Simon McKinney MC/Entertainer Profile

Forest Industry Contractors Association Dinner 202

Simon never fails to turn a room of sensible adults into a tearful jolly audience that just can’t get enough of him. He could entertain for hours as his repertoire is extensive. I have lost count how many times I have been with him at events we have done together & as the organizer even I get a kick out of seeing so many people in fits! He’s truly got the gift and comes with grand recommendations from me again.

Prue Younger |CEO

Forest Industry Contractors Association

Forest Industry Contractors Conference Breakfast N

Coming in as breakfast speaker can be daunting especially to a room of forestry loggers but Simon read the crowd well and had grown men crying for the full 45 mins of his performance.

Nothing like a bit of laughter to take the edge of conference formalities and to start the day as it is meant to end. The topics he picked resonated well with both the females and males in the room and a good decoy to come dressed in a suit that early in the morning, someone mentioned they could not have guessed what was going to come out did!

Nice to catch up with him again.

Cheers. - Prue Younger, Director Public Impressions Ltd

"Simon was second to none in his role as Mr Helpful at my client’s conference after-function. It was an unpredictable role to play and Simon was professional and effective throughout his character. Simon significantly contributed to the planning of the execution of his character which also added great value."

Simon's Smooth, relaxed style and tone hark back to the days of raconteur entertainers before it was even called standup; his snappy three-piece suit and blond quiff have me thinking 'Tintin Bond'. His affable, approachable personality has the crowd on-side all the way, and he barely even swears, so really in the present day comedy climate his old-fashioned glib charm is something of a unique selling point - Nik Smythe

"Just wanted to say thank you very much for suggesting Simon. He was outstanding last night, exactly what we were after and the fact he stayed on for a while and mingled with our guests was superb."

Export New Zealand Bay of Plenty

We have had feedback that Simon is the best MC we have had – and these awards have been going for 22 years now. Simon was professional but flexible and relaxed. He was incredibly funny and edgy but never inappropriate. He knows how to walk that fine line which is essential in a business environment. Except for their laughter the crowd was absolutely silent when Simon was doing his thing – they didn’t want to miss a word...I thoroughly recommend Simon for corporate events – and we look forward to using him again in the future."

"To say that Simon met our expectations would be a gross understatement. He entertained for a good hour with a mixture of stories and impersonations which, while having no particular theme, just seemed to flow naturally from one situation to another. Our audience went away extremely happy with their evening and our committee was delighted with his performance.We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him to others as a contributor to their event as we are certain he will do a great job in whatever role he is requested to carry out."

FCM Travel Solutions

“The smiles are still beaming this morning from such a fantastic night last night! Please accept our utmost appreciation for all the effort that was put in for such a hilarious night. It really was outstanding and hence I have attached our Best Buzz night award. You really did put on a great night that is being talked about constantly in the office.”

San Francisco Bathhouse

“Simon’s decade on the comedy circuit (including extensive work in the UK and Europe) really shows. He was relaxed, comfortable on stage, friendly and highly appreciative of the audience, on the last night of his week long stretch at the 'Fran. Proving that our New Zealand comics are every bit as good as those foreign buggers, eh.”

NZ International Comedy Festival

“A keen observer of human behaviour, he re-enacts and embellishes the reactions of kids, parents and other interesting characters, with excellent comic timing and the skill of a seasoned actor. This intelligent gem is worth venturing out in the cold for.”

Lumiere

“A non stop rollercoaster ride through topics as varied as old people and their make-up, the etiquette of how to cope when confronted by a fart cloud on Queen Street, his life as a mascot down in Dunedin to community radio down southland way too. McKinney has a way of leading you down a path whose final destination you don't quite know but you're sure to have a good time on the way. McKinney is a masterful comedian and I'd thoroughly recommend you catching him.”

New Zealand Herald

“His impressions are the highlight. From real people like the lovely old digger who runs Dunedin radio station 4XD, or his man-hating high school history teacher Mrs X, to Star Wars characters like Yoda, Han Solo and, best of all, his posh and creepy Obi-Wan. His best is saved for last when he mimics the late - night taxi dispatch person whom he describes as "an angry, irate lady with a small, tight mouth.”