It’s not often that the Oklahoma City area gets to see a good, nationally renowned comedian. We simply aren’t a big enough market for most club or theater comics to come here.
But comic Jim Gaffigan made an exception last weekend when he did not one, but two shows in Midwest City.
Both the early and late shows at the Rose State College Performing Arts Center were completely sold out.
Gaffigan is touring to prepare for another Comedy Central special, so most of the material performed was brand new.
Even though the material was new, it seemed somewhat familiar. Most of it covered the same topics that Gaffigan has been riffing on for years, namely food and laziness.
A good chunk of Gaffigan’s set was simply about bacon. He seems to have completely exhausted any possible joke about the pork product.
These bits were funny, but one can’t help but want more from the comedian. He’s been going over the same ground for quite some time.
It was actually when Gaffigan strayed from his typical food and laziness jokes that he really shined. He had one bit about Ticketmaster that was particularly hilarious.
Gaffigan closed the show out with his famed “Hot Pocket” bit, which garnered a huge crowd reaction.
It seemed strange for a comedian to pull out his old bits much like a band would their greatest hits, but the audience ate it up.
Jim Gaffigan is one of the few current comedians who has achieved mainstream success while still appealing to the hardcore, alternative comedy fans.
He currently stars on the TBS hit “My Boys” and recently appeared in the Mike Myers vehicle “The Love Guru.”
Gaffigan’s “Beyond the Pale” Comedy Central special is one of the most popular in the channel’s history.
That special brought viewers his “Hot Pocket” bit that he has become known for.
Perhaps Gaffigan’s two sold out Oklahoma shows will show promoters that comedy can be a draw here and we’ll begin to see more and more comedians come through. But Gaffigan’s performance should tide fans over for quite some time before that happens.
