Catholic Mom Spotlight on Comedian Sally Edwards

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Sally Edwards has written two wonderful books for parents!

You Know Your Kids Are Driving You Crazy When...
You love your children but are you aware that their antics get you crazy and drive you to bizarre behaviors? Sally Edwards, standup comedian and mother of three, hits home as she makes us laugh at the insanity inherent in the child-rearing process. Hilariously illustrated in color by the artistic wizardry of Robert M. Henry.

You Know You're A Sexy Senior When...
You Know You're a Sexy Senior When... entertains and makes us laugh as clean corporate comedian Sally Edwards finds the funny in senior living. Growing older is growing sexier as long as you keep your sense of humor. Hilariously illustrated with original color cartoons by artist Robert M. Henry.

Visit
www.comedybysally.com
for additional information

Anecdotes from Sally:

One morning five year old Christine woke up and she didn't feel so good. Later in the day she started to feel better. She said, "You know this morning I felt like an old rag ... and now I feel like a new rag!"

When Brendan was six I asked him whose picture is on the $100 bill and he said "Regis Philbin."

One day Chrsitine came home from preschool and said, "Mommy we're going to play a guessing game. I'm going to think of something and you're going to guess what I'm thinking about."

I said, "You're thinking of your big red ball."

"No."

I said, "You're thinking of your baby doll."

"No."

"I said, "You're thinking of your teddy bear."

"No."

I said, " Christine - I don't know. What are you thinking about?

And Christine said, "Mount Fuji"!

When Brendan and Steven were 4 and 3 years old, respectively, I heard them talking in their room.

Brendan said, "Steven - I have a joke for you. ... Why did the skeleton cross the road?"

Steven said, "I don't know."

Brendan replies, "Because he had no guts!"

THERE WAS A VERY LONG SILENCE... and then an inquisitive Steven asks,

"Brendan, what are guts?"

to which Brendan answers - "I DON'T KNOW!"

I'll never forget the day that I decided the family needed to get out more -

At five years old Steven runs up to a retention pond in our quiet suburb and shouts, "Look mom, THE OCEAN!"

On Martin Luther King Day I picked Brendan up from school and he asked me, "Mom, Who was Martin Luther King?" Trying to simplify the issue I said, "Well Brendan, Martin Luther King defended the black man." To which Brendan countered, "Which black man?"

(I must tell you another story from Martin Luther King Day that really caught me off-guard and made me realize the innocence of children.)

Steven came home from kindergarten.
"Mommy what if I was black?"
(Feeling very much a new mom and totally worried that I would not answer the question correctly, I said very nonchalantly, "I don't know Steven. If you were black, you'd be black. ... So?"

Steven said, "Well, I wouldn't have any friends."

(Now I froze inside wondering what had taken place in school that day.)

I said, "Steven, why wouldn't you have any friends if you were black?"

And Steven said very matter-of-factly, "Because nobody would recognize me!"

Another philosophical conversation of sorts -

Brendan inquired, "Mom why is it one egg and zero eggs?"

We had a dog whose name was "Yogi." Steven's 89 year old grandfather said to him, "Steven, Your dog's name is Yogi and he looks like a bear. Do you know what famous baseball player Yogi is named after? And Steven said, "Frank Thomas?"

Catholic Mom Entertainment Spotlight

Sally Edwards
Family Lunacy

Listen to a sample from Family Lunacy

Family Lunacy – Laughing Out Loud at Family Life
Catholic Entertainer Spotlight with Sally Edwards, Comedian
By Lisa M. Hendey

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: 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 and 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 by 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 like 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?

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 by involving people 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.

Visit with Sally Edwards and learn more about her comedy stylings email her at sallhaas@aol.com or visit her website at www.comedybysally.com for more laughs!

Lisa M. Hendey is webmaster of www.CatholicMom.com, a wife and mother of two and a fan of Catholic culture and entertainment.

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