“She is the Only Reason I Do Good Things in This World”: Brad Paisley Praises Wife, Sings About Kissing Cousins at Comedy Night

Brad Paisley said comedy was his favorite way to raise money, and Sunday night, he made good on his word. Paisley and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, hosted a benefit for their free grocery store, The Store at Zanies comedy club in Nashville.

Dubbed “Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without,” the night featured comedians Kevin Nealon, Henry Cho, and Aaron Webber. Paisley also performed some comedic songs about topics ranging from Nashville weather alerts to kissing cousins.

The Paisleys’ comedy night sold out for the third year and has raised more than $500,000 in the same time frame.

“We’re so happy you’re here!” Williams-Paisley exclaimed from the stage, joking about how many people were watching the Masters on their phones. “Thank you so much for coming out. Food insecurity in Nashville is at a 10-year high, so we really appreciate your support.”

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Brad Paisley Welcomes Lelan Statom to Joke About Severe Weather Alerts

The Store is a nonprofit organization that is a free referral-based grocery store the Paisleys hope empower low-income individuals and families in the Nashville area. The Store allows people to shop for their basic needs in a way that protects dignity and fosters hope – they can choose what they want from the shelves.

With help from The Store CEO Collen Mayer, Williams-Paisley showed a video at the beginning of the night highlighting The Store’s work and featuring customer testimonials.

From there on out, laughter was in the spotlight.

Paisley kicked things off with an assist from longtime Nashville meteorologist Lelan Statom. In recent weeks, the Middle Tennessee area has suffered through an onslaught of tornadic activity, and Paisley wrote a song about his annoyance with the situation.

Paisley invited Statom on stage to be his “lovely assistant.”

“It’s the sound of Music City, steel guitar when your heart hurts,” Paisley sang. “Crickets singing in the country, and a severe weather alert. Now, the family is in the basement. It’s two hours until I go to work. I was about to fall asleep when another severe weather alert.”

At the mention of a severe weather alert, Statom played the beep trumpeting a severe weather alert on his phone.

Brad Paisley Asks, “Remember When the Titans Were Still Good?”

Then Paisley introduced a reworked version of Alan Jackson’s “Remember When” to hysterically highlight all the changes in Nashville over the last couple of decades.

“Remember when, the Titans were still good,” he sang to laughs, “and so were the Preds. East Nashville was the hood. There were no scooters you could rent before the bachelorettes, remember when.”

Then Paisley took a minute to recognize his wife for her positive influence on his life.

“In all seriousness, I started this charity thanks to the lovely person who was up here,” he said. “She is the only reason I do good things in this world.”

Paisley wrote his 2005 hit “She’s Everything” for his wife. The song is a list of personal details that remind Paisley of Williams-Paisley.

“You’re Just Pandering”

“She did not care for it one bit,” Paisley said. “She said, ‘That’s just not realistic. You’re just pandering to me at this point. I don’t like that.”

So, Paisley wrote what he calls “a director’s cut.”

The new lyrics include: “She looks great in cheap sunglasses. She’s a passive-aggressive little thing. She’s I want a piece of chocolate. She snores like a train.”

The crowd roared as Paisley sang. His wife joined him on stage for a comedic bit at the end of his set.
The country singer then ceded the stage to Kevin Nealon, Henry Cho, and Aaron Webber for a night of family-friendly comedy that will surely make guests want to return next year. Paisley held the benefit during Nashville’s comedy festival. To volunteer or donate to The Store, visit www.thestore.org.

(Photo courtesy of Brad Paisley)