{{Short description|American comedian}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Adam Christing | honorific_suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Adam Christing at Ronald Reagan Ceremony in 2011.jpg | alt = | caption = Christing Emceeing at the Reagan Library | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Los Angeles, California | disappeared_date = <!-- {{Disappeared date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (disappeared date then birth date) --> | disappeared_place = | disappeared_status = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | death_cause = | citizenship = | education = Bachelor of Arts in Public Speaking | alma_mater = Biola University | occupation = Comedian<br/>Speaker/master of ceremonies<br/>Author<br/>Director | years_active = | employer = | organization = | known_for = Founder of Clean Comedians | website = {{URL|http://adamchristing.com/}} | footnotes = }}

'''Adam Christing''' is an American comedian, author, and motivational speaker from La Mirada, California. He is the founder and president of Clean Comedians, an organization composed of comedians, speakers, and entertainers who refrain from using objectionable material and profanity during their performances.<ref name="ChicagoTribune">{{cite news | last =Leader | first =Jody | title =Good, Clean Fun | newspaper = Chicago Tribune via Los Angeles Daily News | date =30 September 1992 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/09/30/good-clean-fun-4/ | access-date = 29 April 2014}}</ref>

Christing has written three books: ''Comedy Comes Clean'', ''Comedy Comes Clean 2'', and ''Your Life is a Joke''. He also wrote, produced, and directed the 2008 mockumentary ''Change Your Life!'' He has appeared on numerous radio and television programs including ''Entertainment Tonight'', and ''NBC Nightly News.'' He has appeared in print publications including ''Fortune'', ''USA Today'', and ''The New York Times''.<ref name="ContinentalNews">{{cite news|last=Wooding |first=Dan |title=Adam Christing—'Interactive Entertainer'—Is Dan Wooding's Special Guest On Tomorrow's His Channel Live |publisher=Continental News |date=4 August 2010 |url=http://continentalnews.net/2010/08/04/adam-christing-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%98interactive-entertainer%E2%80%99-%E2%80%93-is-dan-wooding%E2%80%99s-special-guest-on-tomorrow%E2%80%99s-his-channel-live-2000.html |access-date=29 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326130415/http://continentalnews.net/2010/08/04/adam-christing-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%98interactive-entertainer%E2%80%99-%E2%80%93-is-dan-wooding%E2%80%99s-special-guest-on-tomorrow%E2%80%99s-his-channel-live-2000.html |archive-date=26 March 2013 }}</ref>

==Early life and education==

Christing was born in Los Angeles, California and has lived in Southern California for much of his life.<ref name=TFPcleancomedian>{{cite news|last1=Schick|first1=Dennis|title=Adam Christing - The Clean Comedian|publisher=The Funny Paper}}</ref> He began performing magic tricks at the age of 9 and gained membership into Hollywood's Magic Castle at age 17.<ref name="GettysburgTimes">{{cite news | author = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | title =Comedy comes clean with Adam Christing | newspaper = The Gettysburg Times| date =3 November 1999 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19991103&id=QhUmAAAAIBAJ&pg=4727,281803 | access-date = 29 April 2014}}</ref>

He earned a bachelor's degree in public speaking from Biola University in Los Angeles,<ref name="ContinentalNews"/> and was named to the university's Alumni Hall of Fame.<ref name="ContinentalNews"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Christing|first1=Adam|title=Tribute to comedian and friend Steve Bridges|url=http://www.ipanews.com/tribute-to-comedian-and-friend-steve-bridges-1963-2012/|access-date=10 August 2014|publisher=International Press Association|date=5 March 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140920005052/http://www.ipanews.com/tribute-to-comedian-and-friend-steve-bridges-1963-2012/|archive-date=20 September 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 1987, Christing was mentioned in a ''Los Angeles Times'' piece for successfully preventing a theft.<ref name="Theft">{{cite news | author = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | title = Whittier: Magician's Public Spirit | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date =8 January 1987 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-01-08-hl-3153-story.html | access-date = 29 April 2014}}</ref>

The genesis of Christing's idea for Clean Comedians is briefly profiled in the book ''Life Is a Series of Presentations''.<ref name="PresentationSeries">{{cite book | last =Jeary | first =Tony | author2 = Kim Dower and J.E. Fishman | title =Life Is a Series of Presentations: Eight Ways to Inspire, Inform, and Influence Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime | publisher =Touchstone Books | date =2005 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=LlUTCGOyrLEC&q=Adam+Christing&pg=PA107 | isbn =978-0743269254 }}</ref>

==Career== Christing founded Clean Comedians in 1990.<ref name="ChicagoTribune"/> as a response to the rise in prominence of frequently profane comedians like Andrew Dice Clay and Howard Stern.<ref name="CleanComedian">{{cite news | last =Bravin | first =Jess | title =Clean Comedians Do Away With the Unspeakable : Stand-up: Their performance to benefit Garden Grove High School's drama department, however, fails to draw a big audience. | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date =12 May 1992 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-12-ca-1821-story.html | access-date = 29 April 2014}}</ref> By 1992, the group consisted of around 20 entertainers, including impersonator and fellow Biola University alumnus Steve Bridges.<ref name="ChicagoTribune"/> Members of the group primarily performed (and continue to perform) for corporate events, association gatherings, religious groups, educational and fundraising events.<ref name="CleanComedian"/><ref name="ChicagoTribune"/>

Christing was able to capitalize on the "clean and funny" image by releasing two books: ''Comedy Comes Clean'' in 1996 and ''Comedy Comes Clean 2'' in 1997, both published by Three Rivers Press.<ref name="GettysburgTimes"/><ref name="ComedyComesClean">{{cite book |title=Comedy Comes Clean: A Hilarious Collection of Wholesome Jokes, Quotes, and One-Liners |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |isbn=0517887363 |year=1996 |publisher=Crown Trade Paperbacks |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/comedycomesclean00adam }}</ref><ref name="ComedyComesClean2">{{cite book |title=Comedy Comes Clean 2: Another Hilarious Collection of Wholesome Jokes, Quotes, and One-Liners |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |isbn = 0517887371|year = 1997|publisher=Three Rivers Press }}</ref>

In 2005, Christing turned his attention to self-help and life coaching by selling Clean Comedians and founding TheMeaningOfLife.com.<ref name="NBCNews">{{cite news | last =Ross | first =Michael E. | title =Life's age-old mystery: What's it worth to you? | publisher = NBCNews.com | date =2 March 2006 | url = http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11594494/ns/us_news-life/t/lifes-age-old-mystery-whats-it-worth-you/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141226141155/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11594494/ns/us_news-life/t/lifes-age-old-mystery-whats-it-worth-you/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 26, 2014 | access-date = 29 April 2014}}</ref> The website offered various "empowerment" DVDs and life coaching sessions designed to help people engage in a spiritual "life transformation."<ref name="VancouverSun">{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Seekers of the meaning of life can log on to U.S. website |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun |publisher=Canada.com |date=21 March 2006 |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=cd253cc5-5c23-48cd-95c4-7016585f04cb |access-date=30 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104193549/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=cd253cc5-5c23-48cd-95c4-7016585f04cb |archive-date=4 November 2012 }}</ref> The site also hosted a contest that awarded $10,000 to the entrant who could provide the "most profound" statement of the meaning of life in under 25 words.<ref name="NBCNews"/>

In 2008, Christing produced, wrote, and directed a mockumentary-style comedy film called ''Change Your Life!'', starring Tony Plana.<ref name="ContinentalNews"/> In 2012, he returned to the helm of Clean Comedians.<ref name="ThePressEnterprise">{{cite news|last=Olson |first=David |title=REGION: Keeping comedy clean |newspaper=The Press-Enterprise |date=17 October 2012 |url=http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-religion-headlines/20121017-region-keeping-comedy-clean.ece |access-date=30 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810013403/http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-religion-headlines/20121017-region-keeping-comedy-clean.ece |archive-date=10 August 2013 }}</ref>

In 2013, he released ''Your Life Is A Joke: 12 Ways to Go from Ha Ha to AHA!'', a humorous self-help book.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Christing|first1=Adam|title=Your Life Is A Joke: 12 Ways to Go from Ha Ha to AHA!|date=2013|publisher=Adam Christing|isbn=9780989930314}}</ref>

Christing has been named among the top five "after-dinner" speakers in the United States and was profiled in a cover story of ''The Funny Paper'', a magazine that showcases wholesome performing artists.<ref name=TFPcleancomedian/> He is often hired as a master of ceremonies for non-profit groups and companies like Johnson & Johnson, Choice Hotels, and The Ritz Carlton.<ref name=TFPcleancomedian/> Since making ''Change Your Life!'', Christing has written and directed a historical documentary and a number of identity and parody videos for companies like HP and Insperity. He has given over 4,000 live speeches and performances throughout his career.<ref name=TFPcleancomedian/>

===Filmography=== * 2008, ''Change Your Life!'', writer and producer

===Bibliography=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left" |- ! Title !! Publication date !! ISBN, publisher |- | {{sort|''Comedy Comes Clean''|''Comedy Comes Clean''}} || {{sort|1996-08-20|August 20, 1996}} || {{ISBN|9780517887363}}, Three Rivers Press |- | {{sort|''Comedy Comes Clean 2''|''Comedy Comes Clean 2''}} || {{sort|1997-07-29|July 29, 1997}} || {{ISBN|9780517887370}}, Three Rivers Press |- | {{sort|''Your Life is a Joke''|''Your Life is a Joke''}} || {{sort|2013-11-21|November 21, 2013}} || {{ISBN|9780989930314}}, Markin Books |- |}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://adamchristing.com/ Adam Christing's official website] * [http://www.cleancomedians.com/ Clean Comedians] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141217002854/http://changeyourlifethemovie.com/ Official website for ''Change Your Life!'']

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christing, Adam}} Category:American impressionists (entertainers) Category:American stand-up comedians Category:Biola University alumni Category:Living people Category:1964 births Category:Comedians from Los Angeles Category:21st-century American comedians