YUKS FOR STAINED-GLASS CROWD COMEDIAN FINDS FUNNY BONE IN CHRISTIANITY.Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer BEL-AIR - God was the first comedy writer. The Bible is a great source for humor. Christians can be funny. And comedian Robert G. Lee hopes to prove it. ``I look at Christianity in a different perspective. I think Christians have gotten a bad rap and have very bad PR,'' Lee said. ``You can still laugh and be a Christian. ``What I'm saying is come and look at a different face of Christianity.'' Most of the year, Lee works warming up studio audiences, but the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. resident branched out as a Christian comedian, speaking at church fund-raisers and delivering the sermon at a Palm Sunday Palm Sunday, in the Christian calendar, the Sunday before Easter, sixth and last Sunday in Lent, and the first day of Holy Week. It recalls the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem riding upon an ass, when his followers shouted "Hosanna" and scattered palms in his path. service, after giving up the comedy club scene in 1992. A member of Bel-Air Presbyterian Church for almost 20 years, Lee said he took a ``leap of faith'' when he started performing before church audiences - his first church gig was about 15 minutes as an opening act for a band at his own church. Soon, Lee said, the band was opening for him. ``I decided my niche was not in the clubs. The clubs got to a point where they were going for the lowest common denominator low·est common denominator n. 1. See least common denominator. 2. a. The most basic, least sophisticated level of taste, sensibility, or opinion among a group of people. b. . Material got dirtier and dirtier. Here I was, married, had two kids, and I went to church,'' Lee said. Even though his agent cautioned that it would take years to crack the Christian community, Lee has developed a busy cross-country touring schedule. In April he performed his Christian comedy routines in five states. He delivered the Palm Sunday sermon at a Foursquare Church in Fresno. A few weeks ago, he caused bellyaches of laughter during a volunteer appreciation banquet at Church on the Way in Van Nuys. He also leads a Tuesday morning Bible study Bible study may refer to:
``Robert presents such an insight and a sense of fun to the Bible,'' said the Rev. Peter Falbo of Valencia United Methodist Church United Methodist Church, in the United States, religious body formed by the union in 1968 of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church (see Methodism). . ``His comedy style is enlightening and wholesome. It's not a put-down put·down or put-down n. Slang 1. A dismissal or rejection, especially in the form of a critical or slighting remark: "Such answers were, perhaps still are, a . . . or sacrilegious sac·ri·le·gious adj. 1. Grossly irreverent toward what is or is held to be sacred. 2. Having committed sacrilege. sac .'' Roy Loper lope intr.v. loped, lop·ing, lopes To run or ride with a steady, easy gait. n. A steady, easy gait. [Middle English lopen, to leap, from Old Norse , director of youth ministries at the church called on Lee when he was organizing a comedy night fund-raising event for the youth group that he wanted to benefit the whole congregation. ``We don't laugh enough. I think humor is good for spiritual well-being spiritual well-being, n a sense of peace and contentment stemming from an individual's relationship with the spiritual aspects of life. , and people who laugh are generally healthier,'' Loper said. ``People are much more likely to hear the message through something said humorously.'' He added, ``Robert was hilarious. His humor isn't rude or debased de·base tr.v. de·based, de·bas·ing, de·bas·es To lower in character, quality, or value; degrade. See Synonyms at adulterate, corrupt, degrade. [de- + base2. . It's very oriented around the family.'' Falbo adds that pastors often try their own hand at humor. ``Most pastors try to include a funny twist to a story. I believe God gave us a sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour because he has a sense of humor. Jesus used humor in his parables,'' Falbo said. ``Think about the humorous image you get with the 'cast out the log in your own eye.''' Lee said he won't do material that he couldn't do in front of his mother and has found plenty of moments of humor captured throughout the Bible. ``What's So Funny about the Bible?'' is the title of Lee's latest Christian comedy video that came out in December. ``God has a wry sense of humor. Take the story of Abraham and Sarah. Abraham is 100. Sarah is 90. God tells them they're going to have a baby,'' Lee said. ``Abraham started laughing, falling on his face. I mean, would you want to live with a 90-year-old pregnant woman?'' He's prayed to God to give him strength to be funny. And he's considered - but decided against - taking his work a step further and becoming a priest. ``I've thought about it. But I think I do more good in the position I'm in,'' he said. ``I want to show that you can be intelligent, funny and still be a Christian.'' Robert G. Lee can be seen in ``The Joke's on Thee,'' a comedy special on the cable channel Showtime on May 27. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Comedian Robert G. Lee has made a leap of faith. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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