Larry the Cable Guy 'gits 'er done'

Comedian to perform Thursday at Show Me Center

By Laura Johnston ~ Southeast Missourian

With his Southern drawl, crazy relatives and down-to-earth sensibilities, Larry the Cable Guy has found a way to create some comic relief for everyday Americans.

"I'm not one of those LA, New York, uppity comedians," he said during a phone interview from Hollywood. "I'm not acting like I'm better than anyone else."

Larry thinks his popularity is based on being just a regular guy, a blue-collar worker like his fans.

And those fans will get a chance to see the comedian when he performs Thursday night at the Show Me Center.

"It's a release for people to see my show," he said. "I'm saying stuff they wish that they could say."

So whether he's poking fun at backwoods behavior or people who shop at Wal-Mart, Larry -- his given name is Dan Whitney -- says he's not ridiculing anybody in his comic routines, he's sympathizing with them. "I'm not making fun; I'm one of them," he said. "I'm not that far from the character."

Whitney grew up on a farm in Nebraska and now lives in Florida. He knows all about Midwestern values and Southern slang.

He got his comic start on a dare. A friend encouraged him to go to a comedy club and perform. He did and got hooked.

But his real break came on the radio in the early 1990s. A college buddy who had a morning show at the station encouraged him to call in and perform one of his social commentaries. But Larry needed a reason to call, and knowing that the station had expected a cable repairman for days, he called and pretended to be that guy.

That was the beginning of his "Git 'er done" phrase, too. It's a trademark that appears in his routine, mixed in with the political jibes, family jokes and miscellaneous redneck humor. Much of his routine comes from the commentaries he makes on the radio each week, his CD "Lord, I Apologize" and a few jokes.

Larry doesn't believe he has cornered the market on comedy. His popularity and rise to fame are dependent on his fans, he says, some of whom come to see his shows regularly.

After his radio debut, Larry became a character on 14 different stations around the country. Today he's heard on the John Boy and Billy Show and the Bob and Tom Show as well as being a regular guest on Jeff Foxworthy's Country Countdown.

His fans are "die-hards who come and see me wherever they are. It's kind of like the Grateful Dead for comedians," he said.

He's thankful for them. "This is totally fan-based. As long as we're selling tickets I'm going to do it," he said.

His show usually lasts between 60 to 75 minutes, but he often spends twice as much time mingling with fans in the lobby of the theaters where he performs. "I had a guy tell me the other day he's seen me nine times. He said, 'Man, Larry, I don't know how you do it, but every time I see you you've got a new act."

Though that's not entirely true, Larry says he does change material often. If he performed the same comedy routine over and over, it'd get boring, he said.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126