This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

A stock broker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms.

Similar roles of the stock broker[link]

Roles similar to that of a stockbroker include investment advisor, and financial advisor. A stockbroker may or may not be also an investment advisor, and vice versa.

Acting as a principal[link]

Stockbrokers exclusively trade on their own behalf, as a principal, speculating that a share or other financial instrument will increase or decline in price. In such cases the term broker makes little sense and the individuals or firms trading in principal capacity sometimes call themselves dealers, stock traders or simply traders. There are many other types of traders within capital markets, for example trading within the foreign exchange market.

Requirements[link]

Canada[link]

In Canada, stock brokers are called "Licensed Representative" or "Investment Representative". To be licensed to trade on stock exchanges, a person must complete the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) and the Conduct & Practices Handbook (CPH). This equips an employee to trade all instruments except derivatives and futures. To trade derivatives and futures, a person must obtain respective licensing for these instruments.

Hong Kong[link]

To become a representative one has to work for a licensed firm and pass 3 exams to prove one's competency. Passing a fourth exam results in obtaining a 'specialist' license. All tests can be taken with the HKSI. However, passing all tests doesn't result in automatically obtaining the license. It still needs to be approved by the financial regulatory body.

Singapore[link]

In Singapore to become a trading respresentative, you need to pass 2 exams from Institute of Banking and Financial. The 2 exams are Module 1A and Mod 6. After you pass the exams, you need to apply for the license through MAS and SGX.

United Kingdom[link]

In the UK, brokers are required to pass the XII (Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment) Certificate in Securities, this qualification is achieved by passing two exams: Either Unit 1: FBI Financial regulations or Unit 10 Principles of Financial Regulation for MiFID compliant retail trading, and either Unit 2: Securities, Unit 3: Derivatives or Unit 4: for both Securities and Derivatives. Passing Unit 10 or Unit 52 identifies individuals as having attained FSA Approved Person Status.

United States[link]

While the term "stockbroker" is still in use, more common terms are "broker," "registered rep." or simply "rep." — the latter being abbreviations of the official Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) designation "Registered Representative," obtained by passing the FINRA General Securities Representative Exam (also known as the "Series 7 exam") and being employed ("associated with") a registered broker-dealer, also called a brokerage firm, typically a FINRA "member" firm. More restrictive FINRA licenses or series exams exist for brokers or reps who do not need the full array of capabilities with the Series 7 (see list of securities examinations). Variable products such as a variable annuity contract or variable universal life insurance policy typically require the broker to also have one or another state insurance department licenses.

See also[link]

• Boiler room (business)
• Boutique brokerage
• Floor broker
• Prime brokerage
• Securities market
• Stock market
• Stock market data systems

"Barnstormer" redirects here because of the band by that name. For information on aviators, see Barnstorming.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2010)

Attila the Stockbroker
Attila the Stockbroker performing in the Cabaret Tent at the 2010 Glastonbury Festival
Background information
Birth name	John Baine
Born	(1957-10-21) 21 October 1957 (age 54) Southwick, Sussex
Genres	Punk rock punk poetry folk punk
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, poet
Instruments	Vocals Mandola
Years active	Late 1970s–present
Labels	Cherry Red Probe Plus
Associated acts	Barnstormer English Disease Brighton Riot Squad Contingent
Website	attilathestockbroker.com

Attila the Stockbroker (born John Baine, 21 October 1957, Southwick, Sussex, England)^[1] is a punk poet, and a folk punk musician and songwriter. He performs solo and as the leader of the band Barnstormer. He describes himself as a "sharp tongued, high energy social surrealist poet and songwriter." He has performed over 2,700 concerts, published six books of poems, and released 30+ recordings (CDs, LPs and singles).^[2][3]

Career[link]

John Baine took the performing name Attila the Stockbroker during a short stint as a City stockbroker's clerk between 1980 and 1981 (A colleague accused him of having the eating habits of Attila the Hun). Having started performing in the late 1970s after being inspired by the spirit and 'do it yourself' ethos of the punk subculture, particularly The Clash's overtly socialist stance, he was briefly a member of punk bands English Disease and Brighton Riot Squad, and Belgian band Contingent before going solo.^[1] He did his first gig at Bush Fair Playbarn, Harlow, Essex, on 8 September 1980. At first he performed poems and songs in between bands at punk rock concerts, accompanying himself on the phased electric mandolin. After this was smashed over his head by fascists during a fight at a performance in North London in May 1982, he got a mandola (a fifth lower) and has played this ever since. He has performed in 24 countries, playing venues ranging from the Oxford Union in England to squatted punk clubs in Germany, and performs between 80 and 100 shows every year. He toured East Germany four times before the Berlin Wall came down, and once did an illegal performance in a hotel basement in Stalinist Albania. He was signed by Cherry Red in 1982 after recording a session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show.^[1] He recorded a second session for Peel in 1983.^[4]

In the 1980s, he was often the support act for punk bands, including The Jam, The Alarm, Newtown Neurotics, New Model Army and performed extensively with fellow punk-inspired ranting poets Swift Nick (Nick Swift), Kool Knotes (Richard Edwards), Porky the Poet (Phill Jupitus) and Steven Wells (Seething Wells). Manic Street Preachers supported him at a performance at Swansea University. In the 1990s, he toured with John Otway as Headbutts and Halibuts, and together they wrote a surreal rock opera called Cheryl, a tale of Satanism, Trainspotting, drug abuse and unrequited love. He has performed at every Glastonbury Festival since 1983, and continues to write topical, satirical material on all kinds of subjects. He puts on an annual beer and music festival 'Glastonwick', currently held at Coombes Farm, near Shoreham though originally in Southwick, his home town nearby. June 2012 will see the 17th Glastonwick.

Notable works from his 1980s heyday include the poem "Contributory Negligence"; various Russian-themed poems, satirizing the alleged Cold War Russian threat in the context of Margaret Thatcher's Britain (such as "Russians in the DHSS" and "Russians in McDonald's"). Other political poems include the surreal Nigel series, such as "Nigel wants to go to C&A", with the lines "...but I don't understand why / 'cos they don't sell nerve gas in C&A / not even to SDP members in cashmere sweaters", "Asylum Seeking Daleks", which satirises the right wing press's attitudes to immigration, and "Hey Celebrity", which rejects the need for the concept of celebrity.

Attila the Stockbroker formed the band Barnstormer in 1994, combining punk rock and medieval music. The band released its debut album The Siege of Shoreham in 1996 and performs regularly across Europe. 'So far the band has released 4 albums: 'Just One Life', the second, came out in 2000, 'Zero Tolerance' in 2004 and the latest, 'Bankers and Looters', has just been released (Jan 2012) Barnstormer features Attila the Stockbroker on vocals, violin, crumhorn and recorders; Dan Woods on guitar; M. M. McGhee on drums; and Dave Beaken on bass - the latter three are also members of The Fish Brothers.

But Attila's main focus remains on his solo work and his live shows combining his poems and songs. He has two CDs featuring live recordings of solo gigs currently on sale: "Live in Belfast' (2003) and 'Live in Norway' (2007) His latest book of poems, My Poetic Licence was published in May 2008. In January 2010 Attila published a pamphlet, The Long Goodbye, containing two poems; a long one dedicated to and chronicling the life of his mother Muriel, who died in June 2010 after a six-year battle with Alzheimer's Disease, and a shorter one written for his stepfather John Stanford, who died in December 2009. 'The Long Goodbye' was featured on BBC Radio Four's 'Woman's Hour' on Mother's Day 2011, and repeated on 'Pick of the Week'. Attila celebrated 30 years of performing in September 2010 with a 27-date tour of the UK, Germany and Holland. In March 2011 he toured Australia for the first time in sixteen years, and at the time of this latest update (March 2012) he is about to do a band tour of Germany, followed by a return to Albania - solo - and then a mammoth UK tour with Australian urban folk singer Rory Ellis.

Football support[link]

He is an ardent supporter of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., and for about 16 years was heavily involved in the successful battle to save the club and secure a new stadium, after the Goldstone Ground was sold to property developers in 1997. The Seagulls finally moved to their new stadium at Falmer in August 2011. He has been the team's poet in residence since 2000, and was the stadium announcer and DJ for 14 years, first at Gillingham, where the club spent two seasons playing 'home' games, and then at the club's temporary Withdean Stadium. As the main member of the one-off band Seagulls Ska, he had a single reach #17 in the UK charts in 2005, as part of the campaign for the new stadium. "Tom Hark (We Want Falmer)". In 1989 he appeared on the Kickback segment of The Channel Four Daily, reflecting on Liverpool FC's 9-0 win over Crystal Palace.^[5][6]

Poetry collections[link]

• Cautionary tales for Dead Commuters (with Seething Wells), Allen & Unwin, 1986
• Scornflakes, Bloodaxe, 1992)
• The Rat-Tailed Maggot & Other Poems Roundhead, 1998)
• Goldstone Ghosts. Roundhead, 2001
• My Poetic Licence Roundhead, 2008
• The Long Goodbye (poems for my mother and stepfather) Roundhead. 2010

Discography[link]

• 1981 Phasing Out Capitalism cassette (No Wonder)
• 1982 Rough, Raw and Ranting EP with Seething Wells (Radical Wallpaper)
• 1982 Cocktails EP (Cherry Red)
• 1983 Ranting at the Nation LP (Cherry Red) (UK Indie #12)^[7]
• 1984 Sawdust and Empire LP (Anagram)
• 1984 Radio Rap! EP (Cherry Red)
• 1984 Livingstone Rap! EP (Cherry Red Ken)
• 1987 Libyan Students from Hell! LP (Plastic Head)
• 1988 Scornflakes LP/cassette (Probe Plus)
• 1990 (Canada) Live at the Rivoli LP/cassette (Festival)
• 1991 Donkey's Years CD/LP/cassette (Musidisc)
• 1991 1991 Cheryl - a Rock Opera (Strikeback) - with John Otway
• 1992 (Germany) This Is Free Europe CD/LP (Terz)
• 1993 (Australia) 668-Neighbour of the Beast CD/cassette (Larrikin)
• 1993 (Germany) Live auf St.Pauli CD (Terz)
• 1993 Attila the Stockbroker's Greatest Hits cassette (Roundhead)
• 1999 Poems Ancient & Modern CD (Roundhead/Mad Butcher)
• 1999 The Pen & The Sword CD (Roundhead/Mad Butcher)
• 2003 Live in Belfast (Roundhead)
• 2005 Tom Hark (We Want Falmer) EP - with Seagulls Ska (Skint)
• 2007 Live In Norway (Crispin Glover)
• 2008 Spirit of the Age (Roundhead)
• 2010 'Disestablished 1980' (Mad Butcher)
• 2012 'The Long Goodbye'/'Never Too Late' (Roundhead)

Barnstormer Discography[link]

• 1995 Barnstormer cassette (Roundhead Records)
• 1995 (Germany) Sarajevo EP (Mad Butcher)
• 1996 The Siege of Shoreham CD/cass (Roundhead Records)
• 1998 Live in Hamburg cassette (Roundhead Records)
• 1999 (Germany) The Siege of Shoreham CD (Puffotter Platten) and LP (East Side Records)
• 2000 Just One Life (Roundhead Records)
• 2004 Zero Tolerance (Roundhead Records)
• 2004 "Baghdad Ska" - split single with Bomb Factory (Repeat Records)
• 2012 'Bankers & Looters' (Mad Butcher)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Attila the Stockbroker

• Official website

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since September 2010. It needs attention from an expert on the subject. Tagged since September 2010. It may contain original research. Tagged since January 2010.

Personal Finance
Credit and debit
Pawnbroker Student loan
Employment contract
Salary Wage Employee stock option Employee benefit Direct deposit
Retirement
Pension Defined benefit Defined contribution Social security Business plan Corporate action
Personal budget
Financial planner Financial adviser Financial independence Estate planning
See also
Banks and credit unions Cooperatives
v t e

A financial adviser is a professional who helps clients to maintain the desired balance of investment income, capital gains, and acceptable level of risk by using proper asset allocation. Financial advisers use stock, bonds, mutual funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), options, futures, notes, and insurance products to meet the needs of their clients. Many financial advisers receive a commission payment for the various financial products that they broker, although "fee-based" planning is becoming increasingly popular in the financial services industry.

A further distinction should be made between "fee-based" and "fee-only" advisers. Fee-based advisers often charge asset based fees but may also collect commissions. Fee-only advisers do not collect commissions or referral fees paid by other product or service providers.^[1]

Some investment advisers only charge a fee based on the assets managed for the client. Typically they charge about 1.0 to 1.5% per year to make the investment decisions for the client. They do not collect commissions.

Role[link]

The main purpose of a financial adviser is to assist clients in the planning and arrangement of their financial affairs, such as savings, retirement provisions, tax treatment and wills. To ensure ethical practices, financial advisers must understand a client's financial situation as well as their need for financial stability. Finance can be complicated and any adviser has responsibilities ethically to see that a client's risk is minimized, and monetarily, that money is maximized within the established risk boundaries.

Retirement planning[link]

One of the major services that financial advisers offer is retirement planning. A financial adviser should have knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, taxation, asset allocation, and financial tools and products to establish realistic goals and the strategy by which to reach them. In the United States, this will include the use of several investment tools such as 401(k)/403(b) Roth account(s), Individual Retirement Accounts/Roth IRAs, mutual funds, stocks, bonds and CDs.

The financial adviser determines what percentage of the available income is necessary—taking into account tax liabilities, expected inflation, and projected return on investment—to meet a minimum balance by the client's target age of retirement. This is a fairly straightforward calculation, and many automated tools do this. The financial adviser's greatest contribution is asset allocation: determining how to maximize the return on investment while satisfying the client's risk tolerance.

Investing[link]

Financial advisers may help their clients invest for both long and short term goals. It is the financial adviser's duty to determine the clients' goals and risk tolerance and then to recommend appropriate investments. Generally, a long time horizon allows for the adviser to recommend more volatile investments with potentially greater risks and rewards. Such investments include direct investment in stocks or through collective investment products such as mutual funds and unit investment trusts/unit trusts.

If the client has shorter term goals, the adviser should recommend less volatile investments with shorter time spans. Such investments could include cash deposits, certificates of deposit, and short term bonds. While these types of investment generally have lower returns there is less volatility and there is less likelihood of losing principal capital. Although short-term investments can guard against loss of capital, their value can be eroded by inflation over longer periods of time.

"adviser" vs. "advisor"[link]

There is no difference between a financial "adviser" and a financial "advisor". The terms are interchangeable, and are considered synonymous.^[2]

Compensation[link]

Fee-only[link]

As defined by the review materials for the Certified Financial Planner exam and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, fee-only financial advisers, such as an investment adviser, are compensated solely by the client, typically achieved through a combination of hourly fees (including retainers), financial planning fees, and asset management fees. Neither advisers nor affiliates may receive commissions, rebates, awards, finder’s fees, bonuses or other forms of compensation from others as a result of a client’s implementation of the individual’s planning recommendations.^[3] The fee-only model of compensation reduces the potential for conflicts of interest between the adviser and the client in that the adviser is not beholden to insurance companies, particular investments, and other financial companies.

A clear distinction should be made between brokers, who often refer to themselves as "fee-based" (receiving both fees and commissions) and "fee-only" (someone who never receives compensation or incentives from a third party.)

A fee-only adviser may reduce conflicts of interest such as:

• advising a client to buy products and make investments when holding cash and other liquid assets may have been a more suitable recommendation at that time.
• an incentive to generate commissions through the unnecessary buying and/or selling of securities (also known as churning).
• an incentive to convert non-cash assets such as real estate and collectibles to cash and securities so that the adviser can generate a commission.
• an incentive to make recommendations that pay higher sales commissions to the adviser when a less expensive alternative may have been available.

Commission-based[link]

Many financial advisers receive a commission payment for the various financial products that they broker, although "fee-based" planning is becoming increasingly popular in the financial services industry. For an explanation of commissions and fees charged by mutual funds.

Online-only[link]

A new class of services that deliver guidance regarding financial planning are emerging, offering low cost financial advice through the sponsorship of HR department of employers. Companies like HelloWallet are offering low cost financial advice through the employer. These services are also delivered to the poor through donation of HelloWallet as well as philanthropic organizations.^[4]

History[link]

Much of today's model for what a financial adviser is, stemmed from IDS Financial Services, which later became known as American Express Financial Corporation (AEFC) after the company was sold by Alleghany Corporation, and later became Ameriprise. At IDS, a young rep named James Tausz was a top-ranked broker and served as the basis of inspiration for the company's model of "Financial Planning for a Fee," which IDS VP Vint Lewis popularized by training thousands of IDS stock brokers. Today, the concept of a "financial adviser" is widely popular. Before the IDS model, almost all stock brokers worked on commissions only.^[5]

Qualifications[link]

United States[link]

There are three types of licenses for individual professionals who typically hold themselves out as financial advisers: Investment Adviser Representative Series 65, Registered Representative Series 7 (also known as a "Stock Broker"), Insurance Producer. The practice of investment advice, the sale of investment securities and the sale of insurance products are regulated and therefore an individual must pass an exam, affiliate with a firm and register with one or more states before conducting business. A financial adviser may hold any combination of these licenses depending on the nature of their financial practice. Similar to the term financial adviser, the terms wealth manager, financial consultant and financial planner do not refer to a specific license or designation. These terms are typically selected by individuals to help describe the nature of their financial practice.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), The Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) and the Masters of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) are all advanced specializations that require elaborate course work to obtain. These professional designations are issued by organizations such as the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute,^[6] the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards,^[7] and the College for Financial Planning.^[8]

In the United States, a firm registers as an investment adviser with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) or a state, depending on the amount of assets that receive continuous and regular supervisory or management services (Assets Under Management, or "AUM"). For a firm to register with the SEC, it must have over $25 million of AUM at the time of registration or within 120 days of the effective date of the registration. If a firm has less than $25 million of AUM and doesn’t anticipate having $25 million or more within 120 days of the effective date of the registration, then it must register with the individual state(s) as an investment adviser. If a firm has $30 million or more of AUM, then it must register with the SEC. Firms with more than $25 million and less than $30 million of AUM can be registered with either the state or SEC. The SEC’s definition of AUM is outlined in the Form ADV Part 1 and should be thoroughly reviewed and consulted prior to beginning the registration process.

Certain multi-state advisors may also register with the SEC, as well as certain Internet based advisers. If an adviser does not qualify for registration with the SEC, the adviser must register with the states where it maintains an office, as well as each state where its clients are located. There are de minimus exemptions in most states, typically exempting from registration those advisers with less than 6 clients, but the exemption varies from state to state.^[9]

Common examples of investment advisers include pension fund managers, mutual fund managers, trust fund managers and also individuals, partnerships, or corporations that have registered under the Act, and those who fall within certain exemptions. Stock brokers (known as "registered representatives" under U.S. federal law and licensed in the various states) are not necessarily (and normally are not) Registered Investment Advisers.

In general, under U.S. law, investment advisers owe their clients an ongoing fiduciary duty to provide full and complete disclosure of all fees, conflicts of interest, and if so authorized, to exercise discretion in selecting investments with only their clients' best interests in mind.^[10]

In many cases, a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) is a corporation or partnership while the person actually providing the advice is an investment adviser representative (IAR) of the adviser organization. Investment adviser representatives and individuals registered as investment advisers are sometimes certified as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) practitioner by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. [5] or a Chartered Financial Analyst(CFA) holding a charter from the CFA Institute [6] after they have passed the appropriate examinations, have agreed to abide by a code of ethics, and have maintained the required continuing education credits. The CFP and CFA credentials are not, however, required for registration as a Registered Investment Adviser.

The registration process to become an investment adviser is becoming increasingly complex, with examination requirements, books and record retention and increased state regulation of smaller investment advisers.^[9][11]

Regulation[link]

In the United States, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regulates and oversees the activities of more than 5,050 brokerage firms, approximately 172,050 branch offices and more than 663,050 registered securities representatives. A financial adviser or stock broker should be licensed to provide any consultation on investment in securities. Typical licenses needed to promote the sale of stocks are the: Series 7 (General Securities exam), Series 63 (State Securities exam), and Series 65 or 66 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam. Generally, any adviser who charges a fee for investment advice would need to also have the Series 65 or 66 license. Thus, anyone can call themselves a financial planner (although care must be taken not to be confused with a Certified Financial Planner), but they would still need FINRA licenses to provide advice for a fee or be registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the USA. Anyone in the business of providing financial advice can call themselves a financial adviser. There currently isn't any regulation on the use of this title. To charge a fee for advice, one must pass the FINRA Series 65 test—The Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination. To be a "Registered Investment Adviser" (RIA) or "Investment Adviser Representative" (IAR), one must pass the FINRA Series 65 exam or both of the FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 exams. Many brokerage firms still claim an exemption for their employees who sell fee based products and services.^{[citation needed]}

Canada[link]

The financial adviser role in Canada is varied. Most financial advisers carry licenses to sell life insurance, securities, or mutual fund - or some combination of all three. The life insurance license is obtained through successful completion of the life license qualification program, except in Quebec, where licensing is completed through l'autorite des marchiers financiers. There are three distinct securities licenses available. Completion of the Canadian Securities Course allows the sale of most types of securities, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. More advanced licensing is required for the sale of derivatives and commodities. Completion of a mutual funds course allows the adviser to sell mutual funds only, excluding certain types of very specialized funds and importantly, ETFs - although recently non-securities licensed financial advisers have gained access to ETFs through new mutual fund products. The third possible license is the exempt securities license.

In many, but not all cases, licensing requires the support of a dealer or insurer. It is also mandatory for advisers to carry Errors and Omissions Insurance. The term financial adviser can refer to the entire spectrum of advisers. In general, the industry in Canada is segmented into three channels of advisers: MGA, MFDA and IIROC. However, there is little regulatory control exercised over use of the term, and, as such, many insurance brokers, insurance agents, securities brokers, financial planners and others identify themselves as financial advisers.

Many financial advisers in Canada are also financial planners. While there are numerous financial planning designations, the most common is the Certified Financial Planner designation although the Personal Financial Planner designation is also popular in Canada. There is no regulation, outside of Quebec, of the term "Financial Planner".^[12]

United Kingdom[link]

There are three main bodies awarding qualifications for financial advisers in the UK. The main one is the Chartered Insurance Institute, which offers professional financial services qualifications all the way from beginner to degree levels. The IFS School of Finance offers alternative courses/qualifications in certain specialist areas such as mortgages and equity release. The Institute of Financial Planning offers the Certified Financial Planner.

In the United Kingdom investment advice is given either by a financial adviser or a stock broker.

Financial advisers need to pass a series of exams and receive a Certificate in Financial Planning (previously the Financial Planning Certificate) or the Certificate for Financial Advisers, and also authorised by the Financial Services Authority, a UK government qango that must be satisfied the adviser is a “fit and proper person” before they may practice.

This is to be replaced in December 2012 with a new standard of qualification classed as Diploma and all existing advisers will have to attain the new qualifications to be able to continue to give advice going forward. Typically a diploma or higher qualified adviser will have Dip FA or Dip PFS after their name.

Financial advisers are either tied, multi-tied, independent, or fee-only.

As the classifications suggest, tied advisers can only recommend 'financial products' marketed by the company they represent. Typically that company employs them but in some cases they work for that organisation under a type of self-employed contract that usually precludes other paid work.

Multi-tied agents perform a similar role, except they represent a number of different companies. This is sometimes referred to as the panel system. Tied and multi-tied advisers are nearly always rewarded via commission, though in some cases (and if the adviser is employed rather than self employed) commission may be expressed in notional terms to justify a salary.

An Independent Financial Adviser must offer advice on all 'financial products' on the market (which carry commission) and, in addition, must offer clients the choice of paying a fee for advice about a product or products, rather than being remunerated commission from the financial institution that is promoting the product.

A Fee-only financial adviser designs bespoke solutions, and often by investing directly removes marketing commissions and charges from the costs that clients would otherwise pay. Fee-only advisery firms tend to accept a professional duty of care.

In the UK there has been much debate in the media about the effectiveness of financial advisers, especially in situations where there is perceived bias toward 'financial products' that carry commission.

Best advice is a concept which was never more than a heading in the FSA / PIA / NASDIM regulations (and is now withdrawn in favour of the 'appropriate' standard) and which refers to the general obligation under Contract Law (Agency) that a broker has to find the correct 'financial product' to match a client 'need'. A provider firm must not make a recommendation unless it has a suitable product to offer. If it offers no suitable products then none should be recommended. A multi-tied firm must not make any recommendations unless it has access to a suitable product from the providers on their panel. In the UK many believe impartial advice can be obtained only by consulting an independent financial adviser. Others believe it can only be obtained by consulting an adviser that never accepts commission.

Republic of Ireland[link]

The QFA ("qualified financial adviser") designation is awarded to those who pass the Professional Diploma in Financial Advice and agree to comply with the ongoing "continuous professional development" (CPD) requirements. It is the recognised benchmark designation for financial advisers working in retail financial services. The qualification, and attaching CPD programme, meets the "minimum competency requirements" (MCR) specified by the Financial Regulator, for advising on and selling five categories of retail financial products:

• Savings, investments and pensions,
• Housing loans and associated insurances,
• Consumer credit and associated insurances,
• Shares, bonds and other investment instruments, and,
• Life assurance protection policies.

New Zealand[link]

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (September 2010)

The National Certificate in Financial Services [Financial Advice] [Level 5] is currently being introduced in New Zealand. All Individuates and registered legal entities providing financial services must be registered as a RFSP( Registered Financial Service Provider ) Their Directors, retail and sales staff are required to gain the national certificate.^[13]

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) in conjunction with industry groups via the ETITO administers a qualifications frame work for the qualification. Registrations and examinations are conducted by the ETITO.^[14] All Financial Advisers are required to register with the ETITO by March 31, 2011

The Qualifications Framework consists of a core set of competencies sets, A B C followed by 2 electives covering specialist areas such as Insurance and Residential Property Lending. Certain NZQA approved qualifications such as an Accountancy degree may exempt student from competency set A NZQA approved training in the certificate is offered by the New Zealand Open Polytechnic^[15] as well as several other accredited organizations^[16]

South Korea[link]

In South Korea, the Korea Financial Investment Association oversees the licensing of investment advisers. There are a number of different professional certifications in this area, including Certified Securities Investment Advisor and Certified Derivatives Investment Advisor.^[17]

See also[link]

• Collective investment schemes
• Socially responsible investing

References[link]

1. ^ Apple Tree Wealth Management Your Financial Advisor Charges What???
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ NAPFA - The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors - FAQs
4. ^ http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/sep2009/pi20090929_616550.htm
5. ^ [2] The Ameriprise Financial History
6. ^ http://www.cfainstitute.org/
7. ^ http://www.cfp.net/
8. ^ http://www.cffp.edu/index.aspx
9. ^ ^{a b} [3]
10. ^ Axinite Financial Advisors Fiduciary Duties of Financial Advisors
11. ^ [4]
12. ^ http://www.advisor.ca/news/industry-news/planning-advocates-push-professionalism-446
13. ^ http://www.business.govt.nz/fsp/
14. ^ http://afacompetence.org.nz/1-who-is-etito/
15. ^ http://www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/
16. ^ http://afacompetence.org.nz/1-training-providers/
17. ^ Korea Securities Market 2010, Research and International Affairs Department, Korea Financial Investment Association, 2010, p. 332, http://www.kofia.or.kr/kofia/FILE_TEMP/store/470B483E-0C19-0F34-0A2A67597BFFC9A7/CMK%202010%20Final.pdf, retrieved 2011-09-11 

External links[link]

• 10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Financial Planner
• [7] Becoming an investment Adviser
• AAFM American Academy of Financial Management
• IAIA International Association of Investment Advisers
• AIFA Association of Independent Financial Advisers - UK Trade body
• FSA website Financial Services Authority (UK)
• IAA Investment Adviser Association
• NAIFA National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors
• SEC IA Search SEC Database of US Registered Investment Advisers
• SECLaw.com Financial Advisor Legal Information Center
• €FPA €uropean Financial Planning Association

Tim Minchin
Birth name	Timothy David Minchin
Born	(1975-10-07) 7 October 1975 (age 36) Northampton, England, UK[1]
Nationality	Australian, British
Years active	2002–present
Genres	Comedy music
Spouse	Sarah Minchin 2001–present (2 children)
Website	timminchin.com

Timothy David "Tim" Minchin^[2] (born 7 October 1975 in Northampton, England)^[1] is an Australian-British comedian, actor, and musician.

Tim Minchin is best known for his musical comedy, which has featured in six CDs, three DVDs and a number of live comedy shows which he has performed internationally. He has also appeared on television in Australia, Britain and the United States. After growing up in Perth, Western Australia, he attended the University of Western Australia and WAAPA before moving to Melbourne in 2002. His breakout show, "Dark Side", launched him into the public eye, achieving critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.^[3]

Minchin has a background in theatre and has appeared in various stage productions, in addition to some small acting roles on Australian TV. A documentary film about Minchin, Rock N Roll Nerd (directed by Rhian Skirving), was released theatrically in 2008 ^[4] and broadcast by ABC1 in 2009.^[5] He is the co-writer of the Olivier Award winning hit musical Matilda the Musical, based on the Roald Dahl book Matilda.

Personal life[link]

Minchin was born in Northampton, UK, to Australian parents^[1] and raised in Perth, Western Australia.^[6] He was educated at the private Christ Church Grammar School and started learning piano at the age of eight, but gave it up after three years because he did not enjoy the discipline. He redeveloped an interest in the instrument after he started writing music with his brother Dan Minchin, a guitarist, but still describes himself as a "hack pianist... a 'more you practise, the better you get' kind of guy".^[7] Minchin graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre, and in 1998 completed an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.^[8]

He currently lives in London with his wife, Sarah.^[9] They have two children: a daughter, Violet, and a son, Caspar.^[10] Minchin often refers to his relationships in his songs and stand-up routines.

Musical comedy[link]

Minchin playing the piano on stage

Minchin describes his act as a "funny cabaret show" and sees himself primarily as a musician and songwriter as opposed to a comedian; his songs, he says, "just happen to be funny."^[11] His reasoning for combining the disciplines of music and comedy was revealed in one interview when he said "I'm a good musician for a comedian and I'm a good comedian for a musician but if I had to do any of them in isolation I dunno."^[12]

He draws on his background in theatre for his distinctive onstage appearance and persona.^[6] In his performances, he typically goes barefoot with wild hair and heavy eye makeup, which is juxtaposed with a crisp suit and tails, and a grand piano. According to Minchin, he likes going barefoot in his shows because it makes him feel more comfortable. He considers the eye makeup important because while he is playing the piano he is not able to use his arms and relies on his face for expressions and gestures; the eyeliner makes his features more distinguishable for the audience.^[7] Much of his look and persona, he says, are about "treading that line between mocking yourself and wanting to be an iconic figure. Mocking the ridiculousness and completely unrealistic dream of being an iconic figure."^[13] The eccentric appearance removes Minchin from reality somewhat, allowing him to make outrageous statements onstage "without annoying (most) people." ^[14]

The shows consist largely of Minchin's comedic songs and poetry, with subjects ranging from social satire to inflatable dolls, sex fetishes, and his own failed rock star ambitions. In between songs, he performs short stand-up routines.^[11] Several of his songs deal with religion, a subject with which Minchin—an atheist and a fan of Richard Dawkins—says he is "a bit obsessed."^[15] He argues that as one of the most powerful and influential forces in the world, religion should never be off-limits to satirists. He says that his favourite song to perform is "Peace Anthem for Palestine", which reflects his feelings about religious conflict.^[16] In October 2010 he was made a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association. His comedy also deals with taboos more broadly.^[17] A prime example of this is the song "Prejudice" which parodies the power awarded to something as simple as a word.

Early career (1998–2007)[link]

After completing an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Music in 1998, Minchin started out composing music for documentaries and theatre. In 2000 he wrote and starred in the musical Pop at the Blue Room Theatre in Perth.^[18] He released a CD titled Sit with his band Timmy the Dog in 2001, but achieved little success.^[19] In 2002, after only one professional acting job, he moved from Perth to Melbourne to pursue work.^[20] Minchin struggled initially; he could not get an agent for a year and had been unable to find any acting work.^[19] While several record companies gave him positive feedback, they were not sure how his music—a mixture of satirical songs and more serious pop songs—could be marketed. He decided to compile all of his humorous songs into a single live show to "get the comedy stuff off [his] chest" before going back to more serious music.^[21]

Minchin says he entered into comedy "naively", having never even attended a live comedy gig before performing one himself.^[15] His break-out show, Darkside (co-produced by Laughing Stock Productions), achieved critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where it won the inaugural Festival Directors' Award and attracted the notice of Karen Koren, the manager of the well-known Gilded Balloon venues.^[22] Koren backed the show's run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where Minchin received the Perrier Comedy Award for Best Newcomer.^[6][23] His 2006 show, So Rock, was nominated for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's top prize, the Barry Award, and in 2007 he was given the award for Best Alternative Comedian at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival.^[11][24]

Live recordings of his 2005 and 2006 shows, Darkside and So Rock, have been released as CDs. In 2007, he released a DVD entitled So Live, featuring a live recording in the Sydney Opera House Studio with material from both of his previous shows.^[13] As this DVD was only released in Australia, he released a DVD in 2008 entitled So F**king Rock Live in the UK, containing largely the same material as So Live.

[edit] Ready for This? (2008–2010)

In August 2008 Minchin debuted his third solo show, Ready for This?, at the Edinburgh Fringe and subsequently took it on tour across the UK. During the Edinburgh run, he contributed to The Guardian newspaper's podcasts,^[25] despite his new show containing a song about a Guardian critic who once gave his show a negative review.^[26][27]

A recording of this show, recorded live at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London was released as an album for download via iTunes on 20 July 2009. An Australian recording was released on DVD, solely in Australia on 9 September 2009^[28] and a UK release in the second half of 2010.^[29]

In December 2009, the track "White Wine in the Sun" was released as a downloadable single online. Fans on Minchin's official forum launched a campaign to get this festive track into the UK Christmas charts by purchasing it from various online download retailers.^[30] A Facebook group was also launched to support the campaign^[31] as well as a drive on Twitter in which celebrities were contacted about the campaign and a succession of e-mails to radio DJs in a bid to get them to play the song. It was later announced that 50% of the December profits from the song would be donated to The National Autistic Society.^[32] The bid was ultimately unsuccessful.^[33]

It was announced at the end of 2009 that one of Minchin's beat poems, Storm, was to be made into a short animated movie to be released in 2010.^{[dated info][34]} A blog was launched to accompany the film-making process and a short trailer was released on 8 January 2010.^[35] The full movie was launched on YouTube on 7 April 2011.^[36]

He performed Ready for This? for what he envisages as the final time on 27 February 2010 in Sydney.^[37] He did however perform a set at The Big Libel Gig on 14 March 2010 in protest at Britain's libel laws, along with other performers including Dara Ó Briain, Marcus Brigstocke, Shappi Khorsandi, Robin Ince and Ed Byrne. As well as this, he performed at Camp Bestival as part of the Jestival Sessions in July 2010.^[38]

Minchin was the subject of the winning entry in the 2010 Archibald Prize, Australia's most important portraiture competition. The winning entry was painted by Sam Leach.^[39][40]

[edit] Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra (2010–2011)

Minchin embarked on a new arena tour starting with Birmingham on Wednesday 8 December 2010. A departure from the structure of his previous live shows, his act has been scaled up to be performed with the Heritage Orchestra. It contains a mixture of material: there are new songs on the subject of prayer and of rationality — themes which often appear in his previous work. Minchin has stated that the aim of incorporating the orchestra into his act is to create a comedy show that would not be ruined by being performed in arenas, as stated in the special features of the DVD and Blu-ray. The show is touring the UK and Australia. It was filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a Blu-ray and DVD that was released in November 2011.^[41]

Television and radio[link]

Tim Minchin has made appearances on Australian TV shows, including the ABC's Spicks and Specks,^[42] and The Sideshow,^[43]. He has also made appearances on Network Ten's panel shows Good News Week (February 2010)^[44] and Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation (March 2010).^[45]

Minchin has also appeared on various British radio and television shows, including the BBC's Never Mind the Buzzcocks (four times, once as guest host),^[46] BBC Radio 4's Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better^[47] and two specials on BBC Radio 2. He often performs on his TV appearances, such as his spots on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in October 2009 and July 2010.^[48] He performed a specially-written song entitled "Five Poofs and Two Pianos", a parody of the show's house band, 4 Poofs and a Piano. Minchin also appeared as a special guest on the 2009 edition of The Big Fat Quiz of the Year performing a song written for the show ("It's Like 1984") in reference to a question regarding Google Street View.^[49] On Saturday 13 August 2011 Minchin hosted Prom 40: the first BBC Comedy Promenade Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. He appeared on Desert Island Discs on 6 May 2012.^[50]

A heavily cut-down version of the show released on DVD as So F**king Rock Live has aired several times on British TV channel E4, first on 23 July 2009.^[51] It aired at the turn of 2011, forming E4's New Year's coverage.^[52]

On 8 May 2010, Minchin's musical sitcom pilot Strings was broadcast on BBC Radio 2. Minchin plays the protagonist Jonny, who leaves Australia to live in the UK.^[53] Well received as it was by Radio 2, he decided against creating a full series. ^[54]

In January 2011, Minchin made his American television debut on TBS's Conan, where he performed "Inflatable You".^[55] On 12 May 2011, he performed "If I Didn't Have You" on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and on 7 June 2011 Minchin made his second appearance on Conan, singing "Prejudice".^[56] Minchin made his third appearance on Conan on 9 April 2012, singing his "3-Minute Song".

In December 2011 Minchin performed a specially written song called "Woody Allen Jesus" ^[57] on The Jonathan Ross Show. However, despite the show's producers and ITV's lawyers approving the composition for broadcast it was removed at the last minute. Responding on his blog, Minchin stated:^[58] "[...] Someone got nervous and sent the tape to ITV's director of television, Peter Fincham. And Peter Fincham demanded that I be cut from the show. He did this because he's scared of the ranty, shit-stirring, right-wing press, and of the small minority of Brits who believe they have a right to go through life protected from anything that challenges them in any way."^[59]

Acting and theatre[link]

Minchin's background is in theatre and he has appeared in various stage productions. His most recent dramatic theatrical performance was in the title role for the 2006 Perth Theatre Company production of Amadeus, a fictional play about the downfall of Mozart at the hands of the reigning court composer.^[19] His other stage acting roles have included the title role in the 2004 Perth Theatre Company / Hoopla production of Hamlet, and The Writer in the original PTC production of Reg Cribb’s The Return. He has also acted for The Australian Shakespeare Company (Twelfth Night), the Black Swan Theatre Company (Cosi, One Destiny) and in various other plays, short films and TVC’s. Roles from his days in musical theatre include Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha and Pontius Pilate (and understudying Judas twice) in Jesus Christ Superstar. He has also appeared playing small parts on the ABC telemovie Loot and on the show Comedy Inc..^[60]

Minchin also plays the role of Tom, in the contemporary family drama Two Fists, One Heart,^[61] released 19 March 2009.^[62] He also wrote the song Drowned for the film's soundtrack.^[63]

He co-wrote an Olivier Award winning musical version of Roald Dahl's novel Matilda – entitled Matilda, A Musical – with Dennis Kelly and the Royal Shakespeare Company, which is produced by the RSC. It showed at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon running from 9 November 2010 to 30 January 2011^[64] and began its West End run at the Cambridge Theatre on 25 October 2011 to great critical acclaim.^[65][66]

Minchin has been cast to play Judas in the Summer 2012 UK tour of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.^[67]

Atheism and skepticism[link]

In an interview with IIG member John Rael, Minchin explains that what upsets him most about paranormal beliefs is "special pleading" by people who say vague things such as "there is no harm in it". Minchin states that there is very little harm in something like reiki, but asks "where do you draw the line?" when it comes to needing real evidence if a therapy works or not. He states that he is an atheist as well as a skeptic, and cannot understand how someone can call themself a skeptic and still be religious. "If you apply doubt to anything...the whole religion thing is obviously a fantasy." ^[68]

In his beat poem, Storm, which centres on Minchin having an argument with a "hippie" who believes in various New Age alternatives in lieu of pharmaceutical medicine, he states: "Science adjusts its views based on what's observed. Faith is the denial of observation, so that belief can be preserved." ^[69]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Sit (with band Timmy the Dog) (2001)
• Darkside (2005)
• So Rock (2006)
• Ready For This? (2009)
• Live at the O2 (2010)
• Tim Minchin and The Heritage Orchestra (2011)

Singles[link]

• "Drowned" (2008)
• "White Wine in the Sun" (2009)
• "The Pope Song" (2010) - As a free download from his website^[70]
• "The Fence" (2011)

Compilations[link]

• Laugh-a-poolooza (featured artist) (2005)

DVD[link]

• So Live (2007) Australian DVD
• So F**king Rock Live (also known as So Fucking Rock Live)^[71] (11 October 2008)
• So F**king Rock Live (Special Edition) (also known as So Fucking Rock Live (Special Edition)) (5 October 2009)
• Ready For This? (29 November 2010)
• Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra (14 November 2011)

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

• 2008 – Two Fists, One Heart – Tom^[72]
• 2010 – The Lost Thing – The Boy (Voice)^[73]
• 2013 - Californication - Coked-up Rock Star(Guest)^[74]

Awards[link]

• 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Directors' Choice Award for Dark Side^[75]
• 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Perrier Comedy Award, Best Newcomer^[23]
• 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Groggy Squirrel Critics' Award^[76]
• 2007 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Best Alternative Act^[77]
• 2009 Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer ^[78]
• 2009 Green Room Awards, Cabaret: Best Original Songs^[79]
• 2009 Green Room Awards, Cabaret: Best Artiste^[79]
• 2010 Chortle Awards, Best Music or Variety Act ^[80]
• 2012 Olivier Awards: Best New Musical for Matilda The Musical ^[81]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tim Minchin

• Official website
• Rock N Roll Nerd – The Tim Minchin Documentary website
• Tim Minchin's channel on YouTube
• Tim Minchin on Twitter
• Tim Minchin on Myspace
• YouTube Interview on Australian Sceptics vodcast, The TANK Vodcast, 2007
• Tim Minchin's song 'If I Didn't Have You' (Secret Policeman's Ball)
• Storm Movie Production Blog

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Thomas Richard Christy Jr (born April 1, 1974) is an American musician and radio personality who currently works on The Howard Stern Show. Christy began to work on the show after winning the "Get John's Job" contest on July 1, 2004.^[1] He is known for his prank calls, song parodies, personality, and stunts performed on the radio show. He is also a stand-up comic and an actor, appearing in and directing several independent films.

Christy is a professional drummer, and a former member of metal bands Death and Iced Earth. He is currently working in his own project, Charred Walls of the Damned.

Childhood and early music career[link]

Christy was born in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1974 and grew up in the nearby city of Redfield, a small town with a population of 140, according to the 2000 census. His father is a Vietnam veteran.

Christy was inspired to play drums after hearing Alex Van Halen's drumming in the Van Halen song "Hot for Teacher".^[2] When Christy turned 10 years old, he began to play drums in the Uniontown, Kansas elementary school band. He played snare drum for a year until his parents bought him a 3-piece Gretsch drum set from an antiques dealer in Arcadia, Kansas. After school, Christy would practice to Van Halen, Twisted Sister, Kiss and Quiet Riot records.

While living in Florida, Christy continued to work as an electrician for Phillips Electrical Contracting in Orlando.^[3]

Later music career[link]

In recent years, Christy has played drums for Caninus, and he announced after signing a record deal in May 2009 that he planned to re-enter the heavy metal scene, forming a new band called "Charred Walls of the Damned". Their first single, Ghost Town was premiered on The Howard Stern Show in November 2009 and is currently in rotation on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.^[4]

[edit] The Howard Stern Show

Christy first appeared on The Howard Stern Show in October 1999, where Stern would play voice mail messages that Christy had recorded about co-host Robin Quivers. His debut message was featured on the Labor Day Weekend special in 2006. Christy would continue sending in messages but it was not until April 24, 2003, when the show would broadcast from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where Christy made his debut appearance. Christy unsuccessfully played a round of blackjack to win a date with a porn star.

In 2004, John Melendez (then known as "Stuttering John") left the radio show to become the announcer for The Tonight Show. Stern announced a "Get John's Job" contest which pitted ten Stern fans and contributors against each other in competition for Melendez's vacated position. Each contestant was given a week to display any talents they could bring to the show, after which the listeners cast votes for their favorite over the Internet. On July 1, Stern announced Christy had won with 30% of the listener vote, with Sal Governale being runner-up with 24%; both Christy and Governale joined the show by September.^[5]

When Stern moved to Sirius XM Radio in January 2006, he gave Christy his own show that would air semi-regularly throughout the year. On May 15, 2006, porn star Hillary Scott was the first guest on Inside the Porn Actors Studio on Howard 101, an hour-long program which parodied the television series Inside the Actors Studio, with Christy filling the role of James Lipton.

Between 2005 and the tour's demise in late 2009, Christy also performed in The Killers of Comedy Tour with fellow Stern castmembers across the United States and Canada.

In 2006, Christy hosted a program on Sirius XM channel Hard Attack called "Richard Christy's Heavy Metal Hoedown".

After the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday, Christy returned to the show suffering from swelling and severe pain in his foot. It was later diagnosed as gout, which is extremely rare in someone as young as Christy. The pain and swelling quickly receded after treatment, and he announced on December 17, 2009 that because of his fame and his frank on-air discussions about the disease, a gout awareness organization had requested that he become a spokesperson for the disease, and he had agreed.

On the December 17, 2009 Howard Stern Show, Christy announced that not only had he showered the previous day, but that he also became engaged to his long time girlfriend, known on the show only as "Kristen the Intern".^{[citation needed]}

Prank calls[link]

Richard makes several of the show's popular prank calls, often working in conjunction with Sal Governale. Many of the calls involve the use of soundclips, though Richard also calls as characters that he voices, including:

• "Rusty Rivers" - Rusty often makes perverse sexual comments, and often prattles endlessly about the weather, regardless of the theme of the show that he is calling.
• "Nervous Mark" - Nervous Mark calls in to talk shows, claiming to be nervous about being on the air. He can never get his point across because he is always stuttering and stammering. The character's full name is Mark Dell'Stevenson, as mentioned during a prank call to Joe Franklin.
• "Rod Stiffington" - Rod is the co-host of the fictional "Jack 'N' Rod Show," where Sal acts as his co-host, Jack Mayhoffer. On the Jack 'N' Rod Show, unwitting guests debate members of the Wack Pack, talking to soundboard clips, or are interrupted over and over by various noises (station jingles, drums, etc.). Jack 'N' Rod have also made calls where they entice their victim to participate in demeaning contests in order to win non-existent prizes.
• "Ethel Mertz" - Ethel is a befuddled grandmother who gets into long-winded stories about her grandson, quilts, and the game of chess.
• "Norma Stitz" - Norma is much like "Ethel Mertz", only her name is a comedic play on large female mammary glands.
• "Simon Buckingham" - An English gentleman, originating as a deliberately unconvincing impersonation of Simon Cowell (to tease Eric the Midget), who frequently uses English phrases such as "tea and crumpets" and "smoking fags."
• "Head Fag at the Playgirl Mansion" - A young man in great interest of Stern staffer KC Armstrong, Christy's earliest character to emerge on the Stern Show through messages left on their voicemail.

Among the most frequent victims of Christy's calls are shows on the public access Manhattan Neighborhood Network.

Another of Richard's Pranks is to call in to radio swap shop programs called Tradio. Listeners of Tradio can call in and buy sell or trade items over the radio. Richard along with Sal call in and tag team the tradio hosts with onslaught prank calls. Most often calling traido with fake names like "Dick Bukkake" etc. and placing false items for sale like a "robin quivers colonic kit" "BlumpkinPie" or "a cup of Milton Berle's urine" causing the host of the call in show to become offended and hang up only to them call back 10 seconds later.

Notable radio stunts[link]

• On June 8, 2006, during the Artie Lange roast, Sal Governale and Christy had their temperatures taken rectally by Robin Quivers. Governale and Christy held hands during the "examination" and then chased each other around the studio with their soiled thermometers (which are now rumored to be taped to the door to their office).^[6][7]
• On April 6, 2009 It was reported that Richard would perform fellatio on a man if it would mean Seth MacFarlane would come on the show as a guest. Although Richard denied this claim, he reluctantly agreed to Howard's offer that he allow porn star Nick Manning to ejaculate on his back for the chance to meet MacFarlane. Later on in the show, Richard asked that Sal be the one to do the stunt instead, to which Howard agreed but Sal did not.^[8]

Movie and television career[link]

Christy has said he once dreamed of a movie career after he saw Brad Pitt, from nearby Springfield, Missouri, in the film Interview With the Vampire. He even hung up posters of Pitt in his New York apartment, and worked at a computer store owned by Pitt's parents.^[9]

Christy made his directorial debut in 1995 with "Evil Ned 3 - The Return of Evil Ned 2 - Electric Boogaloo". The film was a low budget horror-comedy shot for only $250.^[10] His next movie, Leaving Grunion County, is about a small town mechanic who ventures to the big-city to pursue his dream of becoming a country-western singer. Recently, he has completed his latest feature, "Majestic Loincloth", which is set in the time of Vikings.

Along with Governale, Christy starred in, co-wrote, and co-directed the 2006 short film Supertwink. Supertwink premiered on Howard Stern On Demand, and was reviewed by Richard Roeper, who panned it.^[11] Christy also appeared in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay playing the role of a Ku Klux Klansman.^[12]

In July 2007, Richard was cast in his first television role. He will play "really creepy guy at end of bar" on Rescue Me.^[13] Richard has also announced that he recorded voiceover work for the Adult Swim show Metalocalypse.^[14]

Christy has been attached to the movie Body Farm, a Pittsburgh based film by Bridge City Films set to begin production in November 2008.

Christy and Governale are both characters in the 2009 horror novel, Castaways, written by award-winning horror and crime novelist Brian Keene.^[15]

In 2009, he appeared as Caleb in the Redneck Slasher Albino Farm and presented his movie at Fangoria Trinity of Terrors.^[16]

Discography[link]

With Acheron

• Anti-God, Anti-Christ (1996)
• Necromanteion Communion/Raise the Dead (1998)

With Death

• The Sound of Perseverance (1998)
• Live in Eindhoven (1998)
• Live in L.A. (Death & Raw) (1999)

With Control Denied

• The Fragile Art of Existence (1999)

With Burning Inside

• The Eve of the Entities (2000)
• Apparition (2001)

With Iced Earth

• Horror Show (2001)
• Tribute to the Gods (2002)
• The Glorious Burden (2004)

With Leash Law

• Dogface (2003)
• Cunninglinguistics (2007)

With Charred Walls of the Damned

• Charred Walls of the Damned (2010)
• Cold Winds On Timeless Days (2011)

In addition to these bands, Christy has performed live shows with Dream Theater,^[17] Tiwanaku, Rick Renstrom, Syzygy, Bung Dizee, Incantation, Public Assassin, Wykked Wytch and Demons and Wizards.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Howard Stern official website
• Richard Christy at the Yahoo! Directory
• Howard Stern Wikia A Howard Stern Wikia Project – "Hey"