TSA staffer donates life-saving kidney to co-worker, We were recovery partners after we found each other, Chonda said. Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? They had me because I was speaking about something that needed to be heard. Chonda Pierce: Laughing in the Dark: Directed by Rick Altizer. Michael also left to get married. He went to Kroger, bought a case of beer, and drank nine cans in the parking lot. "I remember the taste of . When Chonda got home from the hospital that night, she wandered into the garage and saw a tarp on the floor. Im waiting my turn. 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'. Today, as the RIAAs best-selling female comedian, Pierce continues to bring the laughs with her unique blend of music and comedy. So lets fix that. And just so hurt., Nashville boy grieves for the Irish mom he never knew. [3], Pierce got her start in comedy during a six-year stint at a theme park in Nashville, Tennessee called Opryland USA. We will always love you. He passed on due to complications resulting from the stroke her suffered. Chera was born on February 13, 1984, and raised in Ashland City with her brother. During Davids last year alive, Chonda remembers good and bad weekends. May 15 FAMILY CAMP is all about family and faith and it's FUNNY! Then, there was that night David came home late slurring his words, and he ended up drunk in the hospital overnight while his wife wondered what was happening. Reach Brad Schmitt at 615-259-8384 or on Twitter @bradschmitt. 0. Pierce is quick to point out that she encourages people to question their faith as she did including whether they are guilty of sin that may be contributing to depression. A stand-up comedian, television hostess, author and now actress, Pierce has channeled her life experiences into positivity, bringing laughter to audiences around the country. Chonda Pierce appeared on many stages, including the Grand Ole Opry in Tennessee. If you don't like them, stop buying a ticket. Let your voice and your choice be known. This can lead to a vicious cycle, where an individual becomes more and more immobilized, and then is even less likely to engage in otherwise enjoyable or healthy behavior thus worsening their mood. Chonda Pierce: Enough: Directed by Rick Altizer. Through her experience with depression, Pierce gained a clearer understanding of the influences of God and Satan in our lives. Summary: Chonda Pierce has two children: Chera Pierce Meredith (one daughter, born February 13, 1984) and David Zachary Pierce (her son, born September 6, 1989.) On the other hand, Pierce has lived through years of tremendous sadness and tragedy, including childhood physical abuse at the hands of her father, the loss of both of her sisters at a young age, the loss of her mother, her husbands battle with alcoholism and eventual death, and her estranged relationship with her daughter. 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. Though he and Chonda began as acquaintances, their relationship grew into a full-fledged romance over time. When you dive into the New Testament, you see the love that Jesus had for others. Part of the change was how she interacted with her family. Well, its going to be to discourage people to isolate them, to depress them, to make them sick, she explained. And I dont know why we forget that.. tickets.familycampmovie.com 2:19 630 views Chonda Pierce Im not cheating on my husband. Hes having a stroke, she thought. But in the choosing, is when discontent comes along and we had to leave the utopia and Eden was no more and then suddenly we have to fend for ourselves and deal with pain, cancer, bad weather all those things that entered the world because of our choosing. Ben Marcus "Michael Jr.", a former stand-up comic in mid-life crisis, tries to become a social-media star until he and his family are radically changed by the Bible. During her USO tours, she performed for the troops. Further, a 10-year study of 114 adults found that those who considered religion or spirituality more important to them were significantly less likely to be depressed over time. But it was the physical movement getting from my bed and getting dressed, going into the kitchen. And to realize that in this body, in this flesh, we have limitations, she said. It was something that needed to get out and needed to get dealt with, she said. Pierce received five Daytime Emmy nominations for her work co-hosting talk show Aspiring Women on the Total Living Network and her first television special, This Aint Prettyville! on CMT (Country Music Television). 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. When he succumbed to stroke complications, Chonda was left with her son. And I think thats one of the things that deters our healing and also makes us isolate even more, she explained. Her father, David W. Pierce, worked as an English professor at Middle Tennessee State University. FOX411:You have gone through a lot of tragedy in life. Her daughter is Chera Kay Pierce, while her son is David Zachary. Chonda and her husband, David W. Pierce, gave birth to two children. She was born with three other siblings, Michael, Charlotta, and Cheralyn. She co-hosted the GMA Dove Awards in 2012 and appeared on Entertainment Tonight, The View, Fox News Channel, and And Wanda Sykes,. They first met in his second grade at Cheatham County High School in Ashland City, Tennessee. David was a gorgeous young man who wrestled for the state championship and also played the guitar. Hes drunk.. Inspirational Country music Awards and Christian Music Hall of Fame Awards are among the stage shows she hosted. She named her after her deceased sisters. As the daughter grew into an adult, she started to harbor resentments against her parents, including how much time her mom spent on the road, Chonda said. Here is a look at what is available about her. Heres the good news. Then the financial worry kicks in. She has also appeared on Entertainment Tonight, The View, Fox News Channel, Wanda Sykes, and her comedy is regularly featured on XM and Sirius satellite radio. But it gives me the mindset to lighten up on myself and have some unconditional love for myself. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Chonda Pierce - Have I Got A Story For You (DVD, 2003) at the best online prices at eBay! Depression is considered the common cold of mental illness, with as many as 20 percent of the population experiencing some form of mood disorder (e.g., major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder) at some point in their lifetime. Further, depression can be a chronic condition, with depressed people at risk for relapse over their lives. Therefore, it is impossible to know whether she has a social media account, let alone an Instagram page. After admitting he had a problem, her husband went into rehab and counseling, but David never beat his addiction. And so I think thats where we really all struggle -- because were not Jesus. 6 Signs That Youre Depressed and Ignoring It, Boosting Your Mood Beyond Meds and Therapy, 10 Things Everyone Should Understand About Depression, 15 Signs That Youre at Risk for Depression, A New Bodily Approach for Treating Anxiety and Depression. She had a tough time as a kid, growing up in the South as the daughter of an ultra-conservative preacher. @ 2022 Copyright by tlwastoria. Chonda Pierce's comedy calendar continues up to now, and some of her comedy segments are found on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Radio's Laugh. In Christianity, we work very hard in an evangelistic way to convince people that God loves them unconditionally. Keeping your head vertical, instead of laying down., Moreover, Pierce was able to examine some of the issues that may have contributed to her depression. From Pierces perspective, we need to understand that our difficulty achieving that form of unconditional love is very much the essence of being human, and we need to understand that this is an ongoing struggle. Chonda also has a son with her late husband David W. Pierce. She even has her husband and daughter at this concert. Write that down, she said. Chonda is a comedian; she spreads laughter and happiness to others. It was just the medicine I needed."[5]. He wants to know whats going on with your heart more than he wants to know whats going on with your head. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Where is Chera Kay Pierce now? She grew up in South Carolina. If I make a comment on a comic who does not perhaps live their Christianity like I do, then I just sound judgmental and snotty. It is impossible to tell where she is now, considering that she cut off all her contact with her mother and family. When she eventually came of age, she got married and cut off all contact with her parents and family. Chonda Pierce's Initial Life, Youth, and Education Pierce was conceived in Covington, Kentucky on Walk 4, 1960. With Michael Courtney, Doug Griffin, Stan Lowery, Chonda Pierce. David worked as an English professor at Middle Tennessee State University. These events in part fueled Pierce's bout with severe depression, . The greatest thing that depression did for me is to be able to learn to love God because of who he is, not because of how he makes me feel, she said. 998 views1 year ago. Besides, I can use the sleep!. Pierce chronicled her bouts with depression after losing her mother, dealing with her husbands alcoholism battle and death, an estranged daughter and the loss of her sisters as a child. He was good looking, with brown, wavy hair, smart, a guitarist and a state champ wrestler in the 100-pound weight class. Pierce is looking forward to continuing her work. 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. What he does is, when our own humanity, our own self, does something stupid or steps out of line or sins or gets sick or depressed, the way he operates is through our thought process to allow that to defeat us. Comedian Chonda Pierce has lived a life of paradox. We need to see common ground with each other with our humanity. From there, Pierce turned her gift of storytelling into a successful comedic career, selling more comic albums than any other female comedian. So I could take him, Chonda joked. Chonda Pierce is the mother of Chera and is a recognized comedy queen. What made you decide to do this? Chonda was born on March 4, 1960, in Covington, Kentucky, where she grew up. 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. Theyre still going to go through the same thing.. Why are you not listening to my prayers? Comedian Chonda Pierce loves to make people laugh and has made quite a career of it. Besides being a TV presenter, author, and actress, she is also a contemporary gospel stand-up. She died 21 days later. So, how much do you know about her? Source: Chonda Pierce. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Chondas husband was a professor and an alcohol addict. David was a state wrestling champion and also played the guitar. Maybe you dont even have to open the Bible. I just sat on that garage floor.. Pierce described how the fear of stigma kept her from seeking help. There are so many that I think are so funny but I wouldn't take my kids to see them and I wouldn't want to sit and listen to them for an hour. She takes that vulnerability to a new level in a documentary about losing her husband, Laughing in the Dark, out April 5 on DVD. And were supposed to strive to be that way., And yet this message may not always be conveyed. Pierces material resonated with people from all walks of life, and she credits her southern upbringing both for her warped sense of humor and her solid roots. The documentary was nominated for a Daytime Emmy nomination five times and won the Best Documentary Award in 2016. Pierce got her start working at Opryland Theme Park in Nashville where she performed as Grand Ole Opry star Minnie Pearl. The two dated on an off, and shortly after college, they got married. 426426 91 comments 1 share Share But now, Pierce has come to a new understanding about her depression, in which she has reconciled that she can be a deeply spiritual person and suffer from depression at the same time. She told me, I had been doing what I do for about 15 years when I hit the wall running. Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis. I think that for people who are religious people, if you believe that there is good, and there is a God, and there is an entity out there that is divine, then you believe God has a tool set. And her hopes were well-placed: Research suggests that spirituality predicts improved health and mood. ", She was born, Chonda Ruth Courtney,[1] in Covington, Kentucky, on March 4,[2] 1960,[3] while she was raised in South Carolina, by her father who was a preacher and mother, Virginia Whalen. I think he really dwells with us. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. After being hospitalized and diagnosed, Pierce saw immediate improvement. When I tried to go back to work, and I realized that there were concerts cancelled that they began to cancel because they heard that Chondas depressed, shes taking medicine, she just got out of the hospital, she recalled. Chera got married, had kids, and cut off all contact with her parents and family. Help us change more lives, join TUKO.co.kes Patreon programme. She is ranked amongst Pollstar.coms top-selling live performers and five of her DVDs have been certified Gold by the RIAA, signifying sales of more than 50,000 units, and three have been certified Platinum, signifying sales of more than 100,000 units. I have to have that same unconditional love for myself. In 2016, Chonda Pierce released a documentary that talked about her life.