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Chris quickly became in demand as the perfect concert opening act, eventually sharing the bill with superstars as diverse as Eric Clapton, Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson (who called him "the best damn juggler I ever saw"), and culminating with being chosen as the sole opening act for Michael Jackson's Victory Tour in 1984 ("during his beige period", Chris explains).
Did he ever meet the Gloved One? "Just once. One of his band members introduced us, and Michael said the oddest thing: '"It must take a lot of rhythm to do what you do." So I said: "You, too, Michael."
The Jackson credit brought him offers to be the featured specialty act in big production shows in Las Vegas, Paris, and even one from Japan. But all had the same Catch-22. "Imagine", Chris recounts, "finally getting over the rainbow, and the pot of gold is there. And all you have to do to get it is perform the same 12-15 minutes a night. forever. That was it for me."
Taking the advice of many friends, he decided to try his hand at stand-up comedy: "The hardest part was going from something where I was one of the best to something where, basically, I wasn't even at the bottom of the list. Hell, I wasn't even on the list." Putting all his energy toward learning his new craft, Chris honed his comedy skills with relentless road work ("40-45 weeks a year").
It paid off. Rediscovering long-lost writing skills, Chris's comedy took on the same innovative edge his variety act was known for. Soon he was headlining top clubs around the country, and appearing on a slew of cable comedy shows. Then came an offer to write for the short-lived "Jackie Thomas Show" on ABC.
Finally his big break came: The "Tonight Show" called - they wanted to take a look at Chris. After his third audition, the spot was approved. Following an auspicious debut, he soon became a "Tonight Show" regular, receiving the ultimate accolade from Jay Leno, who called Chris "one of the brightest comedians around" , adding "I really enjoy this man's work".
Other career highlights include the release of Chris's first comedy CD, "My Act With Your Eyes Closed", which has received airplay on over 100 radio stations across the country (a follow-up is slated for recording and release later this year). His first one-man show, an autobiographical monologue play titled "Walking On The Moon", debuted in late 1999 and has since been produced in both Minneapolis and Los Angeles. Told with compelling honesty and surprising humor, "Walking on the Moon" explores peak experiences and transformational moments, suggesting that ultimately it's our questions, not our answers, that define us.
In the last few years, his talents as a comedian have received the same international recognition he first achieved as a variety artist. In addition to performing in concert in Singapore and across Canada, Chris was chosen to appear at the prestigious Kilkenny Festival in Ireland, and was honored by his selection to perform at the 20th anniversary of the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, the largest and most prominent international comedy festival in the world.
Capping it all off, Bliss recently re-introduced juggling to close his stand-up performances. "It's like icing on the cake", he explains. "I start by telling them I once toured with Michael Jackson - and they're just not buying it. They're waiting for the punch line. And then - wham!" Bliss laughs. "I love how totally shocked they are that I'm actually good at it. It's the same thing I love about comedy - that joy of the unexpected."
Program with Brief Description:
A fresh and captivating new voice in the tradition of American satire from Will Rogers to Dennis Miller, Chris Bliss delivers smart comedy for the information age. Now a Tonight Show favorite, Jay Leno has called him "one of the brightest comedians around." Before beginning his comedy career, Chris was internationally known as an innovative variety artist - touring with major artists from Eric Clapton to Julio Iglesias, and chosen by Michael Jackson as the opening act for his record-breaking "Victory Tour". Insightful humor, capped off with a world-class variety finale that your audience won't soon forget - - Chris Bliss is two of the best in one outstanding performer.
Client Testimonials:
"The event was our largest undertaking ever--containing some of the most critical business objectives in recent years. Your ability to remain flexible, stay the course, and provide value-added recommendations helped tremendously. The time spent with our executives in advance of the event was invaluable. Your professionalism and commitment to doing the "best job possible" for EMC was evident throughout the process. Many thanks."
-- Jeff Stone, Manager-Global Event Marketing; EMC Corporation
"DARPA asked Chris to tailor his performance to appeal to the audience of scientists and engineers. This would have been a difficult task for most comedians given that DARPA works on some of the most advanced research projects. Chris performed brilliantly. His idea to customize a large part of the content of his show to DARPA's current themes and programs was effective in keeping the audience on the edge of their seat, laughing and engaged throughout the evening. Chris Bliss is a professional's professional--he is very smart and easy to work with. DARPA would definitely consider using Chris again at a future function."
-- Ron Kurjanowicz, Chief of Staff; Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
"I have served for several years as Chair of our firm's Partner Retreat Committee. Each year, among other things, we hire a comedian or entertainer to perform after dinner. This year for our retreat in Las Vegas, after watching his demo and hearing about his appearances on the Tonight Show, we hired Chris Bliss. He was absolutely fantastic! Every partner I talked to afterward said that he was the best entertainer we have ever had. I have never heard a bunch of lawyers laugh so hard in my entire life. I recommend him highly."
-- Paul R. Griffin, Pillsbury, Madison, and Sutro LLP
"Just a quick letter to thank you for your recent performances for Vision Events and the Gartner Group. While I didn't attend your act for e-tailVision, I did hear that it went as well as your performance at System Builder Summit last March. I think that's two for two in the standing ovation category. I appreciate how much you adapted your dialogue to our audience and the amount of energy you delivered. You give twice the content of most comedians in the same time. The finale-juggling act was a great way to finish a terrific evening. It left us energized and with a great feeling of accomplishment."
-- William Booth, President, TEMCO, Technology Event Management Company
"Ours was a difficult crowd to please, but Chris' standing ovation was proof that we selected the right combination of comedian, satirist, and juggler."
-- Charles W. Graham, Vice President, Sales; Lyondell Petrochemical
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