Search for the South's Funniest Accountant

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Search for the South’s Funniest Accountant

The Search for the South’s Funniest Accountant is an annual amateur comedy contest and fundraiser that benefits nonprofit organizations focused on educating young people. Junior Achievement has been the beneficiary of fundraising since 2006. The contest, which began in 2004, features financial professionals performing stand-up comedy. A typical show will have 10 contestants, each performing a seven-minute routine of original material. Performers are judged on their delivery, originality, and audience support. Prizes are awarded to the top three scorers. First prize is an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas. The contest is held each fall in Atlanta, Georgia, with satellite shows held periodically in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC. Since its inception, the event has raised more than a quarter-million dollars for Junior Achievement.

History

The Search for the South’s Funniest Accountant is the brainchild of Dan Erling, CEO of Accountants One, a recruiting firm specializing in placing finance professionals. In addition to raising money for Junior Achievement, the event was created to “debunk the myth that accountants are not funny.” Early shows were held in small comedy clubs around Atlanta, with Accountants One as the sole sponsor. As the show’s popularity grew, so did the venue size and the number of sponsors. Recent shows have been held at the 1000+ seat Center Stage Theater in Atlanta. Similarly, the Atlanta Business Chronicle joined Accountants One as a corporate sponsor of the event in 2015. Sponsorship options have also grown, with more than 10 sponsorship levels currently available. The show’s continued growth and popularity can be attributed to several factors, including the quirky nature of the contest, the desire by the business community to support non-profit organizations such as Junior Achievement, and the consistently high quality of the shows. In 2017, Stand-Up For Leadership, Inc. was created. Stand-Up For Leadership INC is a 501-C3 Nonprofit Corporation organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes with a focus on supporting youth-serving nonprofit organizations.

Performing

To be eligible to perform, a person must be working in a finance role or have a finance background. Most of the performers have no previous stand-up experience; a small number do. Tryouts are generally 2½ to 3 months before the show, with contestants auditioning one minute of original material. The 10 finalists are then provided an opportunity to attend a comedy boot camp and one-on-one tutoring by comedian and show emcee Tommy Housworth. The type of comedy performed falls in the ‘G’ to ‘PG’ rating, with raunchy and/or partisan humor discouraged. Several of the winners of the Search for the South’s Funniest Accountant have become professional comedians -- including Gilbert Lawand and Cyrus Steele.

Press Coverage

The Search for the South’s Funniest Accountant has been covered by many news outlets, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Currents Magazine, Fox 5 News, Good Day Atlanta, Journal of Accountancy, and the Wall Street Journal.

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