Clean Comedians was founded in 1990 largely as an alternative to comics and entertainers like Andrew Dice Clay and Howard Stern, who used profanity extensively in their performances.[1] Adam Christing noticed the trend of more vulgar comedians and felt that there would be a sizable market for curse-free performers.[1][10] He drafted the "10 Commandments of Comedy," which were essentially "clean" guidelines for performers offered to meeting and event planners.[1] He would later devise the "NO G.R.O.S.S." pledge, which stated that performers could not incorporate gender bashing, racist jabs, obscenity, sexual innuendo, or swearing into their acts.[11][12] These guidelines must be followed by entertainers featured on the Clean Comedians roster.[5]
The company started out with a small number of performers including Christing, Cary Trivanovich, Scott Wood, Guy Owen, Jason Chase, and impersonatorSteve Bridges. The company made approximately $100,000 in its first year of operation and approximately $200,000 in its second.[6] The entertainers and variety artists mostly performed (and continue to perform) at corporate events, associations, sales meetings, and large church events.[1][8]
In 1996, the company was granted a federal trademark for the name "Clean Comedians" for recordings and for booking live performances.[13]
By 1999, the company had an active roster of 49 performers and several thousand booking clients. They gave over 640 performances in that year.[5] In addition to standard performances, Clean Comedians has also provided fundraising opportunities for many schools and non-profit organizations.[14]
In 2005, Christing sold Clean Comedians to Ford Entertainment to pursue other entrepreneurial ventures.[4] He returned as owner and president of the company in 2012.[3][7]