With more than 180 people in attendance, the 5^th Ladies Who Laugh on June 28, hosted by the NYWICI Foundation, tore the house down; witty and likeable contributing correspondent for NBC News’ Today, Sarah Haines, emceed the event, showering us with vignettes of her unique brother, who served as her date for the evening.

 

The lineup included comediennes Karith Foster, Jodie Wasserman, Helen Hong, Marion Grodin and Kristen Schaal.

 

Karith Foster had audiences in giggles as she recalled her days growing up in Texas, her “Huxabilisious” family and what life is like living in Spanish Harlem. Karith, who has opened shows for Oprah Winfrey, thanked NYWICI for the chance to perform in front of a full house. We were just as honored, as her sweet-kitschy voice delivered witty and brilliant punch lines that set the perfect tone for the rest of the evening.

 

 

Jodie Wasserman made a vociferous entrance with her feisty monologue that had every audience member on the edge of their seats. She shared her personal and outlandish memoirs and recounted funny stories about her singlehood, how cats keep her away from the opposite sex and her Nancy Grace obsession. Jodie, a previous co-creator and host of Spin Cycle Comedy, proved why upsetting her parents to study acting after college was the perfect career move for her. Hard hitting at times, there was also enough relatable material in her act that had us attached to Jodie as a person.

 

Helen Hong gave us the scoop on being named after Helen Keller and described her dating life surrounding Okcupid.com. Growing up with strict parents — and learning about the birds and the bees from soap operas — filled her comedic material up to the brim.

 

Marion Grodin was the first to point out the only male audience member, making light of his attendance for his scholarship recipient daughter. Nicknamed “Mouth” by her father, Marion pursued her comedy career after selling six screenplays and working as a staff writer for It’s a Living and Princesses. For the past 10 years, Marion has become one of the most sought-after comics in the country.

 

Attendees had nothing but rave reviews to say about her — and if you’ve ever seen Marion on stage, you’d understand why.

 

Closing out the night was Kristen Schaal, who has been most widely known for her starring role in The Flight of the Conchords and as Senior Female Correspondent for the The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

 

Kristen has also been featured in motion pictures such as Get Him to the Greek, Valentine’s Day and When in Rome. She indulged the crowd in her sarcastic humor.

 

The evening ended with a reception at the NBC Studios. Sarah Haines hosted our raffle event donated by Skinny Girl Margarita, Sephora, Coach and many other wonderful sponsors. Audience members were able to mix and mingle with the performers, while Sarah kept them chuckling from the podium. The NYWICI Foundation is very grateful to have had those of you who joined come out and support its mission.