Yes, and he’s the one dealing in rednecks stereotypes.
But wouldn’t you like to see “From Justin To Larry The Cable Guy”?
It would definitely be the other way around, sadly.
;j
Wait a second, does he consider his act ironic and self-deprecating? From what I’ve seen, he seems to be delivering his redneckisms with a sense of pride to a crowd that absolutely loves it. He’s not acting out a caricature and expecting us to laugh at its absurdity.
I think he should do another persona, only one that’s the complete opposite. More like the real Dan.
I like Bill Engvall the best. Ron White’s pretty funny, though.
I didn’t see this before I posted. I would imagine that he does. Dan Whitney, from what I gather, is nothing like his “Larry” persona. He’s not even from the South-he’s from Nebraska.
I don’t care who you are, that’s funny.
I would love to believe that there’s a subversive point buried in his act somewhere, but I really, really don’t think so.
It’s healthy to laugh at oneself, of course; as a Southerner I do it often. But if, as in Larry’s case, it’s not tempered with an implicit recognition that we’re exaggerating for comic effect, it just reinforces an Us vs. Them mentality (closely tied to “regional pride”) and keeps people reassured that everything’s fine and there’s no need to take an honest, appraising look at oneself.
Furthermore, Larry has built a career on comfortably reinforcing the idiotic Southern archetype in the national consciousness. I make Southern jokes a lot, and I like guns and NASCAR as much as the next guy, but I’m also a progressive Southerner and I’m careful not to let myself relax into a caricature as a substitute for an actual personality. As Roy Blount once said, “For today’s Southerners, eternal vigilance is the price of irony.”
What the hell was my point? I forget. Larry Cable Guy bad. Something like that.
As to whether he’s being ironic, take a spin through his Web site. I don’t think he’s being ironic. I am, however, convinced that he’s been to college; if you read for a while, you’ll pick up the sense that his redneck schtick is very carefully calculated, particularly when he briefly slips (accidentally, I assume) into proper grammar and usage.
I.e., I think he’s acting out a caricature, but not with a subversive purpose; his purpose is to separate those who buy into it from their dollars. Mission Accomplished.
So the point is he’s funny, but you’re just absolutely positive that no one “gets” him the way you do? When come back, bring evidence.
While all us numbnuts are here wasting out lives posting on a stupid message board, Larry has a hugely popular standup gig AND a movie and is a gazillionaire. Ironic or not. Self deprecating or not. Been to college or not. See his movie or don’t see his movie. You guys let me know when you have your own movie and I’ll come here and bad mouth it for ya.
You can, but not for very long.
[size=1]Saw Mitch Hedberg live a few years ago. He pounded down four double vodkas during the hour he was up, and he was already drunk when he took the mike. That was embarrassing at the time, and later, it was just sad. RIP.[size]
Well, balls.
I’ll start taking opinion polls next week. I hope they meet your standards for evidence. After all, your approval is really all that I live for. Shall I bring pie as well?
I don’t know if you’re joking, but the US Air Force has done no such thing.
Lucretia, 1LT, USAF
I’ll be sure and send him a congratulatory Christmas card.
In the meantime, the question of whether he’s an ironic caricaturist or a cynical panderer seems to be the point under discussion. There’s no doubt he’s making a financial killing.
I watched his special - an hour of weiner jokes and fart jokes and other such stuff. I don’t like him, and that show cemented it for me. I also had the misfortune of watching Blue Collar TV once…
I find it amazing that he’s doing a movie. Each to his own, I guess. I won’t be seeing the movie, nor will I waste any time watching any more of his specials. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll miss me.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Larry…
I think this guy is no fool, but he could be slowly being driven mad. I think he got into this act after finding out it was amusing to some folks and there was money to be made, and now, I think he’s so far in, he can’t get out for fear of the public humiliation that would ensue, precisely, and ironically, because he is so good at what he does. I don’t believe he is a
at all, in so much as it’s possible to become someone other than who you are, I think he has done just that, and now he’s stuck with it.
Who the hell is Larry the Cable Guy??? 
LOL. I wonder why my t-shirt said “Git r done”. Thanks for clearing it up! BTW does Larry have any nude scenes in the flick?
Frank,
We’re talking about Larry the Cable Guy, not Red Green! [wry smile] Though blue painter’s tape’ll git r done better on open wounds than either duct tape or electrical tape. But only the medium adhesion roll. Available in widths from boo-boo through gaping wound. Can you tell my health care plan is the 3M tape catalog?
Pardon my digression. Resume the thread already in progress.