Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley say they want to take over the universe, but they’re too busy being soccer moms — at least when they’re not making audiences roar with laughter.
Whether the best friend duo is lampooning swimsuit season or fessing up to their parenting fails, they could be any pair of moms venting their frustrations over a glass (or two) of wine. The only difference is that their open, honest — and hilarious — approach to life and motherhood has made them stars on YouTube, where their #IMOMSOHARD web series has garnered over 2.2 million followers and 300 million views. Hensley and Smedley have now taken their standup act across the country with #IMOMSOHARD, The Getaway Tour, which comes to the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino on Feb. 18.
“We give women permission to be themselves and laugh about stuff rather than take it way too seriously …,” Smedley says. “There’s no tutorial or how-to. It’s just come out with us and have a good time.”
Although they grew up near each other and had friends in common, Hensley and Smedley didn’t meet until they both wound up in Los Angeles. The pair never could have imagined when they bonded over a beer, and both being from Nebraska, that their comedy partnership would become such a hit so quickly.
Hensley recalls one night when she and Smedley were both crying “because we just felt like we were terrible at motherhood.”
“But then we couldn’t help but laugh because it’s so ridiculous,” she says. “Everything that you measure as success as a mother – you can’t reach it. You’ll always try, but you can’t get there. “That’s the funny part, so we decided to make these videos …. We were like, women need to laugh, and it doesn’t need to be so important.”
With four kids, two husbands and six dogs between them, Hensley and Smedley find the humor in everything from post-baby bodies to how much they spend on babysitters. In their memorable first video, Smedley forgot her 9-month-old daughter’s name.
“I did what any good friend would do, and I laughed so hard I peed my pants,” Hensley says. “That was when we figured out, oh, this is the thing we need to talk about. This is funny. If we’re laughing at each other, probably someone else will find it funny — and it so happens they do.”
The memory lapse notwithstanding, Smedley considers getting a trampoline her worst parenting misstep.
“You think it’s going to be a good time, but all it is is a lot of injuries, like knocked-out teeth, huge fights, a lot of heads get stepped on …,” she says. “All my neighbors hear is me yelling commands down to the trampoline. It’s pretty embarrassing.”
Although motherhood provides plenty of fodder for jokes, the pair say you don’t need to have kids of your own to enjoy their show. The vibe they’re going for, explains Hensley, is a giant party.
“We sing. We dance, We talk about hot guys,” she says. “We want it to feel like the best happy hour you’ve ever been to where you come home and maybe didn’t even expect to laugh that hard; that’s our goal.”
Smedley adds, “It’s a really good excuse to get a bunch of ladies you haven’t seen in a while together.”
Checking out the pair’s #IMOMSOHARD podcast provides a good preview of what the show has in store. Outside of their internet success, the friends have written a New York Times best-selling book, landed deals with Fortune 100 companies and taped a standup comedy special for Amazon Prime Video.
Another book could be in their future, or perhaps even a movie or television show.
“Who knows?” Hensley says. “The sky’s the limit!”
IF YOU GO:
The #IMOMSOHARD Getaway Tour
at the Beau Rivage Theatre
Feb. 18 at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $29.95, $39.95, $49.95 and $69.95 (plus tax and service charge)
To reserve, call (888) 566-7469 or visit www.beaurivage.com
“GIRLS NIGHT OUT” PRE-PARTY IN EIGHT75
Live music by Mike Halat 5:30-8:30 p.m.
“GIRLS NIGHT OUT” AFTER-PARTY IN EIGHT75
Live music by Dr. Zhivegas 9 p.m.-2 a.m.