Explore the website as you’d like, of course, but just in case you’re looking for something quick:
Do you want to learn more about Cared For, the amazing new runaway hit podcast Kelli is hosting, produced by Good Get and PRX? It’s practical, helpful, hopeful!
Do you want to learn more about Paws 4 Laughs, the online ALL cat-themed comedy show?
We’re doing a hilarious, all-cat-themed comedy show, and YOU’RE invited.
Thursday March 19th at 7 pm ET.
Please get your ticket now. We’re going to be keep in smallish to keep in manageable. It will sell out. If you really want to come and don’t have the $$, reach out to kelli@kellidunham.com. We’ll make it happen for you.
Paws 4 Laughs is a live, online comedy show for people who love cats an entirely normal amount — meaning deeply, sincerely, and with absolutely no chill.
This is not a show about how cats are jerks. This is a show about how cats are wonderful — and how delightfully unhinged we become when we love something completely.
Because it’s online, the show includes optional interactive moments and the reassuring knowledge that you can attend from your couch, your bed, or the exact square foot your cat has assigned you.
Expect: – Stand-up comedy and storytelling about cats and the people who revolve around them – Gentle, optional audience interaction – Laughs that come from feeling seen – A shared understanding that your cat is absolutely nearby and possibly judging this purchase.
You do not need a cat to attend. But if you have one, they will assume this show is about them.
Join us for an evening of comedy by, for, and with cat people of all genders.
Friends of cat people and the cat-curious are welcome, too.
ABOUT KELLI
Kelli Dunham is an ex-nun nonbinary nurse-comic cat person and the host of the Good Get/PRX podcast Cared For, a show about how we care for ourselves and our communities, and how we can, just maybe, create a world where it’s easier to do both. Topics include the big stuff—like aging and grief—and the stuff that can feel big when we try to tackle it on our own, like finally getting to that doctor’s appointment.
Kelli has appeared on Showtime, the Discovery Channel, PBS/WGBH’s Stories From the Stage, The Moth Mainstage, and nationwide at colleges, prides, fundraisers, fringe festivals, and the occasional livestock auction (where, frankly, the cats were underrepresented). They are the author of seven hilarious nonfiction books about very not-hilarious subjects, the co-founder of NYC’s longest-running super-earnest LGBTQ storytelling show Queer Memoir, and a 2015 White House Champion of Change nominee.
Kelli’s latest storytelling album, Not the Gym Teacher (directed by Gastor Almonte), was named one of the BRYGHTLY Top Ten Comedy Downloads of 2020 and contains a statistically significant percentage of cat material. Their viral HuffPost piece “Finding Connection in the Covid ICU” was shared almost a million times, which is impressive, but still fewer views than a moderately cute kitten blinking.
Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness once called Kelli’s hair “everything,” and former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio once called Kelli “a show off.” To their face.
Kelli currently lives in ongoing negotiations with at least one cat and considers this her most demanding audience.
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Paws 4 Laughs was originally co-founded with Mary Phillips-Sandy (writer, producer, & host of the Let’s Talk About Cats podcast) who will be returning to the Paws 4 Laughs stage when life allows it…hopefully soon!
Medical aid in dying will be legally available in New York State within the next six months, and many progressive religious communities are wondering how to have open, compassionate conversations about it.
If YOUR faith community wants to host this conversation, wouldn’t an ex-nun, healthcare provider, comedian, performer/presenter with FIRST HAND experience of a medical aid in dying be perfect?
Kelli’s show Second Helping is a deeply human and just funny enough look at grief, caregiving, and her partner’s decision to use medical aid in dying as she was dying of ovarian cancer.
Second Helping is available as a 60, 40 or 20 minute presentation and Kelli can host a Q and A, community talk-back, or community art response as part of the event.
If you’re interested in booking Kelli for this, or want to design another type of presentation just for your faith community, please reach out (kelli@kellidunham.com or via text 215.964.1963) and Kelli can share more information, a link to the full-length performance to share with your Board (including a full-length performance in a designated congregational space). Also, you can listen/watch an excerpt featured on The Moth podcast with over a million listens, or read an excerpt on Kelli’s Substack
Kids’ Stand-Up Comedy Workshop(s), One On One Work, and School Break Pop-Ups
Taught by Kelli Dunham – nurse, comedian, writer, and professional funny person who believes kids deserve better jokes and louder laughs.
And also educator. I work in the public school system and in a few different after school programs around town: I’m fingerprinted and background checked.
What We Do
I teach kids the building blocks of stand-up comedy—storytelling, timing, and the magic of noticing weird little things about life.
Through games, writing prompts, and laughter-filled practice, students develop their own short stand-up sets to perform at the end of the session.
There are also options to focus on comic writing and/or making comic books/zines
We focus on confidence, creativity, and connection—because the best comedy comes from being brave enough to share what makes you unique.
What Caregivers Love About It
Builds public speaking skills without the yawn factor
Encourages empathy and emotional intelligence (jokes that punch up, not down)
Strengthens writing and critical thinking
Boosts resilience—learning how to handle a joke that doesn’t land with grace and humor
What Kids Love About It
They get to be the funny one—on purpose
They write about what they think is hilarious (no adults choosing the topic)
They perform in front of an audience that actually wants to hear them talk
They discover that laughter is power—and that words can make people feel seen and connected
End-of-Session Showcase (Optional, But Most Young People End Up Wanting To Do It)
Each season ends with a mini comedy show where students share their original material with family and friends.
It’s half stand-up, half joyful chaos, and 100% pride-inducing.
A Note from Kelli
As a nurse, I’ve seen how humor heals. As a comedian, I’ve seen how it connects. And as a educator, I know that giving kids a mic and a safe space to express themselves can change everything—from stage fright to self-doubt.
We’re not teaching kids to be professional comics.
We’re teaching them to tell their truth, find their funny, and use both to make the world a little lighter.
And of course, neurodivergent, gender glorious, and young people who are considered “difficult” are all enthusiastically welcomed!
If you’re interested, please fill out this form (it’s barely a form, it’s two questions) and we can jump on a zoom and see what works for you.
I have a Substack, the Second Helping Gazette and publish a few times a month with resources on helping helping professionals, well, help. This is a great way to stay in touch! There’s a hilarious practical podcast coming this summer! Subscribe free here.
Want to book me for other trauma-informed, kind comic reasons? You can look around the rest of my site for other presentations, workshops, and leadership humor coaching, and also find me on LinkedIn.
Want to book me for other trauma-informed, kind comic reasons? You can look around the rest of my site for other presentations, workshops, and leadership humor coaching, and also find me on LinkedIn.
I wanted to ensure you had all the details, especially regarding what humor is helpful and what humor isn’t as constructive (aka learning objective #2), so I recorded a short video about that here.
It also addresses some questions I received after the presentation.
I’ve also created a worksheet for the CLIFFTOP method of intentionally incorporating humor into your practice, and included an extra bonus: a bingo game featuring the humor strategies.
The very best way to connect with me is via my substack, Hoping Intentionally.
Want to book me for other trauma-informed, kind comic reasons? You can look around the rest of my site for other presentations, workshops, and leadership humor coaching, and also find me on LinkedIn.
Get it? Like Unbreakable, but made of Bricks? Not Le-o, because I’m not trying to get a cease and desist)
By popular demand (and I mean, literally in the true literal sense of the word demand) I’m continuing the Unbrickable Collection. Mostly I’d prefer to sell them at shows, but FOR A LIMITED TIME each of these one of a kind creations (based on Kelli Dunham comedy since when nonbinary dinosaurs roamed the earth) are available now, postage paid (to US destinations, for other places, let’s talk) for a 15 dollar or more donation to Side Effects May Include Liberation.
In other words, every cent these Unbrickable guys raise provides medical self-advocacy trainings and one on one support, as well as storytelling/creative writing health workshops for isolated queer and trans folks of all ages.
Anyway, I’m not setting up a whole storefront, because I’m not trying to give Shopify or anyone else anything from these donations. Instead, make note of which of the Unbrickable Items you’d like to order, any customizations you need (all are available as a stand up, a magnet, or a keychain) , hit up this page, for payment. Oh and I’ve got some that are perfect as gifts, so if you want me to write a sweet note (and even to reach out to your friend for their mailing address) let me know. Text me at 215.964.1963 if you have questions.
GENDER REVEAL PARTY POOPER-because someone really needs to poop those parties.
QUEER STORIES SAVE QUEER LIVES–This one even comes with a tiny bookshelf (shown)
JESUS WAS NO SISSY. From Kelli’s Fringe show, art by Stacy Bias. One of a kind. And we mean seriously one of a kind, we only made one so far.
THIS IS PEE. If you know, you know. From Kelli’s disastrous mid-2010s closer.
THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE PROBABLY– again related to Kelli’s closer. Want both “this is pee” and “problem with the probably?” Make an offer. Maybe we’ll even throw in some chux!
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN A LIVING BREATHING GENDER REVEAL PARTY?–also available with a less uptight outfit.
HAPPY T DAY! See the tiny syringe? I can make something that looks more like the gel applicator, on request. Also available “Happy E Day” and “E/T Day is Coming”
CISHET NONSENSE-self explanatory
SIR/MA’AM “Press 1 if you’d like to panic about my gender”
KEEP CALM AND WORRY ABOUT YOUR OWN GENDER. Never bad advice!
FUELED BY COFFEE AND QUEER RAGE (Also available “Fueled by kombucha and queer rage”)
CAT NERD (How long do you want to talk about your cat? Yes. Exactly. Same)
CAT QUEER FOR LIFE (is the Venn diagram of cat queer and cat nerd too overlapping to bother with two different Unbrickables? Anyway. Just in case)
IF YOU LOOK LIKE ME, NEVER GO WHITEWATER RAFTING WHEN THERE IS A CUB SCOUT JAMBOREE HAPPENING! This is good advice, and the story will make you feel better about YOUR life. This Unbrickable is kind of a set-piece collectible, as it was used to film the stop motion version!
IT’S OKAY TO LAUGH AT THE FUNNY PARTS. The laughing bear here really cracks me up, personally. Do bears really laugh a lot in real life? And is that before or after they eat you?
NO SURFING IN HELL WITH NUN
SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING TRAUMA– also self-explanatory, right? Although would it be funnier (and more meta) if nun Kelli was holding a basketball?
SISTER MARY SCISSORHANDS -IYKYK. Also, includes an actual pair of lego scissors!
I’M CHOOSING HOPE. Because at this point it’s a stubborn gritty choice!
POLYAMOROUS-BIG HEARTED. TBH I tried to figure out a way to make a tiny lego calendar to go with this. Because we all know that the challenge of polyamory is not jealousy, but rather scheduling.
MANIFEST THIS– artwork again by Stacy Bias. I wrote this show (about the ridiculousness of manifestation culture) and performed it exactly three times. People didn’t know if it was a parody or not. I manifested confusion. That was a few years ago, have the times caught up? Should I bring this show out of the proverbial mothballs?
TRANSPHOBIC SECURITY ADMINISTRATION– I had a tee shirt made with this logo (through my tee public shop) and wore it to the NYC Dyke March. I was the subject of an impromptu intervention and had to explain “no, I don’t work for TSA, I’m making fun of TSA’s transphobia.” I also got a cease and desist from TSA. So in an effort to not have EVERYONE mad at me, I don’t make any merch with this image anymore. So I guess it’s technically a collector’s item. PS Did you know I wrote a parody of a John Denver song about going through TSA as a trans person? Neither does anyone else. It took me months to write and record and I even bought a cowboy hat. And like five people have watched it. Would you like to be the 6th?
IF LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH THEM. I’M NOT THE KIND OF PERSON WHO HAS AN OPINION ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD DO WITH THEIR UNWANTED FRUIT.
INTROVERT PRIDE. PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME LEAD THE PARADE.
