News Release
THE ANNISTON STAR
October 7, 2004
Southern-fried funny: Comedian James Gregory to perform two shows at Talladega’s Ritz Theatre
By Brett Buckner
James Gregory will visit Talladega’s Historic Ritz Theatre for the first time Friday. Courtesy photo
"My uncle filled out a job application and where it says ‘nearest relative’ he put ‘12 miles.’"
Some might say that James Gregory’s had a shelf life longer than a Stuckey’s Pecan Roll.
For more than 20 years, Gregory has toured the States and beyond, entertaining audiences with his unique brand of Southern-fried, slice-of-life humor that’s garnered applause from the Persian Gulf to Nashville.
It’s hard to believe that there’s a single comedy club, civic center or radio station the comedy veteran hasn’t played. Yet for the first time in his career, Gregory will be in Talladega performing two shows Friday night at the Historic Ritz Theatre. The performance will kick-off the theater’s fall season.
"I’ve been all over the South and been all over Alabama, don’t know how I’ve managed to miss Talladega," Gregory says from his Atlanta home. "But I’m comin’ now and we’re all gonna have a real good time."
With homespun tales of Crisco cuisine and covered-dish funerals, Gregory has earned the nickname "Funniest Man in America" simply because his routine reminds people of someone they all know.
"I’m like that funny uncle that every family’s got," Gregory says in a Southern drawl thick as IHOP syrup. "I think one of the reasons my show’s remained so popular is because people can relate to it. Even if I’m makin’ it up, it all sounds believable."
And while Friday will be Gregory’s first stop in the 400-seat theater, he says he’s looking forward to the show and the rather intimate atmosphere created at the Ritz.
"Of course I wouldn’t mind playin’ football stadiums," he says, laughing, "because that would mean that I’d be real famous and makin’ tons of money. Seriously, though, for the art of comedy, these smaller, theater-like settings are really the best ’cause it’s like playin’ in one giant livin’ room.
"The audience is right there, really involved and there’s not a bad seat in the house."
Ritz Theatre Executive Director George Culver says Friday’s show will be one for all ages and all audiences. But those interested in attending should go ahead and make plans.
"It’s Sunday school-safe," Culver says. "While tickets are still available, nobody should wait ’til the last minute to reserve a seat."
Despite his references to such seemingly Southern staples as trailer parks, Stuckey’s road trips, chain wallets and fried foods, Gregory vows that his act is probably more Jerry Seinfeld than Jeff Foxworthy.
"My act’s really not a Southern as most people think," he says. "It’s just because of my accent — now that’s Southern. No, I’ve prided myself on never doin’ redneck material. I never talk about pick-up trucks, or grits or gun racks or coon dogs. I just talk and tell stories about the things we see and do every day.
"This is stuff that happens everywhere to everybody."
And his trip to Talladega marks one of the first times Gregory has returned to the stage after perhaps his greatest performance.
In June, Gregory went to an Atlanta doctor for a routine physical and a few other tests. He expected to be in the hospital for a few days at the most.
He wouldn’t come out for nearly two months.
He was rushed into surgery where doctors performed a quadruple heart bypass. Following the surgery, the comedian’s lung collapsed, he fell into a coma for five weeks and was placed on life support.
"I was bad off there for a little while," Gregory says. "I feel lucky to be alive. To tell ya the truth, I just about went down for the count."
But Gregory snapped back. He’s been out on the road touring for about a month. And while he hasn’t lost his appreciation for fatty foods, Gregory has been forced to give up his three-pack-a-day cigarette habit.
"I haven’t had one since June," he says with pride. "I’ve been amazed that I haven’t wanted to kill somebody. I guess I’ve found a certain peace about it all — bypass surgery’ll do that for ya."
But he doesn’t use his near-death experience to get laughs.
"That just seems kinda tacky," he says. "This was a pretty serious thing that I don’t think people really wanna pay their money to sit down and hear about. I want people to come in and have a good time, to laugh and enjoy themselves. That’s what my show’s all about."
And given the current situation with the war in Iraq, constant threats of terrorism and a bitter presidential debate, Gregory says that people, now more than ever, need to sit back, relax and bust a gut laughing.
"This is something we all need," he says. "There’s enough out there with all this 24-hour bad news circulating all the time to be worried and scared about. With laughter, we can forget about all that for a while and just feel good.
"There’s nothing wrong with that."
Life according to James Gregory:
"Every time you get on a plane, no matter where you’re flying, they’ll tell you about a flotation seat; you want to make me happy, show me a seat that’s going to bounce out of a cornfield."
"My uncle read an article in the paper about how 75 percent of all fatal car accidents occur within 35 miles of where you live, so he moved!"
"If I win $18 million, $9 million or even just $1 million and they want me to say something, I’m going to tell them: The following people can kiss my rich, fat $%#@."
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