Jim Gaffigan ready to bring the laughs for NYCB Theatre shows
When Jim Gaffigan takes the stage at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury for not one, not two, but three post-Thanksgiving weekend shows, it’ll give guests in the audience a chance to stir themselves out of their turkey-induced comas long enough to laugh about food, parenting and of course, Hot Pockets.
“There’s something about Thanksgiving, which is this great holiday, but there’s a little bit of an escape people need after this kind of crash course in family that I want to make light of,” Gaffigan said.
It’s almost too fitting that Gaffigan would be performing after Thanksgiving, a holiday that mixes food and family. The stand-up comedian is best known for his food humor (his second book, Food: A Love Story, was a New York Times bestseller) as well as his witty commentary on what it’s like raising his five children (the subject of his first book, Dad Is Fat).
Gaffigan’s jokes are not only extremely relatable, but he also sets himself apart from his comedy peers by keeping his shows relatively clean and noncontroversial, opting for material that denounces things like kale instead of political figures.
“There’s nothing really earth-shattering about my point of view,” Gaffigan said. “My point of view is I don’t like to do anything.”
“In my fantasy, I’m sitting in bed and eating bacon.”
Gaffigan’s most recent project was The Jim Gaffigan Show, which he wrote with his wife and writing partner, Jeannie Gaffigan. With his wife as the showrunner and him acting in almost every scene, the couple decided not to go ahead for a third season this summer, saying the TV Land project was taking too much time away from their kids.
Jeannie has been an important influence in Gaffigan’s comedy; the two often write together and Jeannie helped co-write his books as well as produce several of his comedy specials.
“I almost long for those days when our kids were younger. We would put them to bed and just write for an hour or so, but we haven’t been able to do that lately,” said Gaffigan. “Sometimes it comes down to touring during the summer with a babysitter, so we spend time with [the kids] during the day and at night, I’ll do a show and Jeannie will take notes, and we’ll discuss it afterwards. It’s coming up with ideas that way.”
Not only has his wife influenced his comedy, but his children do as well.
“There’s an innocence and fearlessness there,” Gaffigan said. “And seeing that comedy is sometimes just an attitude. There’s something fun about witnessing the world from their fresh set of eyes.”
And while Gaffigan has made a name for himself with his food humor, the Indiana-native said he’s ready to explore other topics.
“Comedians just want to be known as funny. Not the food comedian or clean comedian, they just want to be known as funny. I didn’t set out to be the food guy, but you write what you feel passionate about,” Gaffigan said. “It’s fun to challenge yourself. I like the fact that we’re in this day and age where stand-ups change their whole outlook in a year or two and you’re challenged to find new material.”
Constantly looking to challenge himself, Gaffigan will soon be showing fans more of his serious side, diving deeper into the world of drama with a role as police deputy Donny Mashman on the FX show Fargo next season.
“I do enjoy acting and there is something about once you’re viewed as a comedian, you’re only viewed as a comedian, so it’s exciting to get dramatic or dramedy roles,” said Gaffigan, who also has dramatic roles in the 2017 films The Bleeder and Chappaquiddick. “If it’s a good role, I’m on board. I’m all for getting lost in a character.”
While Gaffigan said he’s not sure what his next comedy project will be, fans can laugh along with him during his ongoing Fully Dressed Tour. Tour dates include Friday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury.
Find out more at www.jimgaffigan.com.
