Gould often lectures before the employees and/or shareholders of major firms. This can be a lot of fun for the audience and for Gould himself. He's learned that companies, their executives, and corporate cultures can be utterly fascinating.

In preparation, he interviews key individuals -- being sure to take as little of their time as possible; plows through corporate files -- well, the ones they let him see; gets a sense of what they want the audience to take away; and how long they wish him to speak.

Roasting may be easy for Martha Stewart on her barbecue, but knowing how to write -- and deliver -- a roast or toast is not quite so simple.

As a scholar of Humour and How It Works, he knows how difficult it can be to be entertaining and witty without being vulgar or cruel, and to be insightful and critical without being dull.

Gould has written many roasts and toasts for others, from roasting a retiring VP, to toasting a bride or groom, and often has presented them himself. (see: Speechwriting to read about his work for others).

For succesful roasts or toasts, not only does Gould interview the necessary individuals -- in strictest confidence, of course -- and do his own research, but he ensures that the key people are satisfied and even thrilled with the result before it is presented.

S.J. Perelman, the comic genius who wrote many of the Marx Brothers films, once noted that "satire" is what closes Saturday night.

His point? That most people want "comedy," not "satire." Most people wish to have their funny bones tickled, not their values and tastes challenged and even mocked.

But some individuals -- and some companies -- do. And that's where Gould comes in.

Reviewers of his books on humour and satire have written that he is one of the few people in North America who seems to understand what "satire" means.

Gould can script his lectures to poke fun -- whether gently or savagely -- at an industry, or a particular company, or the political scene at large. His personality is sociable yet sensitive enough to deliver the satirical speech himself, or he can also write a speech for others to be proud of reciting.