‘Funny, not clean’: comedian Jim Gaffigan on ‘weirdo’ expats, gratitude and spending the pandemic with his children
- Jim Gaffigan talks to the Post about expat communities in the countries he tours in, where he finds inspiration for jokes and experiencing different cultures
- He reveals his thoughts on feeling appreciative of his life and why he considers himself luckier than many other comedians that the pandemic hit when it did
US funny man Jim Gaffigan is the good boy of comedy with a clean reputation – unlike most stand-up comics, he does not swear.
Gaffigan is travelling with his wife and five children – “you might as well make it as difficult as possible”, he quips. But deep down, the New York-based comedian loves exploring. “I truly love experiencing different cultures,” he says, adding he has been to Asia five times.
The three-time Emmy-winning comedian has returned to the region for his Dark Pale Tour, which included a debut show in Manila at the end of March and shows in Singapore on April 2 and Hong Kong on April 3.
“Of course I like to research the culture and history of the place I’m performing in,” he says. “It might translate to just a minute of jokes but the audience appreciates the effort.
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His travels and the cultural differences he observes along the way are a rich source of inspiration. He also finds material in everyday things from religion – he is Catholic – to food and family.
When panning for comedy gold, Gaffigan says his antenna is always up and on high alert.
“As a comedian, you’re always looking – it’s such a point-of-view driven thing,” he says. “I get an idea, jot it down and then see if I can turn it into something – it’s usually inspired by frustration, confusion …
“Hong Kong is a very sensitive topic and I have to consider that but also not disrespect the audience.”
Comedy is not the only feather in Gaffigan’s creative cap.
In 2022 he starred in the hit film Linoleum, in which he played dual roles: Cameron, the host of a failed children’s television science show, and a charming Nasa scientist called Kent.
He has a role in Disney’s fantasy adventure Peter Pan & Wendy, scheduled for release next month. Gaffigan plays Mr Smee, the loyal first mate of Captain Hook, played by Jude Law.
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Gaffigan can also add writing to his list of credits – in 2013 he released a memoir, Dad Is Fat, followed by Food: A Love Story.
Amid the craziness, he does stop to remind himself to fully appreciate life that is “going by so fast”. And for good reason.
In 2017 his wife, US actress, writer and producer Jeannie Gaffigan, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She wrote about the ordeal in her book When Life Gives You Pears, the fruit a reference to the size of the benign tumour.
“It’s weird because in life we have these breakthrough moments, you know, these great moments of appreciation, whether it’s seeing a baby born or witnessing your spouse survive a brain tumour,” he says. “But eventually you just go back to complaining about things, like ‘yeah, my neck hurts’.
“I mean, we might have a touch of gratitude but it is interesting that we don’t retain that full-throttled gratitude.”
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“It was probably easier for me as opposed to some comedians who were just starting to get some momentum,” he says. “For me it was a forced hiatus and I got to spend time with my kids … that is obviously not the end of the world.
Jim Gaffigan: Dark Pale Tour Hong Kong, April 3, 8pm, Rotunda 3, Kitec, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay. Tickets: HK$750/HK$550.
