Biography of Jeff Allen

Just who is Jeff Allen... and how on earth did a former atheist from Chicago’s South Side, who’s crawled across the grittiest comedy club floors in America, end up:
- being presented with the Grady Nutt Humor Award (the most prestigious comedy award in the Christian marketplace)?
- shooting a sitcom Pilot for PAX TV with Castle Rock Television based on his ultra-clean family-friendly standup comedy Happy Wife, Happy Life?
- being the featured performer at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC?
- working with the world’s top Gospel quartet?
- performing for the troops in Bahrain in the Persian Gulf?
- co-hosting the Gospel Music Association’s 2002 Pre-Dove Awards?

Excellent question!

Jeff Allen has been doing comedy for over 20 years and his work has been seen on every cable comedy show in the U.S. including Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and VHI’s Standup Spotlight. His one-house special, Happy Wife, Happy Life aired on the Odyssey Channel and Family Net. He is a regular on the Grand Ole Opry and was a featured comedian at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen and the Montreal Just For Laughs International Comedy Festival, the most prestigious comedy venues in the world. Now he is headlining his own national comedy tour, Jeff Allen & Friends: Funny People of Faith.

Jeff Allen is one of the few comedians who can “kill ‘em” at a casino in Vegas and then bring down the house at the Baptist Youth Missionary Board... doing the exact same act. He says, “Funny is funny. Clean humor, if it’s good, works anywhere. I don’t change a word.” The words may not change, but what has changed radically is the man who delivers them.

It’s hard to believe that the Jeff Allen, who works the Christian Seminar in the Rockies in Estes Park is the same Jeff Allen who used to get mail addressed to Mr. Psycho. Jeff wasn’t always a happy, well-adjusted Christian comedian. At one point, he was a victim of alcohol and drug abuse, living a depressing life and struggling to get by from day to day. Finally, the threat of losing the one person who had been his touchstone through those struggles made him turn to a new source of strength.

Jeff met Tami in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She was a club waitress. They fell in love and got married, but as the drinking and drugs slowly blew Jeff’s career apart, their relationship suffered as well. The low point came when, desperate to feed his family, he couldn’t even get a job delivering pizza. After years of rage, sadness and pain, he and Tami decided to call it quits. With divorce papers signed, they were 10 minutes from the courthouse when they decided to try again. With two children, and barely any career left, Jeff hit rock bottom, turned to AA, recovered himself, and through generous help from a total stranger, found comfort in God.

Jeff says, “The single greatest gift I get from my relationship with Jesus is peace. For the first time in my life, I am at peace in my own skin. From that peace, I am able to do what I love to do – make people laugh. I’ve been a comic for 20+ years, and right now I’m having the time of my life.”

Today, Jeff Allen is on top of the world. At the peak of his comedic powers, he co-starred in and produced his own sitcom pilot with some of the most talented people in Los Angeles, is now a regular weekly performer on Bill Gaither’s Homecoming Tour, and has a family he adores. Jeff also just did the 700 Club and performed at the CBN Christmas Party for Pat Robertson. He has performed at a number of mega churches including: Saddleback Valley Community Church in Lake Forest, California;Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky; and Northwoods Community Church in Peoria, Illinois. In addition, Jeff has a number of major events approaching: he will perform at one of the Inaugural Galas for President Bush’s 2005 Inauguration; his new video Bananas was just released into Christian bookstores last November and soon will be released into the general market; and his first book, My Life as a Bystander will be released on May 1, 2005.

Jeff Allen was born in Saulk Village, Illinois in 1956. He lives in Nashville with his wife Tami and two children (although in his act there are three). His oldest son is presently in the armed forces with the 101’st Airborne.

Speech Topics
It's Not Just Business, It's Personal
Did you ever think about the phrase, "It's just business, it's not personal," and take a look around at all the persons you're working with? Jeff employs humor and insight from his personal and professional life to let employees know what a difference they already make, and what a difference they can make.