Category Archives: Uncategorized

VIP VIP VIP Second Helping

Thanks for your interest in VIP tickets! In addition to supporting the message of Second Helping, Kelli is putting away money to do a Florida Youngfolks Comedy/Storytelling Tour. The state of Florida has made it illegal to use state money to pay for diversity initiatives. Which means all the state college system LGBT centers have shut down and many youth centers as well. And then the anti-trans bills keep coming, each one more ridiculous than the one before. Anyway. You know how Florida is. (Kelli went to a small Christian High School in Florida where “homosexual activity” was grounds for immediate explosion. She’s feeling worried about Florida youth right now, among other things)

We’re excited to offer the following VIP tickets! When you’ve decided which one you want, tell us with this form.

VIP ENJOY 40 (IRL ONLY) SPECIAL VIP SEATING, HOMEMADE RUM BALLS OR HOMEMADE BEEF JERKY, YOUR CHOICE OF ONE OF KELLI’S ANGRY TEES. INDICATE HERE

VIP AFFIRM $60 (IRL OR VIRTUAL) SPECIAL RESERVED SEAT (THAT PART IS IRL ONLY) HOMEMADE RUM BALLS OR BEEF JERKY, YOUR CHOICE OF ONE OF KELLI’S ANGRY TEES AND GET THIS…KELLI WILL MAKE YOU A SET OF 12 FUNNY/EARNEST LAMINATED AFFIRMATION CARDS CREATED JUST FOR YOU. START THE PROCESS TO BUY HERE

VIP ESTEEM $100 (IRL OR VIRTUAL) SPECIAL RESERVED SEAT (THAT PART IS IRL ONLY) HOMEMADE RUM BALLS OR BEEF JERKY, YOUR CHOICE OF ONE OF KELLI’S ANGRY TEES AND GET THIS…HAVEN’T YOU ALWAYS WANTED A TROPHY FOR SOMETHING YOU DO, THAT YOU’RE GREAT AT, BUT HAS BEEN UN-NOTICED? OR TO HONOR A FRIEND OR PARTNER OR OTHER PERSON IN YOUR LIFE IN THIS WAY? EXAMPLES: BEST METAMOUR, BEST CAT-SITTER, KINDEST TATTOO ARTIST, ETC. OR KEEP ONE IN YOUR BAG TO HAND TO SOMEONE FOR BEST SPRINT FOR THE SUBWAY. KELLI WILL DESIGN AND MAKE THE TROPHY OF YOUR DREAMS! ORDER HERE

VIP ACTIVITY $150 (IRL OR VIRTUAL) SPECIAL RESERVED SEAT (IRL ONLY), A SNACK PACK OF TASTY TREATS, A TEE SHIRT OF YOUR CHOICE FROM KELLI’S ANGRY TEES AND KELLI WILL CREATE A 20 PAGE COLORING /ACTIVITY BOOK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR SPECIAL INTEREST. C’MON YOU ALL KNOW Y’ALL HAVE SPECIAL INTERESTS. FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU HAVE NEW SPORT YOU’VE TAKEN UP, OR A FAMILY THING YOU’RE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO? DO YOU LOVE TRAINS OR THREESOMES OR THE GOLDEN GIRLS? WE’VE INCLUDED SOME RECENTLY COLORING SHEETS KELLI MADE FOR A FRIEND GOING THROUGH BREAKUP, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW A BOOK LOOKS PUT TOGETHER KELLI’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HOLIDAYS WITH YOUR FAMILY. START THE PROCESS OF THIS AMAZING VALUE HERE.

Laughter At The End Of Life

Considering booking Kelli to present Laughter At The End Of Life, either virtually or IRL?

Kelli put together a small excerpt of a virtual LAEL as an unlisted YouTube link, check it out here.

Need to convince a committee that booking Kelli is a good idea? We have a printable one sheet just for that purpose:

AND-after each presentation of Laughter At The End Of Life, Kelli prepares a handout/non-cheat sheet (because using humor is definitely not cheating) for the organization, with references and resources as well as relevant content take-aways and a few surprises created just for that organization.  This was prepared for the Minnesota HPNA, and Kelli created a hospice nurse Mad Lib to add to their handout.

If you’re interested in booking Laughter At The End Of Life, text Kelli at 215.964.1963 or email kelli@kellidunham.com

I’d love some help, if you’re able!

HI and thanks for coming here! I appreciate your help getting the word out about SECOND HELPING and all the other workshops and presentations I offer.

You know, so this new show called SECOND HELPING is a hilarious and surprisingly hopeful journey through grief, death and exploding knee replacements and –most importantly and overall–the importance of learning how to ask for and accept help. 

And so here I am, taking my own advice and asking for help. Even though it makes me feel a little bit funny and this all is getting kinda meta. Could you please help spread the word about this show and my other work? I get nearly all of my bookings from referrals because people are justifiably afraid of comedians being loose cannons. Starting in July, I will have a lot more freedom to travel for presentations which I’m super excited about but I could use your assistance filling up my schedule. 

SECOND HELPING especially feels really personal to me, and it’s also a culmination in many ways of my work up to this point. Plus, not being able to ask for help has made my life SO MUCH HARDER for absolutely no good reason. I really want to pass along this message of interdependence, mutual aid and letting people help you! 

How can you let folks know about what I do and why they should book me? 

Option 1

The best and easiest way to refer folks to me is send ’em right here. Well, not right here, this page, but my website in general. You can direct them more specifically to the relevant page where there are completed evals, tons of testimonials and more information about what I can offer: 

Some links:

Second Helping generally, and for colleges and healthcare providers/students in the health sciences 

Colleges (LGBT groups, and schools of nursing, oh and I especially love a Lavendar Graduation

Healthcare providers and students in the health sciences

Presentations/workshops about humor in hard times

Presentations for consumers about health, wellness, and medical self-advocacy

Trainings in LGBT health and cultural competency-(my specialty is organizations with factions of resistant folks, especially secondary to religious affiliation)

PLEASE NOTE: ALL my presentations are CEU-ready with ready-to-go learning objectives and relevant citations to peer-reviewed literature. .  

Option 2

If you want to send a stand-alone email I’ve pasted some potential options for language below. Or of course you can write your own. I promise I’m not trying to micro-manage y’all, just trying to make it easier. 

Option 3

Pressed for time but still have a booking idea? I made a google form that will take you less than three minutes to fill out! 

As an embarrassingly small token of my thanks, if I successfully book a show/presentation because of your referral I have an EP called Pass the Jokes Folks, it’s a collection of comedic storytelling I’ve done over the years and will not be available ANYWHERE except as a part of this special promotion. Oh and also you’ll be able to pick from one item from all the designs I’ve created on my TeePublic shop which includes not just (as you’d expect) tee shirts, but also coffee cups, mouse pads, aprons and waaaaay more. 

Okay, thanks so so so so much! 

AND HERE’S SOME POSSIBLE EMAIL LANGUAGE (AGAIN, NOT TRYING TO MICROMANAGE, JUST WANT TO MAKE IT EASY)

INTRO TO KELLI AND SECOND HELPING 

This is my friend Kelli Dunham. I know her from [insert here],  she’s an amazing [performer, trauma-informed comedian, presenter, friend, storyteller, soul, nurse, skateboarder, educator, macrame artist] and she has a new show called Second Helping which is a hilarious comedic storytelling presentation about grief, death, exploding knee replacements, and most importantly learning how to accept help. Kelli will be doing a month-long run at the Edinburgh Fringe this August and is looking for more bookings for the rest of 2023 and 2024, especially college, healthcare facilities and conferences, and nonprofit organizations. 

DOES THE PERSON NEED MORE CONVINCING? 

Kelli’s work is very personal, and yes, funny, and also gently practical. SECOND HELPING even has a workshop on the nuts and bolts of asking for assistance and finding ways to build mutual aid into our communities and lives. This is such an important issue and this is such an entertaining and unique way to communicate about it. 

SOCIAL PROOF THAT KELLI IS NOT A LOOSE CANNON

Kelli has been designing health and wellness-related workshops and presentations using harm reduction and trauma-informed principles since 2009. Kelli has presented at the Five College Gender and Sexuality Conference, Citibank, Colorado State University Health Care System, American Publishers Association, American Association of Vocational Rehab Counselors State Conference, Amnesty International), Firefly Writing Conference, St Francis Women’s Health Conference, Nursing Conventionality Unlimited, PA State Maternal Child Health Home Visitors Association , the National Association of Victims in Corrections, The Oklahoma State Child Abuse Prevention Conference, Pennsylvania State Home Visitors Conference, the Nurse-Family Partnership Annual Convening and many many more, as well as more than a hundred collges and schools. 

Kelli was nominated as a 2105 White House Champion of Change for her work as the co-founder and producer of Queer Memoir, NYC’s longest-running LGBT storytelling event.  

WHY YOU’RE REACHING OUT 

I thought of you because [you have a college connections, you have a connection at a nursing conference, you are the president of a bank, you recently set a world’s record for pogo sticking]

And thought you might be interested in Kelli’s [SECOND HELPING, presentations for healthcare providers, workshops for college students, writing workshops etc etc]

THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN BEING HAPPY YKNOW: A CELEBRATION OF MIDWEST MOMMERY

Oh midwest moms. Always with the pithy sayings. Always with the casseroles. Always thinking their children have too much self esteem.

COME SUPPORT! JUNE 18TH AT 6 PM in Brooklyn 349 Van Brunt Street

In this fun and funny outdoor event, the hilarious and gentle-nurturer nonbinary storytelling comedian Kelli Dunham hosts some of New York’s most interesting imports: midwestern performers!

Kelli, who is an ex-nun, ex-evangelical and ex-Wisconsinite (“sorry, I was never a cheesehead” Kelli explains) works in a New York City public school where Kelli cooks breakfast for the kids two days a week (because middle aged midwestern queer, what else would Kelli do?)…this event is free, but we’ll pass the hat to raise money for the Breakfast Project!*

AND WE’RE HAVING.A MIDWESTERN COMPETITIVE COMMUNITY POTLUCK. PRIZES (AND TROPHIES…YES REAL LIVE TROPHIES) IN THE CATEGORIES:

BEST USE OF JELLO// BEST USE OF BACON//GLITERRIEST DISH

ALSO, BEST RENDITION (either classic or best modification for a NYC audience) of a recipe from Kelli’s mom’s personal recipe collection:

PERFORMERS INCLUDE:
Kristen Meinzer
Stephanie Shroeder
Lisa Haas
Srilatha Rajamani

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Kristen Meinzer
Kristen Meinzer is the co-host, By The Book / Movie Therapy with Rafer & Kristen / The Royal Report from Newsweek and the author of _So You Want to Start a Podcast_ and co-author of How to Be Fine. kristenmeinzer.com

Lisa Haas
Lisa Haas is a comedy writer and actor working in film, television, theatre, voiceover, and education! She LOVES it when people pay a visit to her website: lisa dash haas dot com where you can find queerness and comedy galore!

Stephanie Schroeder
Stephanie Schroeder is a freelance writer based in New York City. She is also New York Certified Peer Specialist and works in the field of housing and homelessness. Stephanie is a widely published journalist, and her nonfiction writing is included in the classic queer anthology That’s Revolting: Queer Strategies for Resisting Assimilation, as well as in Here Come the Brides: Reflections on Lesbian Love and Marriage, and Easy to Love, But Hard to Live With: Real People, Invisible Disabilities, True Stories, among other collections. www.stephanieschroederauthor.com

Srilatha Rajamani
Srilatha Rajamani (she, her), stand up comedian, story teller and comedy’s biggest K-pop fan originally from Boston and now in New York. She performs wherever she is asked, in real and virtual words. She tries to makes sense of her world and experiences as a middle aged queer Indian immigrant woman with her comedy. She was most recently featured Asian Comedy Festival in New York.

Big thanks to Deb Malkin of Deb Malkin Body Positive Wellness Coaching for donating our performance venue!
https://debmalkin.com/

About Kelli

Kelli Dunham is the ex-nun nonbinary storytelling author nurse nerdcomic ubiquitous in modern Brooklyn. Kelli has appeared on Showtime and the Discovery Channel, the Moth Mainstage, the Cinderblock Comedy Festival, the Risk podcast, the Gotham Storytelling Festival, and nationwide at colleges, prides, fundraisers and even the occasional livestock auction.

Kelli’s latest comic storytelling album, Not the Gym Teacher, was directed by Gastor Almonte and has been called “hilarious” (Comedy Cake) “honest and generous” (The Serious Comedy Site) and “hilariously honest” (The Advocate). Apparently, it’s pretty honest. Kelli was nominated as a 2105 White House Champion of Change for her work as the co-founder and producer of Queer Memoir, NYC’s longest-running most super earnest LGBT storytelling event.

Queer Eye’s Jonathan VanNess once called Kelli’s hair “everything” and Bill DeBlasio once called Kelli “a show off.” To Kelli’s face.

*We really don’t want to call it the Breakfast Club because like all 80s movies, it’s such a frickin mess. I mean yeah of course we liked it but it’s still too messed up for 2022.

DO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE BREAKFAST PROJECT AND MAKE SURE KIDS IN BROOKLYN GET A HOT HOMECOOKED BREAKFAST EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY? YOU CAN VENMO KELLI (SEE BELOW) OR PAYPAL KELLIDUNHAM@GMAIL.COM. If you’d like to donate a larger amount and need a tax receipt, email kelli@counselinginschools.org and she’ll set you up.

BRAND NEW- ADVANCED SELF SOOTHING FOR THE MODERN QUEER & OTHER TRAUMATIZED FOLKS

Hey, we’ve got another crowd-sourced experiential zine, this time chock full o tips about creative self-soothing. We’re on a mission to improve all of Kelli’s formerly released zines for access reasons (comics are impossible for screen readers, but you probably already knew that) but in the meantime, we made a video version as well as a workaround.