"Funniest Comedian STEVE RIZZO vs JEANNE ROBERTSON"

STEVE RIZZO

Steve Rizzo is an American motivational speaker, author, and former stand-up comedian, who is notable for his humorous style of motivational speaking...

Steve Rizzo is an American motivational speaker, author, and former stand-up comedian, who is notable for his humorous style of motivational speaking and writing. Rizzo is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA) and an inductee of its Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE) Speaker Hall of Fame. His book, Becoming a Humor Being: The Power to Choose a Better Way won the Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards. Rizzo was once an English teacher for the 7th and 8th grade students at West Babylon Junior High School in West Babylon, New York, and counselor to students with behavioral problems in the 9th to 12th grades. He later became a comedian, and was roommate to Drew Carey, had Dennis Miller and Rosie O'Donnell open shows for him and shared the stage with Eddie Murphy, Rodney Dangerfield, Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres before moving on to become a motivational speaker. Rizzo left a promising career of over 18 years in stand-up comedy to pursue a new career in motivational speaking; he became a professional speaker in 1994. As a stand-up comic, Rizzo performed at various comedy clubs, including the Pittsburgh Comedy Club in Dormont and the Improv. He also was featured in many television comedy shows, including An Evening at the Improv, Showtime Special, The Comedy Channel and Fox TV's Comic Strip Live. In The Pittsburgh Press of June 2, 1983, Lenny Litman described Rizzo's comedy style as "whip-cracking satire cushioned with warm and funny stories." While Rizzo was transitioning from being a stand-up comedian to a motivational speaker, after one of his shows at a New Jersey comedy club, he met Al Parinello, president of the National Speakers Association (NSA)—New Jersey chapter, he encouraged Rizzo to attend a workshop of the National Speakers Association. After the workshop, Rizzo was asked to present How to Add Humor to Your Presentations at a national convention of the National Speakers Association. At this transitioning period, Rizzo also met Nancy Lauterbach, the founder of Five Star Speakers and Trainers after a show in Orlando, Florida, and according to Kelli Vrla in Speaker (a publication of National Speakers Association) of September 2010, "she took him under her wing and helped him structure his presentation. In his first showcase, Rizzo ranked dead last out of 23 speakers because he tried to sound like a "serious motivational speaker." He soon realized his humor was the key to his authenticity. "I was light years ahead of many professional speakers because I had command of an audience," Rizzo says. When Rizzo incorporated humor in his next showcase, buyers immediately hired him. He signed an exclusive agreement with Five Star, and his speaking business took off. Rizzo credits Lauterbach with helping him establish a foothold in his new career."

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JEANNE ROBERTSON

Jeanne Swanner Robertson (born September 21, 1943) is an American humorist, motivational speaker, a former Miss North Carolina, and a former physical...

Jeanne Swanner Robertson (born September 21, 1943) is an American humorist, motivational speaker, a former Miss North Carolina, and a former physical education teacher. Jeanne Swanner was raised in Graham, North Carolina, one of three daughters. Not only was she taller than sisters Katherine and Andrea, she was also especially tall as a youth, growing to 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) by age 13 and in seventh grade. She was an avid basketball player. Robertson taught physical education for eight years in North Carolina. Although she began her public speaking career with her pageant title, Robertson has achieved much more national attention as a humorist and speaker. Her anecdotes have been broadcast regularly on satellite radio comedy channels, including XM Radio's Laugh USA, Sirius Radio's Blue Collar Comedy and its Family Comedy Channel,and Laugh Break. Her popularity soared, however, in 2009 after a handful of humorous clips from her talks became popular videos. Robertson distinguishes between a humorist, which she considers herself, and a comedian, stating, "The humorist weaves the longer stories with a point. We don't go 'after' anybody. I'm telling my life." In 1980 she was designated a Certified Speaking Professional by the National Speakers Association, and served as the association's president in 1985. She is also an award-winning Toastmaster. On April 29, 2008, she spoke at the White House for National Volunteer Week to honor the 1,300 volunteers who donate time to work at the White House.

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