- She is the Queen of Clean.

Clean comedy, that is.

Talking about Chonda Pierce.

But like everyone elsein the world right now,

her life and career are on hold

as we fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Chonda canceled hertour for the time being,

but now she is joining us to tell us how

she can bring laughterand a smile to America.

Chonda, always so, so good to see you.

- It is so good to see you.

I think last time we talked, you were

standing here in my living room.

- (laughs) I know, I know.

So I know exactly whereyou're sheltering in place.

(laughs) What's it like tobe at home all this time?

- You know, it's not so terrible,

to tell you (laughs) the truth.

And you and I have along history together,

so you know my whole life story.

But I know that isolation, for people

who struggle with depression,can be a terrible enemy.

But I also am around so manypeople throughout the year

that being alone for a little while

(laughs) is not so bad.

- (laughs) I agree.

My closets are so organized!

(laughs)

I have tried to stay busydoing a million things.

I've put together two puzzles, so.

- [Efrem] Oh. (laughs)

- And that's what you just have to do.

You have to push yourself to stay busy.

Get out of the bed, make the bed

so you won't stay in the bed.

My biggest worry is after this is over,

people are gonna start going to church

looking like Walmart shoppers.

(both laugh)

- (laughs) Yeah, indeed.

- We're so used to staying in

our pajamas and going to church.

(both laugh)

- Yes, roll out of bed and into the pew,

(laughs) you've got that right!

(both laugh)

- We found a little stand-up routine--

- Uh-oh!- That is particularly

funny right now, because ithas to do with toilet paper,

(laughs) and the reactionyou've gotten from people

any time you say anythingin support of the president.

I wanna take a quick look at that

and then talk about it on the other side.

Take a look.- Okay, good, good.

Well, here's the good side of it all.

I have had to buy toilet paper one time

since he took office.

(audience laughs)

I just go outside andget it off the trees.

(audience laughs)

I have a lifetime supply.

I did leave a poster formy very tolerant Democratic

friends to please startusing paper towels, 'cause--

(audience laughs)

I have enough toilet paper.

(Chonda laughs)- (laughs) Well, do you

still have enough toilet paper?

(laughs)

- And don't they wish they had some

of that toilet paper back now?

(both laugh)

- Do you remember, just the back--

(laughs)- I still get it!

- Wow!- I don't understand it.

Do what?

- I said, do you remember theback story behind that bit?

- Oh, yeah!

(Efrem laughs)

- When I came out

(Efrem laughs)for the president,

not out of a closet, butjust out for the president,

I got inundated with hate mail,

and everybody does that makes a stand.

I think I get more aggravated now

at the artists who won't,(laughs) who are like,

"Oh, I don't want to talk about politics.

"I don't want to upset my fans."

And I'm like, "You know what?

"I've been at this long enough,I'm trying to upset a few."

(both laugh)

I need to retire, so theyneed to leave me alone.

It is terrible right now, especially.

I had to turn the TV off, 'cause I

will just start yelling at the TV.

I watch more Christiantelevision now, thank goodness,

and I try to avoid someof those news places

that don't really report the news.

The man could come outand say he's cured cancer,

and this virus, and they would still

find something to hate him over.

And that's horrible,especially at this time.

This time is a nationalcrisis when, most of the time

in history, when there'sbeen a national crisis

like this, everybody rallies around.

But now, the hate still continues,

and that just blows my mind.

It's just gone beyond the hate speech

and the fake news and all that to truly

a, I almost said demonic,a spiritual warfare

like I've never seen in my life.

And he's not my spiritualleader, he's not my pastor,

but he is my president.

And my grandmother was aDemocrat, and my grandmother

taught me, "Whoever's in that Oval Office,

"you give them respect,"and that we don't have,

and that's sad, that's very sad to me.

But yeah, on the comic side,

he does give us a lot of material.

(both laugh)

- Indeed, indeed.- If I could take his phone

away from him, I would!

- Yeah, I would too. (laughs)

- Yeah, exactly.

Sometimes he'll say stuff andI'll go, "Well, there you go,

"I'm gonna (laughs) haveto defend that later!"

(Efrem laughs)

But at this time in history,I try to stay informed,

and that's the good thing, especially,

that helps you fight the fear, too.

If you know who the enemyis, and where he's coming

to attack you, that'sreal comfort in that.

And so, the briefingsand all that, I'm like

everybody else, I just try tostay informed and stay smart.

But, yes, it was, and still is.

I have a, my hotshot Hollywood manager,

as you know, Efrem,(Efrem giggles)

he would love for me to keepmy mouth shut about politics.

(both laugh)

- Well, as you--

- But my mother tried tokeep my mouth shut for years!

(laughs)

- Don't think she was successful.

(laughs)- No, no, oh, when I started

getting paid for talking,that blew her whole

curve right there.- See, see?

Well, you did mention,we've not seen anything

like this in our lifetime,literally the whole world

facing this pandemic, anda lot of fear and anxiety.

How do you navigate theseriousness of this crisis

and still keeping a smile and laughing?

- Well, the word.

You have to just liveyour life, and I pray

that it's driving, mypastor said this Sunday,

never in his lifetime of minehas the entire world stopped.

Not just our country, but the entire world

is dealing with this pandemic.

The good that can come from that,

and that's what God's in the business of.

The Bible says, God, "I willwork all things for good."

Even this pandemic, He can work for good.

Now, death is horrible, andthe numbers are gonna get

ridiculous looking becausewe're testing more people.

It's gonna sound frightening,

But the word of God says that

"the joy of the Lord is your strength."

And so, that teachesme so much right there.

One, when I don't feeljoyful, I know it's gonna come

from the Lord, and He's never failed me.

When I'm fearful, I know thatHe's gonna take care of me.

And so, what I tell folks all the time is,

this is a time in ourlives when we can think

about our eternal value morethan our value around here,

The things we're gonna lose, the money

that's not coming intoour household anymore.

So we start thinking on theeternal value of things.

People are thinkingabout their own mortality

more and more, and that's wonderful.

People are tuning in to more church.

It's like Amazon Wish List.

(Efrem giggles)"I saw 17

"church services Sunday!"

(laughs)- (laughs) Yeah, I'm

with you there.

- "I had more church Sundaythan I have had in my life!"

But that's a good thing.

It's not good that we're allchurch shopping, but it is good

that we are saturatingour time and our Sunday.

And I pray that people are doing that

with their families, thatthey're having more dinner

around the table thanthey've ever had before.

So the Lord's gotten ourattention, and we turn

our eyes to Him when weare in a tough place.

And so, you pray that that isso also for the nonbeliever,

that suddenly they're thinkingabout these things, yeah.

- Tell us how you havebeen using technology

to get laughter out thereto your fans right now.

- Well, for one thing,I'm learning more and more

about technology than I wanted to.

I thought that's what Igave birth to my son for.

I have to call him every fewminutes, he's in Los Angeles,

and I'll go, "Okay, now Igotta hook up a USB microphone.

"Now what do I do?"

All these little things.

And your producer, duringthe break, I'm like,

"I never know where to look."

'Cause if I look at myself,then I'm not looking at you,

but if I look at myself, thatmeans I'm talking to myself,

(Efrem chuckles)and I know people

that went to a hospital for that.

(both laugh)

- Yeah, I know a few too! (laughs)

- (laughs) Yes, sir!

So it's kinda weird that I'msitting here talking to myself.

My dog looked at me like,

"Who is she talking to?"(Efrem laughs)

But all that (laughing).

Technology is a great,that this came about

when our technology is so advanced,

and praise the Lord for it.

Before we had the stay athome, and that just said,

suggested less than 10people around, I had a thing

called Quarantine Comics,so it was me and Jeff Allen

and Bone Hampton andthe great Gary Chapman,

singer-songwriter, who's not a comedian,

but he's just funny, and we had Ken Davis,

and we all got, 'cause weall live real close together,

and so we all cometogether in my living room

and did a Quarantine Comics.

Had no idea what I'm doing,set the laptop on the mantel,

and you know my house,so, set it on the mantel

so it'd catch the whole room.

(Efrem laughs)So we look about this big

on the Facebook Live, no idea of what I'm,

and 100,000 people are watching!

And you don't realize thattill you get off and go,

"Oh, I probably should'veput some lipstick on."

(both laugh)

I looked terrible.

So every time I do this,I'm trying to get better

about technology, though,paying attention to my hair.

But all that to say, what a blessing!

And so I try to get online.

One, you wanna informyour fans, your friends,

they need to see your face,that you're doing okay,

and that's good, but also,just they need to know

what to do with their ticketthat they already bought.

And I was going, "All the showsare rescheduled for August.

"We'll be at it again.

"Bring your ticket, you don'teven have to print a new one."

And so, you try to get the word out.

But for me as a comic,we're not essential,

but I will say laughter, at this time

in our lives, is pretty essential.

I wouldn't say that Itake the place of a doctor

or a nurse or people onthe front lines of this

that are putting their life on the line,

but I do look at what the Lord has allowed

me to do as a time of now, more than ever,

we need it.- Absolutely.

Now, more than ever, we need to stay

in touch with people, and I try to tell

my comedy friends doing thesame thing, some of 'em.

Some of 'em are really tech-savvy,

and they get so mad at me.

(Efrem laughs)They have all the gadgets.

They have the screens and the microphones,

and they can switch to thisperson and this person,

and they can call somebodyonline while they're on here.

- Yes.

- Honey, I have the hardesttime just figuring out

how to get the Skype on today.

(Efrem laughs)

And when I do it, it makes 'em so mad,

'cause 100,000 people will watch.

- See? (laughs)

- And I asked my girlfriend,"How is this happening?

"I feel so blessed, socompletely honored."

And she said, "Peoplejust watch you to see

"what in the world's gonnacome out of your mouth."

(both laugh)

- That's because we loveyou, and we understand,

of course, you're doingthis interview with us

because you do wanna make America laugh

and you do wanna make surethat people are connected,

so we're gonna make sure that we put links

to all of this on ourFacebook page and website

so that people can visitand have even more laughs.

Wanna ask you, what kind of response

have you been getting from(claps) people who are watching?

- Probably the same stuffthat y'all are getting,

that they thank youfor staying on the air,

they thank you for, one nightwe had my sister-in-law over,

and we played our favoritehymns and sang songs,

and people are feeling thatclaustrophobic cabin fever,

and they just wanna knowthat the world is out there

beyond their movies they'rewatching on television

or something, or their favoritepeople are still alive.

And I'm so blessed that they deem me

as one of their favorite people.

But they're my favorite people, too.

If you're not careful,you live your life feeding

off of other people.

One thing thing this(laughs) virus is gonna do

for a lot of us is to showus how co-dependent we are,

and get some of that healthy communication

that we need, and let go ofsome of that co-dependency,

because God wants us to rely only on Him,

and then everything elsewill be added to us.

- Amen.

Now, I know that there isa lot of fear and worry

and anxiety out there, with good reason,

because of COVID-19, and you've faced some

really difficult challenges in your life

long before COVID-19,so what would you say

to people out there during this time?

- One of the tricks, I think, the tricks

of my trade or the tricks of how I fight

the devil in my head alot, is Post-it notes.

That's just the handiest thing.

Write down a day, a word,a name, whatever it is

that will remind you ofan event in your life

where you know that you know that you know

God brought you through.

So write that down on a Post-it note,

and then put it on the refrigerator,

or your mirror, and then think of,

another one will come to you,and when it comes to you,

you write that down, and you put it on.

Before long, you'll haveso many Post-it notes

that you will see how many times

God was there for you on a tough day.

Now, I have a lot of 'em.

My mom's death, my husband'sdeath, I lost my sisters,

I have been through the scareof cancer, all those things.

God has delivered me outof some big, heavy things.

But He's also delivered me out

of (hits hand) praying in groceries

when my husband and I were very poor.

He's also delivered me outof the dark of depression,

and I found a wonderful doctor.

And so, I have a mirrorfull of Post-it notes.

And what that is, it reminds your mind

and it reminds the devilthat if God did that

in the past, I promise you,He's gonna do it through this.

- Mm-hm, in your time with Godthese days, what's He saying?

- I think He's just reminding me

of the peace and the calm,and that I am not alone.

And let me tell you, during this virus,

I thought I was really alonewhen I lost my husband.

Being widowed is hard.

And the other day, a thing came up,

the feed on your Facebook,and I (laughs) felt

a little victorious in thata Timeline thing came up,

and it was my husband, and hewas saying something funny.

And there was a time in mylife where that would come up,

and it would set me back for the day,

and I would mourn himand I would miss him.

This time, when it came up, I chuckled,

going, "Oh, that was such a fun day,"

and, "Oh, I'm so glad he's not here

"to have to deal with that," and,

"He's in a much better place,"

and then I swiped on and moved on.

It doesn't mean I'vetotally forgotten him,

it just means, look how far I've come

through my grief and through my struggle.

And so, the sweet thingabout that, to me, is I saw,

before my very eyes, my personal growth.

And so, what the Lordis speaking to me a lot

is doing that, is growing more,

growing more in the Lord,strengthening my walk with Him.

We can use this time to really strengthen

our families spirituallyand strengthen our walk

with the Lord more than we've ever.

We're completely out of distraction.

And any any distraction that comes

into your home now was your doing.

- [Efrem] Ah!

- And so, now, you haveto be disciplined, and go,

"I'm gonna turn this TV off and I'm gonna

"read another chapter in the word," yeah.

- I like that, amen, amen.

Real curious, we've talkedabout this before, dating now--

(Chonda guffaws)How do you date in the age

of COVID-19 (laughs)and social distancing?

(Efrem laughs)- Well, that would

be social, dating?

I created the word social distancing.

(Efrem laughs)That is my dating life.

(both laugh)

There is no dating, sinceyou're bringing that up.

- (laughs) I'm sorry, I had to ask.

- At least now I have an excuse.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm notdating because of the virus."

(both laugh)

People go, "Are you dating?" and I go,

"Yes, every time the phonerings, but it doesn't ring."

(Efrem laughs)

- I got a chance to see some work

that people are gonna see in the future.

You've got a film comingout with Michael Jr.

- I do!

(Efrem laughs)I'm so excited

you talked about that!

I don't have a big role,but what I loved about it,

I played a really mean,

(laughs) snotty person!- You sure did, (laughs)

and you did it well!

(Efrem laughs)- And it was so much fun!

(both laugh)

I was channeling a coupleof church ladies I know.

So that was good.

And then, last summer, I played the lead

in a major motion picture,and that comes out

not this coming year, but the next, 2021.

- Is that the one youdid in your hometown?

- Yeah, the movie withMichael Jr. comes out

the end of this month, I think.

- Right, right, right. (laughs)

- And he is so funny.

(Efrem laughs)

I watch more comedy specials.

I never watch comedybecause you hear something,

going, "I wish I'd have thought of that.

"I can't believe it."

You can't hardly enjoy it for going,

(sighs) "How did they get so smart?"

And so, but yeah, I watchedall the comedy stuff,

but this movie withhim, it's a sweet story,

it's a really sweet story.- It is.

Yeah, "Selfie Dad."

We can look forward to (laughs)that coming up real soon.

Before we let you go, just curious,

any funny story you'd like to share

that's not been out there yet?

I know you always keep us laughing.

- Well, I will say this, and I

wish I could re-enact it.(dog barks)

I don't know what the dog's barking at,

there ain't a soul here.(Efrem laughs)

Come here!

He wants to get on my lap.

Here is the funniest thing.

I had my gloves on, I finally had

to get, I ran out of French vanilla cream,

so it got real.(Efrem laughs)

So I finally went to the grocery store,

I put on my gloves, and I was chewing gum.

(both laugh)

I forgot where I was, I was going.

But I was chewing gum,and I went to spit it out,

and it stuck to my glove.(Efrem laughs)

So then I take this hand to get it off,

and then I had to takemy gloves off like this

(both laugh)It was about 15 minutes,

I'm trying to get rid ofthe gum and my gloves.

But I have one pair ofsurgical gloves left over from,

oh, from when I colored my hair!

(Efrem laughs)That's another thing!

Everybody is gonna know every woman's real

hair color when this is over.(Efrem laughs)

(both laugh)

Oh, and here's another thingI thought of this morning.

We've had a run on toilet paper,

but when this is over, there's gonna be

a run on Spanx like you have never seen,

(Efrem laughs)because women have done

nothing but sit around and eat. (laughs)

- (laughs) I have a friendwho's said just that.

He goes, "I bought allthese supplies to eat

"because I was gonna be quarantined.

"What happens when it's day two

"and I've already eaten them all?"

(both laugh)

- That is so true!

(Efrem laughs)Oh my God!

You know it's really bad when you

start rationing the Pringles.

(both laugh)

- Chonda, while we haveyou, I'd like to ask you

to end with a prayer for our country

during these difficult times.

- Oh, I'd be honored.

Father, we love You.

We come to you with tender hearts,

with worry and fear and all the things

that the devil would loveto creep into our spirit.

But Father, none ofthose things are of You,

and so we pray right now thatwe make room in our hearts

and space for more and more of You.

And when that happens, itoverflows into the needs

of our entire country.

So right now, we pray for our president,

for our leaders, for all ofthose on the front lines,

our medical community, Lord.

We pray that thestatistics don't terrify us

so much that we forgetthat You are at work

and that You are a good God.

Would you give us peace and comfort,

resources for those whodesperately need 'em,

and, Father, when thisis over, we will continue

to give You the glory andthe praise and the joy

will be our strengthfrom this name forward.

In Jesus' name

we pray, amen.- Jesus' name, amen, amen.

Thank you so much.

- Thank you, my love!