Of all the performing arts, the one that never ceases to impress me is stand up comedy. On the outside, it’s easy for someone to think: well, they’re just entertainers. When it’s done right, it only looks easy. When you watch an on-stage comedic performance, you’re witnessing a true performing artist. What started with the writing down of a funny idea, is rewritten, revised, rehearsed, modified and finally: hopefully, it is laughed at by you. It’s astounding to witness.
Jim Gaffigan has been a comedian across the 3 decades
Like many great comedians, Jim Gaffigan is from the midwest. In 1990, still in his early 20s, he moved to New York City to pursue the impossible dream: comedy. He worked hard at it and today is one of the foremost comedians. When an artist becomes more famous and successful, their following and fame is no longer limited to their country of origin. Furthermore, their ability to travel opens them up to new subjects of inspiration.
You can see this again and again in the world of singer-songwriters and it’s a comparison that you could make with Jim Gaffigan and his comedy. I wonder if Paul Simon would have been able to make an album like “Graceland” without the level of influence he obtained. The same could be said about Jim Gaffigan’s latest special. It’s not every comedian who gets to explore comedy on an international level.
The Pale Tourist is Jim Gaffigan’s international comedy special
In the year 2020, Jim Gaffigan’s gift to the world is THE PALE TOURIST. In a time where people have never been at home more, stand up comedian Jim Gaffigan takes us everywhere. He traveled the globe, learned the local culture and unearthed what he found funny. He then created stand-up comedy unique to each area and performed it in those places for this live recording.
You can listen to the The Pale Tourist on Apple Music, Pandora or on Spotify and it’s also available on CD or vinyl record. You can also watch the video on Amazon Prime. It’s put out through Comedy Dynamics, the biggest independent comedy distribution and production company in the world. This review will focus on the audio version.
Jim Gaffigan gets to the heart of human nature
Jim Gaffigan’s observations about human nature are that two of our most prominent natural instincts are laziness and gluttony. You can try and dress it up, but like it or not this is the heart of human nature and one of the reasons Jim Gaffigan is funny everywhere. Both in the geographical sense and throughout the special. Gaffigan’s mind seems to work in a different way. He’s able to look past the romanticism and the press release of what any thing is and tell you what it really is at it’s core. What he says tends to be the honest truth and it’s what makes him so relatable.
The Pale Tourist is Gaffigan’s longest comedy special
The audio special is divided into parts—entitled Canadian American, Spanish American, Asian American and Florida Man. The digital version is 60 separate tracks. It’s a total of 2 hours and 9 minutes making it his longest comedy special so far. I couldn’t help, but think that the special would have been improved with some editing. 90 minutes would have been a good length. Don’t get me wrong. The special is consistently funny, but what if he had kept the absolute funniest parts?
Gaffigan’s ability to write and perform comedy specially catered to the location is impressive. It made me wonder what his process is. You don’t think of a comedian researching their material, or at least I don’t, but it’s clear Gaffigan does his own brand of research.
Gaffigan saves the best for last
I think the best comedians save their best material for the end. This was definitely the case with The Pale Tourist. He had me laughing the hardest in the “Asian American” and then “Florida Man,” where Gaffigan brings everything back home in his country of origin.
Gaffigan’s very perceptive mind is on display
Comedy is something most people enjoy, but what an art it is! In most cases, the performer stands alone with only a microphone. As I listened to this special, I thought about how perceptive and truly odd Gaffigan’s observations are. Whereas a singer can return again and again with the same beloved repertoire of songs, the comedian must constantly create something fresh.
The Pale Tourist is impressive and original
The Pale Tourist is ambitious and impressive. For those who are Gaffigan fans, you will want to hear it. For those who are less familiar with Gaffigan, his earlier comedy specials are a better place to start. He deserves a lot of credit for moving the art form forward with a very different concept. The Pale Tourist is certainly a unique idea.
For those who are fans of Gaffigan’s delightfully unusual, insightful thinking and delivery, this is a special you will enjoy.
Release Date: July 24, 2020
Label: Comedy Dynamics
Tracks / Total Length: 60 tracks, 2:09:07
Special thanks to Hannah Schwartz.
