Welcome to my website! I am an award-winning storyteller, writer, speaker, and coach. My events are a hybrid of performance, humor and tools for positive change.

I see the world of the 21st century as one where people are playing a game of hot potato with fear. Trying to get rid of the fear they have inherited by moving it onto someone else. My live and online work is my attempt to help us change that game to one of passing around joy and a sense of fun.

In my work, I try to address the issues that confront people searching for deeper meaning in their everyday lives.

“Doug Motel makes “conscious comedy” he makes me laugh and he makes me think.” – Author Marianne Williamson

Storytelling

I think the best way to describe my stories would be to say that they are dramas told through funny characters with themes such as addiction, grief and the struggle for enlightenment, in all kinds of settings. Learn about my plays:  Mind Salad,  StarDUST (Adventures in Consciousness),  Praestigum , Shiva Arms and This is the Show.

Tommy Westerfield said in THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN: “Zen farce in which gut-wrenching laughter and gut-wrenching tears are poignantly indistinguishable” and that is probably my favorite quote about my work (thank you Mr. Westerfield wherever you are!) Read a lot more reviews HERE.

Personal Growth Workshops

For the past 20 years I have been presenting my workshops “Playing the Game of Life”, a combination of lively dialog, meditation, and thought-provoking exercises in a workshop format for groups and organizations all over the U.S.

Illustrating how we can laugh while we are learning has given me a wholly satisfying way to touch people of all walks of life. In addition to public events I have presented in rehabilitation facilities, people with life threatening illness, caregivers & volunteers and in business environments.

Coaching

The other way that I get to keep remembering to have a sense of humor in this life is by coaching people one-on-one. I guide people through all KINDS of change: defining their “life game”, completing their projects and even how to shamelessly self-promote themselves!

Official Bio

Doug Motel (Writer/Performer) was born and raised in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Throughout the 1980’s Doug performed his unique brand of thought-provoking humor in virtually all of New York’s comedy clubs and in funky downtown spaces.

Mr. Motel is the author of several solo plays including MICK IN AMERICA, MIND SALAD (L.A. Weekly award nomination for writing and performing) and SHIVA ARMS (winner L.A. Weekly award for writing and performing and winner Theatre LA Ovation award for Best Writing of a World Premier play) and StarDUST (Adventures in Consciousness). His solo play PRAESTIGUM features the stories of Judas, Benedict Arnold and James Wormley Jones (the first African American undercover agent for the FBI.)

Films and TV credits include: THE WAITING GAME, (winner San Diego International Film Festival: Audience Award, Best Independent Feature) as the evil Russian villain on THE TICK (FOX). NATIONAL LAMPOON’S ATTACK OF THE 5’2″ WOMEN (Showtime), SWEET VALLEY HIGH (Fox), LOVE STREET (Showtime) and more.

In addition, Doug was Chief Visionary Officer for Site Optimized for 10 years. Site Optimized helped businesses tell their stories on the web through video and social media content. He is the author of 101 Marketing Tips for Tourism and speaks internationally about internet marketing.

Doug Motel is the author of “Toddler Wisdom Five Powerful Things You Can Learn From Watching 2-Year-Olds”, creator of the personal growth workshop “Playing the Game of Life” which has been presented to thousands of people all across the country for more than 20 years.