Comedy Magician

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Ask how long the performer has been doing this as a full time living with no other jobs to support them self. If they answer this is a sideline, they do this on weekends, they have a day job, they're an actor, or anything but that this has been their absolute full time living for over 15 years, then maybe you just have an amateur hobbyist. I don't let an "amateur hobbyist" do my taxes, I have a full-time CPA with a degree do them. And I don't want to fly cross country with a pilot who is an "amateur hobbyist" who flies on weekends and part-time, I want a full time pro who has been doing this for many years to fly the plane and have lots of experience! You want the same in who you hire. You only get one chance to make your event special. Go with the pro.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Booking a show is like booking an airline flight during the holiday season or a hotel room in a resort during the holidays. There's a discount for having a show during an "off peak" period. Whatever day and time you choose, all other shows that come in have to be turned away, not only for that exact time, but for any time immediately before or after because of the time involved from getting from one event to another. If you're flexible with your date you can save money! If you're flexible with the time, that's great too. I do not make you wait like a cable guy, "I'll be there sometime between 9:00am and 3:00pm and you have to wait around for me"; you want me to be prompt at the exact time you want me so I don't keep your guests waiting!

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Pick your starting time carefully! Sadly, guests never arrive promptly. Whatever time you invite people for, don't expect them to all arrive until at least an hour later. Schedule the performance to start sometime after that and not while people are eating. When people are chewing and have utensils in their hands they can't laugh and applaud, the enjoyment factor is lost. Have the show after a meal, but you can save cake and coffee for after the performance. A great show like Robert Baxt's aids in digestion! Laughter and fun is what it's all about!

Q. What is your greatest strength?

A. I am a professional joke writer with many credits. I tailor my shows to the party, event, group, individual, industry, and occasion! It's not the same show every time, because if you give me information about, for example, the birthday person, I can do a "This Is Your Life" routine that is all about them! For business groups, if you tell me some inside information about your industry, you will find the laughs and enjoyment will grow as I make fun of competitors and surprise everyone as I slip in insider terms that only those in the industry know. Church groups, social groups, whatever; it's this added bonus that's included at no charge with every show that makes any occasion not just special, but EXTRA special when you have me, Robert Baxt for your event!

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. Question: Is an hour show the right length?
Answer: An hour maybe too long for some groups. Children and young people especially have shorter attention spans these days. Shows are not like television with commercials every twelve minutes where people can get up and go to the bathroom. Even blockbuster movies with multi-million dollar budgets and A list stars can start to feel too long to comfortably sit through without a break in a movie theater. 40 minutes might be a better length to consider, but a concert style show of over two hours is possible too, and all sorts of different lengths in between can always be arranged!