The Great Zucchini

Hands down the best in the business. Nobody captivates preschoolers better than this guy. After reading the reviews I was concerned because some parents didn’t like him but those people are missing the point he is all about pre schoolers. I happen to love his show but even if it’s not your cup of tea who cares he brings more joy and laughter to kids than just about anyone. He has a few rules but wouldn’t you if you had to deal with type A parents for years. If you are in doubt check out one of his public shows. We just had another kid and can’t wait for her to be old enough to have Mr Zane back for another birthday party.

After hearing and reading so much about him, the Great Zucchini came to my daughter’s preschool. The kids definitely were excited and were laughing and interacting with him BUT as an adult on the side lines I was really underwhelmed and disappointed! His whole shtick was extremely repetitive, slapstick-​y and not the least bit imaginative or particularly creative. Appealing to the children’s attraction to gross stuff? Lame. And he was LOUD while starting almost every «trick» with the exact same line. Really? Sorry, cannot recommend. I would certainly never hire him for my child’s party, there must be better things out there…

Amazing! Mr. Zucchini was extremely patient and accommodating when it came to dealing with my neurotic behavior and gazillion emails. Most importantly he was non stop laughter and entertainment for the 15 kids in my house. Ages 3.5 — 6. He was truly a delight and I really loved how he handled the crowd. Very upfront and not afraid to tell the parents to leave the room if they were disruptive. I really appreciated this because I paid for the children to be happy and enjoy his show. He more than honored his commitment and promise of delivering an excellent show for the kids. All the parents enjoyed watching their little ones interact and laugh so hard. Thank you again for, as my son tells me, ‘the best birthday ever!’

My twin boys saw the Great Zucchini at a friend’s birthday party (at which GZ was AMAZING) and started a robust, daily campaign to get him for their birthday party. GZ was extremely prompt in responding and was a delight to work with. I have never seen kids react to anyone like kids do with the GZ!!! How he is able to keep the attention of 3 – 7 year olds for 45 minutes demonstrates his great talent and skills as an entertainer. GZ arrived promptly for our party and actually mingled with the kids that arrived early — making them laugh and entertaining them while we set up for the party. GZ is a true gem — numerous party attenders asked for his contact information after our party. And the boys were just thrilled to have him. GZ really made them feel special on their birthday and I will NEVER get the image of my two boys laughing for 45 minutes straight out of my head!!!

There is NOT a better children’s entertainer in the DC area. He has been to our home for several parties. We have also seen him at many other parties and DC events. Every time it is the same reaction from the children… the down from the belly laughter. Highly recommend!

We had the fortune of having The Great Zucchini at our daughter’s fifth birthday party. It was certainly a most memorable experience that exceeded our expectations and left our guests in stitches. Eric’s style is original and we couldn’t recommend him enough.

GZ is a class act! Met him at a 7 year old birthday party and the kids were all cracking up like mad. Then, this year, he performed at our daughter’s 5 year birthday party and it was really fantastic! The kids had a ball and my daughter laughed so hard, she still smiles when she thinks about some of the tricks and antics he did. He definitely puts everyone at ease, and includes everyone, from kids to parents. I really appreciated his professionalism and his great sense of humor. I’d highly recommend him for your party or event, but you should book early… he is popular! Thanks again, Great Zucchini, for a great birthday party! :) Hope to see you soon!

Great Zucchini is amazing! He performed at my son’s birthday and was as wonderful as always. My son is a HUGE fan and was so starstruck and Great Zucchini was so kind and really made his birthday extra special. I recommend him to all– I enjoy him every time and he made the birthday one he’ll never forget! Can’t wait to see his show again.

We hired him for my son’s 5^th birthday and I’m still in awe of how he was able to commandeer the attention of 25 kids for such a long time! He had them rolling on the floor! He had them dancing, jumping, saying silly things to each other, going to «sleep» — This guy is like some weird kiddie pied piper! My friend who had never heard of him called him the «kid whisperer»! — The guy just knows what makes little kids laugh. I can attest every single parent there laughed during the show just by seeing how the children reacted to him.
He arrived early, quickly set up and started on time. Very professional, he promptly responded to all my e-​mails and calls! I did have to book him 10 months in advance to get him on my son’s actual birthday!
He gets our household’s stamp of approval! An awesome time was had by all! Even the tween big brother and big sister thought he was pretty cool!

He seems to be a great hit with the kids, which is perfect since his prime audience is 5 – 7 year olds. They’ll laugh at most anything, but he strikes the right chord with his schtick of acting clueless and repeating the same trick over and over again, with different props.
We had our first Zucchini experience at a morning show. He looked and acted like he’d just rolled out of bed. The show started about 10 minutes late — he kept pushing it back as more people arrived. Fine, but a little frustrating to those who arrived on time and are wrestling wiggly and excited kiddos. When he got going and turned on his act, I leaned over to my husband and said, «Oh. I get it. He’s drunk uncle from SNL.»
He does engage a lot of kids from the audience, and he was especially kind to a little guy with special needs.
At the end of the show, he makes a big deal about handing out business cards but, «only if you want me to come to your house to do a show.» Kids swarmed the guy, but we noticed that he ignored the smaller ones. Guess he figured he they weren’t his target age, but it was obvious. Performers typically hand out business cards like candy, and him overlooking the little kids obviously wanting to connect with him made me kind of mad.
To be honest, I went into his show a little jaded, given the personality reviews I’d read on parenting sites. He met my expectations. Yeah, the kids think he’s hilarious and I guess that’s what counts in his line of work, but I was less than impressed with his demeanor and overall character.

Addicted
It all started when my 2 yr old saw him at the Washingtonian Rio. I didn’t think this goofball looked like much and my son have me a look like «why are we stopping?» but the kids all jostled for the best position to get picked to help in what turned out to be almost a variety show feel good show. And the ages ranged from 2 to 9.
The great zucchini does a wonderful job of trying to include every child by randomly getting about 20 different kids on stage but when the crowds at his shows can be as many as 500!, you won’t always get a turn.
Well, this first show turned my son & I into junkies, following the great zucchini to any show we would hear about & were overjoyed when someone had his show at their birthday party. So much so, we had him at our 3^rd birthday party & while he can come off gruff & have definite demands, it’s all for good reason: so the kids get the best possible show! And they did and so did all the adults.
I highly recommend this guy for any young person. Good, clean fun!

It’s unfair to brand the Great Z a children’s entertainer. He’s an entertainer for adults as well as children. And an enormously talented one at that.
My son and I have attended 10 of his shows in all sorts of venues; comedy clubs, schools, theaters, fairs, and, of course, private parties. Speaking of which, he has «headlined» my 7 year old boy’s birthday for 5, yes 5, years. (Sometimes I think the only reason the neighbors are nice to me is be invited to the show!)
His true delivery blends a robust appreciation of how children comprehend the world and a subtle sense adult sophistication. He blends those two elements in sparkling fashion. This is not a fancy show. He doesn’t need high-​tech because he’s high-​touch. Infectious, fun energy plus an outrageously clever sense of humor is is the very definition of hilarity.
It’s worth noting that the Great Z was an elementary school teacher in his pre-​comedic life. Also worth noting is that there are several Hollywood treatments in the works based on his life and work.
The Great Z is not just an entertainer, he’s an artist, with elements of mime, slapstick, standup, improv, gag, magic, and many others.
If you’re looking for a party, he’s it. Believe me, the kids and the kid in the adults will be transported.

You absolutely must book The Great Zucchini for a birthday party or any event involving children. He is fantastic and his shows are hilarious and over the top entertaining for kids. Parents are laughing just as hard as the children are! Nothing makes me happier than seeing my kids having the time of their life! He engages each child during the show and even plays additional games with them outside. I booked him for two of my children over the years and am looking forward to having him back one day for our youngest child. By far the best party entertainer around!

This guy has a gift. He makes the kids roar with laughter! I first saw him at a private birthday and was amazed at how even the youngest kids were so connected to his humor. He has a seriously challenging job keeping the parents happy and the crowd organized, but his focus is always on making the best experience for the kids as possible. We now look forward to seeing him around town whenever we can!

I was first introduced to the GZ a decade ago and took an interest in his uncanny ability to connect with kids. I didn’t have any children at the time but I always recommended him to friends and colleagues who did have children and who were looking for birthday party ideas. When I would recommend the GZ, I always received acclamations back for the «awesome idea» and would often hear «what a great idea, Alev! thanks for turning us on to him! The kids had a blast.»
When I got pregnant, I booked him THREE YEARS in advance due to his success, and now that my child (2 ½) we’ve seen every local show we could attend, the GZ is a regular in our conversations because my kid just LOVES him so much. The Great Zucchini never disappoints the kids and I personally have an extra fun time watching the parents’ look of bewilderment on his whole schtick at the shows. After all, the show is for the kids (not the parents) and it’s funny to see confused parents. Anyone who loves kids and wants kids to be happy and entertained would see this is the one to book at your next children’s event.

We started going to the Great Zucchini’s shows in 2010, when my twins were 2.5 and my younger son was 1. My kids fell in love with him immediately, and they still (at 6.5 and almost 5) tell my husband and me that we are «funny, but not as funny as the Great Zucchini.» Even when we moved from Arlington to Ashburn, we still made the trek to Jammin Java each week for his show. Now that my kids are school-​age, we can’t make it to the weekday shows, but we catch weekend shows whenever we can, and we are looking forward to having the GZ perform for my little guy’s birthday in August.
I agree wholeheartedly with the review below that says he can bring tears to your eyes from the joy of seeing your child laugh so hard… Big belly laughs every single time. He does truly know his audience, and he has them mesmerized from start to finish. He really gets what makes the under 7 set tick!

Importantly, Eric Knaus is also a wonderful person who, at every opportunity, gives back to the community that supports him (
).

We are totally floored with how amazing the Great Zucchini is with kids! He can literally bring tears to your eyes from the joy of seeing your child laughing sooo hard.
If you thought you could make your child laugh, wait until you take them to one of the Great Zucchini’s shows!
We found the Great Zucchini’s show online at Jammin Java about 2 yrs ago when we first moved to the area. Our daughter enjoyed it so much that we started going every week. We became diehard loyal fans because not only was his show excellent, but he also spent time getting to know the parents. We quickly got on a first name basis with Eric and became friends. We learned that not only was he a great entertainer but a truly great person to know! Eric is 100% dedicated to his shows and he’s never once been late or slacked off on any performance. You get your money’s worth every time!
I can guarantee you’re whole family will love him!
We have known Eric for 2yrs now and have gone to probably 100 shows, lol, AND we’ve been so impressed with his magical way with kids, that we’ve asked him to come perform in Canada! We are SUPER excited that he’s accepted our offer and can’t wait to ‘show him off’ to the kiddos of the Great White North!
If you’re looking for a fun event to take your kids to, or need a birthday entertainer you need not look any further than this post right here. Tell him Jocelyn sent you! (who knows, it might just get you a discount ;) lol jk …but try it anyway!!!)
Keep up the awesome work!!!

We had been hearing about the Great Zucchini and my kids (3 and 5) finally seemed to be the perfect age for his audience. We caught a show at Jammin’ Java and had underestimated his following. The place was packed, and we quickly found out why. This entertainer KNOWS his audience. He is silly, funny, and even adds just enough «gross» to tickle these kids for the entire show. I started following his Facebook page to get info on future shows, and was touched to see him promoting the Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s take25 program, which was hosting a «Kids Safety Fair» this past May 25. He brought all the kids onto the stage to get them out of the sun, and made sure the audience was prepared for the show, all settled and sitting «criss cross.» He brings up many «Assistants» and my son was over the moon to be selected to help. Both before and after the show he talked to the kids which made them feel pretty special, after all, he is the GREAT ZUCCHINI. We are fans, not just for his entertainment, but for his willingness to support and promote important causes like take25.

We had my son’s 5^th birthday party at our house just yesterday and I am still smiling. First of all, I’m one those parents who believes in having parties elsewhere so that others can handle the entertainment, cleaning, serving, etc. I called the Great Zucchini to schedule him for our party and he was extremely professional. I felt such good energy over the phone. When he suggested we do the home thing because kids love to share their space with their friends, I was like «okaaay, I’ll try it.» I’m so happy we did it, despite the work involved (it actually wasn’t bad at all). Zucchini arrived early, was very personable and made us totally comfortable almost immediately. The kids laughed so much and my son was grinning the whole day.
Thanks Great Zucchini, you are as awesome as they say you are!

Two years ago, my granddaughter (then 4 years old) and I went to see The Great Zucchini at White Flint Mall – she laughed so hard she shook. I laughed because she was laughing so hard. Since then we have seen him a number of times and everytime she still laughs as hard as the first time! When I see he’s appearing near us I’ll ask her if she wants to see him again and she still always says yes.
But besides being a fantastic children’s entertainer he is also a real humanitarian. When my husband was planning an event for children of military veterans, without our asking, he volunteered his time to come and entertain the children. And that’s not the only show that he has donated to a good, non-​profit cause – he’s a really nice guy.