Vickie Winans, Self-Proclaimed “Lucille Ball” Credits Bishop T.D. Jakes for Comedy Career Launch

Dec. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- Proverbs 17:22 says "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Stellar Award-winning Gospel Artist and comedian, Vickie Winans, plans to administer a great big dose of laugh-out-loud medicine this holiday with the release of her new “Hilarious and Unplugged,” comedy DVD recorded live in Detroit at The Upper Room. She shares her interesting comedy philosophy in a one-on-one interview with Dianna Hobbs, President & CEO of EEW Magazine, the nation’s leading web publication for Christian women of color (www.eewmagazine.com/vickie-winans).

But, although thousands may be laughing at Vickie Winans’ side-splitting anecdotes, this woman has been through more than her fair share of heartache. Yet, she chooses to take it all in stride, likening herself to a very famous and masterful red-headed comedian. “I’m like Lucille Ball,” Winans laughs. “I mean, it’s like, everything happens to me,” which is what gives her plenty material to draw from to consistently crack audiences up. But don’t mistake Winans for your average comedian. She shoots that down quickly and rejects the conventional notion altogether. “I’m not like a stand-up comedian where someone writes you like one-liners,” she explains. “I just talk about what happened to me.”

But, whether she wants the “comedian” label or not, from the very moment Vickie Winans accepted a challenge from Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas, to do a standup routine, she couldn’t shake the title. “He made me be the comedian for his Alaskan cruise,” she tells EEW Magazine. “He said I don’t even want to hear you sing,” but instead, Jakes wanted Winans to make his guests laugh. “He said I’m going to stretch you.”

But it turned out not to be that much of a stretch after all. Vickie Winans was a natural on stage, pulling out laughter from the crowd and winning them over, not with slapstick humor, but with one funny—and true—story at a time.

And that changed everything, according to the funny lady, also host of The Vickie Winans show that airs on the Word Network.

These days, her routine is still off-the-cuff and her stories are drawn from her many life experiences, both painful and joyous. And with Winans, those who see her live will tell you, nothing is off limits. “When I stayed to watch her show at Kleinhan’s Music Hall in Buffalo after our interview, Vickie Winans talked about the death of her mother and found a way to make the audience laugh,” shares Dianna Hobbs. “She was so great on stage. She’s just naturally funny.”

But funny people go through their share of struggle, heartbreak, and pain just like the rest of us. And Winans has publicly faced the trauma of divorce, death, and the uncomfortable public scrutiny surrounding the separate legal battles of her famous producer son, Mario Winans. Even with all that, according to her, she has a secret to true happiness and shares what it is. “When I cared what people thought about me, they kept me crying.  And when you don’t care, they can’t hurt your feelings. I don’t care about comments. They can say what they want to say. I let my ways please the Lord and let the chips fall where they may. And that’s why I’m so happy.”

You can read her full interview at www.eewmagazine.com/vickie-winans

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Empowering Everyday Women Online Magazine (EEWMagazine.com) is rated #1 in its niche market, reaching an active database of more than1/4 million+ subscribers, comprising African American Christian women from 25-55 as its core supporter base.