HUNTINGON -- It shouldn't surprise anyone at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center if renowned funnyman Jim Gaffigan comes off like someone they know.

"I grew up outside of Gary, Indiana; I describe it as where the farmland meets the steel mills," Gaffigan said in a telephone interview. "It's like a lot of parts in the Midwest. In high school, one night I'd be sitting on a hay stack and the next night I'd be in some abandoned field of a steel mill.

"It's like in most parts of America, where there was industry and there is no longer; there is cynicism mixed with sarcasm and some optimism. That's how my background influenced my comedy."

Sound familiar?

The laid-back, self-deprecating Gaffigan used to begin his stand-up routines with the line "Thank you, I've never heard of me, either." But that's hardly the case anymore.

From his frequent appearances on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," to his role on the TBS sitcom "My Boys," Gaffigan has become quite recognizable for his observational humor on laziness, his own paleness and, of course, Hot Pockets.

"I've got an idea, let's take a Pop-Tart and fill it with really nasty meat," he says on his CD "Doing My Time," while musing on the meeting where Hot Pockets were first conceived. "Johnson, that's gross -- get to work on it."

Gaffigan has also gained notoriety from his appearances in commercials for ESPN, Rolling Rock, Saturn and, most recently, Sierra Mist. He's made numerous appearances on TV shows and in films, including a scene with Charleston's own Jennifer Garner in the comedy "13 Going on 30."

But stand-up is where Gaffigan is most at home. His most recent release, "Beyond the Pale," went platinum in both CD and DVD sales. This new tour, called "The Sexy Tour," is sponsored by Comedy Central and will wind up with a taped special in Austin, Texas.

And Gaffigan, who delivers his punch lines followed by a secondary, high-pitched voice that disapproves of every joke, is bringing the sexy to Huntington.

"The whole Sexy tour is kind of a joke on how these guys who have been nerds all of their lives get some success and they suddenly change their personality," Gaffigan said.

Gaffigan himself, whose act is devoid of any foul language, admitted to struggling to find his own niche while climbing the ranks of comedy.

"For me, I went through this evolution," he said. "I started off just as irreverent as everyone else. But, then, I guess I just thought it wasn't necessary to cuss in a Hot Pockets joke. If you're going to talk about cake, it can't follow some filthy joke.

"I kind of feel like I lucked out," he added. "Some of it might be my upbringing. I definitely curse in my everyday life, but it doesn't seem necessary in an escalator joke."

Gaffigan does bring some edginess to his act.

"TV is addictive, but you know what's really addictive? Heroin. That'll grab you by the horn," he quipped in his 2000 Comedy Central Presents special, immediately followed by "What horn?" from the disapproving voice.

Religious subjects and traditions are also a frequent target for Gaffigan, though the barbs are fairly mild.

In "Beyond the Pale" Gaffigan describes how cutting down a tree and bringing it inside for Christmas sounds like the behavior of a drunk person.

"I like it," he says in a slurred voice, swaying on the stage. "We're going to decorate it ... for Jesus."

"There are actually people out there who think I'm too edgy," said Gaffigan. "But really I'm comparatively in the middle."

In fact, there is a YouTube video in circulation of an angry caller taking Gaffigan to task during a radio interview for his religious humor, and for being a Catholic.

"Well, if I can offend just one person, being the most middle of the road comic," Gaffigan started to reply before being cut off. He later asked the woman about the glass house she was calling from, then amended it to a "glass trailer."

The woman ended up asking for free tickets to his show.

If an audience member leaves the theater without feeling like they know Gaffigan, it's that person's own fault. He does a meet-and-greet after every show where he will sign autographs and take pictures with fans.

"I've got a cold right now that I think I picked up from the meet-and-greet in Atlanta," he said with a dry chuckle during Wednesday's interview. "But, to me, I don't feel like it's much of a sacrifice to do it. I don't take it for granted that someone paid $30 or more to see me. It takes no effort to sign a Hot Pockets box and take a picture with someone.

"For me, it's part of the show night. There are times when it runs longer than the show, and I'm exhausted, but it's all good," he added. "I don't understand why more people don't do it."

After all, Gaffigan said "I just want to tell jokes about not wanting to get up off the couch and eating bacon."

And one can't forget the escalators.

"Yeah, those are the hard-hitting issues that I'll be addressing in these times of economic and political turmoil," Gaffigan said with a laugh.

Tickets can be purchased through the Marshall Artists Series box office, located in the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, or by calling 304-696-6656 or 304-523-5757. The cost of tickets are $47.50 and $35.

Patrons can also visit www.marshallartistsseries.org for ticket information.

The box office is open from noon to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Patrons can pick up tickets at any Ticketmaster outlet, as well as FYE stores in the Huntington Mall and Ashland Town Center, and at Macy's in the Charleston Town Center.

The show starts at 8 p.m., Wednesday Oct. 1.

The Herald-Dispatch

Comedian Jim Gaffigan performs this week at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center.

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