October 13, 2008 2:55 PM

Jim Gaffigan owns the room

Jim Gaffigan
Friday night, Temple Buell Theatre
Grade: A

Jim Gaffigan has always been funny in his live show; that's a given.
But on The Sexy Tour he nails it, raising his game from consistently funny to absolutely slaying the crowd, every bit a home run, even using a couple of minor gaffes as a chance to use his "inner voice" to pull the crowd further into his corner.
In an interview with the News, Gaffigan noted how the tone of his shows have changed as his star has risen. Now that fans know fully what to expect when they arrive; they get his persona now because he has so sharply defined it, honed it and perfected it.
Friday night's sold-out show at the Temple Buell was a nonstop delight, with Gaffigan deftly swerving through everyday topics from bacon to bed-making. While his humor is observational it's miles away from the banal "you know what's bad about airplane food?" type jokes that have become comedy clichés.
Gaffigan has been filling his shows with new material in the past year in anticipation of filming another comedy special in December. For that reason we won't reveal too much of the specifics, other than the hilarious observation that he doesn't make his bed for the same reason he doesn't tie his shoes after taking them off - there's no point and both should be ready for re-entry on a moment's notice.
Another sign of going over the top is when fans demand to hear jokes they're already intimately familiar with. Gaffigan's bit on Hot Pockets was the highlight of the show for many, even though they knew much of what was coming (despite Gaffigan's continual updating of that material).
Despite high-profile commercials, stand-up specials and TV/film roles, Gaffigan remains (unjustifiably) a bit under the radar in the comedy world. The Buell was the largest venue he has played in Denver. If the December special captures a show anywhere near as good as Friday's performance, that's got to change. One kind of has a sad feeling that catching him in a venue this intimate again is unlikely.

Posted by Mark Brown at 2:55 PM | Comments (3)