Beyond the Pale

For Milwaukeeans, Jim Gaffigan has become as much a part of the holiday tradition as eggnog, fruitcake, gift cards and heated political arguments at family functions. This year marks the seventh straight New Years-adjacent Pabst Theater occupation for the comic—whose wife, Jeannie, hails from Milwaukee and the large and accomplished Noth family. As Gaffigan’s career has grown, the once-New Years Eve exclusive event has expanded. This time around, he’ll take the stage an astonishing four times, Saturday, December 28 through Tuesday, December 31.

Since Gaffigan’s inaugural New Years Eve show at the Pabst, he’s become one of the biggest names in stand-up. He’s known for self-effacing bits centered on his weight, aversion to exercise and his lack of pigmentation, as well as food-obsessed takes on fast food, Mexican cuisine and (most famously) Hot Pockets. Those side splitting staples and others were on display in his famed specials “Beyond The Pale,” “King Baby” and last year’s “Mr. Universe.”

In a comic twist, Gaffigan also plied his rising star in the realm of stand-up to nab some acting roles. He was a recurring character on three seasons of “My Boys,” and appeared in several movies: the cult favorite Super Troopers, as well as Away We Go, opposite Zach Galifianakis in It’s Kind Of A Funny Story and briefly in the dreadful Mike Myers and Justin Timberlake vehicle The Love Guru.

He also hit Broadway in 2011 with a role in a star-studded production of That Championship Season, which also featured Christopher Noth and Kiefer Sutherland, in a revival of the 1972 play about a reunion of high school basketball players with their coach. “I have never hung around with a group of men that consume so much alcohol in my entire life,” joked Gaffigan about the show. Here’s a highlight from the production:

Earlier this year, the actor and comic also added the position of published author to his varied and impressive resume. His memoir “Dad Is Fat”—which is rife with his trademark food commentary and observational humor, along with hilarious musings about raising five children—came out in May and quickly sold more than 100,000 copies. Gaffigan is reportedly also working on another book, which he plans to release next year.

With a big 2014 (complete with a book release and CBS pilot) on the horizon, Gaffigan will conclude yet another big year in the familiar confines of the Pabst. While a gig in his spouse’s hometown seems a likely end to 2014 as well, nothing is guaranteed. So check Gaffigan out while you have the chance (or, more accurately, four chances) to end the year laughing.

Jim Gaffigan will perform four nights at the Pabst Theater between December 28 and December 31. Doors open at 6 p.m. (excluding the New Years Eve set, in which the doors open at 9 p.m.) and tickets cost $55. http://pabsttheater.org/pages/boxoffice