Hi David! Can you share with our readers, on the off chance someone doesn't know you, what do you do in our industry?

Forrmerly I a toy inventor who spent decades creating, licensing, and building products and brands. Today, I’m President of the world-famous Laugh Factory, where we’re expanding in many way including expansion of our clubs, feature films and television, content and consumer products - including our collaboration with EPOCH on the first-ever stand-up comedian trading cards.

What is it about the Toy and Game Industry that you love?

It’s one of the few industries where creativity, joy, and business all intersect. You’re literally creating happiness. I like to say that both toys and comedy are the “smile business.”

What is your claim to fame?

I’ve had an unusual and fun career. I hold a Guinness World Record as the World’s Fastest Backwards Talker, and I’ve licensed many successful products including the Nerf Vortex football, Aqua Doodle, Twisty Petz, and the current viral sensation Reel Big Catch from Educational Insights. Now, I’m helping introduce an entirely new collectible category: stand-up comedian trading cards.

What are you working on now?

We’re launching the Laugh Factory Comedian Trading Cards with EPOCH - bringing comedy into the collectibles world for the first time. At the same time, we’re expanding the Laugh Factory into a full lifestyle brand across media, products, and live experiences.

Howie Mandel  Bobby Lee Caroline Rhea starring in Adam Rifkin’s ‘Toad’

Katt Williams, Tiffany Haddish, James Franco, and Craig Robinson

Joining cast of Adam Rifkin’s ‘Toad’

As part of that, we’re producing our first feature film, TOAD - a campy, irreverent comedy built around strong comedic voices. What’s exciting is that we don’t just see it as a film, but as an IP platform with real licensing potential across games, collectibles, and merchandise - very similar to how successful entertainment properties expand into products.

Why now?

Comedy has never been more global or more digital. Comedians have massive followings, but there hasn’t been a physical collectible that captures that culture. Trading cards are the perfect bridge between nostalgia and modern fandom. Comedy has always been something you experience - now it’s something you can collect. I’m incredibly fortunate to have great partners like Jamie Kiskis at Epoch and Shane Mang from Landware Entertainment who brought us this great opportunity.

What inspired the cards?

Sports cards and entertainment collectibles - but no one had ever done it for comedians. That gap was an opportunity to create something truly original and historic. We’re not just launching a product—we’re establishing comedy as a legitimate collectible category for the first time.

What do you hope comes from this?

We want to build a long-term collectible ecosystem where fans engage with comedians the same way they do with athletes or musicians. This is just Series 1.

What trends excite you?

Convergence - where entertainment, social media, and physical products all connect. That’s exactly what we’re doing with the Laugh Factory brand.

What’s next?

Expanding the Laugh Factory brand globally across content, live shows, and licensed products - and continuing to create ideas that bring joy and laughter into people’s lives. The trading card platform itself is highly expandable, with future series, rare inserts, live events, and digital integrations. We’re also building original IP like our feature film TOAD with a focus on creating licensing extensions across products and collectibles.

What do you hope your legacy will be?

That I helped create things that gave people joy, laughter, fun, and human connection - and that I found a way to turn creativity into something meaningful and lasting.

What makes this different from traditional trading cards?

What makes this different is that we’re not just capturing statistics or performances - we’re capturing personality, voice, and cultural impact. Comedians are storytellers with massive fan engagement, especially on social media, and these cards reflect that modern fandom.

How does your background in toys influence this project?

For me, this is really about bridging my two worlds - decades in the toy industry creating products people love, and now building the Laugh Factory brand. I’ve spent my career understanding what makes something collectible and meaningful, and now I’m applying that thinking to comedy. These cards are where those two paths finally come together.

Do you see this as a one-time release or something bigger?

This is just the beginning. We see this as a long-term platform - multiple series, rare inserts, live events, digital extensions, and global expansion. The goal is to build a true collectible ecosystem around comedy, similar to what exists in sports and entertainment.

Why has no one done this before?

Comedy has always been culturally powerful, but it hasn’t been treated as a collectible category - until now. Sometimes the best opportunities are hiding in plain sight, and once we saw the gap, it became clear this could be something historic.

I hear you have a special invitation for toy industry people who enjoy a great show and love to laugh!

Yes! On Monday, April 27 join us for a great night of comedy and receive a $40 box of trading cards. With the code  EPOCH50, the cost of the ticket will be 50% off. ($20 plus tax). Get your tickets HERE!