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LAist Interview: Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan is an actor that does stand-up but his stand-up is what has made him so popular. He's got the Comedy Central Specials, his performance DVD and CD called Beyond the Pale, his regular bits on Conan pushing the hilarious and self-effacing animated series Pale Force, and, of course, there's a soft drink called Sierra Mist. We talked a bit about the creation of Pale Force and the recent contest where 3 lucky viewers will be included in an episode of Pale Force. We also touched on the fact that Jim just played a villain on an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and is an independent film called The Living Wake that's making the festival circuit right now. He is also featured on the TBS sitcom My Boys which is supposed to come back early next year if the writers' strike is resolved soon enough.
Jim Gaffigan is on tour right now and the closest he's getting to LA is an almost New Year's Eve show, December 28th, at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Palm Springs (hmmm, a nice long weekend in Palm Springs to cap the year? hmmm) and we talked about some of the rigors of touring and the difference between British, Canadian, and American comedy audiences. Gaffigan was cool enough to give me almost 25 minutes of his time and the thing that struck me about him was how appreciative of his success and how genuinely humble he sounded. Also, in this world of shock comics and expletives and nudity on basic cable, Gaffigan does an all-ages show.
Listen the the interview via the player below:
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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