Four Health Benefits of Christian Comedy

     

Comedian Sally Edwards

     If you're planning a church-related event, consider the benefit of inviting a Christian Comedian to entertain. Laughter will build community spirit while delivering numerous health benefits.  Laughing and feeling better physically is definitely a "Win-Win" event.

     Listed below are four health benefits of laughter which can deliver a memorable event

     (1)  Laughter boosts the immune system.  A decrease in stress is achieved through laughter.  An increase of neuropeptides fights stress and reduces its damaging effects upon the body.

     (2)  Laughter decreases pain by producing natural painkillers.

     (3)  Laughter causes a sense of camaraderie and bonding of a community.  Connecting with people is important when fighting stress and illness.  Laughter bonds individuals emotionally.

     (4)  Laughter decreases depression and anxiety.  In effect, the "mental slate is wiped clean" as we laugh. 

     The benefits of laughter are often overlooked.  Inviting a Christian Comedian to perform clean comedy at your next event will be appreciated by the members of your congregation.  You will generate spiritual bonding and effortlessly laugh your way to better health!

Sally Edwards is a professional Christian Comedian who performs nationally.  
http://ComedyBySally.com

http://humorousspeakersbureau.com Sally Edwards is the president of The Humorous Speakers Bureau marketing corporate comedians and funny keynote motivational speakers.
http://sallyedwards.org - Laugh to Good Health
http://comedybysally.com - Christian Comedian

Five Ways to Perform the Best Christian Comedy Show

Christian Comedian Sally Edwards

Performing Christian Comedy at Its Best Can Be Achieved by Following These Five Rules:

1)  Clean Comedy Material Means No Offensive Language, Set-ups or Punchlines

Christian Comedy is an artform.  It is a unique type of humor that is appreciated by people seeking clean, funny comedy that is not offensive.  Generally the comedy is delivered in a church setting, auditorium or all-purpose room.  If your comedy is inappropriate for this type of setting, you will know immediately.  The ambience and crowd reaction will train a comedian as to what material is appropriate the minute he or she begins to speak.

2)  Use of Bible Verses

You should be ready for this request.  Although many Christian Comedians do not use bible verses in their performances, it may be wise to have one or two references prepared and associated with clean humor - just in case.

3)  Arrive on time

I recommend arriving at least one hour prior to showtime.  This puts everyone at ease - including the performer!

4)  Dress as if you are performing on TV

 It is always better to be over-dressed rather than appearing casual at a more formal event.

5)  Make your Audience the Stars of the Show

So many comedians overlook the fact that it is important to make your audience members the stars of the show.  This is so effective for producing a memorable show.  Many performers "customize" their show by making direct references to audience members in their routine.  I recommend taking it one step further and including audience members on stage in your performance.  "Taking the stage" is a memory that guests will remember for years to come!

For more information about Sally Edwards' Clean Family Comedy -
See:  ComedybySally.com

Teach Yourself to Smile

 

 A Christian Comedian Learns to Smile

     As a Christian comedian who enjoys studying human nature, I am firmly convinced that there are two types of people who wander the earth - (1) natural gifted smilers who willingly and effortlessly smile throughout the day and (2) those who don't.   The gifted smilers are the people to whom you are immediately attracted because a big smile is a sign of acceptance. Gifted smilers tend to make friends easily.  They’re most often outgoing and fun extroverts.   Those who are not natural smilers feel like they are smiling, but guess what – they’re not!

     I was not a gifted smiler and my husband, Bert, made it very clear I had to make the effort to learn to smile if I wanted to be a successful performer and an approachable female Christian comedian.  

     Smiling and happiness do not go hand-in-hand. I know many very happy people who don't show their internal happiness through facial expression.  I recognize these people because for twenty-five years, I was one of them. Happy on the inside, I had no idea it wasn’t reaching all the way up to my face.  I really thought I was smiling and I was shocked to find out that I wasn’t.

      My husband, who is also in the comedy business, insisted I teach myself to smile. I began forcibly making myself smile on stage and in the company of friends. It was a major and constant initial effort.  It felt completely unnatural and insincere because I was always thinking about forcing a smile and it seemed contrived.  I felt I was putting on an act and not truly being myself. However, I quickly realized the irony!   If I feel happy on the inside, a smile on my face is actually a truer reflection of my spirit.  It was time to catch up to the gifted smilers and to discover what it felt like to portray true happiness.  The effect was instantaneous!

     I immediately found putting a smile on my face changed my interaction with friends, family, acquaintances and even my Christian comedy audiences!  As I learned to smile my confidence grew in both my personal life and on stage.  People more willingly approached me and I experienced a notable influx of positive energy.  Smiling also provided a tremendous improvement in communication skills.  Making the effort to smile has made me more comfortable in my own skin.

      Do you know someone at work or in your neighborhood whose expression rarely changes?  Don’t be too quick to judge these people.  They may feel joy on the inside and do not realize they’re communicating gloom and doom on the outside.  A stock line of the comedy club comic is “Sir, are you having a good time?  …. Then why don’t you tell your face about it!”

     Smiling is a gift from my husband and I am incredibly grateful for his lessons. I no longer envy the natural smilers and their inherited gift. I believe smiling is a genetic blessing and it also can be a learned behavior. How wonderful we can learn to smile as easily as those who are gifted! It is a positive way to live and grow.

     Look in the mirror.  If you’re happy on the inside but you see no smile on the outside, you might want to tell your face about it!

DIY Home Improvement Guru Frank Fontana Co-Hosts Down and Dirty Show with Clean Comedian Sally Edwards

Frank Fontana is a very warm and welcoming radio host.  I heard wonderful things about his ability to host a radio show from many comedians before I had the chance to meet him on the day of the show.  Frank's greatest strength in co-hosting a radio show with comedians is his ability to wait patiently from the start of a set-up of a joke through the punchline.  For that, all of us funny people are truly grateful!  And - he takes a nice picture.  Thanks Frank! Click the link under the photo to hear the "Down and Dirty" Show.

The Down And Dirty Show - Frank Fontana and Comedian Sally Edwards

Also on the Show were two Incredible Women!

Jill Paider - Jill travels the world and specializes in photographing food, people and architecture.  Photos on her web site are nothing short of stunning!

Kelly Rizzo - Kelly is hosting a new television show based in Chicago called "Food Junkie" in which she visits restaurants and discovers all sorts of tricks-of-the-trade from a back door perspective.

"Down and Dirty Show" Host Frank Fontana to Laugh It Up with Female Comedian Sally Edwards

That sounds like it should work.  Take a clean stand up comedian who spent the last fifteen years of her life updating her home with superglue and a hammer and invite her to co-host the "Down and Dirty" internet TV and radio show with design guru Frank Fontana. What can listeners learn from this pairing?  Everything!  And it is going to be so much fun!

What Frank doesn't know is that I am a home makeover "wannabe."  Throughout all of my own home updating fumblings I secretly envied anyone who knew which end of a chainsaw to hold. With three children born in four years, I didn't have time to take a wood shop class.  However, I made great efforts to improve our living spaces.  I managed to put in an entire family room floor with peel 'n stick tile and an X-acto knife and I still have all my fingers!  I like to think I speak for all women who want to stand outside their home and scream, "Won't someone please help me!"

I will join Frank in welcoming his two guests:

Jill Paider - Jill travels the world and specializes in photographing food, people and architecture.  Photos on her web site are nothing short of stunning!

Kelly Rizzo - Kelly is hosting a new television show based in Chicago called "Food Junkie" in which she visits restaurants and discovers all sorts of tricks-of-the-trade from a back door perspective.


The "Down and Dirty" Show with Frank Fontana is available on the Craftsman World of DIY Broadcasting Network at http://blogtalkradio.com/diy every Wednesday at 11am Central Time... and to see the video broadcast, visit http://bit.ly/ddradio online.

Frank Fontana

WGN Radio - When the Universe Comes Together

    Yes.  I'm a big fan of The Secret.  Ever since my friend and comedian, Dobie Maxwell, lent me a copy of the video of the same name, I always seem to have a bit of "universal attraction" floating in the back of my mind.  If nothing else, it's just plain fun.  The video is also a great motivator if watched while walking on a treadmill.  It seems to put a little skip in my step. Positive attitude goes a long way in life.

     Today I had one of those "secret" moments which really caused my jaw to drop!  As I drove in my car from errand to errand throughout the northwest suburbs of Chicago, I listened to WGN Radio.  I am fascinated by the humor and interaction of Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder.  (Actually one of the things that truly amazes me about Bill Leff is his professional ability to "sell" a commercial without making innumerable jokes about the product.  Knowing the quick comedic mind of Bill Leff from his days as a stand-up comedian, I am sure this takes amazing restraint!)

     As I listened to the two co-hosts interact I imagined how absolutely wonderful it would be to co-host a show on WGN Radio.   I absolutely love being a guest comedian on WGN Radio and whenever I leave the Chicago radio station after an interview, I feel like the kid who has to leave the birthday party early.  To me, being a guest on the radio is very much like having an endless conversation with a girlfriend on the phone.  Chat, chat, laugh, chat and laugh.  What's not to like?!  Let's just say I was basically consumed by these thoughts of co-hosting on WGN Radio as I ran errands this afternoon and could not let them go.

     When I came home from running my errands I sat down at my computer and there was an email from Rick Geiser who is the publicist for Zanies Comedy Clubs.  Right there in front of me in black and white was an inquiry as to whether I would like to co-host an hour show on WGN Radio on November 13th at 10:00 a.m. with Frank Fontana!  Would I?!

     The universe and all that is good came together today and I am having the best time!  Here's to "The Voice of Chicago!"

WGN Radio - "The Voice of Chicago"

A Peek at "Down and Dirty" with Frank Fontana

Comedians and Halloween

Am I performing in a comedy club tonight.   Nooooo...  Halloween is one of those nights when people (as in "audience") love to dress up and make scenes.  There are some holidays to steer clear of in the entertainment world and I think Halloween is a formidable challenge.  A costumed adult will takes advantage of his or her anonymity when watching a comedy show.  A mask or a well-painted face is tempting enough to bring out the heckler in even the most reserved customer.

Halloween is well-suited to bars where there is loud music and dancing.  Since effective comedy relies so strongly on good lights and good sound (and good jokes), it is better for the ghouls and goblins to make their screams and shrills in a party atmosphere.

Tonight I'm dressed as a cowgirl and I'm waiting for the doorbell to ring!

Web:
comedybysally.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ComedyBySally
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ComedybySally
LinkedIn
Pinterest