Hidden Gems: Meet Adam Walsh of Excelsior LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Walsh.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Well, Knuckleheads Comedy started in April of 2018. In the summer of 2017, I was in a very dark place when my Dad passed away. I was at the bottom of a bottle of liquor and attempted suicide. The gun misfired and I was still here. In the background, YouTube was playing a video from America’s Got Talent, and it was a comedian, Drew Lynch, talking to Howie Mandel. Howie told him, “Comedy comes from your deepest, darkest places.” And I had never been in a deeper or darker place before. So, I went to Cincinnati and auditioned for AGT. After a few months of working the Metro Detroit comedy scene and networking with the other comics, and “learning the game” so to speak, I created Knuckleheads Comedy. In the 6.5 years that I ran Knuckleheads full time, we ran over 900 shows and only had the same lineup twice, one time. We traveled thousands of miles, survived a pandemic, brought a lot of laughs, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. In August of 2024, we were voted 2nd place in the WDIV Channel 4’s “Vote for the Best” contest and were the only travel comedy show to even be nominated.

In 2022, I launched the “Corky & The Ginge” podcast. It’s my Best Friend and I on the show. At the beginning, we were just having a lot of fun. No real structure or format, just sitting down and hitting record. Now, we’ve grown the show and are more formatted and we concentrate on the things in the Metro Detroit area. We have segments throughout the week like “Local Spotlight” which focuses on local small businesses, non-profit organizations, community enfluences, and more. There’s also “Corky’s Kitchen”, “Corky Collects”, and more. There’s also daily Dad Jokes, Fun Facts, and Mental Floss Moments.

Then, in the summer of 2020, I launched “The Vow Whisperer”, my wedding officiating business. I had some friends who had reached out knowing that I was and ordained minister and were looking to still be married on their dates, pandemic or not. After doing a few ceremonies, I loved doing it so much, I decided to make it a side business and have performed over 100 ceremonies in the last 4 years. I love working with the couples on their vows. Yes, I can do your traditional vows and standard ceremony, but I love figuring things out about the couples and working those things into their ceremony. I absolutely love when the couple wants a humorous ceremony. It really makes everything comfortable and just an even memorable time.

I always live by “Corky’s 3 Rules of Life”…
1. Don’t be a piece of crap.
2. Be the light and love in someone’s day.
3. Leave the world a little better than you found it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. A lot of people don’t realize how much work gets put into putting on a comedy show, podcast, or even writing someone’s wedding ceremony.

With Knuckleheads Comedy, I did literally everything. From cold calling venues, to designing the flyers, marketing & promoting, producing the show, and when necessary, even get up and perform a set. And being a travel show and going to different venues, we had to communicate with the venue leading up to ensure everything would run smoothly. Going from venue to venue, what they did, was a reflection of the show. The atmosphere would have to be right, food & drinks, service, and that’s all before we even kicked off a show! And then of course, comedy is subjective. So, there would be times where someone may be upset by a joke. But, I’d have a chat with them and try to come to an understanding. Sometimes, if the comic was still there, they would even be willing to come and chat with them.

Then, writing the ceremony for someone’s wedding can be one of the most anxiety ridden experiences ever because what you put down, is what’s going to be remembered about their ceremony forever. And of course, I always send the bride & groom a final copy for approval. But depending on what the couple wants in there themselves, or just approves, it could always upset someone. And trust me, I’ve dealt with some angry parents before. But when that happens, the bride and groom will usually intervene and explain that they approved it and that’s what they wanted. So, it deflects a bit, but you still always want to make sure it’s perfect for them.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Excelsior LLC?
We’re proud to bring a variety of things to people. From laughter with Knuckleheads Comedy, to daily inspirations and fun facts with “Corky & The Ginge”, and helping to begin the rest of a couple’s lives together.

We’re proud of the fact that we’re 100% customizable. From our “Laugh Packs” with Knuckleheads, to our wedding ceremonies, everything is 100% custom from top to bottom.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
We learned a TON during that time. We were one of the first types of entertainment that was available once things started to open back up. We were switching microphones and sanitizing them in between comics, social distancing, etc. It was a tough time until we were able to open back up. Virtual comedy just didn’t work in my opinion. But, we were able to use it enough to stay relevant until we were able to come perform in public again.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/corkyandtheginge
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/corkyandtheginge
• Other: https://tiktok.com/cokryandtheginge1