Southern Fried Chicks - About The Chicks
Pick A Chick: Etta May | Trish Suhr | Beth Donahue | Sonya White
About The Chicks
Etta May
What’s the best way to describe Etta May? “Minnie Pearl with a migraine.” To put it simply, when Etta May takes the stage, she is the reigning Queen of Southern Sass. She reflects “You know you’re getting fat when you sit in the bathtub and the water in the toilet rises!”
Born and raised in Bald Knob, Arkansas, Etta May grew up alongside nine older brothers, who referred to their baby sister as “the human sacrifice.” In fact, Etta May’s parents - her father, a potpourri farmer, and her mother, bedridden by constant childbearing, - did not realize Etta May was a girl until she required a training bra.
Etta May met her husband, Delbert, an aspiring truck driver, at a friend’s kegger. From across the yard their eyes locked in a love look. Nine months later, she was blessed with a boy, followed by a girl and two more boys. “That’s where my comedy comes from. I just wait for my husband or kids to do something stupid, and then I write it down.”
Through the years, Etta May had a string of dead end jobs. She faithfully drove a school bus for over 10 years. She says she learned how to handle unruly kids by Armor All-ing the seats, and touching the brakes, all the way home. One night, while volunteering as a BINGO caller, she recalls, “the ball sucker got stuck, and I was forced to entertain a room full of angry Catholics. It was then I realized I could make people laugh.” Etta May will take you on a redneck ride through the Deep South.
Etta May won the prestigious American Comedy Awards: “Stand-Up Comic of the Year,” and has appeared on Oprah, Comic Strip Live, MTV, and as a guest commentator on “CBS Sunday Morning.”
Look for Etta May and the Southern Fried Chicks in their all new sixty minute TV special airing on CMT on Friday, July 27, 2007. Think Blue Collar Comedy Tour with bigger attitude and better hair! Etta May is also a headline comic on CMT’s “CMT Comedy Stage” which is the second highest rated show in CMT history. The success of the Comedy Stage franchise led to the production of the Southern Fried Chicks Comedy Tour special as the first comedy concert series for the national cable network. Additionally, Etta May appeared on two more CMT show, “KARAOKE-DOKEY” where she lent her unique perspective as a guest judge on the show where four contestants compete in a battle for the best impersonation of country great, Shania Twain. She was also the subject and first female comic ever on the biography show, “Comedy Club.” She joins the elite comedy company of Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy, who are also featured in this series.
In addition to television, Etta May is a regular on the syndicated Bob & Tom radio show and XM Radio’s comedy channels.
Trish Suhr
This Kentucky native left the family funeral business to become a stand up comedian. After moving to Los Angeles, Trish scored a number of TV appearances including “Girls Behaving Badly”, “Take my Kids, Please” and “CMT Comedy Stage”. You can see Trish in her regular gig as host and yard sale diva on the Style Channel’s hit show, “Clean House.” Trish is definitely a hot chick who lives by the adage, “Why do when you can over-do.”
Beth Donahue
Hailing from Nashville, Beth Donahue is a self proclaimed “recovering everything.” Her material is brutally funny, incredibly honest and she doesn’t joke about anything that everyone hasn’t done, thought about doing or wish they could still do. Her “pull no punches” style has made her hit with audiences on the over 600 radio shows across the country where Beth continues to be a regular call-in guest. After almost 20 years of performing, Beth took a job as a secretary in 2003, and was ready to give up the comic life until the Southern Fried Chicks came calling. As she says, “I’m so ill-suited for real work, it’s ridiculous.”
www.myspace.com/bethdamndonahue
Sonya White
Based in Chicago by way of Virginia, Sonya combines her southern charm with big city smarts to create an act is clean, fun and high energy. Her observational comedy is enhanced by dead-on impersonations and sound effects ranging from favorite celebrities to pets she wished she could keep in her Chicago apartment. Sonya has been a featured comedian on CBS’s “Star Search” and NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” She made her international debut as the featured comedienne for Verizon Wireless on their “Fun and Games” mobile accessories option which is available in 60 countries.