I enjoyed the “second ride”. It is true that in May 2005 I received the “Most Entertaining Professor” Award. And, yes- your class that I took at PVCM had something to do with this. As an academician I always strive to be accurate and complete. Little thought was typically paid to being engaging and entertaining. This year, I made purposeful, substantive changes based upon what I learned in your class and during an educational research project in Michigan. I don’t feel I ever behaved silly or clown-like in the lecture hall- but I strived to be a “ 6-10” every lecture (and yes, I was tired after each session)…and yes, I used a healthy dose of humor!
I appreciate your talents-
Paul R. Standley, Ph.D. - Professor - Department of Physiology
Midwestern University

On behalf of Phoenix Country Day School and our Upper School SADD Chapter, thank you very much for speaking to our students.  Your presentation was both popular and effective - the kids are still talking about it, and even their parents have called to say they heard good things at home! One mom e-mailed me to say her son talked about you non-stop for 30 minutes on the way home fom school that day! I routinely ask our students to rate guest speakers and the audience consistently gave you very high marks - which is a tough distinction to earn! Your willingness to share your personal, private experiences and your no-nonsense candor gave our students a valuable perspective on the importance of healthy decisions, and served to caution them against the false expectation that they will be able to "manage" or "control" illegal drug use.  Rest Assured that the theme of "labeling" struck a chord with them as well.  All in all, you did a great job of connecting with the students and provoking important thoughts - all in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere that nonetheless conveyed the seriousness of the topic.  Your time, effort and talent are greatly appreciated, and we are very grateful for the positive influence you've had on our student body.

Dave Dummar

Upper School Counselor - SADD Advisor

Phoenix Country Day School

"Tim Davis consistently receives rave reviews from teachers participating in his class Transforming from Teacher to Learning Coach. His workshops provide useful knowledge for teachers to use with students in their classrooms, as well as techniques and tools for their professional and personal growth.

His Stand-Up Comedy Class for Beginners has also been very successful at PVCC. Students of all ages, including seniors, learn techniques to help them overcome the fear of failure, alleviate negative thought patterns, and eliminate state anxiety. Tim's students now host a popular 'Comedy Stop' Showcase on campus where they perform using the techniques they have learned.

Tim's insight into the art of negotiation and his riffing techniques have helped countless professional improve the way they conduct business. Tim is not only a fun person to know, but he is a dedicated professional and passionate enough about his work to really make a difference in our community."

Judi Anderson, Director of Continuing Education
Center for Business and Workforce Development
Paradise Valley Community College
Phoenix, Arizona

"You are Fabulous! Tons of Energy. Thank you for your time and for sharing your wonderful talent for making people laugh."

The Liberty Elementary School

Jyl Steinbeck

Scottsdale,AZ

"Tim Davis was not only extraordinarily cooperative and generous with his help and advice, he is also enormously knowledgeable about and sensitive to the needs of the performers, directors and the technicians who put on shows. He always made me and my Juilliard colleagues feel that we were in totally professional, responsible and caring hands."
Harold Stone, Administrative Director
The Juilliard School
New York City

"If you have a fear of talking in front of people because you fear rejection, Tim Davis can help you. On November 22, 2002, Tim Davis visited Junior High students in Mrs. Rich's art class at Cordova Middle School. His main objective was to get students to realize that labeling other people actually limits personal growth. When you attach labels, judgments are being made that increase personal fears about what other people think about you. This can cause an insurmountable fear that makes being noticed and heard by others a nightmare. To combat this fear, Mr. Davis introduces a way for students to create something in the moment, a way to problem solve while talking in front of a crowd. 

The process he utilizes is called riffing. It is the same technique stand-up comedians like Robin Williams use. Students that volunteered were given a topic to talk about while standing in front of their peers. As they start talking their mind creates choices, and they learn to trust that something will happen: words will come, connections will be made, and they will make sense. The intense feeling created by working through the fear of being judged by others creates confidence and the knowledge that rejection isn't as big of a worry anymore. Mr. Davis emphasized by facing fear of rejection situations like talking in front of your peers, job interviews, and college interviews become easier to handle.

Once that fear of being judged and rejected is addressed, students can learn that there is an art of negotiation. Sales people use negotiation to sell their products. Students were told they could actually persuade people to think the way they do. By learning what the other person wants in return for what you want, you can negotiate a deal. This positive approach would be more successful than trying to take what you want or tricking someone into doing something. Mr. Davis shared some valuable life lessons: labeling others causes you to fear judgments from others, the feeling of rejection can change into confidence, and there is an aft of negotiation that is a positive way to get what you want."
Patti Rich, Art Teacher 
Cordova Middle School
Phoenix, Arizona

"The course (So, What's So Funny About New York?) would not be the same without Tim Davis. As far as I'm concerned, he has made it as successful as it has become. Due to his work with the class and the opportunities he has provided for the students, the course is a sell-out every summer. I have never had fewer than 30 students sign up for it -- quite an accomplishment for a summer class.

The students love him. Not only do they find his analysis and theories of stand up informative and helpful as they prepare their material, they find his lessons relevant to life in general. This is Tim's greatest strength; he understands that the tools required to perform stand up are the same tools required to live life. And he is able to make the students really understand this. In short, Tim is outstanding. He is a great person and a great teacher."

"I think Tim Davis is great.  When I was just getting into the business, Tim Davis used to run The Eagle Tavern on West 14th Street . We used to go down there, do open-mics and hang out all the time. He actually is one of the most moral guys in the business and that’s like a BIG thing."

"Being a comic himself Tim speaks from a real base of experience. His generous and insightful advice to me has been invaluable and played an important part in my doing well on industry auditions and television appearances."
Paul Mercurio
Emmy Award Winning Writer
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Comedy Central

We appreciate your enthusiasm, warmth and with in sharing techniques that can help not just those interested in comedy, but anyone interested in writing, public speaking, or any form of creative expression. However, we also appreciated how you customized your seminar to address our specific group of writers.

The tips you provide are "real" -- things we can start doing immediately to help improve communication skills and unleash creativity. Through the working examples you described and the interactive exercises we participated in, we got a clear glimpse of the benefits we can reap from "walking your talk" in our personal and professional lives. What's more, you made it all fun." 
Lisa Honebrink, Central District Director
Arizona Press Women

"Tim Davis appeared before the Phoenix Writers Club and brought the house down. The Club was formed 76 years ago and never has had such an inspiring speaker.  Using comedy he taught us how to overcome stage fright, writers block, and to be better people.  The room was packed with club members and guests.  Many guests became members after his speech. The usual routine for our meetings is to have the business session after the speaker. Not this time!  We were having too much fun with Tim and our president threw the rest of the agenda up in the air.  Thank you, Tim, for a most enjoyable and educational day" 
Mabel Leo, Vice President
Phoenix Writer's Club

OTHERS:::

"On behalf of Soroptimist International of Phoenix, I write to thank you for stepping into the breach on extremely short notice and treating our members to an entertaining and informative program. Several of our members mentioned how much they enjoyed your program, and one member of the audience said it was the best program he had heard all year. Not only did we appreciate your insights and your humor, we respect and admire your commitment to making a real difference in the world around you.   I have already put to good use some of the insights you provided.  I would unhesitatingly recommend you to anyone seeking a dynamic, entertaining and effective speaker."

Mary Mangotich Grier

President-Elect

Soroptimist International of Phoenix

"Our Seniors bloom in Tim's class. Tim has a unique ability to teach Seniors in a communicative and interesting way. Tim discusses the art of the great comedians of the past, and illustrates various versions of new comedy by brining comedians to the class. He also encourages Senior participation -- they talk about their wonderful memories and the time is filled with closeness and laughter. One woman in our class, Harriet, is in her late eighties, has had four strokes and is on a limited income. Harriet told me that the class has given her "something to live for."