How to host a comedy game show for a private audience

Q: How do you host a comedy game show for a private audience?

To host a comedy game show for a private audience: pick a 60-90 minute format with 3-4 rounds, prep games that scale to the room, brief participants ahead of time, and use audience scoring or voting to drive participation. Practice once before the live event.

The story

Hosting a comedy game show for a private audience (a company offsite, a founder dinner, a community event) is genuinely doable but harder than it looks. The format that works is consistent: 60-90 minutes, 3-4 rounds, games that scale to your specific room, light briefing of any participants, and an audience-scoring or voting mechanic that pulls the room in. SideHustle LIVE has refined this through the 90-minute format at Pershing Hall in Austin, with the Sept 25, 2026 show — SideHustle's 7th brand anniversary celebration at Pershing Hall (the SideHustle brand launched via Kickstarter on Sept 24, 2019) — as the next anchor show. For the format primer see what is a comedy game show. The biggest mistake amateur hosts make is over-scripting; the format only works if there's room for genuine reaction. Plan tight; host loose.

What it means

If you're considering hosting a comedy game show internally, you can. The format is real and adaptable. If you want a higher floor on the result, hire a specialist. Either way, plan for 60-90 minutes, design the participation mechanic, and don't over-script. The room will fill in the rest. For more on the format, see our complete guide to comedy game shows for entrepreneurs.

Try it

• Play free at playsidehustle.com
• See us live: Sept 25 at Pershing Hall in Austin. luma.com/playsidehustle
• Email team@playsidehustle.com