With 5 kids at home and husband Jimmy Hurley by her side, there is never a moment in the Hurley house where comedic inspiration can’t be found.  Christine has a way of looking at the daily struggles and joys of family life and finding the silver (sometimes more grayish) lining in everyday life. “I can pretty much take anything and look at it in a funny way – anything in real life.”

Christine Hurley (McNamara) was born in 1964 to Jim and Tish McNamara. She had a very happy, protected childhood.  Her father, she says, always was and still is the funniest man on earth.  Christine always loved the way her dad could make everyone laugh and how everyone wanted to be around him.  She loved how her mother was his, and as she got older, her best audience.

In 1984 Christine entered the Miss Massachusetts Pageant to possibly earn some scholarship money.  During the week long pageant, she learned she had a gift to keep everyone laughing…she was awarded the “Miss Congeniality” crown.

When she met her husband, Jimmy, back in 1980, she “thought he was funny, witty & cute and he had the most beautiful face you had ever seen.  He was just beautiful.  It was kind of love at 6th or 7th sight. One night when Jimmy’s parents were away, he threw a house party. Afterward, at about 3:00am, I remember him washing the dishes, scrubbing the pots & sweeping the floors.  I looked at my girlfriends and said ‘stick a fork in me, I’m done.’  This boy is for me, because I will never have to do a thing in my whole life.”  And it’s still the same, he does everything, I do nothing.  It’s a beautiful arrangement.”

Christine and Jimmy were “crazy in love” and over 25 years later, still are! “If you are lucky enough to find your best friend and be married to him, I think that’s the best.  There are days when I want to run him over, but then I just look at my big diamond and that goes away.” Jimmy has been her biggest fan and supporter (as well as the brunt of her jokes). She says that Jimmy’s encouragement has made her who and what she is today.  “He always laughed at everything I said, and a light bulb kind of went off one day, and I said Jeez, maybe I am funny.”

Christine didn’t imagine herself as a stay-at-home mom either.  In fact, she always thought her and Jimmy would be childless and be world travelers living the “high life.”  Five kids later, it’s a struggle to give them all the things they want – often referring to her home as the HOD (House Of Disappointment). But, Christine says she “just loves the dynamic of the big family.  They all love each other and they all get along.  There’s not a lot of fighting going on. I would have had 7 or 8 if my uterus held up and if my mother hadn’t made Jimmy’s appointment for a vasectomy.” True story!

In 2005, husband Jimmy saw a commercial on “Nick at Nite” that they were looking for the Funniest Mom in America. They held auditions all over the country.  “Jimmy & I are so on the ball, and Jimmy is so punctual, that we totally missed the Boston audition.  We were like a day late and a dollar short, as usual.”

Not thinking anything would come of it, they rented a car and drove to The Laugh Factory in New York City for an audition. When Christine called and asked whether it was an interview, an audition, or what, they said she had to do 3 minutes of stand up.  She told them she didn’t do stand up, and they said, “Then stay home”.

In the car ride to New York City during a blizzard, Christine quickly wrote down what she thought was about 3 minutes of material.  “It was real-life stuff of mostly what Jimmy has done, and stuff about the kids.”  She just put some bullets down on a piece of paper and said, “OK, I’ll just get up & do it!”   Needless to say, after about 75 women, she performed for the very first time in front of a live audience, and the producers (Jeff Ross & Jeff Singer) absolutely loved her!  She went on to become one of the 5 finalists and filmed the TV show.  Christine says, “The minute I got on stage for the very first time and the lights went on and I held the microphone, I thought, this is it - momma’s home!  It was like a high.”

Christine tries not to get too wrapped up in a lot of stressful stuff.  “I feel that the 5 kids Jimmy and I are raising are very laid back – it’s not like a Hitler youth camp here, but it’s not a complete democracy either. Things are pretty laid back, they’re not too structured.  This can be a bad thing, but they’re happy and it’s a comfortable, happy place to live.”

Since her debut on “Nick at Nite”, she has been doing live standup around Massachusetts and making quite a name for herself.  She has opened for some big names including Steve Sweeney, Loretta Laroche, Dave Andrews, Paul D’Angelo, Kevin Knox, Harrison Stebbins, Patty Ross, Don Gavin and Jimmy Tingle, just to name a few.  Lately, she has been doing fundraisers and events as the sole entertainment.  Christine has hours of great material. She’s really going places.

Inspiration doesn’t just come from her home, but the stage and television as well. “Kathy Griffin is my all time favorite performer.  My heart gets so full after seeing her.  I love her & Kevin James. They are so talented – they are right up my alley – their facial expressions, movements, and material.  And it’s funny, for years I have watched them and I know what they’re going to say before they say it.  Our minds work in similar ways.  They are probably my 2 favorites.  I love Ellen, of course – she cracks me up. I love Chris Rock – I adore him, I think he’s absolutely hysterical.  Conan O’Brien is also a huge favorite.”

Christine Hurley’s life truly is Funnier Than Fiction, with a new twist at every turn. With a houseful of quirky kids and a husband that is easy to pick on, she keeps things light-hearted. Family life makes Christine the natural comedian she is. And as long as they follow one simple rule, “Don’t sweat the petty stuff, and don’t pet the sweaty stuff”, the comedic material just seems to write itself most days!