The importance of being an event M.C.

"...No mistakes allowed, 'cause to me, M.C. means 'move the crowd'..."  Eric B. & Rakim "Eric B. for President" (1986)

I take my gigs as an event master of ceremonies very seriously.  It is an honor and a great opportunity for any speaker to play a vital role in the success of an event.  The most effective event M.C. is entertaining, organized, accommodating, and even humble.  The M.C. realizes that he or she must keep the audience’s attention while yielding to those who are the real stars of the show—the people on program. 

What makes a great M.C.?

• Preparation.  The M.C. has to know the situation before a show begins.  The most embarrassing moment I’ve ever had on stage was during a comedy show where I served as both the host and the opening act for a nationally known comedian.  I did one of my signature A-List bits about a fast food restaurant, which I mentioned by name because of its relevance to the bit.  Not good.  I found out after I got off stage that the restaurant was the show sponsor.  In my excitement about opening for a major national act, I completely failed to ask if there was a major sponsor connected to it.  Also, the M.C. should understand how the show is going to flow, who may show up, who may not show up, and definitely how to pronounce names. 
• Room Command.  The M.C. must immediately use energy and vocal projection to grab the audience’s attention.  Nothing makes life difficult for people on the program like walking into a situation where the audience is unprepared for them.  
• Humility.  I have seen hosts who have utilized their opportunities to steal shows.  It may work for about one minute, but anything beyond that is annoying to the audience.  The audience most likely isn't there to see the M.C.  Even if the M.C. is the best thing going, he or she needs to understand when to do the big build up and (literally) step back for the person or people the audience came to see.
• Damage Control.  Sometimes people bomb, and it's nothing short of heart-breaking to watch.  So, imagine being the one who screwed up on stage.  It’s a harsh reality of performance, and the M.C. has to stand ready to win the audience back when things don’t go well.  The M.C. should never do this at the expense of the speaker or the act, however.  The last thing the M.C. should do is appear opportunistic about grabbing the spotlight at the time of one’s untimely stage demise.  The M.C. may even have to play psychologist to the victim.

It's not left to the M.C. to control a show so much as it is left to him or her to manage the flow of an event.  Even if the program is unorganized, the M.C. should still maintain a focus on management as opposed to control.  The better the M.C. is at managing the event, the more organizers and event planners recognize his or her value.