Barry Friedman

OK... I've put this off long enough. I'm a juggler - there, I said it. No fancy letters after my name. No pieces of paper from institutes of higher thinking. I'm a comedy juggler and I've been blessed with the most wonderful life because of it. I had a devastating childhood - no kid should have to go through what I did. At 15 my grandma sent me to a summer camp and out by the pool one afternoon, a man taught me to juggle. It was the first time I felt like there was a reason for me to be on the planet. I never looked back. Two world championships, thousands of shows all over the world - most of those for corporate audiences at sales meetings, conferences, product launches, trade shows, or award banquets. In 1982 I hooked up with my partner, Daniel Holzman and we formed the Raspyni Brothers - it's never stopped. We've been blessed with over 100 national TV shows (back in the day when you could just do your act - we didn't have to be lit on fire, eat a snake, or stand in a pool of gasoline), and a 1/2 dozen invitations to the TED Conference. I've started two online membership sites for entertainers where I show them what it takes to master the business of show business. That's allowed me to give back to an entire community of people that I see as victims of their own creativity - great acts/skills and no idea how to do the marketing/selling. I am father to a boy I love more than my words can say - I'm sure there are poets that could do my feelings justice. Suffice it to say he's why I do just about everything I do. My wife of 25+ years is a creative wonder and she fills in everything I don't have. We are in love because we have done the work. We've gone through many events and struggles that anything seems laughable now.

Men's Work - the ManKind Project. Showing other entertainers how to quit whining about business and showing them how to book their act. Boys Initiation - Boys to Men International.

I turned down my first offer to appear at TED X back in 2000 because it didn't pay :) Richard Saul Wurman sent me a Fed Ex package showing me what it was and I called back and asked if the offer still stood. I learned a lot about value from that experience. Since that time I have been lucky enough to grace the TED stage 4 other times and looking forward to my 6th time in 2014. I'm humbled and touched that something I love so much (performing comedy) is recognized by such an awesome conference/event.

I'm a two-time Tough Mudder - and will do more these races. Very challenging. Cooking!