Oct 30, 2025 By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger 4 min read

The family that laughs together makes memories they’ll always treasure.

At least that’s what Christian comedian Chonda Pierce hopes for when she takes the stage at Uniontown’s State Theatre Center for the Arts on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Dove Foundation, a nonprofit organization that offers movie, TV, book, and media reviews from a faith-based perspective, describes her show as “a funny and wholesome performance that will have everyone in stitches.”

The “Queen of Clean”

Pierce holds the distinction of being the Recording Industry Association of America’s most-awarded female comedian thanks to record-breaking DVD sales. Yet, she remains humble.

“Comedy is so subjective-where you grew up, how old you are-all of that shapes what makes you laugh, but funny is funny and the challenge is finding a way to reach every audience,” she said.

Her journey began when she drew laughs by impersonating Minnie Pearl at Opryland USA. “It was then that I fell in love with the medicine of a good laugh,” she recalled.

Keeping her material up-to-date and relatable can be a difficult process, but Pierce seems to do it with ease.

“Every day brings us something new to laugh about,” she said. “You just have to make sure you’re looking in the right direction. A great comedian is really just a great observer.”

On faith

If Pierce has to struggle with anything, it’s proving that a clean comedian can be funny. “A lot of people in the comedy world assume that if you’re a Christian and clean, you can’t really be that funny, but 35 years in the business says otherwise,” she said.

For her, balancing career and faith is seamless.

“As an authentic Christian, I try to keep it clean in every part of my life. I balance the two by simply being who I am. It’s really important to me that I’m a genuine Christ follower both on and off the stage,” she said.

Pierce, who makes no secret of her struggles with mental health and grief, said her faith gives her the courage to share her stories publicly. “As Lucille Ball once said, ‘I am not funny, what I am is brave,'” she noted, adding that the more people she meets who have stories like hers, the more she realizes that she’s not alone and that realization gives her courage.

A memoir and more

More recently, Pierce penned a book, “Life is Funny Until It’s Not.”

“I wanted to finally put my story in one place-not just the funny parts people see on stage, but the heartache, the losses, the waiting and what I learned,” said Pierce, who considers laughter as a gift from God, but also as a way to hide pain.

“This memoir is about the girl who went through a lot of trauma and still came out loving God, loving life and still able to laugh,” she said. Pierce mentions letters that she’s received where someone was pulled out of a deep depression because they realized that there are still things to laugh about.

One thing that makes Pierce laugh is when a fan brings along a daughter, granddaughter or great-granddaughter to see the show. “It’s hilarious when that happens, but I have to remember that I’ve been on the road for 35 years,” she said, with a chuckle.

Pierce has also played a role in a few movies over the years, most recently in the Hallmark movie “Double Scoop.” “I really enjoy the movie-making process and would love to do more,” she said.

Looking ahead

The advice Pierce would give to any young comedian starting out would be to write.

“Never stop observing and never stop writing things down,” she said.

As for her audience, Pierce hopes to offer more than just laughs. “More than that, I want them to walk away feeling hope-because that’s much bigger than the laugh,” she said.

As for the future, Pierce isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

“I am always up for something and I can’t sit still for long,” she said. “I’m excited about what’s ahead-new stories, new adventures and hopefully even more ways to bring people hope and laughter.”

For information, go online to statetheatre.info.