AUBURN-GRESHAM — The last time former Chicago Public Schools Principal Diedrus Brown was on stage, she was leading the charge against a district plan to make her school a "turnaround" and lay off all the staff.
But despite her efforts, which included organizing a sit-in, Brown was unsuccessful in stopping the effort in 2014, and she ended up retiring from Walter Q. Gresham Elementary School in Auburn Gresham.
Now she is undergoing a turnaround of her own: Brown has become an "adult comedian."
“Laughter keeps the stress off of you and stress makes you age, externally and internally,” said Brown, who declined to give her age but said she was "over 60."
Her comedy, decidedly R-rated, isn't meant for students. She now calls herself Dr. Pu Psi,’ calling the name a combination of French and Greek and her reinvention of the word for female genitalia. When pronouncing the name, the second "p" is silent.
“It pops; it stands out,” she said. “We all know what it sounds like, but that’s not what it is. It’s very catchy.”
When the microphone is in her hand, she’s not afraid to make raunchy jokes. Her two favorite topics are sex and relationships.
Brown said she’s always been a natural comedian, and with a graduate degree in counseling psychology, she thought laughter could be a great form of therapy for adults dealing with sex and relationship issues.
Some of favorite comedians are Richard Pryor, Sinbad and Ellen DeGeneres.
Brown’s audience has gotten bigger with each show she puts on. More than 300 guests attended a show last week in south suburban Midlothian.
“I saw her entertaining seven years ago at a Christmas party for Chicago Public Schools administrators, and that was when I realized how funny she was,” Ashburn Community Elementary School Principal Jewel Diaz said.
Even though Brown’s focus is adult comedy, she said she’s flexible and has no problem doing regular comedy.
She also hasn’t completely left education. She operates and manages an educational consulting firm.
To book her for private shows call 708-655-4321. Stay up to date with her upcoming events by liking her Dr. Pu Psi’ Facebook page and following her on Twitter @DrPuPsiComedy.
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