For press, calendar, management inquiries:
If you are press & want to write about Dhaya OR if you are interested in coming to a show and want to ask Dhaya about specific shows you’d like to attend, please use subject heading “calendar” or “press” and send me an email:
If you want to know more about Dhaya as a Comedian, Storyteller, Speaker, Host/Actor, please navigate to respective tabs and learn more!
For booking and private events:
To book for Dhaya for public appearance, private coaching, storytelling workshops, and content writing/copywriting, please contact:
management/representation for all booking inquiries:
GFI Entertainment (c/o Jimmy Goings)
Or
please read answers to real questions Dhaya has actually received (below) before sending email to
Please get in touch if you would like a corporate speaker (I was once a venture capitalist and management consultant) OR a comedian who is appropriate for diverse audiences (I’m brown and female), who has told stories, performed comedy, and given speeches and talks across the country and even in Nepal and India.) Or hey, maybe you want to book me for my brain and wit. Also see the Teaching/Coaching tab. Or We’ll figure it out together.
Real Questions & Somewhat Comedic Answers :
Instead of an ‘FAQ’ this is a cumbersome ‘RLQ&SCA’ Enjoy 
Do You Perform For Free?
No way Jose
Nah duuude
Ohhh uh uh gurlfren
(you get the point)
Really? Why Come? Can you make an exception?
Dude, is “why come” really a phrase?
First, I get many requests to donate my time to a worthy cause that I can no longer donate to them all, because if I did, I would be donating 24-7. Then Dhaya would soon become the worthy cause to whom I would then need to donate. Creating a mobius strip of free performing! (Whew!)
Second, I am a professional comedian/storyteller/speaker/emcee (see the ABOUT tab) and anyone else who is a pro, will not work for free. Performing is work and all workers deserve to be compensated
But I do donate my talents pro-bono to serve the poorest of the poor.
With my comedy I have had the privilege of performing outdoors for San Francisco’s homeless, indoors at low-resourced school where some kids were born to crack-addicted mothers, on the inside of a max-security prison. I perform for free about twice a year, and these slots are booked up quickly. Usually if your organization is throwing a fundraiser or corporate event, with a nice meal, you can definitely budget to pay for top notch entertainment or speaking. And I am very, very good, so you should pay me very, very well. $$Holla! Dollas!$$
Note: Performing for “exposure” seems like a good idea, but hey people die of exposure (corny joke waah waah). And any “free publicity” I receive is difficult to monetize.
Thus there is not enough of a value exchange to justify working pro bono for free PR.
Who are some of your clients:
AARP
Agami
Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay
Adidas Corporation
Akshaya Patra
America India Foundation
Asian Law Caucus
Asian Art Museum
Asian Women’s Shelter
AMW Group
Audible
AXIS Dance Company
Breast Cancer Action
BVFLP
Callan and Associates
Centro Legal
Cheetah Mobile
Chochmat HaLev
Chevron Corporation
Dataxu
Deerfield Winery
Dogfest
Equinix
Facebook
India Community Center
India Literacy Project
InMobi
Intrigo
Invent Your Future
Jewish Contemporary Museum
Kappa Alpha Theta
Kearny Street Workshop
KQED
Lonely Planet
Mill Valley Public Library
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association
Mountain View Whisman School District
New Leaders Council
New America Foundation
Nomis Solutions
Norwegian Cruise Line
National Women Political Caucus
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
Opening The World/ Bay Area Community Resources
Peet’s Coffee
Reebok Corporation
San Jose Museum of Art
San Jose State University
San Francisco Senior and Disability Action
San Francisco Women Against Rape
San Quentin State Prison
Scottsdale Museum of Modern Art
Senior and Disability Action Network
Simply the Basics
South Asian Heart Association
Stanford University
StubHub
Radio Zindagi
University of Michigan
Upward Women
Wells for Life
Youth Speaks
What are your requirements:
• Stage with lighting (Well-lit stage and low lighting on audience)
• Professional mic & sound system (Hand-held or lavalier mics are great, but no lecterns/podiums)
• Seated audience (No standing and mingling. Comedians & speakers, unlike bands, are not background music.)
• Scheduled pre-dinner or post-dinner, (Not during. Audiences can’t laugh when they have their mouths full).
• A proper introduction. (BONUS for not reading a piece of paper. TRIPLE BONUS if s/he knows how to get the audience seated, quieted, and warmed up. Without this key person my work is harder and I am still happy to perform or speak at your event it, but now I have two $$jobs$$ not one.)
• No distracting devices: (This includes audio/video recording, cell phone use, laptop or other device use during performance or speaking. Texting while driving is dangerous. Texting at a comedy show will make you the butt of the entire act)
• Payment rendered prior to performing (Including deposit paid upon agreement of all terms of the contract)
• Laughter & Funnnnnnn (Yee!)
What are your fees:
I have a basic rate and happily offer discounts to non-profits and small groups. Please ponder these questions so when you contact me I can give you a rate based on the answers:
• Do I want Dhaya to speak? Emcee/host? Perform comedy or storytelling?
• How long do I need Dhaya at my event? The whole event? Part of the time?
• How long would I like her to perform?
• Does Dhaya need to pay out of pocket for transportation? Air? Ground? Intergalactic?
• Does Dhaya need to create custom material for the event (this takes extra time and effort)?
• Am I asking at the last minute? (This adds to the cost).
Finally, as an exercise, think about…
…how many people will be at the event #
…how much the average ticket price is ~
…how much did you spend on venue rental and food $
Think: “As I did with my other costs, I will invest in quality talent”
Once you have read, please let me know how I can be of service!
The guide above will help you answer the basic questions so that when we do connect we can quickly decide if we are the right fit. If we are not, I have a few other folks to whom I can refer you. I look forward to hearing from you!
OR my management/representative
GFI Entertainment (c/o Jimmy Goings)
510-400-9019