Jim Gaffigan has become one of America’s favorite comics, a uniter of Red and Blue States alike. The Indiana native, who has lived in New York City for 20 years, first became a major player with his revered 2000 Comedy Central Presents special that introduced the world to his jokes on laziness, Mexican food, and the plight of the manatee. Gaffigan would then build a small but devoted following through his appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, a highly successful Sierra Mist ad campaign with Michael Ian Black, and the occasional well-timed movie and TV role (Super Troopers, Flight of the Concords, That ‘70s Show).
Arguably his biggest breakthrough came with his sensational 2006 special Beyond the Pale, which probably had a higher food joke per minute ratio than any previous comedy special in television history. His new special, King Baby, premieres this Sunday, and the act is already picking up steam on YouTube for his soon-to-be-legendary routine on bacon. I spoke with the Gaffigan, the oft-described everyman comedian, over the phone about how he’s really not as lazy as he seems, why he doesn’t like telling dirty jokes on stage anymore, and why he’d never do an ad for Hot Pockets.
My friends and I always talk about how our lives turn into Jim Gaffigan routines, except when we experience it it’s really depressing. Does the type of laziness you describe on stage ever stop being funny?
I like to think that I romanticize those lazy moments. Like, when we finally do indulge in some of the laziness, there’s always some guilt, like “Oh man, all I did was watch Roadhouse for the weekend.” And that’s pretty depressing, but in hindsight it’s pretty hysterical. I think it’s something everyone’s kind of guilty of.
I kind of feel these moments are even more universal than even most observational comedy, like you don’t even have to put on pants to have these moments apply to your life.
I do think that everyone can relate to moments of being a lazy slob.
You’re one of the only comedians I’ve seen who works better on Comedy Central than when you’re uncensored. Do you think there’s something that helps your appeal when you’re less dirty?
Well, I feel that I used to be kinda dirty, but I never was that dirty of a comic. I would do it in the past, but part of stand-up for me is setting up personal challenges. So I cut out cursing from my act as a personal challenge. Any comedian can throw in a “fuck” and get a reaction from an audience. For me when I’d use it, I’d always feel it was more that the joke wasn’t necessarily done. I also didn’t want to not be able to follow myself… if you have a great dirty joke, it’s kinda hard to go back to talking about cake or bacon. It’s more how the show is going. I mean, I love dirty comics. I’ve been doing stand-up forever, so it’s just how my act is starting to change. I don’t really miss cursing on stage — it’s more about good writing for me.
Article comments
1 - Manny T.
Awesome interview Ethan. Gaffigan rules!