Few things can be as stress-relieving as a great big belly laugh, and that’s why Catholic mom and comedian Sally Edwards is performing a wonderful community service with her new act, “Family Lunacy.” Living with her family live in Naperville, Illinois, Sally finds that life as a Catholic mom provides ample material for a great comedy show. Her routine features jokes centered around family life, including a mock rap ditty entitled “Minivan Mom.” Who among us wouldn’t agree that our kids and spouses would make great fodder for a few laughs? The wonderful thing about Sally Edwards show is that it’s both hilariously funny and clean, which is a rare combination in today’s comedic arena. I recently had the opportunity to interview Sally Edwards and to learn more about “Family Lunacy.”
Q: Could you please tell our readers a bit about yourself and your family?
A: My husband and I have been married 17 years and have three children: Brendan 15, Steven 14, Christine 12-1/2. We have a wonderful home life and I believe that family comes first. I first started writing the show about my children because I missed them so much if I had to leave the house for a few hours to perform a show. By talking about them, it gave me a great sense of comfort.
Q: How did you decide to get into comedy? Has the path been difficult?
A: I started comedy because I saw the humor in so much of life. (In college I decided I wanted to be Carol Burnett, but that wasn't a career option). After college, I went on a (very bad) blind date to Chicago's Second City and I was thrilled to find that they offered classes in improvisation. Finally, classes in my career choice! I attended classes for two and a half years (under the direction of Del Close who went on to direct Saturday Night Live). I then decided that I wanted to pursue my career on my own and not be dependent on the schedules of others (i.e. people who might be in my improv group). I went down the street to Zanies Comedy Club and after sitting through many new talent nights, I finally went on stage. I found out that standup comedy is much harder than improvisation, but I was thrilled with the challenge.
Q: How does your faith affect your sense of humor and the type of shows you perform? Does being Catholic impact on your performance style?
A: I think being Catholic greatly affected my style, content, and delivery. I went to Woodlands Academy in Lake Forest, and I received an excellent education and was taught good manners. I've always written clean comedy, and I find very few female comedians have a similar background.
Q: Why is it important for moms to take time for themselves and to stop and look at the humor in life as you do in “Family Lunacy”?
A: I think moms need to see the humor in their children because laughing at their uniqueness is very healthy, as opposed to finding frustration in the way they act from day to day. My favorite thing to do was to imagine myself acting as they did and imagining the looks I would get.
Q: I know that you are involved with programs related to health, spirituality, and humor as a ministry. How can humor come to the aid of the ill and those in need?
A:I try to bring humor to those in need because I think I've been very blessed to be surrounded by comedians all of my life and I'd like to share that joy. It's so wonderful. Performing a show takes all your troubles away, and when people get involved in the show, they too forget.
Q: How can moms inject more fun and humor into their day-to-day lives with their children?
A: I think mothers have a responsibility to share humor and joy with their children to give them an optimistic view of life.
Q: Are there any closing thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
A: I think parents need to really listen to their children as they would a friend. I've always regarded my children's thoughts and feelings as valid ever since they could speak. I even asked their opinion about things ever since they first began talking. I thought — “Here is the opinion of a clear and uninfluenced mind — maybe I can learn something.” As a result, I experienced very few extreme crying episodes with my children — especially in public situations. I always let them know that if they became agitated, I would stop and listen. And — we laughed a lot and still do.
To visit with Sally Edwards and learn more about her comedy stylings, email her at sallhaas@aol.com.
(Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous web sites, including www.catholicmom.com and www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic fiction and non-fiction.)
