©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Life & Arts

Gaffigan sure to make you laugh again

by CHRISTIAN PALMER
The Daily Cougar

Stand-Up Month, aka January for Comedy Central, continues this weekend with the premiere of Jim Gaffigan's new hour-long comedy special, Jim Gaffigan: Beyond The Pale.

Many viewers may recognize the "pale" comic from such roles as that guy who's always after Michael Ian Black's Sierra Mist or that guy on Super Troopers who gets pulled over and bombarded with subtle meowing.

However, true fans would know the native Indianan from various permanent roles and guest spots on several hit television programs such as The Ellen Show, Sex and the City and That '70s Show, as well as his albums The Last Supper, More Moo Moo's and Doing My Time, and a half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents: Jim Gaffigan.

Gaffigan, having named his new special Beyond the Pale, apparently warns his audience to brace themselves for an over-the-top, risque and possibly offensive production. He proceeds to mimic this seemingly arrogant idea, however, by humorously interpreting what the audience might be thinking in response to his segments throughout his performance, using his various weird "impression" voices.

In reality, Gaffigan's material drifts from the non-controversial segment about Hot Pockets to pockets of material discussing religious figures and situations. At one point, in one of his signature audience reflections, he says, "Oh, he's going to Hell." 

Viewers may also notice other quirks such as strange noises that seem to resemble those of a dying giraffe, or random plays on the Hot Pockets jingle.

For the unaccustomed viewer, these idiosyncrasies may take some getting use to, but once they've become familiar, they provide an entirely different dimension in which to appreciate and identify with his odd observations.

To get acquainted with Gaffigan, viewers may want to try to catch a rebroadcast of his previous special. For 30 minutes, he mocks friends of ex-smokers, imagines the pope as a child and rags on the manatee, or what he's convinced the other sea animals called the "sea cow."

Self-described as a Korean who would make a hot Catwoman, this is one comic viewers should definitely hear out and continue to keep tabs on. His primary regions of comic expertise include, but are not limited to fooooood, laziness and obesity, cake-inspired togetherness and silly holidays traditions. Gaffigan keeps it fairly clean, which seems like a rarity in today's comedy scene.

As an added bonus, Comedy Central, in observance of Stand-Up month, has decided to warm up viewers for the night's hilarity with more than half a day's worth of Comedy Central Presents episodes. With any luck, Gaffigan's television audience will be ready to laugh after some of their favorite comedians warm up the stage. 

Why not turn Sunday into "Funday" and plan your day around 25 of the most brilliant comedic minds of our time? If for some reason this would be a physical impossibility, there's no need to fret. This is what TiVo and best friends were made for -- to record hours of stand-up. Just make sure you don't miss it.

Gaffigan has a unique style and perspective that fans will be delighted with, even if some first timers may find him too eccentric to afford him more than just a few dubious laughs.

Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale premieres on Comedy Central at 8 p.m. Sunday with an encore following at 9 p.m.

Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu