Scott Dikkers Speaking Fee: $10,000 to $20,000

Scott Dikkers is a #1 bestselling author, comedy writer, and comedian widely regarded as one of the most influential pioneers in comedy history. His visionary leadership at The Onion, his groundbreaking comic strip Jim’s Journal, and his multiple top-10 comedy podcasts have garnered him tens of millions of fans all over the world. Rolling Stone named him one of its top 10 favorite writers. Entertainment Weekly designated him “the funniest person in America” and placed him on the “It List” of the top 100 celebrities in show business. He graced the cover of Time magazine as one of the top 50 movers and shakers online. He’s the winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, a Peabody, and more Webby awards than any other individual or organization. Deemed a one-of-a-kind comedy legend throughout the entertainment industry, he literally wrote the book on comedy—How to Write Funny, a bestseller that spawned a training center at the famed Second City in Chicago, where he mentors young comedians who have gone on to win Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars. A farm kid from a small town in Wisconsin, Scott’s mother was on welfare and his stepfather was an abusive alcoholic. He dropped out of high school, then went on to drop out of college. In desperation, he turned to comedy—first creating comic strips, and then writing a parody newspaper, pioneering The Onion’s now-famous fake news format and launching it as the world's first humor website in 1996. Audiences are inspired by Scott’s seemingly impossible dreams of comedy stardom, and they’re brought to tears by his hilarious journey overcoming his humble beginnings to become one of the most celebrated humorists of the century. Beyond entertaining, Scott is a long-time volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters. He has a passion for mentoring young people, helping them achieve their goals, design their ideal life, and make sure they have fun doing it.