Jim Gaffigan says his Tim Walz impression was really a tribute to his brother

Donald Trump’s victory means Jim Gaffigan is out of a job.

The comedian had made several appearances as Gov. Tim Walz on “Saturday Night Live,” usually alongside Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris.

Gaffigan said he didn’t initially put his hat in the ring, even after Steve Martin passed on the opportunity.

“I know you don’t really campaign for things like that,” he said Thursday during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” “You’re respectful and just let the process happen, which means I”ll never get it.”

Gaffigan was shooting a movie in England when his manager told him he had informed “SNL” that the comedian had been sending him silly videos of his Walz impression. That was a lie.

Gaffigan quickly went back to his hotel room and started to figure out an impression he could send curious producers.

But the vice-presidential candidate wasn’t his main inspiration.

“It was just an impression of my brother, Mitch,” said Gaffigan, referring to a sibling that’s a vice president at Purdue Federal Credit Union in Indiana. “Like Walz, my brother is a sweet, sincere, caring guy who tears up watching every sentimental movie he’s ever seen. That’s what I submitted. People say, ‘You do a great Tim Walz’ and I say, ‘I’m doing Mitch Gaffigan.’”

Gaffigan, who taped one of his 11 comedy specials in Minneapolis and has performed at the Minnesota State Fair, said he has yet to hear from anyone on Walz’s team, but he told Kimmel he’d be happy to make an appearance at one of the governor’s birthday parties.

The biggest criticism Gaffigan got for his “SNL” bits was that his recent weight loss made him look much thinner than Walz (”JKL” recruited Andy Richter, whose shape is more accurate).

Gaffigan has been open about using Mounjaro injections to change his look. That decision is part of his latest stand-up special, “The Skinny,” now streaming on Hulu.