Bringing a different kind of comedy to Saipan

It is Friday, end of the workweek. If you want to unwind and laugh like no one is watching, veteran comedian Rich Guzzi is in town to exhibit his different style of humor called “hypnosis comedy.”

Guzzi

That should get you curious—at the very least. So what is “hypnosis comedy”? Guzzi describes it as all about “fish out of water stuff,” where he calls volunteers from the crowd onstage and hypnotize them right in front of the rest of the group so everyone knows it’s real.

“Then I put them into very precarious situations. …Picture the big, tough biker guy turning into a ballet dancer, or a little old lady as a badass cop. …It makes the event an experience,” he said.

For those wanting to watch that experience, catch Guzzi tonight at 6pm at the Hibiscus Hall of the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan in Garapan.

In a brief interview with Saipan Tribune, Guzzi said he has been a comic for 30 years now. “I am known as the road warrior because I have averaged 300 shows a year for 30 years in a row—a record that will be tough to beat,” he said.

According to Guzzi, he discovered “hypnosis comedy” by accident. “I was already a regular standup comic, then I found hypnosis while looking for motivational self-help tools to make my life better. Then they kind of melded together to build this show and I became famous for doing it and then I just kept on doing it as it got bigger and bigger,” he said.

He then realized that he could also help people. “People were coming…sometimes to feel better and accomplish goals like losing weight, quitting smoking, reducing stress, and sleeping better. It became very rewarding to help all these people through a comedy show and things really took off,” he added.

Every show has those unforgettable moments because people come to Guzzi’s shows without knowing what to expect.

“I love watching the crowd as the action unfolds. They are seeing their friends or family members get hypnotized right before their eyes and then doing some of the most outrageously out-of-character funny things you can possibly imagine and it’s mind-boggling,” he said.

Aside from the hypnosis, Guzzi’s comedic materials come from everyday life, sytuff that everyone can relate to.

“It’s funny because its true and that is the best kind of humor. Because we can all relate. The news is a great source of material, especially social media,” he added.

Before Saipan and Guam, Guzzi was in Las Vegas and he was excited about coming to the islands. “I am totally stoked and the buzz has been amazing because I know these are going to be great shows,” he said.

For tonight’s show, expect to be blown away. “Most people think that [hypnosis comedy] can’t possibly be real…but when they see it, they become believers. I always stay after the show and do a meet-and-greet for all the people who did not volunteer that wish they did,” he said.

Guzzi also speaks and teaches the subject of hypnosis to help others and also train new hypnotists, “so that is also a big part of my touring.”

He promises a night of laughter and good times with family and friends. “As an added bonus, you will also get the goal-setting portion of the show where you will leave feeling better and more motivated than you have in a long, long time,” he said.

That’s not to mention that you will also have a story to tell everyone about what you witnessed.

“Bring…a camera, as the Rich Guzzi Comedy Hypnosis Experience goes by the saying that, ‘What you don’t remember, your friends will never let you forget.’”

Tickets are available at Tribe Marianas on Middle Road. Doors open at 6pm and local talent Santi “Big Boy” Sablan will open the show.