Chris Bliss Juggling
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Juggling Finale
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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.
For comedian and commentator Chris Bliss, life has been a study in contrasts.
The youngest son of a Washington D.C. attorney, he majored in comparative
literature at Northwestern University and the University of Oregon before
dropping out at the end of his junior year. The reason? To pursue a career
in juggling. And what did his argumentative father think about the choice? "He
told me I was ruining my life, which I can understand in retrospect.
Your son comes home after his third year of college - where he's on the
dean's list - and says he's running off to join the circus . . . what
would you say?"
But it wasn't the circus that Chris Bliss had his eye on. His act was
pure rock 'n roll. Using music ranging from the Beatles to Peter Gabrial,
and augmented with custom lighting and special effects, he transformed
juggling into aerial choreography. 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 year, 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."
Credits
Television
Tonight Show (multiple appearances)
Caroline's Comedy Hour
Evening At The Improv
Comedy On The Road
Entertainment Tonight
MTV's New Years Eve "Rock 'N Roll Ball"
In Concert With
Michael Jackson (Victory Tour)
Eric Clapton
Julio Iglesias
Kenny Loggins
Asia (USA & European Tours)
Julian Lennon
Billy Connolly (UK & Ireland Tours)
Casino Showrooms
MGM
Ballys
The Riviera
The Tropicana
The Hilton (Reno)
Princess Resort (Bahamas)
International Festivals
Just For Laughs Festival (Montreal)
Kilkenny Festival (Ireland)
"Proving smart comedy transcends politics and narrow-mindedness."
- Los Angeles Times
" If you're looking to laugh, you can't do much better than Chris Bliss."
- Washington Post
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