The difference between an Emcee (MC) and a Host ā and why it matters
First, my apologies to Steve.
āSteveā is an arbitrary name. No identification with actual persons, living or deceased, is intended or should be inferred from what Iām about to say.
Now that weāve cleared that up ⦠letās talk about Steve.
Steve is that guy in your office with the gift of gab. Heās friendly and personable. His experience in marketing is unrivaled – it’s amazing what you can achieve when you work with Steve.
However, for your upcoming professional development summit or experiential marketing event, giving the mic to āMCā Steve is a terrible idea. Itās comparable to drinking milk on a hot day ā a bad choice.

Again, no offense to Steve, who is the best choice for turning happy hour into a hilarious inside joke.
Heās just not equipped to make your high-caliber event memorable.
A good MC can move the audience through a scheduled list of activities. However, when you give the mic to a talented host, your event transforms. It becomes an experience that conveys a message the audience will remember.
All things considered, āMCā and āhostā are used interchangeably, but they shouldnāt be. Thereās a big difference between what they can accomplish.
Emcee versus Host: letās break it down.
What is an MC?
The MC or Master of Ceremonies, (sometimes referred to as the emcee) is the person in charge of keeping an event flowing.
MCs introduce the featured speakers or special guests. An emcee invites the audience to participate. A master of ceremonies explains key information. They fill time during a long transition.
Sometimes the DJ at an event will double as the MC. The DJ at your cousinās wedding probably introduced the wedding party and announced when it was time to cut the cake.
However, not all DJs are skilled at emceeing. Depending on the complexity and importance of your event, you may need a separate MC. Or you could hire a hybrid DJ/MC who is curiously talented in both areas.

Whatās the difference between an Emcee and a Host?
A host is an emcee who brings the skills of a performer or entertainer. Often, they use a special talent ā like magic, singing, or in my case, DJing ā to complement their performance.
A host knows how to draw and redirect focus. They harness the energy of the audience into a roller coaster ride. They improvise to create magical moments of serendipity.
A great MC is a host. A mediocre host is⦠just an MC.
Think of it this way: You can walk into Target and get yourself a belt for $12 to hold up your pants. If you walk into Gucci, youāll find a belt that will do the same thing, but it wonāt be $12.
When you pay the extra $$$, youāre getting quality materials, the brand, a reputation you trust, and likely some extra attention.

The same goes for acting. Sure, Hallmark movies are enjoyable. But the quality of acting and what is felt by someone like Meryl Streep or Leonardo DiCaprio is on another level.
I think of Leslie Odom Jr. at the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. When he sang, everything stopped. You almost donāt see the models in lingerie going by. That kind of impact is phenomenal.
A great host can stop time. A great host focuses the attention and energy of the audience in order to build an emotional impact that drives action. Great hosts inspire attendees to become brand loyalists.
The Power of a Host
In a crowded event or party, a host manages several layers of noise. For example, Layer 1: the chatter of guests. Layer 2: Thereās music playing. Layer 3: the clatter of hors d’oeuvres plates (I love some crab cake bites) and the clinking of champagne glasses.
And then, additionally, you have someone jump on a microphone: Layer X.
An inexperienced MC will rattle off a long paragraph of talking points in one long stream of overly-caffeinated consciousness. On a scale of 1-10, they might give their voice tons of energy THAT STAYS AT A TEN THE WHOLE TIME!!
After a while, people will zone out. They hear the announcements, but aren’t listening to the words. The MC has become background noise, despite the enthusiasm. Energy that stays at a ten flatlines, equal to energy glued at a four.

Vocal variety is key to creating an emotional impact. An experienced and talented host knows how to fill their announcements with ups and downs.
A host knows how to draw people in with a mere whisper and then pump up the excitement. He knows when to coast a bit to give the audience a breather and then, just at the right time, how to lay on the gas.
āCome and Jump On Itā
Beyond making announcements from a stage, a good host engages the audience. Heāll take one or two of the messaging key points and land those entertainingly and creatively.
Iāll give you an example from hosting the Super Bowl Experience recently. One of our jobs as a host is to promote the NFL Shop (this is the store for official NFL apparel and gear). The typical form of promotion is to wear the gear and draw peopleās attention to your outfit at key moments.
āTypicalā just isn’t my thing. Iām going to take my free merch as motivation and set up a runway in the middle of the crowd. Iām going to ask three people to compete. Whoever walks the runway “best” gets the swag.
Now, I have the audienceās attention, despite the magnitude of the autograph stage, the pumping music, the awe of the NFL stars, and those kids crying in the back.
The next moment is key. An experienced host will tell you: I have to pick the “right” person from the crowd. Iām about to take them to the brink of their comfort zone, and you donāt want someone who wonāt play along.
John is the perfect first participant. I can tell heās a goofy dad ready for his moment in the spotlight, despite the plain shirt and sporty Cole Haan’s he’s wearing. Heāll go the distance to acquire the new swag. After an introduction and rapport building with him, I convince him to get out there and work that runway!
I āaccidentallyā play a few intro bars of Pony.

āWhoa, whoa! Sorry, wrong track there! John, I don’t want you to get carried away. There are children here,ā I say, among the knowing laughs and mock catcalls from other parents.
I switch to family-friendly Gangnam Style.
My impromptu runway of sashaying and enthusiastically bad dancing is a better stage for promoting the NFL gear. It had WAY more impact than a general announcement trying to “stiff arm” its way through a room full of noise.
A good host makes everyone the center of attention
Some MCs talk at you. They make announcements you donāt hear. Consequently, the audience pays attention only if theyāre bored and waiting for something exciting to happen.
A host makes the audience part of the show. Exceptional hosts know they have to build rapport with the audience. They have a conversation with one individual at a time until the whole room of unique and diverse personalities is unified.
The best hosts ensure that no one feels left out, even if the audience is huge. During a memorable event, everyone is the center of attention. Thatās the difference between an emcee versus a host. Learning the skills that can elevate you from an emcee to a host is a part of the Charismatic Advantageā¢
And, while “MC” Steve from Marketing lands a good dad joke here and there, he’s a guy on a mic and not a host.
For your next important event, hire the best host!