For over 30 years, JOEY EDMONDS Presents (formerly Joey Edmonds Agency) has been a staple in college market comedy. Not only does the agency offer the best in comedy to the college market, but it also boasts one of the most instrumental comedians in what has become the modern day campus comedy scene.Long before the flood of comics that now vie for the affection of our dear readers, the campus comedy circuit consisted of three acts, Two of whom were not even close to being affordable. And while the great Bill Cosby and George Carlin will always be heroes in the comedy world, in the beginning only one act made themselves available to the average, bread and butter, modestly-sized (and budgeted) school that wanted to book comedy.

For 14 years, the comedy team of Edmonds & Curley entertained college audiences across the country. They were the FIRST comedians in the college market, beginning in 1969. “We did over 2500 college performances and loved every minute of it. Once it became apparent that things may not work out with the team, I realized I couldn’t imagine parting with the college market.”

Joey immediately decided to phase from his capacity as a performer into a player behind the scenes. Knowing he was well equipped to serve both artists on his roster and the clients they entertained, Joey started his own agency. In the last 25 years, JOEY EDMONDS Presents has booked over 20,000 comedy dates in the college market.

Joey has seen every entity in the college market come and go; heck, this guy was even in it when the organized national conference was in its infancy. “In 1974, EDMONDS & Curley emceed the entire five days of the NACA national convention. It was an amazing experience. Over the course of five days, we were on the stage over 3 1/2 hours (laughs). We received something like 120 dates from that convention, but at that time we were the only people doing comedy in the college market. The exception was Bill Cosby, who was $25,000 and George Carlin, who was $10,000. We came in at a pretty reasonable $2,000 when you view the other choices (laughs). Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld and the rest didn’t come along till about ‘76. I have a bunch of stories about Jay Leno replacing us on a particular date, but I don’t want to get too windy in that area.”

Joey is someone who has seen comedy in the college market go from something struggling to breathe to the major force on campus. “Comedy is the biggest thing on the college market and has been since about the early eighties. Things have just exploded. In the early eighties when we quit, the comedy clubs were first starting.”

And comedy clubs happen to be a venue Joey chose not to perform in or book his performers. “I always joked that you had some guy out in Wisconsin who owned a gas station he closed on Sunday and opened a comedy club in it on Monday. These people didn’t have a clue how to book great comedy consistently. All they did was book acts and make money.”

Joey says he always knew he would have a home in the college market and says he is confident that JOEY EDMONDS Presents will continue to be viable for students buyers for years to come. Comedy is ideal for a number of reasons, some of which Joey fires off.

“First of all, it is so easy to set up. All the artist needs is a microphone and a stool. While music is always going to be around, historically the applications for showcase in this market have always been two to one in favor of comedy.”

Obviously Joey has seen al LOT of good comedians in his very prestigious history, many of whom he has worked with or managed. “John Reep is a name that most readily comes to mind because he is the current reigning ‘Last Comic Standing.’ Alonzo Bodden, Daniel Tosh, Kyle Cease and of course, Buzz Sutherland. Now Eric O’Shea is a biggie. People learn how to do things. Buzz was a wild man when he first started because he wasn’t sure where to go. We really were a tandem and then he decided to go more into corporate stuff, which was not what I really wanted to be involved in so we kind of went our own way. Oddly enough he called me a few weeks ago and he is involved in a corporate thing that he wanted my assistance on. I’ll see him in a few weeks when he comes to California.”

So exactly what was the appeal of the college market for Joey?

When we first started, you could go to New England, they all had pubs on their campuses. We were supposed to do two shows with a band. When we went out to do the second show, we did the exact same material. They were so bombed, they didn’t know the difference. Once they got rid of the booze, it was fun because then we were dealing with sober audiences who were coming in to enjoy the comedy. The amazing thing about the college audiences now is that it is the same audience it was ten or twenty years ago. The hair styles are different, the music is different, but the students are the same. They are kids 18-22, basically, who enjoy comedy. Our acts enjoy doing campuses. A lot of acts don’t do clubs because they really don’t like it.”

Joey admits that his favorite part of this business is going to conferences. “It’s amazing. I have been in this business for so long but every time I go to a conference, it is like my first one. The energy that the students bring to a conference or a comedy show is amazing. They are young and they have all of that ‘go,go,go’.”

Perhaps the basic question that any agency will ask is “Why the campus market.” For Joey, the answer is pretty plain.

“Unlike a lot of markets, schools have a designated budget each year. Obviously some have more than others but almost every campus designates revenue for activities. The question is ‘how to spend it.’

“Having a lot of good acts on our roster who are reasonably priced gives us an excellent opportunity to sell to this market. Even though the students change with constant regularity, many of the advisors remain from year to year. When you have students say they want comedy, because we have been around for 35 years, most of the advisors know us so we have an excellent opportunity to land some of that business. Many schools send out to all the agencies they have worked with a new list of students who will chair various committees within the activities board and we actively try to keep a relationship with those chairs.

“Our artists understand that the reason they have this date this year is because an act from the agency did this school last year and did a good job, worked clean and well with the board. We establish a trust with the school. They know that if they get a comedian from us that the act is going to be good , there are not going to be problems and we will deliver what we promise.”

This is a history that Joey has established and Kate and Robin, who now do the booking, are carrying on that proud tradition.

“It really is a great market and you always get paid. At comedy clubs, that doesn’t always happen.”

When it comes to advice to student programmers about what they should know when buying comedy, Joey says in reality, it just shouldn’t be that hard.

“You have the choice of a lot of agencies. Know who you are working with. Have there ever been problems with that agency’s comedians? Is working clean a major criteria? What do you know about the act and the agency?

“We invite potential buyers to question other campuses where our artists have played. There have been acts that we have worked with that we had to part company with because they simply weren’t right for this agency.

“Take Grant (Edmonds) for instance. He is at the Nationals as we speak and will be doing an orientation tour this summer. If a school hasn’t booked anything yet, he’ll say ‘Here is a list of schools I did last year. Feel free to contact any of them.’

“Grant is doing an excellent job and I am very proud of him. We have the same philosophy when it comes to the audience. When he is on stage, it is all about the students (the audience) not him. He is funny and an excellent host. He knows how to interact while still being respectful.”

For more information about JOEY EDMONDS Presents and the artists the agency represents contact Kate Edmonds at (818) 426-1279 or Robin Menier at (651) 261-1466. On the web:
www.JoeyEdmonds.com