| Having a Girls' Nite Out
Artist: Chonda Pierce Comedy/Music Video Label: Myrrh Records Time: Approx. 80 minutes Chonda Pierce is a married, 30-ish mother of two. She has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and is hoping to follow in the comedic footsteps of her heroine, Minnie Pearl. She is a "preacher's kid," and notes that, nine times out of ten, a preacher's daughter grows up to be a preacher's wife--that tenth one becomes a comedienne. Chonda has a very distinctive Southern accent and makes fun of it: "Nobody wants to talk this way." This live performance was taped at a church in Tennessee before an audience consisting entirely of ladies. As a line in the introductory song says, "We let our children stay at home with Promise Keepers ... " ergo, no men are allowed. Her humorous repertoire discussed the following: her husband and his penchant for car phones, the TV remote, and duct tape; her teenage daughter and her shoulder problems, brought on by perpetual shrugging; her "alien" son; and her mother. She hits on things with which women can relate, gripe about, and laugh about when the crying's all over--and then start again. She laughs a lot while telling her stories, like anybody else sharing a funny story with a friend. And that's how she treated her audience--as friends. There were no awkward moments as she moved naturally from topic to topic. Many of her vignettes are quite humorous; a couple are downright hilarious. (The most memorable was an incident involving her mother, father, and zippers.) She also has a little fun with Promise Keepers, Dr. Dobson, and TV evangelists, not in a mean way, but in a way that shows that these things are not sacred cows. Chonda sings several of her own compositions and a hymn at various moments of performance. She has a pleasant singing voice--strong, clear, and expressive. There is also a little one-act play that she wrote titled, "Take My Life--Please!" performed with her mother and sister: one woman complaining about her husband and kids, another about her male boss and ex-husband, and the last woman complaining because she has no one. The audience laughed with her; they also cried with her. To Chonda, joy and pain are partners. She admits about herself "the harder I laugh, the deeper I hurt." She shared things of the heart--losses in her life from death and divorce, and the expectations, hopes, and dreams that sometimes take a twist into grief, disappointment, and depression. These are things that we all share. She has watched her mother in the fun times and in the rough ones, as well, and has seen the strength that only comes from Christ. With that, Chonda encourages women to be different, and to be open, honest and real with the people who are watching--to live the Life so they will see it and desperately want it. For, what matters most is "Christ in you, the Hope of Glory." (Col. 1:27) I enjoyed Chonda's humor. She has a gift of making people laugh and making them cry, sometimes at the same incident. Ordinarily, I'm not "into" comedy routines, but I'm glad I saw this one. Women will probably enjoy it, and guys--we won't tell if you want to watch it! By Elisa Musso |
