By Gordon Durich
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 09/15/2022
Here’s the scoop. Mother of six turns to stand-up, does a radio show, writes a best-selling book and now, is hitting the road with a new show. Jen Fulwiler is currently touring with her stand-up comedy show “Mini Van Fabulous.”
“We all drive mini vans! I live in the suburbs, but my natural habitat is a martini bar in Manhattan,” said Fulwiler, speaking to me by telephone from her Austin, Texas home. She also draws from her personal experience of having been raised an atheist, but converting later in life to Catholicism. “I grew up atheist and had no curiosity about religion.” What made this former non-believer become a Catholic? “I read a lot of books. Faith-based writings of people from 1,000 years ago, about God and spirituality. I loved the beauty of liturgy and ritual of the Catholic faith.”
Also an author, Fulwiler’s first book “Something Other Than God,” a memoir about her conversion, was a finalist in the Goodreads Reader Choice Awards. Her next book “One Beautiful Dream” was a Wall Street Journal bestseller, was on Amazon’s top 25, and No. 1 at Barnes and Noble. Her latest book, “Your Blue Flame,” was featured on TV’s “Today Show.” Her radio gig on Sirius XM Catholic Channel for 5 years led to her current “crazy career,” as she puts it. “I did a lot of talking on my daily radio show ‘The Jen Fulwiler Show,’ and my friends told me I was funny, so I went to see stand ups and tried it out.” Her podcast, “This Is Jen,” made its debut in the iTunes’ “Comedy Top 10.”
“I keep my set ‘clean.’ I don’t do politics or things to divide people. Community building, I call it. I also have a wonderful opener. You can bring a bible study friend or one who has face tattoos.”
As a budding curious Catholic convert, and former performer, I could relate to a lot of Fulwiler’s journey.
Catch Jen Fulwiler’s “observational humor” from her unique perspective at the Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks, Friday, September 23, at 7:30 pm, www.bapacthousandoaks.com.
For tickets, $40, call (805) 449-2787. Also, Ticketmaster, 1-800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com