"Larry the Cable Guy"

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

I find this comedian to be extremely unfunny, but I have to hand it to him: he has completely fabricated a character, sold it to the public, and made millions without 99% of the public realizing that he is even doing a character.

So, I'm not sure whether I consider him a phony, or extremely clever/subversive (a la Andy Kaufman). Here is Daniel Whitney (Larry the Cable Guy's real name) before he created the character, decked out in GAP-style duds, looking like a chubby Seinfeld:

Drdogface · Drdogface's Garage

I used to actually like him, as Larry the Cable Guy, until I saw this... (Yes, I know "Larry" is a created character)

vash · vash's Garage

i dont think he is funny at all. the rest of the blue collared guys are better. ron white is the best, then the guy i cannot remember his name envall? then foxworthy, then the cable dude. in that order.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

I agree with Vash completely. Ron White is hilarious. Bill Engvall's "Here's Your Sign" schtick was great. Foxworthy is funny in small doses. Cable Guy isn't even remotely funny, IMHO.

Mike Andrew · 02-20-2009, 09:05 AM

Oh, yeah, Ron White is the best of the lot. I love his bit about being arrested for public drunkeness after being thrown out of the bar. Makes my ribs hurt every time that I see it.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I kinda wonder about comedians' on-stage and real life personas. Would anyone stop laughing at Rodney Dangerfield or Diceman if they were totally different in person?

Remember Chris Titus? He had a tv show a while back. I saw him in a club in NJ and he hazed the hell out of me for the whole show. Afterwards I had a drink with him and he was totally different. He told me I was a really good sport too. I still like his comedy though.

pitargue · pitargue's Garage

Dunno. Had the mullet back then. :-)

911boost · 911boost's Garage

Speaking of redneck, did anyone else catch the HBO show directed by Will Ferril, East Down and Broke or something?

It was pretty humorous.

Bill

scottmandue · 02-20-2009, 09:32 AM

Most actors, comedians, musicians, athletes, have a "persona" they project to further their career.

I view it as part of their job and it doesn't bother me in the least.

Remember George Carlen as the hippy dippy weather man? (uh... maybe you don't)

KISS the rock band?

The Fonze (happy days)

Sheriff Barny Fife?

I could go on and on but you get the idea.

masraum · 02-20-2009, 10:03 AM

Ron White +10. He's hillarious. By far the funniest of the bunch. I used to love Bill Engvall, but the last thing that I saw by him was just so-so. His "here's your sign" stuff is the best. Foxworthy is ok, but yeah, small doses.

I like Larry the cable guy reasonably well. He has some funny stuff.

legion · 02-20-2009, 10:12 AM

Larry doesn't hide that this is his on-stage persona. He frequently does interviews on CMT not in character. He even explains how he came up with the character and the character's name.

Yes, some of his bits aren't funny, but some are genius. He is able to go between very low-brow humor and some unexpectedly complex humor with ease--I suspect that a lot of his more complicated humor goes right over the heads of people that aren't expecting it. It's usually some of his short one-liners that are the real gems and are easily overlooked. He's a pretty intelligent guy and he crafted a character that is the perfect vehicle for delivering a certain brand of humor.

If you think about it, he's no different than Marylin Manson. He figured out what sells and how to market it, and is very wealthy as a direct result of his own innovation.

legion · 02-20-2009, 10:13 AM

Oh...and...

I think Ron White is the funniest of the Blue Collar guys as well, but his on-stage presence is just as much a character as Larry The Cable Guy.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

So, I guess he is just clever, then. I still don't think he's very funny - I prefer Jim Gaffigan, Zach Galifinakus, Dmitri Martin, Mitch Hedberg, Louis C.K., guys like that - but I got to hand it to him for his creativity and his ability to gauge the public's wants.

scottmandue · 02-20-2009, 12:09 PM

If you fly to all your gigs in your own private jet...

You may be a redneck.

masraum · 02-20-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legion

If you think about it, he's no different than Marylin Manson. He figured out what sells and how to market it, and is very wealthy as a direct result of his own innovation.

Or Boy George or Kiss or Cher or Madonna

VaSteve · 02-20-2009, 04:06 PM

What about "shock jocks"? It's all nonsense and acting. But shock jocks and the like are persecuted when when they say something on the air for the audience. Where does the act end and the person begin? Hard to say, but they suffer a lot of punishment for stuff they say.

trekkor · 02-20-2009, 04:35 PM

I thought that movie "Health Inspector" was pretty funny.

KT

9dreizig · 02-20-2009, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Sheriff Barny Fife?

.

hate to break it to you but he was real,, just a typical cop

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

Just to be contrary, I think Ron White is the worst of the Blue Collar Comedy bunch. \
Anybody else remember George Carlin on network tv (I think it was a summer replacement variety show) where he was first mate with Columbus and a sargent with Robin Hood?

Jim

Brian 162 · 02-22-2009, 01:36 PM

I saw Ron White last night. He was hilarious. All new material. He was drinking Johnnie Walker Black like it was going out of style. He did a nice tribute to the troops in the U.S. and Canada.