Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed with Food, but Fans Eat it Up

Comedian Jim Gaffigan shines in his third Comedy Central hour-long special, Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed, which premiered Sunday night at 9 PM CST. The comedy special, filmed at the WIlbur Theatre in Boston, features about 42 minutes of material from his upcoming 70-minute album by the same title, which will be available for purchase on iTunes Tuesday, April 27.

Still of Jim Gaffigan from the documentary, “I Am Comic,” (June 15, 2010). It can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/montereymedia/

Fans who attended one of his shows in Fall 2013 will notice the material he performed on The White Bread Tour laid the foundation for the new album, so those who have seen his last tour expecting different material from this special will be let down. However, knowing this beforehand can prevent disappointment, and fans can enjoy the special as they would a good re-run.

The big question surrounding this special was how fresh his material would seem in comparison with his previous two specials, King Baby (2009) and Beyond The Pale (2006), given Gaffigan’s knack for focusing most of his jokes on food and laziness. While this special may not hold up as strongly against his first special, Beyond the Pale, which launched Gaffigan into a star with its famous “Hot Pockets” routine, Obsessed measures up quite well against King Baby.

Jim Gaffigan has boasted his laziness since his 2006 special, “Beyond the Pale.” Photo by Katie Langlois (April 7, 2011). It can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/loveisallaboutwhistles/

“I’m breaking the mold and this time I’m talking about food,” Gaffigan told Entertainment Weekly. The title of the special is Obsessed after all, so Gaffigan does not shy away from retreading over familiar content, but rather embraces his apparent obsession with food and begins the special with ten minutes of jokes about doughnuts and Southern food. Gaffigan expertly adds another layer to his comedy by making fun of himself and how often he focuses on food. Critics who say all he talks about is food cannot deny his impressive ability to  come up with more and more jokes on the same topic, and continue to delight his audiences.

Gaffigan has a wide appeal because his material is relatively clean and family friendly. Viewers need not worry about their grandparents walking in and being scandalized, as they might during one of Dane Cook’s over-long sexcapades or one of Lewis Black’s harshly worded tirades. It’s always refreshing to have a comedian not resort to shouting or excessive profanity to get a laugh.

Jim Gaffigan co-writes his material with his wife, Jeannie Gaffigan, who also produces the special. This collaboration influences more family-oriented material, as Gaffigan jokes about the misgivings of being a father of five children.

Born in Illinois and raised in Indiana, Jim Gaffigan is no stranger to the Midwest, regularly performing in central Illinois on his tours. For The White Bread Tour, Gaffigan performed here in Champaign last October, where he praised his love for local barbecue joint Black Dog Smoke & Ale house during his set. The nearest show left on his tour will be at the Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis on August 17.