What do you get when you cross a Canadian, a preacher’s wife and a mandolin?  No, it’s not the set up for a joke, but if it is, Christa Haberstock knows the punch line.

“I am completely devoid of angst so it’s shocking that I can actually be funny,” remarks the comedienne, referring to the dark cliché from which many comedians draw their humor.  “I’ve lived a charmed life.  Us Churchies call it ‘blessed.’”  Christa’s husband of 13 years (yes, a real live preacher) and two children are living proof that being funny doesn’t necessarily require deep-seated angst and a raging drug addiction (Starbucks notwithstanding).

“Being a performer was inevitable for me….the ham gene runs strong in my family.” It’s true that the desire and ability to perform at a high level seems to be in her blood.  Her father was a media personality in Canada, working for CBC as he broadcast the news of Kennedy’s assassination.  Her two older brothers - one an Olympic skier - hit the stage as professional motivational speakers.  And their mother?  “Somebody has to be our roadie.  Plus she is our biggest fan.”

The death of Christa’s father in 1995 served as a catalyst to launch her music career.  Drawing from post-graduate studies in music, her love for performance, and years of directing choirs of unsuspecting children, college students, and full-grown adults, Christa began to write, record and perform across North America.  Her songs won awards, received critical acclaim “from people who know stuff,” and found success on Christian radio.  “I suspect the fans of my music are mostly shut-ins that surf the web for obscure talent.  Just from the internet alone, I have literally tens of fans from all over the world.”

“Music fed my soul, but booking talent fed my family,” explains Christa regarding the back-seat her music took to her day job.  For over a decade, Christa worked behind the scenes as a talent agent booking speakers and celebrities into corporate events.  Naturally topping her list of favorites were the A-list comedians, including several SNL greats, as well as TV mainstay Caroline Rhea who recognized the talent behind the agent.

This job also paid the bill for her husband’s seminary masters degree.  “Nobody believes me that my husband really is a preacher.  I swear to God he is... And we don’t mess around with those kinds of swears.”

Christa doesn’t mess around when it come to getting laughs, either.  “There have been Sunday mornings when Ken is preaching and I am leading the music.   This gets tricky when I am doing stand up on Saturday night, because I have to remember the next morning to keep the church set clean.”

To put it quite clearly, this is not Christian comedy.  “I am a Christian that does comedy - I am not doing “Christian comedy”.  Besides I really hate to be labeled ‘Christian-anything’.  Labels are for losers….unless it’s Prada.”  This kind of honesty, and the thin line on which it walks, fuels the fire of Christa’s humor, and propels what she calls her “quest to rehumanize the modern Christian.  I may well be doing the Lord’s work one four-letter word at a time.”  Clearly there’s more to this PWILF than meets the eye.   

Then how does one describe Christa’s comedy?  “I’ve been referred to as ‘a preacher’s wife with a possible case of Tourettes’.  My perspective on life is definitely ‘funny-ha-ha’ with a dash of ‘funny-strange’.  The ‘Imperfect Christian Girl’ isn’t a shtick or a persona – I am who I am, on and off the stage.  Zero apologies…sorry if that offends you.”