James Cunningham

Corporate Comedian | Emcee | Television Personality

Virtual Reel

I can tell how long you've been seeing each other | Halifax Comedy Festival

Passion, Creativity, and Embracing Small Ideas

Corporate Host and M.C.

Host of Eat St.

Award Acceptance Technique

Virtual Reel

I can tell how long you've been seeing each other | Halifax Comedy Festival

Passion, Creativity, and Embracing Small Ideas

Corporate Host and M.C.

Host of Eat St.

Award Acceptance Technique

Seeking a master of ceremonies or a fabulous evening of entertainment? Then look no further. James Cunningham has proven, time and again, that he’s among the most skilled corporate emcees and comedians in the world. His personalized performances and attention to detail guarantee laughter and delight. Whatever the theme or purpose of your next gathering, he’ll ensure that it’s a successful and memorable one.

Cunningham has hosted and performed at hundreds of events for clients including Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Starbucks, KRAFT, Canadian Tire, McDonald’s, STAPLES, Nestle Purina, Walmart, GoodLife Fitness, BMO, Scotiabank, Proctor & Gamble, Medtronic, Ingram Micro, and Grant Thornton International. He has also hosted a series of sold-out events across Canada for “The Power Within,” where he had the pleasure of sharing the spotlight with such luminaries as former US President Bill Clinton, Sir Richard Branson, Martha Stewart, Barbara Walters, Andre Agassi, Suze Orman, and Hilary Swank.

In addition to his work as a corporate emcee and entertainer, Cunningham was the hilarious host and associate producer of the TV series Eat St., which aired on the Cooking Channel USA, Food Network Canada, and in more than a dozen other countries around the world. He is also the author of the bestselling cookbook of the same name (Eat St.), wherein he shares recipes from the most daring, delicious, and inventive street food that can be found anywhere. Cunningham can also be seen regularly on The Marilyn Denis Show on CTV.

Cunningham has been featured on many national and international network television shows including Last Comic Standing, Just for Laughs, and Comedy Now. He also keeps himself busy performing at comedy clubs and at high schools, colleges, and universities helping students increase their financial literacy skills.

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

Event Host/Master of Ceremonies

A professional event host/master of ceremonies can turn an ordinary event into something SPECTACULAR! Despite the months of hard work spent coordinating and producing an event, the only thing the audience will see (and remember) is the live presentation on stage. A rehearsed professional will elevate the quality of your event from good to outstanding. James Cunningham is that professional!

Whether your audience consists of 70 or 7,000, Cunningham consistently proves that there is no better person for the job. He has recently had the pleasure of hosting events featuring Dr. Deepak Chopra, Ben Stein, Martin Sheen, Barbara Walters, Dr Memhet Oz, Quincy Jones, Arianna Huffington, Sir Richard Branson, and former US President Bill Clinton.

Having Cunningham host your event or conference will ensure that everyone will be talking about its success for years to come.
On-Stage Comedy

James Cunningham has been successfully entertaining at corporate events across North America for more than a decade. With over two and a half hours of clean material under his comedy belt, he has the unique ability to entertain ANY audience. In addition to his regular material, Cunningham always finds time to incorporate customized material specific to a company’s corporate culture. A constantly growing list of corporate clients is a true testament to the quality of Cunningham’s work.
Customized Video

A professional writer for TV and Film — James Cunningham can write, shoot, edit, and produce a professional quality presentation customized for your next event. Customized videos have recently been prepared for clients including Canadian Tire Financial Services, Pepsi-QTG, Abell Pest Control, and the City of Calgary.
Funny Money

Funny Money addresses what is a growing problem — young people leaving school unprepared for the day-to-day realities of paying the rent, properly using a credit card, budgeting for the basic necessities, or investing for their futures. The Funny Money mission is simple: take all of the confusion out of the complex world of finances and empower today’s youth with the knowledge they need to make good financial choices.

Funny Money is far more than a lecture about money. It uses language and delivery from the entertainment world and combines this with financial lessons about cash flow, debt, and long-term savings. The Funny Money program is an innovative and revolutionary way to teach students between the ages of 16-22 three solid financial principles: budgeting, managing debt, and investing, because it uses comedy to engage its audience. The show also relies on multimedia for support and is extremely interactive — cash prizes are offered for participation and the audience response and interaction with the presentation makes it an event rather than a lecture.

James Cunningham is the program’s creator and chief presenter. He is a well-known Canadian comedian and television personality with a deep knowledge of the topic and a riveting delivery. He speaks to students in their own language and personally connects the lesson to their lives in this hour-long presentation. Students consistently describe the show as an outstanding lesson in financial education that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Educators consistently describe it as “entertaining, informative, and engaging from start to finish” and “the best assembly we’ve seen in our teaching careers.”
Viva la Food Truck Revolución!

For five exciting seasons James Cunningham has had, in his words, “the best job on TV.” As the host of Food Network Canada’s hit show Eat St., Cunningham has been on a lip-smacking adventure of North America’s tastiest, messiest and most irresistible street food. From deep-fried doughnut meals served out of an Airstream trailer to baked oysters cooked on a fire truck, it has been a pretty wild ride! Food trucks are the ultimate “foodtrepreneurial” venture to have hit the streets in years.

Behind the fun and frolic of the TV show however, is one of the riskiest and most logistically challenging businesses to run. Balancing food preparation, supplies, repairs, social media marketing and staffing, food truck owners have become some of the most creative problem solvers in commerce. Not only do these entrepreneurs not fear risk and change… they embrace it! As one food truck owner said: “A food truck has all of the problems of a restaurant with none of the solutions.”

Using examples from trucks featured on Eat St., Cunningham takes audiences through six case studies. He explores the creative ways these food truck owners approach and solve problems —and deliver a safe and delicious food experience. Cunningham starts from the very beginning of what has become widely known as the “Food Truck Revolution.” He shows how the gourmet street food movement has grown from a handful of trucks in California to becoming a phenomenon across North America, Europe, and Asia. Gourmet food trucks and trailers are now everywhere! You’ll get the inside scoop from someone who is on the front lines of the newest and most mouth-watering “super-trend” in the food industry.

This presentation is both highly entertaining and uniquely informative. It will have your audience laughing, while at the same time, learning important aspects of risk management in a business venture.

No stranger to risky business, Cunningham is the president of Funny Money Inc., an internationally award-winning youth financial literacy organization. He can also be seen on comedy club stages and hosting conferences for Fortune 500 companies, including PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Kraft, McDonald’s, and Wal-Mart, to name a few. Additionally, Cunningham has hosted multiple shows for The Power Within, where he shared the stage with such visionaries as: President Bill Clinton, Sir Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, Martha Stewart, Dr. Oz, and Barbara Walters.