901-754-9404
My List0

We've now made it easier for you to research and save your favorite keynotes speakers. Click on the + sign to add a speaker to your Speaker List and email your favorites to colleagues and friends.

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
Charles Phoenix, speaker

Charles Phoenix

    • Showman, tour guide, food crafter, & author
Full Bio
In Person-Fee 🛈

$10,000 - $15,000

Virtual Fee:

Please Inquire

Travels From

California

Charles Phoenix promo

Charles Phoenix promo

Charles Phoenix Speaker Biography


Charles Phoenix is a showman, tour guide, food crafter, and author. He is known for his live comedy slide show performances, madcap Test Kitchen videos, “field trip” tours, and colorful coffee table books, all celebrating classic and kitschy American life and style. On TV, Charles has appeared as a judge on Food Network’s Cake Wars: Christmas. He’s also guested on Storage Wars, Jay Leno’s Garage, Conan, and Martha Stewart, and is often heard on NPR. The Los Angeles Times says, “Call him the King of Retro,” and LA Weekly anointed him “the Kodachrome King.”

Growing up in Ontario, California, Charles was educated at theme parks, shopping malls, and his dad’s used car lots. As a teen, he discovered thrift shops, which led to a lifelong vintage shopping spree. He calls thrift shops “schools of style, museums of merchandise, and the perfect place to study the underbelly of our mass consumerism culture.”

After moving to Los Angeles and enjoying careers as a fashion designer and a classic car dealer, his life changed forever (in a thrift shop) when he discovered a shoebox full of vintage Kodachrome slides marked “Trip Across the United States, 1957.” Collecting orphaned vintage slide photography soon became an obsession that inspired his retro slide show performance career, beginning in 1998. He calls his found, vintage Kodachrome slides archive the “slibrary,” and he even employs a “slibrarian.”

Charles is the author of many colorful, collectible coffee table books celebrating mid-century Southern California, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Kodachrome road trips and his native Pomona Valley. His latest is Addicted to Americana!

ADDICTED TO AMERICANA
Live comedy performance celebrating classic and kitschy American life and style.

5-4-3-2-1 … BLAST-OFF! Prepare for your national pride to swell when Ambassador of Americana, Charles Phoenix, launches retro pop culture into the stratosphere. With his keen expertise, unbridled enthusiasm and eagle eye for oddball detail, Charles shares his rollicking road-trip discoveries and colorful kaleidoscope of found vintage Kodachrome slide images. This marvelous mid-century mashup of stories and glories of spectacular space-age style, amazing attractions, unsung landmarks, roadside wonders, festive foods, crazy car culture, and futuristic transportation will inspire your imagination and make your American spirit will soar!

 

CHARLES PHOENIX RETRO HOLIDAY JUBILEE

Celebrate the holidays like never before! Ambassador of Americana Charles Phoenix supercharges the classic living room slide show into laugh-out-loud roast and toast of mid-century New Years, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

With his quick wit, keen expertise, an eagle-eye for delightful detail, Charles tells stories and lavishes spirited commentary on vintage Kodachrome slides of decorating, dressing up, dining, drinking, gifting and glamming it up for the holidays in the fabulous 50s and swinging 60s.

Charles also shares eye-popping edible centerpieces from his Test Kitchen and guide to local holiday attractions.

This fun-filled, action-packed, crazy kaleidoscope of seasonal life and style is sure to get you on the mood to celebrate the holidays like NEVER before!

Related Speakers

Gloria Estefan, Overcoming Adversity Speaker

Gloria Estefan

Grammy Award-winning Cuban-American Singer and Songwriter

Stan Ellsworth, speaker

Stan Ellsworth

Creator & Host of television series American Ride

Souled Out, speakers

Souled Out

Ultimate Party Band

Gladys Knight, Musician Speaker

Gladys Knight

R&B Soul Singer-Songwriter

Reviews

Testimonials

A wonderful bureau to work with! Big ups to everyone who helped make our event a success. Fingers crossed we get the chance to collaborate fo..

MDRT | Testimonial
Need Suggestions? Have Questions?

Need Suggestions? Have Questions?

Call to discuss how we can you help find the right speaker(s) for your organization.

© 2025 Executive Speakers Bureau. All Rights Reserved.

Design and Developed by eBiz Solutions

Get Ideas in 1 hour or less

Executive Speakers Bureau consistently receives praises about our speed and efficiency. From the beginning of your event planning, our extensive online speaker database and resourceful staff allow us to quickly equip you with the best speaker for your event.

Need a last minute speaker? No worries. Our speed and efficiency help us give you ideas for speakers in one hour or less.