Finding humor at home

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Reader Staff

Parents about to send their youngest children out into the world are known to take up new hobbies as they anticipate their new lives as “empty-nesters.” Moms might join clubs and make new social commitments, free of carpooling and constant errands for the first time in years; dads might get into woodworking, or develop an unhealthy attachment to the family dog.

For Jody Carroll, that empty-nest-induced activity is stand-up comedy, which she began in spring 2019 as she prepared to send her youngest out of the house.

“My husband and I have always loved stand-up comedy,” she told the Reader, “and he has been super supportive of me.”

Carroll will host a stand-up show at the Little Panida Theater on Saturday, July 8, featuring headlining comedian Harry J. Riley as well as fellow New York act Laura Patton and the locally loved Jon Hodge. The show starts at 8 p.m. with doors opening 30 minutes beforehand. Tickets are $20 in advance and available online, while tickets at the door are $25. The show is limited to audiences 21 and up.

Jody Carroll will host a stand up comedy show Saturday, July 8 featuring Harry J. Riley, Laura Patton and Jon Hodge. Courtesy photo.

Carroll, who is based in Priest Lake, said she enjoyed hosting a sold-out show at the Little Panida last summer. She said she is excited to highlight Hodge’s “super creative and unique, yet somehow relatable” humor, as well as the “sassy, New York Italian comedy” of Patton. Riley has made a name for himself as a featured performer all over the country and by appearing on the SYFY TV series Z Natio

“Harry always delivers huge laughs,” Carroll said. “His material ranges from childhood stories to current events, and the crowd always has an amazing, hilarious night when he is on stage.”

Carroll said living in North Idaho serves her own comedic content well, as she’s known to draw jokes from “outdoor activities, cold weather, simple life and people moving here from California.” Describing life in her neck of the woods usually leads to some hilarity, especially when she performs in other parts of the U.S., she said.

“There are characteristics of living here that are unique to our region and are pretty dang funny when holding that mirror up to myself and other North Idaho residents,” she said.

Apart from living in the remote reaches of Idaho’s panhandle, Carroll said her comedic style draws on her life as “a wife, mom, empty-nester and silly person.”

“My style is very light-hearted,” she said. “I like to bring the audience into my experiences as a foster mom, mom of a very religious daughter and wife to a man who sometimes drives me bananas,” she said, noting that her Alaska childhood provides plenty of material as well.

“I hope the crowd will see that even though life is difficult and there’s a lot of crazy things going on, we can choose to take some moments to laugh together and agree on the silliness of life sometimes,” she added.

Summer Stand-up • Saturday, July 8; doors at 7:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m.; 21+; $20/advance, $25/door at the door. Little Panida Theater, 302 N. First Ave., 208-263-9191, panida.org. Get advance tickets online at panida.org.