In the Media
Publication: Lake Norman Times
Section: Lake Living
Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By: Dru Willis
———————————————————————————————————————
Not a typical three-hour cruise
Capt. Gus' Laugh Liner brings comedy to Lake Norman
If Capt. Gus Gustafson, Barney Barnum and Sid Davis have it their way, Capt. Gus' Lake Norman Laugh
Liner will have a much better fate than another three-hour tour charter boat, the S.S. Minnow.
"Our trips are three-hours and they (business owners) want them (employees) to be more creative,
create more ideas about better customer service, team building and we can do that," Barnum asid. "We
can customize- taht is the key word for us- the presentation to help them do a better presentation.
"so we are in kind of what you would call, I guess, customized entertainment."
This charter boat will host approximately 60 people for corporate or private events rather than being a
siteseeing tour for five future castaways and two crew members.
The idea to begin the Laughliner-which made its maiden cruise two weeks ago-began when the three
met each other individually over a period of time.
Barnum, a Toastmaster and public speaker, has known the stand-up comic Davis for a while, but after
meeting Lake Norman's own angler, Gustafson, he decided the three should be together.
After sitting down together they determined the best venue to go about hosting a comedy-styled event
would be on a charter boat. They just had to find a way to literally float their idea.
Enter Cliff Champion, a certified captain and owner of the Championship 1 and Championship 2 charter
boats.
The Laugh Liner requires room for 60 so the 80-foot Championship 2 was the perfect vessel to lease from
Championship Yacht Charters.
"The good thing about not owning the boat is that we are leasing the boat, " Gustafson said. "And it is
expense as needed (there are) not expenses for making a boat payment every month." Since Gustafson
is such a visible person around the Lake Norman with his proffessional fishing guide business and tall
stature they decided to name the Laugh Liner after him to get a little name recognition on their side.
"I can step in as needed. Cliff can pretty much do that (pilot the boat) on his own. I back Cliff up in certain
situations." Gustafson said. When he has double bookings there are occasions that I will run the 42-footer
while he is on the other one."
The maiden voyage went off without a hitch and the trio is not worried one bit about having fun or being
able to provide the entertainment, relaxation and enjoyment to the people going on the three-hour cruise.
"We'll exceed their expectations and now all we need to do is find enough corporate groups to justify our
efforts so far," Gustafson said.
Since the company is under the banner of LKN Productions LLC, the owners opened themselves up to
endless possibilities. Barnum has contacts from his Toastmaster and public speaking proffession, Davis
knows plenty of comedic talent and Gustafson, according to Barnum, has never met a stranger.
"We don't have to take people out on the boat, we can do in-house and we can do anything outside of an
auditorium, " he said. "So it is going to take us to the next level."
By centering the event around comedy Barnum hopes to help spread the best medicine around-laughter.
"We believe that humor really makes a difference. That is healthy," he said. "There is a reason that people
recognize their need for reducing their stress and laughing. It is healthy. It lowers your blood pressure, it
changes your mood. It will boost your immune system. People get more creative."
The customers are not the only ones to benefit from the cruise as the trio and staff gets to laugh on the
inside as everyone laughs.
"There is nothing, I'm telling you, to get up there and hear people laughing at your humor and it is kind of
an emotional high," Barnum said. "Because you know you are touching them in ways that are helping
them."
Barnum hopes that businesses decide to make a trip to Lake Norman to see Sid Davis, Julie Scoggins and
others perform on the Laugh Liner rather than wine and dine in uptown Charlotte. After all, it will allow
them to relax outside and be creative.
"They will never forget being on the Laugh Liner," he said. "They may forget going to a restaurant but
coming out to the comedy event like this and being on this beautiful boat on the lake watching the sunset,
that is different."
Capt. Gus' Lake Norman Laugh Liner is still booking cruises for next month with hopes to go out several
times a week. For more information visit www.lknlaughliner.com or call Barnum at (704)677-2699.
Section: Lake Living
Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By: Dru Willis
———————————————————————————————————————
Not a typical three-hour cruise
Capt. Gus' Laugh Liner brings comedy to Lake Norman
If Capt. Gus Gustafson, Barney Barnum and Sid Davis have it their way, Capt. Gus' Lake Norman Laugh
Liner will have a much better fate than another three-hour tour charter boat, the S.S. Minnow.
"Our trips are three-hours and they (business owners) want them (employees) to be more creative,
create more ideas about better customer service, team building and we can do that," Barnum asid. "We
can customize- taht is the key word for us- the presentation to help them do a better presentation.
"so we are in kind of what you would call, I guess, customized entertainment."
This charter boat will host approximately 60 people for corporate or private events rather than being a
siteseeing tour for five future castaways and two crew members.
The idea to begin the Laughliner-which made its maiden cruise two weeks ago-began when the three
met each other individually over a period of time.
Barnum, a Toastmaster and public speaker, has known the stand-up comic Davis for a while, but after
meeting Lake Norman's own angler, Gustafson, he decided the three should be together.
After sitting down together they determined the best venue to go about hosting a comedy-styled event
would be on a charter boat. They just had to find a way to literally float their idea.
Enter Cliff Champion, a certified captain and owner of the Championship 1 and Championship 2 charter
boats.
The Laugh Liner requires room for 60 so the 80-foot Championship 2 was the perfect vessel to lease from
Championship Yacht Charters.
"The good thing about not owning the boat is that we are leasing the boat, " Gustafson said. "And it is
expense as needed (there are) not expenses for making a boat payment every month." Since Gustafson
is such a visible person around the Lake Norman with his proffessional fishing guide business and tall
stature they decided to name the Laugh Liner after him to get a little name recognition on their side.
"I can step in as needed. Cliff can pretty much do that (pilot the boat) on his own. I back Cliff up in certain
situations." Gustafson said. When he has double bookings there are occasions that I will run the 42-footer
while he is on the other one."
The maiden voyage went off without a hitch and the trio is not worried one bit about having fun or being
able to provide the entertainment, relaxation and enjoyment to the people going on the three-hour cruise.
"We'll exceed their expectations and now all we need to do is find enough corporate groups to justify our
efforts so far," Gustafson said.
Since the company is under the banner of LKN Productions LLC, the owners opened themselves up to
endless possibilities. Barnum has contacts from his Toastmaster and public speaking proffession, Davis
knows plenty of comedic talent and Gustafson, according to Barnum, has never met a stranger.
"We don't have to take people out on the boat, we can do in-house and we can do anything outside of an
auditorium, " he said. "So it is going to take us to the next level."
By centering the event around comedy Barnum hopes to help spread the best medicine around-laughter.
"We believe that humor really makes a difference. That is healthy," he said. "There is a reason that people
recognize their need for reducing their stress and laughing. It is healthy. It lowers your blood pressure, it
changes your mood. It will boost your immune system. People get more creative."
The customers are not the only ones to benefit from the cruise as the trio and staff gets to laugh on the
inside as everyone laughs.
"There is nothing, I'm telling you, to get up there and hear people laughing at your humor and it is kind of
an emotional high," Barnum said. "Because you know you are touching them in ways that are helping
them."
Barnum hopes that businesses decide to make a trip to Lake Norman to see Sid Davis, Julie Scoggins and
others perform on the Laugh Liner rather than wine and dine in uptown Charlotte. After all, it will allow
them to relax outside and be creative.
"They will never forget being on the Laugh Liner," he said. "They may forget going to a restaurant but
coming out to the comedy event like this and being on this beautiful boat on the lake watching the sunset,
that is different."
Capt. Gus' Lake Norman Laugh Liner is still booking cruises for next month with hopes to go out several
times a week. For more information visit www.lknlaughliner.com or call Barnum at (704)677-2699.
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