Michael Essany Comedian from Valparaiso, IN

Michael Essany is an internationally recognized comedian, television host, and motivational speaker who has been entertaining and inspiring audiences for more than a decade. Ranging from multiple appearances on The Tonight Show and Oprah to hosting a Midwest chapter of The Emmy Awards and hosting "The Michael Essany Show" for seven years, Michael Essany is a consummate entertainer and host who always finds a way to engage, enlighten, and entertain audiences young and old. In the summer of 2000, when the editors of People magazine named Michael Essany “One of Twenty Teens Who Will Change the World,” Essany knew his aspirations were paying off. By the age of fourteen, the aspiring comedian had begun pursuing his dream to someday host his own late night talk show. In 1997, with few opportunities at his Midwestern disposal, Essany ventured into the lowly world of public access television, a medium that had swallowed the dreams of many entertainers. But with a determined heart and a creative approach, Essany managed to single-handedly revitalize the local medium and transform his simple little talk show into the most watched, talked about, and publicized local entertainment talk show ever created. “The Michael Essany Show” was hailed by TV critics and fans alike as the most professional, original and entertaining show in the history of cable access programming. As Essany’s career began taking off, no longer was this college freshman only entertaining. Thousands of fan letters from inspired youngsters around the country propelled Michael to the status of a well-respected role model. Although his show had not yet gone national, millions of Americans were already familiar with Essany’s successful endeavors. By the time Essany was twenty-one he had already appeared on the Tonight Show, Oprah,CNN, Inside Edition, The Today Show, CBS News Sunday Morning, FOX News, Extra, and Access Hollywood to name only a few. He was profiled numerous times in People, Time, TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Maxim, US Weekly, Details, Twist, Teen People, In Touch, and every major newspaper in the country. In October of 2002, Essany garnered the attention of E! Entertainment Television. The following spring, E! Entertainment launched “The Michael Essany Show” to one of the highest rated debuts of any new E! reality series. For the next two seasons, Essany continued to work with hundreds of prominent newsmakers, celebrities and world leaders. In 2004, “The Michael Essany Show” was sold to the BBC in Great Britain. An even bigger success “across the pond,” Essany reached international stardom. On New Year’s Eve 2004, Essany’s program was named “One of the Top 100 Treats of the Year” by the BBC. In 2005, “The Michael Essany Show” continued to span the globe as the popular reality series debuted on Australia’s Comedy Channel. Having created an inspirational brand that reached three continents by the time he was twenty-four, Essany has secured a place in American pop culture as one of the most inspiring young Americans alive today. In December 2005, A&E Biography agreed. They made Michael Essany’s success story one of their featured segments on “America’s Most Remarkable People.” Michael graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2005 as a Lumina Scholar from Valparaiso University with a degree in political science. He was the only current student named to VU’s list of the “Top 90 People, Places, and Events that Made VU What it is Today.” For nearly two years, Michael also penned his own popular column for the Times newspaper - the second largest daily paper in Indiana. In July 2007, Michael signed his major book deal with Elsevier (Focal Press imprint) to release the young entrepreneur’s how-to/autobiography entitled Reality Check in September 2008. Within two weeks the book was an international bestseller in its category on Essany is also the author of “The Devil Can’t Cook Spaghetti” with Paulist Press, scheduled for release in Spring 2009, along with “Ordinary Hero” also scheduled for release through All About Kids Publishing. Through it all, Michael has also found time to help raise thousands of dollars for numerous Chicagoland and national charitable organizations. In 2005 and 2006, Essany donated his time and resources to host a series of “Celebrities for Charity” talk shows. Michael and his wife were married in June 2007. They presently reside in Valparaiso, Indiana.