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May 28, 2020 In Blog

Greg Shapiro presents HOW NOT TO ZOOM

Greg Shapiro presents HOW NOT TO ZOOM
A Video Conference Mini-Show

A couple weeks ago, I got a phone call: “Could you do 10 minutes of comedy for our weekly video conference, about video conferencing?” I said YES. And it was such a hit, I’ve now developed a 10-minute package I call HOW NOT TO ZOOM. 

HOW NOT TO ZOOM 60-second teaser

Lockdown life, 2020. Working from home means video conferencing. And – despite the tutorials – many of us are slow to adapt. Time for a new training strategy?
Comedian Greg Shapiro presents HOW NOT TO ZOOM. Kick-off your next online meeting with 5 – 10 minutes of “Sharing WORST Practice.”

Whether you use Zoom, Skype, WebEx or Teams – Shapiro’s interactive presentation will parody the Seven Deadly Sins of video conferencing. Including: Awful lighting, Unflattering angles, Embarrassing backgrounds AND Yelling at your kids when you think you’re on mute.

Do yourself a favor and start your next video conference with a guaranteed icebreaker. More than that, it’s an effective teaching method: sometimes the best example of How-to is How-NOT-to.

Stay safe, keep laughing.
For bookings please contact my other half at inezdegoede@gmail.com.

 

https://youtu.be/iIoKuh6giKM

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May 13, 2020 In Blog

Greg Shapiro on Zondag Met Lubach with ‘Zoom Meeting’ Video

GREG SHAPIRO & ARJEN LUBACH TEAM UP AGAIN for ZOOM MEETING VIDEO

It was a Thursday in 2017 when I got the call from Janine Abbring, producer of Zondag Met Lubach for Dutch broadcaster VPRO. Donald Trump was about to be sworn in as President of the United States. Did I want to use my Trump voice for a little video they were making? That video became known as The Netherlands Second video. And it did pretty well.

Now, in 2020 – during a Corona pandemic and lockdown – I got another call: “Can you do your Trump voice again?”

Watch the video: Zoom Meeting with World Leaders

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhELeau4ukM&t=100s

It was the beginning of April, and Boris Johnson had just uploaded a screenshot of himself on a Zoom call – with his Zoom ID displayed. Enter Arjen Lubach, demonstrating how easy it is to hack your way into a Zoom meeting.

The script featured Arjen ‘Zoom bombing’ Boris Johnson while he was in a Zoom Meeting with world leaders, such as Donald Trump. They sent the script, I did a demo of the Trump lines, and I got a green light. But then I got another call: could I also do a Boris Johnson voice? I gave my standard answer: British accents should be voiced by the British.

But could I at least do a Boris Johnson test as a guide track? Sure. I studied Boris and realized his speaking style sounds like if William Shatner’s Captain Kirk had gone to school at Eton. So I gave it a try and sent it over. They loved it. For the purposes of this video, it would apparently be good enough.

Could I also do Vladimir Putin? Yes, actually. And Jair Bolsonaro? And 3 more world leaders? Yes. So I ended up doing the voices for all 7 world leaders on this Zoom call. And – to my own surprise – it’s pretty good.


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May 13, 2020 In Blog

Introducing the New Business Casual

Introducing the New Business Casual: a Lockdown Zoom Call
From HELLO ZUIDAS magazine, 4 May

Well, it’s been about 6 weeks of working from home, with obvious downsides – but I want to take a moment to focus on some of the unexpected benefits we’ve discovered. With so much teleconferencing, we’ve all experienced a crash course in: Problem-solving; Outside-the-Box thinking; Communication Improvement…
(Wait, can everyone hear me? I can’t hear you. Raise your hand if you can hear me! Colleen, you’re backlit. Can you… okay, there’s your middle finger. Good.)

In many ways, our entire organization will never be the same again. The way we define productivity has evolved…
(Okay, can someone do something about the dog barking in the background? It’s very distracting. It’s frankly unprofessional. …And I see now it’s my dog. SORRY!) (Wow, these noise-canceling headphones are really good.)

WORKING FROM HOME
Working from home, I’ve realized how much of our time in the office has been taken up by non-essential meetings. Meetings where I’m trying to quietly answer emails on the side and multi-task.

(No, Timmy – the hypotenuse is not 25, it’s the square root of 25. Don’t blame me, blame Pythagorus. Yes Timmy, fine, the Greeks are stupid.)
Sorry Alexis, that was not directed at you!

We’ve all realized how much productivity has been lost from long commutes, every day. Our carbon footprint is now so much lower. And yes, our awareness of cyber security has received some much-needed attention.
(Okay, who is drawing male genitalia on my screen? Are we being Zoom-bombed again? Is there any name in this conference we don’t recognize? ‘Yuri,’ I’m looking at you…)

In closing, we’ve grown as a team. We’ve expanded our consciousness. And I hope you realize I am never again wearing trousers to work.

Gregory Shapiro (b.1968) is the author of How to be Dutch: The Quiz and the voice of Trump on ‘Zondag Met Lubach.’ In 2020 he celebrates 25 years as corporate speaker and coach. And he’s now available for online interactive comedy and interactive coaching. www.gregshapiro.nl


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March 18, 2020 In Blog

Did I Get Infected by a Dutch Comedy Show in Brabant?

Did I Get Infected by a Dutch Comedy Show? In Brabant? 

I was part of the problem. I was part of Team #DontPanic. Now I’m on Team #StaytheFHome.

On Saturday, 7 March I was hosting a Dutch comedy show in Tilburg (epicenter of the Dutch Corona virus outbreak). In retrospect, I might have been infected with the Corona Virus and COVID19.

That morning, I knew it was a risky move. But I decided to take a risk – because my gigs were already disappearing. I even took public transport to get there. On the way to the show, Dutch health officials advised people in the province of Brabant to stay home, to avoid being infected. But it was a sold-out crowd! They were willing to get infected by the comedy show.

We made fun of the crowd for ignoring the warning. We imitated the drunken Brabanters going to ski in Italy, then celebrating Carnaval & spreading COVID19. The guy in the front row was so proud of his Party Cred I dubbed him “Patient Zero.”

And yes, I posed for a selfie with him after the show.

But in retrospect, it was a stupid risk.

SO – Did I Get Infected?
Luckily for me, I still have no symptoms, and I don’t seem to have been infected. As of this writing, it was 11 days ago.

In retrospect, the show should have been canceled. At the time, I was trying to mitigate the damage: “yes go out, but do it safely.”
Then I saw the data about #flattenthecurve. And I’m convinced: the shortest way through this is full lockdown.

Yes, it’s selfish for young & healthy people to keep going out, since it’s dangerous for older & at-risk people. But ALSO it’s in your OWN interest: There’s no avoiding a total shutdown at this point. But keep it limited. Look at that graph of Philadelphia vs. St. Louis during the 1918 Spanish Flu.

Right now, China is like St Louis. USA is like Philadelphia, and they’ll be feeling the effects for months. Possibly all the way until Election Day…

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March 16, 2020 In Blog

Minister Wiebes, You’re Right: I DID Choose for This.

Minister Wiebes, you’re right.
As a freelancer, I DID kind of choose for downturns like this. But it was worth it! Because the highs were so high!

Wiebes, you know that high-priced consultant in the Audi, taking your space in the parking lot? That was… actually a partner at KPMG on full salary. But you THOUGHT it was me! A freelancer! And that makes it worthwhile.

Team Wiebes, you must have been jealous while you were at your 9-5 job – and I was sitting at home with nothing to do. …Nothing but desperately checking LinkedIn, creating free content online – putting the free in freelance – to tempt people to hire me, and hustling – constantly hustling – looking for work. Remember the stress and constant disappointment of being “in between jobs?” Applying for jobs, being rejected for jobs? That’s what I do every damn day. Yes, this is the LIFE!

Wiebes, I know you’re VVD – the Pro-Business party. So when you see us freelancers NOT claiming annual vacation pay from businesses, NOT demanding permanent contracts from businesses, making it effectively easier for businesses to hire and fire people – you must be jealous.

Now that we’re on Lockdown, schools are closed and people are working from home. This morning at 9am, I saw plenty of folks out walking their dogs. At 9am! Well Wiebes, I was underemployed walking my dog during weekday office hours BEFORE it was cool.

“Dutch Economic Affairs Minister on Freelancers Hit by Corona Shutdown: ‘You Chose for This…'”

https://www.nu.nl/coronavirus/6037648/wiebes-over-zzpers-en-gevolgen-coronavirus-zelf-bewust-risico-genomen.html

 

 

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February 10, 2020 In Blog

Greg Shapiro Comedy Album on Spotify / iTunes / Streaming Worldwide

Greg Shapiro Comedy Album on Spotify / iTunes / Streaming Worldwide

Comedian Greg Shapiro (voice of Trump in the “Netherlands Second” viral video) releases his first-ever comedy album, distributed worldwide. Thanks to his good friends at Classy AF Comedy in LA, The Madness of King Donald A TRUMP SURVIVAL GUIDE is being released on Spotify / iTunes / Amazon / your favorite streaming service. And if you insist on listening by CD, apparently Amazon is able to print one on demand, just for you.

The Madness of King Donald: a Trump Survival Guide. Greg Shapiro’s first-ever comedy album. No, we didn’t get the first female president, but we got the first president who is clearly mentally ill. And if HE isn’t going into therapy, we need some therapy for ourselves. The voice of the ‘Netherlands Second’ video gives you a tutorial into what Trump really means. Which turns out to be very therapeutic.

Listen here on Spotify!

The Madness of King Donald – A TRUMP SURVIVAL GUIDE

 

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January 24, 2020 In Blog

25 Years in Holland! …Sorry “The Netherlands”

25 Years in Holland! …Sorry: The Netherlands

(As seen in Hello Zuidas, January 2020)

Hoera! I’m celebrating 25 years in Dutch-land / Holland / The Netherlands. When I got here, the country couldn’t make up its mind what to call itself. Interestingly, neither could I. Growing up, my name was “Greg Shore.” That was my step-father’s name. But it was the Dutch who would interrogate me about my authentic name: “What’s your birth name? THAT’S your name!” I grew up thinking Shapiro sounded too Jewish. But Dutch people universally replied “Shapiro: cool name.” What better way to say “welcome?” And my name was not the only one that would change.

Zuidas was not called Zuidas. Was there even a Station Zuid? No. It was Station Zuid WTC. They changed the name somewhere in the early 2000’s. Apparently after 9/11, the term World Trade Center was just not great branding. Zuidas back then was… I don’t really know. Like so many expats when they first arrive, my entire world was pretty much Amsterdam Centrum. Well, Centrum and the Vreemdelingenpolitie in Slotermeer. But soon enough every expat knew WTC as home the Amsterdam Expat Center! Of course, by now they’ve changed their name too. Now it’s IN Amsterdam. I just call it “The Office Formerly Known As ExpatCenter.”

When I came to the Netherlands, the country marketing said “Visit Holland.” The logo of the tourism board was a tulip saying “Welcome to Holland.” And the in-flight KLM magazine was called The Holland Herald. It’s no wonder most people fail to realize the name of the country is The Netherlands. Maybe it’s just too long, too clunky, not great for marketing. But then came a little viral video called “Netherlands Second,” which turned out to be pretty good advertising for this country’s true name. Then came The Netherlands winning Eurovision 2019 – and hosting Eurovision 2020!

And now – for the first time in at least 25 years – the Dutch government is ditching the term Holland and rebranding as The Netherlands. You’re welcome!

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December 14, 2019 In Blog

Using Trump to Help Kids in Cages – Shapiro Offers Christmas Trump Voice Message

THE VOICE OF THE ‘NETHERLANDS SECOND’ VIDEO OFFERS CHRISTMAS TRUMP VOICE MESSAGE – FOR A GOOD CAUSE: raices.org.
RAICES. The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, helping the families affected by the Trump Migrant Separation Policy.

I’ve been working on this show called The Madness of King Donald: a Trump Survival Guide. Offering much-needed therapy for folks suffering from Trump Outrage Fatigue. And I’ve discovered the best way to help yourself is to stop focusing on the bully and instead focus more on his victims. What better way to help the migrant kids separated from their families – than to use Trump’s voice against him?

Ever since the ‘Netherlands Second’ video went viral, I’ve been getting requests for Trump Voice Messages. “Can Trump speak my outgoing voicemail?” / “Can Trump insult my boss?” Mostly, I’ve had to say NO, for reasons of exclusivity. But now I’m free to offer you a Trump voice message – for a good cause.
1) Make a donation at raices.org.
2) Send your receipt to gregshapiro.nl + the text you want Trump to say.
3) I send you an mp3 or wav file.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I have all the best ideas. Bigly. So great.

Shapiro is in New York City for 2 more performances of his Trump Survival Guide show:
Sunday Brooklyn Comedy Collective.
Tuesday PIT Loft – The Peoples Improv Theater.

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November 25, 2019 In Blog

NOW ADDED: 3 NYC DATES, DEC. 2019

Gregory Shapiro (voice of the ‘Netherlands Second’ viral video) Is taking his hit Trump show to NYC in December: The Madness of King Donald: A TRUMP SURVIVAL GUIDE

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November 11, 2019 In Blog

New: AskMeAnything Mondays on YouTube Live

Coming soon: Greg Shapiro announces #AMA Ask Me Anything Mondays on YouTubeLive. (November trial, anyway.)
IF YOU want to chat, ask a question, well now you can. Either I can answer as myself – or as The Fake Trump. It’s all to support my theater tour The Madness of King Donald – a TRUMP SURVIVAL GUIDE.
Today I woke up puking & looking like crap, but I did it anyway! It was super fun.

SUBSCRIBE

 

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