Comic known for her 'Momisms' will speak — and sing! — at faith conference for women

Millions have heard Anita Renfroe on YouTube sing her "Momisms" to the galloping tune of the "William Tell Overture." Renfroe, who crams tons of mom sayings into the 3½-minute composition, will sing it live, along with other parodies, at the Women of Faith conference in Sacramento's Arco Arena on Friday and Saturday.

Hundreds of women from the area attend the annual event, which features a core group of well-known Christian speakers and artists with special guests. This year's stop includes speakers Lisa Welchel, Patsy Clairmont, Marilyn Meburg and Sheila Walsh with singers Nicole C. Mullen, "American Idol" finalist Mandisa and Erica Campbell, who is half of the urban gospel duo Mary, Mary.

The conference once offered one price for the Friday evening and all-day Saturday event, with an extra charge for those who could attend during the day on Friday; now, women can choose to go to any or all of the three sessions for one price.

The theme this year is "A Grand New Day."

New is also a theme of Renfroe's life. The Bee caught up with her Monday at a new experience in her life — a physical therapy appointment in Atlanta, where she lives. She said heavy rain flooded her basement while she was away for a conference about eight weeks ago. The 47-year-old Christian comedian discovered the water when she slipped on wet stairs. But, she added, it's OK. The accident will no doubt become material for future shows.

"Everything I do is my life," she said as she began a 10-minute workout on a stationary bike.

She didn't start out as a comic, she said. She was a fairly serious student as a child and grew up to marry a Baptist pastor, even though she was never a stereotypical pastor's wife.

"My inability to have an edit button between my brain and my mouth was a bit of a liability," she said. "But on the plus side, I could play the piano, so he decided it was an OK chance."

They met — where else? — in church.

"I grew up in Virginia, where my dad worked for the federal government," she explained. "Then he got transferred to Mississippi. When we went into the church, my husband was singing with his sisters, and my mom elbowed me to say he was pretty cute. I was 19 when I saw him and 20 when I married him."

Wasn't that a fast romance?

"Not so fast by Mississippi standards," Renfroe replied. "He was 26 when we got married, so at least one of us was an adult."

The journey to becoming a professional comedian was a slow one, she said.

"I'd be doing the music for women's conventions," she said. "Invariably, something would hit me funny and I'd have to do that from the stage. People would say, 'You're really funny. Could you do more of that next year?' It was an incredibly excruciatingly slow process becoming a comic. It was a nice, slow ride. I didn't come through the clubs or any normal ways people make it as comics."

Renfroe does individual comedy concerts in addition to her appearances the past three years at Women of Faith conferences, which she enjoys.

"It's probably the world's largest pajama party, with lots of laughter, inspiration and help," she said. "There's lots of sharing emotions built around the speakers' stories. I think people not only feel informed, but transformed. They make decisions to change their lives based on what they've heard. I don't think it gets any better than that for women."

Many of the speakers share their own brand of humor.

"My specific assignment is to bring the party, although everyone who speaks at Women of Faith is humorous," Renfroe said. "Some of them are funnier than I am. I sing and I do parodies and stand-up comedy. I talk, which is what I used to do before we learned to call it comedy.