About Rick Davis


Rick Davis, founder of The Institute of Totally Useless Skills, is a veteran entertainer having performed at DisneyWorld, on Broadway, on HBO, in Ringling Brothers Circus, at the White House, and in fifteen countries. The author of three books on the subject of Totally Useless Skills, he is currently cracking up the corporate world with his comedy speech - Totally Useless Office Skills. He holds a degree in Philosophy (his first useless skill), and lives in New Hampshire with his wife and children who tolerate his compulsive, expulsive, and repulsive singing.


For Rick Davis, the office cubicle is not a prison - it’s a playhouse.

Davis is the founder and president of The Institute of Totally Useless Skills. He travels to offices nationwide showing stressed-out employees how to play with their office supplies.

"This could be the end of capitalism as we know it." says Davis, a veteran entertainer and author of the newly published book, Totally Useless Office Skills (Hobblebush Books).

He can teach you how to swallow a letter opener, play songs on the telephone, disappear your business card, perform dozens of pencil tricks, and more.

"These are techniques for enhancing the work environment through the judicious elimination of production," says the Author. "In other words, goofing off."

Davis actually thinks the skills are valuable. According to him, "they can be a good way to help you network, build team spirit, and waste time - at company expense."

His book is a compilation of skills he has demonstrated in his corporate speeches. His favorites? Multiple Rubber Band Shooting, Phone Book Tearing, and How to Make Your Boss’s Head Disappear.

At a recent presentation for Digital employees, Davis, dressed in standard corporate suit-and-tie, at first appeared to be yet another “expert” about to give another boring speech. But after a few minutes, the audience was treated to a sight rarely seen in the business world - The Endless Fax...

Print two copies of a friendly message, like "Bob’s a jerk." Tape them together. Start sending. When the first sheet comes out, quickly tape it to the second sheet to form a LOOP. (long pause) Then go on a vacation. See if anything interesting happens when you come back.

In college, Davis majored in philosophy ("My first useless skill," he said) and went on to the next logical step - being a clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus. He’s also performed at DisneyWorld, HBO, and the White House.

About Davis, columnist Dave Barry has said, "I am deeply impressed to find someone with even more spare time than I have."

Totally Useless Office Skills, by Rick Davis. 128 pp, $12.95. 1-800-888-4741. CONTACT: Rick Davis, (603) 654-5875

Back - HOME