How to Confuse a Gen Z
I live in a Chicago neighborhood teeming with residents born between 1997 and 2012. That’s a very formal way to say I’m surrounded by the Gen Z set. They are easy to spot — bounding along the sidewalks with yoga mats…
Category Greg’s Blog
The Stuffed Fish Makes My Home Feel ‘Eclectic’
This column originally appeared as part of the Chicago Tribune syndicate Humor Hotel series The fish measured 35.7 inches from the snout to the tip of its tail. We caught it in the Chippewa Flowage, 15 miles east of Hayward,…
My First Attempt at Artificial Friendship
I need some new pals. Some new buddies. Some new friendships. Maybe it’s time to reach out to Mark Zuckerberg. I don’t mean I’m going to email zuck@meta.com or try other address variations, hoping I at least get an “I’m…
What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Rental Car
How to ruin your upcoming summer vacation in two words? That’s easy: rental car. Allow me to walk you through the most frustrating, time-wasting, price-gouging start to what was supposed to be a week of hard-earned R&R. Come along for…
A Corporate Humor Speaker Works for Your Event Because…
The following interview was conducted by I Need a Speaker. In the buttoned-up world of corporate presentations, laughter is often the last thing on everyone’s mind. Yet according to Greg Schwem, The Corporate Comedian, injecting well-crafted humor into business settings isn’t…
Want a Check? Make a Baby!
Imagine you’re in a high-end retail clothing store browsing the latest fashions. Dismayed at the prices, you are about to leave when a store manager approaches you with an offer. A $5,000 check. Written on the spot. You can’t believe…
Why Your Business Event Needs a Corporate Emcee
Why hire a professional corporate emcee? Plenty of corporate meeting planners and events team ask that question. Then they say… 🤔 “We’ll just have someone from the team do it.”💰 “It’s not in the budget.”🤷♂️ “What does a corporate emcee…
Cottage Cheese is Having a Moment
This column originally appeared as part of the Tribune Content Agency Humor Hotel series April 15, 2025 Somewhere there exists a team of dedicated employees who go to work every day in a nondescript office building and spend long hours…
How to Hire (and not hire) a Corporate Comedian
So what exactly is a “corporate comedian?” If you’ve ever wanted an answer, you’ve come to the right place. Furthermore, if you’ve ever considered adding some laughs to your next business event, be it a sales conference, an awards ceremony,…
It’s Official: The Dogs Have Won
This column originally appeared as part of the Tribune Content Agency Humor Hotel feature April 1, 2005. It was one of those days Chicagoans like to call “Fake Spring.” At 5:30 p.m. temperatures hovered in the high 60s. Scores of…