Comedian Jim Gaffigan tapes Netflix special in Minneapolis

The stand-up had plenty of sharp material about the coronavirus.

October 16, 2021 at 12:00PM
Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan (Jessica Armbruster/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Plenty of comics these days are reflecting on the coronavirus. But it's hard to imagine anyone is doing it better than Jim Gaffigan.

The veteran stand-up showed why he's a cut above the rest Friday at the State Theatre where his weekend performances are being taped for a Netflix special.

The 55-year-old comic filled much of his 70-minute set with familiar topics: obesity, raising five kids, his pasty complexion. But what really stood out was material about the pandemic.

He compared the ongoing crisis to a TV show that you thought was canceled, only to discover it had picked up by Netflix. Discovering which friends are anti-vaxxers has been like a "gender reveal party for insanity." The fact that his kids went to school using the same device they play Minecraft on is the same as holding a Weight Watchers meeting in a Wendy's.

As usual, Gaffigan kept his material clean - although he did make some members in the sold-out crowd a little uneasy when he went after marching bands.

For the most part, audience members ate it up. Their reaction helped explain why more and more top comics are choosing to record TV specials in Minneapolis; Jeff Foxworthy will also be using the State Theatre for a Netflix taping on Oct. 30.

Gaffigan is scheduled to do two more shows Saturday.

about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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