He died three years later of a stroke. I think he really dwells with us. Im not cheating on my husband. Thats the beginning of the path of healing.. No matter where you are and whatever you do. And if you cant find something spiritual heres the good news youre just depressed! Pierce explained. She performed many times at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Chonda Pierce's family had three girls and one boy, and Chonda was the third born. [3], Pierce got her start in comedy during a six-year stint at a theme park in Nashville, Tennessee called Opryland USA. Chonda Pierce's Initial Life, Youth, and Education Pierce was conceived in Covington, Kentucky on Walk 4, 1960. Her daughter is Chera Kay Pierce, while her son is David Zachary. Thats not to say I certainly had my conversations with him that's how I know he must be loving because he should have struck me with lightening a long time ago. I think that one of the greatest joys of my job is to break some of that down; and to be able to do it in a humorous way as a comic. By Martha Rose Brown, T&D Staff Writer. Chonda Pierce is the mother of Chera and is a recognized comedy queen. Write that down, she said. David was a heavy drinker who died of a stroke. on: function(evt, cb) { Because we are afraid of what someone in the church world is going to say to us when they find out that we are depressed. Chonda Pierce can be found on Twitter as @chondapierce. And Ive been grateful for that, because Ive known people who give up on faith for a lot less.. We were each others soulmates through all that.. See it in theaters today! But Pierce knows that her faith may get tested again and shes ready. Her daughter is Chera Kay Pierce, while her son is David Zachary. Prince Harry addresses 'Spare' backlash in interview: 'I have never looked for sympathy in this', Shania Twain was 'uncontrollably fragile' from ex Mutt Lange's affair with friend: 'How could I be so stupid', Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe reveals 'promise' she made to mother before her death, Emma Stones 'And' co-star Willem Dafoe had her slap him 20 times to get scene right, Prince Harry's 'attacks' on 'villain' Camilla led to Frogmore Cottage eviction: expert, Film industry reacts to death of 'Saving Private Ryan' star Tom Sizemore: 'You're a legend'. As of 2022, Chera is 38 years, and many records indicate that she is married with kids. For Pierce, the concept of dealing with depression is something that could unite people of all backgrounds. Emmy-nominated comedienne Chonda . Sometimes You Have To Laugh To Keep From Crying It may come as a surprise since she consistently keeps her audiences rolling, but Chonda Pierce's life has been anything but a barrel of laughs. Pierce is a member of the Christian Comedy Association, but outside the comedy, she is a spokesperson for World Vision and works with various other Christian leaders and organizations. Reach Brad Schmitt at 615-259-8384 or on Twitter @bradschmitt. So that idea of unconditional love goes both ways., Pierce explained why this unconditional love for God may improve faith and well-being. (252) 5.1 1 h 16 min 2013 13+. She wrote on how she struggled with depression when she was younger in the book Laughing in the Dark: A Comedian's Journey Through Depression. But it was the physical movement getting from my bed and getting dressed, going into the kitchen. I believe the sweetest stories in all of the Garden of Eden story was just before God banished Adam and Eve, God made them clothes. Chonda Pierce:You just take the next day and the next day and if you're really blessed, somebody goes thank you for taking the next step. She is a Christian comedian who came to be known as The Queen of Clean. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. More, people who struggle with depression may experience significant loss of physical, social and role functioning comparable to or worse than that of other chronic medical issues. You can get away with saying a whole lot, she said. He was a state wrestling champion and also played the guitar. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. David W. Pierce, Chonda's husband, initially met as a sophomore at Cheatham County High School in Ashland City, Tennessee. Whatever that vice is thats probably not healthy for you, you have to change it. I was mad as fire at him. Part of the change was how she interacted with her family. Chera Pierce Meredith is the first child of the queen of cleanliness, Chonda Pierce. Chonda Pierce's daughter, Chera Kay, began to resent her parents, mostly her mother, for unknown reasons. After being hospitalized and diagnosed, Pierce saw immediate improvement. Hawke has assembled a standout cast, notably led by his daughter, Maya Hawke ("Little Women," "Stranger Things"), who will play the young writer. I was already set up to be a comic, then I got depressed. As the RIAAs best-selling female comedian, her hilarious take on life is easily relatable as she publicly opens up to her listeners about times of darkness and depression in her own life, drawing humor and good from every situation. Im not drinking excessively. And her hopes were well-placed: Research suggests that spirituality predicts improved health and mood. Where is Chera Kay Pierce now? In October 2015, Pierce took her humor to the big screen with her first film Chonda Pierce: Laughing In The Dark, based on her personal struggle to overcome depression. Not knowing how to dance, she had to memorize jokes from Grinders Switch, Tennessee and impersonate Cousin Minnie Pearl. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Chonda lost her two sisters, Charlotta Kay and Cheralyn Ann, before turning 18 years old. We all get depressed. Our father was a pastor and was a very abusive man. Their mother, Virginia, passed away in 2012. My husband is a brilliant man and wanted to read up on what do we have to do here? she explained. I just want to throw my arms around them and go, Who beat you up that it spills out into an art that was meant to be so healing?. Legal Statement. Pierce chronicled her bouts with depression after losing her mother, dealing with her husband's alcoholism battle and death, an estranged daughter and the loss of her sisters as a child. She's the top selling female comedian of all time, with performances such as "Laughing in the Dark" and. Chonda Ruth Pierce, popularly known as "The Queen of Clean," is a Christian comedian. Variety raved about her ability to draw audiences for an encore performance for Chonda Pierce: Laughing in the Dark.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); **Please note that due to scheduling and other constraints at this time we are accepting inquiries for private engagements only, and that will not be advertised**, (Reference list of headline performers previously presented). At first, I thought there was something physically wrong with me. Being the daughter of one of the widely popular and well-earned comedians, the 38-year-old celebrity kid has had a comfortable life whose wealth is yet to be reviewed. Legal Statement. David was a gorgeous young man who wrestled for the state championship and also played the guitar. I didnt want to be around my kids. The documentary made many people wonder how such a great talent of comedy that made many people happy had endured a life of struggle and the loss of her loved ones. I was really surprised that the stigma was still there, that people still remain that uneducated about this situation., And then when this happened, I sadly realized, Oh, no, we havent come that far.. Let your voice and your choice be known. } And then everyone else around you, especially if they dont know youre depressed, they have a tendency to go, OK, then, Ill let you sleep for a while., Ultimately, like many people who suffer from depression, at one point Pierce became hopeless that she would recover. Therefore, it is impossible to know anything about her husband. Chonda, a preachers kid from Ashland City, grew up hearing that alcohol was evil, and if she drank, she was going to hell in a handbasket. To establish herself as a comedian, she recorded Second Row, Piano Side. She spoke to FOX411 about her journey to faith and why comedians should stop relying on vulgarity to make people laugh. By the time Cheralyn was diagnosed as terminal, their pastor father quit his pulpit and left his wife. FOX411: What can people expect from your comedy series on the Dove Channel, "Chonda Pierce Presents: Stand-Up For Families" and your standup show? She released many albums, and the tenth--which is the latest--is I'm a big deal. While Minnie left some big shoes to fill a distinctive, well-worn pair of black Mary Janes to be exact after her passing in 1996, a new generation of female comedians have taken up the mantle in her honor at the Opry House, including regular Chonda Pierce, who impersonated Minnie while working at the old Opryland USA theme park. In addition to her comedic work, Pierce has used her success to help others, and in 2006 founded Branches Recovery Center, which offers counseling and treatment to those with depression, anxiety, addiction, regardless of their ability to pay. Chonda felt like a complete idiot. Therefore, it is impossible to know whether she has a social media account, let alone an Instagram page. Cheralyn died of leukemia in 1978. A certain song comes on the radio, or I need help on the farm and hes not there, said Chonda, who lives with her son, Zachary, now 26. But Chonda Pierce also belongs on that list. Her daughter was given the names of her deceased sisters. David Zachary Pierce was born on September 6, 1989, and is the only sibling of Chera. Everything in the word of God theres nothing in there that says that the Devil has the last word, she said. Additionally, Pierce felt that her depression highlighted a weakness in her faith, where she questioned why God was forcing her to suffer. Today, as the RIAAs best-selling female comedian, Pierce continues to bring the laughs with her unique blend of music and comedy. I read the posts on my Facebook page and it would make anybody cry. It was something that needed to get out and needed to get dealt with, she said. He went to Kroger, bought a case of beer, and drank nine cans in the parking lot. Hes drunk.. Pierce is fresh off an incredible year after debuting her movie Chonda Pierce: Laughing In The Dark, to rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Yet she remarkably makes her way through the adversity, heart-wrenching loss and her own depression with the gift of humor! I pulled at it, and under, it was full of cans and bottles, all empty. When Chonda got home from the hospital that night, she wandered into the garage and saw a tarp on the floor. I said, You have nothing to be sorry about. . } Maybe you dont even have to open the Bible. What we fail to teach sometimes is how we love God unconditionally.. Its really hard these days to find something for everybody on that couch from the 12 to 25 year old and yet this night, every night of these shows, there is a comic every 15 to 20 minutes so there is something a flavor for everybody on that couch. Pierce has gone on to appear numerous times on the stage of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, write eight books, and become a highly sought after Christian comedian, having five gold-certified comedy albums and two platinum albums to her name. Though he and Chonda began as acquaintances, their relationship grew into a full-fledged romance over time. When she was still in college, she started to play comedy to pay the school fees. Chera Kay Pierce is a celebrity kid. Chonda Pierce finds humor in her South . God has inspiration and divine healing and hes got creation all of these beautiful aspects that we know of God that are in his tool bag., Then you also have to believe that there is the opposite of that.