Perry Kurtz
Los Angeles

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Perry Kurtz creates a new and funny show with every performance. G to XXX Rated. It's up to you.

Biography
Corporate Comedian
Perry Kurtz

Perry Kurtz was born(?) in Philadelphia at 2:32am. at Doctors Hospital. As a 10 year old Cub Scout (they had no membership restrictions in those days), he briefly entered the entertainment field when he threw his voice into a sock and began giving puppet shows (at gunpoint) at local playgrounds. 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 creating 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 a religious publishing house just outside of Northeast Philadelphia 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 advised that he should (just leave town or) get into comedy.

He quit his directorship in 1977 and entered a talent show at The Crazy Horse Saloon in New Jersey, taking a $250 first prize for singing a parody of "Eleanor Rigby" as Jerry Lewis. He took a comedy workshop (cash was paid 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 moved to San Francisco to become a comedian.

His first paying "gig" was as the emcee and manager at the now-closed, Off Broadway Male Burlesque Club on Broadway in North Beach working 6 nights a week and making WAY too much money. A few weeks later, at the request of screaming female patrons (they were blind), he gave birth to his "Comic Strip Routine" parody (he only takes off his jacket and women STILL give him money).

In 1983, he left the "Broadway Scene" (too much sex and drugs) and pursued comedy in real comedy clubs. He spent a lot of time "working out" at the Holy City Zoo Comedy Club in San Francisco, where he had many opportunities to hang out and share the stage improvising with Robin Williams. (He has followed Robin 13 times at management request) 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 at The Comedy Store (the money sucks) in Hollywood and Dangerfields in New York City.

He actually met his wife "online" on an LA bulletin board (they did not hot chat). They talked "voice" for 40 hours over 3 days. Then she drove to his house and they instantly(?) fell in love. He lives in Los Angeles, has been married 23 years to the same woman, has 4 kids, 29 27, 22, and 9 year old daughter, who ALSO does Stand Up Comedy with her father using her own original material. Perry continues to work as a comedian, comedy consultant and instructor, Humor Motivator, voice-over artist, Free-Lance Tonight Show Writer, and appears at comedy clubs, colleges, and corporate events
around the world.

Perry's act is now based on the crowd and 40 years of experience. Every show is as different as each audience. Words, Music, Dance, Video, Audience participation, pure improvisation, and ALWAYS closing with some sort of song or rap based on what the audience is doing AS they do it. To this date he has been challenged by 27 rappers, and never lost a battle.

Perry has appeared on The Love Connection, America's Funniest People, Good Time Cafe ABC, Dangerfields Young Comedians Special on HBO, The Tonight Show, Let's Make A Deal, and America's Got Talent. Perry is Also the Star of "Drinking Beer and Smoking Cigarettes" On Youtube which garnered over 1.6 million views.