Born and raised in Queens, New York, Michele has been making headlines in the United States and abroad.  When asked when she first realized she was funny, Michele answers "I've been clowning around since day one. I've been thrown out of every school I ever went to. I just wasn't student material and could never conform as an adult. I lost lots of jobs too, as a rock-n-roll drummer, a bartender, and a hair dresser. I lost jobs I didn't even have!"

In 1996, LaFong's career crossed paths with a childhood dream when she was invited to appear on the Tribute to Senor Wences Show on his 100th Birthday Tour. The now deceased international treasure was most famous for his numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. The original characters Johnny, the lipstick hand puppet and Pedro, that head in the a box, is what Wences created that became household names during the 1960's. Michele recalls, "The first thing I thought of when I was asked to perform for Senor Wences was, That's awesome, what a dream come true!"

Immediately, Senor Wences recognized and appreciated the influence he had, and still has on LaFong's work, "From the very beginning, I studied Senor Wences, and I analyzed what set him apart from other comics and ventriloquists."

"He was never dependent on any punch line, he never relied on written material, he could make anything funny. His timing, rhythm, speed, strong characters and voices did not interfere with what I saw as his grace, his natural sense of formality and style as a performer."

If not his formality, LaFong has definitely inherited Senor Wences sense of style. A sense of style she filters through the voices of five differently, original characters simultaneously.

"I was completely self taught, I became a ventriloquist when I was five years old because no one else would talk to me, after I got my first puppet, I could finally have an intelligent conversation with someone who had to agree with me on every point. I rarely lost an argument."

Michele studied acting at the prestigious Joanna Beckson studio in Manhattan. A key to LaFong's continued appeal is found in the all too familiar and believable relationship she has with her characters which she claims are based, loosely, on real people in her life. Take Paco for instance, a puppet, who is modeled after an old boyfriend. "Paco is my single woman's answer to dating in the new Millennium.  He is a smooth talking, macho stud puppet, clad in black leather with gold chains dangling from around his hairy chest." But when she's asked if she will ever give Paco up for a real man, she replies, "only when I find a real man who will let me pack him up in a suitcase when I'm done with him."

Michele is an accomplished standup comedian and impressionist. Her characters include Bette Midler, Joan Rivers, Jackie Mason, and renowned sex therapist Dr. Ruth, along with many others.

In addition Michele has been given original puppets from Wences' vintage collection, and is using the original "Johnny" in the new Mercedes commercial. Senor Wences puppets live on through LaFong.

Michele LaFong is living a dream. S'allright? S'allright!

Phone: 702.580.6400