A talk with North Jersey’s very own beloved funnyman and SNL alum.
He’s best known for his riotous impersonations of various actors from Joe Pesci to Jack Nicholson and Sylvester Stallone. Not to mention, his gut-busting “Goat Boy” character on Saturday Night Live. We’re talking about the incredibly funny Jim Breuer. In April, Breuer chatted with DiningOut Magazine about his comedic inspiration, his love affair with Metallica, and what matters most in his life: family.
Flashback to 1998, many may recall Breuer’s role as the tie-dye T-shirt clad pothead starring alongside Dave Chappelle in the cult favorite “Half-Baked” in which he made a lengthy food request to his fellow stoner friend following an epic toking session: “Celery, grape jelly… Pizzas. We need two big pizzas, man,” his character Brian says in the movie with his sleepy sky blue eyes and his arms flailing. “Everything on ‘em.”
It’s been 30 years since Breuer’s first standout open mic night in the Sunshine State in 1989, after which he became a household name performing sold-out comedy shows for delighted audiences and enjoying a stellar movie and TV career (some of his noted credits include “Family Guy,” “Wonder Pets!” and “Kevin Can Wait”). Now, the Chester Township resident has bagged a second comedy residency at the Bergen Performing Arts Center {30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood; 201.227.1030; bergenpac.org} after his current one at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Breuer will be BergenPAC’s first-ever comic in residence, with four shows slated for this year.
“I never do politics or news,” says Breuer by phone on a Wednesday afternoon this past spring. “I try to be as relatable as possible.”
Relatability is certainly a spot-on description of his brand of comedy. A number of Breuer’s standup routines include his encounters with fellow celebrities or people he meets in passing. In a skit from his comedy show, “Let’s Clear the Air,” he parodies the time his dad – a no-nonsense, World War II veteran and role model – engaged in a witless conversation with Sylvester Stallone after meeting him one night at SNL. In another, he explores the idea of success and derides people with high opinions of themselves like country club big shots and the obnoxious man blasting music from his fancy built-in stereo system in his car.
In the last decade, Breuer has launched a podcast called “The Podcast Masters” that he hosts with dear friend and fellow funnyman Pete Correale in addition to his own, “The Jim Breuer Podcast. In his most recent podcast, “Live from Portland,” Breuer pokes fun at Portlanders’ fixation with the city’s multicultural food trucks. “Has anyone ever been to a carnival?” he deadpans.
The show was recorded in Portland while on a three-day break from his most recent tour with Metallica for which Breuer was the opening act. A self-described metal head, Breuer has been a big fan of the metal icons dating back to his high school years given the band’s hard-hitting lyrics and unassuming nature.
“Metallica is the only band that stayed with me my whole life that I have used to help heal me through many stages of my life, especially in the entertainment industry,” he explains. “I am not a fan of Hollywood. Their songs are poetic in my life. They’re a strong reminder of who I should be and the line I should walk: stay on your morals, keep your eye on the big game and your big game is family and morality, not vanity and ego.”
Breuer booked the show at Portland’s Helium Comedy Club after being approached by a friend on tour who willed to feed the homeless. On what seemed a dull Tuesday night, Breuer serendipitously brought the house down with his comedy act while attendees donated non-perishable foods to the performance in exchange for merchandise. Unbeknownst to him, the impromptu show was recorded and looked upon as comedy gold in the eyes of his manager, who insisted he make the show a comedy album. The album – disseminated by producer Jim Serpico’s new comedy label, Virtual Comedy Network, and currently available on Spotify – was Breuer’s first comedy album in two decades. A local Portland pizzeria backed their mission by making and distributing 150 pies to a number of grateful paupers. While the album was a hit, the most important thing to Breuer was cracking a smile on his fans’ faces.
“I’m more interested in people hearing, ‘This helped me,” he says. “I’m going through some things you’re going through. I can’t believe you made me laugh.”
Indeed comedy is what Breuer lives for. The father of three daughters is married to his beloved wife, Dee, for a quarter century. While she is currently undergoing cancer treatment, Breuer likes to think of himself as a healer of sorts when it comes to entertaining people. And, unlike most other comedians, he doesn’t cuss to make his delivery any funnier.
“I go from the silliness of being a Mets fan to the rock metal guy to dealing with the elderly or losing one of your parents battling cancer,” he says of his material. “We’re all in this together. We’re all going through hardships. My job is to find heart and soul, inspire you, and leave you laughing in your heart and with a different direction to look at things… My biggest compliment is when people say, ‘I really needed this tonight. Thank you.’ Every show I always say someone out there really needs this, so don’t make it about you, make it about that person.”
The Jim Breuer Residency will be staged the remainder of the year on June 29, August 9 and October 19. For tickets, go to bergenpac.org.
