndicated columnist whose work appeared in more than 500 newspapers in the United States and abroad. In 1988 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.

Jon Stewart

An incredibly talented and funny humorist, Jon Stewart has quickly skyrocketed from funny man to celebrity status. Always a sensation, Stewart entertains audiences and late night viewers alike with his witty commentary on political and national issues as a keynote speaker and as host of the Emmy-winning Daily Show. ...

Roy Firestone

Named "the best interviewer in the business" by Sports Illustrated, Firestone is the former host of ESPN's Up Close Prime Time. One of America's most versatile talents, he is recognized for his gifts as an Emmy Award-winning journalist, commentator and stage performer.

Mike Greenberg

Greenberg is the popular host of ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning,” the highest-rated drive time sports talk show on the dial. To his three-million-plus listeners, Green is the guy who’s equally as comfortable dissecting zone defenses as he is discussing cashmere sweaters. Greenberg goes to the mat in ...

Ben Stein

A pop icon, lawyer, former game show host, and brilliant economist, Stein has achieved success in diverse fields. A world-class humorist, he offers audiences a variety of topics, from political and economic insights to his personal tale of how an adopted child changed his life.

Calvin Trillin

Called "one of the wittiest writers of our times," Trillin pens the "US Journal" column for The New Yorker and "Uncivil Liberties" column for The Nation. He is also a popular novelist and food writer.

Carol Leifer

A trail-blazing female in the world of comedy, Leifer is not only a veteran on the standup circuit, but is also a sought after writer and producer who has worked on such shows as Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and HBO’s critically acclaimed The Larry Sanders Show. Whether sharing the struggles of a ...

Bill Maher

Bill Maher is one of the most politically astute comedians in America today. His unflinching honesty and commitment to never pulling a punch have garnered him the respect and admiration of millions of fans. In 2003, Maher launched Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, a network that’s a perfect fit for his ...

Joy Behar

With a voice that sounds, as she says, "like I have Jimmy Hoffa in the back of my throat," Joy Behar strips the varnish off pretensions. Behar is co-host of The View, and brings her characteristic sharp whit and strong opinions to her keynote speeches.

Rain Pryor

Rain Pryor is a dynamic speaker, spokesperson, award-winning actress, singer, writer, comedian, and a producer. Now that's quite a few hats to wear, but they all fit and every one of them reflects her eclectic mix of Judaism and her African American roots. One of Pryor’s mentors told her: "if you wait for the world to ...

Mike Leonard

Mike Leonard has captivated millions of television viewers with his wry and witty feature stories on the often overlooked aspects of everyday life for NBC’s The Today Show. Prior to beginning his fulltime television career at age 30, Leonard worked a variety of jobs, from salesman to construction worker. In his ...

Bill Bryson

Bryson is a best-selling American born British author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. With a wacky worldview -- and wanderlust -- that garners him comparisons to everyone from Chaucer to Dave Barry, he entertains readers around the world with his travelogues ...

David Silverman

Silverman was the Supervising Animation Director behind the massive effort that brought Bart Simpson and the rest of his peculiar but beloved television family to life each week. He is now Supervising Director for The Simpsons, overseeing seven production teams.

Peter Bogdanovich

An Oscar nominated film director of classics including, The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon, and a frequent actor on The Sopranos, Bogdanovich shares with audiences his uncanny impersonations and fascinating personal anecdotes, all of which demonstrate his love for the art of filmmaking.

Jimmy Tingle

Funnyman Tingle gives his opinions on anything and everything. Appeared on The Tonight Show, The Late Show with Conan O'Brien and an HBO One Night Stand comedy special.

Marc Abrahams

Abrahams is the editor and co-founder of the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research (AIR). The magazine publishes both genuine research and satire, distilled into articles that first make people LAUGH, then make people THINK.