Family Matters

Half-baked comic Jim Breuer finally grows up.

by Scott Yorko

Courtesy of Personal Publicity BLACK HUMOR: "I have three kids, a father who craps himself — that's a joy, nobody gave me a book on that!" says Jim Breuer. "There's a lot of comedy there."

[ comedy ]

Jim Breuer has always rocked. The New Jersey comic hangs with Metallica, screeches AC/DC versions of "The Hokey Pokey" during his standup act, and wears Jerry Garcia's ashes around his neck in Half Baked. But in recent years, he's been rocking something else — cradles.

The father of three young daughters (4, 7 and 10) couldn't be happier about it — can't you imagine the lazy-eyed, guffawing, charmingly juvenile comic being a good dad? That doesn't mean his jokes have gone soft. In fact, Breuer's current Family Man Tour is much more grim, cathartic and real-life-based than the heart-of-gold stoner shtick he perfected on Saturday Night Live and Half Baked.

"It's not about smoking and drinking all night 'cause that's not my life now," says Breuer. "I have three kids, a father who craps himself — that's a joy, nobody gave me a book on that! My mom's blind in one eye. There's a lot of comedy there."

Jim Breuer: The only time it's weird is when someone recognizes you and they just can't grasp the concept that you're hanging out in, like, ShopRite. They're like, "Dude, where's your Maserati? Where's your Mercedes?" And I'm in a minivan.

CP: What do you mean when you say your show is more family-friendly now?

JB: I talk about my elderly parents, I talk about having three kids. It's not like, "Aw, this is nice." You still leave there exhausted.

CP: So your dad pooped himself on a plane?

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

JB: Uh, what a disaster. It's hilarious and sad at the same time. Any tragedy that you survive and tell people in a funny way is hilarious. The funny part is when it was over he just looked up at me and he's like, "I guess you're not taking me on any more trips." I was like, "No, nah, you're going on more trips. I'm just not gonna feed you for two days."

CP: How has your audience changed from Half Baked to the Family Man Tour?

JB: I'm starting to get three generations at shows. It's sick. Usually there was more of a frat audience and now there's more women. It's just a bigger diversity.

CP: Do entire families show up?

JB: Yeah, but it's not cheesy families. It's like the Cosbys, but wearing Metallica shirts.

CP: What was up with that ridiculous Pizza Hut commercial you did, where you play a diva Jim Breuer who's unhappily filming a Pizza Hut commercial and pushing crew members into a pool?

JB: That was scripted to be a viral video. That was actually the third take and the reason why I laughed so hard is 'cause I wasn't supposed to push him till the fourth or fifth take, but I knew I nailed it so I just shoved him in the pool without him knowing and cracked up really hard.

CP: What's the trashiest thing you've done all month?

JB: [Laughs] Peed in the shower.

CP: What do you think of Philadelphians?

JB: I'm a diehard fan of Philly and Boston. [They've got] two of the most passionate fans and people in the country, by far.

CP: You dig the Mets. What do you think about the Phillies?

JB: Everyone knew that I'm a diehard Mets fan, but I went 1,000 percent for the Phillies. That is a classic baseball team. There's no prima donnas. No one's jacked up on juice. They all look like guys you would see in a tavern. They look blue-collar. You got that midget in center field.

I was very disappointed they lost this year. I was really heartbroken. Philly fans can come out busting my balls, I don't care — they're gonna love my opening bit on the Mets.

(scott.yorko@citypaper.net)

Jim Breuer's Family Man Tour, Wed., Nov. 25, 8 p.m., $27.50-$39.50, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com.