# Christian comedy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088 "2020-04-18T22:57:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/21 "2020-04-19T08:06:43Z")
My favorite was in Real Life, not media. Back in the day (circa 1970) the [Tony & Susan Alamo Christian Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamo_Christian_Foundation) cult rounded up Los Angeles area stoners, love-bombed them, and sent them out (under supervision) to give holy tracts to pedestrians. Elton John sang of them: “♫ Jesus freaks / Out in the streets / Handing tickets out for Gawd ♫” (The first MrsRico was a tiny dancer, but that’s another story.) So, the hilarious routine. I was walking near Hollywood & Vine when a scraggly longhair grasping a handful of tracts stopped me. The God Squad’s usual line was, “Repent or perish, sinner!” But this guy was good. “Hey man, I used to be all fucked up on drugs. Now I’m all fucked up on the Lord. Wanna hit?” Doesn’t get much better than that. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/22 "2020-04-19T09:28:22Z")
Jerry Clower is a southern comic who has done a number of routines that make fun of thee Christian South, never offensive to believers. I consider him one of the funniest men alive. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/23 "2020-04-19T09:47:09Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > So I wrote one - > > Jesus walks into a bar. > Bartender says, “What willl you have?” > Jesus says, “A glass of water.” > Bartender gives it to him. Jesus turns it into wine, and drinks all night for free. > > OK, so I am not a joke writer. I shall fix this joke for you. Man walks into a bar. The bartender points at the door and says “You’re barred! Out!” Another patron asks “Wasn’t that Jesus? Why is he barred?” “Every time he comes in, everyone orders the free water!” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/24 "2020-04-19T10:33:24Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > I was about to say that christians as a group had no sense of humor. But I have seen Christian humor on church signs. > > Example: “Whoever stole our AC unit you can keep one it is hot where you’re going.” > > You know, you’re not gonna fall out of your chair but it was mildly amusing. > > There are better ones. I’m a heathen and too lazy to google. Best one I ever saw was back in 1999. Background: I live extremely\* close to a major amusement park in Orange County, CA (no mice are implicated, but there is a beagle associated with the park). One fine Fifth of May (Cinco de Mayo), the park announced that admission to the park and all attractions could be had for the paltry sum of FIVE CENTS (the typical one-day admission price was in the neighborhood of forty dollars, IIRC). Welp, they probably should have consulted the Buena Park Police Department before they decided to do that, because the streets surrounding the park were virtually impassable for the entire day. Businesses were disrupted, and school truancy spiked as 33,000 people descended upon the park (typical weekday attendance in the park was 4500).\*\* Anyway, the church: This church is about half a mile up the street from my apartment complex. The clusterfuck had happened on a Wednesday. As I drove home from work on Friday afternoon, I was greeted by their sign reading “SPECIAL THIS SUNDAY: ADMISSION TO SERVICE FIVE CENTS.” \*walk one mile north from my apartment complex, then one mile west, and you’re there \*\*[cite](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-may-06-mn-34646-story.html) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/25 "2020-04-19T13:19:41Z")
A Baptist walks into a bar. Bartender says “Now hold up! There is drinking going on here, and smoking and gambling, and if you were to go into the backroom, there’s probably some fornicating as well!” The Baptist looks around and says “Well, just as long as there’s no dancing…” A Lutheran walks into a bar. Bartender says “We don’t serve Lutherans in this establishment.” The Lutheran replies “How about some food then? I’ve been on a strict Diet of Worms!” A Unitarian walks into a bar. Bartender sez “Get out! We don’t serve Unitarians in this bar!” The Unitarian replies “Eh. I sort of half believe you.” A Catholic walks into a bar. “Get out!” says the bartender. “We don’t serve Catholics in this bar.” So the Catholic replies “I’m too busy to listen to that, you should talk to one of my intercessors.” A Methodist walks into the bar. Bartender sez “Get out! We don’t serve Methodists in this bar!” The Methodist replies “Oh c’mon. Open hearts, open minds, open bottles…” ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/26 "2020-04-19T14:39:23Z")
I thought John Crist was funny. Best description would be 'critical of churchgoers /observational humor" ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/27 "2020-04-19T14:40:32Z")
“Peter! I can see your house from up here!” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/28 "2020-04-19T15:11:09Z")
I grew up watching some Mark Lowery, who is actually a singer from the Gaither Group. He wrote the song “Mary, did you know?” that plays all the time at Christmas, but the truth is that his comedy is what I grew up hearing. [Here he is in 1996](https://youtu.be/qVbdoB30c_g). The truth is, he has some great moments and probably could have succeeded as a comedian if he went that route. I think he focuses on music and speaking more, though. He tells a hilarious story about when he and his wife banned their kids from using the bathroom during the church service. Next week, he was in church and had to pee big time. He could not hold out, so he left(wife seething at him for setting a bad example). He snuck back in ashamed and sat down. He could feel his wife’s rage next to him, so he put his arm around her and gave her a little “shoulder hug”. She pulled away and he knew she was furious. Then he looked and realized…his wife was two rows behind him and he had been sitting next to and hugging a stranger. Everyone around him and his wife were busting up laughing. Milton Jones from Mock the Week has a series of church joke books. He’s a Christian and tells many churchy type jokes when not on Mock the Week. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/29 "2020-04-19T15:13:43Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I don’t think Jim Gaffigan is a “Christian Comic” but he does work clean and I think has a large Catholic fan base as he is a self professed strong Catholic and brings it up in his act a lot, he is wildly successful as far as a standup is concerned. I still would not categorize him as a Christian comedian because his comedy plays, I think, mostly to anyone at all and not specifically to Christians. But, yes, Jim and his wife are Catholic. My favorite line from him on this is, “Hey, if you haven’t been to mass in a few years…don’t worry, it’s still going!” ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/30 "2020-04-19T17:25:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > “Peter! I can see your house from up here!” Our vet just told us that joke 2-3 weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/31 "2020-04-19T18:31:46Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > From what I’ve heard of her, Chonda Pierce is like a modern-day Erma Bombeck, more of a humorist than a comedienne. > > Sinbad has long done profanity-free standup sets, ever since he did one because he knew his father, a pastor, was in the audience, and got his best audience response ever. Some people have referred to him as a “Christian” comedian, when really, his act could better be described as “appropriate for all ages.” Bombeck’s chosen medium was print, books and columns. Chondra Pierce is most definitely a stand up comic. Just because she tells stories and not Henny Youngman one-liners doesn’t make her a humorist and not a stand up. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/32 "2020-04-19T18:42:02Z")
You know why Jesus left the stone rolled aside on Easter morning? He was, after all, born in a barn What did Jesus say at the Last Supper? OK, everyone who wants to be in the picture, on this side of the table! ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/33 "2020-04-19T18:44:40Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > You might want to check out [Tim Hawkins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpFD-kgQxnI). I believe he’s a Christian Comedian and I think he’s funny. I’ve seen him live and he’s a funny guy, although that was years ago, and I’m not up to speed on any of his newer material. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/34 "2020-04-19T19:17:51Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Jerry Clower is a southern comic who has done a number of routines that make fun of thee Christian South, never offensive to believers. I consider him one of the funniest men alive. Never heard of him before, but I just googled him, and… he’s been dead for over 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/35 "2020-04-19T20:52:43Z")
I think anyone who has to put a descriptor before the word “comedian” is a terrible comic who has to pander to an existing audience to sell. They have “sports comedians” who would just make jokes about local sports teams and they would sell out 50 seat rooms all the time in my local area a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/36 "2020-04-19T22:31:32Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Jerry Clower is a southern comic who has done a number of routines that make fun of thee Christian South, never offensive to believers. I consider him one of the funniest men alive. WAS. He died in 1998. > **[Jerry Clower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Clower)** > > Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower (September 28, 1926 – August 24, 1998) was an American stand-up comedian. Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Clower was best known for his stories of the rural South and was given the nickname "The Mouth of Mississippi". > Clower was born in Liberty, Mississippi and began a two-year stint in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1944. Upon his discharge, in 1946, he was a Radioman Third Class (RMN3) and had earned the American Campaign Medal, the Asia... You’re right - he was very funny, and of course clean. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/37 "2020-04-20T01:12:37Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > a lot of “Christian” comedy is just normal comedy cleaned up or changed to be less offensive like I bought a book of “clean Christian jokes” that was the same old ethnic putdowns just with a made-up nationality or was profession based > > So your not missing much This is somewhat true, in that a lot are just clean comics who are behind the times, but the best Christian comedians will actually make comedy based on common ground, i.e. knowing the Christian myths, our common experiences, and such. Not trite jokes like from a joke boo, though. I actually recently ran into a Mormon comedian I enjoyed, which I was recommended after watching Melissa Villasenor’s live standup during the lock down. At least, I think [this bit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocyTbaVybig&list=WL) is funny. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/38 "2020-04-20T01:33:36Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I think anyone who has to put a descriptor before the word “comedian” is a terrible comic who has to pander to an existing audience to sell. They have “sports comedians” who would just make jokes about local sports teams and they would sell out 50 seat rooms all the time in my local area a decade ago. I tend to agree. There are clean comics like Gaffigan or Brian Regan who are among the best around and they don’t feel the need to put any additional descriptors. Jim Breuer is a great storyteller and comic and he works clean… He does talk about religion because his wife is born again but it’s only in the context of talking about his life. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/39 "2020-04-20T03:35:53Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > “Peter! I can see your house from up here!” I’ve always wanted to collect religious jokes and use that punchline for the title. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2020, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088/40 "2020-04-20T19:17:07Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Chondra Pierce is pretty funny, Committed Christians have doubts and hang-ups and social or family problems, too, and can laughh at irony. Chonda, not Chondra. She even jokes about it. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > I grew up watching some Mark Lowery, who is actually a singer from the Gaither Group. > > He wrote the song “Mary, did you know?” that plays all the time at Christmas, but the truth is that his comedy is what I grew up hearing. > > [Here he is in 1996](https://youtu.be/qVbdoB30c_g). The truth is, he has some great moments and probably could have succeeded as a comedian if he went that route. I think he focuses on music and speaking more, though. > > He tells a hilarious story about when he and his wife banned their kids from using the bathroom during the church service. Next week, he was in church and had to pee big time. He could not hold out, so he left(wife seething at him for setting a bad example). He snuck back in ashamed and sat down. He could feel his wife’s rage next to him, so he put his arm around her and gave her a little “shoulder hug”. She pulled away and he knew she was furious. > > Then he looked and realized…his wife was two rows behind him and he had been sitting next to and hugging a stranger. Everyone around him and his wife were busting up laughing. > Milton Jones from Mock the Week has a series of church joke books. He’s a Christian and tells many churchy type jokes when not on Mock the Week. Lowry, not Lowery. Humor is dependent on worldview. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-comedy/852088.md?page=3)