Chonda Pierce says comedy helped her find God's faithfulness after loss, abuse: 'He delivered me'
Emmy-nominated comedian Chonda Pierce might be best known as the "Queen of Clean Comedy," but her life hasn’t always been humorous; in fact, it’s been marked by trials and tribulations she believes have honed her character and proven God’s faithfulness.
“It is interesting; if you research, a lot of comedians walk some dark roads, and that might be why we love to make people laugh,” the 64-year-old comedian told The Christian Post.
“Hearing people laugh is just as much medicine for me as it is for anybody. I think early on in my career, my comedy was probably a lot of deflecting going on to try to mask some pain. What is amazing about God is, He created all the arts, and the devil's job is to pervert them all. And in that deflecting or using comedy that's cruel or hateful or filthy, that is Satan's job. He loves to steal that.”
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“I love that God blessed me with a sense of humor and an ability to tell a story or two that makes a room laugh because I love it just as much as anybody else. I need the laughter as well. I love that I get to do that for a living, and wasn't God so kind to direct my path that way, because that laughter has brought a lot of healing my way.”
For over three decades, Pierce, who has sold more comedy albums than any other female comedian, has built a career on weaving humor into her storytelling, inviting audiences into her world with relatable anecdotes. But her latest book,Life Is Funny Until It's Not: A Comic's Story of Love, Loss, and Lunacy, delves deeper than ever before, addressing topics like childhood trauma, her parent’s divorce, the loss of her two sisters and husband and abuse.
“I've told bits and pieces of my story for 32 years, I’ve revealed parts of grief from my husband’s death or the aftermath of that, and all of those stories are still true and I still hold on to them. … But there was so much in the in-between traumas … where I learned a lot. That's where I learned who God is and how He will sustain you,” she said.
She candidly shares how, as her comedy career blossomed as a young woman, trials continued to shadow her journey through marriage, motherhood and widowhood. Yet through every sorrow and every joy, God remained by her side.
“This is the reason I got into stand-up comedy to begin with,” she said. “I wanted to tell my story. I felt like the Lord had really delivered me through some things that would be helpful to other people.”
Pierce also opens up about her early years as a pastor’s daughter and how her earthly father impacted her view of God. When describing her father, she paints a picture of a complicated figure; a man who, at times, was loving and attentive and other times, cold and harsh.
The comedian shares how, over the years, she’s navigated the complexities of her father's role and his darker side, finding solace in her faith. "God revealed Himself to me many times, teaching me the difference between a Heavenly Father and an earthly father," she explained. "This understanding saved my life. Otherwise, I would have self-destructed a long time ago."
Despite her challenges, Pierce has maintained her faith, crafting her comedic material in a way that reflects her beliefs. "Comedy is always the opening act, but I also turn the corner to share the stories behind it," she says. "Jesus Himself used humor in His teachings, and I aim to show both the good and the bad so people can see God at work."
“I'll never get an HBO or Netflix special because I really talk a lot about Jesus,” she said. “But when God directs your path, there's a lot of peace. A whole lot of peace may not be as big a paycheck, but … it’s in telling the good and the bad and the ugly that you actually get to see the hand of God.”
Pierce is also on her Life is Funny tour, where she balances humor with heavier truths.
"I wanted to tell my story to help people, but I didn't want to dive into the sad parts outright," she said. "I start with comedy, then turn the corner to reveal reality."
And already, the tour, which launched in March, has had a profound impact on her audience, with many sharing how Pierce's humor has helped them through dark times.
"I’ve had people say they were considering ending their life, but my stories pulled them back," she recounted. "It's moments like those that make all the sacrifices worth it."
"There are always new stories to tell," she added with a chuckle, "Like how I fell off my bathtub trying to get rid of bugs, despite having a Scripture above it saying 'God is within her, she will not fall.'"
Today, Pierce also uses her platform to help others on a practical level: In 2006, she founded Branches Recovery Center, which offers counseling and treatment to those with depression, anxiety and addiction.
Based on her own experiences with loss, trauma and depression, Pierce said she “doesn’t trust anyone who doesn’t walk with a limp,” adding: “When Jacob finally did fight and wrestle with God, God touched his hip. He said, ‘You will never forget that you wrestled with me,’ but he lived to tell about it. And he changed that mind of God.”
“I'm so grateful for what He's brought me through. But I cut myself some slack every now and again and say, ‘OK, this is a trigger day. This would have been my anniversary … and in those moments, I say, ‘Oh Lord, why is [my husband] not here?’ And then you'll strengthen yourself again, and God doesn't strike you with lightning. He will talk you through your anger. The Bible says, ‘Be angry but sin not,’ and it also says, ‘Bring everything to me.’”
Whether through her books — though she said Life is Funny will be her last — or comedy tour, Pierce said her mission is to share stories that reflect God's faithfulness and provide hope to those struggling.
"I want people to see that there's a woman who walked a rough road but never walked away from God," she said, "and to find hope and healing in His enduring faithfulness."
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
