We Stand Comedy was founded in March 2014 by female comedians with a united sense of funny. The mission began simply: to create live shows and digital content that connect, entertain, and stand out. One year later, Tara Cannistraci and Kimberley Hellem made it official—legally forming We Stand Comedy, LLC at a gas station off the New Jersey Turnpike.
More than a decade later, We Stand Comedy has grown into a full comedic production house—performing, creating, consulting, and building a body of work marked by big accomplishments and even bigger goals. Along the way, the duo has raised funds for a range of foundations and expanded their client roster to include The Guardian House, Dancing for a Cure at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Child Reach Foundation with Chazz & Gianna Palminteri, Color + Information for L’Oréal, and more.
Meet Tara
Tara Cannistraci is a Bronx-born Italian-American comedian, actress, and writer—fans hailed her the “Bronx Barbie.” She’s performed across stage, TV, film, and even centerfield as a former New York Yankees scoreboard host. Tara co-hosts The Chazz Palminteri Show and helms her own podcast, Cawfee Tawk with Tara Cannistraci, streaming weekly on Spotify and YouTube.
Known for turning the phrases of her New York Italian upbringing into viral gold, Tara’s comedy album I’m Talkin’ Here airs regularly on SiriusXM. Her YouTube series Boroughbreds spotlights on-the-street interviews across NYC’s boroughs, celebrating local voices and businesses.
Prior to her first national tour in 2025, she opened for Josh Wolf, Joey Diaz & Vic DiBitetto. In 2026, she will be opening for Jo Koy on select dates of the Just Being Koy Tour. Her first comedy special, A Stand-Up Girl, will be released, and she just kicked off her 2nd nationwide headlining tour, The Boroughbred Tour, bringing her unapologetic, borough-raised comedy across the U.S. and Canada.
Meet Kim
Kimberley Hellem is a comedian, writer, and producer known for her highly physical style and offbeat point of view—shaped in part by her early days as a musical theater kid and lifelong “weird bird.” She began her comedy career in Chicago, graduating from the The Second City Conservatory Program, and went on to write for Pottymouth TV and perform with the award-winning sketch group Adjusted Gratuity.
Her performance background spans stand-up and improv, with past appearances at the World Series of Comedy, Finger Lakes Comedy Festival, and North Jersey Comedy Festival. She currently performs with Montclair Improv Comedy, including regular monthly shows at the Montclair Film Center and featured appearances at the Montclair Film Festival.
Beyond the stage, Kimberley serves as a producer, working closely with the teams at Cheap Old Houses and The Paul Walker Foundation on creative and production initiatives. She is currently developing the feature film Sunday Gravy alongside Tara Cannistraci and Mario Candelaria.