MASTER THE CEREMONIES

The Emcee's Handbook for Excellence

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever been called to the podium to receive an award or special recognition for your achievements and your name was mispronounced? Can you count the times that you patiently and politely kept your seat through a program that bored you as it dragged on? More important, were you the one who mispronounced the name or who was in charge of the disorganized program?
I have been a part of more than a thousand programs either as a member of the audience, as a recipient of an award, as a performer, as a guest speaker, or as the master of ceremonies. I have heard and seen much that can go wrong--jokes bombed, speakers rambled, performers did not appear, names were mispronounced, equipment failed, and the earth quaked. While the emcee was not responsible for the problem circumstances, he was largely responsible for the negative impact he had on the program.
When the matter is in your control, you can avoid problems by planning and preparing. With the same planning and preparation, you can avoid embarrassment and catastrophe from situations that are beyond your control.
This is more than a how-to book for being an emcee. It is a what-to-do handbook when the responsibility for the program or ceremony is on your shoulders. The admonitions and recommendations included here will help you master the ceremonies.

The Emcee's Handbook for Excellence

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever been called to the podium to receive an award or special recognition for your achievements and your name was mispronounced? Can you count the times that you patiently and politely kept your seat through a program that bored you as it dragged on? More important, were you the one who mispronounced the name or who was in charge of the disorganized program? I have been a part of more than a thousand programs either as a member of the audience, as a recipient of an award, as a performer, as a guest speaker, or as the master of ceremonies. I have heard and seen much that can go wrong--jokes bombed, speakers rambled, performers did not appear, names were mispronounced, equipment failed, and the earth quaked. While the emcee was not responsible for the problem circumstances, he was largely responsible for the negative impact he had on the program. When the matter is in your control, you can avoid problems by planning and preparing. With the same planning and preparation, you can avoid embarrassment and catastrophe from situations that are beyond your control. This is more than a how-to book for being an emcee. It is a what-to-do handbook when the responsibility for the program or ceremony is on your shoulders. The admonitions and recommendations included here will help you master the ceremonies.