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Available Area
Nationwide
Available For
Clubs
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Corporate
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Events
Home Area
Los Angeles
Performing Since
1974
Rating
G - R
About
Tonight Show writer, seen on HBO, A&E, NBC, Comedy Central, and in comedy clubs across the US.Offering Stan-Up, Characters, Sound Effects, Music, Dance, Improvisation, and an Ex Male Stripper.
Bio
Perry Kurtz was born (?) in 1951 in Philadelphia’s Children’s Hospital at 2:32am at an undisclosed weight. As a 10-year-old Cub Scout (they had no membership restrictions in those days), he briefly entered the entertainment arena when he threw his voice into a sock and began giving puppet shows (at gunpoint) at local playgrounds. (Therapy was later provided to the children free of charge)
Graduating from Northeast High School in 1968, he attended The Hussian School of Commercial Art in downtown Philly. After graduating in 1972 (and paying off his instructors to pass him), he began freelancing for national label companies producing finished art for Pepsi, Tab, Sprite, Levi Strauss, Gerber, and Polaroid, including the design of the Seven Up "bubble pattern" logo in '74(for a measly 300 bucks) (Really!!). In 1976, he became the art director of Neibauer Press, a religious publishing house just outside of Northeast Philly, making an outrageous amount of money.
After 2 years of high-pressure, a nervous breakdown from overwork, and people constantly asking, "What are you? A comedian?", his close friends suggested that he should (just leave town or) get into comedy. He quit his directorship and entered a talent show at The Crazy Horse Saloon in New Jersey, taking a $50 first prize for singing a parody of "Eleanor Rigby" as Jerry Lewis (Hey, it was Jersey). He took a comedy workshop (cash upfront) and lived on his savings until 1979. Then, with his last $500, a suitcase, electric guitar, and roller skates he equipped with headlights, he decided to take BOTH suggestions and moved to San Francisco to become a “real” comedian.
Three months later he got his first paying "gig" was as the emcee and manager at the, now closed, Off Broadway Male Burlesque Club on Broadway in North Beach. A few weeks later, at the request of screaming female patrons (they were blind), he gave birth to his "Comic Strip Routine" parody, which he now opens with. (He only takes off his jacket and women STILL give him money). (Some offer more for him to put it back on)
In 1983, he left the "Broadway Scene" (which was nothing but sex and drugs) and pursued comedy in real comedy clubs on the road. A few years later, he was averaging 30 to 40 weeks a year headlining comedy clubs (and getting paid for it. Go figure) across North America and Canada. Just before his birthday in 1989, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he became a paid regular (the money sucks) at The Comedy Store in Hollywood and Dangerfields in New York City (which at least covers gas money), and in 1991, he met his wife online. (They have never been on Jerry Springer)
He currently resides in The San Fernando Valley, and works as a corporate comedian, comedy producer, comedy consultant, humor motivator and instructor, a free-lance writer for The Tonight Show, and continues to appear in comedy clubs around the world. He has still not appeared on Jerry Springer.
Style
music, dance, videos, standup, lots of improv. Each show is different and based mainly on the audience.
Influences
Carson, Dangerfield, Williams, Cosby
Credits
International multi-media performance artist. Providing quality comedy entertainment, writing, training, motivation, and earning a living at it since 1976.
Headlining Around the World and Seen on
ABC, NBC, CBS, KTLA, FOX, FX, TNT, HBO, & The Game Show Network
Finalist in L.A.'s Funniest Comedian Competition 2008 at The Improv
1st Winner on FunniestJokester.com
Winner for The Most Hilarious Standup Comedian in The LA Comedy Awards 2009 & 2010
Winner on The Love Connection 1985
Contributing Writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
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